Over the past weeks we have been inviting readers from across the globe to share their COVID-19 stories. We began with views on the pandemic from Thailand, Mexico, Spain and Australia.
Last week we gratefully received contributions from Chile, England, Finland and Portugal.
Although thousands of miles often separate the writers, one consistent theme rings true. COVID-19 is life altering and we as humanity battle a common foe.
This week we welcome contributions from across the United States. Our heartfelt thanks to the authors of these pieces. For those that have provided links to their own blogs or social media we encourage you to visit.
Please know you do not have to have a blog or consider yourself a writer to contribute. You can be anonymous and do not need to provide your full name. Either email us at traveltalesoflife@gmail.com or let us know in the comments below.
Here you will find a safe place to share, find support, compassion, kindness and acceptance.
Table of Contents
COVID 19 – Perspectives from the United States
Anthem, Arizona – Nancy
As I sit here in my Arizona home… I am so thankful we have an outdoor backyard and garden where we can sit and take in the fresh air, view our gardens and “just breath” with out worries. We also have the glorious sun that shines almost daily. Without that sun … the gloom and doom of the COVID -19 virus would worsen my anxiety. The anxiety is real and is an underlying force…as no one wants to get this evil illness.
I have a son who is in healthcare, I have a friend who is in charge of a COVID ICU, and I have older friends. So this hits home with me and it makes me anxious… I worry for them. I have friends who just started businesses… then this craziness happened.
All I can do is pray for all of them… and do my best to sterilize our home and ourselves to keep this evil virus away.
Photo credit – Nancy – Two Trails One Road
Being part of this series and having read the last two posts from Sue and Dave gave me the realization that Our World is in this together. Hearing from the others around the world somehow eases my thoughts of dread. Because here, on this wonderful blog, I am reading that others are “surviving this pandemic” in so many different ways. It gives me and others… hope! Healing hope!
Together We are Strong! Keep staying home and doing the social distance dance. Together We Can Do This… We are ALL in this together. Better Days are coming!
And I end this with a few Words from the wonderful Folk Group of the 60’s…
The Seekers.
“Someday, one day
Time’s not so far away
We can share the dreams we’ve had (my addition… “We Have!”)
Oh, someday, ooh-ooh-ooh!”
I’m Nancy from Two Trails One Road Blog. Sweet Man and I live in Anthem, AZ. Together we are Two Trails that Became One Road! We enjoy adventure, nature and travel. We live in two Paradises. Arizona is home during the winter and Lake Life calls us to Pennsylvania during the summer! I also like to share recipes and home decor on the Blog. You can also find me on Instagram @nance_endless_summer
Brevard, North Carolina – Beth Ann Chiles
The world seemed to shift a little bit when COVID 19 became a pandemic and here in Western North Carolina we have watched as other states in the United States have gone from no cases to having the hospitals overrun with cases. It has been surreal at times. No one can ever predict what the next day will bring but I can honestly say I never thought I would live in the time of a pandemic.
On March 30th Governor Cooper issued the Governor’s Executive Order instructing everyone In NC to stay at home unless they are an essential worker. Gatherings of more than 10 are prohibited and physical distancing of at least 6 feet is in place. Travel is discouraged and parks and gathering places are closed. It is our new normal and we are adjusting to the changes. Restaurants have changed to curbside carry out only and many markets and stores have followed in the same steps offering order and pay ahead curbside service.
Photo credit – Beth Ann Chiles
My husband and I live in a beautiful community that spans 4000 acres with forest, hiking trails and many amenities. We live on a small lake and have a dock that provides us with a perfect place to sit and relax. My husband has a consulting business and while his travel has been curtailed, he is still able to take calls and is lining up work for when the travel restrictions are rescinded. I have given up my many volunteer jobs and am enjoying time to do reading and crafting. Our lives have changed but we are not essential workers or on the front lines of this pandemic, so it still seems a bit far away from us.
Our oldest son and his wife live in New York City and our youngest son and his wife live in Raleigh. Their chances of being infected and affected by the Coronavirus are much greater than ours at this point just because of the density of people where they live. They are all using very good sense and limiting contact with the outside world at this point. But a mama still worries. I especially worry about my own 90-year-old mom who lives in a Memory Care unit 550 miles away from me. I have canceled my April trip to see her and it is breaking my heart. I wish I had everyone under one roof with me but that is not the case nor is it what we need to be doing at this point.
Our lives have not been affected nearly as much as so many others. We have a full freezer and pantry thanks to a pre – stay at home order trip to Sam’s Club. We have plenty of food and supplies and what we don’t have we can get with curbside pick-up at a local market a mile down the road from us. We live in a place where we can actually get outside and hike and walk without seeing a soul. Yes, my 60th birthday trip to Bermuda has been canceled. Yes, our other travel plans have been canceled for the moment, but I know that we will eventually be able to do that. Not everyone can say that.
