We are not meant to live in isolation. What makes us healthy and whole are the connections we form with one another.  With our families. Our friends. Our colleagues and our community…  The thing we need the most to feel healthy has become harder to get.

After more than 30 years in the field of social work, I know one thing to be true. We do not need to be victims to our situation. We have choices to make, each and every day about how we want to live our lives. How we choose to show up for ourselves and each other.

One of the hardest things about this time for me has been the loss of travel, the opportunity to explore. If you know me, you know I love to travel. Give me a passport and a seat on a plane or in a car and I’m on my way, ready for what comes next. I thought it might be fun to travel, however virtually, around the US and yes, even abroad, to visit with people and hear how they’re doing during this difficult time. Over the next few weeks I’d like to bring you a glimpse of what life is like for our friends and neighbors in other places.

Today we meet Alex, who lives in Hamburg, Germany.

Welcome Alex. Tell us about where you live: I live in Hamburg, but in the countryside in a place called “Vier und Marschlande”. It is the area where the big river Elbe comes into the city and where people have harvested vegetable and fruits for 800 years. It’s a very natural area, full of little canals. It’s a beautiful place to live.

How have you been affected by the pandemic personally: No one is sick in my family nor are any of my friends. For two months I have had to work at home. In the beginning, it was OK but I have to say that, over time, I have slowly stopped enjoying it… because I need people to work with in person, not on the phone or on the screen. Compared to others who are sick or lose their jobs though, it really is not that big a problem. I work in marketing for the food industry. The food industry is doing OK during the crisis. Because preparing meals and enjoying food is really the only thing you can do during these times, I’m lucky! My wife works part time, as a clothing stylist in a photo studio in Hamburg, but now with the production of clothing from China down, she is waiting for new collections to style and shoot. 

What is the hardest thing for you to deal with? In the beginning it was the home-schooling situation with our son Eddi who is 13 years old. We were completely overwhelmed and we struggled a lot with that. But now he works together with his friend Jo. We are really proud of him/them, how he is managing homeschooling by himself.

Economically things are not good because it the world is standing still. It’s difficult to deal with the uncertainty of what will come in the future. The uncertainty makes me sleep less, makes me a bit nervous and impatient… not a good mix.

What have you appreciated during this period?

I am spending much more time than usual with my family which is great and so important for us. I like (for a limited time)  to have no private dates, no schedule. To have more time feels like we’re detoxing a bit. It is the same with consumption. To not go into a restaurant or buy things that are not essential, that you don’t need every day is a relief. (Although we all recognize that consumption is what makes the world go round.) When I walked the Camino last year I learned that I do not need many things to be (quite) happy. These times reminds me of that.

Do you have any recommendations for others during this time? Not recommendations, no. Everyone has their own situation and their own troubles. We will make it through these time and will come to post coronavirus time, the time when a vaccine is available. But I’ve been thinking, what will change? Will we act differently? Will we have learned anything? 

Perhaps this is not the time for reflection. Some experts say that in the beginning many people will be very careful and reserved, especially these who suffered during the crisis and lost jobs or money. But later, will we have learned about the vulnerabilities of the world? Will we will appreciate the contact with our family and friends? Will we understand that these things are not taken for granted? I hope so and will try to think about that.

Thanks for inspiring us and for sharing your experience, Alex.

Let’s broaden the conversation, shall we? Would you like to be featured in our guest interview posts? We want to hear from you! Email me at suzanne@suzannemaggio.com.