2020 sure is different

The last time I wrote, it was January. Now we're halfway through the year 2020 - the most surprising and unpredictable one so far.

In case you've been living under a rock, or in bikini bottom, here's a recap of what has been happening globally:

A new Coronavirus called Covid-19 was first discovered in Wuhan, China, at the end of 2019, and has now spread all around the world, causing a pandemic. Some countries have successfully contained the spread of the virus (Taiwan, China, Vietnam, etc), while others (like my country Indonesia, or USA) are still seeing escalating numbers of new cases every day. People have been told to stay at home to stop the virus from spreading and practice social/physical distancing when they go outside. Wearing face masks to cover our noses and mouths are also necessary. 

This year another police violence against black people occurred. A video recording of a man called George Floyd being pinned down by the neck to the ground by a white police officer surfaced online and immediately went viral. The man's cry of breathing difficulty (most likely due to his blocked airways) was ignored by the officers, and soon he lost consciousness and died on his way to the hospital. This tragedy sparked outrage from the black community since it is not the first time such brutality happened, and people are sick of the mistreatment black people constantly receive. The Black Lives Matter movement gained traction, and this time it is bigger than it has ever been, for good reasons. The hashtags #blacklivesmatter flooded the internet, and this time I don't think people will stop until some real changes happen. Systemic racism and white supremacy need to be uprooted once and for all.  

Ebola outbreaks have been recorded (again) in Africa, causing more unfortunate deaths. Zoo animals in many parts of the world starve as there is no business as usual in this pandemic, thus the neglect and starvation. In India, a pregnant elephant died standing in a river after it had eaten a pineapple stuffed with firecrackers given by the villagers. Another pregnant cow also reportedly ate a similar trap in other parts of India and ended up with serious injuries (its mouth is completely shattered) though fortunately its cub is alive and out in the world (how amazing is the mother cow!).

Everywhere people seem to be dying, either from Covid-19, Ebola, or by simply being black (or indigenous, or minorities). Heck, even animals are dying due to people's mistreatment and inability to be compassionate. 

Is 2020 a good year? 90% of us would say no. 

On a more personal level, I have to say I'm struggling as well, mentally and financially, though mostly mentally. My dog, who is 12, keeps suffering from some health issues the vet can't seem to completely fix, and it hurts me to see him be uncomfortable. My parent has been unwell for the past month, and has yet to rebound and made a full recovery. My pay check is halved, leaving me with very little. All of the things in my world that keep me sane have been shaken, and I start to feel anxious every single day. I'd have cold sweat and irregular heartbeats, and it's harder to fall asleep at night, or even have a restful one. I can feel my world collapsing and soon I'll face deeper adversities that I don't think I can handle. 

Being at home all day all the time, interestingly, seems to work out just fine for me. I've always been a total homebody, preferring my own company to people. At least by being home 24/7, I can watch over my dog and be more observant of his every little move. At least at home, I'm safe. 

That, people, is how my 2020 is serving me.