PANDEMIC STORIES: DIARIES OF 2020 TO 2021 PART 1 of 3
OUR COLLECTIVE PAUSE
疫境同行
PART 1 of 3: work changes
During the unprecedented time of the global pandemic, Canadians across the country were adapting to new and innovative ways to face the disruptions caused by COVID-19. We document some of these moments in this chapter as a time capsule of what occurred when time stood still. No matter what we were doing, every person felt the impact whether it was professionally, personally, financially, culturally, or perhaps spiritually.
This pandemic, although tragic for many families, also provided a time of realization and personal reflection — an opportunity to reimagine the world together. In some cases, it was as simple as the sweetness of connecting with culture again through a homemade dumpling or a virtual Chinese lesson taught by grandpa and grandma.
在這前所未見的全球大流行的期間，加拿大人在全國各地都採取了新的方式來面對因新冠肺炎而帶來的種種不便。這章，我們以時間胶囊的形式記錄了時間凝定下來的幾個瞬間。無論我們正在做什麼，每個人都感受到其中帶來的影響，那可能是職業上的、個人層面上的、經濟上的、文化上的，又抑或是精神層面上的。儘管它帶來的創傷經歷，這次大流行同樣為我們造就了領悟與反省的契機—個讓我們重新省思想像世界的各種可能。在某些故事裡，我們看到與自身文化再次連結的機會，或許只是簡簡單單地親手做一次水餃，或遙距地跟祖父母學習中文。
“Work Changes”
Kenneth Li 李立本
News Anchor, Omni TV — Rogers Media
Spent the Pandemic with Co-workers and Family
一場新冠肺炎疫情，令全球生活常態起了翻天覆地的改變。慶幸傳媒及新聞工作被列為必要行業之一，能與前線醫護人員一起，見證抗疫時刻。過去三個多月，我每天照常開車到市中心電視台上班，跟平常沒有太大分別，但包括部份記者及剪接師等同事已改為在家工作，重新學習遙距工作及傳送高清片段的各種新電腦程式。
三級政府每天疫情匯報及各種援助計劃，雖令我們疲於奔命，但卻激發各人幹勁及使命感。整體中文傳媒在疫情中積極主動，加强網上即時新聞、創作抗疫歌曲、日間提供更多資訊環節等，上下一心，緊守崗位，以極有限資源發揮最大效果，為在家抗疫的華裔家庭，提供最新資訊並發放正能量，抗衡充斥互聯網的大量虛假及偏差訊息。
疫症無情，人間有愛。華裔社區紛紛發起籌款及捐贈醫療物資行動；更有互不相識人士，為前線醫護人員縫制布口罩及頭罩等，處處是感人故事，亦令傳媒工作者士氣大振。不經一番寒徹骨，那得梅花扑鼻香。經歷疫情的熬練，願彼此學習到堅忍、珍惜及相愛的功課。
Ambrose Lo
Director of Finance in Hospitality
Spent Time with Wife & Puppy in Toronto
I remember how frantic the weekend of March 14 & 15 was, with rumours of a provincial shutdown swirling the air. On the Saturday, my wife and I attended a wedding where all out-of-town guests were absent. Later that evening, we were scrambling to learn how to use Zoom and spread the word to church members that worship service would take place via video conferencing the next morning. I spent my Sunday afternoon on the phone with company executives to financially plan for the rumoured shutdown which meant the closure of our group’s 35 restaurants and venues, temporarily laying off 90% of 1,300 employees, and freezing all payments to our 250+ suppliers, lenders, and landlords.
A lot has changed for me personally since that weekend months ago. My wife and I have adapted to being together 24/7 as we’ve both been working from home. We’ve rediscovered a love for art after experimenting with paint and Posca pens. I trusted my wife to cut my hair and we welcomed home a Cavapoo puppy in May (which in some ways has altered our lives more than Covid-19)! We’ve been cooking more Chinese dishes than Western dishes at home. We’ve daydreamed about visiting our favourite restaurants again and sharing meals with our friends and family. At church, worship services have continued and are broadcasted on Youtube. At work, we’ve taken advantage of the government’s emergency programs to rehire staff and are planning for the re-opening of all our businesses.
