Since March 12, 2020, the school system shut down in person teaching and automatically switched to online teaching. It was sink or swim for many teachers. For me, I had started working from home online teaching ESL students in China with a company called VIPKID which I still do to this day. The company allows me to work online from home so I was ahead of the game. I already had an online classroom along with my voice-over room in my home. Two rooms were set up for online businesses. I was grateful.
Now that we are in July (four months along), the solitude has been tough. I come from a broken home with both parents still married but with many sibling issues. As an observer, I’ve watched my family go through high levels of stress with two brothers that are disabled. One brother has a family of six who is homeless and the stress of supporting my siblings’ family during COVID-19 has taken its toll.
Obviously, the financial strain has been difficult during COVID-19 with a brother who’s family is homeless and another disabled brother that is located back in Oklahoma with no family at all able to see him due to COVID-19.
I have more to share. However, I will leave with this comment. Acknowledge the difficulties. Seek assistance that is available. I have a group of people in a Bible Study class that prays for everyone which has been a solid group of people to also pray for. I have gone to therapy. Yes, my family has gone to counseling due to the high level of stress that we’ve endured. I also have sought individual counseling. I will go back again. I have a blog so that I don’t put my family on blast. It would be a downer to have a YouTube channel and I don’t want to showcase my family or myself in that platform in that way.
COVID-19 has skyrocketed that anxiety levels of people around the world. It looks like I will be working from home for the rest of 2020. The numbers of infected people keep rising which means that educational institutions will more likely continue virtual learning until the numbers drop. I don’t see that happening in the near future in the so-called United States of America.
I support my family in different ways: financially, day care for my nieces, assist with doctor visits for my parents, visit my sibling in Oklahoma or set up video conferencing concerning his welfare with the state agency, parents and myself.
If you see me and ask me how I’m doing, more likely I will say that I’m thankful. I am. I’ve seen too much and lived through much stress. However, I’m thankful to have what I have. I have more to share but I won’t continue. Hold your head up high. Work hard and smart. Live your dreams. Pray and meditate. Eat for health and strength. Be kind.
Repeat.
Kim
GVOS and Me 