Letters Home - during our time in Switzerland as expats

Road trip to Journey in a foreign country

16/03/2021 emsia.kruger

Sometimes when we plan our road trips, God has Journeys of a different nature in mind for us. I will remember this past winter. Dalene and my paths crossed under strange circumstances in Europe during Covid times. I learned so much from her during the short time that I had a better view of her path. Let me share the story.

Spring is in the air in Mossel Bay! Dalene is excitedly planning their road trip when Burger comes home in a few days. He worked as a doctor in several African countries for 15 years. Distance is part of their reality, but these six months caused by Covid were particularly long. He comes home for six weeks to have fun, scenic drives and enjoy a barbecue every night. They can breathe for the first time in five years after the fatal car accident of Sumaré, their youngest daughter, a first-year student.

Burger and Dalene next to a map of Africa

The cell phone rings. The message devastates Dalene. Burger has had a severe stroke in desert-like Mauritania in Africa, his current workplace!
The phone call kicked off their unplanned individual and joined emotional journeys in Covid times with very restrictive measures.

An ambulance transported Burger by desert road to the capital, Nouakchott. From there, he flew by ambulance plane to Frankfurt, Germany. In Frankfurt, doctors performed an emergency operation to remove part of his skull to allow the swelling in the brain. Dalene resigns from her 21-year job and arranges to fly to Germany for an uncertain and indefinite period.

A map of the flight between Mauritania and Frankfurt

Germany

Upon her arrival in Frankfurt, hospital staff members informed her that she could not see her husband in the ICU due to Covid. Daily feedback was limited to “critical but stable”. After two weeks, the doctors transferred him to the neurological Schmieder Clinic in Allensbach, Germany. After another three days of waiting for Covid test results, she could finally see her husband. However, she could only see him for three days a week and two hours at a time. For the remainder of the time, it was just her and her thoughts in a guest house room. The environment was getting darker and colder as winter approached.

Their family and friends are worried and trying to reach out to South Africans who could help provide support. I was close enough to travel by train, and our and the Prinsloo’s paths crossed. Once a week, Dalene and I travelled by train to Konstanz, a village on the German side close to the Swiss border. It was cold outside, and restaurants in Germany have been closed due to Covid. We walked across the border to Switzerland and got to know each other over a hot cup of coffee in a Swiss shopping centre.

Dalene and Emsia on the border between Germany and Switzerland

Zurich, Switzerland

It became critical for the doctors to put back the part of Burger’s skull, temporarily stored in his stomach. Due to unavailable ICU wards in Germany, they identified a neurosurgeon in Zurich. The Swiss doctor had to operate on Christmas Eve, depending on the availability of an ICU bed. Burger would be transported to Zurich by ambulance on 23 December, and we would pick up Dalene by car. The ICU was unavailable, but for the first time in 10 months, they could spend unlimited time together on the 24th and Christmas Day.

The operation took place a day before the neurosurgeon left on holiday. The procedure was a success, but Covid rules were stricter. Many arrangements, letters and Covid tests later, Dalene returned to Germany in an ambulance with Burger. That was the last time I saw Dalene. After another two months, during which she could only see him for one hour a week, she excitedly informed me that they were flying to South Africa in early March for further rehabilitation there.

Burger and Dalene’s challenging situation, which they tackled with so much hope, faith, and love, impacted the lenses through which I look at life and privileges significantly. Covid circumstances are difficult for all of us. However, there are levels of difficulty. One example of this is an unexpected call to inform us that it is time for a journey instead of a road trip.

In memory of the strange times, I created a photo video.

Kind regards

Emsia

The rythm of seasons creates trust

15/03/2021 emsia.kruger

With spring becoming visible in nature, I experience a sense of excitement and new zest for life. The winter was long, cold, and sometimes alone as the weather made it difficult to get out of the house. The longer and warmer days and signs of new life in nature give me hope.

Childhood experience of seasons

Seasons have always made a big impact on me. As a child, it was simply the excitement and new opportunities that each season brings when you start to get bored of the same routine, clothes, and food. The Kalahari winters are short, but I remember hearty stew, soup, or pie in the cold evenings. After school we sat in the sun while my mother peeled oranges for us. The world was dry and dull.

