A Change in Life As We Know It
It’s May 2020, Spring is here and the weather is great, but we can’t go out and enjoy it, we can’t see our friends or family, and we can’t travel. We have been in Lockdown for more than 2 months already due to a world wide Pandemic of the Cornavirus strain Covid-19. As with many things in this day and age there is a wealth of easily accessible statistics and information but one thing I have noticed is for every fact there are millions of conspiracy theories or pseudo scientific theories covering our social media platforms to the point we have stopped connecting with each other. I see friends and families arguing over or attacking each others opinions or interpretations of the lockdown regulations or even what is essential and what is not.
I keep hearing the phrase we are all in the same boat or we are all in this together… But I really don’t think we are… I find it is better described as; We are all in the same storm but we are not in the same boat! We all face the fear of this aggressive and dangerous virus but each and everyone of our circumstances and how we are getting through it is individual to us. Some people are completely alone isolated from any social interaction, some people are having the time of there life and are loving discovering new skills or reconnecting with there families.
I asked all of my volunteers for this project to do a little word association with key word associated with the current crisis and the answers prove how we all interpret information and situations so differently.
Life as we know it has been put on hold indefinitely and it leaves us all a little bit in limbo, blossoming relationships cut down in their prime, couples on the verge of separation now forced to stick it out, woman giving birth without their tribe by their side, people just setting up a new business without a strong customer base to carry them through, any one who owns a business in the service industries, essential workers, medical staff, teachers, children’s schooling uncertainty, is home schooling even possible for some households? I see a lot of ignorance, confusion, anger and fear that can sometimes be misguided or misplaced. Social media can be wonderful at times and the rise of video calling applications such as Google Hangouts or Zoom really show us that we have an inherent need to stay connected but balancing this out is the rise of fake news and scaremongering articles on popular platforms where people are judging others more harshly than ever before and there seems to be less empathy and understanding of some else’s situation.
Door Step Portraits
So I had an idea to create a series of portraits to explore the situation from each others perspectives… I asked some basic questions to explore how people really feel at this moment in time as we move towards deconfinement, how has lockdown effected them and how do they see the future.
Charlotte
I will start with my daughter as she is my reason for this project and the reason I find it so important to start to build our human connections again! At 9 months old Charlotte is super excited to return back to the childminder! The 2 months in confinement, almost 1/4 of her life, has been hard. We had such an active social life before the lockdown, with mum and baby groups, music groups, play dates and of course all the socialising I would normally do such as visiting my friends, eating out etc that lockdown hit us pretty hard. I could see the effect on her personality and her spirit, she is such a happy soul normally and she clearly missed her friends, she was becoming strangely clingy and a little screen obsessed as both her dad and I have been working form home on screens, they have also been our main way to communicate with other people so of course she wants to hold them and play with them. We did lots of creative things and as an ex-preschool teacher I was lucky enough to not be phased by having to find ways to entertain her all day everyday, I was able to enjoy lots of fun activities with her which you can find on our Youtube channel Lemonbox Arts & Crafts. The concept of quarantine is too much for a baby to comprehend and I spent a lot of time worrying about the long term effects of this lockdown. Since being back at the childminder though she has returned to her happy, confident and independent little self and I for one am relieved to say the least! She loves people and no amount of paint and glitter will ever replace the value of social interactions!
Shirley
I met Shirley as she volunteered to be a part of this project she was wonderfully friendly and I got the general impression she is looking forward to the lockdown being over whilst also being a little worried about the virus still being so active, more so for the sake of her children as they are ready to leave home and build their own lives but she sees the bright side that the lockdown has given them this little bit of extra family time together.
What is your experience of the Virus?
I haven’t had the virus. I don’t personally know anyone but a work collègue of my husbands did and he is since recovered and is back at work. He was hospitalized but not on a ventilator. Nobody I know has lost their life. I’m not considered high risk but I am older so I worry. I’m definitely nervous at the prospect of catching it as I have little pain tolerance and even a mild sore throat is debilitating to me.
What has Lockdown meant for you?
I’ve made 2 trips to Costco and a few to trips to the Auchan beside me but that’s about it. We are in an apartment but their is a communal courtyard that I never go in but my kids have a couple of times. I text, call and Face Time family and friends often.
How has the Lockdown affected you day to day?
I miss my Mom in Canada, she’s 90 and I’m not sure when my next visit will be. I miss visiting with friends, eating out, apéros on a terrace, travelling, shopping. I don’t work and my husband has been working remotely sine lockdown started. My children are 24, 22 and 18. My 24 year old is finishing his last year of law school remotely but will start an internship in Paris in July, unsure yet if he’ll be working in the office or from home. My 22 year just finished his Masters 1 which he did online since his university switched to remote classes. My 18 year old was working as an au pair in Dublin but came home early 2 days before the lockdown. I’ve used lockdown to bake and cook different things…some successes and some failures there.
