Struggling to Survive the Epidemic in a Different Field

By Ma Xiaoling

In early March of 2020,the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases increased at an alarming rate in Europe.As a result,European countries started issuing all kinds of bans and restrictions.My husband’s travel agency processed the last refunds and suspended its business;meanwhile the hotel I worked at also closed for an indefinite period of time.

The beginning of lockdown in Holland was greeted with such nice weather,warm sunshine,and sapphire blue skies that we could barely hold back our yearning to enjoy the days outside.

Coming into April,we were pulled back into a harsh reality by bills from the bank and the government.When the epidemic started,many businesses offered discounts to promote sales,as a result of which,my husband and I bought a bunch of brandname clothes and high-end electrical appliances.By the time we realized that the epidemic was probably going to be a longterm battle and we might not have income for up to a year,the balance left in our bank account was down to a four-digit number.

Beginning Manual Work

Living in Europe,the two of us need about 700 euros monthly for utilities,strata management,cleaning,garbage,and sewage disposal fees.Then there is our medical insurance,work accident insurance,citizen taxation,vehicle tax,and road tax,which amount to another several hundred euros.Adding grocery and other daily expenses to it,we would need at least 1,500 euros to cover every month.In the worst scenario where we didn’t have income for the following year,we would go under by the end of the summer.

Given this fact,we now understand why there are so many people taking to the streets,protesting the rules and restrictions imposed by the government.Compared with the risk of getting infected with disease,living without income and dignity is more miserable.According to government policy,my husband’s travel agency could receive a subsidy of 4,000 euros,which is not enough for the office rent for a single week;and the hotel I worked at started laying off employees half a month ago.I was among the first to go as a foreigner.

We tried to look online for some part-time jobs,only to find there were no new job postings on the recruitment website for over a month due to the epidemic and its ensuing economic depression.We tried to contact our colleagues and friends for some information,yet they were also struggling in the pandemic as we were,either having been laid off as well or barely making do.

My husband and I turned to looking for manual work with no limitations on background and work experience.Seeing that the logistics service was in high demand since many deliveries needed to be made in the epidemic,my husband considered truck driving since he happened to have the driver’s license for it.We called and were told that according to the law,a truck driver must maintain a driving record of at least 35 hours per year for two consecutive years.My husband had none.

We could make up for the driving record in a driving school,yet the cost would be more than 2,000 euros,including car renting,driving,and license fee.

Next my husband thought of takeaway food delivery.However,restaurants prefer to hire college students who are young,quick,and less tax burden,rather than middle-aged workers like my husband who put more tax burden on employers.I felt sad for my husband,who held a high degree from a prestigious school and never had any worries about making a living,now all of a sudden was competing with unskilled workers for a manual labor job.

Yet reality is reality,and our savings are running low.

I used to be a person who never checked the price tag while shopping,and now I became a housewife who cared about every dime.I would bike for two kilometers for a box of discounted chicken breasts,comparing prices in various supermarkets and picking up the cheapest one.

Our standard of living dropped dramatically.We would put a basin under our feet in a shower for collecting and reusing the water because hot water costs 8 euros per ton.

One day while I was cooking,a plate dropped and smashed on the floor.I broke into tears on the spot and cried.A plate costs 4 euros,and we couldn’t afford to spend one extra penny now.

My husband felt responsible for our hardship and was more stressed than me.He had to budget not only our family cost,but also his agency’s expenses and future.He kept browsing the recruitment websites and making phone calls from morning till night,desperate to do anything as long as he got paid.

Sushi Restaurant Apprentice

As the COVID-19 raged on,the lockdown continued as well.But things eventually got a bit better.The catering industry tried to revitalize itself by cooperating with group-buying websites to promote takeaway services—even hot pot could do takeaway these days,which was unimaginable before in the Netherlands.Small restaurants that only serve takeaway are emerging everywhere,among which the most popular one is Japanese sushi,because it’s a high-profit and scalable business,which involves smaller spaces,lower rent,and no need for open flames or heat preservation.In early May,we finally saw newly posted recruitments on the website,80% of which were hiring sushi chefs or apprentices.

My husband went for an interview at the first chance and expressed his willingness to be an apprentice.He would not need board and lodging either—all he needed was the minimum monthly salary to cover our basic expenses.

The day after the interview,my husband began to learn sushi making and help around the kitchen.He would stay back for three more hours to practice after work every day.When he returned home in the deep night,he would continue reviewing the skills in our own kitchen.He did not want to remain an apprentice making a minimum wage.Instead,he wanted to become a chef in the shortest time possible.Therefore,even if his travel agency shut down forever,he would still be able to provide for the family in the future with his skills.

The huge pressure and motivation turned him from a manager in the tourist industry to a sushi chef,which was a profession we never expected before.

During this period,the owner of the sushi restaurant was admitted to the hospital with an acute disease.Apart from working in the kitchen,my husband also took over the purchasing job and account management.When his boss recovered and came back to work,he found that everything was up and running in order.As a result,he gave my husband a higher wage the next month.

That was our first income in 4 months,which relieved us a bit after so long.

Becoming an Online Course Teacher

I am busy as well.After many job failures in local Dutch companies I was familiar with,I started looking for part-time jobs on Chinese websites.Luckily enough,a Chinese school was committed to adopting online courses to replace its classroom courses.Some teachers could not meet the requirements for online courses.I was given the job and undertook the most difficult preschool class because of my standard Mandarin and advanced use of Chinese language.I worked hard and put all my effort into preparing for the class and writing lesson plans.I consulted some experienced friends and watched all the available online classes delivered by outstanding teachers.It reminded me of my learning experiences in Chinese courses in elementary school,and all those consonants,vowels,and strokes visited me in my dreams every day.

As a political science major and worker in the service industry,I turned myself into a Chinese teacher with no certificate.Yet unexpectedly,the homophonic memory method I created was praised by the children and parents.Parents were more willing to let me teach their children when they found that their children were more keen on Chinese learning than before.

By doing new jobs in new industries,we—after struggling on the verge of “starving to death”—managed to maintain our basic life now.Compared with those who were still worried about their next month’s bank loans and credit card debts,we are lucky to have new jobs to earn a living.

On July 1,the lockdown was completely lifted in the Netherlands.In addition to maintaining social distancing in public indoor places,it seemed to be back on track,and the society was slowly recovering.

European summer sales are drawing near,with all kinds of tempting discounts at the shopping malls.I was attracted and could not help pulling out my credit card,but my husband intervened on time.

He stopped me from shopping in the mall:“Dear wife,be calm! The situation is still harsh and our income is still low.If you are too indulgent now,you will find your hard work reaps nothing.”