Chatting with a friend via zoom, she mentioned that she is examining for the Royal Conservatory remotely. Before Covid, three times a year, she would take time away from home to stay in a town where exams had been set up. This had the advantage that she could visit friends in what ever place they sent her, but she had to take time away from teaching. Now, she goes to the posted list and chooses exams that fit her schedule. Likely, post Covid, both options will be available. This led to a conversation about what we have learned to do during Covid that we want to keep.
Late last spring, I was part of a regional online meeting where the staff person near the end said, "And I hope we can meet in person soon." My reply was, "And I hope you will always offer an online option. I could participate today. I can't drive three hours there and three hours back." Since then, I have joined marvelous workshops across North America, been inspired, been challenged, been engaged. I will miss these opportunities when they go back to in person gatherings.
Meetings have continued by telephone conference calls and various online meeting formats. This has allowed for planning and networking to continue. For some people, however, online meetings limit their access. There are people with no computer. Others have limited internet. In many rural places, the only option is cellular internet and that gets expensive. The platform my churches used has a phone in option but that only worked for those who had an unlimited long-distance plan. As we embrace technology, we need to be aware of who it leaves out.
I think we will head back to in person school as soon as we can. Good students are managing okay, but how do you do junior kindergarten online? J.K is about learning to leave home, to be with other children, to take on school routines. Little of that can happen online. And imagine three children in a small apartment with poor internet all trying to do school at the same time. Students with learning challenges are falling behind. I believe they can catch up, but some will get so disengaged that it will be hard for them when they return to in person classes. Schools will need to be alert and provide additional resources to get them back on track.
A year ago, grocery stores had almost no chicken available. I think there had been a covid outbreak at a major meat packing plant. But I knew a farmer who had freezers full of chicken. I started buying all my meat directly from them. That is something I will continue. Supporting local producers is good for them and good for our local economy. Buying local also lowers my carbon footprint as less transportation is involved.
Carbon emissions did go down world-wide during this year. But is that a shift that we can maintain? I suspect it will be tempting to go back to driving to town frequently, flying around the world, going on cruises. It will take attentiveness to not fall back into old habits.
The United Church has a national gathering of people from across the country for the purpose of decision making and planning every three years. The next one was supposed to be in July this year, but was postponed to 2022. The hope was for an in person gathering. Instead, the meeting will happen virtually. Learning sessions will begin in February, with the decision-making meeting taking place online in July.
This plan saves money for flights and hotels. It lowers the carbon footprint of the event as no one has to fly. And it gives people time, months, to come to grips with the issues at stake in the proposals they are voting on. The down side I see is that people will not be spending casual time with folks from differing communities. I am sure there will be break-out groups to allow for listening to a variety of perspectives, but there is something about breakfast conversation with strangers that broadens the mind.
Lock downs will not last forever, but what will we do with the freedom to congregate? It is important to be aware of the values that guide our choices as we live into a post-covid world.
Cathy Hird lives on the traditional territory of the Saugeen Ojibway
