Tuesday, November 29, 2011

A Great Weekend

Last Friday night was the Soiree des Rheto's at my school. (Rheto's are the name for the students in the last year of high school here, like "seniors"). Basically a huge party with dancing, drinking, and hanging out with friends. It was a lot of fun and I danced all night :) It's so crazy that kids can drink at a school event...and the teachers were the ones selling the drink tickets at the bar! Haha not like America at all.

On Saturday morning I woke up really early and went to Brugge with my host mom and exchange student friend, Kamo. Brugge is in the Flemish part of Belgium, in the northwest of the country. I have been wanting to go to Brugge for a long time so I was happy that my host mom invited me. It is a beautiful city and everything was already decorated for christmas so it really put me in the holiday mood. I bought some Godiva chocolate that was so delicious :) It seemed like every other shop on the street was a chocolate shop!! My favorite. Next time I go to Brugge I would like to rent a bike and explore the city that way. Oh and it's so interesting to hear another language other than French. The main language is Dutch in the Flemish part of Belgium.

Sunday was a Rotary event in Brussels, called The Exotic Dinner. All the exchange students got in groups and made a dish from their country. I brought hot dogs, very American. Of course I ate the Mexican food though! Pico de gallo and guacamole mmmmmm. I miss it so much. I enjoyed the Australian food too...meat pies and pavlova.

Now it's another week at school. Time to get ready for the exams! Rotary exchange students only have to take four exams at Christmas so I chose French, Geography, and my two English classes. I will do the English exams in French though! Students here study so much for the exams and they take them so seriously so I can't really hang out with the Belgians on the weekends. So I think this Friday I'll go over to Maisa's house, my friend from Finland.

I will update soon with information on Saint Nicholas Day, a christmas holiday celebrated in Belgium on December 6th.

Bye for now :)

Soiree des Rhetos with Claudia :)

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Trois mois!?

I've been in Belgium for three months already! So crazy. Oh and sorry I haven't been updating often but I can never find the time. I will try to be better from now on though :)

Here's some things I've been up to recently:
London, North Sea, Liege, Anvers, Brussels, Ypres, Tintin museum, Namur Nature Film Festival, Oxfam breakfast, Kraft mac and cheese for my host family, chocolate chip cookies for my english class, french lessons, crepes for dinner, Pizza Hut, seeing movies in French at the cinema and trying to understand what's going on, cheerleading exercises for my gym class, meeting amazing exchange students, becoming better friends with the Belgians, watching Grey's Anatomy and Glee with my host sisters, trying not to be depressed that I'm not going to have a Thanksgiving this year, receiving letters and packages in the mail :), eating some of the best food I've ever had in my life, buying lots of scarves and gloves, improving my french everyday...

The weather here has been beautiful lately! My host mom said in November it's usually gray and rainy but it's been clear skies and sunshine! I feel so lucky but I still want snow! Hopefully for Christmas :)

I hope everyone has a lovely Thanksgiving and think of me when you're eating! XOXO

Take me back to London!!