Photo credit – Beth Ann Chiles
The new normal is weird. Every morning we wake up and tell each other what the day and date is. Our days are filled with more down time than we are used to. I spend a lot of time reaching out to others via texts, emails and good old-fashioned snail mail. Checking in with people is important during this time so I have been doing “mental health” checks with friends and family. It’s what I can do to offer support and love so that is my current “job”.
We will come out of this and when we do, I hope we can say we are a kinder and more compassionate country. I have seen so many examples of people stepping up and doing what needs to be done. It gives me hope. Right now, I think hope is what we all need a huge dose of. Stay well, my friends, and keep the hope alive.
Beth Ann warmly welcomes readers to her blog It’s Just Life. There you will read about her travels, family and even her teapot collection. Each month she hosts Comments for a Cause. For each comment received, Beth Ann and her husband donate 50 cents to a charity. This month the chosen charity is WHO – COVID 19 Solidarity Fund. You can also find Beth Ann on Facebook @ItsJustLifeFindingthe ExtraordinaryintheOrdinary and on Twitter @bachiles
Brooklyn, New York – Lia
I press the 4th floor button with a gloved knuckle. The elevator door closes in what feels like an eternity. My breathing is shallow, as a warm breath moistens the fabric of my face covering. The pre-war elevator cranks slowly up its cables. I am grateful not to live any higher than the 4th floor, or surely I’d need to fully inhale.
I stand face-to-face with an “invisible enemy”.
This is my new reality, residing in Brooklyn, New York. Going to the laundry room in the basement, throwing out the trash, or checking the mail have all become potential run-ins with an unwelcome visitor: COVID-19.
Some may wonder why New York City has been so hard hit by the virus. I think one reason may be because most residents here don’t own cars and rely instead on public transportation to get from point A to point B.
And therefore, germs have had a field day here in the Big Apple.
Almost a month ago, I stopped commuting by subways into Manhattan. I’m working from home now. I am lucky. I respect all the essential workers who need to go out despite the quarantine.
In retrospect, during the days leading up to the New York “PAUSE” quarantine, I remember that many subway riders already seemed poised for the invisible enemy.
We crammed ourselves into subway cars, like sardines staring at each other: Does that man over there look sick? Why is that lady rubbing her nose? What if the teen two inches away from me has to sneeze? And when a passenger dared clear his throat, dozens of eyes darted upon that sorry soul as if to scold him for an uncontrollable bodily function.
Other New Yorkers, however, didn’t seem to notice the impending virus visitor.
On one unseasonably warm day in mid-March, the park near my apartment was teeming with residents. There were those who played soccer – others basketball. Some pushed their giggling children on playground swings. Others walked tiny, little dogs on tiny, little leashes.
Nothing seemed to out of the ordinary to the naked eye.
But a week later, the Mayor ordered basketball hoops removed from their backboards: the players couldn’t be trusted to socially distance on their own. And the following day, Parks Department workers officially sealed off our park entrance with temporary wooden barriers draped in DO NOT CROSS police tape.
I pondered how joyously the neighborhood will celebrate when the park would one day be re-opened.
Residents now take walks that are short and solitary. And dogs can no longer linger, sniffing tree trunks. It’s all about hurrying up and going back inside.
To be honest, when the orders came to put New York on “PAUSE”, I was secretly relieved. I wanted the city to go into hibernation. I felt it was the only way to save our citizens against COVID-19.
But the city’s slumber came too late. It was already infected.
Brooklyn New York – Photo credit Lia
A great silence overcame Gotham – a silence I’d never heard before. One that was intermittently broken by the blaring sound of an ambulance. And every time it passed, I prayed for the person inside.
This was the new soundtrack of the city.
Fortunately, most New Yorkers have heeded the call: those who can stay home, do. We worry for those who are sick or jobless and those on the front lines…We mourn the lives our city has lost. We wear face coverings and gloves when we venture outside.
It seems like the new norm.
But there’s something I don’t think I’ll ever get used to: people turning away from me while I walk past them. It’s strange. I understand why they do it, however. I unconsciously do the same.
I wonder if this knee-jerk reaction will remain once the quarantine is lifted?
This week, the city’s soundtrack has changed a bit. The frenetic pace of ambulance sirens has slowed down. I hope it represents a downward trending of the curve.
I’m trying to stay more positive now.
And if anything “good” has come from the quarantine, it’s that I hear birds chirping when I wake. The birds were always there, but their song had been drowned out by the everyday hubbub of cars, pedestrians, and city life overall.
The other day, I swear I even heard a woodpecker…. Perhaps he flew down from a northern suburb in search of a tree that grows in Brooklyn?
Lia is a native New Yorker, living in Brooklyn. She works helping students in language arts. In her spare time, she loves to cook for her family, write, tend to her plants, and surf the internet for recipes, travel blogs, and funny memes.
