Melissa's Story

Take a listen to an Alberta teacher's story by clicking on the orange play button. You can also read through the interview via the transcript at the bottom.

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Melissa's Story: Recorded on March 9th 2022.

Bailea Jackson 00:01

All right, so I'm here, starting our new interview, if you could introduce yourself, please.

Melissa 00:10

My name is Melissa. I'm a first year teacher in Edmonton, Alberta. And I've lived in Alberta my whole life.

Bailea Jackson 00:19

Nice. Same area?

Melissa 00:20

Same area. So I live just outside of St. Albert. So I live in Sturgeon County.

Bailea Jackson 00:26

Okay, cool. Awesome. Alright, we'll jump into our first questions. So this is kind of a general question. And then I'll ask about your specific perspective. But what might someone living in Alberta choose to consider the start of the pandemic? So Albertans in general, what do you think?

Melissa 00:47

I think, the major shutdown in March 2020.

Bailea Jackson 00:51

Oh, yeah.

Melissa 00:52

Would be what most people consider to be the start of the pandemic, because everything shut down. And then I think from there, that's kind of where it went.

Bailea Jackson 01:03

Yeah, for sure. And is that what you specifically or?

Melissa 01:06

I do, yeah.

Bailea Jackson 01:07

For sure.

Melissa 01:07

Like, a couple days before we shut down. I was talking to some of my friends, they're like, it's gonna shut down. And I was like, No, there's, there's no way like, in my mind, I honestly didn't believe it. I was like, No, there's no way that we're gonna shut down. And then, yeah, that was on a Tuesday. And then on the Thursday, they were like, Okay, we're canceling a bunch of things. Like, my work was cancelled, my practicum was cancelled. And then everything shut down from there.

Bailea Jackson 01:36

It was real.

Melissa 01:37

It was real!

Bailea Jackson 01:39

Just a matter of a few days too. Okay, so how have you marked celebrations with your friends and family during the pandemic?

Melissa 01:50

They've been super small. I've hung out with my family, like my immediate family. So like my dad, my mom, my brother and me were all in the same house. And then my sister, she moved out a while back. So she's in Edmonton. So we would do, we would do like celebrations. It'd be like the four of us and then my sister would come in, but she'd always wear a mask.

Bailea Jackson 02:14

Gotcha, yeah.

Melissa 02:14

So usually, we'd be in masks, and then she'd kind of come in. And then we'd have like, really small get togethers. Sometimes we actually, right before the pandemic, moved my grandparents into a senior's home. So right before it closed down, we move them out. And so it was hard to get them out for celebrations because they weren't allowed to leave. They'd have to just stay inside. And if they did come out, they'd have to isolate for two weeks. So then you can't go around the building. You can't do anything. So yeah, it was like super, super small, just like immediate family. And then yeah, my sister would like kind of sneak into our house because you weren't really supposed to, but she lives alone. So you were technically allowed to have an extra person come into your house if they lived alone. So, but it was pretty small. My brother graduated high school.

Bailea Jackson 03:10

During the pandemic?

Melissa 03:11

Yeah. So we shut down March 2020. He was scheduled to graduate in June. So we celebrated his graduation kind of, with like a cake, and then pictures. Which, like, my mom was really sad about. Because, like, it's her last kid. So yeah. So she saw like, my sister, and then me. So that hit her hard. Like, oh, my youngest kid. So yeah, he ended up and his school didn't do anything. So like, I know, a lot of schools in St. Albert had like, drive throughs they did like, going to your house. Yeah, my brothers highschool, nope. Nothing. They give him a little sign on the front lawn that was like, congratulations. But yeah, so he actually graduated during it. And then following year was my university convocation, which still wasn't in person. So for that, it was all online. And it was just kind of like, congratulations. The university sent out that like, a little flag. That said congratulations and it sits on my piano right now.

Bailea Jackson 04:30

With that, I mean, like, if they hadn't done anything, would it have made a difference? Like, do you still feel like that was a special moment?

Melissa 04:40

Like, it was better. I would, I would have been sad if they wouldn't have done anything. And I know a lot of people had wanted to defer their convocation. And we were told no. So yeah. So there was a lot of people if you were scheduled to graduate in, so like my classes were done in April, you were scheduled for the June convocation. Unless you were taking more courses. You couldn't just be like, can I graduate next year?

Bailea Jackson 05:08

Which is the same as before COVID. Yeah.

Melissa 05:11

So you couldn't do your convocation. So I think, yeah, it was nice to get something in the mail. But the convocation itself was not very personal. Because like, usually you'd go in, you'd be with all the education students. Right? You'd be with all the science students. And it was one convocation for the whole university and yeah.

Bailea Jackson 05:39

Whoa, must have been long.

Melissa 05:40

It was long. I did not watch the whole thing. I feel bad that I did not watch the whole thing. The way they like called names or whatever, was like, you know, at the end of the movie, of the credits, it was that, it was rolling, you paused it to see my name. And there was, it was super long, like the names, you could go on to a separate thing to find education names and science names and stuff like that. But like when it's like rolling, I do like a quick clap for my friend and then I just sit and then I'd scroll through. And I was like, Okay, last name 'L'. There I am. Slow clap. Then I'd be like, Yeah, I'm done. That was the convocation. So, it's kind of, yeah.

Bailea Jackson 06:28

Well, I mean, since we're kind of talking about technology a little bit for your, like, birthdays and other things. Did you use technology for any of those celebrations? Or is it was that just like your immediate family type situation?

