Read my other blogs about my life during Corona:

• Five ways that the Corona virus is affecting my daily life – March update
• Four ways the lockdown is affecting my daily life – April update
• Four ways the lockdown is affecting my daily life – May update

Its now June Belgium has been stuck in the age of Corona for 3 months now. But again a month has gone by, read bellow what was changed and how this affects my life!

• The borders have re-opened, since the 15th of June Belgians are welcome in plenty of EU member-states again. And I will use this opportunity to do a small trip abroad, but more about that bellow
• Restaurants and bars have re-opened finally! I don’t see many people sitting inside yet, but plenty of people are outside on terraces
• Indoor sports are allowed again
• You can now have a “bubble” that means you can invite up to 10 people at home. Every week you can change your bubble, so you are pretty much allowed to see anyone you know again.
• Mouth-masks are still obligated on public transport but nowhere else. That unlike other countries where they are allowed everywhere again
• Some schools / classes are open, but not yet all of them
• Picnics and sitting down in public areas is now allowed again
• The last update there was 1448 in the hospital and 277 on intensive care, today there is 308 people in the hospital and 50 in intensive care in Belgium so that’s another huge drop!
• Tourism is allowed again but events are not. The event sector feels a bit bypassed I am sure, but really its understandable that events with 1000 people are not allowed. We need to avoid a second lockdown, and large amounts of people together is just not a good idea right now..

Update on my personal life

I have really gotten used to this new way of life. When I finish work I am already at home, I didn’t had to use my car or the train to get home, and I feel very refreshed. I am using this extra energy to do more sports.

• I sport about 6-8 hours / week now. Mostly tennis and mountainbike, but I am open for a new sport
• I have met friends and colleagues after work to sport together, or to go to a bar and do a terrace. I still avoid going inside restaurants or bars.
• I feel much healthier and less stressful. I don’t know if its because I work from home or sport more often.

How are things at work

I have now been working for 3 months! I gotten so used to this way of life.

• I went to have beers with colleagues several times now. It was good to see them again
• I really do feel I could use an extra room to have an office in case I need to work longer from home in the future
• Working at home has been extended until end of September, and even then nothing is certain right now

Upcoming trip to Luxembourg!

I have actually planned a trip! I am going to Echternach in Luxembourg, and I am leaving tomorrow (22nd of June)!

• I am just going for a few days. The area is known for (apart from the beautiful old town of Echternach), walking, cycling and kayaking
• I am driving there by car, somehow I don’t think stepping into an airplane is a good idea right now
• I am staying in Germany across the border because it was much cheaper (75 EUR / night in a really nice hotel 10 minutes from Echternach)
• Germany and Luxembourg have different rules then Belgium. Mouth-masks are more obligated there so I will pack some extra
• I am sure travelling will be different, but as I plan to do mainly outdoor activities and the weather is looking great, I do feel its just as safe as in Belgium right now

I will report next month how it went, and whats its like to travel in these times. Hopefully I can add some of my own photos then, but for now I will post some stock photos bellow so you have an idea of what to expect..

How are my investments doing?

The stock market keeps going up slowly. So far I have good hopes that in a few months the stock market will be recovered fully, especially considering that we are getting closer and closer to a vaccine. I hear the Oxford vaccine (if it works) might already be available in the UK in October. So perhaps in Belgium by December?

Last month was terrible for searching a house. Almost all houses got sold instantly. I do have the impression that real estate agents are still working to work trough their backlog, and things are improving slowly. I keep looking and hopefully I will run into something I like soon.

Follow me if you are interested to see how I manage to cope with these crazy times! And remember stay healthy!