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2021-06-01

Post-pandemic Beach Trip

Unlike most people that we knew, we did not travel anywhere during the pandemic. We did not have any visitors outside of our family and continued to use social distancing until the restrictions were lifted. When the world opened up again, we still chose to stay fairly close to home. At the time, we were living in Harrisburg, PA and decided to visit Virginia Beach. We stayed at the Hilton and were shocked to see how to the pandemic had effected the tourism industry. The hotel was wildly understaffed as they had let many employees go over the past year and it was chaotic. The rooms were not cleaned on time for check-in so there were people packed into the lobby, bags everywhere, just waiting to get to their rooms. The employees were overworked and mostly rude; wholly unlike how it had been pre-pandemic. When we were finally able to check into our room, we got onto the elevator and found that there was some kind of liquid all over the floor. We tried to show an employee but there were none around to help. After getting into our room, we pulled out the sofa bed to find that it was full of sand and that the room had not been properly cleaned. Eventually, someone did come up to clean it but it took hours. Our trip could be summed up as unrelaxing; nearly every employee seemed as though they were at their limits. There were still mask guidelines in place and all of the people there seemed angry about it, whether it was because they were wearing one and others weren’t or because they did not want to wear one and were angry that the guidelines told them to. It seems as though no one could be satisfied and everyone was inconvenienced no matter which side they were on.

2021-03-06

Escape from COVID: San Antonio to Galveston

I submitted this story because I wanted to explain what my first trip after COVID was like.

2020-12-01

Carpark Run

To return to New Zealand in late 2020 I had to complete 14 days of hotel quarantine. Luckily, my hotel had a fenced off area of the carpark that we were able to use for exercise for an hour each day. This strava activity shows a run I did around the very small carpark (one of six during the two weeks), which involved running in my mask and staying a few meters from the other people in the space. Without these bursts of activity, two weeks in a hotel room would have been much less bearable.

2020-03-05

The Sounds of a Casino

Living in Las Vegas and working in a hotel and casino, I got used to a few things; the sounds of the slot machines and the (albeit unpleasant) aroma of cigarettes and cigars. After being brought back to work after the shutdown, what I immediately noticed was how much quieter the casino floor was with all of the restrictions in place. There was a limit to how many guests we could have in, and social distancing meant only every other machine could be used. While wearing a mask and having plexiglass in front of my station, I had to get used to projecting my voice so that guests could hear me while I was trying to help them. Even now, I still wear a mask and have to actively make an effort to be heard.

2022-04-20

Travel and masks in Lima

we just arrived to Peru This morning. Before we got on the plane we were told that we would have to show two masks because in lima we would need to double mask while walking around no one seems to be checking if you have one mask or two masks but everyone is wearing a mask. This is a photo of the free breakfast the airport hotel provided this morning after waking up. You’ll notice the sign that says Masks are obligatory. We’re staying at the Wyndham Costa Del sol hotel.

2022-03-20

Working in a Casino Post-Covid

Living in Las Vegas, it was quite noticeable when Covid hit. The city that always seemed to have something going on suddenly ground to a halt. Working at a casino, I noticed as our usual volume of guests and tourists started to lessen until we were shut down altogether. So, getting back to work after the shutdown was a bit of an adjustment. My workstation, usually with 6 of us working together now had half that amount. Hotel and casino floor capacity had to be kept low. I also remember the temperature checks that both guests and employees were required to do at the entrances. Enforcing the mask mandates with guests would also prove to be a hassle at times as some guests were more receptive than others. As travel restrictions and mask mandates started being lifted, it didn't take long for many of our regular guests to start showing up again. We recently started having live music performances at our property that guests had been inquiring about quite regularly beforehand. As of now, we're basically operating at full guest capacity again with a full casino floor and regular events. While there are still people wearing masks, myself included, there is a sense that the worst is behind us.

