CAPTURING A MOMENT IN HISTORY THROUGH A WORLDWIDE LENS VIKTORIJA TUPIKAITE
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What is currently happening in the world seems surreal, some days too complex to understand. May this photography book stand as a testimony for our individual stories and as evidence of our unique realities during the year 2020. The year that we self-isolated and were no longer allowed to go outside freely as we used to. The year where social distancing and quarantine became part of our everyday vocabulary. Here are 41 Countries with 54 stories, yet there are many more being told.
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CONTENTS Australia, Benjamin Taylor
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Australia, Megan Temple
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Barbados, Kyle Foster
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Brazil, Fabio Augusto
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Brazil, Luis Vidotto
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Bulgaria, Remy Hoggard
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Colombia, Paola Vargas
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England, Priscilla Chung
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England, Viktorija Tupikaitė
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Finland, Jon Andersson
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France,- Barbara John
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France, Vicente Augusto Nababo
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Hong Kong, Jessie Joshua Luk
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Hong Kong, Scarlett Chan
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Hungary, Reka Orosz
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Iceland, Hafdís Houmøller Einarsdóttir
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India, Nikita Katragadda
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Ireland, David O'Connor
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Italy, Carlos Huete
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Jordan, Lubna Odeh
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Kenya, Bethel Mubirulwanga
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Lithuania, Gabija Vaičiulytė
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Lithuania, Rimvydė Bliūdžiuvienė
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Malaysia, Anonymous
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Mexico, Miguel Angel Nuevo Reyes
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Mexico, Vannesa García Sáenz
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Montserrat, Kahleah Crichlow
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Netherlands, Anouk Custers
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New Zealand, Summer Rose Roberts and Nicola Murphy
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Nigeria, Wemimo David-Obisesan
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Norway, Alexander Zufar Wilshaw and Clare Wilshaw
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Oman, Naufal Nasaruddin
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Pakistan, Farvah Sameen Bukhari
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Pakistan, Waleed Baist
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Philippines, Paul Joshua Mendiola
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Philippines, Rica Andrea Soriano
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Poland, Patryk Mirek
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Qatar, Amna Salatt
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Scotland, Shona Ramsay-Hogan
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Serbia, Sara Žurovski
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Slovenia, Viktorija Hafner
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South Africa, Abdul Jaleel Samuels
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South Africa, Philie Mkhize
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Spain, Claudia Roures
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St Vincent, Tasheka Haynes-Bobb
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Taiwan, Joseph Kuo
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Thailand, Federico Cella
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Turkey, Hamza Bayar
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Ukraine, Liza Kholod
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United States of America, Beverly Stokes
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United States of America, Jillian Podgorski
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Wales, Osian Dafydd Carroll
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AUSTRALIA Benjamin Taylor
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hilst I’ve been lucky to live in a country that wasn’t severely affected by COVID 19, we were still impacted through restrictions. My family and I were lucky to be able to have jobs that required us to still work through the worst of restrictions, so not a lot changed for us and we’ve been able to keep busy constantly. My friends and I were able to keep in contact through multiple Group FaceTime’s, so we were able to stay in constant contact with each other. Slowly but surely our restrictions are being lifted, and hopefully we can return to normal life soon enough.
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AUSTRALIA Megan Temple
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ovid 19 has really turned everyone’s life upside down. In Australia we have had two lockdowns one of them still current and is only getting worse. The hardest part is the uncertainty with everything up in the air. All my goals and everyone’s else goals have been thrown out the window. Most of my friends, myself and my sister have lost multiple jobs because everything has shut. I’ve been very lucky that I’ve managed to get a job in age care to help during the pandemic. 10
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Trying to keep social has been hard and zoom has become the new normal. I know a lot of people whose mental health is starting to struggle with the lack of social connections. We have only four reason to leave the house. These are: for work and education, shopping for food and other essentials, care and caregiving and exercise.
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With these restrictions it’s hard to find the will to get out of bed. I am very grateful for what I have. Some are not so lucky in this time and can’t afford food or a roof over their head. I’m also grateful for amazing family and friends.
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BARBADOS Kyle Foster
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y daily routine is quite unusual from what it used to be. I wake up at 6:30 a.m. every day. I then meditate, journal and plan my day. I always make sure to get some physical activity in daily after which I sit in the dining room to be productive. I am either doing an assignment, planning a video or trying to better myself. I’ve always had a morning routine since quarantine began, but after exercise the day used to go to waste. I only began structuring my day five days ago and it really is helping me keep a sound state of mind. At night I would write about my day and try to find at least one thing I am grateful for that occurred. I call my friends ever so often through WhatsApp or Facetime, though I really should check in more often. I am actually using social media a whole lot less than I usually would, in an effort to both keep myself productive and stay away from too much news that would cause me anxiety. I do miss my best friend, who is also hard to contact online. If we weren’t on lockdown, however, I would be at her house almost every day as that is how I usually spend my summers. I’m missing the good times with her and her family who I consider to be mine as well. My family and I are good thankfully. We always do our own thing during the day, but we come together to watch our favorite gameshows at a certain point. I always look forward to it. My Mum has been baking nonstop with all the time on her hands and if I wasn’t exercising every day well... I would be in trouble. I’m glad to have finally adapted to life at home and I am determined to come out better than I went in. It is a bit scary in a way though, since it feels like the new normal and I can just barely remember what it felt like before this all happened.
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BRAZIL Fabio Augusto
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m tempos de isolamento social, cada um encontra suas próprias formas de distração para fugir um pouco da realidade, seja produzindo, aprendendo e aproveitando o tempo para criar coisas novas ou simplesmente descansando e torcendo pelo melhor. Todos os dias pela manhã gosto de observar a natureza, o som dos pássaros, das árvores, o que antes era quase impossível de se ouvir devido tamanha poluição sonora. Percebo que estamos passando mais tempo com nossas famílias, cozinhando, conversando, fazendo programações que antes não fazíamos devido ao cansaço e agitação do dia-a-dia. Estávamos juntos o tempo todo, porém separados ao mesmo tempo, com a pandemia estamos separados de alguns fisicamente, porém cada dia mais juntos resgatando valores que atualmente estavam perdidos e torcendo para que isso acabe e possamos finalmente abraçar aqueles que amamos.
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#Fiqueemcasa!
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BRAZIL Luis Vidotto
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hat's me when I found I have covid 19. I was in the hospital. Scared and worried.
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In my mind I had a felling that I wish I was in the photo places again. Like Ireland, eating ice cream in a weather like 6° degrees. And after Rio de Janeiro, enjoyng my coconut water in the sun, like 37° degrees.
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BULGARIA Remy Hoggard
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ankbaarheid; de crisis heeft ons de gelegenheid gegeven om helpende handen aan te trekken (van gestrande reizigers) en langgekoesterde dromen en plannen waar te maken. We ontwikkelen ons Wild Wild East retreat.