What does coming out of confinement mean to you?
The confinement was definitely necessary. Certain aspects didn’t make sense to me like closing the forest where it’s easy to social distance. Definitely not going back to normal. The threat is still there, the. Only difference is there is now room in the ICU. I’m not sure about what changes I’ll make as a result of this but I imagine there will be some. It’s not close to being over yet, we’ve just been given back a fraction of our freedom so far but the risk is still high for infection.
Extra thoughts: I know my family is very fortunate as my husband’s job is 100% secure and my family lacks for nothing. My heart breaks for the poor, unemployed, victims of domestic abuse, seniors, people dying alone and people mourning alone..
Bethan
Beth is a good friend of mine who recently moved here to France to be with her partner. She is stuck in a job searching limbo as many companies really don’t know what the future holds and so are reluctant to move forward with employing people. Beth is lucky to have the support of her partner but is looking forward to building her full life here! Like many people Beth has also missed planned trips home to see family and for special events including her best friends wedding which has been postponed. One positive she is taking away though is through technology like video calling apps she has managed to reconnect with some extended family!
What is your experience of the Virus?
My Dad and one of my cousins have maybe had the virus, neither where hospitalized but both rang NHS 111 and where told it was highly likely they had it. Not feeling great about potentially contracting the virus, but I have worked as carer for children and adults with Special Needs for nearly 15 years so have a pretty strong immune system and as a result, I’m not overly worried.
What has Lockdown meant for you?
I have been with my partner in our 2 bedroom apartment with separate living room and kitchen, we have a lovely balcony. I have still had access to the supermarket and boulangerie. I also have a dog which means I can leave to take him for walks a couple of times a day so I can leave the apartment. I have been using whatsapp, zoom and skype for video calls, social media and calling people.
How has the Lockdown affected you day to day?
I miss going for my weekly lunch date with my friend. I’m quite new to my area (moved in January) and was enjoying exploring the local area however that hasn’t been possible. I have been furloughed so not been working at all, I’ve been looking for jobs but so many companies/schools are unaware of the long term effects of the shutdown so not been hiring. I have been giving friends children some online tutoring so that looks great on my C.V.
I have been trying new recipes and using my slow cooker a lot more. I moved in January and was meant to be returning to the UK in April/May to get the rest of my things (including keyboard, guitar and crafty things) and due to not working didn’t want to spend any money to replace them. I have been playing a lot more video games than I normally would, been using Duolingo a bit more and downloaded some exercise apps.
What does coming out of confinement mean to you?
A little worried about a second spike but happy I don’t have to download something every time I want to leave the house. Being confined for me hasn’t been much different (was working 1-2 days a week before) but hoping for a new job and some French lessons. Personally, I don’t see that much change for me due to the work I do but a lot of my friends work/life balance has been altered so hopefully see them a lot more. My anxiety levels have dropped a lot so hoping they stay low once lockdown is over. I also do not know when travel between France and the UK will be lifted so it’s difficult not knowing when I will see friends and family in person again.
Extra thoughts: I’m quite looking forward to going swimming but have loved being at home with my partner and the dog.
Tessa
Tessa voluteered to be part of this project through my social media postings. It was great to meet her and her family and talk about how the situation has been affecting her. Out of all the participants Tessa and her family are the only ones to live in the central city environment as opposed to the suburbs. I felt a different atmosphere and feeling when arriving and walking from my car past so many closed shops and restaurants with very few people around. It was strange in what essentially would normally be a bustling area full of locals and tourists. It was almost eeire in places.
What is your experience of the Virus?
Julien was sick and he was video-diagnosed with Covid 19. Family of my friends in Italy and colleagues and friends of Julien here. Im not happy anbout potentially contracting the virus but Julien is cool with it.
What has Lockdown meant for you?
Given the lack of preparation and action plan we have been in total lockdown together +kids in our apartment with no garden or outdoor space.
How has the Lockdown affected you day to day?
We have remained connected mainly with phone calls. We both miss our family here and in Italy. Not being able to move freely between Italy and France, outdoor time being restricted within a 1 km radius from home means we have both been working from home but Julien has been semi forced on holidays and my business is in Italy so total shutdown and now a lot less work coming in. We have been home schooling Julien’s daughter age 9 and doing a lot of baking. Julien is finding positivity in have extra family time and I am positive about us getting along really well in our relationship.
What does coming out of confinement mean to you?
I’m not ready and frustrated because there is not so much to look forward to. We wont be going back to normal, we can’t, it’s not allowed and moving forward I will probably spend more time in France.
