Gratitude Journal 2020: “Our Holidays Will Feel Different”

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This festive season, we get to speak to some of Beijing’s families to hear what the year 2020 has meant to them. Despite the many downs this year has dealt us all, there is always a reason to be grateful. Join us as we count down all the reasons we are grateful for the year 2020. If you wish to be featured in this series, please contact our Deputy Managing Editor at [e-mail]. 

For the Northcott family, after a year that ended with the loss of a close family member,  2020 held great hope and promise. But as the COVID-19 global pandemic took new and serious turns, it was clear that this would not be just another typical year for the family. Like many families who were outside of the country when China closed its borders, the Northcotts were stuck in Thailand, unable to return to their home in Beijing. Seven months, a whole lot of patience and a period of quarantine later, the long-term Beijingers finally made it back, with dad Steve Northcott and Mom Hannah Northcott returning to their positions at the  International School of Beijing (ISB) as an MS Art teacher and MS Drama teacher respectively, and their daughters Catalina and Ariella to their student life in grade 3 and kindergarten, also at ISB.

Through the WellWomen platform which Hannah Northcott co-founded, she continues to encourage positivity and self-fulfillment for expats living in Beijing. It is, therefore, no surprise that even in this difficult year, Hannah was able to guide her family through it all, one grateful moment at a time.

Beijingkids (BJK): What was your family’s initial reaction to the global pandemic?

Hannah Northcott (HN): We were in Beijing when the coronavirus first struck in Wuhan and the first dilemma we faced was, “Should we stay or should we go?”

Schools shut down and quickly moved to an e-learning platform. Trying to teach our classes and facilitate e-learning for our girls at home was hard. Then Steve’s dad, Jim, was hospitalized in February.

Steve flew to Canada just in time to spend a couple of hours with his dad before Jim Northcott passed away.

We didn’t think that when dad Jim brought us to the Toronto airport in August of 2019 that it would be the last time that the girls would hug their grandpa. We grieved from afar but we’re thankful that Steve was able to travel home and be with the family.

Steve returned to Beijing in early March then we decided to go to Thailand. For a bit…or so we thought…

Ariella (AN): Sad, because I don’t like masks and we had to go through quarantine.

Catalina (CN): I felt a little uncomfortable and scared because when COVID started we had to wear masks all the time.

BJK: What were some of your greatest concerns or sources of anxiety this year?

HN: We packed for a couple of weeks for Thailand and ended up staying for seven months.

When China closed the borders in late March, it triggered a lot of anxious thoughts like –

• When will we be able to go back home to Beijing?

• Should we stay in Thailand or fly to Canada?

• When will we get our PU? What wave will we be on?

• Will we need to quarantine? How will that look like? How much will that cost?

• What will happen to our jobs? What if we lose our jobs?

• What if we’re not back by November? Will our contracts be renewed?

The wait felt excruciatingly long and the information trickled slowly; however, when we got our PU letters in September, things moved faster.

Arriving back in Beijing felt like reaching the peak of a mountain. It was an uphill battle but it feels so good to be back.

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BJK: How did you as a family cope/manage the anxiety around that uncertain time?

CN: To deal with the hard things while in Thailand, my mom and dad put me in a school so I wouldn’t get bored and have to do e-learning. I met new friends and some of my classmates even spoke Chinese.

AN: In Thailand, I’m thankful that we went to a school so that we were not so bored. I’m happy that our family can be together and that we’re back in ISB with our friends.

HN: I practiced Magical Morning, a daily routine that focused and nourished my mind, strengthened my body, and managed my emotions. It helped me in such a big way that my friend, Rebecca and I had to share about it!

We hosted two 21 days of Magical Morning Mastermind sessions that connected women from around the world. We connected women virtually during a time when a lot of us felt isolated and lonely. Some women were in China and some were also displaced. It created a safe space for us to share and connect via Zoom and WeChat.

Our family also connected with China-based families at Huahin, Thailand. Most of us were teachers with young kids and we met at the beach once a week and called it #ThirstyThursday.

