Wow, what a year last year was, with COVID infecting New Zealand and having to lockdown for over a month. It really made me question certain things, made me realise that the things I wanted to do I no longer was keen to do. Things I never thought I wanted to to do I realised I was keen to do, which brings me to now.
This year I’ve started my journey towards becoming a qualified teacher. I’ve had one week on campus for orientation, which started off with another change in the COVID levels which meant I could no longer stay on the marae as planned, but had to commute over an hour to campus and back again for a couple of days until alternate accommodation was found. My pastor contacted someone he knew who found someone who lived just 10 minutes away from campus and were willing to let me stay at their home which was a great help. My week on campus was also the first time I’d been away from my children for that length of time. My husband at that time was in hospital in a different city from all of us recovering from surgery. To my surprise and relief the kids were fine, I don’t think they were permanently damaged.
Firstly, my wonderful mother-in-law looked after them in our house, driving them to school/kindy. Then when my husband finally came home from hospital on the Tuesday she took them all on board. On Wednesday my Brother-in-law and his fiancée took the boys to their place and took charge of them there
This week was my official first week of study and has started off with another increase in the COVID level which fortunately hasn’t affected my study or being able to be at the school I’ll be at for my professional experience. Today, I spent most of the day at the library studying whilst my mother-in-law helped out with my husband and daughter. Due to my husband still recovering from surgery and waiting for a bone graft in his skull he needs someone to be with him almost 24/7 – he would probably disagree with me.
In doing a bachelor degree, which is 3 years. I’m going to have to learn to lean on other people, that I’m not travelling this journey alone, that though I may not be able to be there as for my children as I once was, in the long run its going to be better. They will see how sometimes to acquire what you want or what needs to be done requires hard work and sacrifice. I need to keep focused on what I want to achieve and what it will mean for my family when I do achieve it.
This is my year of getting out of the boat, out of the safety of my box and surging ahead. Learning new ways of keeping the anxiety/depression away and not letting life get the better of me.
Rocking With Rendells 