Sophie - cultural and community advocate

When you first heard that NZ was moving to Alert Levels 3 & 4, what did you think? How did you feel?

Alarm, because I had such little time to prepare for the weeks ahead. I was in Golden Bay and didn’t know if I’d be able to get home to Wellington before Alert Level 4 kicked in. The announcement came as a relief too – as various experts and friends were advocating for lockdown asap. Finally, it gave me clarity; I could see New Zealand had a plan.

How has your job and daily routine been affected?

I’ve been able to keep writing for my study but I haven’t been physically present for my Wellington community. Our household’s income has been threatened and my daily routine is much more focussed on family. In between scheduled Zoom calls I have been lucky to be able to go with the flow of the light and weather and my writing.

What have been the best things/hardest things about the lockdown?

I’ve been more appreciative of what is here, what we have. I’ve noticed the ebbs and flows of everyday life more. The small things like more birdsong - kingfishers, kereru and tui – and the peace that comes from the absence of noisy motors – cars and boats. If the lockdown extended for another six weeks I might go into an even deeper state of consciousness. It’s been an adjustment for our family to live together 24/7 – I’m used to being able to extract myself, have choices. We’ve seen each other more for who we are. The increased screen time and domestic grind have been a challenge - preparing more meals has made me less passionate about cooking. We’ve had fun coming up with games to play and choosing a new theme for every day e.g. try speaking another language even if we make it up; only eat what we’ve caught or grown, share something we’ve noticed about each other.

What have you missed/not missed?

I’ve missed going to favourite cafes, seeing live music and theatre, hugs, and 1:1 time with friends.

What have you been thinking about more/less?

I’ve thought more about finding ways to practise reflection, more about my children and how I might earn an income in future. Being in the South Island has made me think less about where I usually live, Wellington. Our 9am to 5pm schedule has made the beach feel less like the idealised holiday spot. It’s made me realise how much my mother kept everything going when we were younger so that our time here felt like a holiday for us.

Have you learned any skills or formed any new habits during lockdown?

I started drawing every day in the first few weeks. As a family we’ve been taking dips in cold water every day – the Wim Hof method - learning to hold our breath for two minutes. Getting exercise every day and sitting on the deck with a cup of coffee have become daily habits too.

Can you liken this time to any other times/experiences in your life?

The timelessness of holidays when I was a child – having time for unbounded activities.

What have you appreciated/felt grateful for during the lockdown?

With some nudging, I’ve appreciated seeing our children contribute to our family every day and seeing them push us to have family time in between other activities.

What, if anything, do you think might change in the world after Covid-19 is under control or eliminated? Any silver linings?

Phone calls with friends have changed from having an emergency-like tone to having the fire under control. I can sense more optimism about new ideas and directions for a better future. My fantasy is that the practice of people ticking off “bucket lists” will end; that fewer people will see themselves as consumers, as if the world is sitting on a supermarket shelf. For example, travelling to obscure places with no real reason other than pure tourism with no personal connection. I wonder how the fear people have of touching each other because of Covid-19 will play out. I think being more conscious and having better connections with people will make us stronger.

In a word or more, how do you imagine describing this time when looking back on it in a year or so?

A dream-like time for reconnection with my family, time to adjust and reset our directions.