The summers were long and hot, and we spent our available time at the town pool. Shoulder seasons were short, but I remember looking forward to the new dress my mom made for us to wear to school on September 1st. We wore our new dresses shivering but with pride.

Adult experience of seasons

With age and realities of life, seasons have taken on new meaning for me. Seasons that arrive on time, is the one certainty I can hold on to no matter how confused the world feels. This confirms there is a Creator who is in control. In the Western Cape, Autumn arrives during Easter weekend. It is the most beautiful picture when the vine leaves turn to shades of yellow and rust brown and the mountains turn a darker blue. There is something comforting about winter rains that envelop you like a soft blanket. However, after weeks of sitting under the blanket, one gets bored of being indoors and wants to feel the sun on your skin.

Over time, my understanding of the metaphorical meaning of seasons improved. The rhythm and balance of seasons as well as the important role of each of the four seasons, took on more meaning. My children’s trees of life are forming blossoms and new leaves and getting ready to bear fruit here on earth. Every morning the pains in different places in my body remind me that my tree of life, which is currently in autumn, is getting ready for winter.

Positive experience of winter

With the help of seasons, I can see winter and its role in a more positive light. In our winter seasons, we have the time and wisdom to provide support to those in need during various other seasons in their lives. For the first time in my life, I experienced a white winter. The silence and beauty of the crisp white snow took my breath away. I share the visual experience below.

Regardless of the season in nature, that is different between the northern and southern hemispheres, we all experience winter with Covid-19 restrictions. We all hope for Spring. One of our gardeners put it so beautifully: “At the end of winter it seems as if the Master turns on nature and everything suddenly starts to grow at the same time!” I enjoy every new leaf and bud outside and get carried away when I take pictures. I am going to be aware and excited about the growth that is going to take place with us as humans after the winter period, worldwide.

Kind regards

Emsia

Being tested on the Swiss roads

08/03/2021 emsia.kruger

Charl always dreamed of driving through Europe with a camper van. With the move to Switzerland, the dream came closer to possibility. However, there were a few hurdles he had to overcome for the camper van holiday to become a reality.

A South African driving licence is only valid for the first year in Switzerland. ŉ Driving test in Switzerland within the first year is, therefore, necessary to obtain ŉ Swiss driving licence. Everyone recommended that we take driving lessons before we conduct the driving test in German. If you fail the driving test, you must start at the very beginning and go through the learner’s licencing process. The process entails that you must pass a first aid course and attend classes before you can write the theory test. I decided I was getting along well with the trains, but Charl accepted the challenge.

Driving lessons

Charl is one of the most careful and law-abiding drivers I know. I could never have predicted the negative impact the driving lessons would have on Charl’s driving confidence. The driving school instructor was strict and quick to grab the steering wheel.

This whole driving lesson experience made me appreciate Uncle Schalk all over again. Uncle Schalk helped both Jacques and Christo get their driving licences. I initially sat next to Jacques while he was learning to drive. Every time we got home, I wanted a glass of wine. I enlisted the help of Uncle Schalk to avoid a potential alcohol problem. I recently wrote to Uncle Schalk to say how much I appreciated his compassion and care during his lessons and that his driving lessons were 10% of the price of the Swiss lessons.

Charl came home from each late afternoon driving lesson drenched in sweat. The short summer is hot, and according to regulations, air conditioners are not allowed. All the sessions also had to take place with a mask and plastic gloves. The mask also fogged up his glasses.

Some traffic rules in Switzerland are different from those in South Africa

Some traffic rules here in Switzerland are different from those in South Africa. Pedestrians, for example, have priority most of the time and vehicles are legally obliged to stop for them. When waiting at a train crossing, you must switch off your car and take it out of gear while you wait to limit carbon emissions. The different rules, speed limits, new unknown roads and right-hand driving caused the whole driving situation to be more challenging than initially expected.

Driving test

All the luck was on Charl’s side when he got a traffic officer who had worked in America for a few years and spoke English well. The officer made him feel very comfortable, and a few things went well early in the test. The confidence needle rose rapidly, and he obtained the papers authorizing him to drive in Switzerland.