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COLOMBIA Paola Vargas
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ace 3 meses la vida cambio, el sentimiento de incertidumbre se siente todos los días, la tecnología se volvió el mejor aliado y los pequeños momentos que compartimos junto las personas que amamos se volvieron preciadas memorias que añoramos volver a vivir. Las calles solas, pocos carros, poca gente. Los días, se repiten una y otra vez, el internet te conecta con el estudio, el trabajo, tu familia y tus amigos. Algunos días sientes que no puedes más, extrañas compartir con la gente, el ruido y el caos de la ciudad, pero otros, agradeces por esta pausa, por este tiempo de aprendizaje, de reflexión, de espacio y de encuentro contigo mismo. En este tiempo me he acercado a la gente que amo, he recuperado amistades que una vez parecieron perdidas, he reído y he llorado en un mismo día. Han sido 3 meses de sube y bajas emocionales pero además, de mucho aprendizaje.
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ENGLAND Priscilla Chung
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y A level exams got cancelled, I now have much more time on my hands than I would if not for COVID-19. I began spending a lot more time with my family, we were able to do gardening and go on forest walks together. I don’t go to the shops anymore and hardly outdoors on my own. Although us humans have been retriscted to go outdoors, my indoor cat has been ‘released’ into ‘the wild’ (our garden and beyond). I have whatsapp and zoom video calls with friends basically everyday or two, it was also the first time we had a video call with my grandparents in Hong Kong. I started doing more chores and playing video games as well. It’s easy to scroll on my Instagram for too long - I try to limit that now. I am very grateful that I have no more exams and for the time I have with my family and friends, the good weather and my cat.
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ENGLAND Viktorija Tupikaite
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is dar bandau sudėlioti mintis apie tai kas įvyko. Viena dieną ruošiausi skristi į Italiją, pradėti studijuoti ten, bet kitą dieną aš buvau skubiai stabdoma ir kviečiama grįžti atgal į Leeds ir tęsti studijas čia, Anglijoje. Nusivylimas ir nežinojimas... Kasdien vis daugėjo greitosios pagalbos sirenų, per žinias skelbė didėjantį mirusių žmonių skaičių ir neužilgo, taip kaip ir Italija, Anglija buvo uždaryta karantinui. Dienos atrodė lyg ilgos, visai neplanuotas atostogos. Suprantu, kad karantinas žmones 54
paveikė skirtingai, aš asmeniškai pasinėriau į meną ir kasdien buvau užsiėmusi. Fotografija, filmavimas... Dar nudažiau kambario sieną raudonai, kad jausčiausi jaukiai ir pradėjau mokytis šokti, netikėtai atsirado laiko ir tam. Praleidau daugiau laiko gamtoje, sportavau, išbandžiau naujų maisto gaminimo receptų... Tikiuosi, prisitaikysime gyventi naujame pasaulyje, bet ar pasimokysime iš savo klaidų? Ar būsime geresni vienas kitam ir gamtai? Tik bendromis jėgomis galime įveikti sunkumus ir sukurti šviesesnę ateitį.
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In the fast-phased world, I hadn’t noticed you. I had not noticed you until the world was forced to pause. I had overlooked you in-between those more dominant. This was the first time I had payed such close attention to you. I observed how you swooped in: quietly and gently. You took your time. You were a true gentleman who swept me of my feet. I enjoyed our picknicks on the grass, long walks in nature or bike rides to complete that one allowed exercise a day. When the sounds of racing sirens echoed in the empty streets and gave me shivers, your endless playlists of bird harmonies comforted me. When you kissed my skin and left a mark, I knew it was trouble! On other days you were more grey, but I appreciate you being honest. Lessened pollution revealed your refreshing cologne sent of sun-kissed flowers and sweet tree blooms. As you were just outside my door, I kept waking up excited for our early morning walks, to be in the presence of your aroma. Dear Spring, you became my favourite season.
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FINLAND Jon Andersson
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uomessa ollaan oltu aika kauan kiinni kotona mutta silti voisi tilanne olla paljon huonompikin! Vaikka ei ystävien kanssa pääse ulos oikein, voi silti nauttia kauniista luonnostamme ulkona lähi metsissä tai vaikka kansallispuistoissa! Arkipäiväni kotona ovat hitaita ja joskus aika tylsiä. Ensin tehdään koulu työt ja pidetään tunnit videopuheluiden ylitse, sitten syön jotain ja sen jälkeen koitan oppia jotain uusia harrastuksia että aika ei menisi kokonaan hukkaan. Itse olen koittanut nauttia myös luonnosta ja nytten kun vapaa aikaa on olen mennyt useille vaelluksille ja tutkinut eri paikkoja espoon luonnosta. Kavereiden kanssa pidetään yhteyttä aika paljon eri sovellusten kautta ja tyttöystäväni luokse olen karannut silloin tällöin viikoksi. Suurin osa ihmisistä on hyvällä tuulella mutta olen huomannut että jotkut silti ottaa tästä ehkä enemmän stressiä kuin muut. Pari päivää sitten esim. kävelin äidini kanssa kauppaan mutta meidät pysäytti vanha mies toiselta puolelta katua joka huusi että me laitetaan hännen hengen vaaraan kun kävellään ulkona tällein.
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FRANCE Barbara John
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his period learnt me a lot about myself. I am a photographer and director who usualy travel every months since two years. The fact that we can't travel, we can't be free, was really interesting. My question is are we supposed to be so fast in our normal lives? Are we supposted to constantly run after our futur forgetting the present moment? This period was strange, new, intense and at the same time really slow. We were so distant from everyone but at the same time really connected. 66
During these two months, I drawn, I sang, I wrote, I trained, I edited, I read, I ran, I cooked, I was just doing what I like, but with a very slow flow. Honestly, I just loved it, no rush, no stress. I am grateful for all these amazing people worked to let our contries going well. I am grateful that my loved ones are well. I am grateful for the awakening of the world. I am grateful for the past, present and future. With love B
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FRANCE Vicente Augusto Nababo
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’habite à Marseille, j’ai 19 ans fin. J’ai eu 19 ans pendant le Confinement d’ailleurs j’ai fêté mon anniv pendant le confinement c’était assez spécial mais bref. Tout ça pour dire que je pensais que je n’allais pas me faire a ces mesures mais finalement ça a été bénéfique pour moi, je me suis rapproché de ma famille, recentrée sur mes projets, j’ai créé loin de « dehors » la ou les gens devenez un peu fous a cause du Covid19.
