Pandemic pushed the world to isolation, social distance and lockdown in homes. This period, in which we have frozen our social relations and restricted our mobility, had individual and social effects. Our perception of space and time has changed. Our questions and problems about the universe, nature and existence have diversified or deepened. Perhaps it is time to ask questions to life like why and how right after the days when the reality of death shook the world.
In order to get answers with traces of different beliefs, different cultures and social structures, we asked our friends from different parts of the world to these questions: what do you live for? What connects you to life as you start your day each morning? Do you have a dream? Do you think the pandemic affected the answers to these questions and your perspective on life?
Our third essay is from Egypt, written by Ahmed Samir.
Whenever I was asked about my future plans during my military service back in 2019, I had only one sole answer;” My dream is to travel to Germany and continue my studies there”. As soon as I regained my civilian freedom in March 2020, I found myself trapped in a totally different prison; the pandemic. Or it is better to call it “The Infodemic”.
The pandemic caused uncertainty in several parts of the world in general, and within us as individuals. My dream to travel this year almost collapsed, and I even remained unemployed for more than 3 months since March. My personal lifelong motto is to live to be a better person, who learns from old mistakes, his current experiences, and to achieve his road towards a better future. However, the current crisis planted anxiousness deep into my heart. I started questioning my own personal goals, and I became not really sure about my desires.
Socially speaking, I shifted from an outgoing and an extrovert human being into being a socially awkward person. Although I still meet my friends occasionally, but I miss dealing with people in the everyday life. In addition to that point, we started doubting and mistrusting each other lately. At least you might have thought that the person, who you are talking with right now, might be a carrier of Corona, and he might convey the virus to you.
In conclusion, I definitely believe that the social outcomes of the pandemic might take many years to return back normally as it was one day…
Ahmed Samir, Egypt
