Olivia Medical Anthropology

Covid has put a strain on society’s willingness to expand their horizons, and willingness to leave the comfort of their own homes. Contracting Covid whilst on a trip creates a mental block and concern for the ability to get back home. Even with the vaccine, new variants arise and cause worry for your average citizen. Whether that travel be for business or leisure, people don’t want to be stuck in a location away from where their life and commitments await them. But, with traveling becoming more lenient, having the ability to escape the same place we have been confined in is extremely freeing. Not only does it allow time for relaxation, but a change in location allows for further self-embrace. Some individuals have anxiety about traveling, and for others traveling relieves anxiety. It can give them a chance to get away and embrace who they are. An example of this in my own life is that while I was worried I was going to contract Covid on trips and there was a chance it wouldn’t be easy to get back, the change of location is worth the risk because of how much more free I felt.