Hey guys! Missed me? The sun is returning, and that means - So am I. I know this isn’t the first winter that I’ve gone into hibernation and disappeared from the digital world, and let’s be real, it’s probably not the last either. I often say that Once is a coincidence, but multiple times is a pattern and there is just something that happens to this summer child’s inspiration and writer’s enthusiasm during the cold, dark winter months. This is not the kind of post I was hoping to start the new decade with, but as the pandemic crisis are something one should not ignore, I put my happier posts on hold while I worked on this one.

I’m sure you’re wondering how COVID-19, commonly known as Corona, has affected my life as a nomad and I wanted to make a post where I talked about it. I’ve been in Hemsedal, working at Lodgen Spiseri since November and my plan was to stay here until May, go home for a week, renew my passport and continue on to my new job on an island in the UK. Now, because of the current situation around the world, Hemsedal has shut down for tourism and almost everything is closed which means that I have been laid of my current job, and the job I was suppose to start in May is on hold while they wait for this to pass, but it seems unlikely that I will be able to go there in May. One still hopes though!

I am aware that there are lots of people out there who has it a lot worse than me right now. this is simply me, telling my own story of how Corona has affected my life.

For now, I am taking life day by day, not rushing into any haste decisions, I am staying here in Hemsedal, at least for a while because I still got my room here till May and since most places are closed here, Hemsedal seems like a safe place to wait this out. Because I was(am?) on a contract, and worked in Norway last summer, I qualify for money from the government. I have sent in the required documents and will hopefully (fingers crossed) receive some money for the remaining part of my contract. If I end up getting money from the government it would be stupid of me to leave, because the chances of finding a job back home in Sweden during this time is not very likely, and who knows how long this might continue or when I’ll be able to find another job? It will not keep me from looking and keeping my options open though, I am trying not to worry about money, or the future and I do lots of Yoga, writing and feel-good stuff to calm down any anxious feelings this pandemic throws my way.

We are a group of people who’ve decided to stay and we are isolating ourselves with each other, which makes this time a little less scary & boring. The people I still hang out with is people I’ve worked with & seen daily since the virus reached Hemsedal, so if one of us is/got sick, the chances of the rest of us being infected is likely 100%, which makes the decision to keep seeing them daily pretty simple. Time seems to be flying by and I can’t recall the last time I had a conversation with a stranger, but it must have been roughly 2 weeks ago. Luckily it’s easy to be outside in the fresh air and still feel like you’re isolating, since Hemsedal is so quiet the chances of you running into anyone is pretty slim. We have even found a few spots where you can park your car close enough to a slope so there has been a few skiing days as well! Old style of course, with lots of walking since the whole system technically is closed, haha.

Down below I’ve written pieces of last weeks Journal entry’s to give you an idea of how fast everything escalated. Just a few days before the first entry we didn’t feel the effect of this virus at all. The best advice’s I have for you now is - Stay safe, stay healthy and stay put! I know the staying put part might be hard for us nomads, because some/most of us technically doesn’t have a home to return to. But now is the time to find somewhere to stay put, even if it means going home to your parents, renting an AirBnB for an entire month, crashing with friends etc.

For those of us that’s not in the risk zone the self isolation becomes more of a moral question. The virus might not be a danger to us, but the risk of us getting it and passing it on to someone in the risk zone increases if we keep going bout our daily life’s like nothing’s wrong.

Journal entry; 11/3

Today was the first time the Virus felt real. Not that I didn’t believe it existed before today, but because not even our small bubble here in Hemsedal is safe anymore. It feels more real because it’s literally at our doorstep now. 1st confirmed case in Hemsedal. We are going to drastic measures at work to contain & minimize spread which feels surreal. Part of me is scared that the government is lying about how dangerous COVID-19 actually is. Transparency in times like these aren’t exactly what they are known for if you look back in History.

Journal Entry 12/3

While sitting outside, soaking up the sun that paid us a visit, We were all reached by the message that this was the last day the lifts would be open and I wondered if people kept skiing to fully take advantage of their last day, or if they simply hadn’t checked their phones yet. Skistar, Hemsedal decided to close for a minimum of 2 weeks, together with all the bars, restaurants and cafe’s in this small little Norwegian town I currently call home. They put out a message on their app where they asked all the remaining guests & visitors to round up their stay and check out in the nearest reception. It looks like my day off will be extended - undefinetely.

Journal Entry 13/3

25 000 people are (or were) heading to Hemsedal this weekend and the government is doing everything to stop them. The commune doesn’t have enough resources to deal with a pandemic spread here so they are begging people not to come. I feel weird and blank, we all got officially laid off today and although I’m still not scared for myself yet, Neither fysical nor financial. I am starting to be scared for others. My grandma, my colleagues, my best friend’s sister & mother who both has diabetes.. All the families who’s already lost someone and all the companies that risk loosing everything. I went for a walk today to get some air and there was a weird veil lying on top of Hemsedal that gave me an uneasy feeling I couldn’t shake. Most places are closed down and the pharmacy in town only lets in one person at a time.

Journal Entry 14/3

We all gathered at work this morning at 9am to clean the entire place. We each got to talk with our boss and let her know if we wanted to stay in Hemsedal and wait it out, or resign and leave. I got some papers that I will send to the Norwegian government so that (fingers crossed) I’ll be able to get some money at least. A few of our coworkers have already left and more are leaving in the days that follows. We are still a little crew that’s decided we’re gonna stay here. There isn’t really a point in going back home now anyway.

That was everything for now, and until next time, take care & stay safe! xo Nathalie