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Michael and Udoka DAODU (Plymouth, England)
Different and opposing emotions filled me as I took in the first impressions of this new nation that would become my New Normal. I was relieved yet tensed, excited yet apprehensive. One emotion was clear though: the future held bright great promises.
I was reuniting with my darling wife, and in a new environment too.
After some days of rest and getting myself acquainted with the new setting, I started searching for a job. With the positive response of some recruiting agencies and the number of job vacancies I saw each day, I felt the probability of getting a job on time was high.
Then another New Normal struck: Corona virus attacked as I landed in England, and everything changed. As the spread of the virus kept increasing, the government decided a lockdown was essential. All companies that had promised to call for an interview postponed till further notice. Applying to other organisations became near impossible because no company is operating now except those delivering essential services.
Most stores closed. The barbing saloons, for instance, has a significant implication for me, as I will have to either wait for the lockdown to be over to get a haircut or buy a clipper to do it myself.
Also, I like spending quality time at the library, which is usually quiet, to study and do some research. But with the present situation, I am forced to read at home with various distractions that reduce my productivity.
On the other hand, stores selling essential commodities, in order to abide by the rule of social distancing, require customers to join a long queue to gain entrance to buy their daily needs. This for me is very time consuming.
Walking from a point to the other in the city is a form of exercise for me, but that has been reduced to only when I need to get some essential needs such as food and drugs. Other exercises like running round the park is now limited to running on the walkway in order to maintain the minimum two metre distance from others. Everywhere is deserted.
Sunday and weekly church activities which are a central part of our lives as believers in Christ Jesus, have been postponed till further notice, hence we can no longer go to church. As a result of this we now have to adopt an online service which cannot be equated to the normal services that include an offering collection after sermon and exchange of pleasantries after service.
My wife, a nurse, who uses the city bus to get to work struggles most times to keep up with the changing travel times. This has resulted in her getting late to work in some instances.
She is in the frontlines of the battle against the pandemic. I virtually am at work with her every minute. Whatever her role is at work, we trust our Saviour Jesus Christ will keep her and her colleagues the world over safe.
Our hearts go out to, and prayers are with, all those infected with the virus. May God grant eternal rest to those who have died, and fortitude to those who are bereaved. We look forward to the end of this pandemic. Yet, like my feelings on arrival here, there are opposite feelings attached to that: what will this ‘New Normal’ bring? How different will it be from the world we knew? Only time will tell.