Houston, Texas – Lexie Klein
What a great idea Sue had to solicit input from readers all over the world on how their worlds have changed in the current Covid-19 environment! I have very much enjoyed the other installments and was pleased to be asked to contribute as well, so here’s a look at our alternate reality these days in Houston, Texas:
Our State
Texas has a Republican governor and many residents who are outspoken believers in individual rights and independent policies – don’t forget this was once its own republic! As a result, our governor was very slow to lock down the state, but as of a few weeks ago, we were officially supposed to be staying at home. Unfortunately, there are still a good number of people in certain parts of the state (and in pockets throughout it) who think this is overkill and that it’s OK to gather in large churches and in parks, and that the economy, especially oil and gas, is more important than saving lives. On our eastern border is Louisiana, where Covid is rampant in and around New Orleans; as a result, we now have roadblocks entering Texas, and while no one is being turned back, everyone coming in must provide contact information for random check-ins to be sure they are truly quarantining for a mandatory 14 days. But who knows if any of this is working because Texas is currently second-to-last in terms of testing in the U.S. Because we have done fewer tests per capita here than any state but Kansas, some experts suggest that we have up to 10 times as many cases as we think we do. We’d better keep following the suggestion of this boarded-up restaurant sign that I captured on one of my walks!
Photo credit – Lexie Klein
Our City
At the same time, Texas can be a study in contradiction because we have three of the largest cities in the entire U.S., all of which were wiser and quicker to react, and the one I live in, Houston, is the most diverse city in the U.S. and is run by a much more liberal and proactive set of leaders. Even when Texas as a whole was not under an official lockdown order, all of our major cities were. And well before that mandate was handed down, most people here in Houston were taking it pretty seriously to protect themselves and others, so our restaurants and other non-essential businesses have been shuttered for weeks now. Like many people and places in the world, a good number of us are currently wearing masks in public to protect ourselves and others. The testing problem is here, too, though, and our date for peak cases is still over a week away while other states are apparently reaching theirs now or earlier. We have many enormous hospitals and other medical facilities here, yet the city is still making back-up plans; let’s hope we don’t need all the beds we have or project needing.
Our Household
In our own household of just my husband and myself, life on the surface looks pretty much the same, but underneath J’s long workdays and my somewhat abbreviated ones is an on-and-off wave of stress. J is working to keep his company and its customers afloat, and he has the unenviable task of assessing his workforce for needed reductions. In the weeks since we have been home, J has had to let some employees go, and to share the pain, he has cut his own and other management salaries.
While he is making major decisions upstairs, I have been making dozens of masks for our family and others, cleaning like a fiend, honing my coloring and puzzle-doing skills, and cooking way more often than I have in recent years. We have limited our grocery shopping to very infrequent runs and have experimented with pick-up and delivery services (not a fan of either so far). We were trying to order some take-out food to support our local businesses, but we have now slowed that down as well after hearing that many restaurant workers are not being protected. And we are wiping down everything that enters our house from outside in a way that is very foreign to me as a past non-worrier about things like this!
We are trying to get outdoors for a run, a walk, or a bike ride at least once a day, which we are lucky to still be able to do. It’s a good thing that I am in training for another mountain endurance event (which may end up being cancelled anyway) because I am motivated to get out and work off all the extra food I seem to be cooking and eating while stuck at home!
Our Family
We are keeping in almost daily contact with our three kids who all live in different states and who are all behaving as we are. We don’t have any idea when we might see them or our siblings or parents, all of whom live far away. My main worries are related to family, most immediately how my son and his wife will handle her upcoming delivery of our first grandchild and how we might be able to help or even get to them at that time. My elderly parents are now back in their main home after a rushed and stressful exit from our house here to a winter home in Georgia and then back to their northern home. I worry about their ability to cope with all the new rules, particularly because they seem much too cavalier about things to me.
Overall, I am grateful to live in this warm and pleasant place where I can open my door and be on tree-shaded neighborhood streets even though I live in the heart of the city just minutes away from downtown. I’m even luckier that we have a house to isolate ourselves in, the resources to ride this out, and in my case, a chance to be quiet and still a bit more than usual, to focus on the simpler things in life.
Photo credit – Lexie Klein
Sending wishes to all your readers to stay healthy, safe, and sane!
Lexie describes herself as a restless, world-wandering, language-loving, book-devouring traveler trying to straddle the threshold between a traditional, stable family life and a free-spirited, irresistible urge to roam. A pretty happy camper (literally), but there is some angst as well as excitement in always having one foot out the door. We encourage you to visit Lexie’s fascinating blog One Foot Out The Door.
