As the Coronavirus spreads across the globe, we find ourselves in unsettling times. But it’s teaching us that we are all connected – all part of one big family. This virus has no passport or nationality, and it doesn’t care about your skin color or your politics. Happily, nations are beginning to come together to share information and to try to save as many lives as possible.

Most of us have never seen times like these, and the situation changes daily. In the UK the prime minister gives us an update every evening, and as the scientists learn more, we are asked to adjust our habits and lifestyles.

At this time in London we are advised not to go out unless it’s necessary and, of course, to keep a “social distance.” Restaurants, pubs, cinemas, and theaters are closed, and London streets are strangely empty.

Isolation

One concept we are becoming familiar with is isolation. It’s also referred to as lockdown, quarantine, or confinement. Basically, we are being told to stay home in order to keep ourselves and others from spreading the virus.

This isolation is easier for some of us than others. Being an introvert and a writer working from home, it’s not much of a change for me. My husband, on the other hand, thrives on mingling with others. I think we are in for an interesting time…

We are so lucky to be living in the age of the internet where we can all still be connected even if we can’t be together physically. Lots of people are able to work from home and we can still have virtual meetings. In fact, we may even find that some of those business meetings we attended were unnecessary.

Create

Many people will have to work from home and take care of children who are out of school – so their time of quarantine might be quite hectic. But for others it could be a time to quiet themselves a bit and be creative.

In 1665 Cambridge University closed because of the plague and sent its students home. One of those students was Isaac Newton. While he was sitting home waiting for the plague to run its course, he came up with the beginnings of calculus and the theory of gravity.

During a later plague in London, all the theatres closed down and Will Shakespeare had time on his hands. He used his free time to write Macbeth, Anthony and Cleopatra, and possibly King Lear.

So, no pressure…

Resources

Many resources have been put online for those who need to keep their minds busy.

• Take a Course: Open Culture gives you access to 1,500 free online courses from top universities. Click here for free courses.
• Visit a Museum: Here are 12 famous museums which offer virtual tours. Click here for museum tours.  
• Watch a Performance: If you’re missing going to the theatre, check out these London stage productions now put online. Click here to see London shows.
• Read: There are endless choices of reading material online. Here is a list of free eBooks and audio books. I might also humbly suggest that there are lots of interesting stories on my blog, CuriousRambler.com. And you can also have a look at my books.
• Learn French: If you or your child are learning French, you might like this. Camille from French Today is offering a free download of Classic French Tales until April 15.

Thanks

While we are going thought these trying times, let’s remember to thank those who continue working to make us safe and keep society running. Thank you to all the health care workers, emergency service workers, delivery drivers, supermarket workers, and many more.

Coming Together While Staying Apart

Even though we have social media and can stay in contact, it’s still not quite like actually seeing and hearing someone. It was so moving to see videos of the Italian people in quarantine who all opened their windows and began to sing and play music at the same time. They were showing their solidarity while still keeping their distance and protecting one another. It was a wonderful idea.

If you are looking for some timely social distancing songs to sing throughout your time of quarantine, have a listen to these. They get the message across with a laugh.

Stay well and keep safe,

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Margo Lestz

Margo has authored seven books and writes mostly about England, France and Italy. She has a BA in Liberal Studies with International Emphasis and enjoys travel, languages, history, writing, and experiencing other cultures.

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