It's May 12th. We are somewhere in the Corona pandemic. How do you experienced the situation at the moment?
The lockdown was really tough in France. So the last two months were quite a hard time. Since yesterday, the lockdown has been lifted. And we had a first manifestation at the hospital here in Nantes. Which was a really big experience because we were like 300 people. And it was really crazy to see it so much people at one time.
Because the last two months were a bit creepy here in the city. There was nobody on the street or if there was somebody on the street there were taking distance of about five meters in the street. That was a bit hard. And also when you went to buy something, you had to queue, sometimes up to twenty people in the street waiting with up to three meters distance from one another. And there was nobody touching anybody.
And here in France it is habitual to give kisses to people when you meet them. So this was really confusing because you didn't know if the people you were meeting wanted to have this or not. You were not allowed to see anybody, so it was illegal to see some friends. We did it. But it was illegal.
And there was one really hard moment in the street when I got out. We had to have documents with us saying what you will do going out from your home. So I once went out three weeks ago and I didn't had to document with me because I was just putting something in the car, which was three meters from my door. And there was the policeman coming and asking me for these documents. And I was telling him that I didn´t fill it in because I was just putting something in the car. And so he gave me a fine and I have to pay one hundred thirty five euros for going to a car, three meters from my door. So this was a really creepy time.
And there were some drones above our heads and going around into cities. In Paris, they were even talking to you like: "Go home", if you were on the street. This was really hard time.
So, when you look at this time or this moment, is there anything that was new to you or something that you learned about yourself or to society or the city you're living in?
Yes, I think there are many things I learned. The first thing was calm down. Because I had to stay home. I couldn't see anybody. And I had to get in touch with myself. That's something I don't really do often.
And then there was this really special experience of physical and social distancing. I was with some friends, after two weeks of confinement, in their big house and garden. But there were some neighbours and they were really afraid of new people in the house and were asking about: "But what do you think about inviting friends here? That's not okay". People were really afraid and that was a new experience. Because people don't speak about their fears or don't show that they're really afraid often. And now it was the neighbour talking to you and saying that you are doing something wrong.
I think that was also the other part: because there was a really big solidarity developing. For example, we proposed to buy something for old people, neighbours which were sick or vulnerable. And there were some people calling us, old people which were staying alone at home. And they were really, really happy to see us even if we don't got really in touch with them. But we were at the door, taking their bags and lists for going to buy the things they needed. And they talked to us. They are really good contacts now and they are inviting for July for their birthday.
They they talked about their family situation with us. They talked about why they are alone. They were really happy to see us. And this is the part I didn't knew in the French society because they're often a bit distant in the beginning and then opening up a bit. But now it was a bit different. There were many people taking a lot of distance and other people taking any little contact they could have and open themselves.
So we looked at how you experienced the situation and now we look ahead into a time when we learn to live well with the virus. What do you want more of or less of?
I think that what I want more is people being in touch with each other. People talking to each other and taking care of each other, being there, if it is needed. Even if this person is not perfectly aligned with your political opinion or something else.
And also to be more aware of situations. For example of violence. People around us, they're suffering a lot sometimes.. Of loneliness, of violence, of things we don't know. So I want more of taking care of each other.
And personally, I would love to have more time for me, more time to get in touch with myself and to really have this time to calm down.
And less... I would love to have less social pressure to do something. Sometimes where we're really active in our normal life and do a lot of things we might not really enjoy to do. And we do it because of pressure. Diverse forms of pressure. And I would love if there were less pressure.
So, if you think of some time in the future, what's your wildest dream? What you not even dare to dream sometimes...
My wildest dream would be people dreaming together. No, actually there are a lot of dreams and I think I've got really wild dreams. But I think the most realistic wild dream is more equity and more justice in the society we're living in. I would love to see a human chain all over the world, everybody taking the hand of each other. And talk to each together.
And don't protect ourselves so much from each other. I had a really hard and also nice time being also with people carrying me because I needed it and and I would love that everybody does that with everybody around them.
More inclusion for people who are not so privileged like me. More inclusion for people suffering from a social situation that we sometimes don't know or ignore. And to renew our society in a way that leads to more equity and justice for everybody.
Thank you very much.
