Facebook group offers 'window views' for millions during COVID-19

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- While the coronavirus pandemic might be keeping us physically distant, one Facebook group is keeping millions of people around the globe virtually connected.

"I wanted to know more about the situation and the reality of life across the world," said Barbara Duriau, creator of the Facebook page "View from My Window."

Duriau is a Belgian freelance graphic designer living in Amsterdam. In late March, she posted a picture of her view from her apartment window.

"When the lockdown happened, I realized that all of us were stuck with the same view, stuck at home," she said.

Over the next month or so, more than two million members joined the group.

"It's been really cool, actually, to look at other people's photos because my husband and I have actually traveled a whole lot and it's been really fun for us to see places we have traveled to internationally," said Sarah Hill of Arrowbear Lake.

Hill posted a photo mid-April of a snowy landscape.

"I wanted to post it because I thought it was really unique," Hill said. "People wouldn't expect to see that in Southern California. I wanted to share our unique perspective from our little partner world."

Hill said her post garnered comments from people in Michigan all the way to Austria,and she's not alone.

Each post picks up countless comments from people all over the world, sharing words of positivity and support.

"They share more than the view. They share their own life and their own story that I think we need in these tough times," Duriau said.

Duriau said she hopes to one day publish a book with the pictures from the Facebook group with proceeds going to humanitarian causes.

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