We saved a bottle of South African wine for celebration purposes. Over a glass of ice-cold Tokara Chardonnay, Charl could start dreaming about a European holiday in a camper van and life without Covid-19.

Kind regards

Emsia

What I learn from my children

02/03/2021 emsia.kruger

Both Jacques and Christo were born on the first Friday in March. Jacques came into the world 22 years ago and took his time in his calm way. Christo arrived two years later, but due to his nature he could not wait to start his life. Three weeks before his expected date, he gave urgent notice, and I rushed to hospital with my car’s hazards on. Motherhood has meanwhile taught me valuable lessons.

Parenting is an incredible privilege. In my experience, becoming a mother was not as easy as everyone warned me during my teenage years. The role is also not as easy as it seemed when I was a teenager!

My parents love me infinitely. I only understood this the day I became a mom and felt like I was carrying my heart fragile and exposed outside my body. When I think back on my years as a teenager, there are many opportunities, situations, and words with my own parents that I wish I had handled differently. Fortunately, I now know from experience that a mother’s love for her children is patient and endures a lot.

Every human being is created uniquely. I realized this when I tried to apply my parenting lessons learned with Jacques, to Christo and Zander. Each branch of the family tree grows in its own direction to get its own sunlight and serve its own purpose. It is necessary for balance. One may never compare two people, especially children.

The Miracle of Life. It is amazing how a person develops from two cells within nine months and transforms into an independent young adult within a few years.

Do not judge other people’s parenting. In an Afrikaans expression we refer to young children as green wheat. Your own green wheat is going to give other people a lot of opportunity to judge you. In summer, the wheat is literally green on the fields around us. Sometimes a bright red poppy grows among the green wheat and it reminds me of Dr Seuss’ wisdom of “Why fit in when you were born to stand out”. It is especially these red poppies that give people reason to judge!

Parenting is an opportunity for personal growth. With each child I learn new things and must overcome new challenges in the circumstances, but also in myself. Each of my children challenges me in different ways. I learn about setting boundaries, negotiating, and being directly confronted with my own weaknesses. Sometimes I am guilty of unnecessary haste. I remember a specific occasion when a six-year-old Jacques said to me, “That’s right Mom. I will hurry, but why should we hurry if it is Sunday and we are just on our way to the beach?”

Amid many parenting challenges, the relationship with your child is the most important. I learned the hard way that conflict is part of the role, but that I must deal with the conflict in a respectful way so that the relationship does not suffer. I also learned that just like with a crisis, I need to make optimal use of a conflict situation for mutual understanding and growth in the relationship.

Each of our children grows up in his own circumstances. Everyone has their own challenges and lessons to learn. “In my day we did it that way”, are not words that help. Zander and Jacques are almost ten years apart and it is amazing to see how many things have changed in ten years that cause their growing up circumstances to differ in many ways.

I still have a lot to learn. Ever since your children were born, you have come to know the changing world through their eyes. I must work hard to keep up. Jacques and Christo worked on my music knowledge on the way to school and Zander has now taken over. Social media has created a whole new set of opportunities and challenges.

Parenting is not a journey that you can tackle alone. We need to be open to different inputs to help our children become balanced adults. When children suddenly grow up in two different homes, there are inevitably different views, challenges, and parenting styles. Parents and stepparents along with wonderful other adults like grandparents, family, teachers, and everyone who crosses their path help them find their way.

I am grateful for every person who play a role in my children’s lives!

Kind regards

Emsia

Uncertainty to possibility

23/02/2021 emsia.kruger

The planner in me struggles with uncertainty. Several plans in my life did not work out. Despite the uncertainty, the circumstances did create interesting possibilities and opportunities. In most cases, the failure or challenge was necessary to change my perspective and my actions.

I reflected on times when plans did not work out and I had to look for opportunities.

