# Blog 7 - StayatHome

Now sitting at my desk in my bedroom in Lisbon which is currently also labeled as my office. I think about this weird time with Covid-19. A worldwide disease that is affected by young and old, healthy and weak. Which touches many lives and ruined many futures. It is also a period of commitment, commitment with your housemates, with your partner ore family with which you live and now you are forced to communicate your life, 24/7 with these people. Hopefully Full of love with so much time together or maybe annoyed with a lot of irritation. But also a time when you have never felt so connected to the rest of the world, No country that is skipped. One country with even more sick or dead than another, where we look at a top 20 and more at large and small countries that are all hit so hard and mercilessly by this unreal situation. Friends of mine all over the world, Italy, France, the USA, Germany all of them in the same scary surroundings. It is unreal but true.

I live with great roommates Alan and Anaïs from France and Tatiana from Belgium, 3 sweet, nice French people. In the beginning we continue to compare the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Portugal and we are closely following the news of our friends and family. So afraid of something happening to our loved ones ... afraid of ourselves but even more afraid of the people you love and haven't seen for a long time. Imagine, I can't say goodbye to that person or fly up and down. This is a hard, uncertain period. Fortunately, we look forward to a freer, better time. Let's keep the faith.

I am so lucky to have my roommates and my peaceful house. We take care of each other, respect each other, keep the house clean, and are there for each other. With the necessary wines and Gin tonics together and the walks to be alone. We have a lovely balcony where we can relax every lunch and evening, enjoy the beautiful weather. I started a vegetable garden there to be busy with the growing plants around me in the past few weeks, it gives me a peaceful and satisfying feeling. It does me good and even more fun, beans, tomatoes, basil, cucumber, and sweet potato from our garden will be on our plate soon! Hahaha, Jaaaa that farmer girl who dreams about her own vegetable garden always remains deeply rooted in me :P. My dear mom even sent me a box from the Netherlands with some clothes and shoes that I missed .. AND a bag of seeds for green beans and lettuce and 6 jars of homemade elderberry juice! Hahah Yeah I'm crazy about mother's elderberry juice, so healthy and oohso delicious. Well if I don't stay healthy this time, I don't know anymore ;).

We have been working at home for about 9-10 weeks now, but I can't keep up because it will drive me crazy. I'm really done with it. Now and then I just found the office feels like a school with strange obligations, but I miss that school now! Now I am going to appreciate the things that were so normal and even annoying, have lunch together in a big canteen, gossip with your colleague about the customers you have spoken to, or share frustration or a funny situation. Now you have your housemates, but if you do not do the same work, it is not as well understood as your colleagues who experience the same thing every day. Fortunately, I ran into my colleague Sabine a week before our quarantine and now we can no longer live without each other. We see each other several times a week to let everything out. Nice to talk shit first and then take a good walk to return home charged and with positive energy. We are both love sports and are fanatic, and spontaneous activities, so we just started renting a tennis court and playing tennis for an hour a week or slap that ball away haha because we do not follow the rules. And we have started surfing again! That is also approved on the list of activities that we are allowed to practice, I love the beach so much, there I feel free no matter what. and of course, we are each other's walking buddy, about twice a week we walk about 6 km or more. Girl! I am happy that we are 'walking' through this time together .. I believe that we have to keep up with many weeeeks unfortunately but we are at the top of the list who would run back to the office as soon as it is allowed and then we will walk to the office together every day!

Yes, Lisbon, I have been living here since 8 October, which is again towards the 8 months that I have been working, living, enjoying, and still discovering here. The first months I could not settle, but that had nothing to do with the city, I know that. I had closed myself for everything, to fix myself first. I arrived broken and did not let anyone in. But now months later and almost 95% healed ♡. I can say what a wonderful city this is. In the past few weeks, I went for a walk through the city several times and looked my eyes out again. There is of course no tourist in sight (except me) because I still walk around with my backpack and camera to admire the city. It also has its beautiful moments, a city in quarantine. I live on the outside of Lisbon where I enjoy the freedom and nature around me in a nice, quiet residential area. Outside Lisbon, I have been able to explore many beautiful beaches and places, but I want to see so much more of northern Portugal, I can't wait to get back on the road with my car again looking for new beaches, forests, parks, bars, beach bars and restaurants to discover! Weekend Getaways, Road Trips .. all Soon! Very Soon!

I'm starting to settle down nicely here, here is not necessarily Lisbon but here in Portugal. I feel really good here, I feel myself here, I am still being triggered to grow, I am not standing still. Even during this boring period, I get to know myself in other ways and my colleagues become friends, with which you spend more time outside working hours. I need them now more than ever and we get to know each other on a different level. I have beautiful people around me, dear friends in the Algarve whom I still speak regularly and miss them very much. And new friends here in Lisbon. My work is a bit of a lesser period, but that is a matter of perseverance and quickly back to the office to quickly find some variety in my range of tasks to motivate and enthuse myself in this. Now I get too little energy from it and it draws a lot of energy from me. Luckily I have found ways to recharge myself again and again. Besides, I am so happy that I have a job. Where I can work at home safely and keep my income. So I can't complain about that.

This was my update on #Lisbon #stayathome #new friends #awareness

@The Netherlands: As soon as I can have a drink on a terrace again, I can BBQ in the park and hug in a group of more than 3 persons (and my wallet allows it) I will fly your way!!

Very big kiss and lots of love!