Melissa 06:41

We would use like Zoom and FaceTime for, I have family that lives in BC. So they live in Victoria. And so we would FaceTime them all the time, especially if it was something to do with my grandparents. So if, yeah, if they ended up being able to come out because they had really strict rules to start, and then they kind of loosen and then they got strict again. So there were times when - I think it was Thanksgiving, I think Thanksgiving of 2020 we had a little garage party, but it was really cold. And our garage has like a heater, but it was it was cold. So we all have like little lawn chairs. And we did end up doing like a zoom thing with my family that was in BC. But my mom was pretty big on this social distance we are our own cohort kind of thing. So my aunt had come out and yeah, we were in the garage, like, every person was separated. My mom actually like she would put her like gloves on. And like scoop everybody's food.

Bailea Jackson 07:22

Oh, cool.

Melissa 07:35

Yeah. So yeah, things like that we would use Zoom. But it was more so for..

Bailea Jackson 07:59

Out of town.

Melissa 07:59

Like out of town people

Bailea Jackson 08:01

Who physically couldn't get to you?

Melissa 08:03

Yeah, yeah.

Bailea Jackson 08:03

Okay, cool.

Melissa 08:04

Like, I never really yeah, we never really did zoom with like, my sister or like my grandparents. Just kind of wait it out and then like, have them come over.

Bailea Jackson 08:13

Okay, cool. Um, so how has your daily routine changed because of the pandemic.

Melissa 08:21

It has changed a lot. I still work three jobs. But like beforehand, I worked my three jobs, but I'd work them and then I'd like go out with my friends. Or I'd hang out with people. And I eat dinner with my family. And yeah, when it first started, like when the pandemic first started, I would just kind of stay at home. There wasn't really much to do you just hang out, especially when we were in that big lockdown. We kind of had a, my mom was the only person that was really allowed to go to the grocery store. She would go out and like, I don't know, I used to get a coffee every day. And when everything shut down, I literally just sat at home and did puzzles and stuff like that. It was so chill for so long. And like, going from like having three jobs to having literally nothing was in a way like at the beginning, I was like, this is so lovely. I could do this for my life. Then, like the two weeks hit, and they're like, actually, we're gonna extend this. And I was like, whoa, number one any more puzzles, number two I don't think I can live this life anymore. Like, there's no way that -

Bailea Jackson 09:36

the puzzles are sold out! Hahaha.

Melissa 09:37

Like, you say that but it was so true. My mom was trying to get like puzzles because she was like, my kid is going insane. She's sitting in the basement. Like we redid our whole basement, and I was like, obsessed. Hahah. I need something to do, and like a normal floor, like because we did - I don't know what's called like, it looks like hardwood but it's not hardwood? Fake hardwood. We took like - I ripped out the carpet and I literally I did it in two days. Because I was like so obsessive about it. I was working through the night. And then it was like, it's all done. This has been two days, like I needed this to last a whole week. But then like, as it went on, I like kind of started going out. Like, I'd be like, oh, like I text a friend and be like, do you wanna go for coffee? But even then, it would be getting a coffee and like being in separate cars. Because, like, I still was fairly hesitant about it. My dad was pretty intense, because he's like, has like a really bad immune system. So he was like, super intense about it about like people going out. And that's why my mom was the only one that was really allowed to go to the grocery store. So that was like the start. And then I started my practicum in October of 2020. So then the routine changed again, because Fountain Park hired me back. And so I was like working a little bit there. But I was also doing my practicum. But I still have to be super cautious. Because of my dad. So like, the one time somebody was like, Okay, you're close contact my dad, like freaked out. And they were like you, you can't get a test. Because you personally are not the close contact and you don't have symptoms. And he'd be like, just say that you have symptoms just so you can get the test. I don't think you can do that. Right? So then like, it was better, because then I had like a job. And then I also had my practicum. So it was like kind of getting back to normal. And that October, and November, and December where I actually like finish out my practicum. But it was like technically supposed to be my second practicum. Because the first one that I was supposed to do was like totally cut off.

Bailea Jackson 09:46

Gotcha. They didn't try to like make up for it?

Melissa 12:05

Nope.

Bailea Jackson 12:05

No. Okay.

Melissa 12:06

So the first practicum that I did, I got three, like preparation days where you get to meet the kids. And then on the day that it was supposed to start, they called everybody. And they were like, No, we actually are having kids come in to grab their stuff. So they were having like kids come in and grab their stuff and go like the day my practicum was suposed to start. And then because of that, they ended up putting my first practicum, which is supposed to be five weeks, online but I didn't teach online. It was just online assignments. So they'd be like, make a lesson plan for like whatever grade you were supposed to teach for Language Arts, for Science. So what was supposed to be a five week practicum took me like probably I think I did it in like a week. Just like seven days. I handed in my assignments. Most of them were already done, because I already had lesson plans prepared for my practicum. So I just kind of handed them in. But yeah, the second practicum which is nine weeks I actually finished it out. No problems.

Bailea Jackson 13:18

Were you really nervous?

Melissa 13:19

I was, I was super nervous. I, like, the first practicum is called an IFX - it's called Introductory. Because you teach up to 50%. So you're not, like when you go in, they're not like you're, you're a full blown teacher, right? They're like, Hey, these are some things that work. You're kind of getting like to know kids, how do you build relationships, you get to learn like classroom management skills, and then hopefully get a feel for all the subjects. Like specifically Elementary. So it's just supposed to be like, really chill. It's not supposed to scare people away. Right? It's really meant to be a nice time. And so then when you go to your advanced practicum it's nine weeks and you are supposed to teach 80%.

Bailea Jackson 14:16

And you don't have to worry about learning how to manage classrooms.