This global pandemic has caused a whirlwind of change for everyone around the world. I pray for the families who have lost loved ones and I thank the front line health care workers who have risked their lives to serve the sick. The silver lining for me has been an appreciation for the things I took for granted before Covid-19.
David Kuo
Head of Branch Network, Banking
Spent the Pandemic with Wife and Kids, and Work Colleagues
During the pandemic, I did things I normally would not do during the weekend. For me, weekends were always busy, but with the pandemic, I baked cakes for the first time and also cooked sweet and sour pork, which I am happy to say my family was impressed with and fully enjoyed. As a family we also played more board games than ever, and connected more by hiking through various trails in Ontario. One hike we took near Hamilton was unforgettable. I am thankful for quality time spent as a family. It has been so very refreshing.
For work, as I have asked 46 branches in Ontario to stay open, I have been coming into the branch office each and every day since the start of pandemic. I believe it’s important for leaders to lead by example. To support my team (and perhaps, because there is no place to go), I have cancelled my vacation for the first half of the year. Overall during this unprecedented time, I believe that not only did my family bond, but so did my team.
Joseph J.K. ma md, frcsc
Surgeon & Physician
Spent Time with Immediate Family
在這個可怕的疫情期間，我們幸得有機會跟我們家人和文化能有深一層的認識。它能令幾代之間有更穩固的聯繫，這真是一個祝福。我兒子學會了寫中文，我女兒開始學習中國武術和相關的哲學。我看著我最小的孩子學會叫"爸爸"。
但在家庭的圈子之外，這個疫情是還沒結束：在世界某些地方，疫情正達到高點，而有些地方已經看見或將會看見第二波的出現。即使我們在自我隔離，但我們的世界是互相聯繫的。根據儒家之家庭最高優先的思想，應用在這段的時間是最適當的。在這個經歷之中，我們應該改善我們為自己利益的生活觀念，改為一個關懷別人的美滿世界。要對抗新冠病毒這種廣泛的疾病，需要全球共同努力：若一個國家失敗，就會引起病毒的復發。雖然我們不知道結果會是怎樣，將來還會有其他病疫，我們要再次應用相同的原則來對策。所以我們應有同在一個困境之中的概念，實行全球上下齊心合一來應付。最終，這疫情會令到我們反省我們是互相聯繫的現實，即使我們不是真正的認同。願大家心中有平安。
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Patricia Sun
Realtor
Spent the Pandemic with Family
"To enjoy the rainbow,
one must endure the storm.
This quote adequately expresses our family’s experience with the current Covid-19 pandemic and resulting government mandate to stay at home.
Everything seemed to happen so fast. One minute my husband, Dan and I were enjoying a romantic trip eating and touring our way through Madrid and Barcelona. Days later, we found ourselves amidst the heart of the pandemic racing through Europe. We had left Toronto on March 6, and returned March 14, seemingly on the last flight from Madrid to Toronto with the Spanish government locking down the entire country.
Our son Jeff had called while we were at the Barcelona airport to tell us he was packing up his bags at Western University and coming home to Toronto with his roommates as his classes were immediately suspended. Our daughter was in the middle of her March Break service trip to Peru. While we were slightly concerned, there weren’t many cases of Covid-19 and their scheduled flight to return home was in a couple days. We would soon realize that this was not the case as Peru suddenly declared martial law, and all flights in and out of the country were suspended. Amidst frantic calls to every government representative we could think of, I contacted the media and did an interview for CP24. The story garnered much attention as 19 children between the ages of 15 to 17 were on a school trip with only 2 teachers and not able to get home. Most alarming to us parents was when the company that organized the trip began to float the idea of “leaving them there until the crisis was over.” Thankfully through much government lobbying and media attention, the Canadian government began organizing repatriation flights to bring our children home, amongst many other Canadians in similar situations.
