Unless you have been living under a rock, chances are you already know that the world is in despair because of the Covid-19 pandemic. For us OFWs, it is more difficult and terrifying since we are in the midst of uncertainty whether we would be terminated, forced to take our precious annual leaves, or maybe we’d be subjected to a no work, no pay scheme.
This is happening all over the world and the first thing you have to remember is that you are not alone.
Don’t panic
This might be our initial reaction being away from our families. We are worried about their safety and in turn they are also worried about us. Don’t add unwarranted stress on them. Keep them calm and assure them that you are doing fine. When you find yourself worrying, turn your attention to something else. Avoid reading the news if it’s what’s making you nervous. If you could not help reading the news to be always informed, read from reliable sources. Don’t forget to pray and read inspirational and motivational passages.
Abide by the set rules
If you are told to stay at home, STAY AT HOME. If you are told only one is allowed to leave to buy the essentials, follow it. If you are told to wear masks, gloves and to distance from one another, DO IT. The authorities would not ask to do this if this is not a proven method to curb the spread of the virus.
Don’t hoard
We have read and seen videos of people going wild because of toilet paper. If you don’t want your face posted on various social media platforms as poster child for a hoarder without a heart, DON’T HOARD. Don’t be the a**hole who bought all the bread, milk and eggs and left nothing for the elders or the mother who worked for a 12 hour shift and only had time to buy groceries for her kids at the evening.
Avoid reading (and spreading) fake news
This is one of the common traits that perhaps most OFWs share (or even Filipinos back in the Philippines) we love to share news articles, videos that we received without even verifying the source. Come on, this is worse than the virus. Don’t propagate panic. Do you receive any financial compensation for spreading such fake news? (And if you do, it’s time to question some of your life choices). Do you experience some sick gratification from knowing that you manage to scare and make people worry? There is nothing wrong with wanting to share information provided this information is true and useful.
Still try to stick to your usual routine
It might be easy to feel useless especially when you are in quarantine. Don’t let this be the case for you. If you are waking up at 6:00 in the morning when you are commuting to work, still stick to that same waking hour. This would give you a sense of normalcy. Besides, you would not have a hard time waking up early when you really have to wake up again at that hour. If you meditate before going to work to keep your temperament at check and to minimize your stress level, still do that even if you know you would not experience any work related stress by being at home the whole day.
Communicate with others when feeling anxious
As an OFW, not all of us have their families or relatives with them and it might be difficult to have someone to talk to when feeling anxious. Take advantage of technology and communicate daily with your love ones. Don’t let feelings bottled up because it would eat you from the inside. If you are not the type to share their innermost feelings and thoughts, just find someone you could talk to about your favorite TV show or the book that you have been reading. Talking to someone would keep your mind from wandering back and forth to whatever it is that you are stressing about. If you are anxious about what’s happening in the world because of the pandemic, it’s okay to tell someone about it by then you would realize it’s not you who is worried about it and you might feel better about it seeing it’s a normal feeling.
Use your time productively
You have been given the gift of time. Use it wisely. Don’t just Netflix and chill or spend the whole day on social media. Try to rest your eyes (and your mind) by constantly looking at a screen. Try doing something that does not involve gadgets. Go back to the time when we are not yet dependent on our smartphones and we have to use our imagination to entertain ourselves.
Be creative and do some crafts. Exercise to fit in those pants you wrongly bought as a size smaller. Draw. Sketch. Write. Play an instrument. Learn a new language. Invent a dish. Revamp old clothes. At least when everything is back to normal, you have proof that you spent your time productively when you are in quarantine.
Donate
If you have the means, donate to the less fortunate. If you don’t have the financial resources but you could contribute your time and effort to help, do so. Find ways to show your appreciation to front liners doing their best to help curb the spread of the virus and to do the essential services.
If you feel bad, feel bad
Times are scary because we are living in uncertain times. Plans and momentous events are cancelled and it’s okay to feel bad about that. Don’t let others say that with all that’s happening, a wedding or a birthday party that got cancelled is not a big thing. You are entitled to your own feelings.
Look at the glass half full
It’s hard to be positive or to look for the silver lining but read news about people coming together to help someone in need or that there is less pollution because of the world slowing down. This should be our takeaway on what is happening in the world. Otherwise, we’d go crazy just thinking about the bad stuff.
Stay safe. Stay home.
An Overseas Filipino Worker since 2008, Yvette is back in the Middle East after a brief stint in a first world country in South East Asia. She is a binge watcher and is part of numerous fandoms. She writes to keep her sanity (read her rantings on Wattpad @yvette_dc) and is happiest when she's in a bookstore. If given the resources, she would see the world.