Melissa 14:19

And you don't have to, yeah, exactly. Like you should, in theory already know that. So when I was like going into that one, they were like you have no lead up days. So those three kind of intro days that we had for the first practicum and they like you don't get those in your advanced practicum. Because it's your advanced practicum you should already know how to do it. And we're all like, so we don't know the kids, we don't know the teacher, right? And because of that because of the pandemic and because they canceled so many before practicums they had people trying to kind of layer up their practicum. So they didn't have enough teachers, like at all to, do all practicum students specifically from, like the University of Alberta, let alone all the other schools. So a lot of people were doubled, which for 80%, if you need to teach 80% of a class and you're doubled with somebody, you can't teach 80%. So when they did it, you had the, I think the announcement on the Friday, and the following Monday, you were in your practicum. And so I was like, because they were so backed up on trying to get people placed they literally could not place people. It was so crazy. And so people who maybe I don't, I don't know that people who weren't qualified, were able to take students, but I think they were pretty chillax on, like, who got to take who.

Bailea Jackson 14:26

Because they just needed to put them somewhere.

Melissa 14:56

They just need to put them somewhere. And then the requirement for teaching was instead of 80%, it was 50 - 80%. So you could teach anywhere from 50% of the class to 80% of the class. Which is a little bit worrisome when you think about it. Because if you had a practicum student who only taught 50% the whole nine weeks that they were there.

Bailea Jackson 16:23

Yeah. And then they get their own class.

Melissa 16:25

Then they get their own class and like, well, I've only ever taught 50%. That's like, woah, that's totally crazy.

Bailea Jackson 16:34

And I'm sure that people will be maybe watching to see how the that effects of that and then a couple of years will - has that affected anything?

Melissa 16:46

And well, yeah. Right. Oh, and then there's people who I went to school with, and they're like, I don't think I can get a job. And even like, with things like kind of loosening up, they're like, we can do all these things in the classroom. And like, just like, as a first year teacher, I'm like, Well, okay, that's new to me anyways, but it's new to me because in my practicum, we weren't allowed to do anything pretty much. You can't partner kids up, like in all the things that you learn in education is collaboration and teamwork and sharing, like doing all this stuff. And like manipulatives for math. And you could not do that. Unless you wanted to spend your whole evening sanitizing things. Right? Or if you wanted to sanitize things in between. So I don't know, like theory to application did not work out for I think most people. Like, yeah, so the practicum itself, like it was fun. And it was great. But, kind of, yeah, it was an up and down little spiral there, for sure. And then yeah, I got hired back on to teach swimming lessons at Fountain Park. But then, I think it was in November, numbers started going up. So we got laid off again. So everybody there was gone. So then I didn't have a job again. And it just went right back to... I go to my practicum and then I come home and be like, Okay, what do I do know, right? That's cooking a lot. I'm not good at cooking still. But I tried my best. And then Christmas was super weird, because usually we'd go places. I knew it was so weird to be at home. Like well, not to be at home because we usually have like a small Christmas at home. And then we like go to like separate grandparents places. But yeah, I was like, didn't feel like Christmas.

Bailea Jackson 18:49

Yeah, for sure. Yeah. And I think a lot of people would probably say that it doesn't feel like before. Yeah, doesn't feel like Christmas, doesn't feel like my birthday, doesn't feel like I've graduated.

Melissa 19:00

No. I'm just like here. I'm just coasting.

Bailea Jackson 19:03

I'm just existing in this space.

Melissa 19:06

Right? Well, and then like for, because I did my advance practicum and then I chose to take another practicum because like, you can take a specialized practicum which is 15 days. So not that much at all. You're really not supposed to -it's not meant to teach, you do it in like a specialized setting. So you can do it in like an interactions class, which specializes in like autism. I ended up doing mine in a kindergarten class. So that practicum like restrictions were lifting a little bit and that was in like February, March, April. So they like kind of like petered out a little bit and then they came back, so that practicum was a lot different though because they would like yeah, sanitize in between doing like centers. But in my advanced practicum like I would never have dreamed of that I was like, no. These kids have to stay as far apart as they can.

Bailea Jackson 20:05

Don't touch anything.

Melissa 20:06

Don't touch anything. Right? And then the kindergartners didn't have to wear masks. Because they were so young.

Bailea Jackson 20:12

Yes, because there was that age.

Melissa 20:14

So it's super weird. So my routine was like, in the trash can. Still kind of is, yeah. Like summer kind of threw me off. Because summer, they took all the restrictions out, right, like this past summer. And I was like, Whoa. So yeah, working full time in the summer. And then coming back to now, where I got a teaching job, which is fine, and I'm working full time. But I'm still like, I go to work and I go home. That's it. Because I can't really...

Bailea Jackson 20:47

That's your routine.

Melissa 20:48

Yeah. I can't really go out with my friends. Because like, for the most part, they're working too, because now they have to. Right? They don't really have that option of like, 'after university, I'm taking a year off.' Because they weren't making any money. Like, a year, like for two years. Right? So.

Bailea Jackson 21:04

Yeah, that's a good point.

Melissa 21:05

Go to work. I go home. And then I go back to work. Hahaha.

Bailea Jackson 21:11

Okay, so, um, as someone who works in your community, can you think of any moments that have happened because of the pandemic that have changed how you perceive your community? And that could be any of your communities that you find yourself, you know, involved in or around?

Melissa 21:35

I think like school wise. I, my, my view of school is so different. But also like, my view of like, the people in my school since I started in September, and numbers were okay. But, like masks were still in. And then they started the vaccination program and stuff like that. But you could really tell the people who were like, full blown, yeah, let's do it. The other people who are like, I will come to the school and I will get you sick. And I was like, okay, we need to chill. Right? So like, perception wize like, even with the other teachers. It was kind of like, Oh, I thought this was gonna be a fun first year. And I'm like, Well, we're in it.

