For many people in the moving industry, COVID-19 has brought more than just business challenges. The personal stress of lockdowns and managing family life and relationships has made many of us look at life differently.
For Paula Colmenares of international moving company Portan in Colombia, the pandemic was an opportunity to get back to a childhood love of swimming. “I used to be a swimmer when I was a teenager (a long time ago), but since October last year I took the decision to get back to a serious outdoor sport after all those long months of COVID lockdown,” said Paula.
After getting through the first physical challenges of getting back in the water, Paula set her sights on bigger goals and took part in her first 5K Open Water Challenge in San Andres Island in Colombia in August. To her surprise she won 4th place in her category with a time of 2 hours and 12 minutes in a tough tide. Not only was she pleased with the result, but her time also qualified her for the Open Water World Championship in the Dead Sea in Egypt on 4 December, 2021.
“Swimming has helped me find a special state of mind,” she said. “It’s like meditation mode which hooked me from the start. The opportunity to swim in Egypt is a once in a lifetime opportunity!”
Photo: Paula Colmenares.