Whether a Canuck in Canada or a Kiwi in New Zealand, the emotional impact of living through COVID-19 lockdown has been universal. A group of Can-iwis B次元官网网址� Rose, Jen and Mel B次元官网网址� report from the other side of the world.

During COVID lockdown, Rose MirzaB次元官网网址檚 mother died in Montreal of cancer. No one from her family could go to the funeral.

Rose was 15,209 km away, in Albert Town, New Zealand, where she has lived for years, raising her two children.

Pre-COVID, Rose had booked flights to visit her mum, but was delayed because of an issue with passports for her children. Just as that was resolved, COVID struck.

B次元官网网址淚t was horrible. My mum died July 8. She had lung cancer and I hadnB次元官网网址檛 seen her in two years. It sucks. My dad is in a home in Canada and my brother is in the States, and he couldnB次元官网网址檛 cross the border. My dad has dementia, so he didnB次元官网网址檛 know what was going on.B次元官网网址�

Her grief is still raw, knowing her mother died unsupported by close family. Seven months since COVID -19 claimed the life of its first Canadian victim B次元官网网址� an elderly British Columbian rest home resident B次元官网网址� more than 10,000 Canadian families have had similar experiences, unable to properly participate in grief by honouring a loved one with a get-together and ceremonial farewell.

Gathered together, this is the first time RoseB次元官网网址檚 friends have heard her story.

B次元官网网址淪he was in hospital and luckily she had a retired friend who had been running a nursing home B次元官网网址� And my mum called her and asked, B次元官网网址楥an you take care of me?B次元官网网址� That was the only way she was able to get out of hospital. She lasted 45 days in her house.B次元官网网址�

The tale is told. There are hugs from Canadian neighbours Jen and Mel. Soon the chat is flowing again, assisted by a glass of wine, a toast to mothers and laughter at the antics of RoseB次元官网网址檚 young daughter cartwheeling around the lounge, dressed in a long cape.

Staying apart, keeping in touch

No matter where you were in March or April, the fear of being alone was just the same.

While the Can-iwis kept in touch with family over phones or laptops, actual experiences ended up being worlds apart.

Midwife Jen is from British Columbia and has lived with her Kiwi fishing guide husband Calum and their children in Albert Town for eight years.

During lockdown, Jen was one of the few people allowed out as an essential worker.

B次元官网网址淭he babies kept coming. They didnB次元官网网址檛 get the note.B次元官网网址�

She had to get a B次元官网网址渕idwife on callB次元官网网址� sticker for her car to protect her from complaints she was breaking lockdown protocols.

Meanwhile, her husband was on B次元官网网址渙n holidayB次元官网网址� at home with the kids.

Former hospitality worker Mel Morden, of Atikokan, Ontario, has lived in Albert Town with her Kiwi husband Craig for more than 10 years. They have two young sons.

She lost her job during COVID lockdown. Hospitality businesses werenB次元官网网址檛 allowed to open, and New ZealandB次元官网网址檚 border closures and loss of international visitors forced business restructuring once restrictions lifted. Mel has since found work with a hardware chain.

She and her family enjoy fishing in the Clutha River, playing with hula hoops on the law, and dropping in unannounced on neighbours and friends.

B次元官网网址淥nce we got out of level four and were able to meet more people outside the family bubble, I noticed Carter (aged four) wanted to cuddle the people we were meeting, and was confused about whether he was allowed to.

B次元官网网址淚t didnB次元官网网址檛 occur to me, how much he had missed human contact. He would be in tears. He wanted to cuddle the girls who worked at the local recycling centre and he wasnB次元官网网址檛 allowed.

B次元官网网址淧oor Carter. I told him when we got to level one, he could go for it.B次元官网网址�

As a nation, the country is still locking out the rest of the world, unless you have a Kiwi passport, are an essential worker or need to enter for medical reasons.

The ministry of health says border controls will not be relaxed until a successful mass immunization program has been completed.

Strict quarantine requirements, plus Canada heading into another period of lockdown, doesnB次元官网网址檛 inspire the Can-iwis into booking tickets home anytime soon, because no one wants to spend 14 days in a hotel room when they get back to New Zealand.

Jen believes the New Zealand borders may not open until 2022.

Go hard, go early, get lucky

When New ZealandB次元官网网址檚 Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern decided in March to B次元官网网址済o hard and go earlyB次元官网网址� into lockdown, the Can-iwis heard some criticism from folks back home.

JenB次元官网网址檚 dad told her New Zealand was being ridiculous, and that the Kiwis were going to kill their economy.

B次元官网网址淓veryone had a thought about whether New Zealand was doing it right or wrong and so there were funny conversations at home.B次元官网网址�

Now, as New Zealand has resumed a near normal life and Canada remains in quasi-lockdown, the Can-iwis find it hard to watch their loved ones continue to suffer.

The Kiwis have been moving freely since June (early October for Auckland, New ZealandB次元官网网址檚 largest city).

Jen feels awkward telling her parents she just went to an event or her kidB次元官网网址檚 games.

B次元官网网址淪o I have just quit talking about what we are doing down here. I just send them funny videos, just some entertainment.B次元官网网址�

Mel noticed that despite being able to call, there is a disconnect in terms of truly understanding each othersB次元官网网址� experiences, and the emotional impact of words.

Her mother kept reminding MelB次元官网网址檚 kids to wear masks, even though they are not being deemed necessary in New Zealand. In Albert Town (population about 2,500), thereB次元官网网址檚 been life without masks in public since April B次元官网网址� unless you still want to wear one.

That caused confusion for young Carter, who worried about whether his New Zealand and Canadian families were safe.

B次元官网网址淲e had to have a whole lot of chat about what she could say to Carter. It makes it harder to understand when they canB次元官网网址檛 leave home without a mask. Equally, it was hard for me to listen to their stories because I didnB次元官网网址檛 get what they were going through either.B次元官网网址�

In New Zealand, there is just one source of official information about COVID-19: the colloquially named B次元官网网址淛acinda and Ashley Show.B次元官网网址�

Every day during lockdown level four, the prime minister and the Director-General of Health, Ashley Bloomfield, stood before the nation and explained what was happening.

In comparison, Canada had a variety of responses, depending on the province you lived in. That made it confusing for Can-iwis trying to find out how Canada was faring.

B次元官网网址淚n Canada, there were provinces doing their own thing and their prime minister wasnB次元官网网址檛 giving a talk every night. Here, we all tuned in and some of us now have a crush on Jacinda!B次元官网网址� Calum said.

The Can-iwis definitely feel New Zealand is a B次元官网网址渓uckyB次元官网网址� country. Mel wasnB次元官网网址檛 prepared for how patriotic she would feel for her adopted home.

B次元官网网址淚t never occurred to me. It was my parents kept saying it to me. New Zealand is doing it right. You are pretty lucky. And we were, yeah! Maybe we are.B次元官网网址�

Eventually, New ZealandB次元官网网址檚 flow of COVID information became overwhelming. Mel stopped following the bulletins.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 want to bury my head about what I should do. But I canB次元官网网址檛 keep burdening myself with the rest of the world when I have two young kids. I am in a happy place. Why put myself in a dark place?B次元官网网址�

Despite their freedoms in New Zealand, none of the Can-iwi families feel out of the woods with COVID.

B次元官网网址淯ntil the borders reopen, we are all dreaming of when we can unite again.B次元官网网址�

Story by Nathan Weathington

mountain culture / new zealand aotearoa