VOA – CONNECT EPISODE # 177 AIR DATE 06 04 2021 TRANSCRIPT OPEN ((VO/NAT)) ((Banner)) Pandemic Family Diary ((SOT)) ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) Do you guys know that there’s no more school for the rest of this year? We cannot be watching videos and playing videogames every single day. ((Camilo, Son)) We need a little more screen time. Quarantine is going to be so boring then. ((Adela, Daughter)) I don’t know how to unmute. ((NATS)) Navine, podrias decirme que dia fue ayer? [Navine, can you tell me what day it was yesterday?] ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) What’s the matter? ((Adela, Daughter)) I wanted to see my friends. ((Open Animation)) BLOCK A ((PKG)) MY PANDEMIC FAMILY DIARY ((TRT: 22:03)) ((Topic Banner: My Pandemic Family Diary)) ((Reporter/Camera: Gabrielle Weiss)) ((Additional Camera/Drone Footage: Rafael de la Uz)) ((Map: Washington, D.C.)) ((Main Characters: 2 female; 2 male)) ((Sub Characters: 2 male; 4 female)) ((NATS)) ((Adela, Daughter)) Mama. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Why are you taking home your plant? ((Adela, Daughter)) Because a lady’s going to clean and if she takes this, she’s just going to throw it in the trash. ((On-screen Text: In mid-March last year, Washington DC public schools announce a two-week closure due to COVID-19. I start filming my family in what promises to be unusual times.)) ((Camilo, Son)) What’s this? ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Tell us about, I’m filming you, tell us about the last day. What are you excited about? ((Camilo, Son)) No school. And no school. And no detentions. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) So, tell me like, the highs and lows of the coronavirus. ((Camilo, Son)) How the heck do you find a high of a virus. ((Adela, Daughter)) My high, my high is that it’s hard for kids to get it and my low is that it’s bad for grownups. ((On-screen Text: Over the next few weeks, we adjust to working and taking classes from our apartment.)) ((NATS: Adela Singing)) ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) Achie [Adela], come over here one second, baby. ((Adela, Daughter)) Okay. ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) Do you guys know that there’s no more school for the rest of this year? But that doesn’t mean there’s no more school. ((Camilo, Son)) I know, we still have this. ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) We cannot be watching videos and playing videogames every single day. ((Adela, Daughter)) Okay. ((Camilo, Son)) We need a little more screen time. Quarantine is going to be so boring then. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Camilo. ((Camilo, Son)) Yeah. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) We’re going to order the trampoline now. ((Camilo, Son)) Okay, I’m coming. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Okay, are you ready? ((Adela, Daughter)) Yeah. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Alright, so… ((Adela, Daughter)) This one, this one, this one. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) I think we’ve got to go back to the first one… ((Camilo, Son)) Yeah, let’s just get the first… ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) It doesn’t have any basketball net. ((Adela, Daughter)) I want the pink one. ((Camilo, Son)) Okay, that’s kind of cool. ((Adela, Daughter)) This one is the coolest. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Trampoline water park. Yeah, but the other one is… ((Adela, Daughter)) Why is Camilo only picking? ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) He’s not. We’re looking at it together. ((Camilo, Son)) Wait, did you see how much the shipping is for that one? I vote for this one. ((Adela, Daughter)) No, this one. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Guys. ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) Come Gabby, I’m going to show you an anti-coronavirus meal. Red beans and then we have this really nice ham steak with some apples. Look at that. We cannot make sure that we’re not going to have the coronavirus. But we are going to try to be as strong as possible in case we get it. ((NATS)) The device is a rechargeable coffee mug that can keep your coffee hot for over one-and-a-half hours. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) You’re watching commercials? What are you watching? ((Camilo, Son)) A ton, like this crazy technology video. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) What are they showing you? ((Camilo, Son)) This like rechargeable coffee mug that heats up your coffee. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) You’re watching commercials? ((Camilo, Son)) No. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Basically? ((Camilo, Son)) Yeah. ((Adela, Daughter)) You’re supposed to have it mute. Papi, you’re supposed to have it mute. ((NATS)) Buenos dias, Adela [Good morning, Adela]. ((Adela, Daughter)) Buenos dias. ((NATS)) Adela, me escuchas? [Adela, can you hear me?] Que? [What?] ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Unmute. ((NATS)) Navine, podrias decirme que dia fue ayer? [Navine, can you tell me what day it was yesterday?] ((Adela, Daughter)) What? I don’t know how to unmute. ((NATS)) ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Baby, what made you so sad there? What’s the matter? ((Adela, Daughter)) I wanted to see my friends. ((NATS)) ((On-screen Text: We decide that playing with friends outside would be safe and make quarantine easier on everyone.)) ((Camilo, Son)) I must have it in my pocket. ((Daniel, Schoolmate)) How about we just try to lift it. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) How would it be if you weren’t able to be here? ((Daniel, Schoolmate)) It would be hard because you’d be just cooped up inside and you want to get outside and like… ((Camilo, Son)) Yeah, but for some kids, I bet for some kids, they’re really enjoying being cooped up inside. ((Daniel, Schoolmate)) I need to get outside to live. So, I could not do it. ((Camilo, Son)) I mean, it’s probably going to happen. That’s the thing. But… ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) What’s probably going to happen? ((Camilo, Son)) That we’re going to have to be cooped up inside. But I think the coronavirus is getting better. ((NATS)) ((On-screen Text: But it doesn’t get better and for a while, they stop playing with friends.)) ((NATS)) ((Camilo, Son)) Is it? ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) It is the trampoline. ((Adela, Daughter)) Yay! ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) We cannot bring that upstairs. It’s really heavy. ((Camilo, Son)) Oh my… ((Adela, Daughter)) What? Oh, my God! ((Camilo, Son)) Over 70 pounds [32 kg]. ((Adela, Daughter)) Hey, maybe we have to like, put it together. ((NATS/MUSIC)) ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Hey guys. It’s Pop’s birthday. So, I’m picking up a nice dinner and we’re just going to leave the food on the front steps because we can’t go inside. ((Adela, Daughter)) Why can’t we go inside? ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Because, you know, if anybody has coronavirus, we might not know it. We don’t want to give it to Nana and Pop because they’re older and they can get sicker. ((Adela, Daughter)) Mama, of course we don’t have the coronavirus. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Well, you know, sometimes you can have the coronavirus and not even know it. ((Adela, Daughter)) Mama, we washed our hands. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) I know. We want to hug Pop and say happy birthday, but we can’t. Come. ((NATS/SINGING)) Happy birthday dear Pop! Happy birthday to you! ((Pop, Grandfather)) Oh, thank you guys. That was such a thrill. For a moment I thought, “Oh, let’s quarantine together.” And then I realized we can’t do it. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) No, I know. I wish I could give you a birthday hug, Dad. ((Pop, Grandfather)) It’s okay. We’ll do it from a distance. ((Adela, Daughter)) Okay. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) A virtual hug. Bye. ((Pop, Grandfather)) Bye. Thank you, guys. Love you. BREAK ONE BUMP IN ((ANIM)) BLOCK B ((NATS)) ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Que pasa? [What’s wrong?] ((Adela, Daughter)) I’m bored. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) How’s it going? ((Camilo, Son)) It’s going good. I finished everything. We didn’t have that much because I did most of the work that you had to do today, yesterday. ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) You don’t even have an F. ((Camilo, Son)) But I did well. I got one hundred percent. ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) You have like, out of 50 you got 30. Okay, it’s almost half. Okay, you were chatting during your school time. Okay, so now you have to do something else. ((On-screen Text: With work and school being done from home, we consider travelling to Alaska to be near my sister’s family.)) ((NATS: Phone ringing)) ((Phone call to Canadian Border Services)) Welcome to the Canada Border Services Agency’s Border Information Service. Border Services. How can I help you? ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Yes, we’re thinking of driving to Alaska through Canada and I’m wondering about the restrictions. ((Phone call to Canadian Border Services)) When you are going to be transiting, you have to plan out the most direct route from the port of entry in Canada until Alaska. You have to book, pre-book hotels for your stay. ((NATS)) ((On-screen Text: We put our belongings in storage and rent a house near my sister in Alaska.)) ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) What are you thinking about going to Alaska? ((Adela, Daughter)) It’s kind of fun but I’ll miss my friends. ((Camilo, Son)) I’m very excited for the two bathrooms in Alaska. I’ll never have to wait for Papa to finish shaving again. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Adela, we’ve got to put Coco in the cat carrier. ((Adela, Daughter)) Coco, come on. Let’s get you inside. Come on, let’s go. Come on, get in. Get in. ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) Okay, let’s go guys. Let’s make sure we have Coco there. ((NATS)) ((On-screen Text: We stop by my parents’ house to say goodbye and organize our car.)) ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Maybe the cat carrier can go on top of this, or this can go on top of the cat carrier. ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) That goes on top of the carrier. ((Pop, Grandfather)) This is the most amazing packing job I’ve ever, ever, seen. ((Nana, Grandmother)) Yeah. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) We have to mail Camilo’s clothes because they won’t fit in the car. ((Camilo, Son)) Alaska, here we come. Bye. ((Nana, Grandmother)) Oh, that’s terrible. ((NATS/MUSIC)) ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) We did it. ((Animated Map: Rockville, Maryland to Sandusky, Ohio)) ((Adela, Daughter)) What’s next to Pennsylvania? ((Camilo, Son)) Are we in New York? ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) Hopefully no. We are in Ohio. How many days it’s going to take us to get to Alaska? ((Camilo, Son)) I think it’s going to take 13. ((Adela, Daughter)) 15. ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) I think like 16 days. ((NATS/MUSIC)) ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) We’re taking a little break here next to the lake. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Come on, come on, come on. ((Adela, Daughter)) Mama, I don’t think that works. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Come on Coco. ((Camilo, Son)) Mama, don’t force him out. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Then how do I get him out. I can’t get him out. ((Camilo, Son)) Well, what if he doesn’t want to go out? ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) It’s really hard to get him out because his claws are so sharp. That’s a good boy, good boy. Look at him, he’s terrified. ((Adela, Daughter)) It’s okay. Okay, Coco. Let’s walk. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) All right. You win Coco, you win. You’re staying in your cage. Let’s walk to see the lake. ((Adela, Daughter)) Look how me skipping. ((Camilo, Son)) These rocks are so cool. Wow, what a skip! It went all the way back there. ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) Cami, we start going guys. ((Camilo, Son)) All right. ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) We still have a long way to go. ((Adela, Daughter)) No. BREAK TWO BUMP IN ((ANIM)) BLOCK C ((NATS/MUSIC)) ((Animated Map: Rockville, Maryland to Sandusky, Ohio to Eau Claire, Wisconsin)) ((Adela, Daughter)) This is my happy dance! This is awesome. ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) What is coming down from the sky? ((Adela, Daughter)) Snow, snow, snow! Snow! Snow! It’s snowing. Snow! It’s snowing. ((Camilo, Son)) We went from AC to heater. ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) We got like, almost 40-degree drop in temperature in a 300- mile [483 km] stretch. ((NATS/MUSIC)) ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) You know what is at the end of that road? ((Camilo, Son)) Canada? ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) Canada. Hey guys, put your mask. Hello. ((Canadian Border Officer)) Hi there. How are you guys today? ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) Good, good. We are going to Alaska for seven months. ((Canadian Border Officer)) Okay. ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) So, I have passports, birth certificates for the kids here. ((Canadian Border Officer)) So, how many people are in the vehicle today? ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) Four and our cat. ((Canadian Border Officer)) One cat? ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) Yeah. ((Canadian Border Officer)) Any alcohol, tobacco or cannabis products? ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) No. ((Canadian Border Officer)) Any firearms or weapons? ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) No, no. ((Canadian Border Officer)) Any coughs, colds, flu, tightness in the chest for anyone in the vehicle? ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) No. ((Canadian Border Officer)) All your paperwork, everything, that is great in here. All right guys. ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) Thank you. ((Canadian Border Officer)) Have a good day. Take care. ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) We have five days to get out of Canada. If we don’t obey by those rules, we can have trouble when we are coming back. So, we better obey by the rules. Here we go, Canada. ((NATS/MUSIC)) ((Animated Map: Portal, North Dakota to Alcan Border, Alaska)) ((Adela, Daughter)) Cried, cried, Peter. What does cried mean? ((Camilo, Son)) Well, I mean crying, like you know. And it also can mean like, you yell it like, ‘Maybe, Pinktonians should come to earth!’ ((Adela, Daughter)) Maybe, they’ll come to earth. ((Camilo, Son)) Yeah, like that, cried. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) What are you doing? Why are you doing school? ((Camilo, Son)) We are doing school because we don’t have… ((Adela, Daughter/Filmmaker)) Because you guys forced us to. ((Camilo, Son)) She’s actually got a point. ((NATS)) ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Here’s the beginning of the Alaska Highway, the world- famous Alaska Highway. ((Camilo, Son)) Oh, my god! ((Adela, Daughter)) Mama! ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Yay! ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) Everybody’s sick of the car. The cat, the kids, us, everybody’s sick of being in the car. ((NATS/MUSIC)) ((Camilo, Son)) They’re so big. Oh, my god! Look at that! No, no, no, stop, stop, stop. It’s coming, it’s coming. Look at that! Wow! This is amazing. Oh, my god! Baby bisons. That’s so cool. No, they’re chill. Wow. Okay, should we count them? ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) What do you think Adela? ((Adela, Daughter)) Well, I’m too cold to think, really. ((NATS/MUSIC)) ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Today, we’re going to cross into Alaska at the Alcan border. ((Camilo, Son)) How long is this drive? ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Well, its 420 something kilometers. ((Camilo, Son)) So, how long will that take? ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) All day. ((NATS/MUSIC)) ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) All right, two miles [3.2 km] down the road to the border patrol. I’ll be back in a minute. ((Camilo, Son)) Can I have an M&M now? ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) All right, we’re good to go, guys. We have permission to leave Canada and I think we’re lucky, because somebody in there was having a hard time. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Let me take your picture so we can send it to everybody and show them that we made it to Alaska! ((Camilo, Son)) We have made it! ((Adela, Daughter)) We’re in Alaska! We’re in Alaska! ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) We made it! ((Adela, Daughter)) My hands are freezing cold. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Okay, it’s cold. Let’s get back in the car. ((NATS: from phone)) Hey guys. You’re in Alaska! ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) We’re in Alaska. We’re actually here. ((Cecily Shavelson, Niece)) From Tok, it’d take 9 hours and 31 minutes to get to Homer. ((Miranda Weiss, Sister)) Okay, most importantly, how is Coco? ((Camilo, Son)) Coco is right here. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Here he is. ((Miranda Weiss, Sister)) Okay, Coco. How are you liking negative 18 degrees [-27 degree Celsius], man? ((Adela, Daughter)) Yes, I love it. I don’t like outside though. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) We’ve been seeing some photos of you guys ice skating ((Camilo, Son)) I’m so stinking jealous. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) At Glacier lake. And there’s some people here that are super excited about doing that with you. ((Adela, Daughter)) Oh, and then, then we can have a lot of snowball fights. ((NATS: from phone)) Yay. ((NATS)) ((Camilo, Son)) Papa, how much time is left? ((Rafael de la Uz, Father/Filmmaker)) One hour-and-a-half. ((Camilo, Son)) Yeah. Oh, we’re so close. ((NATS/MUSIC)) ((Animated Map: Rockville, Maryland to Homer, Alaska)) ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Hey, guys. Welcome to Homer. This is the warmest place we’ve been in for the past two weeks. It’s kind of a cute neighborhood. ((Camilo, Son)) It's an awesome possum neighborhood. ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) They’re there. Oh, my god! ((Camilo, Son)) We’re here! ((Miranda Weiss, Sister)) Oh, would you stop. ((Cecily Shavelson, Niece)) She’s nice. ((NATS)) ((Gabrielle Weiss, Mother/Filmmaker)) Wow, this is our new house. We can see the mountains from here. I’ve never had a view in my bedroom before like that. This is pretty amazing. ((Cecily Shavelson, Niece)) We’re going ice skating today, right now! ((Camilo, Son)) Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go! ((NATS/MUSIC)) CLOSING BUMPER ((ANIM)) voanews.com/connect ((PKG)) FREE PRESS MATTERS ((NATS/VIDEO/GFX)) ((Popup captions over B Roll)) Near the Turkish Embassy Washington, D.C. May 16, 2017 President Erdogan’s bodyguard attacks peaceful protesters “Those terrorists deserved to be beaten” “They should not be protesting our president” “They got what they asked for” While some people may turn away from the news We cover it reliably accurately objectively comprehensively wherever the news matters VOA A Free Press Matters BREAK THREE BUMP IN ((ANIM)) SHOW ENDS