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How world travel prepared us for social distancing

Ashley Chalmers

Senior Contributor

It seems counterintuitive, but hear us out: a life spent on the road, exploring far off places and new, wide-open spaces may have actually been the perfect training program for this isolation situation we’ve found ourselves in.

1. You’re very used to keeping in touch with loved ones via social media and FaceTime, and you’re well acquainted with having a digital coffee catch up with your best friend via WhatsApp.

2. You’re familiar with trying new dishes made up of ingredients than don’t quite seem like they go together. Rice with spices and raisins: a random pantry fallback when all the fresh food is gone and the shops are closed, or a beloved Middle Eastern classic?

3. You’re a pro at filling long stretches of time, and you have a list of books, films & tv shows prepped and ready.... you’re just used to doing it with a lot less legroom than your sofa allows, so this might actually be an improvement. 

4. You’re good at rationing things like soap, shampoo, and clean laundry thanks to your hostel-hopping days.

5. You’ve already figured out how to work effectively from home, because even when you’ve traveled, you’ve had to plug in and work from some new, random spot. Often with limited resources!

6. You’re always prepared with the basics in case you get sick, because you never travel without a mini first aid kit, full of all the basics. 

7. You, more than anyone, know how gross public surfaces can be, and you’ve been in the business of carrying hand sanitiser and antibacterial wipes with you everywhere for a long time.

8. You’re very used to coming up with a plan b for when things you’re excited for get cancelled, delayed, or changed.

9. Yes, you’ll miss the gym. But working out at home is STILL preferable to trying to squeeze in a yoga practice in a cramped hotel room!

10. You’re used to planning a daily schedule, and your itineraries always allow for last minute changes. Travel has made you incredibly adaptable, and if anyone can roll with the punches during this wild time, it’s most definitely you. 

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