Items

• 2021-05-14

  Short-term Travel Restrictions, Long-term Anxieties

  The first trip I took after COVID-19 travel restrictions was to Seattle. My mother, a nurse, planned the trip; she needed the escape after the trauma of working in healthcare during these times. She disguised it as a trip for my brother's birthday. She packed our bags full of hand sanitizers and masks, even though the trip lasted only three days. We planned to wear masks any time we were in public even if it was no longer required. Any pictures we have from the trip feature a mask either hanging from a wrist or our ears. Before the pandemic, my family loved traveling, and I studied out of state for my bachelor’s degree. We took at least two small trips a year. If you had asked me about my favorite sight in 2018, I would have told you it was the lights of LA when you fly into LAX, the airport closest to home. For that reason, I called the window seat on every trip. On our first trip after the pandemic, I asked for an aisle seat because it felt less claustrophobic. The airline required us to skip a seat between each person in an attempt to maintain social distancing. They also required that we wear masks at all times. For the first time, my brother got the window seat instead of the middle seat, which we were told to leave empty. He took this opportunity to spread out more than usual. My mother earned the task of keeping a mask on my five-year-old sister, who hated them. As expected, the flight was significantly emptier due to the need to skip seats. In Seatle, we stayed in an Airbnb and used Uber to go to the places we wanted to see. I did not have a point of reference for normal crowd sizes at the time, but I remember there being enough people that I was uncomfortable. Often they kept a good distance from me but I still felt anxious about it all. I voted no on the trip from the start and spent our time in Seattle leading the family to less crowded areas. However, I realize now that the places we visited then were underpopulated at the time. We returned to LAX as planned after the short trip without anyone acquiring any symptoms. My mother still made us all take a covid test upon returning home. With that success, she had our next trips lined up for us as though nothing changed. Slowly, I grew more comfortable with traveling but I still can not stand crowds or enclosed places with people
• 
  2020-02-01

  Burlington after COVID

  After travel restrictions were rescinded, two friends took their normal day trip to Burlington, Vermont on a Saturday. They encountered all their regular haunts, with some mild alterations due to the COVID-19 Pandemic as it was winding down.
• 
  2022-07-01

  RManduchi COVID-19 Experience

  Traveling to Hawaii in 2022 after travel restrictions were lifted.
• 
  2020-09-12

  A Covid-19 Wedding

  When travel restrictions were lifted my family and I traveled from Los Angeles to Richmond, Virginia for a covid wedding. The wedding was planned for September 12, 2020 and scaled back to only include immediate family. In the end, the Los Angeles travel party included my mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, uncle, and three cousins. There were many concerns about taking my grandmother or my younger cousins because Covid could affect their age groups worse, but still we all wore masks and tried to limit our interactions with other people. We also decided to quarantine ourselves before traveling to make sure we kept our grandmother healthy. After arriving a day early, our cousin (the one getting married) and her family insisted on coming over to our AirBnb and spending time with us. We thought most of them would show up wearing a mask and keeping their distance but we were wrong. Not one wore a mask, and not one kept their distance. This trend seemed to follow the day of the wedding. What we forgot was how politics would affect our first wedding. Our Los Angeles family is liberal, our Virginia family is conservative and worse they are Trumpers. My family is of Mexican ancestry but the family we met in Virginia was married with White men. The family in Virginia immediately expressed their political views and their skepticism regarding Covid-19. At the wedding my cousin’s new husband asked people to remove their masks so that THEY could enjoy their wedding. Unfortunately most of us listened. Compared to other weddings, this wedding was quite boring, we kept our distance from the politics and the dance floor. At the end of the night we took a picture with our traveling group, some Virginia cousins, and the bride.
• 
  2022-05-11

  Wilmington, NC: Camping with a close friend

  Camping was one of the few ways my hometown best friend and I could travel, enjoy nature, and spend time together during covid. We both graduated high school in 2020 and went to different universities. Summer was one of the few times we could catch up in person, and during Covid our options were more limited. Campfires are objects around which I've had some of my most fun and meaningful conversations with my friends throughout my life. This particular one was especially bright and meaningful because my friend and I were both going through a transitional phase of our lives that was made more complex by the twist of the pandemic. A phase of our lives that was supposed to be super social was made less so by the coronavirus, a disappointment we kind of mourned over yet bonded over. To me the brightness of the fire in the dark woods represented hope and life in a time of uncertainty. Even though we felt uncertain about what our lives would look like after college, we remained hopeful and encouraged each other to press on to our goals regardless of the uncontrollable factors. In 2024 we both graduated college and gained commissions into the Armed Services.
• 
  2021-07-17

  The Spurriers, Est. 2021

  When the world shutdown on March 13, 2020 our lives became abruptly different. The excitement for my now husband’s and my upcoming wedding fell by the wayside. After eight years of being together, we again had to wait. We were incredibly disappointed not just about the wedding, but the inability to share our favorite vacation spot, Isla Mujeres, with our favorite people. The tiny island, located off the coast of Cancun, Mexico, was a place we had visited over a handful of times at that point. Being suddenly barred from traveling there seemed unreal. We planned again, tentatively, for the following July, and this time it worked! All of our wonderful friends and family made the trek. This included my only remaining grandparent who had broken a hip and been diagnosed with COVID simultaneously while in her eighties. We were forced to visit her through a window of a rehabilitation facility for months leading up to this, and getting to share all of this with her was something we never thought we would have. Our friends and family flew wearing masks and had to undergo testing at the hotel before returning home. Inviting people to travel for a destination wedding is already asking a lot, but it was even more so during a pandemic. The experience was even more joyous for this reason. We got to experience the love and support, but also some normalcy and good times that were absent in the year previous. We also got to celebrate my father's birthday the following day, on July eighteenth. It’s an experience I will never forget and I am so grateful to have, not for the pandemic, but for all of us coming together for an unforgettable time.
• 
  2021-07-20

  Disneyland 2021

  In July of 2021 my husband and I took our first trip since the beginning of COVID, to celebrate my graduation from the credentialing program, my birthday, and our honeymoon since we never got the opportunity before (we got married in January of 2020). We decided to take a trip to Disneyland for a few days, stay in the Grand Californian, and get park passes for three days because it was local and affordable, with the discounts they were offering at the time. At that point, there were no restrictions in place in public spaces. It was exciting to get out again but also a bit nerve-wracking as COVID was still an active concern of mine, we mitigated risks by wearing masks whenever we were indoors but decided to forgo them outdoors in the hundred degrees that California brings in July. It was a fun few days getting away from the stresses of daily life, though I wouldn't say that the stress and anxiety it gave me was worth it.
• 2022-07-06