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HONG KONG Jessie Joshua Luk
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以
往的生活只得追求有成績、有成 就、做個好人、做個別人眼中好的朋友 就夠。然而，一切的追求，彷彿在旅程 開始便要經歷許多擔心、憂慮，擔心著 返唔到去過去的時光，擔心從此不一 樣，擔心要面對位於磨心的。 可是，這趟旅程想得最多的反而是自己 真正要建立是甚麼，我切實追求的是甚 麼，感激你們幫我重拾了。也許我們就 是一種奇怪的存在，我們直至在赫爾辛 基最後一夜在漸漸懂得對方，然而我們 能夠花天酒地，無所不談，無所不歡， 就是對著對方那很純粹的興趣，也就是 我一直不斷遺落的東西。正正是因爲不 知道對方的喜好與惡，那種興趣才是最 強烈。正如那一小瓶的白花油，正因為 味覺強烈才容易記起。那怕是船上那一 個夕陽，那怕是暴雨前的晴天，令我知 道，無論有冇酒與花生，只要大家都抱 著那種純粹，回憶而應允而生。 成日聽97出世既人係被時代選中的孩 子，下下畢業都有事發生，的確，我們 呢代孩子的確被香港社會.欠了很多很 多，副學士畢業時嘗過著袍的滋味，就
一發不可收拾，好想好想好期待正式戴 住四方帽畢業既感覺，同埋帶住件袍通 山跑、影靚相。我知道好多人都受到反 送中的side effect 而冇得行畢業禮，可能 我同某些朋友都好好彩，在校方未決定 cancel 就行左。然而，我哋都為左理想 的家而付出左相應的代價，但願希望大 家可以搵到方法去感受到畢業帶來的興 奮與重量。 要感激的人實在有好多好多，屋企人支 持自己到依家，實在是不容易，心底亦 都感激佢地養我未到肥肥白白，但都知 道咩叫良知、咩叫愛、咩叫信實、咩叫 信心；望住大家一批一批咁來，一同拍 照留念，我也感受到那種關係之間的小 確幸；只能夠講人生中有段美好的曾經 時間同大家一齊玩、一齊上雪山、一齊 做project 趕assignment、一齊望住個靚日 落影相，實在係我哋嘅緣份。 可能到了現在，我們一時三刻都回不了 那個從前，但是我們在某處再聚的時 候，會記起，我們也得了斯德哥爾摩症 候群，我們也發過一個美好的夢。 寄語 香港人 加油
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HONG KONG Scarlett Chan
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his was me and my friends skyping during the quarantine. As the Hong Kong government set up laws that people are only allowed to have a maximum 4 people gathering on the street, this is the way we join the hiking activities.
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Hongkongers have been protesting and fighting for their freedom since May 2019 till now, we used different ways to voice out our opinion towards the Hong Kong government. This picture was found on one of the Lennon Wall in Hong Kong. The frog “Pepe” is used to represent Hongkongers fighting against the government and the violent police (“popo” showed in the picture), but because of the coronavirus, Pepe was wearing a mask as well.
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HUNGARY Reka Orosz
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am currently staying with my mother in my hometown called TiszakÊcske, Hungary. I live in Budapest but I found it safer to stay in the countryside, also I did not want to be alone. I spend my days with working on my school projects and studying, I’m also doing online courses in different areas as I was studying in three different institutions before.
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I’m used to being alone, but I’m not used to not being able to do what I want whenever I want. I’m not used to being cautious and scared. I’m not used to keeping distance from people, even if they are close to my heart. I really miss intimacy. I communicate with text messages mostly, I videocall my friends sometimes as well and I „meet up” with my schoolmates and teachers in our online classrooms. My course created online spaces such as garden, smoking area, studio where we used to have chances to spend some time together. These virtual rooms are not commonly visited though. My family is around me which feels very nice as I moved away from home 4 years ago. I miss my friends, my daily routine, my studio, my gym and sitting in the sun drinking a good coffee on the riverside. I also miss parties! I can hear birds, animals, wind, rain, distant
cars and neighbours chatting. It’s really peaceful here. I don’t miss the sound of the capital. It feels like nothing is really happening in my life as everything that ever happens is just on my computer. I tend to spend 10 or 12 hours a day in front of screens and I feel physical discomfort at this point. I wish to do a dopamine detox and change my relationship with the cyberworld as soon as my exam period ends. My day: I wake up around 9, drink a coffee, walk my dog then start doing some work. I have lunch and walk my dog around noon then I continue working. My mum comes home, we go to the gym together as it is allowed in Hungary, then we walk the dog together. I continue working and I go to bed around 12 but I don’t sleep until later. Sometimes I go for big walks with Rocky around river Tisza, cook with my grandma or help her out in the kitchen or the garden. We keep distance throughout these activities.
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I am really greatful for my family and for my dog. I don’t have to be alone and we help each other stay sane throughout this time. We also got really close in the past few weeks. I am also grateful for the existence of the internet. Cool stuff init! I am okay, I cry a lot. I miss having people around me and sometimes I feel worthless. I am really unmotivated to keep up with all
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my duties, it seems like I have a lot more to do than before. I am worried a lot about the future and my anxiety is really bad lately, I also suffer from insomnia. I am worried for myself and for the people close to me, also for the world, for people losing family members and not being able to say goodbye, for people who get sick, who have to risk their lives day by day, who suffer and are in pain due to the current pandemic.
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ICELAND
HafdĂs Houmøller EinarsdĂłttir
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hat is different for me during this time is having my parents calling me and my boyfriend telling us that they just booked flights for us to go back home to Iceland, and that we only had few hours to pack. I had to tell the uni that I was leaving and my boyfriend had to quit his job. When we arrived in Iceland, only 20 people were infected but the virus was spreading fast. The government decided to ban gatherings of more than 20 people, advising people to self-isolate. There were other rules like only one person per household was allowed to go to the store, bars and pubs closed but some restaurants were still open. People were also advised to stay 2 meters away from the next person and not to hug or touch anyone. Many people have lost their jobs and the Icelandic currency is getting weaker every day. Living in a small isolated country during these crises is a privilege. The government was able to shut down all flights and ships scheduled to fly to Iceland and they basically shut down the whole country. 98
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It is easier to control a small country and that is the reason why, today on May 8th, no one has gotten infected for a week in Iceland. With 10 people dead, 1755 people who have recovered and 36 people who are still infected and no one in intensive care, Iceland has almost gotten rid of Covid19. On May 4th the government allowed gatherings of 50 people at the same place, with the 2-meter rule still active. Stores have opened and people are going back to work and schools, and things are slowly going back to normal. Few flights are scheduled to Iceland for Icelandic people living overseas, but no one is leaving the country for now. Me and my family are going to take this time during the summer to travel around Iceland and enjoy being on this beautiful island. I am very thankful for my family and I feel like we have gotten even closer during this time.
