Natural Selection At Its Best

Name: Chaddie Faucher
Age: 25
Sex: Male
Location: Dennery, Saint Lucia

Afraid. Worried. Disappointed. Vulnerable. These are just a few emotions in full tug of war; wrestling for display. Striding up and down! Bouncing to and fro! Pulling and pushing, screaming and Shouting! Not a nice place to be.

Expressing emotions right now seems meaningless. “It’s a rollercoaster ride so enjoy the scare!” I was told. Corona brand turned upside down! Everything turned upside down! No warnings, no answers, just questions. Like- “What is this? Are we shutting borders? What is happening to 2020?” At least I admit, I was wrong! 2020 is not just another year. For once, I would embrace all the excessive optimism of the new year’s resolutions.

I feel bullied by thoughts of fear. In all my days, the uncertainty of the future has never been so frightening. Sometimes, I could sense a streak of hope grappling out of this dark mental tunnel of chaos. But… I am reminded of how frail human life is. I also wonder how perilous Covid-19 is or whether I am just another victim of ‘media panic’.

Currently, I own a small tutoring business called A-Tutor where I provide one-on-one and small group sessions to students from Grade 5 to the Master’s level. Most of the courses stem from the areas of Maths, Science, Business Management, and Education. When time permits, I also render my service in other areas such as Psychology, Social Work, English, and the list goes on. 

The existence of this Covid-19 disaster continues to have several ramifications. As a young entrepreneur, I feel threatened by “social distancing” and suddenly a dilemma exists. To work or not to work. This is the most relevant description of standing between a rock and a hard place. There, I am forced to decide between wealth or health. My business is successful because of the flexibility that I offer my clients. They really enjoy the personal instruction and feedback that they receive during class. With the advent of this new phenomenon, the dynamics of sessions are seriously altered.

One of the most significant principles in business is that the business environment is dynamic, complex and is everchanging. Subsequently, entrepreneurs must attempt to keep their product or service relevant. This adversity has nudged me into a zone of technology and virtual realities that I personally do not feel prepared for. In the past, I have explored basic online tutoring which involved simple content sharing. Nevertheless, I am now expected to complete the entire teaching process virtually. The major challenge is that the online assessment of students’ work is very time-consuming.

With my 1000 raging emotions, I remind myself that this season is just an opportunity to grow. “To live and survive, you must withstand those atmospheric pressures as they present themselves.” There you have it! Natural selection at its best!

Please share your #QuarantinedCaribbean stories with us. Have you lost your job? Are you now doing your job in different ways? Has it changed your social dynamics? How? Have you spent more time with family? How do you feel about all of this? Do you plan on gardening more after this? Are you playing more board games?

Email your stories to chadia@wakonte.com or via WhatsApp at +13472921603