Looking in, looking out: world emerges from lockdown with mixed feelings

Businesswoman Mable Selina Etambo 39, looks at her phone as seen through the window of her mud-walled house, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Kibera slums, Kenya May 25, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Mable Selina Etambo replied: " I will miss my space because we are a very social society. COVID has made me realise that I need time to sit alone, reflect and plan my life without people bothering me". REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

As much of the world begins to emerge from lockdown, people are looking back at time spent cut off from friends, family and colleagues by the coronavirus and forward to what happens next.

Reuters has captured some of those reflections along with portraits from across Africa and the Middle East of people inside their rooms looking out and outside looking in.

"The lockdown ... has been a great time for me to breathe, to re-evaluate how I've been living my life and trying to focus more on the things that truly matter to me," said Adetona Omokanye, a 29-year-old photographer who lives in Lagos.

A mud-wall shack is seen through the window of businesswoman Mable Selina Etambo's house, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Kibera slums, Kenya May 25, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

Alexander Caiafas, from the same teeming Nigerian city, has also seen the bright side of being cooped up at home. The data analyst, 25, has relished time spent with family, on his studies and connecting with friends online.

But in rural Eastern Cape Province in South Africa, housewife Zodidi Desewula drew little comfort from weeks in her tiny, cylindrical "rondavel".

"Myself and my husband were stuck in this single room house unable to go to work. We were struggling in getting food to eat because there was no income," she told Reuters.

A combination picture shows businesswoman Mable Selina Etambo 39, looking at her phone as seen through the window of her mud-walled house, and a view seen from her window, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Kibera slums, Kenya May 25, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Mable Selina Etambo replied: " I will miss my space because we are a very social society. COVID has made me realise that I need time to sit alone, reflect and plan my life without people bothering me". REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

For Yael Ben Ezer, a performer with Israel's Batsheva Dance Company, there is something to be said for doing nothing.

"I will miss the comfortable feeling of 'it's OK not to do anything, it's OK not to be productive in the way we usually think'," she said. "Things would come and go, the sun would rise and set, and I would just be living. And that's totally enough."

A view is pictured from the window of Adetona Omokanye's' home in Lekki, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Lagos, Nigeria May 24, 2020. . REUTERS/Temilade Adelaja

STAGE, SEA AND HOME

For her and many others, there are also plenty of downsides to life away from friends and work.

She craves the adrenaline rush of dancing on stage, and the open expanse of the sea.

Adetona Omokanye, a 29 year-old documentary photographer, takes pictures from the window of his home in Lekki, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Lagos, Nigeria May 24, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Adetona replied ' I think I will definitely miss the fact that during the lockdown, it has been a great time for me to get time to breathe, to re-evaluate how IÕve been living my life and trying to focus more on the things that truly matter to me and that makes me happy'. REUTERS/Temilade Adelaja

In the Egyptian capital Cairo, Nada Maged, a 20-year-old student, described lockdown as "prison".

"When I look out I see the same view but have a different feeling - the streets are more sad and mysterious, and there is no hope of getting out soon," she said.

Zineb Mohamed "Om Hany" also lives in the city, and misses regular contact with her family and friends.

A combination picture shows Adetona Omokanye, a 29 year-old documentary photographer, taking pictures from the window of his home in Lekki, and a view seen from his window, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Lagos, Nigeria May 24, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Adetona replied ' I think I will definitely miss the fact that during the lockdown, it has been a great time for me to get time to breathe, to re-evaluate how I’ve been living my life and trying to focus more on the things that truly matter to me and that makes me happy'. REUTERS/Temilade Adelaja

"I need to go to the zoo with my grandchildren," the 59-year-old concierge said in a sparsely furnished room with the television glowing through the gloom. "Also, I want to take them to the sea - I dream about that many times."

With a sea view from her window in the ancient Lebanese city of Tyre, Lama Nadra, 28, has the luxury of seeing it every day.

