2020 was completely unpredicted for me, probably for everyone.
My ideal plan was ruined by the pandemic.
Since the covid-19 was recognised as a serious deadly disease such as the Spanish flu in 100 years ago, soon I was sent back to Japan by our agency's order to evacuate from covid-19. It was quite sudden and we needed to pack all luggage I brought to the Caribbean island in one night because we had to leave there before the border is closed.
But it was understandable decision because no one know how serious it is, and people like me who were sent to developing country as a volunteer by a government are not experts of development issues and our contract with national aid agency was, dispatched as a volunteer, not as a expert. It meant, to protect our lives takes priority over our any mission in the local for our government. In my case, as a Japanese who stay in overseas due to Japanese mission, Japanese government has an obligation to protect Japanese citizen's life.
Some people claimed this decision, but volunteer activity was run by Japanese tax. This activity needs understanding in Japanese citizen. If someone Japanese died due to predictable accident like this pandemic, probably it is going to be very hard to restart and blamed a government responsibility by the opposition party.
That's why I considered it as a reasonable decision to restart the volunteer activity in the near future after the pandemic is over. We don't have any choice even though how much we have full of enthusiasm for tackling development issues.
After 2 weeks quorantine in Japan, I could go out freely.
I came back to my parents house to stay a while since my apartment in Tokyo was already moved out when I was dispatched to Caribbean island 1 year and a half ago.
My parents house is located in countryside, and it doesn't have wi-fi.
My silent and internet free life had started.
Life in my parents house was quite simple. My parents both have full-time job. I took a dog for walk everyday and read some books. Sometimes I helped my father to work in fields in weekend. That's it. I felt like I live apart from the world.
No covid-19 and no noise like a conspiracy theory about covid-19.
Had stayed more than 3 months there. It was a nice period for me to reflesh myself and to think about my next career and life.
Then, I started to live in Osaka with girlfriend.
That's it. Nothing happened to me what I mentioned here right now.
Silent and promote introspection to me this year.