Pam
Pam is a friend and a fellow teacher, she has been in France for over a year but only started at her most recent position in January (She is actually the teacher that took over my class when I left) She is wonderfully upbeat and has a passion for education. A high school teacher by experience she has turned to early years only recently and has been really enjoying it but the struggles of teaching preschool aged children via zoom or online have been extremely challenging. I have to say I am glad I am not in her shoes even with my 19 years of teaching preschool I would not be prepared to engage the children through a screen, Preschool is essentially 90% social interaction and so I feel for any teacher trying to achieve learning goals with younger classes right now.
What is your experience of the Virus?
I’ve not had the virus and I only know of people that have said they have had it or potentially had it in online communities that I am part of. I am classed as high risk and so I am scared about potentially contracting the virus.
What has Lockdown meant for you?
I have still accessed the local shops otherwise I’ll starve or have to start making my own moonshine. I am in an apartment set in grounds that have a lovely outdoor space with some grass, trees and a pond. I have been in lockdown alone but eating for three and I’ve remained connected to people via phone and messenger.
How has the Lockdown affected you day to day?
I am missing my Family – actually just the option to go back to the UK to visit if I’d wanted to. Also missing British treats like PG tips and Angel Delight. I am working from home three times more than normal! I’ve discovered Pastis neat, very nice. Baked a lot and toyed with the idea of obsessive cleaning but decided I didn’t want to have to buy bleach every two days. Total solitude has been really negative for me and the inability to go to work on Saturdays as it used to get me out of my local area and now I can only buy food at the local Carrefour City. I am happy I finally got WiFi now so I don’t have to go in to school after hours to upload videos.
What does coming out of confinement mean to you?
It’s scary, it’s far too soon, we haven’t had the second wave yet and I fear going on public transport – went last week for appointment and had to use my winter gloves, scared to use metal handrails so with vertigo not good, do they disinfect the handrails? Keypads on the ticket machines? Transparent plastic screen where we pick the tickets up?
I cant go back to normal due to asthma and COPD I have to stay in. Working from home and planning a week of lessons to be delivered and setting work daily online plus zoom calls plus 1 to 1 sessions plus organising the end of year photo album is NOT normal by any stretch of the imagination.
Francesca
Francesca voluteered for the project through my social media posts. It was lovely to meet her and her family and be welcomed in to their garden. Her husband is a keen gardener and has lots of growing projects on the go (he even gave me some chilli seedlings to bring home) She introduced me to her boys and talked about each of their passions, one being very sporty and one being very much in to science and making experiments. Home schooling looks fun in this household!
What is your experience of the Virus?
Both my parents back in Italy had it. I honestly don’t know if I have had the virus, about a month ago I had a very sore throat but no cough or fever , was that a mild form of the virus? Who knows..? I would like to take a blood test soon to find out if I really had it and I developed antibodies against it. I would prefer not contracting it, that’s why I try to take all the possible preacautions to avoid catching it.
What has Lockdown meant for you?
I am with my husband and our 3 children in a House with a garden. We still have access to shops , I mean, we live in a small village with 7000 people and only have 2 grocery stores. we have remained connected main via skype.
How has the Lockdown affected you day to day?
I miss going to the swimming pool and doing outdoor sports whenever I want to. There is not much impact on work, I keep teaching my classes on skype and for the time being we are home schooling my 6 and 8 years old sons. Ive used this time at home to finally started building my website and I potty trained my 2 year old daughter. My biggest negative has been not being able to travel but quality time with my family has been my biggest positive.
What does coming out of confinement mean to you?
I Can’t wait for deconfinement. I wont be able to go straight back to normal as the associations where I work won’t re-open until September. As a result of this experience I plan to keep riding my bike more and use as less as possible my car.
Skye
Skye is a friend and fellow new mum, our daughters are just 2 months apart in age and we attend a couple of mum and baby groups together. We have been meeting online via a zoom group music time that I have been hosting. We are both looking forward to when the girls can play with each other again and their other friends that we miss dearly. It was really nice to be able to see how much Scarlett had changed since I last saw her before the lockdown and we discussed how all the milestones the children in our little social circle will have changed by the time this is all over.
What is your experience of the Virus?
We, nor anyone anyone in our extended families have contracted the virus. We haven’t known anyone personally to have it. I am considered high risk as I have an autoimmune disease (rheumatoid arthritis). I have taken all precautions to not get the virus. I would fear the effects on my health, but especially the health of my 8 month old baby.
What has Lockdown meant for you?
