“Open a window somewhere in the world”

This is the beginning of a world journey to be taken by any one of us through window-swap.com.

My mom read about this unique, quirky website in one of her magazines.  A pair in Singapore (Sonali Ranjit and Vaishnav Balasubramaniam) dreamed up a way for all of us to enjoy the sights and sounds of other countries via 10-minute clips of what people see from their windows, thus the term window-swap.

According to the article, there are over 500 of these for anyone to click through, one after another, and get a feel of living somewhere other than where you are.

Check out Elcio’s window from Ubatula, Brazil.  Or how about Liliana’s window in Santiago, Chile. There’s Anna’s window with her sleeping kitty in Brooklyn, New York, David’s window with coconut trees and distant ocean views from Kai Tao, Thailand,  Indre’s window with crystal clear blue skies overlooking Vilnius, Lithuania and Sitara’s open-air porch with wicker furnishings in Chennai, India. (Don’t forget to pet her dog!)

Not only can you comfortably settle yourself for 10-minute intervals into the home surroundings of  another but you can record your own window view to send and be added to the site as well.  Directions are easy to follow through “Submit”  on the window-swap home page.

With Covid-19 barreling full speed throughout the globe, including the U.S., there’s been an increase of travel restrictions, fears and anxieties, and often times curiosity as to how others around the globe are managing in a pandemic situation. I am discovering this amazing Internet find to be the perfect place to calm my spirit, put a smile on my face and pull me out of my mundane, hometown environment.  Once “gone,”  I can meditate in my chosen space, in another’s home, without endangering anyone’s safety, or being a burden and a bother.

How cool is that?!

After you check it out, let me know your favorites.  I haven’t seen them all yet and would love visit recommendations.

Here’s wishing you Peace (平安, ping-an) for your day, and happy viewing!

From our kitchen window, we’ve been watching this surprise start-up sunflower, a product of our back deck’s wildlife antics of dropping seeds here and there. Welcome, little sunflower, to our home!