Helpful links from Elia
My Experience:
Just like everyone, I’ve had strong ups and downs throughout this crisis, that come in waves of 30 minutes! For me, the hardest part about the quarantine has been that I have had no alone time. My kids are 2 and 5, and they literally never leave us alone. The amount of attention they require is exhausting and constant, and with them, at home 24/7 there is no balance. Because my kids won’t let me get anything done, I have had a hard time not being able to be productive. It makes me an angry and frustrated person/mother/wife. I’ve also felt a sense of hopelessness, that there is no light at the end of the tunnel because we don’t know when and how this will all end. And then, of course, the amount of loss and death around us is so hard to bear.
Silver Lining
On the other hand, there have been many silver linings in all of this. I feel I’ve gotten to know my children even better and am closer to them than I’ve ever been. Because I have so much time with them, I’ve been able to teach them a lot and see them grow because of it. Leone has improved at writing and recognizing his letters, and he’s incredible now at riding his bike. We have so much time so we practice daily!
Virginia is more independent than ever, and I’m certain it’s, in part, because she has had more time to observe and learn from us. It’s been wonderful to see how many really great friends I have, and how important we are to each other throughout this crisis.
It has been wonderful to see how strong my relationship with my husband is through thick and thin. To keep my calm, I have rediscovered meditation and have made it a daily part of my life.
It’s been a huge gift to go for walks daily since I live in the countryside– I am closer to nature now. And on a global level, I am thankful that we have been required to give our world, environment, and future a reset and a new chance.
Expat Living Abroad in Florence ?
We are an active and varied group of women choosing to live outside of our “homelands” Talk to one of our board members about join us for support, practical assistance, local know how & some great laughs
