The Let's Talk Covid-19 series allows us to reflect back on the MCO and the pandemic we're still currently braving. We are so happy to have B. Nan sharing with us!
Hi! I'm B. Nan, and I'm 23 going on to 24. I have decided not to say where I'm from, but I'm currently away from my family and I'm staying with my fellow friends, seeking for stable jobs and earning money.
I graduated last year (virtually) so I am now looking for my purpose in life in order fulfil my needs. I have a part time job at a convenience store - taking afternoon to full-time shifts. Sometimes, I take full-time shifts; and then I would switch it to the afternoon shifts for the next few days. I do have struggles financially, such as paying off fees from my previous years education and payment of rental fees. I use the money I have left to pump petrol and buy things for myself.
I won't say I'm struggling, but maybe I'm desperate to help myself and survive, I think. I am just here to earn a living and I never want to reply on my family to pay off debts.
How should I explain the difficulty of my situation? Maybe it's slightly difficult? I don't know how to explain this, since I've already encountered many hardships in life. However, I did have some difficulties ever since last year's pandemic. I was struggling to finish my last course's subject from my internship. I didn't get paid much during that time. It was a 3 month working experience where I never got to step in the office for the last remaining 2 months. It was hard contacting and communicating with my former colleagues working at home an who were difficult to get along with. After the pandemic, I've experienced so many issues like family business matters, unpaid fees and loans, or finding proper stable jobs in this city. It was crazy at the time. I don't know how to deal with these things in life.
Thankfully, I used to help friends with their businesses, and serve their customers for a while. I even found myself a job but only for a short while due to poor management. I'm running out of job interviews so I decided to support myself by doing part-time jobs and got home with/without proper transportation. But I don't care how difficult the situation is as I'm doing fine these days.
I wish to live a normal adult life like my friends have now. I slightly envy those who are currently continuing their studies. One is now pursuing a degree at my previous university/college while the rest have jobs thanks to their mutual connections with the people who know them well. I also wish to be with my friends and family and I'm looking forward to meeting them since I've been away for months. I haven't heard or seen them for a while after leaving my hometown. I only receive either good/bad new from them but I wish I could hear more because I really miss them so much.
Our personal message for B. Nan :
B. Nan, you're a fighter. Your story shows us that although things don't turn out the way we want them to be or if life knocks us down, the light and things inside of us like purpose, passion, willpower, and hope will never die. Thank you for your courage and your voice. It has inspired us and we hope that it'll inspire others too. As Maya Angelou says: "Let nothing dim the light that shines from within".
Love, Listen!
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