"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." - Charles Dickens, "A Tale of Two Cities"
2020 - A year full of the best and the worst of times. Living in a new location amid the pandemic was not a bed of roses for me and my mom. A few days before placing the entire Luzon under the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), something unexpected happened. One of my uncles was rushed to the hospital due to heavy breathing. Originally, we planned to move on to a new location a few days before my mother's birthday. However, we left Quezon on the tenth day of March - bringing only a few bags full of clothes and other household stuff.
Then, the ECQ happened. During that time, I need to go out in a face mask and wearing a special quarantine pass. Also, the mode of transportation became very limited. Fortunately, there are some stores near my house where I can buy some food and drink. My relatives and the town officials gave me some food and drink for free. Most of all, I have learned the deeper reason why I need to stay at home and practice proper hygiene.
Fast forward to the present day - I had gathered enough courage to write this new article a day after a year-long hiatus. I had learned and experienced a lot of things this year, so I want to share these 8 things with you.
1. Family comes first in the midst of the pandemic
To be honest, this is the first time I celebrated my own birthday - without a large number of guests or throwing a fancy party. But that's not all. My mom and other relatives celebrated their birthdays in the comfort of their own homes. I also celebrated my second work anniversary as an online English teacher and had a small reunion together with my cousins - by a small, simple feast. As far as I can remember, the last time I had a grand reunion took place in March last year where the majority of my clan were present and had so much fun. But thanks to FB Messenger, I managed to communicate and interact with them through a group chat.
2. The importance of household skills
When I was young, I managed to learn a lot of household skills - from doing the laundry to watering the plants. I also acquired some new skills - doing the groceries on my own, using a mobile app to order some fast food, keeping our mini-garden clean, and disinfecting the purchased items. In addition, I learned a lot of easy and practical household hacks, thanks to Instagram and Youtube.
3. Appreciate even the smallest of things
During the quarantine, I realize that appreciation - even in the smallest of things - is important. No matter how big or small, I am very thankful that my new living area is surrounded by nature, as well as kind and helpful people. Buying a new property in a new area is the biggest decision that my mom and I made - this made us closer to my relatives, especially in these trying times.
4. Doing the things that I love most
Nail art, painting, and listening to music are a few of the things I love to do. During the first few months of the quarantine, purchasing some art materials through Lazada and looking for new songs on Spotify isn't a piece of cake for me because of my old Internet provider's choppy connection. Now, I managed to find a new Internet provider and the connection is smooth as silk, most of the time. Speaking of the Internet, I made a few masterpieces on my nails and created an official Instagram account for it (@thetipsyfran). I also did a freehand painting, as well as paint-by-numbers. My taste in music broadens from Eurovision to EDM to Japanese music (not to mention that Martin Garrix is still my number one artist of choice, that is, according to Spotify).
5. Discover and do new things on a whole new level
Before the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 canceled due to the pandemic, I managed to do a song cover of Vincent Bueno's "Alive" and posted it on my official Instagram account. My reaction? Surprised because of the artist's flattering remarks. Another one is to be a self-confessed "plantita" or a plant parent. I remember the first time purchasing a few plants through Instagram and paying a hefty fee on delivery, as well as making a macrame plant hanger using a whole roll of chunky yarn. I even made another official Instagram account (@the.daily.plantita) and took some artistic snapshots of my plants.
6. Getting obsessed in Super Sentai Series
As far as I know, two of Japan's Super Sentai Series were popular here in the Philippines - Choudenshi Bioman (Super Electron Bioman) and Hikari Sentai Maskman (Light Force Maskman). But I was really surprised that there's a plethora of other Super Sentai Series that I haven't watched before. I first watched Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger (Animal Force Zyuohger), followed by Uchu Sentai Kyuranger (Space Force Kyuranger), Kaito Sentai Lupinranger vs Keisatsu Sentai Patranger (Thief Force Lupinranger versus Police Force Patranger), Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger (Dinoknight Force Ryusoulger), and Mashin Sentai Kiramager (Machine Force Kiramager) - thanks to Kissasian and TokuFun. If you want to ask me about my favorite characters, here's the list:
Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger - Sela (Zyuoh Shark) - Miki Yanagi & Misao Mondo (Zyuoh The World) - Naoki Kunishima
Uchu Sentai Kyuranger - Spada (Kajiki Yellow) - Tetsuji Sakakibara
Kaito Sentai Lupinranger vs Keisatsu Sentai Patranger - Noel Takao (Lupin X/Patren X) - Seiya Motoki
Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger - Canalo (Ryusoul Gold) - Katsumi Hyodo
Mashin Sentai Kiramager - Tametomo Imizu (Kiramai Yellow) - Rui Kihara & Shiguru Oshikiri (Kiramai Blue) - Atom Mizuishi
Oh, and I'm looking forward to the next one - Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger (Machine World Force Zenkaiger) - the 45th-anniversary show! Looking forward to the cast and can't wait to watch it next year!
7. Being thankful for my current job as an online English teacher
I started teaching English online at Acadsoc in November 2018. It was like a rollercoaster ride on the first two years of working as a teacher to Chinese students, young and old. I received good ratings and bonuses, as well as penalties and cancellations. I also managed to invest in some gadgets, pay some expenses until I graduate with my master's degree, help my mother's utility bill, and pay for my insurance plan. Besides, I met different kinds of people virtually, learned a lot of lessons from failures, and blessed to have two Tutor Managers - Violet and July.
8. Following strict protocols to be safe (than sorry)
Wearing a face mask, a face shield, wash and sanitize the hands (and the surroundings, too), and maintaining a distance from others is a must for everyone. Taking a bath immediately after going out of the house and keeping healthy is also better. But the best way is to stay home and go out if you buy something that you really need (food, water, medicines). Shifting to the new normal will never be the same as doing the normal things we enjoy before the pandemic.
BONUS: Things that I look forward to in the year 2021
That includes the following:
1. Purchase a new smartphone (iPhone XR) or a tablet (iPad)
2. Purchase a new set of earrings for my existing lobe piercings
3. Think of other designs for my future nail art projects
4. Watch the new Super Sentai Series, specifically Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger
5. Learn a foreign language (Japanese or Estonian)
6. Polish my drawing and painting skills
7. Discover easy (and yummy) recipes
8. Polish my dancing and singing skills
9. Purchase a new headset with a noise-canceling microphone
10. Travel to Iloilo or Zamboanga
11. Learn how to play the kalimba (thumb piano) or harp
12. Being a better version of myself
13. Balance my work and free time wisely
14. Being thankful for the blessings, big or small
As the year 2020 comes to a close, I am hopeful that the next year will be better than before. Besides, I strongly believe that another year will be full of adventure and positivity. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and stay safe!
Comments
Post a Comment