2020-05

Silence in the Morning

At the beginning of the pandemic, I was working at a hotel on a US Military base in Stuttgart Germany where I typically worked the overnight shift. As such, my commute home in the mornings was usually the noisiest part of my day. I would often pass by the local bakery on my way home, one of the busiest places in town in the morning. I would hear the sounds of the shuffling of feet of the people in line, the clink of coins on the counter, the crinkle of paper bags filled with the daily bread the Germans would buy or the pastries they would eat for lunch, and the whine of the coffee machine for their morning coffee. In the background was the constant droning of the morning rush hour traffic. After the lockdown, when the German government shut down businesses, I had to continue working as the military converted the hotel I worked at into a quarantine facility. I continued with my overnight shifts and my commute home in the mornings while everyone else stayed home. What struck me the most about my new commute home was the silence. The utter lack of noise was practically oppressive. I could close my eyes and the only difference with the dead of night was the warmth of the sun beating on my skin. What was once the noisiest part of my day was now the quietest.

2021-01-02

A Journal from Mandatory Hotel Quarantine

This here is the journal entry I wrote on my first night in 14-day mandatory hotel quarantine at the Northern Territory’s Howard Springs Quarantine Facility in January 2021. At this time, in an effort to control the spread of covid, movement between many Australian states and territories required mandatory hotel quarantine upon arrival. For many, including myself, this process was filled with anxiety and uncertainty. Yet simultaneously, a sense of excitement and adventure. This journal entry gives insight into the complexities of emotions associated with the Australian Covid-19 Hotel Quarantine System. HIST30060

2020-12-21

Fall Semester Admist a Global Pandemic

I am a student enrolled in Northeaster's first semester freshmen year study abroad program. As a member of the NU IN program I was originally going to be in Prague for this semester but due to the pandemic caused by Covid-19 that site was shut down. I ended up "studying abroad" 15 mins down the street from Northeastern at the Westin in Copley plaza. Living in a hotel for the first semester of college was a very different experience than what I was expecting; however, the nice hotel wasn't the only standout of the semester. As a result of the pandemic all of my classes, like almost every of student, were conducted over zoom. Some of my professors were not even in the United States, but were teaching me virtually from London. The social aspect of college also presented its own new challenges as students had to limit capacity in common spaces, social distance, and of course wear masks. While this new aspect of college was difficult to get used to, after a month or so I got the hang of it. I got into a rhythm of taking classes in the hotel but still going to campus and getting out to explore the city with new friends. As a matter of fact living of campus first semester was great because I was better able to explore more parts of the city. While i have no doubt studying abroad would have been a lot of fun, the whole NU IN community really came together to try and make this semester great, and despite all of the craziness of the pandemic and election season, this semester was one full of memories and a great start to my college experience.

2020-12-08

SARS didn't prepare the hospitality industry for the prolonged impact of COVID-19

Article discussing the effects of the pandemic on the hospitality industry

2020-12-02

The Covid-19 Pandemic

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit America in March of 2020, all of us were caught off guard and unaware of how long this would last. Today we have adjusted our way of living with the promise that things would go back to how they used to be but with no promise date. Being honest, i don't think life will ever return to the way things were before this pandemic, but that could have positive effects potentially. Surface level things like wearing a mask on public transportation and to doctors offices and such, but also deeper things like the public movement for young people to be conscious of the effects their actions have and a need to protect our elderly. My story was that of a high school senior, graduating during a pandemic, and now a college freshman at Northeastern University still trying to learn while a pandemic is going on. Not to mention I live in a hotel instead of a dorm, making my freshman year housing the best housing I'll have during my whole college career. There have been many adjustments that is just part of the social norm now, like me freaking out when i forget my mask in my room; a mask being just as important as having my phone and my wallet. Getting tested every three days is now not only normal, but expected and upheld by the students. Even with all these precautions taken by the university and myself, I currently am positive for Covid-19. It's been an experience to say the least, and I was not one of those fortunate patients to have no symptoms partly because I do have asthma. Yet through this the Northeastern Wellness department has done an amazing job of making sure I was connected to a doctor and safely isolating as well as quickly contact tracing everyone. I'm currently recovering and still able to do my work thats thankfully online as well as in person, but I could easily switch to remote learning.

2020-11-28

Northeastern NU.in Program

The NU.in program is a study abroad program by Northeastern University. This year, students had the option to travel to Canada, London, or Ireland. While NU.in Ireland remained a location, the pandemic made it so traveling to Canada or London was no longer possible. Students had an option to either travel to Ireland, Boston, or remain at home. NU.in Boston students were housed in a hotel twenty minutes or so away from campus. While living conditions were pleasant, it was definitely not what many students were expecting from being a part of a study abroad program. Not only were students studying from a place they might not have prepared for, the health restrictions made it difficult for some to meet new people and really familiarize themselves with campus life. The pandemic has really impacted how students work through college. Covid tests are required of in person Northeastern students every three days. While classrooms are open for a limited amount of students, majority of the students are participating online since the teachers are joining the online meetings from home. While these changes are not very drastic, they do take some time to adapt to.

