Il neige/Vive la greve!!

Bonjour mes amis! I am so happy today because I don't have school and when I woke up I saw SO MUCH snow falling outside my window :) Today is a national strike day in Belgium so there are no buses or trains running. That is the way most students get to school so my principal decided to make today a holiday for us. Thank goodness! I need some extra sleep and I don't like my class schedule for Monday's: French, Geography, English, History, and Religion. I really don't understand anything in Religion class.

This Wednesday I will be leaving for a three day retreat with the rest of my class. It's basically to just get to know one each other better and to have a chance to build better relationships. I am looking forward to it....and we will go on hikes and do yoga too!

Well I hope it continues to snow like this...it makes everything look so magical! Tomorrow I will give English lessons at lunch so I need to prepare a topic to talk about. It's so fun teaching :) And in 11 short days I will be in Switzerland! Yaaaaay so exciting!

There is so much to be happy about...and I hope that all of you can find happiness in your life as well.

So beautiful :) This is the view from my bedroom window!

That's it for now!

Over 5 months in Belgium!

Hello everyone! Wow, it's been so long since my last post. I enjoyed my Christmas, New Year's, and 19th birthday here in Belgium. It was a little hard being away from my family and friends from California but at the same time it was AWESOME because I was celebrating these fun holidays in a foreign country!

New Year's Eve I went to my friends house with about 30 other Belgian friends from my school. We danced all night and drank champagne. I have a feeling that 2012 will be a great year :)

For my 19th birthday my host family took me to a yummy Italian restaurant where I ate penne pasta and tiramisu. My friends at school made me a birthday cake and Saturday night I had some friends come over for dinner and a sleepover! We also went to a karaoke bar and sang "Lady Marmalade" Haha such a great song :)

Right now, I am living with my second host family. It was hard to leave my first family but I will be able to see them again soon and I still see my sisters at school. I am leaving for Switzerland in a couple weeks and after that Amsterdam! Can't wait :) I love traveling...and I get to spend my spring break in beautiful Italy! So ready for pizza, pasta, and gelato!

So basically my exchange year is halfway over and I am really depressed. I don't want this to end. Who knows when I will ever be back in Europe and especially Belgium? What am I going to do without this delicious chocolate and fries? And beer and cuperdon's and taking trains to different cities whenever I feel like it? And speaking french and shopping at amazing stores and meeting people from all over the world? Ok well I am just going to enjoy the rest of this year as much as I can. I LOVE YOU, BELGIUM! And all of my readers too :)

Making a special wish for my 19th birthday :)

New Year's Eve with my friend Kamo!

Euro Disney in Paris with Nana, Kamo, and Tiarna! Such a beautiful and memorable day.

XOXO