Las Vegas, Nevada – Paul Douglas
Since March 18, when the governor ordered a statewide shutdown of all casinos in Nevada, all businesses regarded as non-essential were also closed. During the shutdown, my wife and I have been classified as elderly, at considerable risk, and ordered to stay indoors. This is not by any federal, state, nor local edict but by our adult daughter who now calls us every day to find out where we are and what we are doing. She has been ordering groceries for us online and from Costco but instructing us to wear gloves when we receive the packages and store them in the garage for 3 days before opening them. This is the same woman who, up until last week, was allowing her kids to play with their friends outside. I was able to escape on my own early one morning to pick up some essentials. Quite a few stores have instituted senior hours when those over 60 or 65 can shop for an hour before the regular customers. Still, I found our local stores were bereft of rice, most canned goods and, of course, toilet paper. But everyone- customer and cashier alike- was friendly and mindful of social distancing. Though we live in relative comfort, we are mindful of all those who do not. Recently, a local shelter for the homeless was closed down when 1 man tested positive for Covid-19 and a Las Vegas parking lot became the temporary shelter for 500 others. Former Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro tweeted, “… there are 150K hotel rooms in Vegas going unused right now. How about public private cooperation to temporarily house them there?”
Any bets on how that will turn out?
Photo credit – Paul Douglas
Yesterday we ventured out for a drive down the strip to see how eerie the deserted sidewalks might seem. Our days, of late, have been spent wondering what we should make for dinner, grateful that we still have food. We begin cooking around 4 pm so that we can finish early and go to bed around 9. In that respect we have turned into our parents- early to bed and early to rise. But it is a very long day when you spend most of it glued to your laptop. We don’t watch tv so the evenings simply drag on when you can’t go out. And social media is no longer as attractive as it once was. I told my wife this morning that I probably could stay in isolation until May 7. When she asked why that date, I told her, “because that’s the day I run out of wine.”
Paul is the owner of Emilio Pasquale Photography. The company name is in honor of his grandfather Emilio, and his uncle Pasquale, who both immigrated to the United States from Italy around 1919. Paul has been retired from a 25 year career in film for several years now and, along with his wife, has plans to travel the 2,278 miles (3,665 km) Route 66 from Santa Monica, California to Chicago, Illinois as soon as restrictions are lifted. We encourage you to view a collection of his work at Emilio Pasquale Photography. You can also find him on Facebook where he admits to, currently, spending way too much time.
Los Angeles, California – Kirt Tisdale
It seems like a lifetime ago that the COVID-19 virus was first identified entering the United States in Seattle, Washington and then northern California. Living in Southern California we knew it wouldn’t be long before cases surfaced down here. As February progressed, so did the outbreak. With March right around the corner, we started to wonder whether or not we should cancel or keep our plans to fly up to Seattle. Two of our daughters and their husbands live in the Seattle area and we had planned a trip to spend a long weekend from March 5 returning to LA on March 10 to celebrate our youngest daughter and her husbands 30th birthday (they are 5 days apart). That particular weekend was important for a couple of reasons…I had a surgery scheduled in two weeks and they were planning on spending their actual birthdays in Cabo, Mexico. We decided to go ahead but took masks and disinfectant wipes for the flight up and back (flights were half empty at that point). We had a great weekend and celebrated birthdays at a local winery with our two daughters, their husbands and our youngest daughters’ “in-laws”.
The week we returned home became the week we sequestered ourselves. Anyone over the age of 60 was asked to stay home. The following week the shut down began and my surgery was cancelled. Along with the shut down and being sequestered, we learned our daughter’s mother-in-law was diagnosed with COVID-19 and we had been exposed the night we were at the winery with them.
Fast forward to today and we have been sequestered for over 4 weeks, our daughter’s mother-n-in-law had a mild fever and since has recovered. Her husband and none of the rest of us (exception my wife) had any symptoms. My wife had a day where she felt a little off and had a slight fever on and off, so doctor cleared her for testing. It came back negative.
Photo credit – Kirt Tisdale
This part of the world like most places now is in complete shut down except for health care workers and workers in businesses that are deemed critical to keep open like grocery stores. It has taken the full four weeks to get that situation into a safer mode…everyone in gloves, masks and spaced 6 feet apart to go into the store. Only a certain number of people at a time are allowed. For us, we have either delivery or now they have re-opened pick-up where you order ahead…they let you know when it’s ready and you pull up to a designated spot…text them you are there, pop your trunk and they put the bags in without you doing anything.
The one thing that I have seen when I took my wife for testing and on our grocery pick up trips is how empty the Los Angeles freeways are. I have never seen them with so few cars. It is eerie for anyone who knows how congested the LA freeways are almost 24 hrs a day.
On a daily basis, we stay apprised of the status of the country starting with the national debriefing followed by California Governor debriefing and then Los Angeles mayor debriefing.
Socially we are on FaceTime almost daily with our two grandchildren (3 and 1), our daughters and son-in laws and siblings and friends across the country. Gotta love the internet!! My favorite use was the Saturday night our daughter and her husband would have been in Cabo (cancelled). We did a Zoom conference Happy Hour with all three daughters, their husbands and the two grand children to celebrate their birthdays as a family.