2020-03-29

Start of 14 days of quarantine

Since March 2020, the Chinese government requires a mandatory 14-day quarantine in hotels for everyone who enters the country to ensure no cases from aboard will cause transmission within the country. This is the confirmation letter that I received after I was placed in the quarantine hotel, it indicates the date and time of my entry and the time of the end of quarantine.

2020-11-09

University in the Pandemic [MISSING MEDIA]

This is a picture I took in my hotel room in Boston of the zoom call I was on for my communications class at Northeastern University. I'm a freshman at Northeastern University and I've been able to experience college during the COVID-19 pandemic right on the front line. Unlike many of my friends who have been forced to stay at home because their colleges can't support in-person classes, I have been living in a hotel room in Boston for two months and attending classes regularly. Although I'm "in person", 3 out of my 4 major classes are entirely online and I spend most of my days sitting in my room tuning in to zoom calls. I would call this semester anything but the typical college experience, with most of my days spent in near isolation as my motivation ebbs away. In the age of the pandemic, it's harder than ever to find friends and the few freshmen who have found large groups have broken nearly every rule our university has set to try and keep us safe. It can be hard to stay positive, but I've done my best to keep my grades up and talk to my friends whenever possible.

2020-11-07

Something Simple For You, Something Big For Me

This image is not the most extravagant or inspiring, yet the implications that someone having troubles with travel plans due to COVID-19 affects my life enough says wonders on how everything is changing and we as people need to adapt. I am a blooming adult like many college students and like a college student I have my fees and tuition and books that need paying. Fortunately, I have a loving mother who tries to support me as best as she can, and that involves helping me pay for thoses fees and other living expenses which I can never be more grateful for. Unfortunately, my mother works as a maid for the local Four Seasons Hotel, and is a damn good one at that, but due to COVID-19 hotels closed or have limited staff including limited bookings and guests. People cannot or will not travel due to essential factors caused by COVID-19, the hotel is closed or has limited capacities or has regulations that a surprisingly amount of people do not want to conform too. This makes people lose jobs, this had my mother laid off for months but luckily there are still people who travel and hotels are starting to reopen, so hopefully things can get to a place where no one has to get laid off and depend on government money.

2020-09-08

Waiting for an Elevator

This video is a representation of how hard COVID has made life for college students, but more importantly, it is a representation of the students' willingness to cooperate and work with each other to make situations flow as smoothly as possible. As first-year college students, we were all incredibly overwhelmed and stressed out by entering a new chapter of our lives, in an entirely new setting that we weren’t used to. In essence, we were thrown into a mess that we didn’t know the outcome of. In fact, we still don’t know the outcome of it. In fact, before the pandemic happened, we all thought we were going to Greece, Hungary, or New Zealand for our study abroad Nuin program. Instead, our options slowly changed to Canada, Ireland, and London, and then eventually dwindled down to Boston or Dublin. This resulted in not only disappointment but a sense of unease for our first semester as college students. We ended up being housed at a local hotel about a mile away from campus. And although none of us liked the rules Northeastern University set for us, regarding guests, partying, and common spaces, we all understood that this was not only to keep us safe but to keep the city of Boston safe as well. I think it’s easy for college students, particularly Northeastern Students, to forget that we are living in a pandemic with serious consequences to the community. Us students are fortunate enough to be getting tested every three days, giving us a blanket of security that ensures we don’t have the virus. But it’s easy to forget that we live in a metropolitan area where others aren’t getting tested. Therefore, if we end up spreading it to other members of the community, we know within three days, but other people within the community don’t. Hence the importance of continuing to maintain social distancing and mask-wearing. This video is one of the hallmark moments of Nuin students maintaining these ideas and bringing a sense of awareness to the community. Because we live in a hotel, there are other guests that are usually spending the weekend in the hotel, and therefore we do interact with visitors frequently. In one such instance, the elevators were backed up in the building, as it was peak “rush hour” and two of the elevators were broken, and there were only 4 people per elevator. This video shows that even without tape on the floor to guide people to stand six feet apart, they did. Even though students could have easily broken rules and gotten into large groups into the elevators, they didn’t. Nuin Boston came together as a community, not only through painting social distancing but upholding the mentality that we should all look out for each other and put others’ needs before our own. I think many people have a lot of negative things to say about the COVID pandemic, which is understandable for many reasons. Even the first thing someone will find when they look up Nuin Boston is a story of how 11 students got kicked out even before classes started. But there will always be outliers. There will always be those that don’t care about others, that will continue to break rules regardless of their consequences. But it is the students and members of the community that care about the well-being of others that will continue to make a positive impact.