We live in a house in a small village further out than most people. We have a big yard and feel very fortunate for it during this time exclusively at home. Having lots of indoor and outdoor space has made this time much more manageable. We go for walks daily, either around the village or into the forest behind our house. Living surrounded by farm land and forest has giving us the much-needed connection to nature during this crazy time, as well as daily fresh air and exercise to keep both our minds and bodies happy.
How has the Lockdown affected you day to day?
Both my husband Yang and I have been fortunate to maintain our jobs by working from home. It is a balancing act to trade off with the baby but thankfully his job is flexible enough to allow for it and I am current only working 1/3 time since returning after maternity leave. So actually, this working from home has been a nice way to live these past several months, giving me more time with my baby and allowing her father to be home A LOT more. We consider this a very special time that has given our little family more strength through added time together.
I do miss the social interaction with friends. Scarlett would benefit from more interaction with baby friends and I miss interacting with other moms. With a baby, your home a lot anyways though so I have not been particularly bothered by it, knowing that it is important to social distance and would rather miss my friends than take the risk of contracting the virus.
What does coming out of confinement mean to you?
I feel as though deconfinement is happening too fast, too soon. Seems everyone is really anxious to get ‘back to normal’ but I would just hate to see numbers of cases jump because of loosening controls. We don’t want to undo what the last two months of lockdown have done to help control it. I am not going shopping or to any other public places just yet. We have gone to the forests that had been closed, but we don’t interact with others. Scarlett’s first car ride in nearly 3 months was today!!
As my job will continue online until the end of the school year, I plan to remain ‘confined’ until I see the numbers of cases reduced, also watching what’s happening around the world – particularly the UK and US, but also China as they are ahead of the curve and can be a model for what may happen when life goes back to normal.
Going forward, I think I will continue to really cherish home time with family. This experience has changed me. I plan to continue this slow, simple life as best I can. I feel less need to consume – being cautious of purchases and not really wanting to go shopping much. Buying used is still a principal I live by and will continue. Trying to live more sustainably by growing lots of food in the garden, raising chickens for fresh eggs and shopping locally as much as possible helps. These are principals that I held dear before this pandemic but this experience has only further reinforced their importance.
Patrice
Patrice is my partner. Having him at home during the lockdown has had its good and bad sides. I love that he is around in the morning and the evening. Having lunch together and just generally enjoying time together as he is not exhausted from a long commute and a hard day at the office. He works hard from home but he has been much happier. On the negative side trying to keep our 9 month old quiet while he is on important calls has proven to be quite the challenge!
What is your experience of the Virus?
Mmm… I don’t really know, at least I’ve not been diagnosed. A few of my colleagues and my gran have had the virus. I am not high risk that I know of. I’m a bit scared, not too much, but as we do not really know a lot about it, it is not in my plans to contract it.
What has Lockdown meant for you?
I live in an apartment, but in the countryside with a nice balcony, and garden in the residence together with my family, 3 of us and then 4 every other week (shared custody of my son). I’ve never stopped working, and I’ve kept connected with friends and family as usual, through WhatsApp.
How has the Lockdown affected you day to day?
I miss restaurants and pub nights. Working from home, it was great. It’s a life changer, no more commute, and more time with the family and clearly more productivity! I actually got to see my daughter stand and then start walking. This would not have happened with my working hours plus the commute. I’ve started a garden on the balcony, started fixing my old motorbike and thought a lot about what I want my life to be 🙂
What does coming out of confinement mean to you?
There are so many unknown things about this virus, I think deconfinement is meant to save the current economic system more than the people. I will most probably not return straight back to normal. I’m waiting and watching what is happening. I’ll review what I do during my time off, try to find a way to spend more time with the family, spend more time at home, and try and find a job that makes me happy.
A New Normal
There is still so much unknown about Covid-19 and what the future holds. I think it is important to take some time and really reflect on what this last 2 months has taught us about our life styles, work life balance, the way we communicate and consumerism in general? Will working from home become the new normal, will we travel less and value our families more? Will face masks and social distancing find a permanent place in our every day interactions? Will you make any changes moving forward? I don’t know the answer, the future for me is equal parts scary and exciting. I’ve seen some incredible acts of kindness during this lockdown period from people and even celebrities donating time to produce free content online to keep us all busy to 100 year old Captain Tom raising over 32M for the NHS. I have participated in Zoom birthday parties and hosted a daily music time for my Mum and baby group, I’ve connected more with family and friends back home than I usually do when living my full paced expat life. I have enjoyed taking time to explore my creative hobbies like doing arts and crafts with my daughter, painting canvases and even finally joining a life drawing class that I’ve always wanted to do. I hope these are the things that live on after this, that these are the things we remember and not the fake news, scaremongering or arguments. Most importantly let’s just start listening to each other again and find ways to be safe and be kind.
