From the bubbles of kiwis living overseas
Sally Currie
My name is Sally Currie. My husband Braden Currie is one of New Zealand’s best endurance athletes. Braden started off as someone who had never owned a road bike or been coached for swimming or running. He is now ranked seventh in the world and is the top Asia Pacific Ironman triathlete. He got to where he is through an innate sense of belief and a trait that I associate most strongly with Kiwis – grit. He is as gritty as they come. I am stubborn and maybe that adjective could be swapped out for gritty, but I believe they are different. Our combo of grittiness and stubbornness have taken us a long way in life but Covid-19 has suddenly created a huge roadblock and forced us to transition our grit and stubbornness towards some simple goals: Let go, be happy, be grateful and enjoy the day.
We still apply ourselves to what is true to us on a daily basis, but we know that life is not going to be the same for a long time, and we know the dreams we had may remain elusive for years to come. We normally travel four to five months of the year so that Braden can train and race overseas in the warmer months. We travel united as a family with our children Bella (7) and Tarn (11). We have visited over 25 countries in the past six years, and we have had a fair amount of challenges. But I would say that being disabled from going places within New Zealand and overseas is ultimately the biggest challenge we have encountered. But through the various times we have had around the world – alone, isolated, surviving from race to race – the one thing that I keep close to my heart is a love for New Zealand and the knowledge that we can always go home. It gave me an immense sense of gratitude and for me, gratitude is what warms my heart and ignites a radiating sense of happiness within me.
From my Wanaka bubble, I feel a sense of anguish out there in the world, so I reached out to Kiwis living overseas and asked them to share their stories and to send a message home. I felt that this would be a powerful way of igniting and inspiring a feeling of gratefulness in anyone reading them. We are home, we are in New Zealand and every day I think we are so lucky. We will survive this, and we will do it together as a united front, because we are gritty!
These stories are written from the heart by people who wouldn’t normally share their personal stories. They are very powerful, and this is a time in history we will not forget.
Emi Earle, Switzerland
The sun is warming my face, the sky is a deep blue and I can hear the swift-running waters of the spring snow melt. Here we are living in Davos at 1560 metres in the Swiss Alps. We live simply, in a one-bedroom apartment with no garden or balcony, so our whānau is very grateful to be allowed to walk out the front door to access mountain-hiking trails and the langlauf (cross-country) skiing tracks which have remained open.
It felt like a very abrupt lockdown. My husband and I pretty much lost our winter season jobs overnight, the ski fields closed and this once heaving ski town became a ghost town within a few days, (as the borders closed in Europe). We heard clearly the call to come “home” and, with my husband’s family and “home” here, I felt my body spiral into panic mode as I pondered where was best for our whānau to be for this next unknown chapter. I had sleepless nights wondering about employment and whether they would let New Zealand citizens return home in the foreseeable future. I had immense relief when I heard Jacinda announce that we could come home if we underwent the mandatory two-week quarantine upon arrival into the country.
We all took a deep breath, slowed our thoughts and decided as a family that it was best to stay put without the stress of quickly packing up an apartment with two toddlers, having to hug my husband’s family goodbye, and of the possibility of being stranded somewhere. In hindsight are grateful to have made this choice.
Supermarkets, pharmacies and bakeries remain open here. Some parks remain open. We have noticed a gradual increase in restaurants opening for takeaway. I've never had to queue for a supermarket. People remain friendly and respectful to essential workers. There are to be no more than a cluster of five people anywhere and people must respect the two-metre rule otherwise you can receive a 100ch ($173) fine. We have noticed a real presence of police over the last five weeks. We are currently nearing the end of week five and at the end of week six we will know more.
The mountains give us huge amounts of energy so we feel at peace to be here and to spend time with our young children, who keep us in the moment. We miss Aotearoa and it will always be where my heart calls home. We are keeping a close eye on what is happening in New Zealand but for now we have to trust and be thankful that we are in a beautiful country that is also taking care of us. I look forward to returning to New Zealand when the time comes, there is something very special about touching down in the homeland - the friendly faces at security that welcome you home and the singing kereru. The light. Aotearoa has the most mesmerising light. The sky is so vivid and the colours of the Whenua so vibrant. Whanau and friends. Good coffee. Skiing the club fields and surfing Mangamaunu. The West Coast. The bush. Kiwi musicians. The ingenuity, creative flair, DIY and humour. Singing waiata with my former work colleagues and journeying into the outdoors with young people. Our awesome Prime Minister Jacinda and the health system.
