Corona Connections Worldwide

In the final episode of 2020 we check in with Hitesh in India's Gujurat state. In June he moved from the big city of Ahmedabad to his hometown of Somnath, about 8 hours away on the west coast. We talk about restrictions at the gurudwara (temple) and how there have been some upsides to the pandemic experience, like how India's started to adopt a work-from-home culture.Thanks to our host, Podbean, and to everyone who's tuned in to listen this year! Best wishes to everyone in 2021.

Victor brings us up to speed on the COVID-19 situation in Mexico City. He had the opportunity to travel to various parts of Mexico during the pandemic for his media job, doing ecological documentation. Check out his photography at @victorzphoto and @victorz_photo.

Zel Botha joins from Cape Town (newly arrived from Mossel Bay on the Garden Route) to talk about how the pandemic has affected life in South Africa. She also teaches me what it is to 'zol' and to the deep house track about 'zol'ing that's taken the country by storm.

Sarah Woodall joins from her picturesque terrace in Qaqortoq, South Greenland. She has lived in Greenland working for the tourism board since 2012-- 6 years in the capital, Nuuk; 2 in Qaqortoq.We talk Greenland Staycations, the relationship with Denmark and how the global BLM movement has bolstered interest in decolonization/independence, and her interesting life in this unique and isolated place at the top of the world.Sarah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polarphile/Visit South Greenland Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/visit_southgreenland/

We check in with Vallapa and her fiancé Martin in Thung Song, a small town in the middle of Southern Thailand. Vallapa is a restaurant owner Angela became friends with while teaching in Thung Song in 2011 and 2012. Martin is from Cameroon and met Vallapa while teaching in Songkhla, a beach town two hours from Thung Song near the Malaysian border.Yes, the name "Thung Song" is extremely evocative of that treasure of a late-nineties Sisqo club hit "Thong Song," but it's pronounced more like "Toong Song."Thong Song Music Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oai1V7kaFBkAngela's Thailand Blog: http://thaimeofmylife4.wordpress.com

Alex checks in from Almaty, the largest city and former capital of Kazakhstan. We discuss how the education world has been impacted by the pandemic, the US election, and, of course, Borat's subsequent moviefilm. Wawaweewa! Check out Alex' photography on Instagram (@adventurer_inside).

Kessi and Camille join us from Angers, France, having arrived from Paris just the day before to escape the city and spend the latest lockdown with Camille's parents. Kessi and I met in India in 2010 and a few times in this episode we mention the videos we'd recently rediscovered and shared with each other. You can find them here:Kessi's video from India ("Une odyssée indienne" [has English subtitles]) https://vimeo.com/24015552My video from India ("A Dinner in Delhi") https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVuTFKvPbeY

Maria and Curt talk about island life and European travel in the time of COVID. Check them out on Instagram at @maria.de.la.o and @silverflame_photography, and Maria on Soundcloud at soundcloud.com/maria-de-la-o.

Borja and Fernando join us from Spain (Valencia and Alicante, respectively) to discuss how the pandemic has affected life on the Iberian peninsula.

Inaugural episode!!! Kirby Martin joins us from Playa El Sunzal in El Salvador, where he has lived since 2017 surfing and teaching English remotely, to talk about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in a small, nomadic beach town.He is one of the hosts of the Tennis Headz podcast, which can be found here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tennis-headz-pro-tennis-talk/id576989614