Why I Started a Travel Blog During Coronavirus

The world has been reshaped by the onset of COVID-19. Destinations are closed and all international movement has been put on hold. Travel seems to be the last thing on people's mind right now. So why have I chosen this moment to start up a travel blog?

There's a great song by the unforgettable Dionne Warwick, and it goes like this: "all we need now, is love, sweet love..". Everyone knows the tune, and it comes to mind every time we are in a state of mutual grief, or when we need an extra bit of love and comfort. Now is definitely one of those moments. The onset of Coronavirus has changed so many things across the globe. The places we've dreamed about visiting have been altered by illness, fear and, in the down curve of COVID-19, economic hardship. Dream destinations have become ghost towns, national landmarks are locked tight. The world is unrecognizable from what it was three months ago.

In spite of all this, there are a lot of beautiful stories that have come out of this epidemic too. In the last few months, we have seen so many actions of love worldwide; urbanites singing cheerful tunes on balconies; drive by birthday and wedding celebrations; heroic deeds of volunteers distributing food to those in need; and ever-present noble actions of healthcare workers on the front lines of the madness. No matter how bad things have gotten, we support one another.

Just as we need love, we need travel too, and we need it now more than ever. No, I'm not suggesting we get up and move from place to place while we are self-isolating; quarantine rules exist for good reason, after all. I'm talking about maintaining a global perspective even while we stay at home, about maintaining our interest in and our care about the world outside our own.

During times of hardship, we tend to focus on our immediate surroundings. Like turtles, we shrink inside our shells, in hopes that this will protect us; it's only natural. However, the danger of doing this is that we lose focus on the fact that there is a beautiful world outside our own, with an amazing rich history and a diverse series of wonders.

Fear, especially fear of one another and fear of the unknown, distances us more from one another and makes us more vulnerable. Don't lose sight of the fact that even though we aren't able to travel right now, the world is filled with beautiful areas to explore and remarkable peoples to learn about, each to be respected for their own history and traditions. To maintain a focus on the global picture is to realize that no matter how worried or scared we may feel right now, we are not alone; we have an incredible world filled with people who support one another.

Yes, the places we wish to visit are currently closed, and they will need time to recover. But rest assured that they will always be there. Italy has seen incredibly hard times, but Coronavirus hasn't changed the beauty of the spirit of the Italian people. It didn't change the culture of love and camaraderie when Italians were standing on their balconies, singing to one another to spread love and joy even while trapped in their apartments. The Italy - and the world - we know and love will recover, and the amazing characteristics that make each culture unique will always be there for us to enjoy.

Right now, it's important to reach beyond our immediate surroundings. Participate in a digital experience, discover fun facts about places on your bucket list, use tools to explore destinations from your living room, and formulate travel plans for when the Coronavirus era passes. We will get through this together, and when we do, amazing opportunities for exploration will be there waiting for us.