Reflection of the COVID-19 lockdown

By Clyde Dickson, Don Bosco Technological Institute, Boroko

DBTI, Port Moresby, PNG, 9 August 2020 -- COVID-19 has been the most terrifying time for me to be alive. It has been a similar experience for me and most of my companions as well. For us in Port Moresby it has been the second time of lockdown since the pandemic. Millions of people are dying around the globe because of the COVID-19 virus. Papua New Guinea has not been extremely affected by the virus, but with the recent second wave, we have had over 188 confirmed cases. The increasing daily statistics is very frightening. The greatest fear is that we as a country do not have the resources, facilities, expertise nor specialized doctors to help fight the virus. We also understand that at DBTI we lack the capacity to manage it should anyone be affected. I feel so helpless and hopeless in a situation where I am far away from my family and home and believe my fellow colleagues feel the same way too, as we continuously share our doubts, fears and frustrations.

Putting on a face mask and self-quarantine is difficult and needs time to adjust and adapt. As one who struggles with anxiety and depression, this is a stressful time. People feel bored, tired of seeing the same place and same faces, tired of eating the same food. Some of us are afraid that we might lose our loved ones. We are anxious about our education and we wonder if we will get jobs or lose even the ones we already have. Being locked inside our homes is tough. And all these different emotions and feelings, locked inside our heads has taken a toll on our mental health. It also makes us disconnected and vulnerable to other post traumatic issues.

Dear friends, we need to view the world through a different lens. 'The New Normal' should be put into practice. I encourage you to get rid of that negative little voice in your head. Don’t let it take up space in your head, don’t let it take up space in your home. Be kind to yourself, love yourself. If you can figure out a healthy way to manage your internal narrative, it will be a refreshing breeze that gives you inner peace and opens you to a destiny when the world re-opens.

Where we once saw garbage dumps, and useless waste, we must now see creative spaces that will inspire us to change our attitudes. If we want to survive COVID-19 and emerge a better person, let’s see the world through the eyes of St Don Bosco. Let’s unleash our creativity within and reflect on creative ways to reach out to our brothers and sisters.

Stay healthy, stay safe, stay indoors.

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