Bailea Jackson 22:28

Yeah. Was it shocking? Or were you kind of expecting the fact that there would be people who, like, you're not all on the same page, even though you're all teachers, even though you're all dealing with kids? And we're all going through the pandemic? Was it surprising to see that some people?

Melissa 22:47

I think, yes. Because I don't know, I think that if you go into, like teaching, especially the school I'm at has three interactions classes, so they don't wear masks, they can't wear masks, most of them. Right? So, and a lot of the kids have siblings in those classes. But those are a lot of the kids who are like, my mom told me, I'm not getting vaccinated, because we don't believe in that. But you have a really vulnerable kid in your school and your household. And so teacher wise, I was really shocked. Especially those ones. If you work in a really vulnerable classroom, then you think, I don't know, just in my mind, I'm like, Oh, if you're trying to protect the kids that you're working with, because in theory, as a teacher, you're not in it for yourself, you're in it for the kids, then I don't know. It's kind of a weird, kind of a weird view for me.

Bailea Jackson 23:51

Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Absolutely. Okay, so how has the pandemic changed or challenge relationships in Alberta? And this is another kind of general province wide question.

Melissa 24:07

Change or challenge relationships. I imagine it's challenged a lot of relationships and that you couldn't see a lot of people. Right? So you're - I don't want to say you're stuck with who you're stuck with, but I have a friend who was in a relationship. And I don't know, like, four years before the pandemic started, right. So they had been dating for like four years. And then the pandemic started, and it was like, Oh, we get to spend so much time together. Right? We're having a great time. Yeah, first year. Then the second year, the pandemic comes along, and it's like, I am going to pull my hair out, right? Like, this person is driving me totally mad because I'm in so, like, such close quarters with them. So I think like, if you were stuck with people, right, it's probably just been irritating. Or even just like hanging out with my family, I'm like, Oh my gosh, I need to go hang out in a different room. I can only imagine if you're stuck with one person. But then there's the other people who it's like, okay, you were stuck with one person, but you didn't see however many people for let's say, like a year or two. And now you're just like strangers to them. Right? So I think I think it's probably changed, like crazy relationships. And people probably like, even interacting with other people, like I have seen, like, kids in school, like, I wasn't in schools obviously beforehand, but as a kid, I was in school. And I had the ability to be social. The kids that are in a lot of my classes, and I see it like at school, I see that swimming lessons. Have no idea how to be social with other people. And like, so relationship wise, like, between just people, is just all over the place. Like we have - there's a lot of fighting. Like, like, just like, we don't know how to interact with other kids. So you have kids that can't get along, because they have no idea how to interact with another kid that's not either their sibling, right, or like a cousin or something. And then they come to school, and they're expected to behave. Right? They're expected to do work. Where for like, say, the kids that are in grade four, they haven't been expected to do that for two years unless it was online. So yeah.

Bailea Jackson 26:51

Just developmentally - in grade two, than you are in grade four. Yeah, that makes sense.

Melissa 26:56

And so if kids are coming back and they used to be at school with these kids, yeah, maybe they were friends, but now two years later they're like, yeah I know you but... Yeah, there's like I I see a lot of social issues. Can't interact together. Can't problem solve. Yeah, I see a ton of problem solving skills. So immediately comes to the teacher. Well, what do I do? Did you try and ask them? Well no. Right? They have no idea how to talk to another kid. So we have, like multiple health lessons about, hey, this is how - these are the things you can say, as a compliment. Right? Fill in the blank. Okay, if you're having a problem, talk to the person first, listen to what they're saying. So, yeah. I'm seeing a lot of social relationships. Really interesting right now.

Bailea Jackson 27:50

Yeah. Especially with kids, for sure. Okay, and then specifically with yourself, has there been any moments where your relationships have changed or been challenged in some way because of the pandemic?

Melissa 28:03

I think work wise, when I was in my practicums, it was weird, because you couldn't see any other teacher. It was just you, your mentor, teacher, and your classroom. So no staff room. So you wouldn't interact with anybody? Right? So that was a little bit weird. And now the staff room is open. But we're still kind of in cohorts. So you hang out in your classroom all day, and you kind of pass people in the halls. But for me, I'm in a brand new school. I know my co teachers, but everybody else I kind of like wave at them. Like I know your name. But I don't know you right? Yeah, because we're not supposed to be hanging out together.

Bailea Jackson 28:53

No opportunity.

Melissa 28:54

Yeah, like our staff meetings are online. So we don't like go to the library to do our staff meetings are all online. Everybody's cameras on but their mics are off. Right? So, yeah, workwise. I feel like relationships that I did have, say like teaching swimming lessons. Yeah, I can still like talk to my coworkers. But in being at a new job, I've not built very many relationships, unless it's with my co teachers who are in the same classroom with me. And we see each other in passing, or if it's like the principal. Right?

Bailea Jackson 29:34

Because your principals, your supervisors. They have to kind of.

Melissa 29:37

So they have to talk to me. Haha. But people aren't going out of their way to be like, hey, you're the new girl on the block. How's it going? Because they, number one, don't have time, and number two, you're not really supposed to go anywhere else and our kids aren't supposed to like intermingle at all. Like, say like at recess, they have their assigned zones. And they do - like we go in the boot room at different times. So yeah, I see the teachers standing at the door dismissing their kids, and we just pass, and we say, 'Hey!'

Bailea Jackson 30:15

Yeah, and I can imagine, especially starting in a new industry, that can be very challenging because you want to network. You want to see, how do you teach this or whatever? How do you deal with these situations, so not being able to talk with more than just, you know, the person you're partnered with this? Yeah, it can be challenging. Cool. Okay. And keeping up with COVID updates internationally, nationally, and provincially. What resources do you trust to give you the information that you need?