I'm sure that everyone's lockdown journey will be vastly different. If New Zealand manages to suppress the virus, I hope that the people will be heard. I hope that people will be kind to each other and show compassion during the recovery phase, celebrating and valuing the essential workers. Support local businesses. Slow down and show new appreciation for our breath, one another, and our land. I believe shared experiences create opportunities to connect with those who differ from us. This situation is the opportunity to establish and enhance common ground regardless of religion, gender, socio-economic background, or culture. I hope that we can have more respect and empathy for those who are different to us and to those in our communities who already feel isolated. Borders may be closed for some time, but I hope that the unseen borders will be opened in a new way, creating a fair and just world for all. I hope that I/we can all be more aware, take more responsibility in our daily lives for our actions, what we choose to feed our bodies, how we choose to travel, how we can support more sustainable practices so that our children and their children can continue to enjoy this earth. What have we learnt over the last weeks of what is important? It is a time for change. I know I need to make a change and it starts with today.
Kim Jarvis, Costa Rica (returned to New Zealand on 22/03/2020)
The dream is over. In a depressing Covid-19-led turn around, our eleven months of travel and living abroad that was years in the planning, was cut short. We flew out of Costa Rica only ten weeks after we arrived.
Our decision to come home was the hardest decision we've ever had to make. Only two days after deciding that we would isolate in Costa Rica for a few months (preparing accordingly with groceries and supplies for the kids), we were booking flights to New Zealand and packing to leave before our window to get home disappeared. Things were changing so quickly and with a loss of income from home we just couldn’t risk seeing how it played out in a third-world country whose language we are not yet fully proficient in.
To leave a place that has given us all so much, in such a short space of time was devastating. I won’t dwell on that though, as we are lucky to be leaving with our health and coming home to a country that we are so proud of. I’ve lost count of the number of people I met in Costa Rica who told us that New Zealand was one of their favourite countries or is the number one country they want to visit. My family and I hold a big chunk of Costa Rica in our hearts.
Costa Rica is home to five per cent of the world’s biodiversity. I have never been anywhere like it and the kids have seen more incredible animals in the wild during the last 10 weeks than in the hundreds of weeks that came before.
The culture is so special - no-one seems to have a lot, but they are content. There is no ‘keeping up with the Joneses’. Even if you wanted to, you cannot buy all the material things we put so much emphasis on at home and it seems to make life so much simpler.
The people are so friendly and everyone gets a greeting and a smile even in our bustling tourist town. The streets will be filled with a steady stream of cars and yet the cars will stop continuously to let people cross the road. No one bats an eyelid when a delivery truck stops in the middle of traffic to unload supplies and chats to pedestrians for five minutes. Road rage does not exist. It was incredible to be transported to a place where no one is in a hurry and you have no choice but to sit back, enjoy the scenery and the pura vida.
There is no red tape. People live their lives with little stress about things like health and safety, work permits, crocodiles in public thoroughfares or cramming an entire family onto a motorbike.
With our arrival home getting closer by the hour, I have been thinking about some things I will now appreciate about New Zealand. Being able to drop crumbs on the floor without the certainty of 500 ants and their friends arriving immediately to cart them off to their nest. Waking up feeling fresh and not in need of a swim or cold shower. Not having a full-time rotation system of drink bottles in the fridge and freezer in an attempt to ensure our water intake. Great food and coffee. A government and health system that I can understand and rely on. Family, friends, and the feeling that I belong.
We are still very unsure of what the rest of this year holds for us but that probably puts us in with most of the world right now. We will go home and ride this thing out together.
The moral of this story for me is, there is a big wide world out there and every country and every culture has their own beauty and gifts. We are privileged to call New Zealand our home, but I never want to forget what is out there and how it can open our eyes to different ways of living.
Sasha Holden, Chanel Islands, Europe
I live in Jersey, part of the Chanel Islands. The rural parts of our island are beautiful. We have over 25 different coves, beaches, and bays we can retreat to, to swim, paddle, and surf. There are cliff path walks which run around the exterior perimeter, along with woods and reservoir walks to explore. Our movements are restricted right now but we can go out for exercise for up to two hours each day and enjoy these spaces (we are even permitted to drive to beaches which is a good thing as some are incredibly large, especially when the tide is out, which allows for easy social distancing).
