A friend circulated these questions on behalf of their son who has to get answers to the following interview questions for a time capsule. Seen as had to write it thought I may as well get a post out of it!
Name of interviewee: Sara
Initials (this forms proof of the interviewee’s permission to use this
interview as part of our time capsule): SW (yes approve as evidenced by publishing my answers)
Interview conducted by (your name): Self completed
Date of interview: 12.05.20
What are your thoughts and feelings about the current pandemic?
It is like nothing else ever lived through. When first heard new reports of the virus spreading, never expected it to lead to a lockdown and changing life so much. No their world event in my lifetime has changed my actual life so much and for so long. An example of a major world event in my lifetime is 9/11. 9/11 was shocking but it did not affect what I did in my daily life. 9/11 legacy has been to change experience of going through airports but it is not like do that very often! Whereas the pandemic changes daily life.
When I first found about lockdown then I was not happy, as living alone I did not like the thought of working and living alone everyday. I was afraid for my families health and feared I may never see some of them again. Once got into lockdown realised just got to be done. Working does provide human interaction albeit virtual by email, video calls and instant messages. It also fills a lot of time so that stops me getting too bored.
I’m pleased that so far all my family are healthy. I feel I’m doing all I can to protect them by not seeing them.
Since lockdown began the only times another person has physically touched me is when I gave blood and when I went to my Drs. That is odd and makes me feel a bit lonely. Generally I’m just trying to enjoy my lovely house and garden and interact with people where I can.
Has the pandemic affected your day to day life?
I’m working fulltime from home rather than going to the office.
Have to think before going shopping and try to avoid going too often. It can take longer to do tasks like shopping. Only limited number of people are allowed in a shop at once, so have to queue outside in queues spaced out at 2 metre gaps. Once in shops I have to be viglant of where other people are, in order to avoid coming too close to them. it makes shopping more intense as it feels like a ain’t strategy game.
Living alone I do go out a lot for socialisation and to fill time and those types of activities have all changed. I can not do activities like swimming or walking with wallking group which has a social aspect as well as being exercise although have done some virtual activities with my walking group.
Luckily my yoga studio are doing zoom classes so I still get to do that albeit virtually. My teacher can keep an eye on what we are doing but it is not quite the same as in the studio, where she can see better and come round to help us. Whilst she teaches she puts us on mute so not quite the same interactions during class and you can not have individual conversations before and after classes with other attendees. However yoga studio is hosting weekly coffee and chat sessions and I have also attended a wine and cheese night and quix hosted by the studio.
There is more meal preparation as no going out to restaurants. Although in later weeks have had a delivery from a local pub and fish and chips; which has felt more of a luxery than it would usual. Being at him all day eating and making drinks also means more washing up to do! it can be good to do some household tasks during working day such as laundry and hanging washing on liner as work which would not normally do as timings do not work and would not want to risk clothes being out in the rain.
There is little reasons to go out, when not going to work and nowhere but shops to go to. It is important to make sure get out and get fresh air which was lovely when sunny but not appealing this week when weweather is colder.
This is by the far the longest since my nephew was born 8 years ago that I have gone without seeing him (and later his yopunger sister); I have not seen them since Christmas. i have seen my parents once Christmas, I occasionally may have gone a few months without seeing them but it is not usual. I had been planning to see them all for Mother’s Day and then Easter. As Mother’s Day was the week the lockdown began that was a disappointment that had no time to prepare for; it was upsetting to post Mother’s Day card that I had planned to give in person.
Have you had to work differently?
I’m working full time from home rather than going into the office like usual. It is harder to ask colleagues questions when they are are not in same room as you and instead I have to organise a meeting or email or instant message; which takes longer. Email or instant message communication can lead to misunderstandings, that would not happen in the office. It can be less productive working this way.
My tasks are similar to what I would be doing in the office however some of what we were working towards got moved back because of disruption caused by the virus. Part of my role revolves around facilating commitmee meetings which are usually in physical meeting rooms, therefore my colleagues and myself have had to quickly learn how to facilitate meetings virtually.
What positive experiences have you had during the pandemic?
It has been good to have had time to appreciate simpler things in life. My garden is benefitting from me having more time working in it and is positive that it is looking better. I have got satisfaction from working in the garden without feeling I should be somewhere else for example socialising rather than being on my own in my garden.
I have enjoyed creative activities such as decoupage, tie dying and baking banana bread.
Enjoyed dressing up for VE day and it was poignant because there were not other distractions such as visiting places, going to pubs, watching footballs etc… to distract from thinking about the meaning of VE day in the context of the weeks beoroe with the whole world again caught up in the same global situation, queues for basic supplies and separation from family.
I’m now in a Whatsapp group with some of my neighbours and we come out on a Thursday to clap for keyowkers and generally we are all at home more. Consequently being good to get to know some of the people on my street. Knwing people more on my street and knowing if got a problem there is people nearby could ask for advice helps with the isolation of living alone. It was fun surprising a neighbour by singing Happy Birthday to her;spread out at 2metre intervals on the street. A few days later my neighbour shared a bottle of bubbly with me to celebrate her birthday (passed over the fence).
There can be advantages to virtual socailisation in that can be at two social events simultanously / in quick succession and attending social events can be easier without the need to travel.
How have you stayed in communication with friends and family
members during this period?
My parents ring every evening as they want to make sure I’m not ill with the virus and do not want me to feel lonely. The crisis has prompted my Mum to get a newer phone so that she could have WhatsApp again and we can use that to chat as a family and send photos.
We had a family zoom call on my nephew’s birthday to sing him Happy Birthday. on Easter Sunday when we should have all been together we had a 4 way Facebook video call.
I sent Easter cards out at Easter and have sent and received other posts. Post I liked so much that I have, at the side of where I work is pictures my niece coulred in and her and my nephews handprints. I have had a couple of video calls from my niece.
I have kept in contact with friends using Whatapp, texts, Facebook. I enjoyed a virtual afternoon tea.
What would you like to say to a Key Worker during this period in
time?
Thank you for risking your health and those of those live with to keep the country gonig.
What do you think you might have taken for granted before the
pandemic?
Freedom to go where wanted, when wanted.
What message would you like to give to future readers of this
interview?
Don’t forget this time. This time has shown how quickly life can change and how you can so quickly lose even healthy people. So I think it is important to remember what weren’t from this and not to take life and even small luxuries for granted. To some extent not to think io won’t do that ; I will wait until next year etc… because may never get to do that thing if wait. on the other hand learned don’t necessarily ned to always be busy doing things and going places to be happy.
Wonderwall 
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