Unbiased Narrative 1.2 | I am just happy to live in the moment | Shi
(Shi is a Biological Psychology undergraduate student and lives in Burnaby. She loves spending time at restaurants and cafes and misses those visits now. She is passionate about music and enjoys playing games with friends).
Not so dear 2020,
You sucked! But, you taught me to appreciate the simple things in life such as having a family, a roof over my head, and a job. You have made my day-to-day tasks difficult. Online learning is one of the worst things that I have to do. Not that the course has become harder, but stuck in a room and not seeing my friends make it unpleasant. I had never thought that I would ever miss my desk and the lecture hall.
Last year in January, I traveled to Belgium for my exchange program. I had to abruptly end my course as I decided to come home in March. In these three months, I had already witnessed the first spike of the virus in Europe. While getting into the jam-packed public transport buses and trams in Brussels and while on my flight journey, I felt vulnerable. I was extremely vigilant on my flight back to Vancouver. I carried almost everything I could to protect myself from contracting the virus — rubber gloves, masks, disinfectant wipes, and sanitizer. The only thing I was not wearing was a Hazmat suit. I felt like I was dressed up as a nurse for the whole journey. All of it was new and it was a difficult period. Although I was taking precautions by washing my hands often, keeping sanitizer at bay, and wearing masks, I was scared. There were so many aspects to the virus that we didn’t know then. All I knew was that COVID-19 is highly transmissible and lethal.
My initial plan was to come back from Brussels to Vancouver in August and I had imagined being welcomed back by family and friends. In reality, I landed in March in a locked Vancouver. I had to isolate myself at my brother’s apartment (which was mind-numbingly boring) and had to avoid my father like I would avoid a plague. I was angry. I was devastated. Thoughts like “Why did it happen to me?” flashed through my mind. I had planned for years for this exchange program. Also, the month of March is an emotional period for me personally and experiencing a pandemic at the same time did not help. I lost someone important to me to cancer in March 2018. So, I was having a lot of bitter emotions towards the world. Although in hindsight, I am glad that it happened in 2018. I cannot fathom how challenging it is for families with a sick member now. I used to visit my dear one in the hospital every day after my school. My heart goes out to the families who are not able to meet their loved ones in care during this pandemic time.
Gradually, I started looking at my life from a broader perspective. I decided to not opt for online classes for my exchange course program, especially with the 9 hours time difference. Instead, I started looking for co-op work positions. With the pandemic around, there were fewer job opportunities than usual. And, I got the opportunity to work as a Physiotherapy Assistant in a Children’s Clinic in August. In a way, this pandemic has been a blessing in disguise. I love this job and wouldn’t have worked here if not for the pandemic. I also feel good about the wholesome time I could manage to spend with my dad especially when I had no classes to attend and I was looking for work opportunities. Even running day-to-day mundane errands with him was enjoyable. Amidst all, my Cat (Kashy) had the best time ever. I was at his disposal 24*7.
All through the last year and moving on to 2021, I stayed connected with my friends and family. I don’t like exercising alone. The in-person and social aspects of gym or Zumba classes used to motivate me. Going for walks or workouts from home has not been effective for me. Instead, I enjoy watching video blogs or spending time on Twitch or Discord, either playing or watching others playing games. Recently, I was watching live streaming of UNO and I felt like I was a part of the game. There are times when I watch video blogs, which I used to like during high school. These days watching people hug each other seems as if they must be from a different world. With the ongoing vaccination progress, I hope to start meeting people in-person soon. I wish to eat out at restaurants again. Interestingly, my habits didn’t change, instead, they adapted. Previously, I never used Apps such as Skip-the-dishes or Amazon prime. Now, I spend almost all my money on these. I cannot imagine wading through a pandemic ten years ago without these technological conveniences. Technology definitely has helped us stay connected.
While in school I had read about the historical Bubonic Plagues. About how terrible and dark those times were. Honestly, I never thought that I would have to live through one. And here I am. I whole-heartedly believe that this pandemic could have been prevented. Scientists have been warning us for decades. We have a looming climate crisis and there have been droughts, floods affecting many parts of the world. I hope this pandemic acts as a wake-up call for all of us. I wish for us to not face another calamity any time soon. If we keep disrespecting the Earth, we will have to bear the consequences. Currently, each one of us is going through this pandemic and is coping with our own set of problems. I am just grateful to be with my family during these times. Yes, going for an exchange program to Europe and traveling around was a long-awaited dream, but that will have to wait. We really cannot plan our future no matter how hard we try.