My family and I are lucky enough to live in a National Trust cottage. It is an old granite house dating from the 1600s. We have a garden and are preparing the soil in some raised beds, now that we are coming into spring, to grow vegetables. We ordered our seven-year-old a paddling pool. She is happy in it all day when the sun shines. We walk our red fox Labrador and scoot up and down the lane we live on.
My husband is working a lot in the study upstairs and like many mums I am juggling care and education for our daughter, cooking, cleaning, and my own work setting up a new business and career. I am not the bread winner and we worry about money, so more than ever, my husband’s job takes priority and takes him away from home and family responsibilities. I’m a feminist legal theorist and it can sometimes feel like I am living an ironic life, but we do try to keep working towards a better balance. Despite that, life in lockdown does feel as though it has a gender gap for me, and for many of my friends.
I’ve had a sore throat and a cough, so I’ve been confined to the house, but hopefully after the weekend, I can enjoy the beautiful surroundings we have and take a good, long, deep breath. It will be good for the soul to move again. The health care resources are very limited where we are, but not currently under extreme pressure. Long may that continue.
The society we live in here is quite conservative and old fashioned. It is run by late-middle-aged mostly men and the policies tend not to be forward thinking or considerate to those who are less well off, or the environment, for example. There is a next generation of women and men coming through the ranks who will change that (I kind of feel like we are in New Zealand circa the early 1990s and just about to make the most of what we have locally and treasure it, to innovate and be forward thinking.) I think we have much to learn from home.
I'm missing home so much. The people. The mountains. The Lakes. I think longingly of the Southern Alps and the lakes. They have always felt like a kind of ‘spiritual home’. I grew up in Southland and we got married in Tekapo and I find that part of the world so lovely to look at and be in. I find it calming. I’ve been on this side of the world for the better part of 24 years and it has always worried me that one day I might not be able to get home. Right now, that’s a reality, although I am sure not permanent. But for now, I worry about my elderly parents, especially my Dad who is very dear to me. I miss my best friend in Auckland.
I am really comforted by the thought of being back in New Zealand again one day when this is over. It makes me smile to think how nice it will be to be back home again. The way people are in New Zealand is unique. I’ve always marvelled at the kindness people automatically show each other; a thread of kindness which has woven itself into the fabric of Kiwi society over time. Being remote, New Zealand society has grown up with folk needing to ‘look out for the other fella’. It is not only part of New Zealand’s settlement history, but a core part of Tikanga Māori too. Now it is so often second nature for many kiwis. It is what people feel when they are amongst New Zealanders when they visit. It is what Kiwis bring to others when they travel. It is exemplified in the leadership being shown by Jacinda Arden. It makes me proud to be a Kiwi.
There’s no doubt that Covid-19 poses the opportune time to create positive change. If there was one thing I would love to see become a key focus as we walk out the other side of this, it would be education. As an academic, I can’t think of a single thing which empowers people or which builds a better society of thoughtful citizens, then education.
If New Zealand manages to suppress the virus, I hope that nurses will be paid more and that their education will be paid for and the same for doctors, teachers, care-home workers and others such as cleaners and supermarket workers. I hope that there will be a consideration towards closing the wealth gap, in a Scandinavian kind of way. New Zealand is a small enough country with a big enough heart to take that brave next step towards a fairer society for all.
For New Zealand, being isolated is both a strength and weakness. New Zealand can feel far away from other places, and it can feel like you’re hemmed in, unable to travel easily and a bit stuck. This feeling may now be perpetuated on a micro-scale with being locked down. This is an experience that is going to be challenging at times, but I wonder if it is possible to see it as New Zealanders being maybe less ‘locked down’ in some ways and more ‘cocooning’.
You have a generous society of people doing lots to help and support each other, a wonderful leader who is making sensible decisions, communicating clearly, and doing all of that with genuine compassion towards a clear end. The day-to-day will still be really hard for everyone, and for some in particular, such as pregnant women, people dealing with other illnesses, people with anxieties, anyone who has lost someone to Covid-19 or other illness during this time, and people who need to go into work to care for others or ensure food supply. But I’m glad, despite the challenges, that you’re being well looked after - by each other and by the woman running the show.
