As COVID-19 spread rapidly around the globe, countries responded with border restrictions, travel bans and quarantines, a sudden shock to those of us who fancy ourselves as citizens of the world.
Like many of my non-Japanese friends who are raising kids in Japan, I’ve always looked upon my children’s bicultural status as a positive thing that could open many doors for them. For various reasons, my Japanese husband and I chose to send all three of our kids to high school in my native New Zealand. My two daughters are still there, attending university, while their older brother is back living and working here in Japan.
Despite some homesickness and more than a few pricey plane fares, I always felt I was extremely lucky to be able to raise my children in this fashion. Bilingualism and an expanded worldview are, in my eyes, useful additions to any young person’s skill set. Amid a global pandemic, however, I’ve started to see the drawbacks of this particular way of life.