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INDIA Nikita Katragadda
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eing at home during this quarantine has only made me more grateful for life and the small things I have. Life in India for a lot of people is hard, some don't even have food or a place to stay. Many of the migrant workers had to walk back home for days. Seeing all that made me realize how my problem is so small. Staying at home isn't that bad. I get to eat more than 3 meals a day, I have a comfortable bed, my family is with me, I have been able to call people more than I ever did before, been able to encourage those who are going through hard times , been more helpful at home and had more time with my family. I feel so lucky to be able to see the beautiful sunsets everyday and to enjoy such a nice weather compared to many cities in India. It’s so nice to hear birds chirping and the noise 106
of the wind, compared to the noise of vehicles moving around or people screaming and stuff like that. I've been able to work on my self, be in touch with my emotions, workoutsomething I've been putting off before this lockdown. Even grateful that in my city the cases were less and we could move around compared to other cities in India. I don’t think without technology and my friends would I be able to get through this tough time. I'm so blessed to have a great support system and to be able to be supportive to those in need. I'd miss having more time to talk to people. But after this all ends one thing is for sure I'm gonna continue staying in touch with people and being able to encourage them. Something I feel God has guided me through this whole time.
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IRELAND David O'Connor
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ll of these pictures represent aspects of my life that I am only encountering due to the global pandemic. If life was normal, I wouldn’t be out walking, baking, shopping online, growing a moustache, etc. Life currently feels like it is on pause, but that’s not how the universe works. Time is moving on and we are all still ageing, but we must remain stationary and wait. Wait until it is safe for us to move forward again. Until then, I will try to fill my time and be productive under the guise of progressing as a person. I’m doing ok. I’ve been better and I’ve been worse. I know that I’ll survive this and the world will go back to the way it was, so I’m ok.
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ITALY Carlos Huete
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ibertad de caminar.
Estoy encantado de que después de más de dos meses pueda salir durante la cuarentena. Esto es lo que debe sentir un pájaro cuando se lo deja salir de su jaula, libertad! Pero no puedo ignorar la posibilidad de que se pueda quitar en un instante. El futuro está lleno de tanta incertidumbre que todos tenemos que enfrentar, pero, por ahora, solo quiero disfrutar de cada paso, cada vista, cada sonido y cada olor que me han impedido por tanto tiempo. 120
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JORDAN Lubna Odeh
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KENYA Bethel Mubirulwanga
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uarantine has been a very interesting time for me. As I live in a school compound that’s located outside town, life hasn’t changed too much because we are still allowed to move around and use the facilities within the compound, however social distancing is also encouraged. It is only when we leave the compound to go food shopping where there are so many restrictions and regulations that we must follow like wearing masks, hand sanitizing, taking your temperature etc. I normally hear a lot of nature like birds, dogs barking, crickets at night etc. However, its quieter in terms of people because the students aren’t here.
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Usually I reach people through video chat or on social media for those who don’t live close to me. However, because I live in a compound where people are constantly getting checked as they leave and enter, I am still able to see people who live near me. I try to limit my social media and technology usage so that I am not engulfed in the virtual world too much and so that I still have a sense of reality. I am trying to find hobbies outside of technology so that I still feel as if I’m living life. I wake up at around 9am and eat breakfast. I will then try and revise for my finals and I may talk to my sister/mum. I might outside for a walk with my friend, call somebody or do some sewing. In the evening I have dinner and watch an episode of 90-day fiancé or masked singer with my mum and sister after watching the news. I am grateful for the grace of God, life, love, family and health. I feel fine, I’m in a better head space than at the beginning of the pandemic because I was in a part of France that is next to Italy and the restrictions were getting worse by the day and the sense of panic was driving me mad. I was fortunately able to get back to Kenya on the day the boarders closed and I feel a lot safer here because the threat of covid-19 was more prevalent in Europe. I am also with my mum and sister, whom I hadn’t seen in ages and I get to use this time to practice my skills. Unfortunately, my family is still separated because of the virus. My sister is in Holland and my father is in the UK and they can’t come back yet because of travel restrictions. We miss them and are worried about them.
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LITHUANIA Gabija Vaiciulyte
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020 metai kiekvienam buvo labai netikėti, o susidariusi situacija dėl viruso COVID-19, davė galimybę pažvelgti į gyvenimą iš kitos pusės. Šalyje įvesti įvairūs apribojimai stabdantys viruso plitimą, palietė kiekvieną be išimties. Nesvarbu ar tai žmogus, kavinė, baseinas, vakarai su draugais, kelionės, darželiai, mokyklos, universitetai ar kitos įstaigos visiems teko prisitaikyti, kad ir kiek žalos tai sukėlė. Tačiau tai leido žmonėms ,,persikrauti". Pagaliau visi nustojo skubėti, pradėjo vertinti gamtą, laiką su šeima, pabandė tai-ko niekam laiko neatrado anksčiau. 142
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LITHUANIA Rimvyde Bliudžiuviene
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arantinas prasidėjo tarsi sapnas, kurio nesinori prisiminti. Lietuvoje karantinas dėl COVID-19 pandemijos prasidėjo 2020 metų kovo 16 dieną. Kovo 20 dieną šis koronavirusas palietė ir pakeitė mano ir kolegų gyvenimus. Buvo naivu tikėtis, kad ši neganda mūsų nepasieks, tačiau netikėjau, kad taip greitai viską pajusime savo kailiu. Taigi susirgo kolega, ir visas Šeimos centras, kuriame dirbu, nuo 20 dienos privalėjo izoliuotis. Visiškai. Kaip tarakonai išlįsdavome naktimis tik išvesti šunį, prajudinti sustingusius kūnus. Nors kitą dieną su vyru buvome patikrinti dėl COVID-19 ir buvome sveiki, tačiau izoliacijos privalėjome laikytis visas 14-ką dienų. Šuns vedimas į lauką tapo didžiuliu iššūkiu, keliančiu daug nerimo, todėl jį teko pagloboti broliui ir jo draugei. 148
Ne už ilgo sulaukėme pagalbos iš Kaimo Turizmo Asociacijos ir visi šeimos nariai galėjo izoliuotis nuostabioje sodyboje. Kai pavargdavome vienas nuo kito – nueidavame prie ežero ir tiesiog žiūrėdavome į tolį. Po izoliacijos tapo lengviau. Galėjome be sąžinės graužagties išeiti į lauką, pasivaikščioti miške. Įsirengėme balkoną, iš kurio stebime kiek sulėtėjusį žmonių gyvenimą. Šalikėlės tapo apstatytos mažai važinėjančiais automobiliais, autobusai po miestą rieda tušti. Pacientai konsultuojami nuotoliniu būdu, poliklinikos koridoriai ištuštėjo, ligoninių įėjimai apstatyti “STOP” ženklais ar juostomis... Šventos Velykos, Motinos diena buvo sutiktos toli nuo artimųjų, su tiesioginėmis mišių transliacijomis internetu per Facebook.