Even though Covid-19 isn’t so great for this feminist academic, it’s a relief to see women like Jacinda at the top absolutely nailing it in the public sphere right now!
Nick Ison, England
We’re in a lovely old Market Town in Hampshire called Bishops Waltham, at the foot of the South Downs in the South of England. We’re lucky enough to be surrounded by countryside, which in this part of the country is stunning. Life in lockdown has been super chilled. Thankfully the sun has chosen to make a regular appearance since the world melted, so we’ve been spending loads of time in the backyard where the kids have a big tree hut in the Ash tree, a swing and a few covid-19 special creations - a seesaw/balance board made from an old surfboard and a swing-ball made from an old curtain rail. We’re a very active family and are still managing to squeeze in lots of activity safely in lockdown - walks in the countryside, bike rides, yoga, etc. We’ve also finally found time for loads of odd jobs that have been on the backburner for ages ranging from big (boarding out the loft) to small (servicing hydraulic bike brakes). Time to learn new things is a luxury we’re capitalising on. Rach now makes a mean sourdough and is studying the roots of hatha yoga and I’m learning to brew beer. We’re doing what we can to keep the kids’ brains engaged. Ours are five and eight and their schools have been brilliant, providing helpful material, but also not putting any pressure on and encouraging family time through this tough period.
We have a fantastic life here, however if I was to pinpoint the one thing I miss the most about New Zealand it would be the natural environment. The countryside here is beautiful and we make good use of it, but it’s not the adventure playground that New Zealand is (and there’s too many people).
What could New Zealand do differently to make it a better place for people and the land? Learn from the world’s mistakes. Be brave. The global models are so incredibly broken and the world knows it, yet the combination of consumer culture and self-serving politics is proving insurmountable to drive change at the pace needed. We all now know what we need to do, so following in the footsteps of other failing nations is inexcusable. It’s too late for consumer led change; New Zealand needs a brave, bold government prepared to make the hard decisions. Mass innovation is required and to achieve this the Government should be providing significant incentives to the business community and consumers. New Zealand has the creativeness and guts to be a true world leader in so many areas. We’re the perfect state to demonstrate that things can be different, that globalism is not necessarily your friend and that life can be much, much richer.
This lockdown has created time, which many of us usually have so little of. I’m sure there are many lessons that the world can take from this, however I hope that at the very least people will have re-evaluated their lifestyle and come out the other side of this feeling empowered to make change for good.
Andre Dent, Sweden
I am living in Sweden and the approach to managing Covid-19 here has been different to many parts of the world and in stark contrast to the tight controls implemented in New Zealand. Day-to-day activities have slowed and many businesses have suffered significantly, requiring support from the government to prevent high unemployment and to expedite any restart once (and should) demand return to pre-Covid-19 levels.
Business activities for me have slowed but not ground to a halt. I now have significantly more free-time due to less business pressure and the elimination of the travel I would normally be doing. There are no excuses for me to do those things that have been put off for ages.
Life is not dramatically different here. People have been given individual responsibility to act sensibly and practice social distancing. This said, normal retail outlets are still open and so too are restaurants and bars although there is far less attendance and distances are maintained by only providing table service (no one can stand or order at a bar). People are still driving, walking, biking and even going to the gym, all with personal accountability for hygiene. I have changed some of my behaviours such as working from home, not travelling, washing my hands far more frequently and looking for alternate ways of doing things such as having virtual (online) beers.
Sweden is good at creating a balance between business and family life. There is a strange dichotomy here where they seem to have a good balance of government intervention to control behaviour and a level of trust in the individual. Perhaps it has been the years of control that have led to a conservative culture. However, I would not take this as far as Sweden has because one of the key strengths of the Kiwi culture is creativity and that should not be suppressed.
I grew up in New Zealand and have many positive associations with scenic locations such as Hanmer Springs. This pandemic doesn’t make me miss New Zealand any more than normal but it does worry me that if the New Zealand borders are controlled for a long period of time, that I may not be able to return to visit. Family is a big part of what one misses when on the opposite side of the world and only able to visit every one to two years. One also misses Kiwi cuisine - the basics such as pies, Marmite, Anchor butter and Kiwi barbecues.
