Part 1: The start of the pandemic, written March 2020
I first and foremost write content for this website, so I can look back at a trip, or trips, and remember little details I may otherwise forget (but as it’s in the public forum, I use angles so others can learn and perhaps laugh when they read it too); the Coronavirus, as unforgettable as it will be, is a big part of my Sydney journey. I hope my comments are not seen to diminish the catastrophic effect this virus has had on many families’ and individuals’ lives.
We are having different experiences
I am living under different government recommendations to those in the UK. This is something I didn’t really realise until a discussion with my boyfriend as to why I was still making plans at a time where, back in the UK, everyone had started social distancing. I am currently due to start working from home next week, while everyone back home is already a week or more into their home offices. Of course, our food situations are the same, but a week ago, I could still stock up on hand-gel from Chemist Warehouse.
EDIT: The situation is changing so rapidly; all comments were accurate at the time of publication.
It feels weird being so far from my loved ones
It does feel really strange that I am 10,500 miles away from home, with my only viable mode of transport uncertain. In fact, it is making me a little anxious when I read that this lockdown could continue for some time to come, which leaves my plans to return home at the end of the year up in the air… unfortunately, not literally. However, for anyone else also in my position, it is essential to remember that this would be just as weird a situation if we were at home.
It’s not always selfish to venture outdoors…
… but follow government guidelines and take precautions. None of these casual park picnics. Everyone is preaching to be kind in the supermarket (as they should be), then throwing around the word “selfish” all over Instagram in relation to people who aren’t completely indoors. It is worth remembering that mental health is just as delicate as physical health, especially in this time of panic. Many of you are holed up in your home sweet homes, with your partners, pets, parents, kids – not everyone has this luxury.
The thought of being pretty much a recluse has me feeling suffocated already, more so that I sacrificed and saved a lot to live in Australia for 2020. As minor as it is in comparison to other issues right now, like actual deaths, it is something I think about. Many others are facing uncertainties in their job, career progression, life and relationships, and some have even experienced deaths in their close circle as a result of this epidemic, so be kind.
There are ways to make the most of this isolated time
Now is the time to get on your phone, fire up that Skype account, and make the most of technology. Phone your grandparents, video call your mum, text that old friend you’ve been meaning to contact for ages, host a weekly quiz with your old work team (just me? Okay). You can even go old school and get writing letters – you’ll have to go down the post office/to the post box though – a nice little surprise for your recipient.
Also, take the time to get out of your routine and come refocused for work; don’t get lazy with working from home. I started a new job this week in a brand-new industry, and I am conscious of proving myself. Remember, businesses are suffering are as a result of Coronavirus, so if you want to stay employed, you may need to prove yourself invaluable.
On the other hand, when else are you going to have this much time at home? Bake a cake, get sewing, relax in those hours you’re not required to work. We are all in this situation - albeit having different experiences, of course - so try and find that silver lining of this very grey cloud for you.
Closing word
Firstly, don’t panic. Fear breeds fear, and this is how false information spreads. Worrying about the situation will not make it any better or worse, so try to take a break from the news if you can, and focus on some lighter relief (easier said than done, I know). Remember, amidst the madness, this situation is bringing out the creativity in people, from live-streamed events to online gymming.
Secondly, I am a planner. I always have been and always will be. However, as my mum said, you can have the best-laid plans, but no one can control everything. This is life.
Part 2: During the pandemic, written July 2020
We are still having different experiences
The experience here is totally different to that back home in the UK. Lockdown was far more strict in Australia, with tighter restrictions and MUCH bigger fines for breaking them. With this approach, we saw things opening up a lot sooner than in the UK. That said, Victoria has gone back into lockdown and there are threats to do the same to Sydney if the hotspots get out of control - it is winter, which potentially may be a factor.
Travel
Of course, the travel fallout was felt worldwide, however, there were more significant repercussions for those living abroad than for the regular holiday goer. In Australia, the borders were - and still are at the time of publication - closed to international travellers, meaning if non-permanent residents or citizens leave, they ain’t coming back in. For those like me, it meant making a decision: go home, marking the end of my visa, or stay. As I realised from the many ex-pat groups I am part of, most chose the first option. On the other hand, I chose to stay, thinking it just meant no travelling around the country for a bit.
At the time of publication, the only other state I can enter without paying $2,800 for government-mandated quarantine is Queensland (however this is looking a little dicey as our cases grow again). It does mean that I can’t visit a good half of what I wanted to see this year, however, I can still do breaks all across NSW, if I get behind the wheel or have someone drive me; Greyhound buses, which are a great way to see the country without a car, have been suspended out of Sydney (excluding Canberra), URGH. You know me though, where there is a will, there is a way - I’m going to see as much as I can!!
However, there was one significant repercussion I didn’t foresee that has had a rather large impact: I do not have the option to go home for a visit (without forfeiting the rest of my visa), or have any home visitors. I would love nothing more than to have one of these two options, particularly in my low periods.
Making new friends
On arrival in a new country, the easiest way to make friends is to post in Facebook groups or meet friends of friends at gatherings. However, these are both a lot harder (impossible in the strictest part of lockdown) during the pandemic. As mentioned above, many ex-pats went back to the UK, so even as lockdown eases, the pool of people in the Facebook groups is a lot smaller, and overall, people are currently a lot warier about meeting up with total strangers.
Work
I am so grateful to have secured a great job before lockdown; had I not, I would have definitely had to return home very soon after arriving. Unfortunately, it was this same sword that saw the early end of my contract; the coronavirus affected the work environment and the work opportunities for both ex-pats and Australians alike. Of course, everyone is working from home, which has its positives and negatives: hello lay-ins, but goodbye colleagues. I personally have enjoyed working from home - how ever am I going to adapt to office life again?!
In the last few months, the job market plummeted here, much like at home, and many lost their jobs. Given how hard it was to secure a job prior to lockdown, it is unlikely I will secure another, so I am going to save save save to enjoy the rest of my time here.
Sometimes simple pleasures are the best
Simple pleasures have seen a comeback, thanks to lockdown - the silver lining, hey. Back home, I know my family have been cooking up a storm and getting into gardening, while down in the southern hemisphere, I’ve been enjoying the flexibility of going for a walk or run in my lunch break, as well as cross-stitching. Oh, and wearing leggings all day, every day. Now, that is a habit I’m going to have problems unlearning once this pandemic is totally over…
Are you living abroad during this pandemic? I’d love to hear your story - get in touch!