2021 in Review

The first quarter of 2021 feels uneventful now—almost like a blur. For months, I was in a cocoon. I barely ventured beyond a two-kilometre radius from my apartment, obsessively checking COVID-19 updates every day. I gained weight from all the food I was teaching myself to cook. In hindsight, anxiety attacks and learning how to cook are not a great combination.

Physically and mentally, I wasn’t doing well. I dealt with a string of health issues: breakouts, insomnia, constant fatigue. Clinics refused to book face-to-face appointments, and telehealth appointments did little to help. It felt like being stuck in limbo—worried about my health but unable to access proper care.

By March, my anxiety had shifted outward. I was deeply concerned about the Delta variant and the devastating situation in India. When vaccines were approved for emergency use and rollout plans were announced, I finally felt a glimmer of hope. I believed that once I could return to doing what I love most—traveling—many of my health issues would ease. I knew vaccines weren’t a magic solution, but they offered something I desperately needed: a way forward.

In early May, I received my first Pfizer shot. That was when hope turned into action. I began researching destinations and sketching out real plans again. After my second dose on June 29, I was officially considered fully vaccinated by mid-July. Around that time, I watched traveler friends post photos from Europe. Their movement made my restlessness impossible to ignore.

The day after Canada Day, I bought a one-way ticket from Vancouver to Kraków, Poland. Why Poland? I had never been, and at the time it had relatively relaxed entry requirements. From that moment on, my daily routine revolved around monitoring COVID-19 rules and border updates for different countries.

Over the next few months, I explored various scenarios before deciding to combine two trips into one. The first half would take me through Eastern Europe, the Baltic States, and Scandinavia. The second half would be spent in the Caribbean and Central America—regions I had unfinished business with after cutting a 2015 trip short. This journey would be about “filling in the gaps,” both geographically and personally. I reminded myself to stay flexible and cautious, knowing the pandemic was far from over.

My journey officially began on September 8, one day after Canada reopened its borders to fully vaccinated travelers. I spent 22 days in Poland before moving on through the Baltics and several Scandinavian countries. From Copenhagen, I flew to Madrid, intending to continue on to Havana. However, airline staff refused to check me in without an antigen test done at the airport. Rather than scramble, I stayed in Madrid for another ten days and later flew to the Dominican Republic, where I stayed for over two weeks.

That’s when I realized a useful travel loophole: staying in a country longer than 14 days meant I was considered as arriving from there rather than Canada. Even if Canada was placed on a red list, it wouldn’t affect me.

Colombia wasn’t part of my original plan, but a cheap ticket from the Dominican Republic changed that. I’ve been traveling through Colombia since December 7 and am currently writing this from Cali, the country’s third-largest city. Tourism here is unevenly developed—Medellín has received much of the attention, though I personally don’t find it particularly unique. Colombia still struggles with its international image, and better infrastructure will be essential for large-scale tourism.

Looking back, 2021 hasn’t been easy for anyone. COVID-19 hasn’t disappeared, and the world is still healing. I hope more people choose to get vaccinated, because high vaccination rates bring us closer to herd immunity.

As for me, I’ve always believed that life is meant to be lived fully. I consider myself lucky if I get to spend my time doing what I love. The pandemic hasn’t changed that belief. I would rather accept uncertainty than live paralyzed by fear. My life feels close to normal again—and for now, that’s enough. I’m moving, exploring, and as happy as I can be.

Mourning the Children Who Died in Residential Schools in Canada

The recent discovery of the bodily remains of 215 indigenous children near Kamloops, BC brought back many memories of the summer that I worked in the northernmost part of British Columbia forty years ago. Five out of the six local families were First Nations. I listened to their stories and learned about their culture and hardships of living in remote parts of Canada. I also knew about the forced separations of kids from their families to live in residential schools far away. Some parents hid their children from the Canadian government. I remembered riding on the back of a motorcycle driven by a 14 year old indigenous boy who did not have a birth certificate. In my 18-year old mind, indigenous people are strong yet gentle. I have gained a deep respect for the First Nations Canadians.

So far no details were revealed about the identity of the 215 children. I pray that the identity and cause of death of each child could be sorted out and proper reburials could take place soon. With modern technology, this task should not be too challenging even though many school records are missing or destroyed. The First Nations people have expressed their desire to keep the residential schools standing. Perhaps some of these buildings could be turned into museums so that future generations can learn from this dark chapter in Canadian history how to maintain equality of all cultures in Canada. Multiculturalism can then truly exist in the country. Defacing the statues of historical figures such as John A. Macdonald and Egerton Ryerson does not do anything to rectify their wrongdoings or to change history.

In terms of the atrocities that the residential school students had to face under the administration of the Catholic church, the Pope should apologize to the First Nations families for the prejudice and negligence of the priests and nuns who ran the residential schools. In addition, the church should submit all the records in their possession. It is a common practice for three levels of Canadian government to "contract" out everyday operation of public services e.g. schools, hospitals, housing, etc. to non-profit organizations. More often than not, these NPO's breach the trust that the public has placed in them and mismanage according to their whims. In this case, the abuses these residential school students suffered, were apparently results of the personality flaws of the authoritative figures (priests and nuns). 

People in mainstream society worry that there will be a lot of litigations brought forth by admitting to past mistakes. However, we must realize that reconciliation and moving forward can only start by uncovering the truth, acknowledging and apologizing to wrongdoings. To all the children who suffered and/or passed away in residential schools, I offer you my heart and tears. May all these young, innocent souls rest in peace.