If New Zealand manages to suppress the virus then hopefully the tourism industry can be protected as much as possible against similar pandemics in the future, particularly for vulnerable businesses. For obvious reasons, I think international governments need to control animal consumption behaviours that risk another outbreak.
The world sees New Zealand as a shining example of great leadership and co-operation to minimize risks and optimize mental health. Keep it up!
Catherine Callaghan, London
I normally live in a flat in central London, but my (British) husband and I are in lockdown in his house in rural Gloucestershire. We got out of London in the second week of March, as we could see which way the wind was blowing with this virus and I’m one of the many people in the UK who need to ‘shield’ themselves because cancer drugs suppress my immune system. Life in lockdown is pretty good for us because we’ve got a big garden with plenty of space to roam and walk our dog. We are both self-employed barristers, and although our case load is not as busy as it was before the lockdown, we still have work to do and can work from home (including doing court hearings by video link). We have access to a farm shop a ten-minute walk up the road, which sells fruit, vegetables and milk, and we’ve got our own chickens for eggs. We are still struggling to find pasta, toilet paper and cleaning products at our local supermarket, but we are managing for the moment. We feel incredibly lucky and grateful to be where we are, it would be terrible to be stuck in a London high-rise apartment without any access to outdoor space.
British industry has been fantastic at developing and manufacturing ventilators to try to meet the UK shortfall. I’ve been incredibly touched to see nearly one-million people volunteer for the NHS Volunteer Responder scheme to carry out tasks like delivering food and medicines to people who can’t leave their homes because of underlying health conditions. And for the past couple of weeks, British people have stood outside their homes on Thursday evenings at 8pm to applaud heroic NHS workers. Boris Johnson was right when he said the NHS is the UK’s greatest national asset, and it is powered by love.
I definitely miss New Zealand right now. I love and miss the landscape, flora, fauna and the unique bird song, and of course I miss my Kiwi family and friends. Thank goodness for the internet and Facetime/Zoom/WhatsApp! I miss New Zealand’s political leadership and wish we had similar leadership in the UK. Jacinda Ardern and Ashley Bloomfield are doing a fantastic job and are providing models of how to lead a country in a crisis. I spent most of last month tearing my hair out in frustration and disbelief at the shambolic, casual and painfully slow approach taken by the UK government to introduce social distancing and lockdown measures. We finally went into lockdown on March 23, but it’s not a total lockdown (people are still able to go to work if they are unable to work from home) and the delay has undoubtedly contributed to the UK’s dreadful, and still rising, number of daily deaths.
A lot of Kiwis will be hurting economically right now. They are going to need Government assistance to get themselves and their businesses back on their feet. But it will also be an excellent opportunity to rethink New Zealand’s approach to sustainability and the environment. We’ve learned during this crisis that we don’t need to commute to work, that we don’t need to fly as much, or consume as many products as we did. This crisis presents a great opportunity to rethink everything we thought we knew about how societies should run. If New Zealand manages to suppress the virus, I hope that measures will be kept in place to prevent Covid-19 re-entering New Zealand from overseas by enforcing strict quarantine periods on any incoming visitors. New Zealand should maintain its fantastic efforts at contact tracing and isolating cases to prevent community transmission.
Keep going with the lockdown and stay strong (kia kaha). You’re showing the world how it should be done. We are so proud to be Kiwis right now!
Pamela Aboshiha (in the ‘danger age’), Kent
I'm sorry but I'm finding it hard to get my head round things just now in terms of any reply. It's grim here - over 700 deaths every day and that's horrible to digest. I'm completely isolated down here as no one can visit/meet-up, etc. That makes things hard on a personal level.
So, from where I'm sitting New Zealand did all the right things regarding the pandemic with an early tight lockdown, bubbles, preventing what could be dangerous activities. I really can't think of what else it could have done. Here there are plenty of things.
Roy Schott, Austria
I'm staying at my girlfriend's house in Kaprun, a small Mountain town in the Salzburg region of Austria. Life has been pretty relaxed for us in quarantine. It's a little bit like being retired. We've been waking up late, drinking lots of coffee, doing little jobs around the house and in the garden and lots of board and card games to keep us busy. We’re allowed outside but must wear a mask and stay away from other people. This is our fourth week of quarantine, so we are starting to run out of things to do. My girlfriend has even dusted off a 1000-piece puzzle to work on. I’m quite introverted and don’t get too stir crazy being stuck inside so I’ve been learning German on Duolingo, playing guitar, and making music on my laptop to keep me busy.