2020-10-30

Disneyland Workers Face Huge Layoff

California guidelines dictate that the state's largest theme parks won’t reopen until infection rates drop considerably in their counties. An Orange County health official has said that means Disneyland likely won’t be able to open before summer 2021. Due to this, many Disneyland workers have been laid off from a job that felt like home. Many furloughed Disneyland workers are struggling to make ends meet.

2020-10-28

Disappearing Hotels?

I submitted this image because it has a lot of significance to the town of Scituate, with it being the only inn/hotel in this town. The owner has to cut a lot of employees and other things because of this pandemic and they are not receiving any money to do what is normal. Local hotels are getting diminished, just like this one and if these go down, so is the history. There is so much history that is brought along with local objects and there is meaning that locals understand so we need to try and protect local objects, not just hotels during this pandemic.

2020-10-20

Coronavirus, Las Vegas, Archives and Me

This video I took while riding near the strip really reminded me of the impact coronavirus has and is having on the Las Vegas community. This impact has been huge on Las Vegas being that it is coined “the city that never sleeps” and has a large population. This video to me shows the importance of community involvement. Despite the strip hotels being vacant the lights remained on with a message of love instead of off making the hotels completely dark. This video involves the decision of the government to “enforce” quarantine and isolation laws which involved many recreational activities and places to be shut down and stopped.

2020-10-20

Life with Corona

school assignment

2020-03-25

Flying across country with empty seats

Pictures from both an empty plane across country and also an empty hotel where I was staying during work travels in late March 2020. Despite the pandemic I was an essential worker and therefore was traveling across country multiple times a month during March, April, and June 2020. This flight was San Diego to Atlanta and the hotel was also in Atlanta where I was one of three guests in a hotel with hundreds of rooms.

2020-03-11

COVID Response Team Awaits the New Day

When the outbreak first began back in February and at the beginning of March, I was a waitress at the Walnut Creek Marriott experiencing cutbacks in my service to others as well as in the number of guests received at my hotel. However, the Federal Government sent a team of specialists from the CDC to Walnut Creek, CA in order to help treat patients stuck in quarantine on the Grand Princess Cruise Liner. At the time, people were not being allowed off the ship due to the viral concerns, and the team treated most if not all their patients at Travis Air Force Base. These doctors worked relentlessly long hours and would leave at the very start of the day and return so very wiped out. I continued to serve this group until I was laid off from the company in mid April

09/19/2020

Alice Oral History, 2020/09/19

This is an interview of a college freshman detailing the effects COVID-19 has had on both the end of their senior of high school and the start of college. It focuses on education and more generally the response of national, local and educational institutions to COVID-19.

2020-06-16

Here’s a look inside Austin’s COVID-19 isolation facility

Austin, the capital of Texas is offering hotel accommodations at no cost to allow people to isolate themselves if they have covid or are waiting on test results.

2020-06-19

Pandemic underscores a lack of affordable housing, homeless issues in B.C.

News article discussing the issues around providing safe and equitable housing the homeless people of BC during the pandemic, from tent cities to block booked hotel rooms and the effect they have had on the homeless population and neighbours. "The B.C. government’s effort to get people off the street has meant profound changes for hundreds of people, including Mr. LeBlanc. The process has also resulted in anger and dismay from neighbourhood residents wondering whether the solution put together in response to a pandemic has resulted in new problems. The process has also underscored the dire shortage of affordable housing throughout the province, a problem that existed long before the pandemic and has become more visible as people are being urged to stay home even though some may not have that option."