  In the Future When All's Well

  The pandemic kept my mom, my stepdad, and I at home a lot longer than other families. My mom is immune-compromised so our vigilance was at an all-time high and our urge to resume a somewhat normal schedule was at an all time low. Though, as we became more familiarized with the pandemic’s nature, impact, and the possible consequences it could have on our livelihoods, we decided to branch out and seize the day for my mom’s birthday in July of 2022. Naturally, my mom and I share a love for a defunct British 80s band called The Smiths. The former lead singer and front man of The Smiths, Morrissey, was booked for a five night residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. We picked the third show of the residency, scheduled for July 6, 2022, since it was a mellow weekday and still part of my mom’s birthday week. In the end, our decision was made on spontaneity and the desire to see our favorite artist for the first time before it was too late. While Morrissey’s opinions are always up for debate, his resolute nature, willingness to always speak his mind, and his disregard for what others think of him, are venerable traits in my opinion. The ways in which The Smiths and Morrissey have defined, helped, and steered my life, and my mom's, forged a unique bond between us. These factors alone made our pilgrimage worth it. The usual processions before a concert took place; we bought the tickets in March, waited with bated breath, and on the day of the road trip, a new type of anticipation took hold. Concert going was one of my favorite personal pastimes in the pre-pandemic era, so missing many concerts during the first two years was a drag. Driving from Southern California to Las Vegas on the I-15 is a ritualistic occurrence for many Californians, but this time, it felt different. The feeling primarily stemmed, not from the concert, but from the fact that we were returning to the world in such a drastic way. Is there a better way to rip the Band-Aid off? We would not want it any other way. Immediately, we knew that this journey was a triumphant return into what is mistakenly called ‘real’ life. I have fond memories of this trip as it was a big step forward in terms of regaining our livelihoods and in terms of enjoying something that we both loved. Myself, along with my family, were strongly pro-mask during and shortly after the pandemic. I still agree today, that, if one is sick and needs to go out in public, that one should mask for everyone’s safety. Though, being in a family that is immune-compromised, the concern on my behalf was obviously much greater than average. The freedom and fear associated with traveling in such a grand fashion for our first big trip since the pandemic’s restrictions lifted definitely occupied our minds whilst traveling, but in the moment, when the destination was met, we felt relieved and our hearts felt free. In saying this, there were no COVID-19 restrictions in place when we went to the event and crossed the state line, rather, restrictions were lifted, both in our minds and spirits.
• 2001

  Traveling amidst the pandemic in California

  I was a senior at Clovis High School when the COVID-19 happened. Originally we went on Spring break early, but it became apparent that we would not go back to school. At the time I was enrolled in a program known as C.A.R.T. which did online classes, but the classes I took at my home school failed to adapt and dismissed the finals and other assignments. So while the pandemic forced many to stay home, my hometown of Clovis was more lax, at least in my experience. I went out constantly to visit a girl I was dating at the time and went to many local restaurants and fast food places to pick up food for us. I mainly spent my time either at home or visiting my girlfriend. However, when the pandemic restrictions on travel lifted, I took my then-girlfriend to the beach during either the fall or winter. What I remember most was the social distancing at Target when getting supplies for our trip to the beach. Additionally, every restaurant we went to at the beach did not allow dining, so when we wanted to get food we had to wait outside in the cold winds of Monterey while waiting while social distancing. The saving grace of the trip was that traffic was not as bad as it usually was when driving to the beach, mainly due to COVID-19 and it being winter.
• 
  2021

  COVID travel story

  This story shows how important human contact was during the pandemic.
• 2025-01-30

  Tourism Story for the COVID-19 Archive - Question

  An answer to the question posed by Arizona State University's HST 643 class asking where I would travel and why. If I could travel anywhere, I would visit my mother's home village of Lamasquère in Southern France. It is a small village about twenty kilometers southwest of Toulouse, where my mother spent most of her childhood and early adulthood. My mother does not have fond memories of Lamasquère and her family, but I would like to visit at least once. The last time I traveled to Europe or anywhere far from where I live was in 2017 to visit my grandparents for a second time before they eventually passed away. In Lamasquère, I would see my mother's family house (if still standing) and the cemetery where her ancestors rest. Since the village is rather small, I would also visit nearby Toulouse and take photos of my trip (nature, architecture, interesting things, etc.). I don't have a social media presence and don't document my life in a journal.
• 2025-01-30

  Family Trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico

  My family and I took a week's vacation to Santa Fe, New Mexico. We stayed at a VRBO house with our two kids and two dogs. We stayed at a property surrounded by trees and land. We did a lot of hiking, fishing, and grilling on the BBQ. On this trip to Santa Fe, we had no restrictions at the house we stayed at. We purposely chose a home where we could be alone without rules or regulations. During this period, the public was still navigating COVID restrictions, which included the ongoing use of masks. My workplace enforced strict travel guidelines, mainly regarding any out-of-state excursions. I was undergoing weekly testing, and masks were mandatory at all times. If I traveled outside the state, I had to present a negative test result before returning to work. Despite these challenges, my memories of that trip are filled with happiness because I was with my family. Any opportunity to break free from the routine during such uncertain times felt like a wonderful gift. Each moment spent away was a bonus, reminding me I could still have fun despite strict regulations
• 2021-06-15

  First Time Traveling In The Post Covid Era Evan Walker ASU HST. 643

  The first trip I took when travel restrictions were beginning to ease was a trip to Las Vegas in June 2021. Every year, my family visits Vegas to visit my mom's niece, who lives in Nevada. At first, we were very hesitant to travel because, though we were vaccinated, we were still uncertain what post-COVID travel would be like, so we juggled the decision. Finally, we decided to bite the bullet and go. We decided to drive to avoid air travel as we weren't ready to make that big of a jump. Everything was very cheap, including the rental car and the hotel. We stayed for 5 days at Treasure Island for only 100 dollars per night, and that hotel was right on the strip. When we arrived, the strip was pretty empty, which was surprising considering it was the middle of June. Most hotels still had safety protocols, which we didn't mind. We still did not want to get COVID-19 even when vaccinated because we still had jobs and school to attend when we returned. Compared to Las Vegas pre-COVID COVID-19, it was a lot different as many attractions were permanently closed, buffets were gone, and the overall atmosphere was slower than usual. Overall, we had a good trip, but I can't lie and say it wasn't scary to travel to another state after being in the house for an entire year.
• 2020-11-01

  Traveling to Youth Soccer Tournament During Covid-19 Restrictions

  My youngest son played club and school soccer during the Covid-19 pandemic. His club soccer team frequently traveled for games and tournaments, but those travel games halted at the beginning of the pandemic. In November 2020, the team began traveling again and the first tournament was three hours away in Round Rock, Texas. The team stayed in a Round Rock hotel, which was our first experience with travel during the pandemic. I recall anxiety and trepidation during the check-in process, as there were numerous families in the lobby (all masked) and it was likely the first time most of us had been in close proximity with so many people in a relatively small space. The lobby staff checked us in from behind glass partitions and I recall staff's explanation regarding the hotel's amenities that were not available (ice machines, dining, pool, fitness center, among others). Upon entering the room, my wife and I began cleaning all surfaces that we were likely to touch. These included all surfaces in the bathroom and sink area, the desk, lamps, door handles, and TV remote. We then placed blankets, sheets, and sleeping bags on top of the bed so that we would not contact any parts of the bed or hotel-provided bedding. My wife had also purchased a large, portable air purifier that we brought along and used throughout our stay. The soccer tournament itself was more typical of "business-as-usual" as it was outdoors. However, the players were required to wear masks while on the bench (and some players continued to wear masks while playing). In hindsight, some of these measures seem excessive, but it was fairly typical of our experiences of the time (with the portable air purifier perhaps being the exception!). This story is important to me as it was an important milestone for my son began to regain some of his normalcy pre-pandemic.
• 
  2020-06-01

  Jekyll Island as a New Family of Four

  The attached experience is more broad than what I alone felt comfortable with travel-wise. It is about the need to get out of the house and have some return to normalcy with a newborn and a toddler at home, while also trying to keep them as safe as possible. There were so many unknowns about how COVID worked, and so much certainty about the lack of immune systems in newborn babies. This travel story is significant because it reminds me of a season of life that was so incredibly challenging to navigate for a multitude of reasons, which only made little wins like afternoons on the beach so much sweeter.
• 2021-08-02

