![Disclaimer Rosetta Stone](https://travelfreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/disclaimer-rosetta-stone-800x60.jpg)
We’re deep into the COVID-19 pandemic, and issues are nonetheless removed from regular. Many people have misplaced jobs, stability, and (most significantly) even family members. Do you ever simply step again and shake your head in bewilderment over all of it?
Yeah, me too.
Touring overseas doesn’t really feel like the proper possibility proper now, so for many people vacationers, these previous months have been the final word take a look at in endurance. We’ve been handed numerous time, with not numerous data of what to do with it.
However I’m protected, fed, sheltered, and joyful to have settled in my new dwelling (oh, that’s proper, you didn’t know I planted some roots? Hold studying!).
If you happen to’re discovering your self stalled proper now, perhaps you’ll discover some inspiration on this checklist. Listed below are just a few methods I’m spending my downtime throughout the pandemic:
1. I’m Making a Residence for the First Time in a Decade
Right here’s one thing that not numerous you might know: I moved to Los Angeles!
For the primary time in ten years, I’ve settled into a cushty little residence in the midst of the town. For the longest time I resisted “settling down,” I believe largely partially as a result of damaging connotations of the phrase “settling.”
However I’ve discovered to like having my very own area and I’ve spent the previous six months turning it into my very own little nest. I’m leaning into the sweetness of constructing a house, and discovering pleasure within the extraordinary—the easy pleasures of realizing the place all my espresso mugs are, and different little issues…like having a closet.
If you happen to’re discovering it arduous to cool down, right here’s how I counsel creating your individual nest:
Rigorously curate your furnishings. Once I first moved in, my residence was nothing however an empty area, and it felt like I had to purchase every little thing instantly. All I needed was a house. NOW.
So I ended up with a mattress I didn’t love and a espresso desk I hated. In the end, I returned each, spending extra time monitoring down the gadgets I really needed. I discovered that furnishings is an funding, and it’s definitely worth the cash to be comfy and joyful. I additionally discovered that shifting right into a house is a journey in itself—one doesn’t merely furnish in a day. It takes, probably, a lifetime.
Identical to touring, settling in takes time. And I’m utilizing the time I’ve to do exactly that.
Deliver your journey experiences inside. I’m not one for souvenirs, however I’m one for images. I made a decision to take a few of my favourite images and different “journey artwork” and decorations inside, and now my partitions and cabinets are adorned with reminders of my travels from around the globe.
Now, though I’m not touring, I’m full of gratitude for all of the moments I’ve had.
![Los Angeles Reflection](https://travelfreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/los-angeles-reflection-800x534.jpg)
Discover ways to prepare dinner. If you happen to’ve by no means actually had time to discover ways to prepare dinner, there’s no time like the current. After spending a lot time in locations like Asia and South America the place consuming out is shockingly reasonably priced, cooking for myself was manner outdoors my consolation zone.
Admittedly, I’ve lengthy been a slave to the identical ‘ol dishes, and I actually do love eating out or ordering in. However since I’ve been spending plenty of time at dwelling, I’ve mastered just a few good meals utilizing YouTube tutorials and some meals blogs I’ve come to like. It’s like a personal cooking lesson, however there’s nobody there to evaluate you for the way you peel your potatoes.
Domesticate your plant assortment. I believe it have to be a ceremony of passage today to kickstart your 30’s by creating a profound love for cultivating a house full of crops, proper? (Subsequent up: birdwatching?)
It began out with a small cactus, after which a spider plant, and now abruptly my home is full of alocasias and fiddle leaf figs. New shoots and new flowers have been bringing me profound pleasure. Rising issues has been one of the unexpectedly fulfilling issues I’ve finished all through the pandemic, and having an area full of greenery simply makes every little thing naturally extra calm.
Creating a house has been so very important for me throughout this pandemic. It has given me a spot to really feel comfy and safe when the surface world looks like chaos, and I think it’d do the identical for you. Now I stay up for staying dwelling and watching just a few good films simply as a lot as I do hopping on a airplane (at the very least, for now).
2. Studying a New Language
I’ve at all times been adept at studying languages, however solely via immersion (as in, going to a spot and selecting it up whereas I’m there).
