Meeting In-Person One Year After COVID-19

This month, we hosted our first in-person meeting since the COVID-19 pandemic spread to the United States in March 2020. For some of us, it was the first time we had seen each other in a year. It was the first time our new members met the rest of the Peru Team since joining us virtually in October.

To foster social distancing, we met at Flavet Field on a cool, sunny day. Members brought lawn chairs, blankets, games and snacks. As we sat on the field talking and drinking coffee, all of our meeting plans and prepared activities went out the window. Typically, our general body meetings are very structured with a prepared presentation and important updates, but this one was different. It was a reunion of old and new friends.

Conversation flowed freely with talks of classes, new hobbies picked up during quarantine, favorite study spots and more. Before we knew it, two hours had passed.

Blankets and chairs were packed away. We said our goodbyes, knowing we would see each other on our computer screens in a few days, but looking forward to being in each other’s presence again soon.

Throughout these last twelve months, we changed our design and implementation plan for our irrigation reservoir, we held two successful fundraisers, we said goodbye to our graduating seniors and welcomed 17 new members, all through our screens.

While we have enjoyed the flexibility that working from home has brought us as students, we are excited to begin meeting in-person again. Working in-person allows us to reconnect and build relationships with one another. This inspires trust and prevents miscommunication. As a student organization, it is important for us to foster a friendly and focused workspace where we can serve our partner community, develop creative solutions to problems, and grow as a team. This is what we will strive for as we begin the transition to hybrid meeting environments. Here’s to the future!