We find ourselves no less busy than normal, something is always surfacing that needs addressed. We workout in some form or other daily (we have a stationary bike). And those times when we need to take a pause, whether it be early morning for coffee and or late afternoon for a glass of wine, we are blessed with a beautiful garden/patio to relax in.
Be well! Be safe!!
Photo credit – Kirt Tisdale
Kirt lives in Los Angeles with his wife Gail. Kirt is an avid digital artist who has turned his passion for photography into a variety of art forms. Kirt’s weekly blog thewallgalleryblog features his work and his passion. Kirt and Gail have been married for 46 years and have three adult daughters, three son-in-laws and two grandchildren. Family is the core of their life. You can also find Kirt on Twitter @KirtWallGallery and on Facebook @The WallGallery.KirtTisdale
Our sincere thanks for the contributions to this COVID-19 collaboration. If you would like to participate in a future post let us know in the comments below or send an email to traveltalesoflife@gmail.com
Be well, stay home and reach out if you need support.
Some wonderful posts from around the US. It is great to see how everyone is coping. It is clear that everyone is doing the best they can during this difficult time and that we are all in this together. Thanks for collecting these reports and sharing them with your readers. Bless you and your family.
Darlene we appreciate you taking the time to read these as well as your own contribution from Spain earlier in the series. So true about each doing the best one can. Sending our best wishes to you across the miles. Are things improving in Spain?
Thanks also for sharing this on Twitter. Much appreciated.
As much as I enjoyed providing my own story, I loved reading all the others even more! Nancy and Beth Ann seem to be having experiences that are very similar to ours, while Lia’s situation makes me shudder to think about the millions of people with no real outdoor outlets (including a dear friend of ours who is a nurse in NYC). Paul’s entry is another side of the coin for those of us in the sandwich generation; our kids are worried about us, and we are bossing around our older parents! That photo of the Las Vegas strip is downright eerie (yet beautiful). Kirt’s mention of the empty highways around LA rang a bell here, too; our 10- and 12-lane freeways and giant spaghetti bowls of interchanges are the emptiest I’ve ever seen them. It’s a wonderful sight, but it’s hard to relish the lack of traffic knowing what has brought it on.
Once again, thank you for assembling these stories from around the country and world!
Lexie such a pleasure to host you on our blog and many thanks for your contribution from Houston. We appreciate you taking the time to read the other stories as well. Definitely some similarities as you have outlined. Each time I read Lia’s I am left with shivers. We are all in this together but some of us are walking a steeper path.
Hi Sue & Dave.
Thank you for sharing.
We enjoyed reading the personal stories of how many individuals are handling the lockdown of COVID-19.
Thank you.
Kelley Reinhardt
Kelley thank you for taking the time to read the stories. We feel privileged to receive these contributions from all corners of the world and today from the United States.
Wishing you all the best and hoping this finds you and your husband safe and well.
Sue, thanks so much for putting this post together. It is so nice to get this connection. Here in Minnesota, we are hanging in there. I have read constantly that our state so far is tracking as one of the best states in the nation at how we are handling the pandemic. We are so lucky to have Mayo Clinic, 3M, the U of M and so many healthcare and medical device companies. We are also very lucky to have a Democratic governor who has been amazing. What I’ve seen through this all is how much inequity there is and how much division as a nation. Each state fending for themselves and those who are “lucky” to have a governor that gets it. I am so angered and outraged at how this has been handled by the top (I can him the bottom actually). So many lives could have been saved had our government taken this more seriously in the beginning. Now we have the most cases in the country and our sending our health care workers and other frontline workers out there with no protection. It is insane but seeing the people come together has also been a good thing. I hope that this teaches our nation a lesson in the end.
Nicole I appreciate your sharing your thoughts very much. We have heard little about Minnesota in the news. It sounds like there is much to be grateful for living in your state.
Living in Canada it has been ‘interesting’ to watch the difference in how things are handled at the national level. I am trying to avoid saturation of media as I find it can leave one with head sadly shaking.
I agree that one positive in all of this is people coming together. The examples of kindness and compassion give me hope for better days.
Sending my best to you Nicole. Stay well.
Thank you Sue and Dave for these Series!
I am glad that I was able to participate along with others from the United States. As I read these essays I felt that we here in the States …really are UNITED! We truly are in this together. We are all coping differently… but together we are all somehow connected. Anxiety, fear, but yet HOPE resonates throughout all these essay series of the World and of the States. We are not alone in trying to stay healthy and we are not alone in being concerned for our loved ones who live elsewhere …and we are not alone being aware of this World Crisis. We Will Overcome!
Thanks So Much Sue and Dave for all these collections of thoughts in these trying times.
Nancy such a pleasure to bring the six of you together. I agree that there are threads of continuity. Whether in country or the planet we are in this together. Many thanks for your contribution. We so appreciate it.