Spoiler alert: I’m not going anyplace (and also you most likely aren’t both).
Usually, studying a brand new language requires numerous language and cultural immersion, however it actually additionally requires examine. And what higher time to review than proper now, at dwelling, when journey isn’t an possibility?
Rosetta Stone is the language studying program. It really works so nicely as a result of it introduces you to new phrases and ideas in a fastidiously designed sequence, beginning with visuals and ending with conversations. I completely love the subtlety of how they introduce new ideas, and the visuals work rather well for me.
It’s like cultural immersion, however digital.
![Rosetta Stone Basics](https://travelfreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/rosetta-stone-basics-800x531.jpg)
Their app is tremendous streamlined and straightforward to make use of, so there’s no excuse to not follow somewhat on a regular basis. If I’m on the bus or being lazy at dwelling on the sofa, even these jiffy of language studying rely.
Rosetta Stone has much more than simply the standard classes, too. You’ve got tons of choices for prolonged studying, together with:
- A Phrasebook to follow your language expertise by subject (which covers issues like Time and Cash, Eating, and Getting Round—which is especially helpful if you wish to be taught the fundamentals whereas touring)
- Tales instructed by a local speaker to enhance your listening comprehension
- An Audio Companion to pay attention when you’re on the go (with out the necessity for visuals or talking)
You can even decide and select which unit to work on, so when you’re actually solely thinking about studying enterprise French, you are able to do precisely that. There are additionally subjects like Journey, Eating and Trip, and Buying.
![Rosetta Stone First Lesson](https://travelfreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/rosetta-stone-first-lesson-800x548.jpg)
Plus there are a ton of extras, together with video games, dwell tutoring and Reside Classes with native audio system. The dwell tutoring is especially helpful as a result of it offers you that one-on-one dialog that’s so essential to the language studying course of. You’ll be in a session with three different learners whereas a tutor leads you thru actions that spark dialog utilizing your new expertise. It’s not intimidating in any respect, and the constructive suggestions is unimaginable.
Reside Classes function a local speaker giving a 15- to 20-minute lesson that goes past what you discovered within the app, and you’ll chat dwell with the host and with different learners.
I’m at the moment testing out their French program. It’s a language I’ve at all times needed to be taught, so pourquois pas?
![](https://travelfreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/rosetta-stone-advanced.jpg)
I ran among the superior classes by some French-speaking mates, they usually had been impressed by the entire execution. I’m excited to dive in deeper!
Will you develop into fluent with Rosetta Stone? That will depend on you, however it actually helps to put the inspiration in your general language studying journey.
3. Touring Nearer to Residence
I’ve spent a lot time touring internationally, that is the primary time I’ve really had the chance to journey near dwelling. It’s extremely liberating to have my very own automotive (yep, I acquired a type of, too) and the liberty to drive off on an journey—after which come dwelling to my very personal parking spot.
Simply since you’re staying nonetheless doesn’t imply the journey has to finish. I’ve been planning all types of adventures from Los Angeles, together with a visit up the Pacific Coast Freeway to the Oregon Coast, spending a while in NorCal, and even heading over to Utah.
These are the locations I’m most wanting ahead to exploring in the US:
Yosemite Nationwide Park. Yosemite Nationwide Park is definitely one of the well-known and delightful parks in the US. You may discover in so some ways, whether or not it’s mountaineering or mountain biking on over 800 miles of trails, to backpacking, tenting, or cross country-skiing.
![Yosemite National Park](https://travelfreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/yosemite-national-park-800x534.jpg)
Lake Tahoe. If you’d like an outside getaway, head to Lake Tahoe on the California-Nevada border. There’s an array of actions to get pleasure from year-round from mountaineering, mountain biking, and tenting to boating, fishing, swimming, and kayaking.
San Luis Obispo. San Luis Obispo is situated in the midst of California’s Central Coast wine nation, and it’s as culturally wealthy as it’s stunning. Artwork galleries, wineries, spas, you identify it—when you simply wish to calm down, San Luis Obispo is your spot. They name it SLO for a cause.
