Reflecting on the COVID-19 Pandemic — One Year on
Our return to South Africa coincided with the global pandemic
We arrived back in South Africa after 15 years of being in Europe in January 2020. A couple of months in and the COVID-19 pandemic hit. We are ever so grateful for those first three months before the lockdown. During that time we settled the boys into their new school, rented a home from friends, found a home of our own, bought a car and met some awesome people. We were super, super busy — all those things were done in warp-time speed as the talk of a lockdown turned into reality. Our belongings were delivered to our home just days before the official lockdown in South Africa on the 27th March 2020.
Moving Home and Getting Ready for a Pandemic
Our children were super excited to be reunited with their toys. My husband had intended to purchase a new PlayStation for the boys at Christmas time, but when we heard about an impending lockdown, he made his way to the nearest mall and bought a PS4, controllers and age-appropriate games. The sales person in the gaming store said to my husband: “I wish you were my Dad!” and indeed, the PS4 was purchase of the year, if not the decade!
The core lockdown in South Africa was from the end of March, through April and well into May. During lockdown, we had to stay on our erf which is small, but it didn’t matter much. We were so grateful to be in our home and in this community. The autumnal colours were all around.
The boys would sit on the front veranda in the sunshine and read. The school also sent fun physical education activities which they did on the grass out back. There was online school, lockdown puzzles (one, some 2000 pieces), a fair amount of baking and the PlayStation of course. The children even found a way of connecting with their friends in France by playing Minecraft and Rocket League with them. I enjoyed hearing their French chatter.
Home Schooling Children
Once the strict six-week lockdown was done, online school continued. Our neighbours, who had spent the core lockdown on their family farm, returned. Together, we created a bubble as our children are in the same grades and it made sense to work and play together. I remember some awesome learning moments including paper boat races and volcano creations in the back garden. I am glad that particular activity took place in their back garden. There were molehill explosions and much muddy mess!
Party (Yes, We Did and It Was One To Remember!)
At one point, we decided to have a party (we do have the coolest neighbours!) It was quite something to notice that sense of excess bubble up in us all — that sense of having been contained for a period of time, of keeping emotions and worries and uncertainties under wraps. I think it’s a party we’ll remember for the simple exuberance of it all — dancing and music and friends and joy — set against a backdrop of uncertainty. (A side note: in South Africa, sales of alcohol and cigarettes were banned during this time.)
Working Remotely and Internationally
We had anticipated settling into home and school and then visiting the larger city centers of Johannesburg and Cape Town to reconnect with old friends and gain a sense of the South African working world. We have still not visited either Johannesburg or Cape Town and have created our own ventures. My husband built two apps during lockdown — one to support local food supply chains and another for friends in the animal conservation space.
Prior to the pandemic, the Wildlife Act relied to a large degree on income from foreign visitors on volunteer and education programmes. With tourism no longer possible, they wanted to connect international people with those on the ground and the stories of the animals and camps.
The pandemic certainly bought to the fore our vulnerabilities as a society. Reliance on international funding and tourism for example has had a massive impact. Although things are opening up again and projects are now welcoming international travelers, I hope that robust, world-connected solutions are also put in place to ensure sustainable business practices into the future regardless of what comes next.
Vulnerabilities and Strengths
The remarkable thing that has been highlighted during the pandemic in South Africa and perhaps worldwide, is a certain creativity, resilience, and connection. People have changed business direction on the fly. One of our local restaurants, for example, now has an awesome outdoor coffee space. Customers feel comfortable and socially distanced, but still able to enjoy a meal out. They’re no longer open late into the night serving booze. It’s all a whole lot more wholesome and means a better work-life balance for the owners too.
In South Africa, food affordability, supply and distribution was a massive issue. Community leaders came forward and so very many people helped. Local to us, an amazing team came together to form Action in Isolation to feed 12 disadvantaged communities during the lockdown and create a more sustainable support model into the future. We’ve all known about these vulnerable populations, but now, there is ongoing support beyond the pandemic. Carte Blanche, a respected South African investigative journalism TV series also reported on the food gardens that have popped up all over South Africa. I’ve noticed that this is the case in other countries too.
The Enormity of Keeping Loved Ones Safe
During lockdown, our local food markets were closed. As time has progressed, the markets are back and I’m grateful to have access to farm-fresh food again. During lockdown, I would go to our supermarket, shop efficiently, make my way to our cottage, wipe down the groceries, shower and only then go back into our home. It was a weekly shop and no popping out for an extra little something. The weekly shop was a ridiculous process!
It made me think of doctors and nurses and how even after a long shift, they would need to shower and wash all their clothing in a way they might not have had to do before the pandemic to ensure the safety of their loved ones. It also bought into perspective the various dilemmas people had around whether to visit elderly relatives and then, whether to give them a hug or not.
Feeling Well — Super Well
Before the pandemic, we would have sent our children to school with a sniffle. You pack them some tissues and off they go. These days, I feel I can’t leave the house unless I am feeling absolutely 100% well. Not long ago we went to an outdoor pizza evening and I was feeling just a tiny bit out of sorts. I went along and caught the eye of some lovely, slightly older people from our village. In that moment, I was struck by how connected we all are, right down to the germs we share and the immunity we build in the community. I turned around and went straight home.
These days, I do feel a weight of responsibility for every person around me and I think that that is a good thing. We are all connected. There are odd little moments of overwhelm, but I know that that is when I need to stop and reflect and better understand the bigger picture. I know that the best I can do, the best we all can do, is to be well.
