Snowstorm in Sofia...

Diary of a digital nomad trapped by the coronavirus pandemic in Sofia, Bulgaria. 23rd of March.

Monday. The day started with a beautiful, amazing surprise. It was snowing! And snowing a lot. I had almost resigned myself to not see any snow this year, but here it was! Funny how just two days ago we were in t-shirts with almost 20 ºC. Can the reduction in air pollution be somehow showing some effects already?

So I had a productive day at work. Some problems here and there (Mondays are never easy), but I think this situation, being trapped at home, is a nice opportunity to practice stoicism and see things from a different perspective.

I worry about the people I love. I have this kind of cheerful character, so I find it easy to stay happy even when I can’t go outside, or go to cafes, bars or theaters… It’s not that big of a deal for me actually. But some of my beloved ones are starting to feel depressed or anxious. And reading constantly news about the coronavirus on the press does not help.

So I think we need to observe a nice balance between being informed and entering into an information overload spiral. You don’t need to know everything, and probably there are more productive things to do that wasting your time on social media.

Do something creative. Paint, play, compose, write, record… You can do it at home, with your gadgets, iPads, computers, even your phone if you don’t have musical instruments, paper and pen or a camera around… Keep your mind busy and your soul happy. Do something you feel proud of. Combined with some home exercise and a videoconference or two with the people you care about, that’s a perfect formula to stay focused, happy and sane.

Hopefully soon we will remember this as a longer-than-usual nightmare, I am optimistic 🙏🏻.