Thursday, June 3, 2010

I swear I'm still alive.

from my day of getting lost in Brussels....

Okay.
I will NOT get up from this spot until I finish this entry. I swear.
I'm so bad at blogging. Sorry!! I hope you haven't given up on reading already!

Hmm. Let's see. The last time I wrote, we were getting ready to leave for the beach, I think.
Man, that seems like it was so long ago! So much has happened since then.... That makes me excited, considering how much time I have left here!

Alright. So the beach was pretty great- the apartment that we stayed in belongs to the mother of marie, and even though it's REALLY tiny (I had to sleep with the kids in the attic... and the baby snores. How is that possible? He's ONE!,) it was still perfect and located really close to the beach! The first night we were there, Marie and I went on a walk together on the beach and through the town of Knokke after the kids went to sleep. That was really nice, and I feel really connected with her- I must have known her in a past life or something. She's really great, and we're getting along SO well.

When I think about it, my situation really couldn't be better. More on that later.

We were at the beach for a whole week (Saturday-Saturday,) and only had two days of really nice beach weather- I got a great tan in that time, though!
The rest of the days were kinda gray, but we still went to the beach- but only to play in the sand- not the water!

On Wednesday, we took a train along the entire Belgian coastline (which only took an hour... I don't think you could drive the entire coast of GEORGIA in an hour!,) and went to Oostende for the day. It was kind of a bittersweet trip for me, since that's where my great aunt used to live. It was nice to remember times I've had there, but kind of sad to be there without any family.

On Friday, I took a train in the evening to Gent to visit my cousin Julie. That town is GORGEOUS! I was only there for one night, and we just went to dinner and out for a few drinks- but I still had a lot of fun and REALLY enjoyed being around people my own age! On Saturday, Julie studied for her exams while I slept in for a little bit, and then we went out into the town (it's a university town, so a lot of students,) and walked to an arts festival that was going on nearby. The weather was really nice that day, and the walk was great! I love festivals like that, too, so i really enjoyed getting to go to one here!

When I got back to the family in Knokke, we left and headed straight for Gaetan's parents' house near Brussels. We had dinner there and there house was really pretty! I'll be staying with them on my birthday weekend- Marie and Gaetan are going away that weekend, and the kids and I are staying there. Neither one of Gaetan's parents speaks English, and neither do the kids! Happy 21st birthday to me, right?? haha!

Sunday, we went to Marie's parents' house for an all-day barbecue get-together with all of that side of the family. I like them all a lot! Lots of kids, and a GORGEOUS garden (that smelled like heaven when I stood in it while it was raining.)

Monday was my first REAL day of work with the family, but I still didn't have to do very much. Marie came home early from work to show me how to take the bus to go get the three oldest kids from school, and introduced me to all of their teachers so that they'd know who I am when I come to get the kids. (She also made sure to tell them that I don't speak French so that they wouldn't think I was being rude when I came to get the kids!)

Tuesday was where my week got interesting.
Marie took the morning off from work to teach me how to navigate the subway system here and to get me a bus/metro/train pass so that I'll have access to all the public transportation I need while I'm here. She's really great.
After we rode around on the subway and Marie had shown me how to get to the shopping streets and which stop to take back to their house, we went out to lunch with some of her coworkers.
After lunch, I had to leave to take the subway
to take the bus
to walk to the kids' school
to pick Milan (the oldest) up
and walk him to his speech therapy
and then walk back to the bus
and take it back to the house.
....Keep in mind, this was my first day using public transportation here, and I had JUST learned how to get around!
Needless to say I got lost.
I got on the wrong metro going the wrong direction twice
And I couldn't speak to the bus driver to ask him which stop I needed to get off at to get to the school
...I got a pretty good workout that day!

Wednesday, Marie doesn't work, and the kids get out of school at noon, so I didn't really have too much to do that day, either.

Thursday was my first day off, and my first day alone in the big city! I woke up early to take Marius (the baby) to daycare, and then headed for the metro to go into Brussels.
I got off at the wrong stop (of course,) and figured it wasn't too far from where I needed to be, so I decided to walk.
....And I got very lost.
I didn't want to take the metro, though, because I was enjoying seeing so much of Brussels! I saw the tourist part, the shady part, the locals part, and FINALLY found the shopping district where I had meant to go all along. It was kind of nice getting lost- and I'm glad I did it!
I walked a LOT that day, and ate lunch at a not-so-very-good restaurant, so I was very happy to come home, take a nap, and relax until the kids got home from school.

Friday was a pretty easy day- I got to sleep a little later, went out to lunch with Gaetan (the dad,) and his colleague, and then went to get the kids from school and watched them all night while Marie and Gaetan went out to a function together.

It is crazy to me how well I am getting along with the family, and how fortunate I was to find one like them! Considering how quickly this whole thing happened, I really had no idea what I was getting into- I took quite a few risks in coming here! Marie told me after we got back from the beach that she was really glad that I'm here, and she already felt "lighter" having me around- that I was already helping her out a lot. That compliment couldn't have come at a better time- I had been feeling pretty down and homesick that day- and she said just what I needed to hear to remind me why I'm here and that it's not for no reason. : )
She told me this Saturday that they feel like they got really lucky with me- and I told her that I feel incredibly lucky to have found them and to be getting along so well with them!
It's especially flattering when Marie tells her friends and family that I'm not a "typical American"- even though I don't speak French yet, I'm beginning to understand a lot of what people say. But don't tell her! ; )

Saturday was the first communion of Marie and Gaetan's nephew, so we went to that service at a church, and then to the house of Gaetan's sister for a party with the whole family and a wonderful meal. Gaetan's brother looks JUST like Matthew Perry (Chandler Bing,) and I just HAD to take a picture with him. He was a good sport about it!
Sure, I'll have more champagne, Chandler!

Saturday evening, the family left to go to a rental house out in Ardennes with some friends, and I opted to stay home by myself... I'm glad I did! It was nice to have the place to myself to just relax, read, and just spend some time alone. I woke up on Sunday to some wonderful rain on my roof, birds chirping outside, and someone next door playing the most BEAUTIFUL version of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow." (The neighbors are a father and his two sons... the father repairs and tunes pianos, and they all play- I can hear them playing all day long through the walls! The sound fills the house and it's so gorgeous.)

SO. Today is Monday again, and now I'm all caught up on this blog. I'm sorry I've been so crap at updating and making posts! I'm really trying hard to just BE here, though, and not stay too connected to my computer or anything.
I leave this Thursday (the 10th) for England to visit an old dear friend of mine... We met four years ago when i was studying at Oxford (he worked at the ice cream store near my campus,) and we've kept in touch and become really close since then! I'm really excited to see him and be around people my own age for a little while... I miss that the most, I think! I'll be in England until the 14th, and and really excited for the chance to celebrate my birthday with Max and his friends since mine isn't gonna be the best one ever.
The family has also offered to pay for me to take one other trip (they're paying for England,) and I think I'd really like to go to Italy. I have a family friend from there, and she has a huge family- I'm sure I'd have a place to stay! Max and I are talking about taking the trip together sometime in July. So we'll see about that- but it's on my top list of things to do!

Other than missing people my age and being a little sad about missing my birthday, I haven't been very homesick too often! I'm glad- I think that only reinforces the fact that I'm meant to be here- that there's something here for me!!
I'll do my best to keep updating more often and not let this blog fade into internet oblivion.... I hope more people are reading now!
I also love comments. : )

Hope that entry wasn't too long, and I hope ya'll (I miss saying ya'll,) read all of it!

England-bound and eager,
Catherine

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