2021: A year in review – So What Now Else?

It’s almost the end of 2022 and I realised that I haven’t put down my reminisces from 2021. Let me think and write down whatever I remember happened to me in 2021.

So, in 2021, we were still in the middle of a pandemic. Thanks to closed borders and strict COVID protocols, Australia was doing fairly compared to the rest of the world. I got a promotion at work this year. I have been waiting for it for the past 3 years. And it was not an easy one to get. I found another job and told my manager that I was resigning. So, I was on the negotiating end and got a promotion plus a very good raise.

I had my parental leave pending, which I didn’t want to waste. So, I planned to take it. I had been delaying it because I was hoping the borders would open and I would travel somewhere in the world during the time of this leave. But unfortunately, borders were still closed, and my leave was due to expire in June. So, I took my leave and, guess what... I stayed at home. I watched a tonne of Netflix and Pakistani dramas. I wasted 8 weeks doing nothing, or should I say "relaxing". I did do some renovations at home, but they weren’t significant enough.

In the middle of the year, Sydney went into lockdown. The lockdown lasted for 4 months. This lockdown was stricter than the previous one. People were actually scared this time. It became a daily ritual to know how many people had contracted COVID and how many couldn't survive. There was news of new infections and new variants everywhere. This has been the hardest time of the pandemic.

In 2021, I started to realise that I had become calmer. I have started ignoring things that used to annoy me. I don't know whether it was me being calmer or feeling depressed or helpless in this situation.

In 2021, I desperately wanted to travel overseas to somewhere I haven’t been before, like Canada or Bali. I was missing home, so I wanted to visit Pakistan. My brother-in-law was getting married, and my in-laws were waiting for us to visit Pakistan, but the stupid Australian government was not opening the borders. The vaccines came and people were getting vaccinated, but the incompetent government was quite slow in its roll-out. In October, there was hope that borders might open in November. I acted smartly and booked refundable airline tickets to Pakistan. I got a good deal. Luckily, the government decided to open borders, and we managed to get onto a flight and travel to Pakistan. On our way to Lahore, we spent a couple of days in Dubai. The trip was quite stressful because of the COVID PCR tests that one must take before boarding a flight. In December, the wedding happened. My brother and sister also came to Lahore during the second half of December. All four siblings were together after almost 6 years or so. To be honest, I was a bit nervous about the Lahore trip due to the tussle between my father and in-laws. This thing has been going on for the past so many years, and I can escape from it whenever I visit Lahore.

Overall, 2021 was a mixed year. I was happy that I was finally able to travel overseas. I think lockdown did have some impact on my mental health. I got a promotion, got a good salary rise, travelled back home, met my parents and siblings, and tried to be calmer. So, what else can I expect from Pandemic Year 2?

Its 13 March 2023 and I realized that I didn't mention one incident that happen in 2021. My beloved Khala passed away. I have been closest to her among all my uncles and aunts. Her loss was tragic and thinking of her brings tear to my eyes. She was wonderful to me. There has been some awkward distance since my marriage, which I believe was more on my end. I still miss her.