However, after such a dramatic beginning to the past few months of Covid-19, it has evolved into a beautiful gift of family time together. Our children are older, 15 and 18, so they spend much of their time away at school or out socializing with their friends. The government imposed order has seen all of us grow even closer and develop new baking and cooking skills. My husband is a dentist and has morphed into a bread baker and avid cyclist. Our son organized the entire kitchen and pantry. Our daughter loves to bake different desserts. My mother, separated from her American fiancé, has been staying with us. This has given our family a priceless experience to spend time with her and learn more about Asian cooking. Normally we don’t cook Chinese cuisine, finding it more time consuming and difficult to master. However, with unlimited time on our hands, we’ve managed to make our own soy milk, BBQ pork, and hand-wrapped sticky rice dumplings. I have discovered a new found passion for Korean movies, and books from Chinese authors.
So far, we have celebrated 2 birthdays, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Despite all the sadness from lives lost during the pandemic, our family is thankful to be healthy, safe and most of all, together.
Angela Yu
Professional Photographer
Spent time with My family in Montreal
When I realized early on in the pandemic that I couldn’t possibly, humanly juggle the simultaneous demands of being a surrogate teacher for our kids, balancing a full-time job and running a household, we slowed things way down. Our kids did their short school assignments and then were sent off to do a workout video in the basement or build a puzzle with my husband, Tim, while I got onto a work call. We built the kids an obstacle course in the driveway for them to practice their scootering tricks and went for walks in our now-quiet neighbourhood so we could all get some much needed fresh air.
And then, somehow, we settled into a comfortable routine. Mondays were Chinese lessons over Zoom with my parents. Tuesdays were virtual violin lessons and we celebrated their progress with a FaceTime concert with family. Wednesday nights we’d watch World of Dance together. We’d find a day in the week to bake together — bread, pizza, cookies or banana bread. We taught our kids to wrap dumplings and on a visit with family later in the summer — they experienced the joy and satisfaction of rolling out homemade noodles with Grandma.
And maybe it was desperation on our part and/or natural skill on hers — our youngest learned to ride a bike at 4 years old in a day. That opened up a world of possibilities to us and weekends were dedicated to discovering the bike paths in and outside the city. With summer and warmer weather we spent as much time outdoors as possible — hiking, camping, exploring.
One day, when the pandemic is but a distant memory for our kids I’m hoping the lasting memories they have is not the toilet paper shortage or the masks and hand sanitizer they carry everywhere — but the fond recollection of family time spent intentionally.
King-yi Chan
Energy Industry in Vancouver
Spent time Alone and with Family
We have never collectively faced death at the same time until now, whereas almost every generation before ours had some pressing fear. We joined history in 2020 when we were all forced to consider the fragility of life and the uncertainty of tomorrow.
For myself, this pandemic has accelerated my journey in navigating through the question: “What does a life well-lived look like?” When all the things in life that we effortlessly give our time, our attention, our energy, and our money towards are suddenly cut-off from us, what is it in our lives that gives it meaning and value?
William Irvine exhorts us by saying: “There is a danger that you will mislive — that despite all your activity, despite all the pleasant diversions you might have enjoyed while alive, you will end up living a bad life. There is, in other words, a danger that when you are on your deathbed, you will look back and realize that you wasted your one chance at living.”
I believe this pandemic, as tragic and as unforgiving as it is, could be an opportunity for us to live differently. Despite living alone, I am thankful for my family who lives close by and for my small group who continues to gather weekly where we encourage one another to live our lives fully and well. I believe that knowing God broadens our horizon of possibility, to where we can live a life of purpose and eternal value, regardless of life circumstances.
