Meet the Family

It has been exactly three and a half months since my big move, and I still haven't introduced you to my family. We are going to have to fix that, because it is simply unacceptable. I'm only with them until the end of the week, but I love them so much that they deserve at least one post dedicated to them before I leave. <3

As I'm sure you remember, my first family was absolutely incredible. I will always be grateful to them for making me feel so at home in such a foreign place. I got along so well with them that I almost didn't want to change. If we are going to be honest here, I was actually kind of afraid. . . Okay, afraid is a bit of an understatement. I was TERRIFIED. I kept asking myself all the wrong questions. "What if they don't like me?" for example. Or "what if they are a bunch of creepers who plan on murdering me in my sleep". . . yeah, I was kinda stressed. Turns out, there was absolutely no need. It took maybe two minutes for me to get over my irrational fears and find my place in this family. I feel entirely at home here, and I know I will have a special place in my heart just for them for the rest of forever.

This is my beautiful sister (who also happens to be doubling as my best friend) Noemie. She always has a song in her heart (seriously, that thing is like a freaking radio) and whether she knows the lyrics or not, she WILL sing it out for all the world to hear.

I've always wanted an older brother. The idea of somebody who can always be there for you to watch out for you and protect you. . . it just makes me smile. Now that I have one, I couldn't be happier. He is all I could have asked for and more.

This is Maman-D (Gigi Vereeken). I tried to come up with the right words to describe this woman, and all I could think of were three simple words- "Je t'aime". That pretty much says it all.

This woman. . . =] This is Mami. She has this talent for making me smile (without even really trying), even when I have absolutely no desire at all to do so. But honestly, no living creature with even half a soul could resist smiling at her. . . I mean, just LOOk at how cute she is. =]

This is Kenza. She is actually technically my cousin, but she feels more like a sister than anything. One thing is for sure though, she has got fire in her soul. She is a little ball of energy, and she has got enough personality to make Ferris Bueller look boring.

Mon petit Alexandre!!!! It might just be that he reminds me of my little man back home, but I seriously cannot help but love this little guy. Isn't he just the cutest little thing you have ever seen?! The other day he told his Momma "Maman? Can  you make me a new baby sister? But I don't want another sister like Kenza. I only want her if she has pretty eyes and pretty skin like Morgan". (Obviously that was a translation, so it was a million times cuter when he said it. It made me smile. =] )

So there you have it. Now you know . . . or at least have been introduced to my family. I hope you understand that when I say "family", I really mean it. I feel like I have known these people forever, and I know that I will love them into the eternities. They are, in every sense of the word, my family. I love them with all my heart. <3

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Taizé

Have you ever spent a week at a monastery in the middle of nowhere living with the Monks, doing absolutely nothing but eat, sleep, and pray?

I  have =]

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First Snow

It sure took its time getting here. It would have been nice to have a White Christmas. Still, better late than never. =]

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Mmmm, Yummy :)

I'm starting to really like the way these Belgians do Holidays. When they take vacation time, there is no messing around. They take that stuff seriously. None of this "three-day-weekend" nonsense, no sir! If they're gonna take a break, they are gonna take the entire week, gosh-dangit! Heck, while they're at it, why not take two? :)

But even better than that is the way they find any excuse to include FOOD as part of the celebration. Just imagine, and entire nation of people who share my love of guzzle and grub! (And I'm talking about GOOD food, so no, the U.S. does not fit into that category.) In fact, these people love food so much, they have dedicated two separate holidays to it. That's right, not one, but TWO holidays.

Lets start with Freaking-Awesome-Food-Related-Holiday-Number-One: La Galette du Roi. Literally translated that becomes "The Kings Cake". So here is the deal: you go out to the bakery and you buy a cake. But be careful! This isn't your average, every day cake! No, this is a very special cake with a very special surprise waiting inside.

The game is simple. Everyone gets a piece of the super special cake. Everyone eats their slice of the very special cake (very slowly and carefully, just in case the special surprise decides to break your tooth or. . I don't know, choke you or whatever.) The person who find the special little surprise in their piece is crowned Le Roi (the King) for the day.  Awesome, right? =] The idea behind the holiday actually celebrates the day when the three Kings found the stable with the newborn baby Jesus waiting inside, but now that most of Europe is non-religious, its pretty much just an excuse to eat cake.

All hail King Alexander and Queen Maman-D!

Now on to awesome-food-related-holiday-number-two: La Chandeleur. Or as I like to call it, "Stuff your face with crêpes day". There really isn't much more of an explanation that I can give. It is simply a super special day where it is socially acceptable to eat ridiculous amounts of crêpes until you are to the point of bursting. (Good news for people like me who would gladly do that anyway ;) 

The trick with this little holiday is about luck. Apparently if you manage to flip the very first crêpe using only your right hand, you will have good luck for the entire year. HOWEVER. . . there is a catch. You must roll up the magical-luck-bringing-crêpe and place it above your refrigerator. Then you leave it there until "La Chandeleur" of the next year. (I don't know if having a rodent problem is their idea of good luck, but it seems to me like that is the only thing that "magical crêpe" is going to bring sitting up there all year. But that's just me.) 