Another wonderful and enlightening post 😊
Thank you Ingrid. Such a pleasure to bring all these great contributions together.
Can’t say it enough….love this approach and all of your posts from around the world and now the US. Thank you for asking me to contribute as part of the US. Love reading these posts from across our great country. The timing of shut downs and the individual state responses and how it impacted each of these writers is enlightening. Again, thanks for doing this!! Be well and my best to your family!!
Kirt we are grateful for your willingness to share your perspective from LA. It’s been a heartening to read from people in all corners of the earth and today from our neighbours to the south. Sending very best wishes back to you and your family too.
Thanks Sue for continuing to inform and too for all those who have contributed to your page…..as we here in B.C. Canada continue to self isolate I too am well aware of the wonderful work of all those in the health care field, all those in essential services. Our parks have been closed, our children’s playgrounds and recreational facilities also closed. But as can be seen this Covid19 has allowed some family’s to work together through these times…I feel fortunate to have a roof over my head, family that I connect with over the internet and food available, along with a wonderful husband and son who checks in to ensure we are well….I know there are many homeless who cannot say the same…..and for those I pray.
Jayne good to hear how things are for you in BC. It sounds quite similar to here in Alberta. There is much to be grateful for. I think of the vulnerable populations and worry for their safety. We too have a warm home, food to eat and grown children to keep an eye out for us. Sending best wishes to you. Stay well.
This was another very interesting and informative post Sue from around the US. It seems things are similar for many around the world and life has changed in the way we do things. I can relate to the writers about holding your breath at times when around people, using gloves to press buttons and being careful about groceries parcels. Here in Australia they haven’t gone so far as to require people to wear masks and there is some conjecture about that, so it was interesting to read in some of the accounts, how the wearing and making of masks has become a new direction. Thanks for collating this excellent series, it is somehow humbling to know we are not alone and we fight together wherever in the world we are. Take care everyone and virtual hugs from me in Australia 🙂
Debbie it has been a fascinating journey as the contributions continue to come in from around the world. There is always the similarity of we are in this together and battling the common foe. However the public health approaches do differ. Here we are being advised to wear non medical masks when unable to social distance such as going ot the grocery store. It has been interesting ot see virtually no masks a few weeks ago to at least half of the shoppers wearing them, including myself.
Sending hugs back to you from Canada. We hope you and your family continue to be well.
Stay safe and well, everyone.
Good wishes right back to you. Hoping all is well.
I was wondering how life was in the US now with what’s going on. It seems each state in the States is handling the situation differently. I think Lia from New York summed up what we are facing perfectly, an invisible enemy. You hear stories of so many people getting COVID-19 and you really do wonder is it around you right now. You really can’t be too careful these days.
Everyone seems to have made adjustments, and best of all it sounds like everyone is making sure everyone they know are comfortable and well. The least we can do right now is look out for one another. Well done on a great series, Sue.
Mabel how lovely to find you here. I hope you are safe and well. Indeed an invisible enemy, which Lia described in such a way that made me feel as though I was with her in Brooklyn.
The idea for the series came to mind in the middle of the night a few weeks ago when I was wondering about a friend in another country. It has been a gift to receive these contributions and to see how similar we are no matter where we are.
It is heartening to see that in times of crisis people come together. Since this is a world problem reading what each one of us is going thru helps fight individual battles.
I agree that there is something comforting about this sharing of similar challenges. The feeling of unity and togetherness continues to ring true.
Hi Sue and Dave,
This is a very interesting compilation of experiences. Being an extreme extrovert, this is one of the first times in my life where I am grateful for that fact that I live in a location where I have to go out of my way to not be social distanced from others. Gotta love Saskatchewan and it’s wide open spaces.
Owen it has been fascinating doing this weekly series. As contributions come in from all over the world it is clear we have a lot in common no matter where we live. Certainly the high density cities face great challenges. Here in Calgary just going for a walk can involve a great deal of weaving about. Saskatchewan does have the advantage of wide open spaces. Perhaps that is why the case numbers are quite low.
As a fellow extrovert I have found this avoidance of people to be a most unnatural way of living. I am thankful for video chats and such but nothing replaces face to face conversation.
What a wonderful way to share what we are all going through, thank you for putting this together. We are all connected, more than we realize!
Tiffany I agree. If nothing else this pandemic will make us realize we are all in this together.
I hesitated to come here, but then when I do it becomes compulsive reading, Sue. Part of me is still in denial and thinks the world is overreacting, and I sure as hell don’t like being pigeonholed as a vulnerable, aged person. But on we go! Thanks everybody for contributing, and please stay safe and come out of this well. I am wholeheartedly grateful not to be Lia this morning. What a nightmare scenario. Good luck to her!
Jo like you as the contributions continue to come to us I am mesmerized by the reading. Lia’s story left me with shivers from head to toe.