Melissa 30:49

I wish I was more up to date on these things. Most of my information honestly came from the Alberta Government website. That was pretty much the one that it was super accessible. It seemed accurate. I can't guarantee you but for the most part, it had what I needed to know. I tried really hard - my mom was really into watching the news at first. And then it just like as you keep watching it, it's like draining. And he was on in our house all the time. That Can you turn it off? Like I get it. I totally like, we're in our house. At this point, we don't need to know it. We can just turn it off. And like, half of what was being said, like, say on the news, always seemed, like, I'm not saying like, people want to like die it down and be like, Oh, it's nothing. But they would just hype it up to the point where it was like, Okay, we need to chill for a second. Like, that can't be the only thing on the news. I understand that it was like the biggest thing there. But, so news wise, I kind of like turned it off. I was over it. A couple of weeks in.

Bailea Jackson 32:07

Fair enough. And so you said you were looking at the Alberta website. Is that something that you continued throughout? Or is that something you did at the beginning? Or do you still look at it?

Melissa 32:18

Um, at the beginning, I started at the beginning. And then my dad would give us the updates anyways, he was on it every single day. So we'd walk upstairs, he'd be like, Hey, these are the numbers for today. Great. I don't need to check. He would be there spitting facts. And I'd be like, Okay. So at the beginning, like I was checking it, and then I didn't need to check it anymore, because my dad would just be there with it. And then I was, I was on the page quite a bit during my practicum. Because I want to see what the numbers were like. I became number obsessed. Right? You're like, oh, it's at a 1000 today. I wonder what it's gonna be tomorrow. Right? So I watch it just to be like, are they going to cancel? Like, just like, anticipation wise, like, super anxious about the numbers. Because it kind of deferred to when they were shutting things down. So like, in the beginning, they shut things down. And then even though our numbers were really, really high, like in other times, they were like, Oh, we're fine. Right? So I'd be like, I don't know what's coming next. The numbers are really - the numbers are saying one thing, but then the website's like, No, you're totally fine to go to the grocery store. Right? So I, yeah, during my practicum, so like, at the very end of 2020, at the beginning of 2021. I was pretty intent on checking it the whole time. But after the summer, I kind of fell off the map. So I don't think I personally have not checked the website, in what feels like forever. When vaccines came out, yeah, I checked it out. I was on there. But my mom and my dad are every single day on the site.

Bailea Jackson 34:17

Still?

Melissa 34:17

Yeah, they are still on it. My mom will go on the website, we'll be at dinner. She'll be like, I better check the numbers. And like, I don't think we've changed the time that we've been sitting here, I don't think they've changed. Right? But she will check it and my dad will check it and they'll kind of spit some updates. And like okay, so most of my information is coming from my parents right now.

Bailea Jackson 34:42

Gotcha. Okay, cool. Alright. And so there have been numerous protests and demonstrations at the legislature downtown Calgary and also just across Canada, since the pandemic has started and so I just want to know what your thoughts on how COVID has brought people together in this particular way, what are your thoughts on that?

Melissa 35:08

I think there's been good protests and like helpful protests. And I think there's been other protests that maybe, although they shared an opinion, it probably wasn't helpful. So like, something like the Black Lives Matter protest, people kind of got together at, say, the Alberta Legislature. Right? And yeah, it was a meaningful protest. But I think other protests, like if you're going to go down to the Ledge, and yeah, you can feel free to have your opinion, but if you have a bunch of people say that are unmasked and upset about restrictions. And they're getting sick at the protest. So the numbers go up. So there's more restrictions. I don't think that it was helpful, that way.

Bailea Jackson 35:55

That make sense.

Melissa 35:56

Yeah. Because yeah, they were upset. Like, I find that a lot of the, like, anti masking protests, a lot of the anti vaccine protests. It didn't like it got their opinion out, which was totally fine. Like, have your opinion, that's fine. But I think that in some way, I don't think they thought it through in the way that it's like, okay, you want our restrictions to be down. Yup, that's great. In order to do that, your numbers have to be down. But if we gather in a big space, and somebody is sick, and now your number, shoot back up, now you have more restrictions. So I think it brought people together. But I think in some ways, it wasn't helpful to what I think they wanted to do. And, like the last, like the Convoy and stuff like that. I think the initial message was fine, you can have your opinion, right? But then it went on for weeks. And I think the message was lost. So I think instead of getting their opinion, kind of out there, they overdid it to the point where people were like, well, we don't want to listen to you anymore. It's like, okay, so you had your opinion, we listened to your opinion. But now you're being obnoxious. Right, like, the initial thing, like when they were doing like, the blockade down where the border and stuff? Like, nobody put a timeline on it. They were like, we're just gonna go. I was like, Okay, well, so. So what's your plan? So like, never seemed, like, some of the protests that went on, a lot of them seemed like, they just wanted to protest to protest. So they were just out there. It was like, well, yeah, if you have a point, that's great. Get it across, like everybody should have that right. But if you don't have a plan, and it gets kind of lost or miss read then you have another issue on your hand. Right? So like, I don't even know what it was. It was either last week or the week before I was downtown, near Whyte Ave, I was trying to turn onto the road. And there was a huge convoy. It was like, haha.

Bailea Jackson 38:16

Oh, on Whyte Ave.

Melissa 38:18

It was on - it was, I can't, I don't know roads very well.

Bailea Jackson 38:21

Like Gateway?

Melissa 38:22

Um, it's like a one way it goes to, it goes to Saskatchewan drive or whatever. Do you know what I'm talking -?

