I believe everyone who is living in Tokyo lost their daily routines to some extent due to the recent pandemic. In the last 30 days, no one was able to pretend COVID-19 wasn’t happening anymore because the wheels of society were gradually stopping. Most shops in downtown Tokyo closed completely, international airlines declined to a tiny scale and people are not allowed to go to their offices.
At least in my case, the situation is reaching a limitation. People like me, who never like going out, are seeking outdoor activities. I cannot imagine how stressful those normal people, who were hanging out all the time before the pandemic, are suffering. Unfortunately, till this point, there is still no clear schedule that tells us when the whole self-restraint movement will be over.
Working from home
Working from home, also known as “telework” in Japan, became extremely popular these days. Believe it or not, although I have got my first salary, I still haven’t been to my office yet. Neither have I met my colleagues and supervisor in person. We have meetings online exclusively through software like Zoom and Skype.
At first, I felt lucky for being the first generation of telework, but I soon realized the reality was not as easy as I thought. The biggest problem is that telework broke the boundary of work life and private life. I am confused when I should or could stop working and do my own stuff. Sometimes I would keep working until midnight voluntarily without being paid.
From “don’t want to” to “not able to”
As I mentioned above, I don’t like going out. It was my personal choice. However, the current situation is different. Even if I want to go out like having a trip, there are not many options. Most onsen (hot spring) hotels are temporarily closed as well, not to mention people who are not locals are not welcomed recently.
If I want to go abroad, I may face a worse scenario. I have to be quarantined depending on where I go. As a foreign resident, my Japanese visa is at risk of becoming expired if I leave Japanese soil.
True loneliness
After I was dumped by my ex-girlfriend in February, I don’t have any close relationships with anyone in the country. Unlike other people, at least they have their family with them. My parents are living overseas. Certainly, I have many ordinary friends, and we have talks frequently online. Unfortunately, it’s not proper for us to have drinks under the current situation and I think friendships just can’t compensate for the intimate relationship I need.
Without a close relationship, unable to meet friends or even colleagues. All of these have brought me true loneliness.
