My Covid Craziness

2019 was a very busy year for me. I was setting up programs for 2020 for students in China to come and visit us and learn and experience this amazing country, and it took enormous effort. Then without notice, just when things were going to start moving, in March 2020, it was all taken away with COVID-19.

I was shattered and demoralized. So many questions were running through my mind; how long were we going to be affected? Would it just be a month or two like I heard over and over again on American news programs? 2020 was to be my breakout year with all the work I had put in the past 3 years coming to fruition.

As the COVID cloud grew darker and darker it was like a death by a thousand cuts, as weeks grew to months and months into possibly a year or more. I could not do anything while New Zealand was cut off from the rest of the world.

So, after sitting out most of 2020 reading, gardening and contemplating how I was going to rebuild my business when the doors to our country opened up, my husband and I decided it was a good time for us to see New Zealand without the tourists. We hired a camper van and traveled from Christchurch, across the Cook Strait, and all the way up the east coast of the North Island to the very top to Cape Reinga and came back down the West Coast, all the way back to Christchurch via Nelson. We did over 5,000 kms in the month. It was the most amazing trip, we saw so many wonderful landmarks, and met some fantastic people on similar journeys.

Not long after getting back from our campervan tour, some of my friends wanted to walk the Abel Tasman trail. Wow, I felt guilty about going again so soon, but because of COVID I had little else to do (other than wait it out). This is a must do hike for everyone, visitors and locals alike. It’s an easy walk, but it has such amazing scenery. I saw that these travels were increasing my own knowledge about this beautiful country and it’s amazing people.

After the Abel Tasman Walk and just after Christmas, my husband, my son and I joined with another group of our friends and hiked the world famous Milford track, about 60klms over 5 days. I wrote about this trip after I returned, and it was published in this magazine. The feedback was great, everyone enjoyed hearing about my trip and wanted to know more about the details such as, what are the conditions of facilities in accommodation? Do they provide any wine? What things do we have to carry when hiking? Are the backpacks very heavy? I promise to provide more details next trip.

I now take every opportunity to try to know more about Kiwi history, geography and culture so I can share this knowledge with my home country people when they visit here.

I now have joined a local walking group, and it’s so much fun. We walk together every Saturday morning. We walk different tracks each week, which really helps me to understand and appreciate my new hometown, Christchurch. I feel fortunate that my teammates are so kind to me, they never leave me behind and are always pointing out interesting landmarks or chatting about the history of these areas.

Feb 2021 has been so busy for me, in spite of Covid-19, because of the Chinese New Year and all the preparation and celebration needed for it. I also joined as a volunteer at Art For Life and also at a St John retail shop. I know it sounds crazy to be doing so much, but it’s the COVID madness taking over.

However, volunteering is helping me understand the power of kindness and how communities support each other by donations of clothes, money and time from individuals, families, businesses, and schools. I see and engage with people from all walks of life, young and old. I have gained a lot of like-minded friends through being a volunteer, and I’ve improved my English and leadership skills.

On top of this, I also organised two art and cultural exchanges in Christchurch. The first event was about the Chinese New Year, held in Christ’s College on 10^th Feb 2021. The school provided me boarding house facilities to host the event. They invited the boarding students and some staff of the Richards House, in total, about 70 people. I organised 25 Chinese artists and musicians to volunteer to come to school to help celebrate Chinese New Year together.

We decorated lanterns, paper arts, and put up Chinese paintings and balloons before the event started. The atmosphere looked like a Chinese home.

One of the artists was a calligrapher, who on the night painted Spring Couplet decorations. We posted them on both sides of the entrance to Richards House. These posters are an essential part of preparing for Chinese New Year celebrations. The Christ College students also performed the Haka to welcome the Chinese guests.

The students learned calligraphy and how to make dumplings. Of course, the boys enjoyed eating the delicious food most of all.

We even arranged for Chinese lion dancers to give a performance. After the performance, the boys were invited to try to the costume on and practice their dancing skills. It was great fun for all, and even the housemaster had a go.

This event was a great success, for both the students and the Chinese people that came to celebrate. Some Chinese boarding students said that they never felt so happy after being trapped by COVID-19, and were missing their parents. When they met so many Chinese faces it made them feel like home, spending time with family members. The Chinese artists felt the same, posting photos to their friends and family all around the world, talking about how safe and happy they are in New Zealand.

I would like to thank Christ’s College and especially Mr. Harris for supporting this across culture event, and a special thanks to Mr. Tony Lin, from LINS Chinese Restaurant for all his support and helping with some amazing food.

The second event came about by accident. Apparently, there are about 30 Chinese artists living in Canterbury and some of them wanted to set up another art and cultural exchange in Christchurch to engage with locals and other Chinese living here.

Some of these Chinese artists have very high profiles as artists back in China. Most of them are retired and their children are not at home any longer. They don’t have good English skills, and some don’t even know how to drive. They feel they have been left behind or are just wasting their time in New Zealand when they have so much passion and skills they would love to share, given the right environment.

When I found out they were looking for a community like at home in China, I thought I would be able to help them come together and build something where they could teach their skills to local Kiwis both young and old.

With the help of my friends Lilly, Roy and the support of One Pure Water, we created an event to help them launch their Chinese Community Art Group.

We held the event at the Christchurch Art Gallery on 23 February. They were able to elect a president and office bearers. The group was formed and are now well on their way to manage their own events in the future.

Now, I have to look at what’s around the corner for me in March 2021.