Mussels, Mushrooms, Apple Juice: How Corona Changed our Neighborhood

I live in an apartment building where the relationships with neighbors are pleasant but not very frequent. As in many big cities, the inhabitants have a busy life between jobs and other challenges. Usually, we meet for a brief chat between the hallway and the garbage bins.

But since the coronavirus crisis and the lockdown, I observe a change: As we all spend much more time at home, people suddenly seem to become more caring. One neighbor recently rang my doorbell and brought mushrooms, freshly collected in the woods. Another neighbor came over with bottles of delicious organic apple juice made from apples which he picked himself. Neighbor number three invited us spontaneously for a mussels dinner at his flat. We also call each other more often between the floors, just to ask how the other one feels in social distancing times.

These experiences in my hood have certainly made my life better. I feel secure at home and am convinced that we can get through coronavirus times – also because of mindful neighbors.