  From lockdown to Europe

  Traveling to another country has its difficulties and differences, especially when it happens after a worldwide lockdown. Seeing the way other countries operated in the wake of Covid-19 and the contrast of our own gave me a much larger point of view on how I process and see the entire world. Italy, Greece, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands. These places were just as impacted by Covid-19 just as much as the United States of America, yet they seemed to handle things remarkably different. A year or so before Covid hit, my family and I planned a cross country road trip spanning the brunt of Europe, which then would amalgamate into a 2 week cruise to see even more places. Long story short, it was a dream trip. Yet, Covid hit, and we feared we would not even get the chance to go. Luckily, lockdowns cleared up a few months before our trip, though people across the world were still wary of the virus. Going on the trip meant masks everywhere, which we were prepared for. Everywhere we went, everyone was polite, kind, kept their masks on and their own personal space, as did we. Now, this was not the first time I'd visited some of these places, but seeing them in the wake of a worldwide contagion left me with a new perspective and outlook.
• 
  2023-01-21

  The Jewel of North Carolina

  The pandemic was a hard time for me. My wife's mental health was poor, I had just separated from the United States States, I became a stay-at-home father, and my father passed away shortly after the travel restrictions were lifted. We needed to get away for a while, so we chose to go to Ashville, NC. My wife and I love the mountains and the outdoors, so we booked a Air B&B in Ashville, NC because we talked about visiting there at some point for our anniversary. Once we arrived, it was love at first sight. The mountain views were breathtaking, and we could not have asked for fresher air. My wife and I make it a point to not look like tourists when we visit somewhere new, so we do our best to blend in. Something we always do when we go somewhere new, is find a local bookstore. Once we did that, we went to the River Arts District and met a lovely man named Jefferey Burroughs who owned a jewelry store called Jeffery. Later, we found and enjoyed a local tea shop and delicious local food. We noticed almost immediately while walking around the city and going in and out of shops was that there were no Covid restrictions anywhere, which was welcoming. What we were looking forward to the most though, was visiting the Biltmore Estate. The picture I am submitting with this log, is of the Biltmore House I took when we arrived. It is a beautiful home and a wonderful piece of American history. While walking through the house, you are in awe of how detailed everything is. The house had refrigeration, a large kitchen with modern amenities at the time, a large library, golden inlaid wallpaper, the first indoor pool, a gym, an indoor bowling lane, etc. It was so incredibly detailed and the thought that went into this house was very well thought out. The house was inspired by European architecture from George Vanderbilts travels. He wanted to create a place where, not only his family could come and enjoy, but also friends and their families. The house acted as a hotel when people were invited to stay. One could truly spend an entire day in that house and probably still not cover everywhere. If you ever have the chance, visit Ashville and the Biltmore Estate.
• 2021-03-29

  A Simple Trip to the Beach

  I don’t think I had ever been prone to depression before the pandemic. I am generally upbeat, happy, and have a positive outlook most if not all of the time, but a deep, unshakable melancholy set in weeks after the state of California issued the stay-at-home order. Confined to my home, leaving only to buy groceries and other necessities, the only way I could keep in touch with friends and family was through social media. Through that medium, I received news of the deaths of friends or their loved ones, more deaths than I can count on my fingers. A facetime call from my mother let me know of the death of an elderly uncle, and then an aunt a few weeks later. My only window to the outside world was Facebook. If I wasn’t addicted to it before, I definitely was throughout the pandemic. With covid denial and conspiracies rampant on that, the outlook for a speedy end to the crisis seemed bleak. A deep depression overtook me. It manifested itself in a lack of interest in doing anything other than scrolling and sleeping. I felt like I gave up. The healthy habits I had developed as an adult didn’t seem important. The stagnant lifestyle I fell into coupled with the unhealthy eating habits I developed took its toll on me. I gained a massive amount of weight, approximately fifty pounds, my cholesterol levels and blood pressure shot up, and I was pre-diabetic by the time the shelter-in-place orders were lifted. The entire experience was surreal, but it was nearly over. All I wanted to do was to spend time with my parents and siblings and go anywhere. My mother loves the ocean, so naturally, weeks or months after the stay-at-home orders were lifted, our first trip was to the beach. We drove a few hours from our home in Bakersfield to Santa Monica State Beach, both in California. Things were not quite back to normal entirely, but it was nice seeing people living life. I am sure there were a lot of smiles hidden underneath the masks as we walked along the pier, and the smiles, the joy, and the laughter were all quite visible on the beach where masks were either not required, or the mandate to wear them was not enforced. In either case, it felt like I was finally awakening from a long and somber dream. As good as it felt to be out and about and among other people, with some restrictions still in place, I remember wondering if things would ever truly go back to normal. The crowds on the pier and on the beach were noticeably thinner than they were prior to the pandemic, and most people were hidden behind masks per the mandate, and restaurants only allowed take out or outdoor dining. Would this be the new norm? Another thing that really stood out to me from this trip, particularly as we stopped by the Glendale Galleria Mall on the way home, was how much more rigidly enforced the mask mandate was in the L.A. metropolitan area compared to my much more conservative hometown where it was loosely enforced if at all. The disapproving looks I got in the L.A. area for pulling my mask below my chin were the same looks I got in Bakersfield for wearing a mask at all. I found it funny and interesting how a hundred and fifty miles and a mountain range divided more than just the geographical landscape, but the cultural landscape as well. That trip seemed like an eternity ago. The entire pandemic was like a fleeting nightmare, like a childhood trauma that our minds seek to suppress, the memories of it fade but the scars remain, and I, for one, enjoy and appreciate life a little bit more than I did prior to the crisis. My health, both mental and physical, has improved markedly.
• 
  2020-05-10

  Mother’s Day Weekend in Carmel, CA – A Temporary Return to Normal

  In May 2020, during Mother’s Day weekend, my wife, Jennifer, our son, Evan, and I took a much-needed trip to Carmel on the coast of Northern California from our home in Sacramento—a roughly three-hour drive. Evan, a junior at an all-boys Catholic high school, had been doing virtual learning since March, and the isolation weighed heavily on him and our entire family. Carmel, with its clean and fresh ocean air and mountain views, was an excellent place to decompress and have a peaceful and relaxing respite from the turmoil of COVID-19. We stayed at a small boutique hotel we had visited before, where the staff was relieved to have guests again, though housekeeping and room service were unavailable. We spent much of our time outdoors, playing golf at Pebble Beach, relaxing at the beach, and avoiding the non-stop news coverage of COVID- 19. A major highlight was having our first restaurant meal in months at a famous seafood restaurant in Monterey, dining outdoors in a large tent, socially distanced, with masked servers and sanitization stations. Despite the refreshing break, reality set in when we returned home to Sacramento. The school year ended, and when the new one started remotely in August, it became clear normalcy was still far away. The high school canceled fall sports, masks remained required in public, and the weight of restrictions continued. Over the summer, we spent time by the pool, with my son gradually having friends over more often. The memories of Carmel faded as the pandemic’s grip continued. The short return to normal was only temporary, and life remained in limbo for months to come.
• 
  2020-07-03