2020-06-16

Covid-19 Isolation Facility in Austin, TX

The Austin metro area has seen a large increase in Covid cases over the last two weeks but I was still surprised to see this image appear in my Facebook feed. There is now a place for people to isolate themselves, in a local hotel, while they recover from covid or wait to receive their test results.

2020-06-12

A Quick Getaway

My husband, two daughters and I drove up to Flagstaff, Arizona for a few days of relaxation and fun. Less than 2 hours from our home, Flagstaff is a mountain town and about 30 degrees cooler. As Arizona is opening up the state after the quarantine, there is evidence of safety precautions and practices everywhere. At the hotel, the seating area in the lobby was blocked off, and the free breakfast was a sack breakfast that you requested from the front desk. Even the bar area where there is usually a free happy hour was closed. The front desk staff wore masks, and they even had a sign up suggesting handshake alternatives. Housekeeping staff did not do a daily cleaning as a way to limit contact with guests. While out and about, most stores and restaurants were open, but with new policies in place. Every store and restaurant required masks for customers and had signs stating such at entrances. Some restaurants still only offered takeout, but others had patio space and limited indoor seating available. The first night we had dinner at Beaver Street Brewery and sat outside. We ordered our food at the bar before we were seated, then it was delivered to our table. There was very little interaction between guests and employees. The second night we did takeout from another local place, The Lumberyard, and took it to a local park for a picnic. Stores were limiting customers, requiring masks and encouraging social distancing by having barriers by the cash registers requiring distance between the cashier and the customer. In the downtown area, all public parking meters were covered, so customers could park for free while venturing out to stores and restaurants. The most important recently opened area for our family was the Mt. Humphry trail in the Kachina Peaks Wilderness. My husband climbed the mountain while we enjoyed the beautiful weather and scenery. There were no special restrictions on the mountain, but all of the hikers maintained space and were considerate of others. After being at home for so long, getting away for a day or two was wonderful. It also allowed us to get a glimpse of what the next few months could look like, and how we will adjust to lives with masks and restrictions. I refuse to call it a new normal, but a temporary adjustment is just fine.

2020-03-18T13:26

First Lunch in Quarantine

When I arrived in China from the United States, I was sent to a hotel to quarantine for 14 days. This was the first lunch in my quarantine. There are 2 meats and 2 vegetables and 1 soup, which tasted very good. I thought it was a special treat in the first day, but the following 13 days was all in the same standard in terms of diet. The variety and quality of food even exceeded some restaurants. I also have fruits, milk, and bread every afternoon. The most important thing was, all the food, including fruit, milk, and bread, was totally free. And despite of the fact that I lived in a luxury hotel, I did not have to pay for it. The government paid for all the expenses during quarantine. The purpose was to alleviate people's financial burden so they would not have intention to reject a test or pretend to be normal when they are actually infected. However, with an excessive number of people entering China, people, many of whom were students studying abroad in foreign countries like US, had to pay the fees by themselves. This was not a big problem for them. After all, they could afford it. And compared with staying in the United States, which faced upon a great risk of explosive growth of confirmed cases, they would definitely choose to be in China no matter of what.

05/23/2020

Securing An Economic Future Amid the Pandemic: Seminole Tribe buys rights for Las Vegas Hard Rock

"The Seminole Tribe of Florida has consolidated its control over the “Hard Rock” hotel and casino brand."

A group of police officers standing outside a hotel.

2020-04-06

Guarding the Travelodge

Police and Military personnel guard the Travelodge Hotel in Surry Hills, NSW, Australia. At the start of the lockdown due to COVID19, travellers returning to Australia were subject to mandatory quarantine for 14 days and were assigned hotels. They were isolated in rooms and police and army personnel guarded the premises around the clock.

Building lights arranged in a heart shape.

2020-03-27

San Francisco Le Meridien Hotel Heart, Battery Street and Clay Street, North facing facade of hotel from my apartment.

The hotel workers, who are out of a job right now, had the thought to express love to people in the area and it really struck me that is exactly what we all needed at that moment: love. It made me sad for everyone, but gave me hope as well. I posted on Facebook and said: This hotel near where I live has been mostly dark the last few weeks, but tonight they made a nice heart. Love to all of you and all of your families and hope all are healthy and safe!

2020-03-19

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