Not long after I wrote my previous post, it was announced that the state of New South Wales would extend lockdown to end September with stricter restrictions limiting the distance one could travel from home to within a 5km radius. For those who live in rural communities, they were allowed to travel to the nearest place where they could get food and hole supplies.
That announcement made just about every heart in New South Wales sink. From a 10km to 5km difference makes a huge difference to where my partner and I could go bushwalking which is just about the only activity that keeps us sane in this lockdown languor. But since we want to practise good form, we abide by the rules. Sigh.
The government made a concession for people who live on their own. People who live alone were allowed to form a “singles bubble” with another single who lives within 5km of them. One of my good friends from Singapore has registered me as her singles bubble visitor. It’s especially tough for people living alone in these covid times.
I’ve been lucky. Just before Australia went into strict covid lockdown in April 2020, a friendship with someone I knew from the bushwalking club turned into something more. It had happened very naturally through chatting while on club walks and in the car as I would usually get a lift from him if I knew he had signed up for the same walk. It was serendipitous that he lived within a five-minute drive away.
Having a companion has made a huge difference in lockdown. Without A I’m sure I would have thrown in the towel on Australia long ago and just relocated back to Singapore at some point in late 2020 or early 2021. Living alone for a long stretch with no in-person interaction is different from living alone in pre-covid times. There would have been nothing for me in Australia to stay for.
And it took me awhile to refer to A as “my partner”. It felt weird as the term “partner” is not used in Singapore or HK. In Singapore if I said “partner”, people might think it’s a same-sex partner or perhaps a business partner. Yet referring to each other as girlfriend/boyfriend sounded so much like we were in high school and didn’t seem very appropriate. “Partner” also made it sound like we had been together for a long time which didn’t seem appropriate either. So for awhile we didn’t really refer to each other as anything. We weren’t socialising with other people anyway!
In Australia people prefer using language that is gender neutral. So after several months we referred to each other as “partner” to be in line with societal norms. It still feels weird to me as it’s not something I’m used to.
Despite having a companion I still struggle at times. Not being able to travel to see family and friends in Singapore (and to a lesser extent HK) has been difficult. Actually I’ve also lost my HK right of abode because I haven’t been able to travel back to HK within three years of my last trip. I didn’t go in 2019 because of the protests, thinking at that time I could easily go again in 2020. I was so wrong!
I watched the telecast of Singapore’s National Day Parade on YouTube two days after its live telecast and was swept up in a wave of homesickness. *Sob*
I know many people are doing it much tougher. In many ways I’m lucky. I still have my job and I’m in a safe country. I can only try my best to delight in simple pleasures and practise gratitude. Work has been so busy and I haven’t taken time out for several months. I’m going to have to take a few days off just to let my mind rest, even if all I can do is lie on the grass in the park near my home!