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Galiausiai, karantinas atskleidė ne tik medicinos, socialinės apsaugos sistemų trūkumus, bet ir leido pamatyti kiek daug gerų žmonių supa mane, ir kokie mes galime būti vieningi.
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MALAYSIA Anonymous
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idak pernah terlintas dalam fikiranku yang sesuatu seperti ini akan terjadi. Aku dan keluargaku baru sahaja pulang ke kampung halaman ibuku bulan Disember yang lalu. Malah aku turut sempat menonton filem Contagion yang bersiaran di TV ketika itu. Terdetik juga di hati tentang kemungkinannya berlaku dalam dunia realiti. Kemudian, beberapa hari sebelum kami sekeluarga akan terbang ke Kuala Lumpur, aku menerima sebuah notifikasi (ataupun adakah ianya merupakan sebuah cadangan artikel di Google?) mengenai sebuah virus misteri yang sedang berleluasa di China ketika itu. Aku terus ke farmasi untuk membeli beberapa topeng muka dan pembersih tangan untuk kami gunakan di lapangan terbang dan pesawat. Sukar untuk aku percayai bahawa virus yang sama itu kini telah menjadi sebuah pandemik global. Dan dalam bulan Januari, sekalipun terdapat berita tentang kewujudannya dalam negara namun aku tetap optimistik (tapi masih berhati-hati sudah tentunya). Aku yakin akan keupayaan kita sebagai manusia untuk menghalang ia merebak dengan lebih luas lagi. Aku mula memakai topeng muka ketika dalam perjalanan ke pejabat, tapi selain dari itu, rutin harianku kekal normal. Tapi banyak yang telah berubah sejak itu. Virus itu mula merebak dan meragut lebih banyak nyawa, dan Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan mula diumumkan. Semua diminta untuk bekerja dari rumah (bagi mereka yang boleh, sudah tentunya) dan banyak peraturan baru telah dilaksanakan demi keselamatan dan kesihatan rakyat jelata. Pada saat teks ini ditulis, sudah terdapat kelonggaran dari segi pergerakan, namun saya masih tidak pernah meninggalkan rumah sejak minggu ketiga bulan Mac 2020. Saya berharap semua ini dapat berakhir dengan lebih cepat, dan satu perkara yang saya rasa kita semua dapat belajar dari hal ini ialah jangan pernah ambil mudah akan sesuatu perkara, dan hargai apa yang anda miliki sekarang. Dunia selepas ini berkemungkinan besar akan menjadi sangat berbeza untuk kita semua, tapi kita pasti dapat mengharunginya bersama. 156
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MEXICO Miguel Angel Nuevo Reyes
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ola mi nombre es Miguel Nuevo, estudio Lic en Contaduria Publica, soy de la Ciudad de Mexico, pero ya hace varios aĂąos radico en la ciudad de San Martin Texmelucan en el estado de Puebla, aqui la pandemia del COVID-19 se vive muy diferente, esto es por que la gran mayoria de la poblaciĂłn se dedica al comercio, mucha gente no tiene un servicio de seguridad social gratuito, es por eso y otras cosas mas que la gente no puede quedarse en casa, aqui un salario promedio va de los 6-8 dolares por dia, no se tiene la cultura del ahorro, y con el salario que se tiene no se puede ahorrar, Los Mexicanos siempre somos de sangre fuerte, siempre salimos adelante y Poco a Poco saldremos de esta contingencia, un saludo su amigo Miguel Nuevo.
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MEXICO Vannesa García Sáenz
¿
Qué es lo que está pasando?
¿Por qué la vida ya no es como la conocemos? Tantas preguntas y no hay respuestas para calmar las ansias.
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Debido a Covid no tenemos contaminaciรณn.
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MONTSERRAT Kahleah Crichlow
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try to be proactive and mentally stable as I watch YouTube videos of how to dance salsa for beginners as I eat bun filled with cheese. This is how up the road from my house usually is now. Sometimes there are more vehicles parked on the road due to the neighbour's friends or family visiting them.
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Police cones are placed six feet apart for customers to wait by before entering the supermarket (the orange building). Only four customers can enter at a given time. Imagine waiting up to 45 mins just to grocery shop! With orders reinforced to stay inside mostly and only being able to exercise for two hours either early mornings (5-7am) or in the evenings (4-6pm) for one mile from your home, sometimes I wish the beach was one mile from my home. After a day of feeling concerned and pret up about not going to work, listening to the radio for music only to be bombarded with constant reminders of social distancing, and just being coped up inside, I found a reasonable excuse to go outside and sit on some steps near the house while watching the sun set. Another day, God has made, completed. 172
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Signs are placed on the door in front of a market so while customers are waiting to go inside, they can read up about what to do to prevent the spread of the virus. Whatsapp called my aunty in the Manchester, UK. We showed each other around our houses and talked about the active and recovered cases where we were at and hoped each other were keeping safe.
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NETHERLANDS Anouk Custers
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ederland in “lockdown� nooit had ik ooit gedacht dat ik zoiets zou meemaken. Gaat dit de geschiedenisboeken in net zoals ik vroeger las over historische gebeurtenissen?
vindt. Ik kan veel tijd spenderen bij mijn paardje, we rijden buiten en genieten van de zon. Met mij hondje wandel ik veel en ik werk in de zaak van mijn vader.
Het zijn rare, enge tijden maar ik ben dankbaar voor mijn gezondheid, mijn familie en mijn lieve hondje die de extra knuffels niet zo erg
Vreemde tijden maar zoals we veel gehoord hebben in het nieuws, alleen samen helpen we corona de wereld uit.
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NEW ZEALAND Summer Rose Roberts and Nicola Murphy
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ockdown in NZ has been pretty business as usual for me. 3 out of 4 of my flat are essential workers so we carried on life as normal with exceptions of trying to do fun things on the weekends that didn’t involve leaving the house eg. Bottomless Brunches!
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We are now coming out of lockdown and have had three consecutive days of no new cases. Our government went hard and fast to combat the virus and the results look promising. Long live Jacinda Ardern and Dr Ashley Bloomfield! I am very lucky to live in a country where people come before profits.
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NIGERIA Wemimo David-Obisesan
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ear 2020 has been corrupted and needs formatting! The COVID-19 period has brought about a new normal as I had to get used to working from home and balancing work and family.
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NORWAY
Alexander Zufar Wilshaw and Clare Wilshaw
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he ending of the coronavirus restrictions in Norway have been a massive relief. Schools are open again, as well as hairdressers, a full public-transport service etc, but people are still relatively observant of social distancing and avoiding physical touch. I am now able to drive and spend time with people in person, which helps me stay sane - I am sick of Zoom. I don't personally know anyone who caught Covid-19 so this isn't a big deal emotionally for me, but I think the reopening of society will help those impacted begin to get closure, as things return to normal.