The first major panic attack recall moment was my final exam at University. Everything was in place to start working in Stellenbosch the following year, but then I failed one of my majors! My dad was called to help. Despite his own work problems, he had to take leave and take me back to Bloemfontein for an oral exam. He had to motivate and support his eldest who was in great panic. Support has traditionally been my mother’s role. He went to buy chocolates while I wrestled with Company Law and Auditing Statements.

The oral did not go so well, and I was worried. Coming home, my mother’s smile and bunch of flowers were a great relief. Prof called with good news. The crisis caused me to experience my father’s love and support in a different way. Our father-daughter relationship was on a new level.

My biggest life dream has always been to have children. After six years of one line pregnancy tests, praying and begging, we made an appointment at the Infertility Clinic. The waiting list is long, and the first available appointment is months away in July. My body feels weird and I do another pregnancy test a day before the appointment. The most beautiful picture of two lines greeted me and nine months later I got the role I wanted most – the Mommy role!

At almost forty, my path crossed the Infertility Clinic again. I recall the doctor’s words, “Science creates possibilities, but you must always remember that the decision is made by God himself”. I was eventually blessed with three wonderful sons. Candice and Justin also joined our family later. Charl who thought he was never going to have kids always says he has one, three or five kids, depending on how you look at it.

From negative pregnancy test to having three boys

Family is my joy. After twelve years of marriage, I realised during an unexpected lunch date that my marital and family life as I knew it had irrevocably changed. The uncertainties stand in line with their frightening faces. How am I going to pay off the house? Will I be able to cope with housekeeping and raising the boys? Will I, with all my complexities, find a partner for the rest of the road?

I converted and rented out parts of the house to meet the financial challenges. In the process, I got to know wonderful and interesting people in crisis years of their own lives. The boys and I had special times together. I was forced to improve my technology and cricket knowledge and had to quickly learn about irrigation and swimming pools. The Father also sent me a partner who sometimes understands and sometimes tolerates my complexities.

Switzerland and the future remain another major uncertainty and now Covid-19 has also joined the list. I did learn to trust the Great Plan. I am still trying to understand and working on the possibilities that the situation creates. In uncertain times I cling to words of the wise.

“Embrace uncertainty. Some of the most beautiful chapters in our life’s, won’t have a title until much later” – Bob Goff

“Trust the wait. Embrace the uncertainty. Enjoy the beauty of becoming. When nothing is certain, anything is possible” – Mandy Hale

“Every problem, every dilemma, every dead end we find ourselves facing in life, only appears unsolvable inside a particular frame or point of view. Enlarge the box, or create another frame around the data, and problems vanish, while new opportunities appear.” ― Rosamund Stone Zander, The Art of Possibility

Kind regards

Emsia

All of us are part of history

15/02/2021 emsia.kruger

As a child, I could listen for hours to adults’ stories about their personal experiences of historical events or natural phenomena. We all have unique experiences based on the period we live in and the places we have been. I share our stories.

Floods in South Africa during 1988

Recently heavy rains fell in South Africa after the prolonged drought. That reminded me of the floods in my first year at the university in Bloemfontein in 1988. We were looking forward to our first short holiday in March. Arriving home, the floodgates of heaven opened, and it rained for days. The Augrabies waterfall was a spectacle, and the Orange River was flooding.

By the time we had to go back to university for our first test series, it was an impossible task because of the rain that washed away the roads. The drive back to Bloemfontein required careful planning. Our journey included miles of detours and was terrifying.

The 1994 election in South Africa

The 1994 election had a significant impact on world history.
Nelson Mandela became the first black president of South Africa. Apartheid boycotts lifted that restricted overseas participation in sports and work. At the end of the exciting 1995 World Cup rugby final, Nelson Mandela presented the Webb Ellis Cup to South African captain François Pienaar in a rugby jersey. It had a positive impact on the hearts of all South Africans.

Elfstedentocht in the Netherlands

With opportunities offered by a new South Africa, we went to work and study in London for two years. In December 1996, we visited the Netherlands. This visit created the opportunity to experience the Elfstedentocht, which has only happened 16 times in history. The 200 km skating event only happens when it gets so cold that the canals, rivers, and lakes form a thick layer of ice. The circular route starts and ends in Leeuwarden, the capital of the province of Friesland, and it passes ten other towns. I recall the frightening picture of the rescue effort of a child who ended up in the icy water in a thin spot on the ice.