Bailea Jackson 38:30

Yes. I believe -

Melissa 38:30

Like Cook County, McDonald's. I think there's a bar. Yeah. It's a one way road. So I'm trying to turn onto there. And there's this huge Convoy. And I'm like, what are we protesting? Because the initial thing was like, a week and a half before that. And they were like, we deserve freedom. I was like, Who is restricting you right now? Because like, at the time, I was like, you have so many freedoms right now. And then they were blocking the road. And then at that point, I'm like, if you want to protest, it's fine. Do it peacefully. But if you're blocking my path.

Bailea Jackson 38:33

I can't turn, haha.

Melissa 38:59

I can't turn, haha. Number one, you can't stop in an intersection when the light is red. You can't just keep going. So like at that point, right? If you're gonna protest, I get it. But if you're gonna make, like, be obnoxious to be obnoxious, I'm like, Well, you've lost me. I can't. And I can support you having your opinion. You can protest down the street, but if you block my intersection, and I can't turn onto a one way street. My light is green. I'm gonna get mad, right?

Bailea Jackson 39:46

Fair enough.

Melissa 39:47

So yeah, so I think some of them like, I think for the people that actually did the protests, I think they felt better, knowing that there was a group. I think they wanted to be in a group, right? Because if you're hanging out at home, people are like, we have a cause. Do you want to join it? You're part of this group. They're like, Yeah, I do. I'm frustrated. I don't want to be - like, I'm frustrated, too. I don't like the restrictions. I want to go outside and get coffee with my friends. But I think some people, yeah, they were like, well, I'm so sick and tired of these restrictions. I'm going to - I need to blame someone. And I want to be a part of a group. Right? There, I'll go. So I think it kind of brought people together in the sense that people wanted to be together. So they kind of made their own little communities. Which in a way is nice and sweet. Right? Did it keep everybody safe? Like, I don't know.

Bailea Jackson 40:46

So it almost sounds like the the topic doesn't matter. It's just being together that matters.

Melissa 40:52

I think so. I honestly think that. I think, people want a reason to be together. And the fact that the rule was you need to be a part. Right. People want to do things they are told they're not allowed to do. Like when I tell my grade one's, like, you need to sit down. They want to stand up, get up, they're on their feet. Like no, we can't stand on our chairs. Well, what are they going to do? They want to stand on their chairs. Right? So with the government being like, no, no big gatherings. People are like, Well, you can't tell me what to do. I didn't want a big gathering before he told me that. But now, I'm going to have a big gathering. So I think there was a lot of people who even like, even if they liked the government, right, if you maybe voted in the government, that's great. But they were like, Oh, this isn't the government I voted in. I'm going to do what I want. There was a lot of me, me, me I feel like, that's what I kind of got from a lot of those protests was a lot of like, Hey, this is about me.

Bailea Jackson 41:58

Yeah. Fair enough. Okay. Um, and what were your Oh, sorry. How might someone living outside of Alberta perceive Albertans during the pandemic? Kind of another general question.

Melissa 42:11

Yeah, that's okay. Um, I was actually talking to somebody about this the other day, because a few - it was a week, it was like, a couple months ago. Alberta was like a global headline for being I don't even know how to explain it. Like, for being just the worst. And that sounds bad. But like, it was like a global headline, oh, their government is making poor decisions. So as like, somebody like, I talked to my friends in Toronto. And did Ontario do better than us? I don't know. Right? They had a lot of issues. And they're like, Oh, well, Alberta is down in the dumps. I'm like, Okay I don't know that Ontario did that much better. But, like, I've talked to, like, my family in BC, are totally convinced that, yeah they handled it better.

Bailea Jackson 43:20

That BC handled it?

Melissa 43:21

Yeah, that will be like, Alberta was not able to handle it at all. So I think people like headline wise, if people are like reading the news and stuff and looking at numbers, I think anybody outside of Alberta would be like, Wow, they messed up. Which is like, Oh my gosh. And I'm texting my friends from Toronto. And they're, like, can't believe this.

Bailea Jackson 43:49

And that kind of goes into my next question is how does that perception affect how you see yourself as an Albertan?

Melissa 43:56

I've like lived my whole life and like, I've never been like, wooh I'm ashamed to be here. But yeah, if people are like, Oh, you're from Alberta? I'm like, No, not really.

Bailea Jackson 44:10

I don't want to lie about it but, haha.

Melissa 44:11

Yeah, right. But like even last, I don't know, I think it was last summer, it must have been the summer before. BC had lifted their restrictions a little bit like travel wise. So every year, so my parents own a condo in BC. So I go to BC during the summer, and if you had an Alberta license plate, your tires were getting slashed.

Bailea Jackson 44:38

Really? Ooh.

Melissa 44:40

So yeah. I can't afford new tires haha. So my my mom and my dad and basically what BC had said was we don't want visitors from Alberta. We want BC to go to Alberta. Yeah, we want want them to go to your parks great, because we have Banff we have Jasper. They were like we want BC people to go there but we don't want Albertans here, is basically the headline they let out. So they were like, unless you have essential reasons to travel to BC, don't do it. So my dad was like, well, we have a condo, we - you're allowed to go there. Right? And it's not like our condos is, like, right beside the ocean. So basically all we do, and we're there is we go to our little condo, and then we go down to the beach. Only thing that we're doing there. So we're like, yeah, it's a safe option. So, but before I went, my dad's like, you can go, our our condos in Parksville. It's a retirement community. Super little. Our condo is not in town. And parking stall is technically ours. So like, you rent the parking stall. Okay, nobody's gonna slash our tires there. Perfect. But he was like, Don't go to Victoria. Because if you go to Victoria, you're gonna either have like your car keyed, or you're gonna slash your tires. I went anyways. But when I went, I was like, Okay, I'm going to park my car. Like right up against another car. So you can't see my license plate. Oh, BC people have a front license plate, haha.

