We have another entry for the “Lockdown Diaries” blog series! The world has been hard hit by the Corona virus (COVID 19) in an unprecedented way so there is no better time to launch these guest bloggers to get an in-depth look at how young people from various corners of the East and Southern African region are handling quarantine, self isolation, social distancing and other preventative measures. You will follow their experiences through their eyes as young people – their thoughts, feelings, highs and lows, and reflections.
Stay tuned for more stories!
Written by Chido Machawira, Harare Zimbabwe
So, I’ve been in the house for 5 weeks now, and honestly it hasn’t been so bad. As someone who is fairly comfortable being alone, the thought of a few weeks without physically contacting anyone outside of my immediate family wasn’t terrible. Quarantine has been many things for me: Its given me time. So much time to rest and work on myself; which is a gift in itself. Ive been keeping myself busy. Another thing Quarantine taught me was that boredom is a choice, a choice which I’ve seldom found myself taking comfort in. In the first week, I honed in my cooking skills- from making spring rolls for lunch and apple crumble for dessert, I’ve definitely had a loads of fun in the kitchen. The second week began with my mom dragging me out of bed in the morning for a 4 km walk. This turned into a ritual which takes place every morning. Every. Morning. Not my favourite part of the day- but I’m enjoying spending more time with my mom, especially before I go to University.
Week 3 found us in the garage; searching for board games and puzzles to entertain ourselves with. We found a 30 seconds and played for hours. This week I wanted to do something productive- so I signed up for an online course. When you sign up for one, you open yourself to a myriad of opportunities as a result of which I’ve been participating in at least one free webinar a week. During Week four, my parents took turns taking my brother and I around the neighbourhood driving- I’ve gotten lots of practice so, the first thing I’m doing once I’m allowed to leave the house is getting my drivers license!
That brings us to this week, week five. This week I’ve been taking it quite easy- waking up early (no morning runs, thank the pope) and laying in bed. I have become quite aquatinted with Netflix lately- and am managing to finish a season of a show in two days. This skill isn’t very easy to attain; but I’ve mastered it.
Overall- its been a good five weeks. Could I go on for five more? Lets just assume that if I do; I’ll go to university with a few degrees. One in culinary arts, Literature, and Netflix. Oh- and a six pack.