Gingham, Gingham, Gingham

Hi friends! Happy June! How are we all doing? No, really, how are you doing? It certainly is a strange time right now and to be honest, I don’t really know how to cope with everything that is going on in the world today. Our COVID-19 lock down restrictions have been majorly lifted and we are now awaiting the effects of that. After nearly three full months of living in a world on stand-by, it felt really strange to be out and about again this week. We drove in our car outside of town to visit with our ‘social bubble’ and it seemed like an afternoon mini holiday to be away from our safe harbor. I also visited my GP and the hospital (nothing to worry about!) and went to a book store to pick up the new Hunger Games prequel that came out in May. I’m still on sick leave and the weather has turned grey and rainy, so I think I’ll snuggle up on the couch with my book this weekend.

I’ve also put a few things on my Netflix watch list for the weekend, namely: 13th and When They See Us. It only feels right to educate myself more around the subject and I want to deepen my knowledge after our eye-opening visit to the Southern USA last year. I’ve shared a few more resources on my Instagram this week, but I thought I’d link them here again so that more people would find them.

• Instagram story high lights of Romina for a short, digestible but thorough introduction to the Belgium-Congo relation. She also has made other great high lights about everyday racism and racism in Belgium specifically (Dutch only).
• Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is: A Google Doc list linking to several Belgian collectives that address racism. They all have informative websites, platforms, … where you can start to learn more about subjects relating to racism.
• This Change.org petition to remove all Leopold II statues from public areas in Belgium.
• Canvas television series ‘Kinderen van de Kolonie’ about the Belgian colonial history (free to watch if you click the link).

I know there are a many more people, books and places I could point you to, but these four are a great starting point for anyone looking to learn more about Belgian history and racism in Belgium. I hope they spark your curiosity to delve in deeper.

The outfit photos at the beginning of this post feel silly by now, but I have a tendency to just start typing and this is where my mind went… . This outfit was a firm favorite before we got our puppy. Since we have her I haven’t actually worn any of my nice clothes. Australian Shepherds are known to be nasty biters, and ours is no different. Sleeves and pant legs are her favorite chew toys. We made these photos when the lock down had just started. The pull on pants were the perfect comfy-but-nice pants to have for sitting at home all day. My collection of long, wool cardigans came in very handy as well since early spring is quite chilly in Belgium.

outfit details: H&M pull-on trousers (sold out, but available in black/white + 3 solid colors))• H&M V-neck camisole (comes in 5 colors) • H&M long cardigan (old) • Sperry Authentic Original Boat Shoe (old)