Having faith, connecting with family, practicing Magical Morning, and building community  – online and offline – were the four big things that helped me manage my mental health and emotions during uncertain times. It was a balance between self and community care.

BJK: What surprised you the most as a family about each other, and about the city of Beijing this year?

HN: Early in our marriage, Steve and I dreamed of having two kids because we wanted them to have each other in this transient lifestyle. That paid off during quarantine because they had each other to play with. Did they fight? Absolutely! But there were more good times than bad. We saw how resilient they were.

AN: When things got hard, I just did it.

HN: Ariella celebrated her sixth birthday in quarantine in Beijing and the hotel staff surprised her with a song, cake, and a gift. “You have the same birthday as China,” said the English speaking staff member under a hazmat suit.

Amidst the stringent protocols, underneath the PPE were kind hearts who made a girl feel special on her birthday.

BJK: What are some of the most important lessons and takeaways you have from this year?

HN: We got each other. Aside from our family, the community has been essential to help us make it through tough times. We created virtual communities in WellWomen and hosted several challenges to give them a positive focus, build healthy habits, and tap into the power of community.

Serving others and giving them something to focus on and smile about also filled my cup. This was something that a lot of other women shared with me.

Steve even wrote a song called “We’ve Got Each Other.” 

BJK: What are some things you believe you and your family will no longer take for granted after this year?

AN: I had a lot of time with my family and when things got super hard, I had mommy, daddy, and Catalina.

HN: It made us reflect on what matters and how we can prioritize our time for the things that will allow us to live well, love well, and be well.

BJK: What are you most grateful for in this year?

HN: As a family, we’re thankful that we spent a lot of time together, made new friends, connected with the community, and experienced a lot of personal growth.

I’m also thankful to be a part of the International School of Beijing and that we’re teaching our classes in brand new performing art spaces and that our kids can reunite with their classmates, friends, and teachers at the ISB Dual Language program.

I’m thankful for our WellWomen community and how we’ve gone through this hard thing, together.

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Since the pandemic began, several WellWomen have hosted wellness challenges and currently, there is an “Attitude for Gratitude” (hosted by Rebecca A) challenge that is happening so that we can flip the narrative in our minds and see the good that is happening for us and around us.

Here is a collage from our WellStyle challenges.

BJK: Is there anything you will do differently in the year 2021 as a family?

HN: Yes! We won’t travel and take the risk of being stranded outside of Beijing again.

BJK: If you had to do 2020 all over again, what would you do the same, what would you change, and what lessons do you feel you will pay more attention to as a family?

HN: If we can turn back time, would we choose to leave Beijing in March?

I would still choose the same path that we took. It’s been hard but I’m thankful for the journey and how it has changed us for the better. Being back feels like a huge accomplishment, an answered prayer, and closure of a chapter in this saga but the story isn’t over yet…

We still have friends and colleagues who are still waiting to get back. On the flip side, we’re wondering when we can leave Beijing, travel, and see our families again. We’re all in different points in this journey. What matters is recognizing that everyone has faced or is going through some form of adversity.

BJK: Do you have a holiday message for other families in Beijing?

HN: This holiday season will be hard for many of us because we can’t be with family members that we often visit at this time. Our holiday celebrations will feel different. The people around the dinner table won’t be the same. There are family members that we won’t see and we’re worried, we won’t be able to see again.

Some parents will be away from their children and some won’t be able to visit their elderly folks.

It sucks. It’s hard. And we’re all doing it. Together.

Whether you’ve stayed in China this year or have just gotten back, there are people with similar experiences who truly understand how you feel. Celebrate this season with friends and connect with the community…perhaps we’ll discover that family isn’t just about blood relations. There are things that bind, connect, and weave our lives together.

May this holiday give space for reflection and a celebration of overcoming hardships, pushing through difficulty, rising above challenges, and feeling the blessings and the love that is available in the here and now.

Find the WellWomen community by following WellWomen on WeChat.

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Photos: Courtesy of Hannah Northcott 

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