Normally Neil Cartwright, who arrived in France 20 years ago and an English teacher in a high school in Amiens, spends part of the Christmas holidays with his wife Anouk, French, in their house in Vignacourt. The other part, he spends it in England, in Canterbury in the south-east of the country, with his two children from a first marriage and his five grandchildren. But this year, like last year, the Covid decided otherwise.
Since this Saturday, with the progression of the fifth wave of Covid-19 and in particular of the Omicron variant, it is no longer possible to travel to the United Kingdom, except “compelling reason”, as a health reason and on condition of passing a PCR test before departure and before returning to France. A possibility that Neil considered, but it was too expensive: “60 euros for a PCR test”.
The Covid and Brexit have complicated the lives of bi-national families
So he will stay in France, even if digital means will allow a little contact with his English family: “We use Whatsapp, but it’s not the same! I’m sad.” Between Covid and Brexit, “England has never been so far”, recognizes Anouk, Neil’s wife: “There is a lot of difficulty if only to send things, to receive them, everything is power 40 at the price level, it is really very complicated.”
If they had been able in November, the time of a day to go to the other side of the Channel, Anouk and Neil Cartwright hope that the travel conditions will be relaxed again, to be reunited with their families after months apart. .