Today's one of those days where I'm just grateful for so many things.
I'm grateful that I haven't been homesick at all in the past week. I haven't had the urge to catch a train to the airport and buy a ticket back to the States. Don't get me wrong, I miss my family, my friends, and all of my glorious sisters, but it's manageable. And I don't ache to be home like I did the first week.
In a weird way, I'm grateful that all the Belgian students go home on the weekends. It gives me an opportunity to see the city in an entirely new light. Like this morning - I was walking around at around 9:30, and it was like I owned the city. I hardly saw anybody on my twenty minute walk; Leuven was like a ghost town. But it was really neat.
I'm grateful that I've found amazing friends that I can go to Mass with! In three different weeks I've gone to three different churches, and it's been very cool to experience Mass in a different way each time. I'm so blessed to have found people to share these experiences with, too.
I'm grateful that I'm not a tourist in Leuven anymore. I LIVE HERE.. which is still kinda weird to say. But walking back from Mass today, I saw a couple asking someone for directions and I overheard them (speaking in English - yeah!) ask for directions to the library, and I know where that is! I can walk confidently, without a map, and that is a HUGE deal for me. Granted, I still take touristy pictures with the best of the tourists, but for that I have zero shame.
I'm grateful that Leuven has the most bomb little coffee/pastry shops. I'm also grateful that they have so much variety in their pastries that I've tried a new one every time I've been. Yes, I bought two. Yes, I ate both. I swear, it's not the beer that's gonna make me gain weight.. it's these delicious things.
Finally, I'm grateful for the GLORIOUS weather that we've had the last three days!! It's been incredible - blue skies and bright sun. I only wish it could last..
So there's that! I'm in a grateful, happy mood.. and those are just things that have happened this morning! I learn something new about Leuven each day, and I fall a little bit more in love with this city each time I do. I think I'm finally going to get a bike this week so I can finally go exploring out past what is familiar.
After all that, you probably think I'm just this crazed, "happy" girl who frolics and skips around the city in never ending joy all the time, right? Well, that's not exactly true either. Here's the list of things that I kinda miss from the homeland. They're the little things, the silly things, and the slightly materialistic things. But they're things that I never even realized I would miss until I was here & without them.
1. Being able to walk around and make breakfast in my pajamas. And all other meals, for that matter. I'm notorious for being a lazy bum and staying in my pajamas all day, but I can't do that here! Not when I share my kitchen with twenty-something mature individuals who speak other languages. Sometimes I just feel like they're talking about me, especially on those pajama/sweatpants days.. but who knows? I sure don't haha
2. Living with all girls. The idea of living in a sorority house is completely foreign to most people here, and it's something that I've already explained countless times. However, living on the same floor as guys and sharing bathrooms, showers, and a kitchen with them is just totally new for me. And I don't think I'm a fan.
3. Netflix. Yes, it's true. Netflix doesn't work here! Which is probably for the best because it helps me to get out and do more exciting things. But there's just some nights that I want to curl up in my bed and watch a movie! I'm secretly a wallflower...
4. SUNSHINE. We've been super lucky in the past week; it's been sunny, kind of warm, and it actually hasn't rained that much. But I've talked to some locals and all of them say that this is not normal, and that we should be expecting lots of wind, rain, and chilly weather starting very soon. I don't take sunny weather for granted anymore and I relish each opportunity I get to be outside in the sun.
5. Being able to read labels on food.. and all products for that matter. It is a struggle to go grocery shopping! Half the time, I buy food because I think it looks like the right thing.. I've only been let down a couple times, thank goodness. Life would be easier if I just understood Dutch..
6. Small classes. It's true - I really miss parts of Hanover! Especially my small classes. Some of my courses here have easily a hundred or more students, and all my professors have to use a microphone when speaking in class. A MICROPHONE. I could hardly believe it when that happened my first day. I mean, it makes sense in these giant lecture halls, but it still seems insane to me. Definitely an adjustment as far as classes go.
7. BLANKETS, which I totally know is super lame. But I'm always always always cold and I love sleeping with like, four blankets. Obviously, I couldn't pack four blankets. And I'm not just going to go out and get one that I'll have to abandon in three months.. or will I?
Silly things, right? But that's okay. Now you all know what I secretly crave! Shh, don't tell.
Not that much exciting happened in the past week except for the fact that I started classes! I'll let you know what classes I'm taking once I actually know what classes I'm taking.. it's crazy, I won't be officially registered for my classes until October 10. Until then, we're allowed to "shop around," and attend as many or as few classes as we want, just to try them out. What a concept...
Rotterdam, 9.29.2012
Yesterday I went on another pre-planned orientation trip through the school - this time to the Netherlands! My first out-of-country adventure! We spent time in Rotterdam where we got a city tour & wandered around a giant, open-air market. We then went to see a dam that was a little bit away from Rotterdam - it was called Maeslantkering... I think? I'm not really sure. Basically, much of the Netherlands is below sea-level, and some number of years ago there was a huge flood that took many lives and even more homes. The "storm surge barrier" that was saw is one of many solutions to what happened many years ago. It was nice to get out of Belgium and see new things, but I really didn't take in all that much info.. forgive me, please. I took some neat pictures though!
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| Rotterdam! One of the largest ports in the world, and the second largest city in the Netherlands. |
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| One of the oldest buildings in all of Rotterdam, a beautiful Protestant church - Sint-Laurenskerk (St. Lawrence). |
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| Beautiful facade of Sint-Laurenskerk. |
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| Rotterdam Town Hall |
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| Wooden shoes do exist!! |
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| The Maeslantkering Storm Surge Barrier - dam. It was literally impossible to take a picture of it because it was just so massive in size - one half of it is just as big and TWICE as heavy as the Eiffel tower. Yeah. |
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| We love the storm surge barrier! Yay |
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| She's my roommate. I'm a big fan. |
That's about it! Quite a random mix of things in this blog post.. but that's everything on my mind this morning! After today, I've got another week of classes - hooray. But next weekend, my friends and I are taking our first big trip - to Luxembourg we go!! We officially booked our stay in a hostel last night, and we're really doing it. I'm excited! I'm sure I'll plenty to post about that next week.. until then! much love
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