"I like the calm and being away from the noise of the capital, Beirut," she said, adding that once she was free to move around she wants to go swimming again.

Alexander Caiafas, a 25 year-old data analyst, is seen working through a window into his home in Ikoyi, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Lagos, Nigeria May 25, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Alexander replied: ' Spending quality time with relatives and parents because you know, thatÕs often hard to do. Secondly, I would say I miss speaking over the phone to close friends like on FaceTime, HouseParty, Zoom, all those kinds of applications'. REUTERS/Temilade Adelaja

For her, the end of lockdown will mean seeing family less.

"My brother will go back to Dubai and I ... to Beirut. I will be separated from my father and mother too."

For many though, the pandemic has brought little noticeable change.

A view is pictured from the balcony of Alexander Caiafas' home in Ikoyi, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Lagos, Nigeria May 25, 2020. REUTERS/Temilade Adelaja

Abu Ghazi lives in a makeshift tent on the edge of a cemetery in Syria's northern town of Maarat Misrin. Like millions of his compatriots displaced by nine years of war, he longs to return home.

"We quarantined ourselves with the dead," the 53-year-old told Reuters. "We wake up and sleep looking at graves."

(Writing by Mike Collett-White; editing by Philippa Fletcher)

A combination picture shows Alexander Caiafas, a 25 year-old data analyst, working from his home in Ikoyi, and a view seen from his balcony, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Lagos, Nigeria May 25, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Alexander replied: ' Spending quality time with relatives and parents because you know, that’s often hard to do. Secondly, I would say I miss speaking over the phone to close friends like on FaceTime, HouseParty, Zoom, all those kinds of applications'. REUTERS/Temilade Adelaja

Mohsin Rakha Al-meamar, 20, exercises as seen through the window into his home after gyms were closed, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in the holy city of Karbala, Iraq, April 21, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Mohsin Rakha Al-meamar replied: "What I will miss is time gained because going to the gym takes more time than exercising at home". REUTERS/Abdullah Dhiaa Al-deen

A view is pictured from the window of Mohsin Rakha Al-meamar's home where he is seen reflected, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in the holy city of Karbala, Iraq, April 21, 2020. REUTERS/Abdullah Dhiaa Al-deen

A combination picture shows Mohsin Rakha Al-meamar, 20, exercising as seen through the window into his home after gyms were closed, and a view from his window's home, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in the holy city of Karbala, Iraq, April 21, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Mohsin Rakha Al-meamar replied: "What I will miss is time gained because going to the gym takes more time than exercising at home". REUTERS/Abdullah Dhiaa Al-deen

Palestinian boy Belal Daraghma, 3, looks out as he sits on the window of his family apartment in Tubas, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in the Israeli-occupied West Bank April 16, 2020. " He spends much of his time sitting on the window playing with his toys and looking outside as he gets bored from the home confinement due to the coronavirus," said Belal's mother. REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta

Houses are seen through the window of the family apartment of Palestinian boy Belal Daraghma, 3, in Tubas, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in the Israeli-occupied West Bank April 16, 2020. REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta

A combination picture shows Palestinian boy Belal Daraghma, 3, sitting on the window of his family apartment in Tubas, and a view from the apartment, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in the Israeli-occupied West Bank April 16, 2020. " He spends much of his time sitting on the window playing with his toys and looking outside as he gets bored from the home confinement due to the coronavirus," said Belal's mother. REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta

A view is pictured from the home's balcony of Nada Maged, a 20 year-old student at the faculty of Arts and Design in MSA University, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Cairo, Egypt May 14, 2020. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

Nada Maged, a 20 year-old a student at the faculty of Arts and Design in MSA University, who is seen through her balcony's door at her home, works on a stop motion video project, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Cairo, Egypt May 14, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Nada replied: " I will miss spending time quality with my family and will miss the feeling that I have more free time which is sometime I have dreamed of ". REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