  A Taste of Normal

  I am sharing the first photograph I took on a camping trip in Mammoth Lakes, CA in July 2020. I spend a lot of time outdoors camping and hiking. At the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, I cancelled my planned trips for the first four months. I also stopped hiking because local trails were so busy and I tended to avoid close distance to strangers even outside. The trip to Mammoth Lakes was setup because my sister and I decided we had to get outside. Masks were still required in many public places, but there weren't restrictions on camping. I remember two distinctive reactions to the camping trip. It was our first time being around a lot of other people in public and so we were on high alert to avoid close interactions and were wearing masks any time we went inside the little campground shop for firewood. What came as a shock was the relaxed manner the other campers enjoyed their weekend. I felt like I was outside looking in at an exhibit. I was happy to be outside, but I felt removed from all the other campers. To see others in person experiencing the pandemic so much differently than I was, felt very isolating. However, we drove to Mammoth to get a taste of regular life and it did do that as well. Our last night there, a bear wondered into the campsite. It was scared back into the woods about 20 yards from our campsite. The next morning the bear wondered back in and I woke up to it smelling around our neighbor's tent. The bear eventually went on its way. I was so grateful to that bear for giving me a story, an experience. I had felt like every day was the same since March and was just happy to see a big beautiful animal. I was also grateful to have a camping trip that helped me to feel that at some point I'd do normal things again. When something so sudden and intense like a pandemic occurs I think it's normal to feel like nothing will ever be the same again, but the camping trip and being outside felt normal enough to give me a little peace.
• 
  2020-08-03

  A Funeral in Safford

  This story conveys the experience me and my 4 other siblings had when we attended our grandfather's funeral in August 2020. In the super conservative town of Safford, Arizona, no one attending the funeral (except us) wore masks. Our extended family didn't believe that Covid-19 was real, or something to be stressed over. This story shows how we tried to navigate an event we thought would have precautions, and then didn't. Lastly, this story is important to me because even though we were stressed and panicked over attending a funeral without masks, my siblings and I grew closer after this.
• 
  2021-08-19

  My dream trip to Italy

  I did not travel outside of the country when covid restrictions were lifted, but I would've visited Italy. If I could've traveled anywhere after the Covid restrictions were loosened, I would have visited Italy to visit my sister. My sister lived in a small town near Rome for 9 months between 2021 and 2022. I would have visited the Circus Maximus, the Tomb of Julius Caesar, the Pantheon, and the various aqueducts. The Colosseum is one of the main attractions in Rome, but I would save it for last or visit it another day. I would have documented this through various methods such as social media, journaling, and/or painting my favorite monuments.
• 
  2020-06

  The Lighthouse at Frankfort, Michigan

  The lighthouse is something that represents safety and security. Walking on the beach and being along the water is something that I find healing and peaceful. I used to live in this area and I am familiar with the sites and was motivated to spend time outdoors.
• 
  2022-02-12

  Honeymoon in Scotland

  After my husband and I were married in May of 2021 in our backyard with twenty vaccinated friends and family members, we planned to visit Scotland for our honeymoon as soon as possible. I can’t remember what the restrictions were like at that time, but having the vaccine made us both feel much more confident venturing out of our communities, which for me meant my job at a local coffee shop in Nashville and just a few, very close friends who were vaccinated and adhered to the recommended social distancing and masking practices. On our wedding night, we stayed at a hotel in downtown Nashville, wearing masks in all the common areas, and the next morning we had breakfast and returned home to our families who were in town for a couple more days. I remember checking websites frequently to determine when we would be able to travel to Scotland. We refreshed the CDC, U.S., and U.K. government sites daily to see if our honeymoon could happen yet. At some point the websites revealed that travel was allowed again with the stipulations that first, we show our vaccination cards at the British Airways desk with our passports and tickets and second, we had to present negative test results before returning to the States. While it still felt like these rules could change any minute depending on case counts in either country, we took the risk and bought our tickets. The time came for the trip, February, 2022, and getting out of the country went off without a hitch. The U.S. did not have an official app for storing vaccination card info like some other countries, but we found a third-party app called VeriFLY that was collaborating with British Airways to make confirming our vaccination status a tad bit quicker when checking into our flight at the airport. VeriFLY did as promised; our vaccinated statuses were confirmed in short order and we were on our way! Now, I mentioned that we had to have a negative COVID test to return home. That reality colored our choices throughout that entire two-week trip. Sometimes that looked like attempting to take public transit at off-peak hours to avoid crowds. Londoners were still largely masked, but if I remember correctly it was no longer a requirement there, which certainly gave us some anxiety. We weren’t necessarily worried about COVID being really harmful to our bodies, though we miraculously hadn’t caught it in two years so we weren’t sure how it would affect us. Our anxieties were instead tied to being eligible to return home. I had been a barista since graduating from college in 2016 and my husband was a bartender and musician, so we were afraid of the extra financial burden of having to find a place to stay last minute, booking new flights, and buying food if we had to stay out of the country for another week or two. In the pictures, even when we are outside, we frequently forget to remove our masks for the camera. There is a wonderful picture of my husband and I in front of Edinburgh Castle that would look so much better in a frame if our noses and mouths were visible. In contrast, there were other moments, like in a cozy speakeasy in New Town, Edinburgh, where the fears died down for a minute and we slipped the masks into our crossbody tourist bags. When a bookshelf opens up in the back of a fake barbershop that takes you down into a warmly lit basement with warm, low lighting and way more seating than you thought was possible, inhibitions fade and wonder takes over. Well, at least for my bartender husband and I. That was the manner in which we traveled from London to Edinburgh, Bath, and back: masking when we couldn’t social distance except for a rare few cocktail bars, travelling between morning and evening rushes, and sanitizing our hands as frequently as possible. Besides jetlag in the beginning, we both felt healthy and well for the duration of the trip, but we had three more hurdles to overcome. The last few days of our trip were spent in a neighborhood of London called Hackney-Wick where our AirBnB was a cozy, modern tiny home with an alley entrance. It was our favorite place we stayed the entire vacation. We arrived there very exhausted from our travels and eager for a few days of relaxation before the long trip home. Two days before our departure, however, Russia invaded Ukraine. We knew we were well out of harm’s way in England, but our relative proximity compared to our home in Tennessee made the exploding conflict feel much more imminent, especially when Boris Johnson made some bold comments about Vladimir Putin that week when nobody knew if Russia was prepared to make a larger attack. The last few nights in the AirBnB were a little less restful after that as we watched BBC around the clock for both COVID news and updates on the war. There was one more stipulation about our negative test results - they had to be performed within 24 hours of boarding the plane. In a generally unfamiliar and exceedingly sprawling city with no knowledge of what pharmacies were more reputable than others and regardless desperate to get tested in that short window, we landed upon a small clinic that we would have to take the London Underground to and finally walk a couple blocks. I remember we showed up an hour before our appointments just to be on the safe side and the clinic was pretty quiet, so we stood around on the sidewalk still nervously checking BBC for anything new that could impact our travel. The tests were performed and we were assured there would be results in our inboxes sufficiently before takeoff, so we prayed that would be the case.
• 2020-07-01

  Meeting my niece during COVID

  In August of 2019, my sister gave birth to a baby girl, my first niece. At the time I had just started a new job and was accruing vacation time but did not have enough to cover travel to San Diego, CA for a week. In February of 2020, I booked a flight to visit my sister and meet my niece in May of 2020. Those plans were then canceled the very next month when a pandemic was declared and the country was placed on lockdown. In April, I was able to reschedule my trip for July of 2020. Flying from Bismarck, ND to my hometown while most of the country was still on lockdown was a different experience. Before COVID, every plane I had boarded was near, if not at, capacity. Flying during COVID saw several empty seats with no two people sitting directly together - even if they appeared to be part of the same party. One observation I had was that while every plane was sanitized upon passengers deboarding, I never saw anyone sanitize any gates while I moved through and sat in airports. Driving through San Diego, I was shocked to see open freeways with far less traffic than I had ever seen during peak hours. Restaurants were still limited to takeout (though I was really only there for the taco shops anyway) and most indoor venues were still closed unless necessary businesses. The businesses that were open to the public naturally required masks. As I was there to meet my niece and spend time with my sister, I loved not having to make up excuses to avoid meeting up with any old friends and being able to focus on time with family. It was strange to see my hometown, a vibrant and busy city, locked down and the roads and businesses empty. I felt even more grateful for the opportunity I had to travel and still be able to spend time with family since we never know when it will be too late.
• 
  2020-03-04

