Moving During The Pandemic: Families Facing Unique Challenges

"We'll just wait until COVID is over"words uttered by so many of us the last few months.

But what if that major move is across the country or that new job can't wait.

IT'S EASY TO SAY ---"WE'LL JUSTWAIT UNTIL COVID IS OVER" IFYOURE STAYING IN THEHOUSE YOU LIVE IN.BUT AS CHRIS CONTESHOWS US... THOSE WHO HAVE TOMOVE ARE FACING MORE CHALLENGESTHAN JUST PACKING EVERYTHING UPAND LEAVING.THE ONE THING ELIZABETH WILKWANTED THIS PAST SPRING, WASJUST A CHANCE TO SAY GOODBYE.SOT - ELIZABETH015808 IT FELT SO SUDDEN, THATIT WAS ALMOST LIKE I WAS TOORUSHED FOR A LOT OF SADNESSTHIS 13-YEAR-OLD WAS A 7THGRADER IN BALTIMORE WHEN THEPANDEMIC HIT.

CLASSES SUDDENLYSTOPPED.AND THEN IN MAY, ELIZABETH'S MOMGOT A NEW JOB.

SUDDENLY THISFAMILY OF FOUR WAS PACKING UP AU- HAUL AND HEADED TO MAINE.RELOCATING IN THE MIDDLE OF APANDEMIC BOTH ELIZABETH ... ..AND HER BROTHER CHARLIE HAVELEARNED, IS A LITTLE LONELY.

SOT- CHARLIE020722 I NORMALLY MEET ALL OF MYFRIENDS THROUGH SCHOOL AND IT'SSUMMER SO I DON'T EVEN HAVE ANYFRIENDSSOT - MOM013610 IN THE SHORT TERM I THINKTHEY'RE FINE, LONG- TERM HOW ISTHIS GOING TO EFFECT THEM HAVINGSEEN THIS KIND OF PLACE IN HERDREAMS, SHANNON WILK ALWAYSIMAGINED THAT MOVING TOCOASTAL MAINE BE LIKE A NEVERENDING VACATION.BUT IT'S BEEN HARD TO PUT DOWNROOTS..SOT013216 I FEEL LIKE WE'RE NOTREALLY PART OF THIS COMMUNITYYET.

I GET UP EVERY MORNING ANDI COMETO MY BASEMENTWITH MILLIONS OF AMERICANS OUTOF WORK ... SHANNON KNEW THATWHEN SHE LANDED A NEW JOB AT ACOMPANY IN MAINE.SHE KNEW SHE HAD TO TAKE ITSOT013014 I'M LUCKY I WAS OFFERED AJOB AND THE JOB OFFERED STAYEDIN PLACETHEIRS IS JUST ONE STORY IN THEAMERICAN STRUGGLE TO COPE WITHCOVID.MAJOR LIFE PLANS PANNING OUT, INDIFFERENT WAYS THAN WE IMAGINED.012904 THERE COMES A POINT WHEREYOU HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION,ARE WE GOING TO GO OR NOT SOT -CONTE STANDUP023848 AND WITH SO MANYAMERICANS WORKING FROM BASICALLYANYWHERE RIGHT NOW IT'S GIVINGCOMPANIESNEW FLEXIBILITY IN WHO THEY'REHIRING012021 IT DEFINITELY BROADENSTHE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK FORTALENTED CANDIDATES THAT AREN'TLOCALSHANNON'S BOSS, CAITLIN DIMILLO.012031 WE DON'T NEED SOMEBODYDOWN THE STREET THAT CAN COMEINTO THE PHSYCIAL OFFICE 012920MAKING THE DECISION AND GOINGAHEAD IT ENDED UP BEING A GOODTHINGAS FOR ELIZABETH AND CHARLIE ...THEY ARE BOTH LOOKING FORWARD TOSCHOOL STARTING SOON EVEN IFIN-PERSON LEARNING IS ONLY TWODAYS A WEEK.

SOT - ELIZABETH015855 I JUST WANT TO SEEPEOPLE, MEET PEOPLE, I HAVEN'TSEEN IN ANY NEW PEOPLE IN SIXMONTHS / I'MEXCITEDLIKE SO MANY OTHERS, THEY'RELEARNING TO BE FLEXIBLEIN CAPE ELIZABETH MAINE, I'MCHRIS CONTE.