A combination picture shows Nada Maged, a 20 year-old a student at the faculty of Arts and Design in MSA University, who is seen through her balcony's door at her home, working on a stop motion video project, and a view form her balcony's door, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Cairo, Egypt May 14, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Nada replied: " I will miss spending time quality with my family and will miss the feeling that I have more free time which is sometime I have dreamed of ". REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

Domestic worker Alphonia Zali looks out from her two roomed apartment, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Langa township near Cape Town, South Africa, May 7, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Alphonia replied: " I wonÕt miss anything about the lockdown. I know the lockdown is good for us, but to stay inside is difficult. You canÕt shop, see friends, or go to work".REUTERS/Mike Hutchings

Shacks are seen through the doorway of domestic worker Alphonia Zali's two roomed apartment, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Langa township near Cape Town, South Africa, May 7, 2020. Mphakamisi Zali/Handout via REUTERS

A combination picture shows domestic worker Alphonia Zali looking out from her two roomed apartment, and a view of shacks seen through her apartment's doorway, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Langa township near Cape Town, South Africa, May 7, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Alphonia replied: " I won’t miss anything about the lockdown. I know the lockdown is good for us, but to stay inside is difficult. You can’t shop, see friends, or go to work". REUTERS/Mike Hutchings and Mphakamisi Zali/Handout via REUTER

A view is seen from the doorway's room of Zineb Mohamed "Om Hany", a 59 year-old woman concierge, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Cairo, Egypt May 15, 2020. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

Zineb Mohamed "Om Hany", a 59 year-old woman concierge, watches television as seen from a doorway into her room, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Cairo, Egypt May 15, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Zineb replied : " I will miss life being quiet, especially at night ". REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

A combination picture shows Zineb Mohamed "Om Hany", a 59 year-old woman concierge, watching television as seen from a doorway into her room, and a view from her room, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Cairo, Egypt May 15, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Zineb replied : " I will miss life being quiet, especially at night ". REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

A view is seen from the window of a staircase where a swing is hanging inside a building in the Mathare slums of Nairobi, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Kenya, May 20, 2020. REUTERS/Baz Ratner

Bruno Ngetich, 10, swings as seen through the window of a staircase inside a building in the Mathare slums of Nairobi, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Kenya, May 20, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Bruno said "I will not miss anything once the curfew is over. I miss going to school and playing outside". REUTERS/Baz Ratner

A combination picture shows Bruno Ngetich,10, swinging as seen through the window of a staircase inside a building, and a view from the building, in the Mathare slums of Nairobi, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Kenya, May 20, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Bruno said "I will not miss anything once the curfew is over. I miss going to school and playing outside". REUTERS/Baz Ratner

Yael Ben Ezer, a dancer from Israel's Batsheva Dance Company, takes a photograph of the view she sees while lying on her bed after practicing in her apartment, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Tel Aviv, Israel May 19, 2020. Yael Ben Ezer/Handout/via REUTERS

A combination picture shows Yael Ben Ezer, a dancer from Israel's Batsheva Dance Company, seen through a window while she practices in her apartment, and a view that she sees from her apartment, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Tel Aviv, Israel May 19, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Yael Ben Ezer, replied 'I will miss the comfortable feeling of IT'S OK. It's ok not to "do" anything, it's ok not to be "productive" in the way we usually think. Things would come and go, the sun would rise and set, and I would just be living. And that's totally enough'REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun and Yael Ben Ezer/Handout/via REUTERS

Yael Ben Ezer, a dancer from Israel's Batsheva Dance Company, is seen through a window while she practices in her apartment, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Tel Aviv, Israel May 19, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Yael Ben Ezer, replied 'I will miss the comfortable feeling of IT'S OK. It's ok not to "do" anything, it's ok not to be "productive" in the way we usually think. Things would come and go, the sun would rise and set, and I would just be living. And that's totally enough'. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

Abu Ghazl, a 53-year-old internally displaced man, sits inside his tent at a makeshift camp erected in a cemetery, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Maarat Misrin, an opposition-held northern Idlib town, Syria May 22, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Abu Ghazl replied: "I wont miss anything after the lockdown because our situation will remain the same. Send us back to our home and we will self quarantine there as much as you want". REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi

