It has been almost 48 hours since leaving MIQ and it’s hard to describe the changes that you go through when you leave an isolation facility.
Once you are cleared to leave the hotel you walk out the door and you’re not allowed to return (as if you would desire to). Once outside you can be seen with your mask off for the first time in 14 days, smell fresh air and know that you’re no longer under intense camera surveillance. You look around and see some of the other guests from our intake and get to see their faces for the first time. Interesting experience because these are people that you have seen often but only now do you get to see what they look like. Some look like you image and others completely different. Some were best served by keeping their masks on.
Getting back to Dunedin was quick and I was home by tea time. There was an element of glee in knowing that I was home before the Auckland destined travels had even left Christchurch.
After settling in and catching up with family, I unpacking most of my gear before it gets too late. Surprisingly overnight I’m finding that my sleeping patterns are all out and despite only traveling a short distance I feel kind of jetlagged and I’m up by 5am doing more unpacking and thinking about the day ahead – school.
It’s now Monday morning and I return to school for the first time this year. I’m there by 7.45am and within minutes it feels like I haven’t been away. The afternoon featured a mini assembly to celebrate a wearable arts parade and to also farewell one of our students who is moving north the following day. She is special needs and has brought a wonderful dynamic to our school during her 2½ years with us. It was nice to make her departure memorable for her and her parents.
Even though it’s day one for me it is week 9 for everyone else. That means that things like professional development has been organised that involves all the Dunedin Catholic schools and therefore I have a meeting/session to go to immediately after school. I went, and it was ok, but it was hardly the way I wanted to spend my first day back. At least it’s a short week with the Easter long weekend only three days away.
My Fear Share 