  Sailors in Vietnam

  My Covid travel story is a bit unique. I was in the Navy at the time assigned to the USS Bunker Hill, a guided missile cruiser attached to the Theodore Roosevelt strike group. We deployed from San Diego, CA to the South China Sea area of operations early January 2020. When we left for deployment, covid had started gaining traction but was nowhere near the global pandemic levels it would soon reach. In the first week of March 2020, the Bunker Hill pulled into Da Nang, Vietnam on a port visit/diplomatic relations mission. We were scheduled to be there for four days, and the first three days were filled with adventure, laughs, and “drinking like a sailor.” On the fourth day, an all-call message was sent out to every crew member to immediately return to the boat. Once assembled our captain informed us of major covid outbreaks in Da Nang and outlying villages along with the outbreak back home stateside. For the remainder of that fourth day, we were restricted to the pier and not allowed to leave our mooring station. Fortunately for us, food and beer were provided on the pier to provide some sort of leisure. Although we knew dark times laid ahead of us, everyone in the crew including senior leadership, unwound and drank with reckless abandon. We were only 2 months into a 9-month deployment and we knew that this would be the last bit of freedom until we returned home, and we made sure to savor every sip. The next morning we lined the rails of our ship in our dress white uniforms saying goodbye to dry land for the next 5 months. The time at sea was the least of everyone's worries, rather we frantically tried to make sense of the global situation with Covid and what kind of world we would be returning to upon completion of our deployment.
• 
  2021-10-30

  Traveling Behind the Mask: Post-COVID Trip to the Louvre

  During the COVID-19 pandemic, I found myself working from home for over a year. Our area and friends were extremely cautious about public health (Southern California), so we didn't explore international travel until after we were fully vaccinated in summer of 2021. In the fall of that year, we visited Paris for the first time and went to the Louvre. During the 1+ year on self-imposed house arrest, I needed something to keep my mind busy. I took a number of online classes about Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Mesopotamia, historical subjects that I've always returned to whenever I had time in life. But given the frankly unimaginable amount of free time I had in 2020, I delved in further than ever, and even managed to teach myself hieroglyphics. By the time we could travel, a first visit to the Louvre seemed like the ideal place to experience some of this new knowledge first-hand. In these photos, I'm in front of the Law Code of Hammurabi and a bust of Akhenaten, one of Egypt's more fascinating pharoahs. We had to show proof of vaccination to travel as well as enter the museum, and masks were required at all times. One of my favorite things about these photos is someone trying to express a lifetime's worth of excitement using one's eyes only. I look insane. But the experience truly was important to me and now serves as a snapshot of post-pandemic travel and life.
• 0025-01-27

  Athens for a Month

  During the COVID-19 pandemic I determined to go back to college. At that time, in 2020, I was 38 years old. Most of my life I worked in construction and related industries. From 2009 to 2011, as a result of the recession, I completed two associate degrees; following which I promptly went back to work in construction. The pandemic posed an opportunity for me to continue my education. In the Fall of 2020, I began attending UCR. In the Spring of 2022, I graduated with a BA in Philosophy. Being a single father, I have not had many opportunities to travel due to financial constraints and time constraints. If I could travel anywhere on Earth, I would like to travel to Greece. I would not desire to travel a constrained and guided tour. I would not wish to have each step and location planned. Rather, I would like a couple months to saunter through the ruins in Athens, Particularly the Lyceum where I might find some hidden spot with a view, an alcove where I might imagine Plato and his musings, a place to sit and think deeply of the minds and thoughts of those people which lived there over two thousand years ago. During this time, I am likely to journal my thoughts as random ideas and questions enter my mind, a hobby I practice throughout everyday life. I would prefer to soak up a single place for weeks than to rush to see “everything”—in such a rush much is likely to be missed and much would remain unseen. I am 42 years old now. My daughter is 16 years old. Mayhap my dream of traveling to Athens will happen after I complete my MA History degree. Only the view of the Lyceum would include the sight of my daughter and my imaginings of her musings, as well.
• 
  2022-05-26

  Ecuador Spanish Trip!

  This photograph is from a trip I took to Ecuador while in undergrad in May of 2022. The trip was school-sponsored and was an immersive Spanish-learning trip. Although the trip took place almost 2 years after the outbreak of the pandemic, this was the first trip I took after COVID-19. There were still a lot of COVID-19 restrictions in place, and there was a point where we weren't even sure we would be able to go because COVID-19 cases had resurfaced with a vengeance. Before going, we all had to get a COVID-19 vaccine and before returning, while we were still in Ecuador, we had to take a COVID-19 test to make sure we weren't infected with the virus before coming back into the US. Throughout the trip, we also had to wear masks whenever we were out in public or in close quarters with others. Even though these restrictions were in place, it was still an amazing trip. The photo I attached to this submission is a picture of a few of us in our Spanish class. The trip was three weeks long, but every morning we would take Spanish classes before we began sightseeing. Some of this sightseeing included touring Quito, staying in the rainforest for a week, visiting art and history museums, going to indigenous markets, and hiking volcanos. Of course, all of these experiences were incredibly memorable and fun, but sometimes, my greatest memories of the trip come from the simple moments. The attached photo includes one of these simple moments: learning and laughing amongst new and old friends. The experiences were magnificent, but the relationships I built on this trip will last a lifetime.
• 
  2022-06-13

  Arches National Park

  Once COVID-19 travel restrictions lifted, my then-girlfriend (now wife) and I went on our first long-distance road trip together. We wanted to see Arches National Park. This was the start of our checklist to see all 63 National Parks in our lifetimes. The key memory for this trip is that I almost proposed. We’d been talking about marriage, and the timing made sense. She likely expected it that weekend. We hiked out to one of the arches which was gorgeous. The scenery was perfect for a proposal, but it was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I was sweating a bit already and she was glowing. Upon reflection I decided it was too hot outside for a proper proposal. Thus, I proposed after the trip in an indoor location. That is a story for another time. Overall, it was a wonderful visit to the park, and our first trip together of more than four hours. The park visitor center still requested masks as a courtesy. That said, there was ample room for social distancing once outside of the building. Trips like these were the safest for tourism at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, because of the vast open air. I felt much better at this National Park than I would have felt in densely populated areas.
• 
  2020-05-01

  AIH Covid Reflection

  A wishful thinking of where I would have liked to travel and a short reflection of what the area I lived in was like.
• 
  2022-03-03

  Wellbeing and Travel to Hawaii During the COVID-19 Pandemic

  tourism changes and effects on local economy
• 2020-08-11

  Story of Sickness and Travel

  During the Covid-19 pandemic, I was mostly at home. I lived in, and currently reside in Miami FL. During the earlier stages of the pandemic, everything was closed, shops, national parks, malls and the like. The only things seemingly open were liquor stores, not sure why up to this day. My first moment outside of Miami, was after the restrictions were lifted and I took, a small staycation in Fort Lauderdale. Things were still pretty uneasy, and heavy mask mandates were still in place. I stayed at a smaller hotel in North Las Olas. And we spent the day in the beach, and went around to downtown Fort Lauderdale. The city seemed to be moving as normal, and the populace was very relaxed with social distancing, and mask mandates seemed to be abided only by a few. Nowadays any remnants of Covid restrictions are few if any. About 1 year after covid officially was put down to a low extent with the use of vaccines, I traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana and I noticed a very similar ambiance as to when I was in Florida almost right after the pandemic. All of the populace was very relaxed and laid back with masks and social distancing was at an absolute 0. My guess as to why these things occurred was with the mentality of certain demographics and political narratives. Southern states generally have a more laidback outlook on life and fear the overall reductions of personal liberty, such as travel, in regards to national emergencies. Where as states such as New York and California were some of the heaviest in Covid restrictions, some even present to this day. Travel was always a beautiful thing to do for me, and Covid-19 put a small halt on it, but not completely. These stories happened between August of 2020 and June of 2021.
• 
  2023-01-21