Lady Diana

During our last month in England, Lady Diana died. She was an icon. I remember how we, as school children watched the royal wedding on the big screen in the school hall at Kathu. With the announcement of her death, everything in London went pitch black, even the media boards. It was impossible to buy flowers. We, therefore, picked oak tree twigs to pay our respects at Buckingham Palace. I will never forget the morbid atmosphere in the city.

There are a few things I would associate with the strange Covid times. Large amounts of snow in Switzerland during our stay here jump to mind. I also sadly think about my longing for my sons and family that I cannot see. I will never be able to listen to the Jerusalem song without the tears flowing. Jerusalema is 2020’s theme song, which we now regularly listen to on Swiss radio here in Zurich. Worldwide, Jerusalema makes everyone dance.

September 11, 2001 experience

Charl was on vacation in the US during the attack on the World Trade Centre in New York on September 11, 2001. The fear, emotional impact and heightened security measures hampered their mobility and planned activities. Charl worked in Johannesburg during the time of the assassination of Chris Hani, head of the South African Communist Party. After the assassination, there were racial-fuelled riots and instability.

With PwC’s offices in Johannesburg’s city centre, he experienced the wild shooting. He also saw many corpses on the street and even experienced how a bullet hit an office window right next to him. He and his colleagues were regularly locked in the office building for safety. The instability influenced his decision to move to the Western Cape.

History books usually only outline the facts and consequences of important events. However, it is individual experiences and stories that give colour to this. One can only wonder what future events we will add to our existing list of experiences.

Kind regards

Emsia

Exceptional service during Covid-19 pandemic

09/02/2021 emsia.kruger

The world around us has started to look very monochrome due to Covid-19. However, a brightly coloured story is like sunshine for the mind. The golden story took place in a hospital in a small town here in Switzerland.

Hospital in a small town in Switzerland

The town is big enough for a government hospital and two private hospitals. Only scheduled operations take place in one of the private hospitals. The patients only stay a few nights until they are strong enough to go home after the procedure. The main aim of the hospital and staff is to take care of patients mentally and physically after an operation for a speedy recovery.

With the onset of Covid-19, the government announced that all non-essential scheduled operations must first stop to focus on Covid-19 patients. The hospital in the story does not have an intensive care unit, and the director realized that without scheduled surgeries the hospital would have to close during Covid-19.

He was still organizing his thoughts, plans and communication with staff when he received an important call from the state hospital. There are several people with Covid-19 who have indicated on their medical documentation that medical intervention should not be applied to them as they approach their dying hour. Connecting to a ventilator is an example of medical intervention.

Requirement for death guidance

The government needed the hospital as a quiet place with care where people could spend their last days. Almost all the patients were elderly. This request was a big shock because dying guidance was not part of the hospital staff’s training. Their forte is getting patients back on their feet after operations.

This hospital received 50 seriously ill Covid-19 patients. The staff cared for these elderly patients with love and care. All the love and care made such a big difference that 47 of them were able to go back to their homes here on earth.

After the first Covid-19 peak in Switzerland, the numbers decreased, and the government gave the green light for scheduled operations. Staff disinfected the hospital and got everything ready to resume normal operations on Monday of the following week.

The elderly patient wanted to spend his last hours in his birth hospital

On Friday afternoon, the hospital director received an unexpected call. A 96-year-old resident was very ill with Covid-19, and they knew his time on earth was less than 48 hours.

He wanted to spend his last hours in the same hospital where he was born. His wife, in her nineties, also had Covid-19 and came along. It was a difficult decision, but the couple checked into the hospital on Friday evening. He breathed his last on Saturday. His wife’s grief knew no end, but she continued to fight the disease and could and had to go home alone.

A week later, the hospital director received a call from the daughter of the elderly couple. Her mother could not get over the loving treatment she and her husband received in the hospital. Out of gratitude, the lady donated a large amount of money and requested the director to distribute it among the hospital staff.

