When “we’re all in the same boat!” became the new catchphrase in spring 2020, Damian Barr wrote: “We are not all in the same boat. We are all in the same storm. Some of us are on super-yachts. Some have just the one oar.”
It can be interpreted in several ways but I found it very true.
Feng and I don’t have a super yacht to ride the pandemic storm. Both of our industries were hit hard by the pandemic—four of my main clients are in the tourism industry…—and Canada’s COVID economic response plan didn’t help us much. We received the CERB for three months ($2,000 for a 4-week period), that’s it. Feng couldn’t work at all last year. Somehow, I “survived” on assignments from other clients in less-affected industries.
Lockdowns mostly affected us because of mass school closures—Ontario had the longest in Canada, 23 weeks, I think… so far. Travel restrictions affected us directly as well because my relatives are in France, Feng’s are in China, and travelling is part of our life, anyway.
But we had more than just one oar because we have a roof over our head, a decent income outside pandemic times (and savings), and a kid who’s just the right age to entertain himself unsupervised when we’re working at home. For that, and for many other big and small blessings, I’m grateful.
Our pandemic lifeboat includes the ability to go somewhere else when needed, as long as borders are open. I can work from anywhere and my schedule is flexible—assignments come with attachments and a deadline, no Zoom meeting required.
So yeah, considering we got our two doses (and Mark got his first), we were planning to spend part of the winter somewhere warm. Frankly, considering we have no relatives around, no large local social circle, and no 9-5 schedule, it’s pure masochism to spend the entire winter in Canada where life is stupidly expensive and difficult weatherwise.
And we could see the light at the end of the tunnel when we bought plane tickets late October. Canada had just lifted the nonessential travel advisory, borders were opening, and even though Ontario had paused reopening plans, everything was kind of “new normal” working.
Nothing was super easy, though. We had to leave from Montreal because we couldn’t find a flight from Toronto. Then we had to find a way to get to Montreal because Greyhound Canada shut down all bus service permanently. We also had to keep an eye on Brazil’s entry requirements—PCR tests and vaccination proof—and find the cheapest acceptable PCR test in Ottawa (still $120 each…).
So far, so good.
I started to freak out the day I heard the word “Omicron.”
Then I watched new cases soaring in Europe. Okay, okay, just a third dose needed, never mind…
But then, last week, Canada went into full freakout mode again.
We started packing on Monday—yes, it’s a week-long task because it’s not just dumping stuff into backpacks, it includes bringing work on the road, cleaning the house, etc.
On Tuesday, the federal government announced new travel restrictions. I went for a late-night walk with my neighbour, the only person who knew about our travel plans. I was going crazy, checking Twitter for updates every five minutes.
“Just fucking tell us!” I complained. “We’re packing, we’re leaving in three days… and I have no idea if we can actually leave, but hey, we have to pretend we are leaving anyway because we can’t just cancel our tickets at the last minute!”
The next day, we learned that after considering a new international travel ban, Canada was simply reinstating the advisory against non-essential travel that had just been lifted weeks ago and all travellers were to be tested (and had to isolate waiting for results) upon return. I still don’t know how this is going to work but apparently, neither does the government, and I’m sure it’s going to change again.
I get it, viruses and variants travel on travellers but 1) travellers must be vaccinated to board planes in Canada and pre-departure tests are required for most destinations 2) travel restrictions don’t work on the long-term 3) what’s the end game here?
On Thursday morning, we went for our PCR test—my 7th since summer 2020, all of them to meet travel requirements… We had no symptoms obviously, but I was terrified to test positive and be asymptomatic.
The tests came back negative on Friday morning.
Feng and I looked at each other. “I guess we’re good to go?”
Twenty-four hours left to pack and get ready… and still a long list of worries.
hoooo! i always want to know how you arrange thing on your backpack!
Love the way you pack ! Where and how do you hang the clothesline?
I tend to wash small items (swimsuit and these damn masks) by hand, so it’s good to have detergent. Sometimes we get a washing machine in the Airbnb or building, dryers are rare (and machines that wash and dry never dry clothes properly!). I hang the rope… wherever! Between two doors, right now on the balcony, etc.