Impromptu Part II

Apparently, I have already written about "Impromptu" once before, but I have to do it again.

I remember living with my all of my friends on one tiny campus. After that, all of my friends lived near downtown Utrecht. It's not like that anymore. We were kicked off campus after three years and my friends have moved on. I remember being able to walk out of my room, set one step and knock on Anna's door. I remember having dinner with Bic, Mag and Mar every week. Things have changed.

Danielle has always been far away in California. Of course I will see her again during our trip to France, but the last time I saw her was on Sunday, October 19, 2008 - exactly one year and six months ago today. Anna moved to Brussels one year ago and is being quite the succesful artsy busy bee there, which makes it difficult to see her regularly. Mag moved to Amersfoort in August 2009 and is also extremely busy at her teaching job which often makes it too straining to meet up during the week, while Mar usually visits her boyfriend Rien during the weekends which makes it hard for her to meet up then. Of course these changes are far from welcome, but I must admit, you get used to it. As you get older, your world slowly but surely becomes very small - I spend most of my time at home with Jochem, the cats and the fish when I'm not either working or studying. Family has become more important lately than it was a couple of years ago.

This trend is something that you detest yet also eventually become accustomed to, until one week you are suddenly able to spontaneously spend a lot of time with your friends and you can't imagine how you were able to be apart from them for so long.

Like last week. On Wednesday afternoon I met Bic downtown for cold Coronas and bitterballen on a not so sunny terrace. On Saturday night Jochem had friends over so I suggested cooking at Bic's place. We made mac 'n' cheese and salad and had chocolate ice cream for dessert. We also watched two movies and drank way too much, including some very strong Italian limoncello with Jochem, but that is besides the point. I didn't get to bed until 5 AM and I didn't know I still had it in me! The next day we were somehow all able to rearrange our schedules and all seven of us, Bic, Mag, Roland, Mar, Rien, Jochem and I, spent the sunny afternoon in the park. Jochem and I made Thai curry afterwards.

It was quite the perfect little impromptu weekend.