The hospital director arranged a function to thank each staff member for their exceptional service. He handed out a special certificate to acknowledge each one for their extraordinary care during the pandemic. In these times, it was not their technical knowledge that made the difference but the love and care with which they acted. The power of love and caring was higher than that of any ventilator.

Kind regards

Emsia

Covid-19 freedom with responsibility

09/02/2021 emsia.kruger

30 April 2020

As the Covid gates open on the outside it feels like the colours on the inside are brightening as well. I get excited about things and privileges that I previously took for granted. Freedom means different things to different people. What each of us longs for most is unique to each of us as individuals. With many rules in place worldwide, we still cannot do everything that complete freedom would allow us, such as flying to South Africa. However, we are going to seize every opportunity with the limited freedom we do have.

Irises in Belvoir Park

When my Covid cage door opened, my first outing was to a park where different kinds of flowers and blossoms form a spectacle during different times in the spring season. May is the Irises’ turn and I wanted to see the last of them. The green lawns and variety of Irises in Belvoir park were beautiful, but the most beautiful of all was the space.

Lake Zurich

Zander’s biggest wish is to be in water. We miss the sea a lot. We miss the white foam waves on the blue and sometimes green water, the smell of salt hanging in the air and then of course the refreshing feeling of cold water rinsing your body. Our nearest water is now Lake Zurich. The lake’s water is still very cold, but I could see by the smile on Zander’s face, every icy drop was worth it. On the way back we bought him a delicious “cookie-dough” ice cream, because swimming and ice cream are equal to a holiday feeling.

Lucerne

Charl’s biggest wish is to be somewhere else without responsibilities for a while. We boarded the first train to Lucerne. Lucerne is a typical tourist city and usually packed with Chinese tourists armed with their cameras. What a strange sight not to see anyone next to the lake! The exception was one masked stray soul with her whole body and backpack covered with plastic. Luckily, the Chapel Bridge across the Reuss River was just as beautiful as ever, perhaps even more beautiful without all the tourists.

After a first year of change and adjustment, we were excitedly looking forward to our first European summer vacation. Typical Goosen style we booked a complex holiday with lots of tickets and booking.com deals. Even though the writing was seen on the wall, it was still a disillusionment when the boat cancellation between Denmark and Russia and the flight cancellations came through one by one. The state’s recommendation is that residents spend their summer holidays in Switzerland.

In Switzerland, the recommendation is that we should try to live despite Covid-19 and without panic. It is a challenge to keep morale high and create spirit in any country with so many social distance rules. We took part in a national fun run this weekend as a spirit-building activity.

Over the weekend, people had to cover 10km on their own time and route and then register it on a website. We covered 10 km in the forest near us. To keep my own morale high, I planted my first seedlings in Switzerland in two pots I brought along. The blue-purple Lavender and blood-red Malva make me long for my lovely garden in Welgemoed.

Kind regards

Emsia

Lent and Easter during Covid lockdown

09/02/2021 emsia.kruger

14 April 2020

These first few months of 2020 are going to get the a place in the History Books. Although not easy, it is a privilege to be a part of this history. We must challenge ourselves to write down our own personal experience of these times to share with the generation yet to be born. I read an interesting tale of Great Flu in 1918 on Facebook that again reminded me of the importance of stories.

It is very ironic that this time of restraint coincides with the time of suffering before Easter. At a soul level we are forced to be quiet and are stripped of everything that distracts us from the things we tend to focus on.

Good Friday in Welgemoed

In Welgemoed the illuminated cross on Tygerbergheuwels was synonymous with Lent and a good awareness of this special period on the church calendar. At sunrise on Good Friday, congregation members walked together to the illuminated cross. Everyone had time to be quiet alone after which we sang together and read from the Bible. Last year was emotional because we knew it was our last time, we would do it that way. It was shortly before Charl would fly to Zurich to make his new start and I had to wrestle further with real estate agents and moving boxes.

Easter in a new country

I was wondering what Easter would be like in a new country. I was hoping to attend one of the church services in an old church with the Swiss people. I believe that fellowship can be experienced with people who have grown up differently and speak a different language, because we serve the same God. Now we are going to celebrate Easter in isolation worldwide and attend the various church services on Radio, TV, or YouTube in our own mother tongue. There is something of a global community that is special in its own way.

