COVID-19 Lockdown: 10 reasons why I love it
Hi RTK Readers,
Last week I finally received an email from the company that I work asking everyone to starts coming to the office. Honestly, I feel 50 -50 about coming back to office. I am kind of adjusted to the new normal and I am not sure I will like it going back to the old normal. Even though I do miss my colleagues, free tea/coffee and savoury on Thursday.
We are all in this
thing together. When Covid-19 hits us, the challenge we face is enormous. Some
people lost business like tourism industry. Can you imagine what happened when
New Zealand close border to non-citizen/non-residents and prohibit region
travel? They have zero tourist ,”nada” ( some Spanish word I pick up while
watching Money Heist). Not to forget some people lost jobs and maybe he/she is sole
bread winner in the family. Some people might have to handle with mental health
and anxiety to be isolated at home alone. Less we forget about domestic violent
cases increase which is not helping when the government is asking us to stay
safe but the house that they have is not a home. Therefore, I really thank
everybody in New Zealand and the world, the way we have come together to
respond in this unexpected moment of our lives. I understand and you are not
alone.
On this topic initially,
I thought to elaborate about all the challenges that we are facing during
covid-19 especially as expat / immigrant, but then I rethink again, enough of
the negativity. I feel that we need to shift our mind to positivity. As human
we need hope, encouragement, and motivation to maintain our sanity. Therefore,
in this topic I would like to share with you the 50% of my feeling the reasons
I love lockdown. For those in the other part of the world who still in strict
lockdown this is for you.
Before that, dont forget to subscribe to my blog. Thanks.
1. ENJOY MY BUBBLE
When Jacinda says
stay in your bubble I was imagining a big bubble from the story Bubble Boy
acted by Jake Gyllenhaal in 2001. (please don’t guest my age). Bubble in
covid-19 New Zealand means your house. I am with small family of three where
both parents working therefore lockdown giving us the chance to see each other
24 x 7. Well its not a bad thing at all. We eat, sleep, pray, watching tv ,
walk around the block together. It’s the time we are comforting each other
doing our main job staying safe and staying healthy.
I love seeing some positive balance in my bank account. Yey! You can do the math with me. Normally my bus fare from and to home and office will cost me around $6ish per day. During lockdown, I can save ( 20 days x $6 x 2months = $240) couple of hundreds. What a big saving aye. Another thing, I also save money on takeways or all fancy restaurant. (Luckily hubby and kiddo enjoy my cooking.) Another big savings!
Furthermore, (oh I love to listdown about savings) during lockdown, all after school care, daycare or childcare is closed and kids need to be at home. Me and my husband able to save another money for afterschool care. Normally it will cost us around $15 (from 3:00pm to 6:00pm max) and price increase to $50 per day during school holiday. I only have 1 kid so its doesn’t give me so much noise compares to family with 3 or more kids at home in the same time.
I am sure you can
imagine, how much time we need to wake up early, deciding what to wear to
office where there is nothing seems to fit after lockdown and energy I have to
use to walk to bus stop and be with strangers in the bus!
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| Our baking result |
3. MORE BAKING
Baking? Yes, I am
of of the people who stock up flour, butter, eggs during lockdown. Sorry bakery
owners! I tried to find 1kg flour but its finished instead there are 5kg flour
packs available. Why not?
What we do with the 5kg flour? Me and my son bake cakes, Kuih Bakar, making karipap, apple and banana pie, banana tarte tatin and…. Many more. It was so much fun having quality time together with family and enjoying our favourite desserts.
Not to forget, hubby made Pavlova with berry on Mother's Day celebration.Awww... you lock my heart to honey.
4. CATCHUP WITH NEIGHBOURS
When else is the best time to catch up with neighbour? Eventhough the government says we can‘t share our homecook meal with neighbours, sharing ripe feijoa , lime and lemon are completely different right? I can’t finish everything own my own and my neighbours loved it.
5. BEAR HUNT
One of the great initiatives done by the government in conjunction of Mental Health Society activity is to do bear hunt. We are not hunting a real bear here. Hahaha. It’s voluntarily to put teddy bear at your house windows so when people and kids going out for walk circling block they can be entertained counting all the bears. Exciting. I don’t feel guilty now looking at my neighbour’s house.
6. MAKING ART AND CRAFT
Yes, there is online school during the lockdown but it is not compulsory. The best statement that school principal says is parents are the main teachers to the kids. If we decided not to use gadjet and online school, it is fine. Kids will not missing out on their learning. Yay! So, sometimes I encourage my kid to make art at home. We create poppy flower from magazine for Anzac Day and also, my kid make a painting for Eid Celebration. Also, time for some ribbon craft.How cool is that.
7. RAMADAN AND EID AT HOME
This year we served and celebrated Ramadan and Syawal at home. Its very different but I like it. Ramadan is about self-reflexion and trying to look back of what we have done in the year and try to be better the next year. I found that lockdown give us the opportunity to perform our prayer, reading quran together as family. It strengthens our family relationship as well. Alhamdulillah. Best lockdown ever.
8. WE WATCH NEWS
Its good to finally knows who is your ministry of health, finance, police officer right? I know I rarely have the time watching news on tv. The best I could do was just browse briefly in newspaper. So lockdown has giving me the opportunity. I religiously waiting for 1pm news everyday!
9. FREE FITNESS EXERCISE BY LES MILL
Shout out to les mill New Zealand for keeping us New Zealander healthy as during lockdown we cant go to the gym. I tried some and we also zooming with my friends and colleague on the free exercise and Zumba. I think I did mention that I participate 15 minutes exercise challenge and won first prize ?
10. NETFLIX
This is I think the
best reason why I love lockdown. I was able to finish a few Netflix series
where normally I don’t even have the time to do so. During lockdown I finally
use my Netflix optimum. You name it, Money Heist, Elite, Prison Break,some Korean
drama, and many more.
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just don’t Twitter.
Nga
Mihi,
Mira
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