  Our Family's Winter Road Trip

  Here, I share a bit about myself and my family. Though many people are still not traveling, my family and I have done quite a bit, especially with my work as a grad student, an educator, and a coach. The pandemic slowed a lot of things. And my very demanding schedule is always a factor. But with the help of family, we are able to do much more than expected.
• 2021-03-07

  Story of Sickness, Vices and Travel

  I remember when then Covid-19 pandemic first started, I was working at my current suit store, and we did not know what was going to happen at first. I did not travel anywhere, as at this point the global travel market was almost completely shutdown. There was discussion between the managers as to whether we would close the store and wait this out until government officials set the release date, or stay closed indefinitely. Eventually as more earlier information was released, we closed the store. As the pandemic spread, most of Florida as well as the rest of the country was shutdown. I spent most of my time at home. I tend to enjoy a cigar with a whiskey and/or another drink while enjoying the cigar. Eventually the whole state was shutdown and completely incapacitated. I spent the time eventually trying to remain entertained within the "Tiger King" series on Netflix, but once that was over with, I went through other modes of Coping. Eventually I went through my late Fathers Cuban cigar collection to try and have some type of enjoyment. I smoked close to all of his Cuban cigar collection, which in case of misinformation, Cuban cigars in the USA are impossible to obtain by retail standards, otherwise my grandfathering them in pre-personal consumption ban. I smoked close to 90% of my late fathers Cuban cigar collection, something which I didn't want to do other than celebratory or personal reasons. Covid-19 was most definitely not a reason. Therefore with the smoking also came the drinking and drank almost every bottle of anything, within the 5 month period in the state of Florida for the outright shutdown. I think eventually after a long lookback into the vices that were involved in being so isolated, the vices reign supreme when human beings do not have each other. Which speaks to the point that throughout history we, as humans, are extremely social beings. Isolation does not work well for long term, and state sponsored isolations. I think that if i were to travel, given the chance, I would not have traveled anywhere being so close to the genesis of the disease. Not in terms of China, but being so close and available to the disease without further info, would have been disastrous for my family. If I would have gone to any country would have been either to Israel or Rome, Italy, more specifically the Vatican. I believe my faith is primary to life, and either the homeland of the Christ or the home of the church during those times would have helped me spiritually, and physically, in tremendous ways. I probably would have documented my trip via my own phone camera or Instagram in whoever was viewing at the time. I would have definitely been sure to have gone to see St. Peters Square, The Sistine Chapel, and other sites in the Vatican City. Other than that the Israeli areas would be the supposed areas where Christ walked and spoke. Such as Golgotha, Garden of Gethsemane, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. These places during the pandemic, assuming they were open, were locations at the top of my list. Date: These thoughts and events happened on March 19-20 of 2021. Location: These memories and forethoughts would have taken place at the same time.
• 
  2021-07-16

  Since we can go anywhere... Why not Texas? Go big or stay home!

  We didn't know anyone in Texas, but we knew a few people from there, and they were nice. We didn't know anything about San Antonio except that the Alamo was there (we remembered that), and the internet said it had a Six Flags. We had no reason to go anywhere, except that it was July of 2021 and I had just finished what I could only hope would be the most difficult year of my teaching career (turns out it was). We had a tax return in the bank and a fire in our eyes. It was go time. We didn't have to fly there. It cost a lot more, and neither my wife nor I had ever flown in an airplane as children. But then again, we hadn't endured a Pandemic as children either; so we flew. How did this random trip turn out? Magical. The hotel was expensive, but my daughters loved the pool. The Alamo was full of historical paradoxes, which I completely geeked out on, and we all loved Six Flags. But the best moment of all happened as we walked the cobblestone streets of old San Antonio, sharing a box of chicken. We saw a man camping on the front steps of a church, and my daughters together decided to give him the rest of the chicken, since he was probably hungrier than we were. He thanked us with his words, but even more with his eyes, and my daughters learned that even 1000 miles from home, with nothing but a half-eaten box of chicken, you can make a fellow human smile. And that made the trip worth every penny. I could never ask for a better return from a tax return.
• 2020-08

  Trip to South Lake Tahoe in 2020

  Shortly after it was announced that some of the most restrictive measures in place due to the covid 19 pandemic were to be lifted, I took advantage and planned to leave town. One of my first trips was to South Lake Tahoe in August of 2020. I choose this trip because I figured it was the safest option since I would mostly be outdoors and could stay away from people as much as possible. I was also desperate to be outdoors after being stuck at home with family. The trip went without a hitch and got the rest and release I needed. Along the way however, I did notice several changes because of the ongoing pandemic. Thankfully the areas we visited were mostly to ourselves as there was hardly anyone. Still the people we did encounter seemed almost as relieved as us; I'm not sure if it was because they were also in the great outdoors or if they were just happy to see another person who was also just wanting to be out in nature. Still, mostly everyone maintained more than sufficient distance from one another. Restaurants still offered reduced capacity and keep guests distanced. Although some businesses and locations did not require masks anymore, many still wore them (including myself). I observed mothers wiping their children's hands. Fathers carrying extra masks. Hand sanitizer was still hard to find (thankfully I had some). Occasionally there would be that person who defiantly denied a mask or just didn't wear one when everyone else. Many people would stare at this person. I would personally get nervous around groups who were particularly loud or in large groups, although I must admit I've always been a bit socially anxious. It was just that now I was not only uncomfortable with unfamiliar groups of people, I also wondered if they were sick, or if they ever were, and did they even care. I thought these things as I watched spit fall from people laughing or eating. I paid special attention to employees and staff at restaurants and establishments. Would they wipe the spit off the counter? Did they wipe down the tables? I was especially hyper vigilant and felt guilty. I was traveling during a deadly pandemic with my family still back at home. Thankfully, I didn't get sick. That didn't happen until after I was called back to work since I was deemed an "essential worker." Then I would become ill for about 4 torturous months.
• 2020-05-23

  An Anxious Stroll Through the Japanese Tea Garden

  Although I have taken longer trips to New Orleans, Costa Rica, Boston, and Mexico since COVID-19 travel restrictions were lifted, I consider the local afternoon stroll through the local San Antonio Japanese Tea Garden to be the first real COVID trip. It was May of 2020 , and, at that point, the most of outside I had experienced since late March of 2020 was sitting in my backyard or making hasty trips to the grocery store. With the weather so gorgeous and with doctors and politicians saying it was safe to go to parks so long as we kept our distance from other people, my boyfriend and I decided to venture to the Japanese Tea Garden for a stroll and a picnic in the park, just outside of the gardens. Unbeknownst to us, this was a very popular idea; we arrived to the gardens to find it swarmed with other people hoping to get some fresh air. The Japanese Tea Garden can be tricky to navigate with an abundance of people around; it consists of narrow pathways, bridges, and stone staircases surrounding large ponds, streams, and waterfalls, so we found ourselves having to squeeze past people, only inches away from them. What was worse, we neglected to bring masks, thinking we'd be far away from park-goers. Not having my mask made me feel incredibly anxious. We cut our walk through the gardens short and continued with our picnic in the larger park, safely away from the crowds. I felt like I could finally breathe safely. When I got home, I was very nervous that I may have come in contact with someone with COVID. This feeling persisted for a while. At the time, it was still very difficult to get tested for COVID if you were not a healthcare professional due to the scarcity of tests and testing locations in San Antonio. Additionally, our mayor, county judge, and local health advisors warned of a spike in COVID-19 cases which did not ease my tension. I essentially waited on pins and needles as I monitored myself for symptoms. While I didn't catch COVID (the first time I caught COVID was in November 2022 actually), I didn't make another venture like that for another three months due in part to the anxiety I experienced that day.
• 
  2023-07

