1. Where do you live? Your job?
I live in Stockton, which is a suburb of Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Stockton is an interesting suburb, because although it is considered to be inner city Newcastle, it is on a peninsula and connected to the city by ferry across the Hunter River. As such, in lockdown it has become quite isolated here. There are big signs at the narrow entrance to the peninsula to say that the beaches and parks are closed and to “go home”.
I am a medical anthropologist, working at the University of Newcastle.
2. Please indicate Your age: below 35 years; 36-50; 51-67; over 67, and your gender
36-50, female.
3. How your working time and work habits have changed?
I am teaching from home- but the changes are not major due to the fact that many of my students were on-line anyway. My research in remote Aboriginal communities has been suspended, but I am able to keep in touch with friends in the community by phone.
4. What has changed in your daily habits? In leisure, socializing, personal and home care, nutrition?
Our nutrition which was always quite good is now very good, with a great deal of care and time being put into preparing meals. We have a greater emphasis on fresh fruit and vegetables as these are things which can be home delivered without delay (unlike orders from the major super markets. There is actually more time to keep in touch with friends and family by phone and zoom, although we miss their physical presence, We probably drink more wine than usual- but not to excess. The house is unusually tidy! My husband has taken the opportunity to sand floors and build a new spare room.
5. Did you take advantage of this period to do something that you promised yourself, but you didn't have time to do?
I focussed on really learning to bake good bread, including grinding my own flour and making my own starter. I have been able to share the products with neighbours. My garden has never looked better and despite the fact that it is now autumn, we are able to grow some of our own vegetables. We also have 6 chickens (who are yet to lay an egg). I have become much more friendly with my neighbours, and we can spend ages talking over the fence (from a safe social distance). We do far more exercise and the dog gets many more walks than she used to get. We have been able to explore our local environment, especially the miles of sand dunes and have picnics on the beach.
6. In this isolation with whom do you feel most in tune?
My husband and children.
7. Where would you like to be now?
I am happy here- but miss being able to drive long distances to my field work sites.
8. What do you miss most?
I miss catching the ferry to town, going to our local pub for dinner. I miss taking my son to ballet lessons and the excitement of preparing for concerts and competitions. I miss concerts and theatre. I miss having friends over for dinner. I miss my children’s friends and the bustle of people coming and going all the time.
9. Did you discover the importance of something that you didn't give any before?
Slowing down. Spending time playing with the children and learning to find fun in something as simple as playing snakes and ladders.The skills of teachers and their dedication has been affirmed by this experience. We perhaps don’t think about what goes on in schools until we have to become teachers ourselves and with three children it is a very difficult undertaking. The efforts that these people have made to preserve normality and nurture the children has been extraordinary. As an example, my son’s ballet school with no previous on-line experience are now continuing their entire program from home.
10. Do you think there is something that you have rediscovered and that you don’t want to loose after this period?
The importance of family, and spending time on being with them- rather than just getting through the getting kids to school, getting kids to bed routine before and after work. Taking time to appreciate things- listening to a record, reading a book (I read a lot, but my reading over the last month or so has broken all previous records!). I have learnt to be more self-reliant- for example repairing my own computer and to follow instructions carefully. I have learnt how to be a better communicator- when you are working on line and relying on email, you realise how easily your meaning might be missed.
11. What will change next? What would you like to bring with you when this experience will be over? What would you like not to forget?
The children start school again this week- online at home for at least the first two weeks and then a gradual return to face to face. They are worried about going back to school, because they have been away for such a long time and they are frightened of getting sick.
I love having the children home and I don’t want to get back to our quite separate lives, which were dominated by constantly rushing to be on time and get things done.
12. How do you perceive change in others? What are the questions you have asked yourself about this situation and that you have never thought about before?
Many people I know are enjoying this time- away from busy schedules. Our freedoms have been curtailed but in place we have so much more time, and time is a luxury. But we are lucky because we have our families around us, it is horrible for people who live by themselves and dangerous and terrifying for people in abusive relationships. I wonder what this would have been like for me as a younger person (I doubt I would be have been so sanguine). I still have anxieties, however- primarily about what will happen to my job as universities suffer a huge financial hit from loss of international students.
I am wondering about what happens to society. Is it an opportunity to re-think priorities? And deeply consider how we could emerge better from this experience.
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