There’s some good to learn from this forced isolation and this is a great chance for everyone to slow down and take some time for themselves and family. New Zealand might be one of the only nations in the world where people can roam freely without masks and fear of catching or spreading this deadly virus. I think this whole thing will help New Zealand to become a more self-sufficient country and I hope Kiwis will realise that more socialist values and ideals aren’t too crazy after all. Hopefully everyone will appreciate that time is one of the most important things we have and I hope everyone will get a little more of it to spend with their family, friends and loved ones.
It will be really interesting for New Zealand if we manage to get rid of the virus. We will have to be very smart about how, or if the borders will reopen in order to stop any chance of another outbreak. Our tourism industry is going to be very hard hit and will have to adapt to being a local market for the next year or so. I think this is a great chance for Kiwis to go and explore their own backyard. Imagine heaps of Kiwis cruising around the South Island in campervans, enjoying all the amazing places that are usually overrun with tourists, that would be awesome.
Like any Kiwi away from home, I’m missing New Zealand a lot - my friends and family, the ocean and just the ability to have your own space. One thing I've realised about living in Austria is how tight everything is and how close people live together. It’s something I didn't notice so much when I was skiing and busy outside in the mountains, but it all becomes very obvious in times like these. When I read the news from New Zealand, I feel very proud to be a New Zealander. I’m amazed at how well our government has been dealing with the crisis and putting people's health and wellbeing before the economy. I’m proud of kiwis for doing such a good job staying inside and stopping the spread. New Zealand is lucky to be so isolated in times like these and will probably be one of the only countries in the world to be free of the virus.
Cam Adams, Hong Kong
I'm in Hong Kong and we are not really in lockdown. Hong Kong started its Covid journey in late February and it has been a slow burn. Initially it looked like we would come through fairly unscathed, then we got a second wave of infections with returning residents, which has definitely had more impact, coupled with the global, rather than somewhat local, pandemic and economic slowdown. We have always been able to be out, even to the point of client meetings and social gatherings, until two weeks ago. We did have a two-week quarantine period upon returning to Hong Kong and it was not too bad. We delved into family exercise routines and cooked and ate lots of meals together. Fortunately, we have a fantastic view to look out on. With a 14-year-old at boarding school in New Zealand and our 16-year-old getting close to university we took the view that this could be one of the last times we get to spend quality time together as a complete family. Coming out of quarantine we have spent significant time away from the apartment.
Hong Kong and Asia in particular, have a culture of wearing face masks when people are not feeling well. Whilst there has been debate on the benefits of this, it seems with a mix of hand washing, mask wearing and social distancing Hong Kong (with eight-million people in a very small place) is slowly but surely slowing down the infections (this could all change if borders are opened too soon of course).
Missing New Zealand tends to be a constant thing. Not to the point of needing to return immediately, but we always miss friends and family, the ability to do stuff easily and the slower pace of life. I miss the people, space, blue sky, clean air, steak and cheese pies, actually all food - it just tastes better and fresher, fishing, and easy access to other sports. We are actually in a better position in Hong Kong at present, so we’re happy to be here, although the situation seems to change daily.
When New Zealand suppresses Covid there will need to be re-building. The economy will have been smashed and the longer the borders remain closed, or even under the fourteen-day quarantine, the larger the impact will be. I have no issues with the approach the government has taken with regards to the hard close to flatten the curve. The challenge for New Zealand is it has historically been one big farm (one of the many charms), with great scenery and lots of meat, dairy, fish, and wood. Without tourists dollars coming in other revenue streams need to be opened up, possibly through the re-introduction of value-added to primary products, investment into digital and technology businesses and creating more things to be famous for - without ruining the Kiwi way of life and the environment. There will need to be more immigration for vital/new skills, which will lead to what is the correct population size for New Zealand and how do you make sure the population growth is balanced? There may also be a flow of returning Kiwis with relevant and useful skill sets to add to the mix.
