The study focused on the lived experiences of English teachers in Online Distance Learning (ODL) in the new normal. The study aimed to determine the degree of the pre-identified challenges and their feelings about teaching through ODL. The participants of this study involved five (5) Junior High School English teachers of the Basic Education Department (BED) in private schools in Laguna, Philippines in this first school year under the new normal, the SY 2020-2021. The study employed quantitative and qualitative research methods. The researcher obtained the mean from the raw data of the pre-identified challenges in teaching English through ODL in three (3) aspects: preparations, conduct of lessons, and assessment and feedback. The results revealed that the participants, being in ODL modality for almost a year now, found preparations very easy, having a mean of 3.40. Consequently, they considered that in the other two (2) aspects, they did not find much difficulty with 3.00 as the mean as the school year ended. These results showed that the participants have a low degree of difficulty in the pre-determined challenges as experienced in the ODL. This is due to their adjustment for a year now being first time-teachers in this new normal. As for the qualitative results, the hermeneutic phenomenology was used to identify their feelings about their teaching through ODL. Eight (8) themes emerged about their feelings in the beginning, middle, and end of the school year. At the beginning of the school year, the teachers had feelings of anxiety and challenge. In the middle of the school year, they had feelings of inefficiency and stress. However, they also felt hopeful that this pandemic would soon be over. Lastly, at the end of the school year, the teachers concluded their first school year in ODL with the feelings of fulfillment, confidence, and resilience.