Anastasia Ivanova, a Moscow-born poet and literary translator, has turned her pandemic isolation in Shanghai into a creative journey. Having called the Chinese mainland home for nearly a decade, she offers a unique cross-cultural perspective on navigating lockdowns that resonated with over 500,000 viewers in its first 24 hours online.
'The rhythm of writing blends with the rhythm of nucleic acid tests,' Anastasia says in her viral video diary, describing how she translates classical Chinese poetry into Russian between community health checks. Her balcony has become both a reading nook and improvised fitness studio, while group chats with neighbors now double as cultural exchange platforms.
\"We trade lockdown snacks – dried lychees for Siberian tea bags. It\u2019s globalization at the compound level\"
The multimedia storyteller has documented everything from AI-assisted grocery deliveries to VR museum tours, showcasing how Shanghai\u2019s 25 million residents blend technology and tradition during restrictions. Her latest project: a trilingual poetry collection inspired by WeChat voice messages from friends in 12 countries.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
