One Day at a Time

Dispatches from life during the pandemic

Kristin Livingston

Economies are down. Borders are closed. And COVID-19 has taken family members and friends, including those of our featured alumni and the Bentley Magazine staff. And, yet, we move onward.

Home schooling. Zoom gathering. Connecting and learning in ways we never could have imagined before now. Here, Falcons share tough realities, tender moments and hopeful mantras from inside the pandemic.

Washington, D.C.

John Fagan ’34

As reported by his grandson

While 2020 has been a challenging year all around the world, my grandfather’s mantra of optimism and perseverance hasn’t changed: “One more day!” usually accompanied by a thumbs-up.

Those who do the math will note that John was alive during the 1918 pandemic. Read his life story.

Boston

Schnelle Shelby ’04

When it became mandatory to wear a face mask, I didn’t have one and neither did my fiancé. No one I knew even knew where to get one. So I made them and started using the time stuck at home to make more. Considering that COVID disproportionately impacts Black people — we’ve lost three people in my family already — I wanted to make sure the masks are helping our community and all types of essential workers, like your grocery store clerk, your UPS driver. A Bentley friend made a logo for me, we got the website up, and to date I have made 1,707 masks and donated 246. While it may seem like I’ve accomplished a lot, go easy on yourself and remember: The most important thing you can do in COVID is survive.

Listen to the alumna’s full story and check out her masks.

Rio de Janeiro

Marcelo Sá ’01, Global Alumni Board

It’s hard to think of a personal lesson learned in COVID without thinking about the larger context of Brazil. Millions of children haven’t received formal education since March because our public schools, especially beyond the cities, aren’t equipped to teach remotely. The Brazilian real has devalued drastically and inflation rates have impacted countless families. On a positive note, government subsidies have reached families in the lower economic strata and have even caused upward social mobility for some. A stronger sense of community also surfaced, exemplified by neighbors looking out for one another. The way governments, corporations and civil societies have mobilized proves that we are capable of promoting the transformation that we need to foresee a better world for future generations.

Read more of his insights into Brazil’s post-pandemic growth.

Berlin

Ryan Clare ’13

I struggled with the isolation, for sure. I also never felt as distanced from my family in New York as when they were in a COVID hotspot where hundreds of people were dying every day. It was terrifying. However at one point, things in Germany relaxed to the point where I was able to travel within Europe. My boyfriend and I also did a lot of cooking, once even staying up until 1 a.m. to make pelmeni [Russian dumplings] from scratch. While it hasn’t been easy — Zoom fatigue is real — I’ve learned how much I truly value the people in my life.

Florence

Lisa (Promise) Colella ’09

After barely being able to leave the apartment in Florence for months, we found a beautiful home with a garden, cypress trees and fresh air. Business-wise, with fewer clients during the pandemic, I was able to finish building a new travel website for Marriott; the extra time gave me the push I needed. This entire experience has really made my husband [Matt ’07] and me realize that you never know what will happen and when. Maybe now is the time to start that company and move to that dream location.

Hong Kong

Karen Liang ’09 and Kevin So ’08, MBA ’10

We had a baby last year and without the lockdown, honestly, we wouldn’t have been able to spend this time with her. We didn’t miss a first: step, word, sentence/demand — that we know of! When Gabi turned 1, in February, we threw her a party with a lot of soft toys as her “friends.” We feel bad for this generation for missing opportunities to socialize outside of the house, but having these months at home has been a blessing.

Auckland

Stephen Bell ’90

With an island, you can close the borders pretty quickly. It wasn’t perfect, but at the end of the day we’ve had 1,500 cases — minute in the grand scheme of things. What’s amazed me is the tolerance for working from home, how we’ve adapted. You’re never late to a meeting anymore! I’ve got a busy work schedule at KPMG, so I’ve enjoyed the time with my three girls. I taught my youngest to ride a bike. And biking here in the springtime, you’ll see sheep and cattle roaming around the park, all the lambs being born. We’ve been lucky to have this time together.

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