A pandemic, Netflix and a life to figure out

We moved to Austin seven months ago, full of hopes and dreams. We had just got married, and the world was our oyster. We got to explore the city a bit (not always so easy without a car here), become familiar with downtown and I was already complaining about pizza.

It lasted two months: with everything that has been going on (aka the first pandemic in a century), our apartment ended up to be our oyster.

It is not that the world outside has stopped. However, without a car, friends and in this terrible heat, being careful and conscious is really complicated. Long story short, we are stuck.

Anyway, I am trying to make the most out of it. It does feel like I’ve not been doing much, but, only in the past couple of months, I have passed 4 exams, written 4 articles, 3 blog posts and had 3 job interviews.

And yet, I keep thinking that I should be doing more. I have 2 or 3 courses lined up. In the meanwhile, I have 4 articles to write, a job to find and life to figure out.

Have you seen that meme “applying for a job in the middle of a pandemic“? That’s exactly how I have been feeling the past few months. Focusing on things to do and a job to find is keeping me sane and my mental health in check.

It has already been 5 months since we decided to stay in our one-bedroom apartment for as long as it took for things outside to calm down. And it is taking way too long.

We measure time in Netflix TV series: in March we were watching Naruto, in April Gilmore Girls, in May Queer Eye, in June New Girl, in July The Last Dance, now Community and Umbrella Academy. That’s how we will remember these past few months.

Yes, seasons may be changing, but Texas is so hot, it has been summer all the time. At least they opened the pool in our building in June, and I can float my 30 minutes per day.

We are trying to make the most out of it, however, my head is really spinning.

It’s amazing how long you spend thinking about the past and the future when the present is frozen.

I get to think a lot about what brought me here, my beautiful city, my life abroad, and what made me the person I am today.

At the same time, I am learning who I want to be. It is not that much of a surprise, it has always been on the back of my mind. However, now that it is making its way to the front, I see a determination I could not imagine.

I cannot predict where things will go from now (well, I mean, I am still stuck in a house, at least I know where I will be), however, now I know I will try to lead them in my – and just my – direction.

I do hope everything things will improve soon, but we are well equipped for 4 more months here.