My Christmas? Bleak and getting worse, but no options are left if we’re to live in lockdown
By: Susan Cullinan
Tags: Coronavirus, Europe, Lockdown, Red Cross, Covid 19

(Note to self aged four months younger)

Dear Susan

What are you thinking to be leaving relatively COVID-free, sunny Australia for Europe, where COVID deaths are soaring and health and hospital systems are buckling under the pressure?

Sydney International airport…leaving home

To be saying goodbye to your big, loving family, friends, a good job and go and work in a region in meltdown over climbing daily COVID cases. And in winter? To live and work alone in an apartment in lockdown on the other side of the planet? Specifically, Hungary, where there are now upwards of 160 deaths and 5,000 new infections a day, a state of emergency, a curfew, restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels, schools for those over 14 are all closed. In short, the very opposite to your normal safe, privileged life.

And now it’s Christmas, Susan. You didn’t think about how rough that would feel did you?

(Note from present self)

Dear Susan

You’re right, it’s hard but I knew it would be. I couldn’t have foreseen how it would feel and how I would cope but I came here to work.

I’ve been training and working towards an international aid worker career for years. I’m finally free to do it. My kids have grown up. My husband is supportive. Then when COVID-19 hit, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies mobilized rapidly, raising funds and deploying technical specialists to support local Red Cross Red Crescent responses around the world. I was lucky enough to win a position as a communications delegate, and of all the places in the world, I was offered Budapest, Hungary.

Another sunny day in downtown Budapest

It’s not my first international deployment, and each one has been widely different. This post is for six months, supporting 54 countries in Europe and Central Asia, coordinating all-important messaging, finding opportunities to push out the facts about what people can do to stay safe, and to raise visibility of local Red Cross work which in turn builds trust in its unique community-based work.

And yes it’s tough. But it’s tough for everyone in Europe. People here are weary of lockdown. They’re over the grinding, never-ending nature of the pandemic. It’s been an extremely long year since the first case was reported in Europe, in France, on 25 January and things are only getting worse, as a cold dark winter deepens, and case numbers and deaths grow. Everyone I talk to has either had Coronavirus or had a loved one who’s been sick with it or tragically, died. A news site reports that the morgues have run out of room. People tell me they’re sick of people being sick and dying.

The economic impacts are evident everywhere. My apartment neighbours leave their lights off at night. Well-dressed people constantly approach me in the street asking for money. All over the city small businesses have signs up that they are closed permanently.

For people who already struggling, this coronavirus is pushing them to the limit. Migrants, the poor, those already sick or who can’t access any health care and those all alone in the world.

For me this Christmas, things couldn’t be more different from normal. I’ll be working or on call over the holiday period. My highlight will probably be joining my family via Skype at 3 am for a champagne in bed (real or virtual, I’m still undecided) while they enjoy their champagne (real), prawns, tropical fruits and blue skies.

But to be honest Susan, I’m a bit proud of how you’re holding up. You know the work you’re doing counts. You’ve learned that to stay strong and positive you keep busy. You’re amazed at how much variety you can squeeze into your day in in that three-room apartment. Pilates via YouTube. French lessons via Zoom. And for evening therapy you’ve even hand-stitched a double bedspread, while listening to podcasts and live broadcasts (thank you BBC World Service, ABC’s Bang On, Coronacast, Stop Everything! and The Book Show — I love you all dearly!)

You mask up and rug up and walk 10 km a day. Budapest is a beautiful city to walk in and there’s a new route each day with gorgeous new quarters to discover sans tourists. You have put out perhaps overly keen vibes that you’re in the market for friends, and new people kindly take me under their wing. So while the best bits are all closed and locked down, we can still go on walks and explore the countryside.

So Susan you’re just one of millions who have put Christmas on hold. You embrace the restrictions so we can survive.