Lena managing being isolated on the other side of the world
Stuck in Australia: A different isolation for Lena
Having finished high school in 2017, Lena chose to spent her gap year during 2017 – 2018 here in Australia. She took on a ‘live-in’ child minding job for a professional couple at Milton. Loving her sport, she joined the Mollymook surf club and swam daily. She subsequently returned to Germany to commence University undertaking a primary school teaching degree.
In 2020, she was given permission to do her practical teaching overseas for a month. She arrived in Australia late February and as was her custom, headed straight to Mollymook beach every morning for a surf. Due to return to Germany late March 2020, her plane was cancelled due to the Corona Pandemic and here she remains, isolated on the other side of the world on an island called Australia.
Lena writes: “I am at an age, where you think, you know what is best for you and you want to be independent, but in a crisis like this, you know there are boundaries. All my friends back in Germany have moved back in with their parents for this pandemic.
But here am I on the other side of the world in Australia with never thinking about the possibility of being stuck in a foreign country and with the decision of going home being taken from me.
It’s a strange feeling, I can’t go home to my family and friends and I have no idea when I will be able to. I’m not even consulted, it is completely out of my hands, even my parents can’t help me. It feels wrong not to have my actual family around me.
Nonetheless on the positive side I am grateful for my second family here in Milton who are so graciously supporting me in every possible way, just like my family back home would do.
In this electronic day and age with video calls and zoom meetings I can stay in touch with my friends and family back home. And because they also aren’t at work, we have time to chat whenever. Furthermore, I don’t even miss out on the birthday parties, because social gatherings are not allowed and everything is online.
The state I live in is affected the worst in Germany, but my family is lucky, because we live in the countryside and they all are doing well. My dad explained to me that he had never seen the cities so quiet. He sent me a video, there are no cars or people in the streets.
For me bunkered down here in Milton, I am busy with home schooling, helping to look after the four boys and studying for my degree.
I start back at university this week and will probably do the whole semester online. The downside is the time difference, which forces me to become nocturnal, my courses are on from 4 pm to 2 am.
If I am not at home in Milton, I spend my spare time in the ocean, it is my happy place, as the ocean water fixes everything, doesn’t it? (I like my board paddle every day).
I find that the uncertainty can make one feel anxious and raises a lot of unanswered questions: I would like to know how much longer we may be in isolation as my exams are due in July and my brother is due to graduate from school. But like everyone else, I am making the most of every day, we don’t have any choice! And it will all go back, maybe even to a new normal, which is better for us!”
Stay safe! Love, Lena.
In closing, two videos to help fill in our day:
1st, An amazing video from England has talent. Click on the link: Amazing Heartwarming Magic
2nd. We have 9 year old Amira Willighagen. Click on the link: Holland’s got Talent
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Ken B., Mollymook Beach Waterfront: Editor for Mollymook News and Destination Mollymook Milton Ulladulla