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 Paola who lives in Rome, Italy.

Welcome Paola. Tell us what life is like in Rome at this time.  Smart-working is now the rule. See my working station in the picture. During the pandemic the streets of Rome were empty. The 25th of April is a national holiday that celebrates our freedom from fascism. Typically the streets are full of people celebrating. There is a parade. This year, there was no parade. The Piazza del Popolo and the streets of Rome (which are normally very busy) were empty. Now some of the precautions have been lifted and people (and cars) are returning to the streets.

How have you been affected by the pandemic?  Many of my previous habits have completely changed. I had never tried the smart-working before. I work in a very big organization. I see many people every day and now I work at home, alone. Thanks to technology though, I can keep in touch with my colleagues and friends, but it’s not the same. Schools are closed and my son, who’s attending the last year of ‘liceo’, is following on-line lessons. I used to go out with friends during the weekend and now we can meet only virtually. Fortunately no close friends or relatives have been infected. In Rome we have been relatively luckier than in other parts of Italy.  

What has been the hardest thing for you to deal with?  Staying at home; I like going out, sightseeing, shopping, going to the cinema, the theatre, the museums. We’ve had a very beautiful and sunny spring, but we couldn’t enjoy it! 

What have you appreciated during this period? Being able to take care of my son, who’s also at home. He’s studying for the ‘esame di maturitá’ and I can prepare lunch for him and organize things at home a bit better. The esame' di maturitá is an exam that is needed to receive the high school diploma. Our (education) is different. At the end of high school you have to pass a very difficult exam (tests depend on the type of school) to get the diploma. My son is attending the ‘liceo classico’, therefore he will be tested in Italian, Latin and Ancient Greek literature, history, philosophy, English and American literature and Art History.

What are you doing to keep yourself emotionally healthy during this time? I have daily contacts with colleagues and working the whole day – even if at home – I don’t have much time to spend on other activities. I’ve been reading, reaching out to friends either by phone or video, cooking, walking whenever I could. I have been cooking typical Italian food, like spaghetti alle vongole (spaghetti with clams), fried fiori di zucca (zucchini flowers), orata al forno (baked bream) and even apple pie.

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

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.