Look Ma, I’m an educated couch potato

That’s me, lying on the couch.
Usually, this is the position I and many of my friends and colleagues occupy after a hard day’s work at the office. My office is primarily in the great outdoors.

As a licensed tour guide, you usually see me walking, driving, and or speaking to my tourists at a historical site or activity that we are taking part in. At the end of the tour day, I end up at my hotel or at home, eat some dinner and plop down onto the couch or favorite chair. While the TV may be on, or with music in the background, I soon find my way to that great couch potato land that we all know so well. However thanks to the Coronavirus I no longer have to feel that I’m just lying around. Now, I can lie on the couch or sit in my favorite chair and get educated! I am amazed and thankful for all the different online lectures and videos that are out there. It seems that everyone has come out of the woodwork and wants to teach me something. Be it Facebook Live, Zoom, UTUBE, etc. I am learning more today than I have since I was in college in the USA and or Tour Guide school here in Israel.

There is so much info out there. I never knew how much educational info is available online. Lectures, lectures, and more lectures. My morning starts with a 1/2 hour-45 minute lecture related to Judaism or Christianity. Then, onto a tour guide lecture exploring tour sites and background info with my colleagues, which can last an hour or more. I top the afternoon off with an Israel related lecture on geopolitics, history, archeology, and more for about 1 1/2 hrs.

In between the lectures, I actually get off the couch. If the weather is nice I go out for a long walk in my neighborhood (not more than 100 meters) or climb onto my elliptical bike and exercise in the house. In the evening I am so tired from the exercise and lectures that I  lie on the couch, put on my headphones and listen to some really great music or watch TV.  Earlier today I even sat in my garden and listened to a lecture while sitting beneath a tree. Education was never so relaxing!

I wonder what my potential tourists are doing. Are they even thinking about coming to Israel in the future? Are they starting to make plans for when the airlines and cruises will start up again? I certainly hope so.

In the meantime, there is a plethora of UTUBE videos, virtual tours and more that is available online. Tourists who have been to Israel before, as well as those yet to come, can virtually cruise or fly and tour our beautiful country. Travel indexes have rated Israel among the top 10 “happy” places on earth. Even now, in the time of the Coronavirus, most of us have not lost our sanity or happiness. We see people stepping out to their balconies, wishing everyone good tidings. People sing to each other, some even pray towards each other from their individual homes and yards. We are learning the value and practicing social distancing from each other. When standing in line at the market or bakery, we manage to smile through our face masks and have light conversations with 2 meters distance between us. Whereas we used to greet each other with a warm hug, we now connect with elbows and a smile. It’s a new reality!

Life goes on. One way or another we will get through this.
Airplanes will crowd the skies, ships will cruise the waters and tourists will come once again to our great and beautiful land. In the meantime be sure to maintain focus, exercise and walk at least 100 meters or more as the authorities allow. Expand your horizons through the magic of the internet. As the song from Monty Python goes..”always look on the bright side of life”. That’s been my motto for quite some time. It’s my ring tone on my phone.
I for one will come out of this pandemic more educated and knowledgable. I hope you will too. My advice: Be an educated couch potato, but remember to get off the couch!