Like you it is with some surprise that we find ourselves classified in the higher risk group. Our grown children offering assistance and wondering if they can be helpful. who can argue with the date on the birth certificate I suppose.
Stay well friend.
Sue, thank you for compiling this third installment of multiple perspectives from your readers around the world. I was especially thrilled to read Lexie’s account (she is, of course, one of my favorite bloggers) and go through her detailed breakdown of the situations in Texas, in Houston, at home, and what her family scattered across the US has been up to as well. The New York City dispatch from Lia was haunting; it resonated with my own experience right now, living in an apartment block in a densely populated city of 10 million souls. Only four people are allowed per lift and there are cute shoe print–shaped stickers and yellow strips marking out where they should stand. Kirt and Paul’s photos and descriptions of the deserted streets and freeways are striking too; my jaw almost dropped when I read the part about an in-law of Kirt’s daughter falling ill with the virus and how they were likely exposed to it when they met up with her in Seattle. I’m glad to hear she’s made a full recovery after experiencing mild symptoms, and that Gail tested negative. There’s no question the US is the hardest-hit country in this pandemic – with all the lockdowns in place, I hope the worst of it will soon be over.
James thank you for your interest in the series and for this week contributing! The incredible challenges of a densely populated city make the situation extremely challenging. Each of the stories brings a unique perspective. it is challenging not to gasp when one reads of someone being exposed and falling ill.
Sending our best wishes to you. Stay safe and well friend.
Another fascinating read, Sue and Dave. Thank you for compiling the stories and thanks to the contributors as well. It remains interesting to see how everyone deals with the situation and how officials in all these places handled it.
Since we have been driving through multiple US states lately – out of necessity – we have noticed these changes as well. We have found that local traffic hasn’t changed at all – so many cars on the road, to grocery stores and who knows where – but that the freeways around cities were relatively quiet. No traffic jams around Washington DC or other cities!
So interesting that local traffic still seems busy Liesbet. I do wonder where people are going? At least the freeways have lightened in their activity.
hoping this finds you now safely settled at your destination. We very much look forward to sharing your contribution next week.
Sue, thank you both for this wonderful initiative to get connected to people from here and abroad. thank you too to the contributors with their heartwarming stories. we are all in these and together we will overcome. our prayers and positive thoughts to all. thank you again! 🙂
Thank you for reading and the kind wishes. We send the same back to you and your family. Take good care. xo
Thank you so much for this series! I loved reading the experiences of others and it somehow makes me feel more united with others around the world even more so. I am so grateful that you allowed me to share my own story with others and hope that we can all help each other and support one another during this time. We feel so fortunate to not have so many of the worries that others have during these times — my husband and I have talked often about what it is like to not have the resources that we have. That is why it is important to share what we can with whomever we can during times like this. You are shedding light on real people and their stories. Thank you again!
Beth Ann a delight to have your contribution. You bring up a very good point about those of us who find ourselves in a comfortable situation can help others not so fortunate. With many suffering now these are wise words. Thank you again for being part of our post on the United States. Sending best wishes to you. Stay well.
Sue it was very interesting to read all these posts from different parts of the U.S. How incredible that New York and Houston could react so differently at a governor level. It was particularly interesting for us to read the account from Lia in Brooklyn because of how hard hit New York has been. Her description of going up in the elevator and holding her breath really brought things home to us on a very real level.
The hardest part for many of us is the worry and concern for our ageing parents in homes or assisted living residencies.
Your series provides such a powerful set of vignettes on a global level. Everyone at the same time going through the same COVID19 threat.
Kirt’s imagery of the empty freeway in Los Angeles was another visual that instantly resonated as we always go to LA when we are back in the U.S. to visit Ben’s mom who lives there. Hard to imagine the freeways emtpy.
Stay safe stay healthy everyone.
Excellent collection of COVID19 essays.
Peta & Ben
When you are sequestered in your home, you really don’t appreciate just how different the city is until you drive around. LA is known for clogged freeways almost 24/7 and to see them with hardly any cars or even with a limited number is eerie….really eerie. It truly humbles you!
Peta and Ben we feel privileged to be receiving these accounts of the COVID crisis from around the world, including yours. We too worry about our Moms who fall into the highest risk group.
Lia’s description leaves me with shivers each time I have read it. Such high density living in such a hard hit city presents incredible challenges.
Stay well friends. i enjoy seeing your daily blissful scenes on Instagram from your new home.
Thanks for hosting such an interesting series, Sue! Despite the scariness of the situation, it helps to know that we’re all in the same boat and doing the best we can. Stay well, everyone! 🙂
Apologies for the late reply Diane. ‘Doing the best we can’ has become my mantra. So many complex challenges that we each must find our own way. Sending good wishes to you. We see BC is opening up and allowing more socializing. Hoping it goes well.
