The South African Lockdown Wind-down
As of today, South Africa has entered lockdown level 2. South Africans can now buy booze and cigarettes (finally!), we can drink alcohol in restaurants and bars, we can go to the gym, we can visit our friends and family (most of us were already doing so but now it’s official), and we can move freely throughout the country. We still have a 10:00 p.m. curfew, and international travel remains banned.
There are still at least a couple of thousand new COVID-19 cases every day in South Africa, but the numbers have dropped significantly since last month when there were 10,000-12,000 new cases every day. Of course no one knows what the future holds, but at least for now the situation is getting better, not worse.
I know I should be happy that many pre-pandemic aspects of life are resuming. I am happy, especially for the sake of the South African economy. (I’m also really grateful I haven’t contracted COVID-19.) But at the same time, I’m apprehensive and uncomfortable with the idea of rejoining the world.
I haven’t left my house after nightfall in five months, and the idea of doing so seems bizarre. I rarely get out of bed before 7:00 a.m. anymore, which is admittedly wonderful. I’ve grown accustomed to not spending money on coffee/drinks with friends, eating out, traveling, hiring Ubers, or filling my tank with petrol. I can’t imagine sitting in traffic ever again. I’ve forgotten how to apply makeup and I hardly even look at myself in the mirror anymore. I love not suffering from FOMO. I love not having plans. My cats have come to expect my presence at all times.
I’m worried I’ve become irrevocably boring. And now that I don’t have the lockdown as an excuse for staying home, it could be that I’m just plain lazy. Why leave the house when I can sit at home knitting, watching Netflix, and stuffing my face with homemade macaroni and cheese?
One possible answer to the above question is: Because you need something to blog about. And this is a very real concern. I can only blog about sitting at home doing nothing for so long.
It doesn’t help that my current memoir-writing quest has sent me on a very inward-looking path lately. I’ve spent the last two weeks digging through old journals, photos, letters, and Skype conversations – obsessing over the crazy events of my past and marvelling at how interesting my life used to be. I’m both shocked by, and jealous of, my younger self.
Speaking of my memoir, just a reminder that you can support my book-writing endeavor by signing up as a patron on my Patreon page. If you do that, you’ll receive weekly voice notes about my writing process, special blog posts with excerpts from my old journals, newsletters, and other cool stuff.
Thanks to all of my wonderful new patrons, and old patrons who increased their Patreon pledges over the past three weeks. I appreciate your support so much:
- David Park
- Louise Whitworth
- Kate Cockroft
- Jeroen and Soulafa
- Rhoda
I know I need to push past my hermit-like tendencies and figure out how to have a life again. My first step is getting a haircut, which I’m going to do tomorrow for the first time in two years. Then maybe I’ll meet a friend for a drink, or go to a restaurant. (I’ll wear a mask, of course.) Maybe I’ll buy new underwear and get a pedicure. Then maybe, just maybe, I’ll work up the courage to get in my car and take a trip.
Until then, I’m sure I’ll find something else to blog about soon.
Get OUT there Heather - Those remaining 10 towns are awaiting your arrival. You can do it ….
Well, thank you for the encouragement! I’m going to shoot for two of the remaining eight this year. Maybe some more next year :)
In context of book writing, I’d suggest staying in…..time will come when you are ready, but for now your focus is inward. Beware of distractions.
Yes, you’re right. I am very easily distracted whether I stay home or not!
Your inward-looking path was necessary - but now it’s necessary to get out. You’ll enjoy it - it will invigorate and energize you! Looking forward to all your future blog posts!
Thanks my friend :)
I had to go into work today for a client meeting and I haven’t been at the office in weeks. I must say it made me feel strangely anxious to leave home this morning. My mind hasn’t adjusted to level 2 lockdown yet. I have gotten used to living in a coccoon. Sandton is still deserted though.
I do want the economy to recover, but if the traffic never comes back I definitely won’t be sad.
It is all extremely weird. Do I? Don’t I? Is it safe? Should I risk it? I guess one step at a time and then just hopefully get more normalised??? I do not have the answers - wish I did.
