Anastacia | Whangārei, Northland

“That Covid-19 was a bit of a long, long-haul. So far, we’re down to Level 2. That’s pretty good. My ex-husband, has got a Filipino. I don’t think she can come over here. He wants her over here. So, I don’t know what happens with that.

Anyway, with this Covid-19, it’s been so quiet. Everyone was slowed down, lining up, getting pissed off about lining up in the markets, and all the streets were empty. There was nothing. You couldn’t go shopping, nothing. Now you can. But I’m really pleased it’s happened, but now you have to sign a book every time you go in the shops, put your name down, which is okay. But I’m glad it’s now Level 2. I want to go down to see my daughters, be with my daughters, but I can’t now. I don’t know what’s going on down near my two daughters. 

I do the loop a lot. I walk the loop with a dog. Her name’s Julie. I walk her a lot, walk around there, I joined a fitness group, a fitness class. So, I’ll get fit, because I got fat now. I’m going a bit fat now so I’ll get my weight down. Get some muscle back, because in Covid-19 it wasn’t open. 

I wasn’t out on the street during lockdown but it was really quiet, man. It was a horrible feeling. Just walked to the loop and it was quiet. No-one around. Hardly anyone around. The coffee shop wasn’t even open. The famous coffee shop. That place wasn’t open. Nothing was open. 

Well, you know, what?  No-one told me it was lockdown. So, welfare never told me. They never told me it was lockdown this day. I never knew it was lockdown. It’s just as well, they never told me, either. See, nothing no one said boo. I was really pissed off. 

I had a lot of, I had a lot of things happen to me. I was also on the streets myself, twice. Oh no, three times. Then I ended up going back to Northland because my ex-partner wanted me there at hospital with him, to look after him and see if he’s alright, after the operation. He just had a big operation, and I left and I ended up in a mental health unit. Then, I left that place, went back home again. We had to come back to Whangārei, and stayed ever since in Whangārei. 

I want to meet my daughters. I’ve never met them in my whole life. Never, ever. I’ve never met them from day one. Taken away from day one. I want to meet my daughters, two girls, and see my oldest daughter again, because I haven’t seen her for years, and my son I haven’t seen him, never seen him. He was in my arms. That was when I saw him, in my arms, then he was gone. He cried and then he was gone. Didn’t even know where he was. I want to see them. I’m getting old, so I want to see them, otherwise I might be in the grave one day, and never get to meet them or see them. It’s a money thing, trying to travel down to get to see them. They live down the line. I don’t think I’ll be able to, yeah I don’t know. I texted my daughter she won’t text back now, so I can’t go down and meet her. That’s what mattered in my life, my children. I was going to meet my son, my white son, little white baby, blonde hair. He’s on my arm. Heard him cry when he left. Never got to meet him at all.”