I’m a Kiwi living in Melbourne on what would have been a typical OE. OE stands for “overseas experience” which is a common coming-of-age activity that most young Kiwis partake in. It’s our way to see and experience the bigger world that we grew up isolated from before going back to start a family. That’s the stereotype anyway.
My husband and I are newly married. We lived and worked apart for most of last year. 2020 was meant to be the start of our new life together. Like most Melbournians, we were still inhaling bushfire smoke when COVID-19 became breaking news. At the time, we didn’t think we would be affected.
We moved into a new “young and hip” suburb end of February and by March we were in the first lockdown. It is now end of September and we are still in lockdown. (There was a month or so of relaxed restrictions before a second wave.)
Some days in lockdown are extremely low and other times I’m completely fine, happy even, and then I’d go back to being low in what has now been popularized (at least in my circle) as the covidcoaster.
I want to explain how this mental ride of a lifetime has affected me. Even if it’s a contrived way to find meaning in these current circumstances, hopefully I can look back when we’re at COVID normal and empathize with others who might…