  Grandma's Funeral: A Trip Not taken

  It tells a story about how COVID prevented my family from attending my grandmother's funeral. Leaving us unable to properly say goodbye and grieve with family. It's a travel story with no travel.
• 
  2022-05-15

  Bahamas 2022 - First Trip Post-Covid

  My first trip in the post-covid era was to the Bahamas in May 2022. It had been years since I was last out of the country. The family of one of my close friends has a timeshare and I was invited to spend a week down there with a handful of friends. Heading into the 2022 trip, I was nervous about international travel, especially to a place I had never been before. The fact that I was with my friends made things a little more comfortable for me, but I still didn’t know what to expect or if I would even be able to make it to the Bahamas and back home. See, at the time the Bahamas still required a negative covid test to enter the country as part of their “covid visa” protocol. The country also required a negative test to leave the country. The friends I was with were very cavalier when it came to covid and covid restrictions. I was nervous, and I was and am considered high risk due to the nature of my asthma, but I was still determined to have a good time with my friends… and it ended up being one of the greatest trips I ever went on. New experiences, new food, a break from my life (which had become aggressively difficult to deal with), that trip was everything I had hoped it would be. I always kept a mask in my pocket just in case, but the nature of the negative covid test at least gave me some peace of mind that I’d be okay. The picture I included is of a smaller part of the group - 5 guys having a time on a lazy river. I remember laughing hysterically with each lap we did. That was the first time post-covid where I finally felt free and relaxed.
• 
  2020-03

  Canadian Travel During Covid and After

  Contrasts domestic travel during Covid to respond to security program needs versus personal travel from Canada to the United States post-pandemic, and the different airline/airport experience.
• 
  2021-03-19

  Easing Into Travel

  This story details how our family eased back into travel once restrictions were lifted, by starting close to home and venturing further and further out. It reminds me of how much we value family trips, and how a positive outcome was that COVID forced us to discover things closer to home.
• 
  2023-04-15

  Las Vegas Wedding April 2023

  The weekend of April 15, 2023, I flew to Las Vegas, Nevada to attend the wedding of one of my best friends from college, Anthony Dramisino and his soon to be wife, Amy Menegay. I realized I was attending my first post-Covid wedding after the government lifted CDC recommendations and restrictions. I flew United Airlines in economy that Friday afternoon and touched down around eight in the evening due to the time zone difference from Washington DC. The airline did not force us to wear masks but recommended we do so due to confinement in a small space with a lot of people. Other than the presence of a lot more hand sanitizer stations around the airport, Harry Reid Airport in Las Vegas bustled with the activity of people enjoying Las Vegas to its fullest. The first thing I saw when I deplaned was a group of slot machines. I ubered to the hotel, the Flamingo Resort, a Las Vegas icon since the mob sponsored its initial construction in the 1940s. Renovated in the 1990s, it stood as one of the oldest still running hotels in the city and this is where the wedding party reserved a venue for the ceremony. Overall, one could not tell there was ever a pandemic by how the hotels and casinos functioned. People strolled in and out of the building at all hours and the Strip pulsed with noise, lights, and activity. I met up with the wedding party and we stayed up till 3 in the morning on the casino floor socializing unimpeded. The next day, I got lunch with Anthony and some of the wedding party. We went to a Yard House restaurant on the Strip. Like many restaurants, it converted to a QR code menu or optional touch pad ordering system. The server still took our drink order and brought out the food. I had a steak frite bowl over quinoa to steel myself for the wedding day. The ceremony took place in a private outdoor garden grotto that somehow blocked out the noise from the surrounding resort. The moment stood out as strange but beautiful as an Elvis impersonator married my two good friends to each other. Afterwards, the reception dinner lasted well into the night. The balcony at the Caesar's Palace stood isolated from everyone, but overlooked the Vegas Strip glowering in its nightly desert beauty. The venue let us stick around well past the end of the reservation. I went back to my hotel room at midnight to pack for my six am flight back to Washington DC. I took a picture of the new massive globe telescreen built during the pandemic. It danced in a complex light show at night, but apparently it can play full videos as well. I would say my first major post COVID trip was a rousing success and an excellent first time experience in Las Vegas. I would definitely go back again.
• 2020-10-15

  Travel with Your Worries

  When travel restrictions were lifted from COVID-19, I waited a few months to take a trip away from home. One was to Flagstaff, Arizona in October of that year. At this point, mask mandates were still in affect in many places and there was restrictions on how many people could come in with me to the doctors office, which is what I was traveling for. This was the first time I would be seen by my doctor in over a year, as with COVID restrictions, they had shut it down to telehealth. It was also still scary after being cooped up for months to be out, and having to eat out, something we hadn’t done in nearly 8 months. The second trip I took was only weeks later to go to the Children’s hospital in Phoenix. Again, masks were still required in most places, and even a sneeze made everyone jumpy still. My child could only have one person escort them into the hospital and we had to wear masks, which was fun with a child that was under 2 years old, but it worked. It also made things go much slower than it has been since 2020 as well as they were extra careful sanitizing and spreading people out. I also remember the housing for people that needed to stay at the Children’s hospital was also limited to one adult with the child being treated at the hospital, which made it harder for parents that had to stay with their children. I remember a lot of fear traveling, making sure to have sanitizers, masks, and anything else we might need for everyone. I remember a lot of worry.
• 
  2023-09

  My First Solo Trip

  During the events of COVID-19, I was in recovery from a serious illness that attacked some pretty valuable organs and, therefore, was immune-compromised. It was pretty shocking as I had been perfectly healthy up until that point and was just entering my early twenties. Therefore, I did not and could not travel during COVID. So, by the time of my first trip, post-COVID, travel restrictions had been lifted. I am currently as physically recovered as it gets from what happened and living life in a new normal! The first trip I took was to visit my sister in Alaska, where I stayed for about two months. We had a blast, and it was great catching up. I saw the ocean for the first time, and it was a particularly emotionally moving trip to experience. I will be heading out to see her and her lovely puppy, Honey, again in January, and I am excited to see them and explore new places! I am also hoping to rockhound in AK to add to my ever-growing rock collection.
• 2022-09-09

  Seoul-Searching During Covid 19

  Although Covid restrictions were slowing fading away by the end of 2022 in the United States, it was a process for me to travel to Seoul in 2022. Before traveling I had to fill out various forms of documentation indicating that I was healthy enough to travel. In Korea, you were still required to wear a mask in public places but other than these mandatory requirements, the trip was extremely enjoyable. I personally didn't mind it and thought the extra precautions showed a sense of care. In some ways it also showed the difference in societal standards and cultures. I got to go to museums, shops and eat delicious food. I loved it so much and it was an immerse learning experience.
• 
  2021-03

