b'Sarah, you found yourself in Chile as theWhat was travel like?pandemic began to sweep the WesternBy the time we began travelling there Hemisphere. When did you first get the feelingwas no one around. Ive never seen that things were about to get complicated? airport lounges empty, shops closed. It I was in the Santiago airport on my waytook five airports and 52 hours of travel, Sarah Foster to our lab, it was January. Weve had a labbut we got home. We tried to have some President there for 11 years nowwe go to Chilecalm thoughts while in the air, but Ioana, 20/20 Seed Labs for three months annually from JanuaryRichard and I couldnt help but think Sarah works extensively withto April. We work with hybrid canola forabout how bad it all might get. What government, farmers andmultinational companies in Canada andwould it be like at the other end? Had any industry within agriculture andthe U.S. I had an uneasy feeling sittingof us contracted the virus during travel?is one of the most experiencedthere in the airport waiting to take the seed analysts in Northnext leg of my journey onto Concepcin.How was it when you got back to Alberta?America, having completedAt the time, the virus hadnt left ChinaThe three of us had to go into a 14-day accreditation for the Unitedyet. We were hearing about it, but it stillquarantine at our respective homes. That Kingdom, United States andfelt like it wouldnt affect us, wouldntmeant running the lab remotely on our Canada.get to this part of the world. Of course,ends. In the lab, there was a lot of fear with world travel the way it is today (andand anxiety associated with working especially the way it was prior to thetogether. Carey Matthiessen, our opera-pandemic), its easy to have viruses spreadtion manager, did a great job steering the a lot quicker. Little did I know we wereship. We immediately put social distanc-heading into a worldwide pandemic and aing procedures into place, even before the global lockdown. Alberta government made it mandatory. How did that make everyone feel, both you andWhat are you doing now to keep everyone safe?the people you were working with? We have only eight people in a 10,000 Canada and Chile have had a close rela- square foot building at one time. Everyone tionship for years. Eduardo de la Sotta isis comfortable and safe. Typically, there general manager at Curimapu, hes one ofwas more than one person in the lab, but the most passionate people when it comesnow we have only one or two at maxi-to taking care of clients, staff and hismum. We closed down the lunchroom family. I was there with Ioana Stroe (one no more eating together. Weve been of our senior seed analysts) and Richardfortunate to be able to split everyone up Bruins (field operations supervisor). Its soand have one or two in each department gratifying to see the containers filled andon duty at a time. We deal with custom-trucks lining up in the yard and seeing iters outside in the open air. Its the safest leave for the port for its 16-day journeything for us to do, to ensure our staff and back to Canada. It was so hard to watchcustomers are as safe as possible.the practice of gathering with people become like a distant memory. CurimapusWhat does the future hold and what major canteen holds 200 people. Chileans arelessons have you learned?very social. The main meal of the day atThe virus has to be taken seriously. There lunch is very important and an opportu- have been suggestions we wont see nity for everyone to socialize. That wouldnormality until theres a vaccine. Running soon come to an end. a business in the current situation takes good communicationthat would be my When did everything change? No. 1 recommendation. Also, if you work It was the 10th or 11th of March. It becameremotely or in front of a computer a lot, evident we could not finish our time there.its important to take time out, exercise, We packed up the lab and began book- get away from the screen. Keep your mind ing our trip home, which took hours. Thisbusy but avoid being overwhelmed by the was Mondaywe planned to leave onnews and clickbait headlines that can send Wednesday. Chile began seeing the impactyou into panic very easily. We will get of the virus shortly after we left. through this if we all stick together.JULY 2020 GERMINATION.CA 37'