It’s true, there are no answers. Although I have to admit, I think I’m being held back more by force of habit than fear of the virus.
wait, what? You haven’t had a haircut in 2 years??Sorry, but you cannot blame THAT on COVID. I haven’t had a mani/pedi since the last week in Feb. THAT is due to COVID. Still just feels ooky going back. But I AM glad that South Africa is getting back to a bit of normal, I think (BUT I also worry b/c, as the USA has opened more, incidence is going back up b/c people are being idiots)
I want to go to a restaurant. Actually, I want to go anywhere! But it’s just not safe yet.
I hear you. I’m also evaluating what is worth going out for. Shout if you’d like a pedi in a private, one-on-one environment. My home salon is down the road from you in Albertsville.
Oh wow, I didn’t know that! Will message you privately :)
Cool. I don’t use Messenger so you can use my email address [email protected]
I keep thinking I’ll feel like this (being a hermit) but really I just feel more anxious to spend my time inside, away from others. I miss seeing other places and meeting different people and hearing different stories. Screen interactions can’t get the feeling of people’s energies or the smells and sounds of locations. Go out and live! Wear a mask, be responsible around folks you don’t know, but also be brave. There never was an “end game” on Covid-19 disappearing forever like we all so so hoped there would be. Do the best you can do emotionally, mentally, and spiritually for yourself. Fear holds us all back but I keep reminding myself that there’s healthy fear and toxic fear and I feel strongly most of my circle has gone down a toxic fear path, so I hear you! So hard to recognize what’s safe. Everything has been questioned. Good luck! Get out of the house and force yourself to do new things (or revisit happy places that are farther and farther away). ????
Yep, all of that :)
It’s good to hear that South Africa is exiting lockdown. I enjoy reading your posts about South Africa and Johannesburg, which I visited 10 years ago- https://hcyip.wordpress.com/2011/01/11/joburg-recap-the-final-part/. I only spent a few days in Joburg but I did go to a few places including Soweto, Museum Africa, and the Carlton Center. However, I did all of that on private daytours as I was concerned about the crime (other people I met in SA as well as my Durban relatives warned me). I think from your posts, Joburg seems to have gotten better, more attractive, and hopefully much safer. I’m glad you can go back out and blog and write about more places and experiences. Of course, most importantly, stay safe and I hope the coronavirus outbreak can be controlled in SA.
Hi Hilton, thanks so much for your comment and for sharing your post. I read it and it was really interesting reading someone’s impressions of Joburg from that time - I moved to Joburg at exactly the same time! I’m impressed you stayed at a backpackers in Yeoville - it was a rough neighborhood then and still is now, although it’s also very interesting. (You might have seen I blogged about Yeoville this week.) I’m sorry to hear you had problems with immigration (typical!) and the other negative things that happened. But glad you enjoyed your stay overall. You expressed interest in Joburg’s Chinese community in the post, so I thought I’d share this article I recently wrote about that. Enjoy: https://theculturetrip.com/africa/south-africa/articles/chinatown-johannesburgs-chinese-community-is-as-old-as-the-city-itself/. All the best and let me know if you ever make it back.
Hello Heather, Thanks for your reply. That’s some coincidence that we were both in Joburg around the same time. I didn’t know anything about the city when I picked that place in Yeoville except that its room rate was reasonable (which I only realized why after I found out about Yeoville’s reputation). I’m not sure I would stay there again if Yeoville is still a rough place. I did read your bike tour post and that restaurant in Yeoville you went to looks good. I do regret not going anywhere in Yeoville.
That immigration problem aside, I really enjoyed my time a lot in South Africa, including Joburg. In fact, I’d even forgotten about the immigration run-in or the tense final night in Yeoville until I reread my post following your comment - I had so many memories from SA. I enjoyed your Chinatown article. I had no idea that Chinese were in Joburg from the start, and it’s interesting that the community is growing even now. I do hope to return to South Africa sometime in the future and I will let you know. In the meantime, I’m glad to be able to keep on reading about SA and Joburg through your blog.
This is a post about my time in Johannesburg the previous week, when I took a tour into “downtown”. Reading it again, I realized that some of the South Africans I met then were rather blunt and not exactly thrilled despite hosting the World Cup. I don’t know if people have gotten more optimistic or upbeat, but I actually found that kind of endearing, as in they were being genuine about their grumpiness or stereotypes, and not being artificially nice. Though I did meet nice locals too. https://hcyip.wordpress.com/2010/12/26/joburg-recap-part-2/
Again, I really enjoyed reading this! Thanks.