RROGA SNIPPETS OF COVID
Snippets from COVID-19
Tanya Caldwell 1982-86 Hello everyone from the pandemic hotspot that made international news for having the most inept leader: Georgia, USA. I’m Tanya Caldwell and I was at Rangi from 3rd form to 7th form in 1982-86. I’ve been teaching English at Georgia State University in the heart of downtown Atlanta since 1996. I was poised to take ten MA and PhD students on a Spring Break Study Abroad to the Scottish Highlands when the pandemic broke and the university cancelled all international and then national travel. Since then, I’ve had a crash course in teaching online—and helping my 15-year-old daughter finish up her school year from the isolation of our home within the city of Atlanta. I’ve loved hearing the international praise for NZ’s PM (girl power, yeah!). For me, the hardest part of all of this is not the isolation (I’m an introvert anyway) but feeling angry and frustrated watching NZ’s swift and decisive leadership as well as that of Canada (where I lived for five years in the 90s) in stark contrast to the craziness and irresponsibility here at federal and state level. I’ve been coping by mentoring students through this (so many Zoom meetings), working in my garden, building a firepit with my daughter, and running daily. I’m including here a picture of one of the signs that people in my neighborhood have been putting up in solidarity. Stay safe everyone.
Jenna Ingram 1998 – 2002 I've been entertaining a toddler while finding the time to continue to run my business - Fiksate Gallery, located in the heart of Christchurch city. While my son napped, I created a 10min DIY Art Print video for Neat Places, you can find it on Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NAwvoTaYK0&t=8s (it's familyfriendly!) I'm also an artist and have been working on several projects, such as writing and illustrating my first children's book, making Frank (my son) a castle out of a cardboard box and toilet rolls, doing my own art (you can find me on Instagram under @jen_heads), and reinvigorating my realism charcoal portrait drawings I began while at Rangi Ruru in Kate Rivers, then Miss Sheehy's art class circa 1998! We take daily walks to the beach and have been baking a lot, while also finding time to do the odd jobs around the house that needed to be done! (Aka, clearing out the wardrobe, sorting cupboards and rearranging rooms!) I have also been involved in supporting other small businesses with various collaborations. I'm in North New Brighton, Christchurch, around 500m away from the beach. It's been such a blessing living so close to so many open spaces that are filled with other nature lovers like my husband, son, and I. I have enjoyed the quiet roads and working from home with the chorus of birds to listen to while painting outside. I try to make it fun! Letting go of plans and structure, clean floors and surfaces, and a generally tidy house at all times, was very hard to adapt to at first, but taking a step back and enjoying Frank's company over what needs to be done, has helped me a lot. There is always time to tidy and clean, and that will always be there, but this time with our children will not. It's a good mantra. "Let go and have fun". You can find my urban art gallery - Fiksate - here: https://www. fiksate.com/ // https://www.instagram.com/fiksate_gallery/ // https:// www.facebook.com/Fiksate/
RROGA NEWS I 2020 041
