Travel Books and Movies Can Help

I’ve been struggling with motivation for a while. I usually get a lot of joy out of working on things for Travel Books and Movies, but I just haven’t been able to do it the past month or so–I have a list of about ten book/movie reviews to write, I’ve started and stopped at least four books (which is so weird for me!), and I’m binging TV shows instead of watching movies that inspire me.

Much of the past ten weeks have been spent traveling (some for pleasure, some for work) and I thought I just needed some quiet time at home alone to work on these things, but, after one week of social distancing with nothing but quiet time at home alone I still found myself looking at the same idea list and a Netflix screen asking “Are you still there?”

COVID-19 has hit the world and I’m scared. I used to live in South Korea, a country that was hit early. I used to live in Italy, a country that has been hit terribly. I’ve visited China, where the disease began. I’ve visited many of the European countries where people are confined to their apartments. And, of course, the disease has made its way to my home country (and to almost every country around the world). I have a friend who tested positive for the virus, a friend who lost her job, a friend who had to postpone her wedding, several friends who had to cancel meaningful travel plans, friends who have all of a sudden turned into home-school teachers and friends who are scared for their future. I’ve read stories and seen pictures of people scared and hurt and crying and sad and canceling important events and saying goodbye to loved ones they might not ever see again…and it’s overwhelming.

I try to focus on the stories of communities singing on their balconies, sewing face masks, ordering from their favorite local Mom-and-Pop shop, families playing games and cooking together, and images of wildlife thriving…and that helps. So do all the texts and memes from my friends and video chats with my family and taking each day as it comes–giving myself grace when I need it and being productive when I can (my bathroom is currently sparkling clean, thank you very much).

And when inspiration comes for me to write and the moment comes for me to read and the time for me to watch a movie is there, I will do so.

And I hope you’re ready because there will be lots of articles and reviews and stories and ideas on how to get through this together, because, after all, if there is anything that can help us learn about our world and learn about ourselves and imagine we are somewhere else it is Travel, Books, and Movies.