Honestly though, this country is so perfect for me its almost spooky. Or at least, it would be if I wasn't so busy loving every minute of it. I mean, a national holiday dedicated to eating crêpes all day? You may as well just name the Holiday after me. =] 

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Moving Day

Have I ever told you how much I hate goodbyes? There is something so final about them that just absolutely terrifies me. These last few months, I have grown to love Marc and Frederique more than I have ever thought could be possible. They have lead me through the chaos and confusion of my first four months as an exchange student. I will always be grateful to them for taking me into their house and welcoming me into their home.

This experience has been like reading a good book. . . you jump into it with a mixture of nervous excitement, not knowing what grand adventures the pages are going to lead you through. You might be a little timid at first, but word by word, page by page, the book begins to suck you in. You are completely captivated by its story. Then suddenly, before you are ready, you've reached the final chapter. You try to slow down a little, to cling to the last bits of adventure the novel has to offer, but somewhere in the back of your mind you know the end is near. Then it comes, and you are left with an emptiness that can only be filled by the words waiting for you in the sequel. . . And as much as I hate goodbyes, it is time for me to move on to that second book.

Thats right, guys and gals. I have reached a milestone in my exchange experience. I am officially on to host family number two. :]

Moving Day was an absolute DISASTER. So many emotions were going through my head, I thought I might explode. . . And honestly, I'm surprised I didn't. I was stressed for the upcoming exams, sad to be leaving my first host family, excited to meet my second family, terrified that they wouldn't like me, and still so incredibly grateful to even be here at all, all at ONE time. How is that even possible?! I was so busy trying (and failing) to keep my emotions in check, I forgot the most important part of moving out. . . Packing.

I don't know if this was my subconsciences way of rebelling against the move or what, but this is what my room looked like right before I broke down and started packing. . . two hours before it was time to leave. Procrastination at its finest.

And this is after. Do you see what I mean when I say it left me feeling empty?

Fortunately the emptiness only lasted as long as the 20 minute ride fro, Wezembeek-Oppem to Laeken. I was welcomed by my second host family with open arms and warm smiles. I immediately felt like a member of the family. They even left me a cute little welcome-home note :)

This is my new room. Isn't it cute? :) It didn't take me long at all to find my place in this family. I feel perfectly at home.

I am still absolutely terrified by not knowing what stories these pages will bring, but that's half the fun of it. :) I am ready to get started on this sequel.

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You've Got Mail

Nothing brings me the same kind of joy as coming home to find a neat little envelope with my name on it waiting for me there. Email is great and all (and there is NO way I would survive this experience without Skype) but there is something uniquely thrilling about a little old fashioned communication.

ONLY my Daddy would send a Christmas letter with a sketch of a Zombie saying "Have a Merry Christmas, or I'll eat your brains!". I guess its no mystery where I get my dorkiness from, eh?

I got a special kick out of the letters from the Barton girls. My favorite line came from Rachel, "You are beautiful like a rose". Can I get a "awwwww"? =] This is a drawing of me at the Eiffel Tower by Tyler. I seriously have the greatest family.

But the great thing about having an awesome family is that sometimes you get more than a little envelope. . . you get a giant package full of all sorts of goodies. =]

I left the packages to be opened at Christmas, but I couldn't resist the Giant sock. I couldn't help myself, it was practically begging to be opened.

Yes, that is me kissing a box of Nerds. You don't understand, I was excited. =]

Thank you, Mommy and Daddy. I love you.

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St. Nicholas

December has always been one of my favorite months of the year. . . Okay, I realize I say that practically every month, but you have to admit December is pretty awesome. Its a month of giving and a month of recieving. . . but even more than that it is a month of anticipation. I'll be the first to admit, by the time December 25 rolls around I start to get a little impatient.

Well one of the perks of being a temporary inhabitant of Belgium is that I didn't have to wait very long for Jolly Old St. Nicholas to pay his yearly visit.


Thats right, St Nicholas has already come to Brussels, and he left behind a few treasures.

A box FULL of chocolate. I've managed to keep exchange-student-weight-gain to a minimum so far, but I get the feeling that that is about to change. . .

St. Nicholas must really love me. My very own music box playing "La vie en rose"? Perfection.

But wait, it gets better. You see, here in this magical land of Belgium, St. Nick and Santa Clause are two COMPLETELY different people. (For my Belgian buddies reading this, back in the states we kinda fuzed the two together into one Super-Christmas-being.) That means that not only did I get a day of present opening three whole weeks in advance, but I don't have to give up my regularly scheduled Christmas to do so. St. Nicholas may have already come and gone, but Santa is still on his way!

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