Season’s Greetings

12.1.2021

Dear all,
 
For the first time in years I’ve been writing real Christmas cards for family and friends. However, there seemed to be no cards in the shops expressing the double feeling I’m experiencing.
How to send a happy holiday card, when the world is in a state of unease or even fear? 
Of course, this also accounts for this annual EAVA Christmas message. What to tell you? Everyone experienced losses, but also happy occasions occurred; there were lots of tears but also smiles, as life goes on despite Covid-19. 
 
We were all starting to feel a little optimistic due to the start of vaccinations, and now the virus seems to be mutated. So, no end yet to semi/total/intelligent lockdowns, no end yet to teaching from home and slow internet connections, no end yet about worries how the students will reach our learning outcomes/goals! But also, no end yet to our creativity in changing the ways of teaching, no end yet to going to congresses virtually (see also the message from the organisers of the EAVA Ghent meeting in July 2021), no end yet to using Teams, Zoom or Skype, nor to seeing everyone’ s home office and pets. 
 
It is (almost) impossible to gather with family and friends, impossible to go on skiing holdidays, but our pets wish this will never be over. They love the extra round you go (for thinking). We’re creating history of which we cannot have a sneak preview of the end!
 
We wish you everything you need to feel happy and safe, in short we wish you a Covid-19 free NewYear!
 
On behalf of the executive booard of the EAVA,
Claudia Wolschrijn
President