Since my last blog, the world has changed in unimaginable ways. Whilst the UK gradually implemented restrictions to stop the spread of Covid-19, so did Thailand.
On 16th March, my language school instructed us that the use of facemasks in the school was mandatory. As you can imagine, when learning a language, the importance of seeing the mouth is really important. So we complied with this rule, only to find out later that evening that the government had ordered the immediate closure of all schools including ours.
On 18th March, all the entertainment venues were closed including bars, restaurants, cinema’s, churches, temples and sporting venues. We were hardly able to blink before the next level came into force. On 22nd March all shopping malls in Bangkok were shut, and there are a lot of shopping malls in Bangkok! The only places open at that point were supermarkets, market stalls and take away venues.
In the midst of this ever-changing landscape, I was praying for Gods direction, trying not to react to the panic and fear around me, but increasingly aware that the UK was likely to follow Italy and Germany in locking down the country. After many discussions with the leaders in BTBAB, it was decided that I would come back to the UK. I managed to book a flight on 25th March and I started to say my goodbyes.
I arrived back in the UK on 26th March after a rather challenging flight which included being refused entry to Germany to take my connecting flights and being forced to sleep in the departure lounge. The next morning after appealing to the airport police, I managed to get into the terminal, find my luggage, and check into my next flight from Munich – London.
I discovered after arriving back in the UK that Thailand had closed its borders the day after I left and imposed lockdown restrictions on the population, similar to the UK.
My trip to Thailand certainly didn’t go according to (my) plan, but God knew all along what would happen. And I trust Him in the direction and course He will guide me in the months and years to come.