Bailea Jackson 46:26

Can't win.

Melissa 46:26

Can't win! Haha. Like nothing happened to my car.

Bailea Jackson 46:30

That's good.

Melissa 46:30

But yeah, isn't that great. I walked out of there with no scratches. Haha. But like, just like the fact of the matter is that like, I was like, No I'm not from Alberta. Haha. I didn't want to show my license. Oh, like, the people at the store, I was like no, right? I accidentally - I have like a sweater. It says Edmonton Valley Zoo on it. Yep. She was wearing it. And I was like, okay, as I walked in the store, and the lady's like, oh, so are you from Edmonton? And I was like, and I was like, Yeah, I am. And she's like, oh, and I was like, oh, now I'm embarrassed. Yeah. And I think yeah, that was like the summer of 2020. It, It was like super intense. Yeah, people all throughout BC if you were from Alberta, your tires, were getting slashed. And then like this past summer, like our restrictions were fully open. And BC had open theirs up, too. So like, nobody's tires were getting slashed. But yeah, people are still like, wow.

Bailea Jackson 47:41

It's kind of in the back of your mind just a little bit.

Melissa 47:43

It is. Yeah. So like, how could you be so rude? Like, I just don't understand. So. And it's not like, from what I understand. It's not like their numbers were any better than ours. Right? But yeah, even my family from out there. They were like, wow, Alberta sucks. Like, that is so rude. Like, my aunt would be on the phone. And she'd be like, Oh, Alberta, it's just doing so bad. Like, you're part of our family! Haha. So yeah, personal experience wise, yeah, yeah, kind a shield my eyes. Nope, I'm not from Alberta right now. Later, I will be.

Bailea Jackson 48:25

Maybe after the pandemic. Haha.

Melissa 48:26

Maybe after the pandemic. Haha.

Bailea Jackson 48:28

Okay. So what were your thoughts when you first heard about a vaccine for COVID?

Melissa 48:35

Um, I think I was pretty excited. Like I said, like my dad's immunocompromised. So he was able to hop on the train earlier than everybody else. So when he got the vaccine, I knew he was really excited for it. I didn't, I don't know, like, it's not like I didn't do much research. A lot of my research comes from my dad, because he is so obsessive with it. But I was kind of like, okay, like, I'll take it, right. If it helps to, right, if it helps to kind of smooth things out, then yeah, I'm all for it. Right. So if it makes my sister be able to come over without wearing a mask yeah, that's fine. If it makes my dad feel like he can go outside and not come home with like, a crazy flu. Yeah, I'll take it. So yeah, I was kind of excited, especially because when they first advertised the vaccine, they were kind of like, Okay, back to normal. Right. That was kind of exciting. I was like, Oh, I can't remember what normal feels like. I can't wait. That's so exciting. So yeah, I was pretty excited.

Bailea Jackson 49:54

And did you get vaccinated?

Melissa 49:56

Yes, I did. I got Maderna actually. And when I got the first one, I can't remember - yeah, no, I got the first one - so I have all three - so I have like, the booster shot as well. So the first one went really good. Second one, like took me out like totally wiped me out. Yeah. Which is crazy because you think the first one would be the one that would, because your body doesn't know it. Yeah. Right. From what I understand about science and vaccines. You're trying to get over it. Right. So the first one, I was like, la di da di da. You know, your arm gets a little sore. And then the second one, I, I got it. And I was like, full blown fever. I had chills. I was like called, I was like, screaming up to my mom, I was like, You need to bring me a thermometer. My - by like two in the morning my brother's like, What is your problem? I'm like sweating. Yeah. It took me out. And it was only for, like, 24 hours maybe - actually no, it was probably like 24 hours to like, 48. But it was like, I got it, and I was supposed to go, I had like a day off and then I was supposed to go to work. And I was like, Oh, I don't know if I can go to work in two days. Like, it was like, the second one was so bad. And I'm talking to other people. I like, Oh, I didn't have that experience at all.

Bailea Jackson 51:32

Was your third one?

Melissa 51:33

My third one was totally fine. I have no idea what happened. And like what, but I kind of think about is that. I thought my third one would be bad because I did Maderna Maderna. Pfizer. So you think that...

Bailea Jackson 51:53

It's different so something...

Melissa 51:54

So I don't know. Yeah, right? Something's gonna go wrong. So I was like, really worried. Because the second dose because it took me out so hard, and I was like, yeah, like, and they tell you, okay, you don't go in for symptoms, unless your fevers like obnoxiously high. So yeah, like sitting downstairs. I'm like, I can't deal with these for - and it says 48 hours, it says, Yeah, you might be feeling bad for 48 hours that's fine. So I was like, okay. And then I was like, for my third one, I was like, I want to be safe. But I don't want to do that again. Right. So I was like, on fairly high alert for my third one. And the first day was fine. Like, after I got it like and the night was fine. But I found that the next day. Yeah, when I woke up, I was like, Oh, I don't feel too good. So that was like, delayed, but it was never as bad as immediate - I need a thermometer! I take my temperature every 20 minutes. It's like, Is this because I'm laying on my pillow? Is this because I'm burning up? I'm googling what a normal body temperature is for a human. Like, I don't know how right. So yeah. It's not a fun experience, the second one.

Bailea Jackson 51:55

Yeah, that's very -

Melissa 52:37

And it was in the summer.

Bailea Jackson 53:16

Oh god you don't want a fever in the summer too.

Melissa 53:18

No! Haha.

