CCCC Spring 2020 Project: Six Word Memoirs

The Coronavirus pandemic has fundamentally changed our lifestyle. It has forced us to stay home and not go out to meet our friends, colleagues, and people we care about. Since it greatly affected the regular activities of the Cross-Cultural Conversation Connection (CCCC), we wanted to know how our members were spending their days in quarantine. We asked them to express their feelings using the six word memoir format (as explained in this video and website).

This is a collection of their responses. We are making their memoirs public, with permission, because we want to connect our readers across the cultures and let them know how their brothers and sisters across the world are passing their days in quarantine. We believe these memoirs will inspire others to write their stories and share them with the global audience.

The ESOL Program thanks Michael Oshindoro for envisioning this project and Shahin Hossain for carrying it out. Special thanks as well to all CCCC leaders and participants who shared their memoirs and continued engaging with us through CCCC this semester. We have learned so much from each other, and we hope you’ll stay in touch!  

Maryam Ahmed, Oman: Soul speaks when mouths are shutted

Tareq Rahman Badhon, Bangladesh: Redefining myself, rediscovering decisions, rearranging possibilities.

Odhrita Boni, Bangladesh: Fighting with Coronavirus, Trying to breathe

Anamul Haque, Bangladesh: Tired, monotonous, frustration, silence, meaningless expectation.

Masud Hasan, Bangladesh: Searching water removing hyacinths of mind

Shahin Hossain, Bangladesh: Passing uncertainty believing in seeing daylight

Sana Kika, Iraq: Stuck in in-laws, Seeing uncertain world

Leslee Liberadzki, United States: Struggling, overwhelmed, feeling low energy

Musafir Masaab, Bangladesh: counting seconds being vulnerable to virus

Manar Muhammad, Egypt: Stressful, frustrating, sometimes productive, anxious, explorative

Yashinta Nurrahma, Indonesia: Working from Home, buying only groceries

Robyn Perry, United States: Self reflecting and getting work done

Noor Rizvi, India: Keep distance, be safe, stay healthy

Amal Sh, Israel: A rainbow rollercoaster sliding through hell

Tanjina Farhad Tushi, Bangladesh: I was busy with my baby