With Planet Earth in lockdown, our industry at a standstill and many of us in self-isolation or quarantine at home, or grounded, this is our blog for you – it’s a way to share stories within our community, to form solidarity and foster a sense of belonging.
Short essays on what we are each doing, how we are getting through this darkest hour in travel, how are we handling withdrawal symptoms from travel, what we intend to do with this down time, a word we want to focus on, a wish we have or simply, an important topic you want to share with your travel friends at this time.
Ben Liao, chairman, Forte Hotel Group, Taiwan
Accepting inactivity in Taipei: Focusing on business and mental health
In my position it’s hard not to think of retrenching and re-evaluating our business in the market now. But in doing so I try focusing on understanding the foundation of our business, considering the people, both the customers, the workers and our neighbours. How is the market evolving and where will we be? Our hotels need renovation and our people need training, but we need to consider recruitment and partnerships as well.
At work I’m planning but also, I’m reminded during this period of social-distancing to spend time with family and friends. It’s time to reach out on social media more. It’s also time to accept inactivity on the surface and nurture yourself. In addition to physical health I’m reminded of mental wellness. I’ll keep myself and those near me, happy and ready for the next day and recovering, day by day.
To do this I stretch in the morning, and think, and read the news. I take walks with my wife and kids. The park and outdoor activities, like cycling, or basketball, are our next plans. We also bought the nice Lazy Boyz couches we have been eyeing for a year, better for family Netflix watching!
The passion thing: A new concept of beauty
Beauty is an ephemeral concept; we all know that. But perhaps in the last couple weeks my concept of beauty has been adjusting. Beauty’s not the Monet hanging at the Musee d’Orsay. It’s not the over-brimming cup of sake to wash down a delicious yakitori stick.
Beauty is the drawing by your 10-year-old daughter who’s growing way too fast. It’s the sun backlighting your teenager daughter’s hair when she’s finally going out for walks with you. It’s a call from a friend who was laid off, but found her inner strength. It’s you, sitting alone on a quiet night, wondering where to go, when the stars coming out with all the pollution that’s gone.
I need to thank you Covid-19 for giving me time to reconsider my passion for beauty. I hope this beauty will last longer than the Hanami season, but I am also comforted that with this adversity, comes our inner strength and that beauty will continue to evolve and survive, too. Perhaps I will continue to think about that, when I carry on washing my hands.
Note: We will be running this blog for as long as we need to, to get us through this. If you wish to contribute, please send your essays to Siew Hoon. Send images too, it’s your story.
• Featured image credit (Taipei street): zhudifeng/Getty Images
