"I was told that the centre carried out everything according to the SOPs. I felt safe there. I accepted the offer without hesitation and started my journey as a part-time piano tutor."
Hey everyone, how's life?
The pandemic has indeed disrupted our lives, from physical activities moving to virtual spaces, from hanging out every day to staying at home 24/7. People outside are now struggling in every aspect of their lives, economically, physically, and mentally. Yes, the virus is fatal. It has taken away lives and causes the suffering of patients every day with those ventilators on them. People are forced to stay at home, and because the economy is going through a recession, people are forced to stop their businesses, end their careers or get fired. However, the situation is not getting any better with countless movement control orders. Why?
I am currently pursuing my degree studies and I had a part-time job teaching piano classes earlier. Not to forget, I was also pursuing my piano diploma at the same learning centre. The moment I stepped into the centre, I was amazed by how a centre with less than 20 teachers could afford to handle 400 students simultaneously. It was in July 2020, and I saw children coming in and stepping out of the centre with masks on. I was told that the centre carried out everything according to the SOPs. I felt safe there. I accepted the offer without hesitation and started my journey as a part-time piano tutor.
Everything went smoothly. Until one day, the admin informed me that an employee working at my students' parents workplace tested positive with Covid-19. Luckily, the students were absent a week before. In the following week, I checked with the admin to see whether the students were attending their classes. They told me that the parents of my students had their swab test results as negative. However, the students came and said to me that their parents did not carry out the swab test. I was worried. The 'bosses' called me two weeks ago and told me not to worry as old-timer businessmen knew what was right to do. They kept on reminding me not to doubt them. This was the first incident that decreased my confidence in the learning centre.
Two months later, I had a massive conflict with one of the bosses of the company. It was in May 2021. The pandemic had gotten worse in Kuching, cases were increasing day by day, and the government launched new control orders within that period. One day, I contacted the boss. I sent a picture of the new SOPs to check whether the centre could still operate; as I heard a few centre's have stopped their classes and started conducting them online. The reaction of the boss shocked me. She sent a few voice messages condemning me for doubting the centre and kept asking for the person who told me that other centre's were not operating. "If you aren't confident in our learning centre, you should quit now!" I was also told to drop my positions as teacher and student if I was that afraid to "die". "We started our business many years back, and now you are telling me that we are carrying out illegal business?!" Without my consent, the boss terminated me from my piano diploma studies and told me not to teach anymore.
I was startled. It was just a simple question to check on whether the centre could still operate. I did not expect an outcome like this. Music centres started to stop their physical classes and tuition centres are conducting 100% online classes. This was an act of kindness and care for the safety of the centre, students and teachers. The only question that appeared in my head was: "What happened to the people today?" The world is sick; the society is sick. I was disappointed.
I genuinely understand that everyone is struggling throughout this pandemic to make a living for themselves. However, shouldn't everyone be responsible for their own actions? Shouldn't everyone be following the rules to combat the virus? What if a person catches the virus and continues to visit the centre and spreads the virus to the students and teachers?
After all, the virus is not threatening; irresponsible people who disobey rules are way more menacing. People nowadays are getting materialistic and have forgotten the values of life. This pandemic has taught me to appreciate and cherish every single thing in life. I am glad to spend more quality time with my family members. Quality time can never be exchanged with money. I believe everything happens for a good reason, as well as the Covid-19 virus. The world is sick with endless pollution and disruptions caused by human beings. It is an excellent opportunity for human beings to stay at home to appreciate and save nature. Also, to learn to be a responsible person with conscience.
The world is indeed a beautiful place. I hope that human beings can continue to be kind. Let's make the world and the society a better place for you and for me.
Stay safe, stay healthy and stay kind!
Cheers,
PH
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