Graves are seen from the tent of Abu Ghazl, a 53-year-old internally displaced man, at a makeshift camp erected in a cemetery, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Maarat Misrin, an opposition-held northern Idlib town, Syria, May 22, 2020. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi

A combination picture shows Abu Ghazl, a 53-year-old internally displaced man, sitting inside his tent and a view of graves from his tent, at a makeshift camp erected in a cemetery, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Maarat Misrin, an opposition-held northern Idlib town, Syria, May 22, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Abu Ghazl replied: "I wont miss anything after the lockdown because our situation will remain the same. Send us back home and we will self quarantine there as much as you want".REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi

Jordanian brothers Hussein and Zeyad Ashish, boxers who qualified to next year's Olympics, engage in an online boxing training as seen through a window into the roof of their home, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at Al-Baqaa Palestinian refugee camp, near Amman, Jordan, May 14, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Hussein replied: "I will miss this place where I spent wonderful time training. I will miss beautiful memories spent here after the lockdown". REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

A view of Al-Baqaa camp as seen from a roof window. Jordanian brothers Hussein and Zeyad Ashish, boxers who qualified for next year's Olympics, have had their movements restricted to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at Al-Baqaa Palestinian refugee camp, near Amman, Jordan, May 14, 2020. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

A combination picture shows Jordanian brothers Hussein and Zeyad Ashish, boxers who qualified to next year's Olympics, engaging in an online boxing training as seen through a window into the roof of their home at Al-Baqaa Palestinian refugee camp, and view of the camp, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), near Amman, Jordan, May 14, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Hussein replied: "I will miss this place where I spent wonderful time training. I will miss beautiful memories spent here after the lockdown". REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

A view is pictured from inside Lama Nadra's home, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Tyre, southern Lebanon May 18, 2020. REUTERS/Ali Hashisho

Lama Nadra, 28, reads a book as seen through the balcony's door into her home, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Tyre, southern Lebanon May 18, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Lama replied: " I will miss the family gathering; my brother will go back to Dubai and I will go back to Beirut. I will be separated from my father and mother too". REUTERS/Ali Hashisho

A combination picture shows Lama Nadra, 28, reading a book as seen through the balcony's door into her home, and a view pictured from her home, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Tyre, southern Lebanon May 18, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Lama replied: " I will miss the family gathering; my brother will go back to Dubai and I will go back to Beirut. I will be separated from my father and mother too". REUTERS/Ali Hashisho

Zodidi Desewula, a housewife from the Eastern Cape province, takes a break by reading as seen through the doorway of her one-roomed rondavel house, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at the Sibanye Stillwater's women's hostel in Carletonville, South Africa, May 23, 2020. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Zodidi says there is nothing she will miss about the lockdown once it is over. To her it was torture because she and her husband were stuck in one place unable to move. She also said " My self and my husband were stuck in this single room house unable to go to work. We were struggling in getting food to eat because there was no income". REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

A view is pictured from Zodidi Desewula's one-roomed rondavel house, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at the Sibanye Stillwater's women's hostel in Carletonville, South Africa, May 24, 2020. Picture taken May 24, 2020. Zodidi Desewula/Handout/via REUTERS

A combination picture shows Zodidi Desewula, a housewife from the Eastern Cape province, taking a break by reading as seen through the doorway of her one-roomed rondavel house on May 23, 2020, and a view is pictured from her house on May 24, 2020, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at the Sibanye Stillwater's women hostel in Carletonville, South Africa. When asked, what will you miss most about being in lockdown? Zodidi says there is nothing she will miss about the lockdown once it is over. To her it was torture because she and her husband were stuck in one place unable to move. She also said " My self and my husband were stuck in this single room house unable to go to work. We were struggling in getting food to eat because there was no income". REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko and Zodidi Desewula/via REUTERS