Sue, another very interesting collection of experiences. The way the US government is handling the recent events is closely watched by the entire world, so it is really fascinating to hear people’s accounts of how it is affecting them personally in the different US Estates. We hear on the news here in the UK how NY City has been particularly hit by the virus, so it is so interesting to hear Lia’s contribution to this post. But also all the others from different parts of the US. Thank you, Sue I will be looking forward to this weeks post.
Gilda my apologies for missing this comment. I too found Lia’s contribution most interesting. I can barely watch the news of what is happening south of us these days. Good to see that NYC is coming down off of the curve at least.
Hi Sue and Dave! Can’t say I “enjoyed” reading these, but I did find them helpful, I do find it instructive to read about how others are coping, I guess it’s just a way of feeling like we are all in this together, even if our individual situations are different.
Hope you and your family are well.
Cheers, Amy
Amy although not uplifting, like you I find the stories bring a shared sense of being together. We are doing well and hope this find you the same too.
An interesting idea! Many wonderful stories. We live in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Your link was in Nancy’s Tuesday Tidbits post this morning. 😊
Thank you for visiting via Nancy’s blog. Hoping this finds you safe and well in Virginia.
While I see understandable levels of concern, anxiety, and dread in this post, the hope, gratitude, and support for friends and family (albeit virtually) are so much stronger. I’ll echo Nancy in finding great comfort in these personal stories, Sue, and Beth in her desire that kindness and compassion remain when we emerge from this.
I am relieved to learn that Kirt and his family are in good health after exposure to COVID-19. His image of the LA Freeway is unfathomable, having spent lifetimes on it myself during a 3-months stay in 2007.
Paul made me laugh with his daughter-mandated confinement, occasional attempts to fly under her radar, and hopes for freedom before the wine runs out. And his beautifully composed street image of the Vegas Strip was surreal. I can’t imagine that there is a bookmaker in Vegas who would take the other side of the bet of hoteliers sheltering the homeless.
Lia’s story particularly hit home, or should I say, former home as I lived on the 5th floor of an NYC co-op for 13 years before setting sail. Her impressions gave me a clear sense of the transformation of the city has undergone as a result of the pandemic, and the positive that can be found in a bird chirp.
But it is Lexie’s experience that gives me the greatest pause. Texas is a microcosm of the larger US with regard to its divided response to the pandemic. At a time that we should come together as a nation, we are further apart than ever. Much of this is driven by a true desire to minimize contagion and/or mitigate economic distress. Still, I am astounded by the few who use a pandemic to further darker agendas.
I thank all of the contributors for sharing their experiences. I am looking forward to visiting each of their blogs. It will happen slowly as we’ve just arrived in Puerto Escondido and are only able to access the internet when we dinghy into the marina.
Thanks Lisa, I have to say I’m still trying to wrap my head around the lack of traffic on the LA freeways…..a little spooky!!
Lisa my apologies for the late reply to your in depth comment. As we read the contributions from so many, including yourself, it truly gives us a glimpse of how others are facing the challenge. I can see why Lia’s contribution would resonate with you so much.
Hoping this finds you and the Captain still in safe waters.
I feel for my neighbours to the south as I continue to read about growing number of cases in some states and pockets, and the alarming rush to re-open the economy in some states. It struck me in this group of essays that while we are all struggling, the realities are so different depending on where we live, the type of work we do (or are not doing now), our stage in life…One of the common themes (except for Lia and Paul) is how comforting it is to get outside in nature, even if only on a small backyard patio. I am so grateful to have nature at my doorstep, which inevitably brings down my anxiety by a couple of notches.
Thanks to you and your contributors for these excellent essays. Best to all of you!
Caroline I agree that just having a bit of nature to escape too really brings a sense of calm. Although we are in Calgary we live near the river. Getting out early in the morning the peacefulness could almost make one think nothing is unusual.
I appreciate your visit and good wishes. The very best back to you.
Dear Sue, I thank you for taking the time to facilitate and execute this wonderful compendium. I went first to the U.S. post, because that is where I live, but I look forward to reading about the other nation’s resident’s experiences too. Many thanks, as well, to Nancy, Beth Ann, Lia, Lexie, Paul, and Kirt for taking the time to share their personal feelings and experiences. I liked that each one had an accompanying photo. Busy cities, suburban and rural settings, people of varying ages with loved ones — a wonderful look at the pandemic we are living through and how people are coping. Thanks for bring us all together, Sue.
Jet a pleasure to host these stories over the week. There is much similarity in the challenges we are facing. I know there has been some backlash to the term ‘we are in this together’. Some are near the shore of the ocean and others miles out trying to stay afloat. Still it brings comfort I think to be able to connect with others.
Sending very best wishes to you and Athena. I hope this finds you safe and well.
Thank you for doing this. I’m an American living in Britain, and although I check in with friends and relatives in the US, I’m feeling very cut off from it right now. It’s never seemed so far away.