The ‘village’ that saw us through childhood is falling apart     Almost 14 months into the pandemic and it suddenly feels like it’s got me. I live in Mississauga, Ontario with my husband and adult children, while the rest of my immediate family live in India. My sister and I grew up in a modest flat…

How The Shoe Project Stories Helped Me During the Pandemic     Many people are feeling lonely during the pandemic. But I have found that even though we cannot visit friends and family as we used to, we can still find companionship with the characters in stories. I always love hearing and reading stories. When…

Turning COVID Fear Into A Memorable Experience     At the beginning of COVID, quiet, empty roads in Surrey, where I live, reminded me of the fearful days before the war in Kosova’s streets when we were afraid of torture or even killed by the Serb police. Now all the world is threatened, and the…

We Should Be Careful What We Dream     I am living in my living room and watching cartoons for the whole day.  This was my dream when I was eight years old. As my husband took over our bedroom to work from home, and we live in a one-bedroom condo, the only place left…

Keep It Simple     I am a stay-at-home mom with my kids in grade 3 and kindergarten. I stay busy raising my kids and doing housework. When the COVID spread in Calgary, we panicked. We didn’t stock up on food or toilet paper, and we were worried about getting infected by the virus. It…

Life That Prevails     Chilly air surrounds my booked operation room. I slowly breathe in and breathe out through a blue mask. This is a new protocol for a C-section operation in Covid-stricken reality. While looking at the ceiling, I gather my thoughts and notice that I am processing my emotions on a conscious…

Working from Home – in Nepal     Work from Home (WFH) was new terminology for many Nepali people. I had never imagined that so many people in the world would have to adapt to WFH culture immediately after the COVID-19 outbreak. My office declared to continue the WFH policy when the countrywide lockdown came…

Life Indeed is a Gift     Sitting in my living room in Edmonton, looking out the window, staring at the almost empty streets, watching the very few pedestrians and cars I could easily count, I listened to the reiterated announcements on the news. Stay home as often as possible to curb the spread of…

Back to School 2020     It has been quite a struggle to get into my profession, especially as a newcomer to Canada. I was supplying in different schools as an occasional teacher when the pandemic struck. The schools were closed indefinitely, and suddenly, there was no need for substitute teachers. I was jobless, but…

“It is Okay.” “We are Okay.”       On March 16th, an announcement in the school where I worked filled my mind with a strange feeling of relief. “Classes suspended indefinitely due to COVID-19.” Until then, I had too much to teach, to learn, and too many classes to prepare. I thought that teaching…

Every day is Friday     I was working at Rosemont School and always complaining. I did not have enough time, and I wished every day was Friday. My daughters are in grades 2 and 5. Now every day is Friday.  I have a lot of time. My kids started online classes; I was surprised they…

This unprecedented time   During the COVID-19 outbreak, many people are digesting what this unprecedented time means, for the past, present, and future. At first, I was in my survival mode just for my family. But now, a significant conversation has begun. It’s about race. COVID has amplified the implicit racial bigotry and unfair treatment,…

Returning Life its Colours     No one was ready for this. It feels like yesterday that my daughter and I packed our suitcases for the upcoming May trip to London. Today we live with COVID-19, isolation, and a sense of anxiety that grows while we listen to news about how quickly the pandemic is…

TeenazCovid     I will mark 23 years in Canada next month in the midst of a pandemic. I work from work, which is 50 km away from my home, on the evening shift as a senior writer at CBC Radio. I go to an almost empty office. By the time I’m done, it is…

My Life in the COVID-19 Pandemic     I was just back from meeting my loving family in India at Arunachal Pradesh, when Canada’s business shutdown started. I reached Banff on March 14. I spent 14 days in isolation at my apartment in Whiskey Jack Crescent whom, I share with my old mate Tsemtso Dolma.…

I can´t wait to hug my friends     Life in a tourist town is devastated. Our streets are empty, all restaurants and hotels closed, and we are missing the good energy that tourists bring. The place itself hasn´t lost its magic though. We are so fortunate to live in this place with breathtaking mountain…

Freedom and the Future     Right now we feel like the apocalypse is here, our freedom has been temporarily taken away from us and we are not sure if we will have to adjust our life goals and values. We are realizing what it is to have freedom, which we always took for granted.…

I  Search for Myself     When the quarantine days started, it was a flashback to me. Three and half years ago, I was in hiding from the police in Turkey for three months. However, there is a big difference between then and now.  These days I have freedom.  I can go outside to walk…

I never thought I would be able to compare my experience in two pandemics     In April 2003, I was in Beijing, China, the epicenter of SARS. My anxiety was killing me. Every night before sleep, I prayed in desperation to wake up from this nightmare. But the next day, the building still smelt…

Critical Reasoning   When I attended university in Bangladesh, I loved studying. But now that I am in Calgary attending an online course, the mother of a toddler, and living in a global pandemic, it is hard to concentrate. Along with cooking and babysitting. I call my family every day in Bangladesh to make sure…

In November 2019, The Shoe Project participants in Vancouver joined writers Caroline Adderson and Carol Shaben for a Thanksgiving dinner to introduce immigrant writers to Canadian writers. After dinner we shared our stories. I talked about my sister. “She’s a single mom, from Kurdistan/Iraq. She has been in a refugee camp in Jordan with her…

We’re starting a series of short pieces on how you are doing. Read Toronto TSP writer Rhoda Philips on how it has changed her life as an immigrant.   Corona Virus Has Given My Loneliness A Whole New Meaning Being a new immigrant to Canada, I was already lonely. I miss my parents and my…