DUBAI: People across the world are staying at home in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19. We catch up with our favorite stars who answer a quickfire round of questions about their time in self-isolation.
Iraqi fashion star Deema Al-Asadi seems to be getting creative with her styling content. She is also spending time with her family and trying out new dishes.
How has self-isolation been for you so far?
Self-isolation has been interesting to be honest. It is not easy, but I took this opportunity to work on things that I have been wanting to do for a while around the house and to spend some quality time with the family.
So, it is difficult, but I try my best to stay positive and make the best out of it. Take this time as a period to do some self-reflection.
What’s the biggest challenge?
It is definitely entertaining my son. He loves people and he used to go out everyday.
He had nursery before and he loved his nursery, so actually forcing him to stay at home is difficult. We still have a garden, but he wants to go out everyday, he wants to see people and he misses his cousins.
It’s so hard, he is only two and half years old, so it is hard to explain to him why he can’t go out, why he can’t go to nursery and why he can’t see his friends.
What is something positive that has happened due to self-isolation in your life?
It's a very good time to relax and take a break from work and just do some self-reflection. This is the positive part about self-isolation I think.
We also start to think about the things that are important in our lives. We just get drifted by work and stress, and having this break just made me realize what’s important in life.
What are you currently watching?
I am watching Turkish series. I used to watch Netflix a lot, but I got bored from all the shows on Netflix because I feel like they are so dramatic and I am not in the mood to watch things that require thinking and drama. So, I am watching a couple of Turkish shows on Wavo, which is also an app like Netflix. I am enjoying them because they are light and comedic, so they make me happy.
Are you trying anything new in the kitchen or around the home?
Another advantage of self-isolation is that I learned how to cook. I used to cook before, but not this much. Now, we make meals everyday, either me or my husband.
We are both working together in the kitchen. And of course, having my husband around me and helping me out cooking dishes as a family is something we never used to do because he used to work during lunch time.
So, now it is always nice and interesting to see him around the house. He never cooks, but he is learning to cook and we are watching a lot of tutorials on YouTube on how to make certain dishes.
We do order sometimes when we are not in the mood to cook, but mainly we are cooking at home nice recipes.
How are you keeping sane as you stay home?
Honestly, I don’t know if I am staying sane the whole time. But the best way to keep sane is to not read news all the time. I am trying to stay away from the news.
I am fixing my closet. I am fixing things around the house. I am creating some content for my Instagram. So I am doing that a lot and it makes me feel better.
How are you keeping fit?
I am not keeping fit at all. I actually gained two kilograms because I am not doing sports. I know we should take this time as an opportunity to do sports at home, but I hate doing sports at home. I am not really athletic. So I think this is a disadvantage of self-isolation because I am gaining weight.
How are you staying “social”?
I am staying connected to my family and friends through Zoom and all these video calls. It helps a lot to be honest.
Any tips for bored readers?
The best tip I would give them is to find something they enjoy doing and to do it. For example, if they like reading, it is a good time to read. If they like drawing, it is a good time to start drawing. If you like styling, do that. Whatever makes you happy.
For me, I am not into organizing and fixing around the house, but I took this time as a period for me to organize. I’ve been watching some organizing videos on YouTube. So, I would say do something that you love and learn something new. Keep yourself busy.
I started reading an article about the history of Iraq, my country.
In self-isolation, are you relaxed or do you feel the need to be extra productive?
I am definitely relaxed and catch up on sleep. I’ve been sleeping a lot because I am staying up really late at night. Like I said, I am either learning something, watching YouTube, watching my Turkish show or reading. It is also a good time to sleep more and take care of your skin more.
Are you living in your PJS, or taking the time to get dressed up?
Yes, I am staying a lot in my PJS, however, I make sure that I change to something nice everyday because, like I said, I am taking this opportunity to create some fashion content. During the day, I make sure that I wake up, sometimes I wear light makeup, I do my full skincare routine, I wear something comfortable around the house. Maybe something colorful because it makes me feel better.
I would definitely give a tip to all the readers to just take off your PJS, do your hair and wear makeup. Even if you are sitting at home, it will change your mood. The last thing I would say to everyone is that this is hopefully a time that will pass and things will go back to normal. So, I hope you guys stay home and stay safe and make the best out of this self-isolation period.