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OMAN Naufal Nasaruddin
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am grateful that I have a comfortable and privileged life; I’m so lucky. These are tough times but complaining is not the way to go. I’m grateful all my basic needs are being met, that I’m not alone, and that I’m surrounded by a loving family.
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I live in Ansab, a mountainous part of Muscat. My friends call it the ‘the fifth dimension’ due to it’s somewhat bizarre and out of place surroundings. Around 10pm I’ll go out and exercise for 2 hours; I walk/sprint up and down a steep hill near my house. Usually I’ll accompany my walks with a card game app on my phone called ‘Big 2’ or a pre-downloaded episode on Netflix.
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As it is Ramadan at this moment (fasting month), a typical day for me starts around 9am, followed by numerous attempts at distracting myself from the hunger. Such attempts include binge-watching television series’, video calling my best friend, listening to and making music, playing video games, cardio, and sleep. Around 6:30pm, we break our fasts with a date in emulation of our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), followed by a feast of Malaysian cuisine. What is served is usually a mix of my mother’s cooking and food sent to us by other Malaysians here. Once in a while I’ll drive out and deliver food my mom made to several households as well. I believe this act of giving and receiving leads to a stronger connection and a tight-knit community. Afterwards, ‘tarawih’ prayers commence in the living room. These are special prayers that are only performed during the holy month of Ramadan. In normal circumstances, we would be performing them at a mosque. The entire thing lasts about an hour.
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PAKISTAN Farvah Sameen Bukhari
I
am currently living in my hometown Attock, Pakistan with my family. I work and reside in Islamabad, the capital city, which is 2 hours away from my hometown. I resigned from my earlier job at the start of March and started at a new place in April. However, in the third week of March, when I was visiting home, the country wide lockdown was enforced, and I’ve been home since. During this time, I had to bid farewell to one set of colleagues while being welcomed by another digitally. I got ready every other day to sit in front of a laptop and connect with my team. I received care packages and took trainings on how to work remotely online. I played muse for my sister’s photography project and made kites to fly around. I ordered books to read and 214
thought of practicing calligraphy. I looked up to the colors and clouds in the sky every other evening and even found double rainbows. I drove around; the once busy streets and jampacked highways were mine to soar. I captured moments for an intimate family wedding. I took screenshots of video calls – when my brother was cooking in Boston, when my childhood best friend shared the news of her wedding announcement, when everyone answered the group call, when my best friend put flowers on her mother’s grave. Saw the sunset from a mountainous village. I wore a mask and took a selfie (or a maskfie? – that could be a word now) whenever I left home, sometimes even around it. I tried to connect to God and prayed. I spotted the vocational training center that was now the city’s quarantine center.
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PAKISTAN Waleed Baist
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never realized that things that seemed so trivial, like driving to the office every morning, enjoying smoking with my friends, meeting friends on the weekends, going out with family was all so precious. Living in a lockdown for 3 months makes one appreciate the simple pleasures of life, for example, having fun with friends or family in pleasant weather. But my elder's words keep my spirits high in these times: Times, good or bad, pass eventually. 222
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PHILIPPINES Paul Joshua Mendiola
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ng reyalidad sa likod ng mga maliligayang ilaw.
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PHILIPPINES Rica Andrea Soriano
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omies- get it? Since I’m home with them? Haha. A photo of me, my mom and my sister. The dog escaped once the shutter clicked. My brother didn’t want to join. And my dad hasn’t been living with us since the start of quarantine. He’s out helping the country in his own little ways and we’re so proud of him for that. In the Philippines, everyone lives in a gated home to ensure safety and security. Mom had the cyclone wires and extra barriers placed after we got robbed a few years ago. Now home feels like a fortress. No one can get in and no one can get out. Dad visited mom on her birthday - dad has been sort of a frontliner this entire time. He stays in a condo now instead of coming home to ensure our family’s safety. He visits from time to time to drop off goods but never stays long and always stays at a distance. Flower shops have been closed so this photo shows he went out of his way to find some just for my mom’s birthday.
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The view outside the gate of my house. Government officials had the street locked up to enforce the stay home policy. Beautiful sunset beyond the fence and wires, reminds me that there’s still beauty beyond the borders.
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This guy was standing in the middle of a busy street right beneath the traffic light holding up a sign. It says “Sir/Ma’am sorry for inconveniencing you. I don’t have a job anymore. There’s no work now. I’m just asking for some help to buy milk for my kids. Thank you”. The lockdown started on March 15, 2020 and since then many people have been without jobs. These people already live below the poverty line so they have no savings to rely on in this time. The government was supposed to give food and financial aid, but many have not been able to receive anything until 238
now, partly due to corruption, partly due to incompetence. Many have said they will not die from the coronavirus, but from hunger. The food aid that the government promised for the (supposedly) month long lockdown is supposed to last a family for a month. What a joke. The mayor claims that the relief goods she hands out are worth 2500 pesos but many computed the contents based on grocery store prices and found it to amount to only 380 pesos in total. A great example of the corruption that is rampant in the Philippine government.
Quarantine pass - this little piece of paper means life or death on the streets. Soldiers and police at checkpoints see if you are carrying this document before they let you pass. Without one, you’ll be arrested (or shot) for breaking quarantine laws. Every household is just given 1 pass, signifying that only 1 person can go out for the whole quarantine period. Leaving the house for exercise or sitting outside for sunlight may very well lead to your death. The quarantine pass is only for buying groceries or medicine and nothing else. 239
Sending bread. Haven’t seen the boyfriend in over a month except on facetime. Our normal love languages of physical touch and quality time aren’t really met because of the lockdown so we’re exploring new love languages like sending and receiving gifts to strengthen our relationship.
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I was getting bummed and hopeless after hearing about the new extensions for quarantine so my bf tried to cheer me up by delivering some handmade letters to me. He sealed them in a Ziploc so I could sanitize them after they were handled by the delivery man.
Coconut juice is a great way to stay hydrated so we’ve been buying coconuts from the vendors in the street. Since less people have been out and about, we try to buy them at least twice a week to help the vendors financially. After we drink the coconut juice, I try to hollow out the coconuts so I can use them
as seed starters. The best thing about them is that they’re compostable pots so I can plant them straight into the ground in the future. Each time we eat fruits, I save the seeds and plant them. Now we have some baby mango, avocado, mangosteen, papaya, santol, kaimito, lemon, and calamansi trees.
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POLAND Patryk Mirek
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uż od ponad miesiąca maseczki ochronne stały się częścią naszej codziennej garderoby. Na początku, wychodząc z domu, zdarzało się o nich zapominać. Teraz zakładanie jej to czynność prawie tak normalna jak sznurowanie butów. 242
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"Ze względu na Państwa bezpieczeństwo, zamknięte do odwołania" On 4th of May shopping centres reopened in Poland, although with strict restrictions and no dining spaces.
