November has always been one of my least favourite months because it is usually so gloomy, the days get considerably shorter, it marks the end of autumn and the beginning of summer [edit: as you can see, I am not ready for winter ahah], and it is definitely not as festive as December. Plus, this year, the country was in lockdown for the whole month, which didn’t help. However, despite all that, it was better than I thought.
My favourite things about this month:
- Cooking, baking and food in general: if October was the month of eating out, November was all about eating in. Even though I am not a great cook/baker, I have tried some new recipes this month that made my days better, from the cheesy French dish tartiflette to a classic banana bread.
- Hobbies: an essential of any lockdown, of course. No wonder I have managed to stick to my blogging goals, as I was stuck at home! The last few months I felt a bit off-track for my goals and hobbies in general, but in November I managed to jump back in, and dedicate more time to the things I love, which felt great!
My latest trips and adventures
- Again, the biggest adventures I have been on this month were walks with friends, and my almost-regular runs around the park. I am actually quite happy that I managed to stick to my running goals almost each week!
- Even though I didn’t travel at all this month, I did publish some posts about past adventures in Tokyo: discovering the Tsukiji fish market and the beautiful Rikugien gardens.
Hobbies and distractions:
- As many other this month, I have watched two ver-famous Netflix series: The Queen’s Gambit and Emily in Paris. The first one is about the path of chess-prodigy Beth to become the greatest chess player in the world, and it was extremely good, short and captivating. Emily in Paris talks about an influencer who comes to work in Paris in a marketing firm – light, funny and fashion-oriented, it is a great distraction! Have you seen any of these?
- Another thing that took up some of my time is the university degree that I started in October on astronomy and astrophysics. I have done the first level a few years ago, and I am currently studying for level 2. I have finally managed to stick to a regular routine, and learn more about this topic that I find fascinating!
General thoughts:
Even though the last few months I really struggled to find a balance between all the things that I wanted to (or had to) do, I feel like I have really improved this aspect during this month. I managed to see some of my friends somewhat regularly, even at a distance, and had some very productive days, which I am quite proud of.
Looking forward to:
- Green December, starting tomorrow. Can’t wait to take more steps towards a more environmental-friendly life. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you can read this blog post!
- The holiday spirit: even if I don’t know yet where I’ll be at Christmas, and now that I have a whole flat to myself, I want to feel festive and make my home warm and cosy for the holidays. Can’t wait for gingerbread biscuits, apples and cinnamon, and delicious Christmassy drinks!
How was November for you? What are you looking forward to?
Posted last year in November:
Wonders of Seville: Plaza de España and Parque de María Luisa
Sunny Days with Juliette 
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