This month flew by and I don’t think I was ready for it to end. Even though I did some pretty cool stuff and summer finally started here in Belgium, I do feel like the month of June is coming a bit too early… but well, you can’t really slow down time, and here we are!
My favourite things about this month:
- Bars and restaurants reopened! I think I have been waiting for this moment since November, when they all had to shut down because of the pandemic, so this was definitely a highlight for this month! Of course, now they can only open their outside terraces, but it is still better than nothing, and I tried to make the most of it this month, especially since the weather is finally back to what it should be!
- Linked to this previous point, I have really enjoyed being outside: having a drink with friends, going to the beach (finally!!), reading in the sun, etc. Everything is better when the weather is nice and the days are longer – am I the only one who feels like I have more time in the evenings when it is not dark?
- Bank holidays: we had many bank holidays this month, and even though I had to work a bit (things have been really busy and we regularly have to work on Sundays), it was still a very welcome break from the working week! At first, I thought that I would do something, go out, maybe travel somewhere, but in the end I just decided that I would take these days to slow down and unwind, something I really needed – and still need. It was very beneficial, though I wish I could always have three-day weekends!
My latest trips and adventures
- Going to the beach! Finally!! I waited so long to be able to go to the beach here in Belgium but it just never happened, and I hadn’t seen the sea in over a year – which is not a positive thing for me. So, one Saturday afternoon I went to Ostende with my boyfriend and we had a nice walk around, we laid down in the sand for a bit, had a waffle, etc. I loved it! Of course, the sea is not as blue as the one in the South of Italy, but the refreshing air and the (very strong) wind and warm sun made me feel so much better! Now I hope for really warmer days to maybe come back and have a swim!
- Visiting a Belgian castle… well, from the outside! I went on a very short road trip with some friends to visit the Groot-Bijgaarden castle just outside of Brussels. It also hosts a pretty flower show in spring, displaying all sorts of flowers in its garden. The castle was closed that day so we could only walk around it, but it was a very nice local adventure nonetheless!
Hobbies and distractions:
- This month, I feel like I have seen more movies than during the rest of the year. I also started watching The Office, though I still need to decide if I like it or not, and a French tv-show called En Thérapie (which means “in therapy”), which is about a therapist and its patients, following the terrorist attacks in Paris of November 2015. It is very interesting and if you speak French I would highly recommend it!
- Me and my boyfriend also played a videogame called It Takes Two, which is very fun and has beautiful graphics. I hadn’t played videogames in a while, and it is the perfect activity for a lazy Sunday morning, when the weather outside is not so great!
General thoughts:
As I said before, I feel like May was gone in the blink of an eye, and it is probably because it was filled with great and not-so-great (like work) things. Even though I tried to slow down and be more present and intentional (my yearly theme), I feel like I haven’t really managed to do so overall, even though I very much needed it. Hopefully the month of June will be slower!
Looking forward to:
- The end of my astrophysics online course! As much as I have loved learning all of these fascinating things about space and the Universe, I also very much look forward to finishing it and free up some of my time to work out, read or even just have a walk outside.
- Holidays: I have a few days off at the end of June to go to Italy and see my dad for his birthday. I can’t wait for this, especially since the COVID situation will probably improve by then!
- Last, but by no means least: my vaccine! According to the Belgian schedule, my age group should be vaccinated by the end of June. I really hope it can be soon and absolutely can’t wait for it!
How was May for you? What are you looking forward to?
Published last year in May:
Exploring Prague in 2 days
Sunny Days with Juliette 
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