I was expecting it, sooner or later, since in Italy the measures had already scared me enough; my plans to go home for Easter had already changed and the international festival of journalism in Perugia already cancelled, but at that moment I had to say farewell to my volunteering projects, lindy-hop classes and spontaneous get-togethers.

The first week was a mixture of videocalls, online gym classes and worrying about what I should have done: go home? Stay in Denmark? Take more time for exploring the city on my own? Fortunately, the measures here are not as strict as in Italy and the severity of the situtation is differentm so I decided to stay.

As if the stress wasn't enough, we had an exam in the middle of a pandemic; at least I have good friends who helped me navigate that time among dinners, walks to the beach and mini concerts in the garden, so we could all make it out alive.

These almost-two months of lockdown helped me focusing on what I really value and on letting go of whatever don't feel right for me; they brought perspective back into my life when I was starting to feel disconnected from myself and the environment.

So what I did was just start looking with fresh and grateful eyes, deprived from social dynamics I didn't want to be part of and letting myself feel whatever I was feeling at the moment: sadness, grief, nostalgia, joy or even happiness, without feeling guilty for it.

During this strange period I baked a lot of cakes, went often to my new favorite place in Aarhus, Bellevue Beach, mastered my sewing skills, participated in a photography project, strengthen my Mundus friendships and even learned how to love Denmark a bit more – I really believe it's a great achievement.