Bailea Jackson 53:19

Yeah. It seems that everybody - most people anyways have reacted differently to the vaccine. And then because most people have more than one, it's interesting to see compared to your other vaccines, but also compared to all these other people. Like how does this effect those? So that's interesting. Okay. My very last question for you. What do you hope people in the future looking back on this global issue will keep in mind or remember?

Melissa 53:51

I hope that I hope the governing bodies take something from it. Just like, like, there's no perfect solution. And I get that. And I don't think it would have mattered, like people blame the government. I don't think it would have mattered who was in power at the time. I think everybody would have been struggling. Right? Like, it wasn't just Canada that was struggling. Right? The US had crazy problems, so did like, everywhere else. But I hope that like governing bodies can be like, Okay, well, what worked and what didn't work, because there was a lot of trial and error. But if it happens, again, like what can we implement that is hopefully faster, like, you can't guarantee that it's gonna be faster because even like, this pandemic, I think they thought it was gonna be gone a long time ago, and then it never really went down the way they thought it would and then it kept mutating. So I think they, I kind of hope for the future they kind of like iron out some measures. And maybe have like a solidified measure. Okay, if this happens, then we do this. If this happens, then we go this route, right? Because we had, like, so say in Canada, like we had the federal government pulling all their stops, and then individual provinces pulling theirs. And it was like, we let go all of our emergency things. And then we ran out of ideas, like, well, do we shut down again? No, we can't shut down because we don't have like the economy to shut down. Like we can't shut our economy down one more time. Right? And they're like, Well, if we keep everything going... Right? So I think they need like some sort of a - I want to say awritten thing, no - but like, they need some sort of like, rules and regulations to go by, because I think they, like it was never planned for. Which I understand. You don't plan to have a pandemic. Like, I totally understand that. But I think knowing that, yeah, it happened. And it happened in our time. Maybe now we do have like a roat to go if we do have a pandemic. So I hope like governing bodies, they kind of like take something from it. And they're like, Okay, these these countries, they did great. Or maybe they didn't do great and this is why. I think people in general, just, I hope, if it happens again, or even if it doesn't happen again, that we can just kind of stay civil, because they think they're, like I mentioned like before about kids not having social skills. I think it happened to adults, too, where people were getting angry. And it wasn't that they were - like if I met you in a grocery store, and I'm angry at you, it's not because I'm angry at you. I'm angry at the situation that we're in. And something that happened kind of set me off. And like, spending a lot of time on social media. Right? The amount of videos that I saw people losing it have skyrocketed. Like I think they have, like, I've seen them before, like, the pandemic, but I think you see people who have totally just lost it, like social skills. They're angry about everything. They're, yeah, they're mad, and they're taking it out on other people. So I think, yeah, you just gotta stay kind, right. That's what I tell my grade fours. You need to use kind words. You need to be respectful to all people. That's our motto. Right? And you need to keep it up because if you can't, right, that causeed a lot of problems. It caused problems with like the protests, it cause problems with the vaccines, right? When the mask mandate was taken out, on February 14, on the Friday, before that, we had a talk in my grade four class about how the, the masks are gone - you don't have to wear them on the 14th - but you have to be respectful of other people. So it doesn't matter what your opinion is on it. You don't have to wear the mask. That's the rule. But if you're going to go up to people and be like, Why are you wearing a mask? We don't need to. Right? Or why aren't you wearing a mask? Right? And that's where that's where it's not okay, anymore. Right? We have our opinion. Right? In grade four we learn opinions. We say, okay, is everybody's opinion valid? Yes. Everybody's opinion is valid. Cool. So that means you don't talk about it. Right? You have your opinion. It's valid. We leave it at that. But I think, not only my nine year olds in grade four need that lesson. Right? There was people who decided your opinion is not valid. That makes me upset. I'm gonna get angry over it. Like, okay, that's not the way the world works. And we cannot function like that. Because if everybody's angry, right, then there's massive problems.

Bailea Jackson 59:12

Yeah, it's hard to get anything done.

Melissa 59:14

Right?

Bailea Jackson 59:15

It's hard to make that plan that you were talking about.

Melissa 59:16

I was gonna say the plan! Haha. It comes back to the plan. I don't think they, like in this pandemic, I don't think that they ever had a chance to have a plan. Because everybody was so angry.

Bailea Jackson 59:27

Yeah, that's a really good point, that's a really good point.

Melissa 59:30

You had opinions flying at you. And like, I would like, I could be like, I think everybody's always like, I could have done so much better. Like, if I was in charge, I would have done this. Yeah, me too. But you're not. And you like throwing your opinions, right, if you have all these opinions coming at you, you're like, Well, which one do I take? And people were just mad. I was like, well just need to be nice. Right? Be polite. Don't take all the things in the store, right? Haha.

Bailea Jackson 1:00:04

Don't empty the shelves.

Melissa 1:00:09

Yeah, right? Get enough toilet people or for yourself and not for like three quarters of the world. So yeah, I think in the future people just seem to be like, Okay, we need to kind of respect what's going on respect other people, we can have our opinions, that's fine. But at the end of the day, decisions are going to be made. Maybe I won't like them. And that happens, like, during regular life during not a pandemic. Decisions happen and you can't always be, you can't always win. Right? I think some people want to win all the time. Can't always win. Right? There's gonna be decisions made that you don't like, by like, for the safety of you, and the safety of like every other person, right? And not just thinking of yourself, thinking about everybody. Sometimes you just have to say, okay. Take it and we'll go from there.

Bailea Jackson 1:01:13

Nice. Well, those were all my questions. Thank you.

Melissa 1:01:17

Some good questions.

Bailea Jackson 1:01:17

Appreciate it - oh, thanks. Haha. Some good answers thank you.

Melissa 1:01:21

Wooh, I'm sweating.

End.