It's still 2020 ... but at least we're staying connected

In March when the first cases of COVID-19 had popped up in NYC, I remember telling my concerned family that I was being allowed to work from home for two weeks. Ha! 

Nine months later, we're still ditching our morning commutes for extra sleep time. We've learned which spots in our homes lend to the best on-camera lighting. And we've probably all picked up a new hobby or quirk. (I'm still perfecting my mango body butter recipe.)

Another thing we likely have in common? We're all really missing that time to connect in person with our friends and family. 

At a time before we'd mastered all of these things, my colleague and host of LinkedIn's #HelloMondayPodcast, Jessi Hempel, had the idea to chat with four special individuals living around the world about how they were navigating the many challenges that had first cropped up. (You can check out the original episode here.) 

Now many months removed, I had the chance to guest host a follow up with her guests to see how they were doing.

Here's a snapshot of how they're managing to stay connected: 

Kate Burson, an entrepreneur in Milan, Italy: Has since partnered with a friend to launch Eldera, a "global virtual village" that connects mentors and children to develop relational skills, read or just talk. After a year without seeing her family, she was able to travel back to New York to see them. And, while she's no stranger to the Big Apple, she shared why being back made her a little uneasy.

Emily Stratton, an aerial dance instructor in Fargo, North Dakota: Transitioned out of teaching children in China via video conferencing, simply because the demand just wasn't there. She also shares how she's been turning a very hands-on artform into a more socially-distanced activity — especially after testing positive for COVID-19 herself.

Manny Yekutiel, a cafe owner in San Francisco, California: Likens the many changes he's had to make to his business model as cramming the metamorphosis of "early eighties Madonna to 2020 Madonna," all within the span of nine months. He's honest about the difficult decisions he's had to make, including letting some of his staff go. But between turning his cafe into an election headquarters of sorts and his other civic-oriented engagements, he's learned to truly celebrate himself — mirror chats and all.

Becky Ances, a teacher in Xiamen, China: Also fondly known as Badminton Becky, is proving to us all that a return to normal is possible if we do the work to make it happen. She's no longer having to sit back-to-back with her boyfriend in restaurants. She's glad that she stuck it out in China instead of jumping ship. And she shared why she thinks we'll likely all be as materialistic as we once were. 

Check out the full episode here. And, if you're up for it, feel free to let us know what you thought by filling out our listener survey at linkedin.com/hellomonday.

Until another Monday,

Michaela