What is the new normal?
Life has certainly changed and we've all kind of accepted and adapted to a social distancing way of living. Zoom catch ups, home work outs and virtual concerts are the new normal. What is life after lockdown going to be like and what is the new normal going to be like? This edition includes a few of our best activities that we miss the most and how you can still find a way to follow your adventure. We might be bound by physical limits, but we are not limited by our imagination and in some way, it's opened up a new way of living.
We love hearing your thoughts, please drop us a comment and let us know what you think or if you have any suggestions to share with the VVS community.
Remember to stay home and stay safe.
Best wishes,
The VVS Team
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Brands that we back
FRNDLY A.F - In the current climate, it's so important to support small and local business. This joyful clothing brand is organic, sustainable, environmentally friendly and powered by renewable energy. Their threads will absolutely put a smile on your face.
FVW Biltong - Our fellow rugby entrepreneur Francios van Wyk makes bloody lekker biltong, flavoured with homemade spices. This a winner during lockdown with the VVS team, a delicious high protein snack.
Live a little and learn a bit!
Shoutout to Luke Baldwin for this brilliant suggestion! Use your free time effectively and improve your skills – either for business and for pleasure! The options are endless!
Coursera works with universities and other organizations to offer online courses, specialisations, and degrees in a variety of subjects, offered by Harvard, Stanford and even companies like google. Courses last approximately four to ten weeks, with one to two hours of video lectures a week and hey even offer free courses. Our recommended courses at zero cost:
- Financial markets, offered by Yale University and it's completely free of charge!
- Creative Thinking: Techniques and Tools for Success, offered by Imperial College London
- Positive Psychiatry and Mental Health - offered by the University of Sydney
The Open University (OU) is a public research university and the largest university in the UK for undergraduate education, but they also offer a few short course, here are a few of our favourites:
- Developing better teams- It encourages and gives practical advice to those who want to improve how their team works together and how it delivers - it also looks at how to challenge teams that are already performing well.
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Digital photography: creating and sharing better images- who doesn't like taking a great photo and as far a learning a new skill, this is one you can use on a daily basis. If you are really serious about photography- wildlife photography is as good as it gets! Scroll down to get inspired by some virtual safaris.
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Short science course on a variety of subjects- galaxies, stars and planets, human genetics and health issues, to name a few. Get to know the world we live in better- if anything- you'll be the new MVP at your next virtual pub quiz.
Udemy is another excellent online learning platform, which is likely to become the new normal. Udemy offer an array of course- it's quite impressive! We highly impressed with their language programs. You'll be a polyglot in no time! You can even learn a new skill - learn to play an instrument, public speaking or become an expert on food & wine. The possibilities are endless. There is certainly something for everyone!
Ooh baby baby, it's a wild world...

Read, watch, listen..
If you only have time to read one, read this..

If you only have time to watch one program, watch this..

If you only have time to listen one podcast, listen to this..
50 Things That Made the Modern Economy
A podcast presented by economist and journalist Tim Harford. He explained in an interview, that his motivation for creating the show was "to paint a picture of economic change by telling the stories of the ideas, people, and tools that had far-reaching consequences". He was "fascinated" by the many unexpected outcomes, such as "the impact of the fridge on global politics, or of the gramophone on income inequality. Harford discusses how topics like seller feedback, passports, disposable razors or shipping containers shaped the modern economy. Absolutely fascinating!