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Cracow, a mural with the words of a famous polish song: "only those days which we do not know yet count". Słowa takie jak te, szczególnie widoczne w miejscu zwykle zatłoczonym przez setki turystów i miejscowych dają nadzieję i jednoczą w tym trudnym czasie.
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QATAR Amna Salatt
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y quarantine experience has been a rollercoaster of a journey. I was studying abroad in Washington D.C. before being swept away, back home to the comfort of a quarantine facility upon my arrival to the airport. The quarantine facility, in all honesty, was a luxurious hotel that the government transformed into a supervised quarantine facility for Qatari nationals. I spent a total of five days in the hotel, which is why my photographs represent my activities and daily views from the comfort of bedroom 386. 250
From there, I was allowed to be quarantined at home for the remainder of the 14 days, however decided it was better to quarantine at my sisters in order to keep my elderly parents safe. After my 14 days were up, my family and I spent a few days at the farm where we had the freedom of the outdoor space. I was able to bake, play video games, and spend time with family. Most recently, after coming back home and finishing up my finals, I went through my entire room and donated clothes, bags and shoes that are going to a better loving home.
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SCOTLAND Shona Ramsay-Hogan
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live on the top floor of a 3-story flat with my boyfriend Rowan. From my window I can see the River Tay, the largest river in Scotland. I work in my local hospital as a healthcare assistant. Normally my ward accepts women over the age of 65 who have had falls or bone breaks and need rehab to improve their mobility and regain independence- as far as possible. Now, we’re a mixed ward and while we’re still a rehab ward, its quieter now and we have a fair number of post covid patients. I’m also deaf and rely on a mixture of listening and lipreading to follow. As you can imagine, its become a gigantic pain in the arse to communicate effectively at work what with it becoming necessary for all members of staff to wear masks. I’m still on days but I am currently in the process of switching to night shift for however long I need to - there’s less staff to deal with and generally speaking it’s less stressful for me. I developed a new cough last week and needed to be tested which one of the images will show. I got a negative result in less than 48 hours. I find it difficult to relax properly and keep
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motivated. It’s harder to keep the flat clean, due in part, I suspect, to not having people come over and visit anymore. I’ve done more ‘pub quizzes’ in the past 10 weeks than I’ve done in my entire life. I’ve seen my mum twice since social distancing started, my dad not at all, due to him being severely immunocompromised. I’m playing a fair bit of animal crossing which has been at times delightful. A fair number of my friends play animal crossing as well and it’s a way to keep connected. I’m also trying, desperately, to keep my plants alive. It’s easier now that there’s so much sunlight. Rowans sister left a bunch of her succulents and I got to see one of her cactus’ flower. I really appreciate the good weather at the moment, when I step out of the hospital on a break or at the end of my shift, I love feeling the sun on my skin. I’m grateful for Rowan. I’m grateful for my family's continued good health, I’m grateful to have a stable job. I’m grateful for the fact that almost everyone is trying to follow social distancing. I’m grateful for the Thursday 8PM claps. I’m not often there for them but the last time I was, I could hear bagpipes playing.
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SERBIA Sara Žurovski
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urek i jogurt I briga tvog naroda Briga i pažnja I osećaj da si kući, osecaj uzbuđenja I dobrote Jer skromnosti nikad dosta i ljubavi nikad na pretek Osećam da bih uzvratila, svu dobrotu i milost Sav blagoslov i sve osmehe Jer toliko je toga lepog i plemenitog I toliko dobrote Jer predrasude nam zatvaraju um I ako pretpostavimo da one nisu nikad tačne one neće ni imati razloga da postoje Nećemo morati da se pitamo i da sumnjamo Jer uverenje ćemo nositi iz srca A ako je srce dobro Onda su i uverenja zlatna Kratko je rečima sve to podeliti Trebaju dela Jer samo dela ljubavi ostaju.
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It makes me angry for the few reasons I can't change anything And that is a fact But then again I am going back to beginning of situation and saying I have choosen I made desicion that leads me to this situation. Is it up to me? It is always up to me Or you and your life And people need to take responsibility to take action Because that is how world works How people should act And blaming other I know it is not a option But blaming myself is not helpful either. Love that we can receive and give Attention and care Being kind That is all we need to stick with Expressing out emotions but also trying to understand and feel better.
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SLOVENIA Viktorija Hafner
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fter a month and a half of strict quarantine...
The right wing party took advantage of the situation and undermined the Prime Minister and his party on the same day that quarantine started. The right wing then made some irrational choices and spent way too much of a state budget. There were many other things that made the people angry and so, after the pandemic in Slovenia eased up and we were allowed to go to streets again the protests took place. Ljubljana went from a quiet and empty place to a hectic city in a very short time. The demonstrations were rather peaceful, most people cycling and ringing as a sign of a protest. Some shouting and singing, but luckily no violence took place. Protests are now a thing, people around the whole country gather every Friday at 7pm and ride their bicycles. 270
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Before the protests during lockdown, people could still go out and enjoy fresh air and sun, but weren’t allowed to socialize with anybody. It was a very peaceful time for me. Not many people around, no car noises and construction sounds. It seemed like everybody went to sleep just when nature woke up.
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SOUTH AFRICA Abdul Jaleel Samuels
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his year has been quite the "CoronaCoaster" even for a country that has overcome countless viruses and diseases but yet we find ourselves like many countries, stepping indoors to stand together in hopes that we'd come out of it refreshed and ready to rebuild with what we've learnt to appreciate throughout this ride.
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"Ek is oek belangrik" Which directly translates to English from Afrikaans as “I’m also important” meaning that whether you’re an essential worker or just a regular civilian living or working during this trying time each one of you is just as important as the next for all of us to prosper.
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SOUTH AFRICA Philie Mkhize
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esizitshela ukuthi lokhu kungeminye yemikhuhlane ekifike izodlula kodwa cha! Ikhombisa ukwanda nokuhla isikhathi eside sizophindela kanjan empilwen zethu ezijwayelekile noma sikuyohleli kunje? kungabe sesizophila ngokugcwaba esibathandayo njalo nje?
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Church has been closed ever since...
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Go no where without mask or you in trouble.
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This is the only fresh air we can get without mask.
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SPAIN Claudia Roures
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etites recompenses per no deixar-me de costat. Estic enamorada de Barcelona. És preciosa. Però ho és encara més quan té vida als carrers. Ni els nens petits han arribat a fer files tant perfectes i respectant tan bé la distància. Qui hagués dit mai que seríem tan calculadors a l’hora de fer una fila per protegir-nos a nosaltres mateixos? I menys per entrar a un supermercat. Fins i tot, un podria pensar que regalen xurros. 294
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Crec que mai havia fet tan esport en la meva vida i menys amb aquestes pintes. Però en canvi he guanyat. Això no hi ha qui ho entengui. En una altre cosa en la que he tingut molta sort és en el tenir terrassa a casa. Durant la Setmana Santa, tot i estar confinats, vam tenir molta sort perquè va fer un temps excel·lent. Això em va permetre poder sortir a la terrassa, abusar de vitamina D i passar-m’hi tot el dia allà fent activitats que em relaxant com per exemple, fent pulseres.
