Hello Meltingpot Community,
I know most of you, like me, are stuck at home trying to figure out how you are going to survive de facto house arrest for the next two, three, or (gasp) eight weeks. On the one hand, I feel incredibly blessed because; 1) I can work from home. 2) El esposo can work from home. 3) We live in a nice neighborhood where we can take long, lovely walks. 4) We like our children and for the most part they can entertain themselves.
On the other hand, I’m already feeling confined because I can’t travel any farther than I can manage on those long, lovely walks. And I know I’m not the only one lamenting the lack of opportunity to travel. Whether it was a planned Spring Break trip, a family gathering, or just a spontaneous week-end getaway, Corona has cancelled it all.
But, never fear, dear readers. I have a list of ideas to bring the world to your doorstep, both literally and figuratively. Think of this as your guide to armchair travel when you can’t actually go anywhere.
Let Your Tongue Do the Walking (and Talking)
People always say they feel like a different person when they speak a different language. So, how about you jump on DuoLingo and learn a new language? It’s free, you can immerse yourself in a new culture by learning the language and bonus, when the travel restrictions are over, you’ll be ready to test out your new language skills on an actual travel adventure. Bonus, there’s a DuoLingo podcast which you can listen to when you take your long, lovely walks. Don’t try to get fluent, just rejoice in the pleasure of being a polyglot.
Go to A New Museum (in Paris)!
Museums all over the world are offering free virtual tours thank to #Rona2020. Many of the museums with offerings have massive collections of art and artifacts – Think The British Museum and The National Gallery of Art – so you can pace yourself and “travel” to a different museum in a different country every day.
Let the World Come to You in Box of Treats
So, we humans can’t actually travel anywhere, but that’s not stopping food from crossing borders. Now would be the perfect time to order a Universal Yums subscription box. This New Jersey-based company (with an adorable origin story) sends a new box every month with sweet and savory snacks from a different country, complete with a map, activities and and an explanation of all the goodies included in the box. We got to sample the box they sent from “France” and it provided hours of entertainment for the whole family. From opening the box and unpacking all the goodies, to sampling and reading about all of the treats, my kids and I both loved it. It’s like taking a trip in a box or having the world delivered to your door.
Escape In a Book
I’m sure you knew I was going to suggest reading as a form of escape. Of course I would. I read all the time, but in these crazy Corona days, we need books that will distract and entertain and take us to other worlds. Check out my Books to Get You through #Corona2020 list on Bookshop.org for my suggestions. (Please note, when you buy books on Bookshop.org, a portion of your purchase will go directly to independent bookstores. Bookshop.org is a new company that gives indie bookshops an opportunity to compete with Amazon by selling books online. And in these crazy times, indie bookstores really need our support.)
Listen, Learn and Leave
I admit I listen to a lot of podcasts. And I tend to listen to those shows that can help me with whatever issues I may be struggling with at the time. Luckily, there are a lot of podcasts about travel; how to plan for travel; how to move abroad; how to travel more; how to travel cheap; how to travel with children; how to travel alone. Here’s a great list of travel podcasts by women of color to dive into right now. You can get lost in the stories or start planning for a future trip.
Okay, Meltingpot community. I hope this guide to armchair travel has given you some ideas and inspiration to help you make it through #Corona2020. Let me know how you’re doing during these crazy times.
Peace!
(Featured Photo by Alessio Cesario from Pexels)
(Note: some of the links in this post are affiliate links.)