New Zealand will survive and get through this with a continued focus on what makes New Zealand great! Welcoming people with different backgrounds to our country, being open and accommodating, with an expectation that over time people will assimilate into the Kiwi way of life. The size of New Zealand, even with more immigration, means the country needs to be run like a business, politicians with a business background/mindset in my mind will help the country.
Enjoy your time with family, make the most of the lockdown, play games, cook, and eat meals together, have quality time, keep exercising and enjoying the fresh air and outdoors of New Zealand. You could be living in a 500-square-foot apartment in Hong Kong with no outside access. The end is in sight.
Marc Halford, Singapore
My family and I live in high rise ‘condo’ accommodation in a relatively densely populated ‘suburb’ of Singapore (for context, where in New Zealand you may have a dairy at the end of the street, we have two malls). Singapore had its first Covid-19 case on January 23 and since then the measures to curtail transmission have steadily increased, with the most recent “circuit breaker” restrictions being akin to New Zealand’s lockdown – albeit with significantly stricter penalties for non-compliance. The borders, offices, schools, public facilities, dine-in restaurants, etc. are all now closed. All the condo facilities are closed by law, it is even illegal for the kids to play in the open spaces (or even the underground carpark). Walking, play or exercise is restricted to footpaths or public parks, with safe social distancing and masks must always be worn (with an exception for vigorous exercise). The Singapore government is incredibly transparent and has moved quickly to address emerging challenges, which has largely been met with positive sentiment from the public. Life for us personally during the lockdown is frustrating but relatively easy compared to most. Charlie is old enough to understand why he can’t play with his friends or go to school, and Quinn is too young to care. We have roles that can be performed remotely with flexible schedules and have a live-in helper to assist with domestic tasks and the kids. We each have dedicated time with Charlie during the “working day” and we spend all mealtimes together – not something we got to do before the restrictions. So, there are certainly some positives to the current situation.
I will always consider New Zealand home and I am a proud Kiwi. It’s where I grew up, the culture helped define who I am now and most of my extended family still live there. When Covid-19 emerged in Singapore, we seriously considered relocating back to New Zealand temporarily (both our jobs can be performed remotely) for the health of our boys (particularly Quinn who has just turned one) but ultimately felt that Singapore had the tools, resources and ability to manage the situation, and our life is here now. With the option to return to New Zealand no longer possible, it does make us concerned about what we would do if one of our parents become ill. What we miss about New Zealand now is the same as before Covid-19. We miss family, friends, open spaces, and the kiwi culture (relaxed, friendly, open). We also miss a feeling of belonging. We are very much foreigners in Singapore and have been living ‘temporarily’ for eight years now. It would be nice to put down roots and think longer term than two-to-three-year visa renewals.
I would like to believe New Zealand could bounce back quickly after this crisis. I think that in order to do this Kiwis will need to get out and support local businesses, connect with friends and family, enjoy the outdoor spaces, learn from the experience and take a more community-minded approach to life. I’m hopeful that this period gives everyone pause to reconsider what they feel is important in their life and then ensure they continue to focus on that when life returns to normal.
I would also love for New Zealand to focus on continuing to help one another. Why should this be restricted to times of crisis? New Zealand has a great reputation everywhere we have lived, part of that is the beautiful spaces, but more importantly it is the people. I would hate to see the open and friendly kiwi culture pivot towards being wary or suspicious of foreigners because of Covid-19.
Alice Marsh, London
I'm living in a sublet on the top floor of an apartment over Sainsbury’s supermarket in the centre of Islington. Life for me looks like being confined to a cold bedroom with one tiny window with my partner. Proactively avoiding the other flatmate, using half of the living room table (lucky it splits in two) that we snuck into the bedroom for a desk/dining table! We are constantly wiping down shared door handles and surfaces, as the flatmate has very different ideas about what social distancing is.
I miss New Zealand. I miss my family, the readily accessible nature, clear air, quiet, and the leadership. Leadership that I'm sure will help reshape global economic systems to better the future for our land and people. Personally I think it'd be worthy to explore Kate Raworth’s Doughnut Economics framework for sustainable development (as Amsterdam has officially decided to embrace). Shaped like a doughnut - it combines the concept of planetary boundaries with the complementary concept of social boundaries.
If New Zealand eliminates the virus, I'd love to see whatever freedom we gain domestically as a result of that generate support and solutions for the rest of the world. Use the opportunity of being restricted domestically to support local.