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Aquestes són les meves amigues de l’ànima. Sona potser una mica estrany,però les vaig conèixer l’estiu passat i des de llavors, han fet que tots els dies siguin sempre millors. Elles són d’aquestes persones que de l’única cosa que et sap greu és que visquin en països diferents i de no haver-les conegut abans. Us prometo que són increïbles. Són els núvols més roses de qualsevol dia de la setmana. Quan estic amb elles, estic a casa. Estaré eternament agraïda al qui va inventar el Facetime perquè m’ha permès veure-les aquests dies tan grisos. 299
El confinament ha estat més fàcil sabent que ells estaven bé. Veure’ls a través d’una pantalla sabent que no viuen més enllà de 15 minuts no és lo més divertit del món, però menys és res. Els trobo a faltar horrors. Al llarg d’aquests anys encara no he donat l’abraçada més gran, perquè la donaré quan els pugui tornar a abraçar.
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Una de les lliçons que he après aquests dies és que tenir feina és un regal. Ho valoro molt més que abans. He treballat el triple però gràcies a la feina que tinc (que m’encanta!) els dies se m’han passat molt més ràpid. El món canvia i nosaltres hem de canviar amb ell. Quedar-se enrere mai serà la solució.
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ST VINCENT Tasheka Haynes-Bobb
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ince the onset of the covid 19 pandemic, not much has changed in St.Vincent and the Grenadines. Life on the island is generally relaxed and this has further relaxed, with the general flow of life decreasing over the past two months or so. The airports are not opened to external flights and the cruise ships are not coming in. Those are the biggest changes on island and the industries that depend directly on Tourism are feeling the brunt of the effects 302
of these closures. Apart from that life has remained more or less the same. The country has never lock down, nor has it been on any curfews. We are still adjusting to the new norms of life for us daily, but most persons are taking it in stride. Homeschooling is a huge challenge for parents and teachers alike, but we are all trying to adapt to our new norms. Thankfully we have not had any covid related deaths.
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Adapting to our new norm: public awareness signs and safety measures.
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TAIWAN Joseph Kuo
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hen you go to almost every building, you must take a temperature. MRT (like Subway) you must wear mask while you get on it. The stickers on the floor are there because government said every stores need to have social distances, so those stickers were for customers to see while they line up. Our head of the ministry of Health and Welfare will have live press conference everyday to talk about virus influence.
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This is the only thing I did when I was in selfisolation: play play station 4.
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THAILAND Federico Cella
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ou can’t see it but I was smiling.
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TURKEY Hamza Bayar
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ünlerce evimizden çıkmadık. Sevdiklerimize dokunamadık. Herşeye mesafeli durduk. Hayatıda mesafeli yaşadık.
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UKRAINE Liza Kholod
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арантин лично для меня-время полу-отпуска, когда можно оставаться все так же продуктивной в рабочем плане, и занимается собой, ведь больше ничего и не остаётся. Йога, природа, самые близкие друзья, книги и семья. Я не придерживаюсь строгой самоизоляции, как раньше. Возможно, это не правильно, но я не контактирую с большим количеством людей в принципе, мой круг общения все же ограничен. Наслаждаюсь этим временем и нелюдным весеннем городом.
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USA
Beverly Stokes
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uarantine has been interesting to say the least. It has presented itself with some luck and peace but at times, chaos. The world seems to be moving forward and slowly opening up stores and attractions but the worry will always be there. We have adapted in the best way we can with crafts and DIY projects, binge watching television shows and flipping through news outlets. We have taken the time to admire things that continue to grow like house plants, and have appreciated simple things like car rides and sunsets. We have experienced quarantine visits and birthdays, video calls, discreet picture taking, day long book readings and language practice, all while being met with uncertainty but also happiness. We have praised and worshipped, and cried. Quarantine might just be what we needed‌
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USA
Jillian Podgorski
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ay to day inside my home feels almost eerily normal. I wake up, I eat breakfast, I walk my dog, I work teaching preschool students with special needs. I do yoga. I talk to my friends and partner. But between all those activities I wash my hands 287 times. Breakfast is limited to what we were able to order online for curbside pickup at the grocery store and the food had to be sanitized when we got it home. I struggle teaching the tiniest learners online instead of seeing their lovely smiling faces and hearing their curious life questions in person. Over the top of all my daily activities, no matter how “normal” they may be, is this 348
dark, heavy cloud that just won’t leave. I think it’s a cloud called anxiety and the unknown. I try to appreciate the little things to get me through this time. I feel very fortunate that I have a job with a salary that I am able to do safely and remotely from my home unlike so many people who are suddenly jobless in this country. I travel in my kitchen instead of an airplane by cooking and recreating meals I ate abroad. I smile and scream and shout with happiness instead of hugging my brother when he tells me I will soon be an aunt—to keep us all healthy and safe. I bake all the tasty treats I can’t go out and get in our local cafes and I spend all the time I can in nature because it is the only thing that grounds me.
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I become a chalk artist leaving positive messages on the end of my driveway to cheer up my neighbors and I smile at the Christmas decorations up in my neighborhood, put there by people trying to keep a happy spirit alive in these times. I watch the news and take in facts and science and ignore the rest because I know that’s what my mental health needs. I applaud people doing good like my mom’s farm arranging for families to safely drive through to see the horses doing tricks all while collecting hundreds of food items for the local food shelter. I Zoom call with my friends and I video chat with my partner who lives across
the world in Northern Ireland because our next possible visit is pushed off indefinitely until international travel is safe once again. We find new ways to do the things we used to be able to do like drive by birthday and graduation parades instead of the typical party or commencement ceremony. We are adapting and making this work for us in amazing creative ways. We will get through it, but for now we appreciate all we have, we appreciate the things we can still do, and we find joy in the little moments until the world is safe and ready to find a new normal.
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WALES Osian Dafydd Carroll
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nd diwadd y dydd, dwi just isho yfad cwrw efo mets fi eto.
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This book would not have come into the existence without all of those who have responded to the brief with their individual stories and photographs. For that, I would like to thank everyone who has participated. Halfway across the world or in the neighbouring country, we are still just a message away... It was lovely to reconnect and check in with one another, as well as make some new friendships. Finally, thank you to those who helped me reach wider parts of the world and the ones who reviewed the progress of this book giving encouragement throughout its journey.
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