![Rock Climbing in Joshua Tree National Park](https://travelfreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/joshua-tree-rock-climbing-1-1200x800.jpg)
Joshua Tree Nationwide Park. This park is a mix of two deserts: the excessive Mojave desert with its dry panorama of naked, sweeping rock, and highly effective winds, and the hotter fringe of the Colorado desert ecosystem. A highway journey to Joshua Tree Nationwide Park is ideal for mountain climbing and mountaineering, and it’s a photographer’s dream.
Bryce Canyon. Bryce Canyon in Utah is sort of a quieter, smaller Grand Canyon. The wind-whipped hoodoos and dramatic cliffs of purple and orange sandstone make for some extremely scenic mountaineering and horseback using trails, and there are limitless viewpoints for images.
Arches Nationwide Park. This place was constructed for highway journeys, with the 19-mile stretch from Freeway 191 to the Devils Backyard aptly named the Arches Scenic Drive for its many, many sandstone arches. There are many nice hikes right here too, together with the trek to the well-known Delicate Arch, which is skinny at its heart that it seems to be prefer it would possibly collapse at any second.
White Sands. White Sands Nationwide Park in New Mexico is made up of sweeping, wave-like dunes of white sand masking a275 miles of desert. It’s a surreal panorama, and though there’s no tenting you may take just a few mild hikes (it’s a small park) or go sledding on the dunes.
San Francisco. San Francisco is likely one of the most enjoyable cities in California (and possibly the complete nation). There’s so much to do in San Francisco, however some favourite actions embody exploring Chinatown, hanging out in Golden Gate Park, using the cable vehicles, and consuming nearly every little thing.
![San Francisco](https://travelfreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/san-francisco-800x534.jpg)
Sedona. Sedona is a desert city close to Flagstaff surrounded by a shocking panorama of red-rock buttes and forest. However it’s additionally a extremely enjoyable arts city with tons of eating choices, galleries, bars, and wineries.
Zion Nationwide Park. That is essentially the most well-known park in Utah, with a dramatic valley panorama carved out by the Virgin River and flanked by tall purple cliffs. The must-do right here is mountaineering to the dizzying heights of Angel’s Touchdown, a 1,488-foot excessive rock with among the best views within the nation.
Nice Sand Dunes Nationwide Park. This park in Colorado has a dune subject stretching throughout 200 sq. miles, with the very best dune reaching 750 ft excessive! You may go horseback using, dune sledding, mountaineering, tenting, and off-roading right here.
4. Touring Inwards
For vacationers, staying nonetheless is tough. Like, actually arduous. Journey has at all times given me function and which means in life, and I rely on it to steer a satisfying life.
Watching the world crumble round you and realizing that it may be years earlier than you get to discover the cobblestone streets of Europe or the flavor-rich chaotic evening markets of Asia is greater than somewhat miserable. And I can’t deny that I’ve had many darkish days these previous eight months.
One of the crucial impactful journey books I ever learn is known as The Artwork of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere (yep, it’s a journey e-book), by Pico Iyer, an award-winning and prolific journey author. He posits the concept that, as a substitute of touring to new locations, the one place we actually must journey—but not often do—is inside.
When a lot of your id is wrapped up within the factor you do, after which you may’t try this factor anymore, the query you’re left dealing with is: “Who am I with out it?” This has been an train in touring inwards, studying extra about myself and who I actually am with out the distractions or labels of journey or journey.
It’s been a lesson in surrendering to what’s, even when what’s isn’t very supreme.
So I’ve spent numerous time touring inwards: meditating, un-busying myself, having fun with peace and silence, and getting used to my very own firm.
***
There’s no proper or fallacious approach to take care of life inside this pandemic (aside from, you understand, social distancing and stuff). If you end up trapped in lengthy bouts of unproductivity, that’s okay. Life isn’t regular proper now and you’ll’t anticipate your self to be high-functioning in a time of disaster.
If you happen to’re working from dwelling, know that you just nonetheless want your downtime. If you happen to’re unemployed, be sort to your self. Issues will flip round once more.
And if you really want to get out of a rut, I extremely advocate making an attempt one of many gadgets on this checklist—whether or not it’s studying a brand new language or diving headlong into the world of plant parenting.
How are you coping along with your “new regular?” Let me know within the feedback under!