The Easter eggs on the trees full of blossoms and buds, are so symbolic of new life. Our humanity has come to a standstill, but Mother Nature is continuing with her normal cycles. I was looking forward to taking beautiful photos of spring in Switzerland. However, I had to be content with photos of the gardens of houses near us. Hopefully, next year I can take pictures of the cherry blossoms in Berta street, Zurich with my own camera.

I was relieved to see that the Lindt Easter Bunny was at least not barred, like the rest of non-essential items. There is a large variety of Easter eggs and the most beautiful chocolate Easter bunnies for sale. Easter feels slightly pushed into the background in these uncertain times.

We miss the traditional hot cross buns we are used to, and which are not available here at all.

Kind regards

Emsia

Many adjustments to a new rhythm

09/02/2021 emsia.kruger

7 April 2020

The news that we will no longer be able to come to South Africa during April is a great disappointment. Zander made long lists of everyone he wanted to see, things he wanted to do and food he wanted to eat. Among other things, he just wanted to eat ProNutro for breakfast again, barbecued meat and boerewors rolls with chutney and tomato sauce for lunch and go to Spur for a Hamburger and chips and Nachos.

More bad news came when we realized that Christo and Michaela could no longer visit during the June holidays, because the Swiss Embassy had informed them that they were closed until mid-June and no visas could be obtained. We are now trying to change our flights so that we can fly to South Africa in June.

Groceries

It is a whole lifestyle change with everything, but grocery stores and pharmacies closed, and people being forced to work from home. Only a few people are allowed in the shops at a time after a security officer has made sure you have disinfected your hands. The people get angry if you move too close to them. With spring in the air, we are very allergic. If you want to go shopping, you must therefore make sure that you have blown your nose and finished all your sneezing before someone wants to throw a sauerkraut bottle at you.

Working from home

Charl works incredibly long hours away from home and is at video meetings all the time. As the rules in the country change and new challenges emerge, business leaders must make new plans all the time. Everyone was forced to set up home offices and there are nowhere more cell phones and computers available in Switzerland. The cell phone and internet networks are under pressure because it was never designed with the heavy use in mind

. In the hospitals, all pre-planned surgeries have been postponed making way for the growing number of Covid patients. The Hirslanden group’s experience is that cyber-attacks have doubled in recent weeks. People have more time on their hands and businesses are more under pressure and vulnerable in uncertain times.

School and socialising with friends

Initially, the changing situation was very traumatic for Zander. He was restless and struggled to sleep. Fortunately, he soon found a new rhythm that works well for him. Every day the school sends work for the day and he and his Mexican buddy do it on the computer at the same time while they talk to each other over the phone. The completed work is sent back to school which is marked by the teachers before the next day.

In the afternoons he plays at our apartment complex with other boys his age. The five, which is the maximum according to the rules, are a mix of Singapore, Pakistan, Germany, the Netherlands and of course South Africa. They all play outside cobs-and-robbers, football and Zander has also taught them to play handball tennis which they played during breaks at Welgemoed. He comes home tired at night and seems to be enjoying his new routine.

Appreciating nature

The weather is getting nicer and we can go for a walk every night. Early in the morning the birds chirp unaware of Corona. Everywhere people walk and ride bikes with their dogs and children. It is especially young parents with toddlers on scooters who dominate the picture. Parents’ creativity in keeping the little ones busy as well as their patience is tested. We are thankful that we have not yet been banned from leaving our apartments and houses like the people in Italy and Spain.

Corona virus situation fortunately created an opportunity for us. Churches are now making their services available on YouTube. We miss church services in our mother tongue and the many services available in Afrikaans create for us a sense of togetherness.

I am convinced that Corona is going to help us look at things and relationships differently. We will be tired of technology, want to spend more time outdoors and spend more time with precious people and relationships. With the huge economic impact that the situation is going to have on many organizations and individuals, I suspect that people are going to be economically forced to live simpler lives.

Kind regards

Emsia