January: Guru’Guay is recommended in the New York Times 📰
February: The summer season is going ahead and we don’t have a care in the world...
March: The pandemic is declared in Uruguay on March 13. After wondering what the hell to do, we launch a series of videos –the Uruguay Coronavirus Chronicles--designed to help expats who don’t speak Spanish. The amazing folk in our Discover Uruguay group came together to volunteer and support each other 🙌🏻
April: Tired of seeing New Zealand as the sole poster child for pandemic response in the English language press, I write my article for Medium 'There is no place I’d rather be in a pandemic than Uruguay'. Two days later it goes viral in Uruguay. Uruguayans write to say how it made them cry in gratitude for what they have ❤️
May: We decide to go ahead with launching The Guru’Guay Guide to Montevideo audiobook. It’s the first ever long duration audiobook about anything Uruguay related in English in the world 😱🌎
June: I am interviewed for three of the most popular travel podcasts in the US—Amateur Traveler, We Travel There and my particular favourite, the brilliantly named Extra Pack of Peanuts which had me laughing all the way through. What is interesting was that none of the podcasters want to refer to the pandemic. I guess that’s the beauty of podcast. They have an eternal lifespan 🎙
July: Following the Medium article, the Uruguayan press is interested to hear more from Guru’Guay’s unique perspective. El País, Uruguay’s oldest newspaper, offers us the entire backpage (I know, right??) every other Wednesday to tell the stories of foreigners who have found themselves stuck in the pandemic. The stories touch people’s hearts and make them realise what a compassionate country they live in.
August: The Government of Montevideo puts out a press release endorsing our audiobook.
September: As the pandemic is still very much under control, Uruguayans are out and about on weekends. The beaches and the interior have their best off-season maybe ever. However, as an urban centre, Montevideo is not doing so well. Guru’Guay gets asked to work our magic on locals ;) The Montevideo tourism board sponsors me to do a travel segment on a popular afternoon radio show listened to all across the Uruguayan coast inviting folks to ‘Discover Montevideo’ through a foreigner’s eyes.
October: After 20 years living in Parque Rodó, I move to the Old City to a building built by the modernist architect Vilamajó with the most amazing views of the Bay of Montevideo 😍
November: The International Living franchise does just four conferences this year due to the pandemic and one of them notably is on Uruguay. I’m invited to be a panellist and talk about the pros and cons of life here.
December: We are going out with a bang--the Guru’Guay website is now in Spanish 🤩🎉
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