  First Time Traveling after COVID-19

  At the end of March 2021, I took a trip to the Idyllwild Mountains in Southern California. Getting to the base of Idyllwild Mountains was a 15-minute drive from where I lived. I rented an Airbnb with my family to enjoy the upcoming snow. Having multiple members in my family with compromised immune systems, we were still taking self-isolating and social distancing very seriously. During this period in California, Disneyland reopened, and restrictions eased around the state. Right before the trip, California leaders announced that anyone over 16 would be eligible to receive the vaccine the following month. While I wanted to go out and make happy memories, like enjoying Disneyland again with my family, I remember the anxiety of even staying in the Airbnb with my family and the worry that we would catch the virus. However, because of the cleaning policies and the relative isolation of the location, it felt like a safe way to travel while still being able to take enough precautions to limit exposure. While there are excellent restaurants in Idywild, we brought groceries to our rented cabin. We felt this was safer because we were still uncomfortable dining out then. Although we only stayed on the rental cabin property, it was still such an enjoyable experience. I got to watch the snowfall with my niece and nephew. We made snow angels, played board games, and ate homemade chili. It was a magical experience after prolonged stress, fear, and worry. While we were still socially distant and isolated during the trip, it was such a memorable experience, and I will forever treasure the memories we made together during our first time traveling after the start of COVID-19.
• 
  2020-08-20

  Coming Back Home

  When lockdown happened in March of 2020, I was in college in New York. I was immediatly picked up by my uncle and taken to their home in Long Island were I stayed basically stuck in an 8x8 room with a large bed and a dresser as a desk for the next 4 months. When flight restrictions were finally slightly lifted I took the first flight out to my home, Puerto Rico. Everyone had to wear masks, disinfecting stations at every corner, and it was very empty. When I got to PR, the baggage claim turned into a medical security depot with people in hazmat suits everywhere, plastic curtains draping every hallway, and incredibly tight restrictions on movememt. It was a miracle I got back. When I was home, I was finally able to walk outside in my neighborhood and decided to explore the river by my house that I had never really been to, even though I had lived there for 18 years. That's what this video represents. It represents the first real moment of freedom and nature after months of isolation and flourescent lights. That video also represents refuge, I was seperated from my homeland for over half a year at that point, 2 months by choice and 4 months by force. And though I was out in the jungle by myself, it was a much healthier form of isolation than what I had been doing in New York. So I appreciated my flowing river and low hanging tree branches all the more.
• 
  2022-06-22T19:17

  Covid-era Road Trip to Cahokia

  As the cloud of Covid-19 began to dissipate in 2022, we made our annual summer pilgrimage from Arizona to Michigan, where much of my extended family still resides (and we can escape the heat of the Southwest). Due to lingering concerns over crowds and close contacts, we decided we would drive and make stops in Albuquerque, Oklahoma City, and St. Louis, where we ventured to a place I, the dorky World History teacher, had eagerly selected: Cahokia Mounds, the "Largest Pre-Columbian Site North of Mexico". Approaching Cahokia, the scene might appear like a scatter plot of natural hills if they were not carefully mowed and kept generally free from trees and overgrowth. One can climb a staircase that ascends to the higher levels of Monk's Mound, the largest of several earthen pyramid-like structures in the area. I remember feeling conscious that it was the kind of climb that humans had made for several millennia, at Mesopotamian ziggurats, or similar Maya constructions at Chichen Itza, or the Acropolis at Athens-- up staircases, closer to the heavens, to honor deities or witness a royal wedding, or a coronation. I suppose my leashed golden doodle at my side and my chatterbox children following me injected distractions from the historical fantasies... Maybe I'm romanticizing this climb in my own memory. Yet, the view of urban St. Louis from the top of Monk's Mound is beautiful, and one feels the transience of human endeavors-- the rise and fall of cities and civilizations. This particular hill I stood atop was, one-thousand years prior, an epicenter of socioeconomics in North America. Tens of thousands of people resided in the area, and perhaps hundreds of thousands visited seasonally from as far afield as the Gulf Coast to the south and the Great Lakes to the north, to witness and partake in rituals, celebrations, and social and economic exchanges. These mounds, constructed entirely by humans without draft animals, once held up large structures and were heavily populated for special events. They are now mostly barren and lonely, an occasional visitor climbing the steps for physical exercise or an exercise in perspective. Though Cahokia's peak and decline as a site occurred well before the Columbian Exchange and arrival of Eurasian diseases, the barren hills and surrounding areas (and the isolating existence of the pandemic we were experiencing) made me think of the general decline and displacement of indigenous people. We were experiencing, in 2022, a pandemic that caused isolation, debilitation, distress, trauma, and occasionally death... Yet earlier epidemics were an absolute apocalypse for indigenous people throughout the Americas, often emptying entire regions of people well before the arrival of explorers, colonizers, and settlers. To stand atop Monk's Mound, and to survey the urban sprawl of St. Louis in the distance, is to experience, spatially, tremendous change over time. My single life will hopefully last a few decades longer, and making this climb with my own children gave me a joyful sense of legacy and time beyond my own existence. For a few quiet moments at the top, however, I felt alone and small, a tourist under the weight of the distant past.
• 2022-05-01

  First Trip After Lockdown: A Journey Through Cheese, COVID, and Care

  In May 2022, fully vaccinated and cautiously optimistic, I boarded my first flight since the lockdowns to attend a cheesemonger conference near St. Louis, Missouri. I was masked, wary, and meticulously followed all the precautions—barely even touching a beverage on the plane. Traveling again felt strange and exhilarating, though the pandemic was still very much on my mind. The conference was a whirlwind of cheese-related knowledge and networking, and everything seemed to be going smoothly until an unexpected situation arose. A young woman attending the conference broke a tooth but had no rental car or easy way to get to a dentist. Since I was the closest to forty among the group and happened to have a rental, I drove her to an emergency dentist. Stepping into the medical office, I was struck by the fact that no one was wearing a mask—something I was not yet accustomed to seeing in a medical setting. In California, most medical establishments still mask up. But I brushed it off, thinking it was just part of returning to the “new normal.” After the conference, I flew to Texas to visit family. Ever cautious, I took a COVID-19 test in the rental car before returning it to the airport. NEGATIVE! Safe to fly. Everything seemed fine until I began feeling unusually warm mid-air, but I was double-masked and very anxious. Maybe I was just panicking. When I reached my Texas hotel, my nerves were on high alert. I called my wife, who teasingly dismissed my worry as paranoia. But as soon as I took a test in my hotel room, I got a positive result. I called her back on FaceTime to show her the results, and reality hit only then. The following day, my stepmom picked me up from the hotel. I sat in the backseat, masked, windows rolled down, and tried to distance myself as best I could. We went straight to urgent care, where they confirmed my positive test with a PCR. Given my pre-diabetes and higher BMI at the time, the medical team recommended monoclonal antibodies. In my dad’s small town of Lake Hills, Texas, the local fire department and medical staff came directly to his house to administer the treatment. They hooked me up to an IV and provided fluids and antibodies, returning two days later for another round of fluids. In a town where only a few people took COVID-19 seriously, I was quite the Dramatic Californian Gal. Luckily, my parents did not get sick, and I was incredibly grateful for their care and the support of my family. A week later, I tested negative—just in time for a long-awaited cruise to Belize, Honduras, and other parts of the Caribbean. Testing on Cruise Ships was super strict then, and you even had to do a rapid text live on a Zoom-like platform 24 hours before boarding the vessel. Boarding the cruise ship in Miami felt surreal, a return to something like freedom. At that point, there was no risk that I was going to be infected with COVID-19. However, after my recent infection, the fresh sea air was a balm, and the sense of safety I felt, knowing I’d just recovered, made it a unique experience. But the trip left its mark; I am still vigilant about masking on planes, keeping up with vaccinations, and taking COVID seriously. While the fear has subsided over time, that first experience with travel after the lockdown taught me the importance of caution, the medical community, and gratitude.