“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all people cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” - Maya Angelou

8/31/2011


I have been in Belgium for 2 weeks and four days. That blows my mind because it went by too fast. But I’m definitely making the most out of everything. Being an exchange student is the best decision I’ve ever made. 2 weeks in and I know my life has already changed and I know that I won’t be the same person I was 2 weeks and four days ago when I landed. Sure being an exchange student is hard, you feel like you’re a little baby again not being able to talk or express how you feel. It’s probably the most frustrating thing ever. But when you’re host mom and brother tell you that your French has gotten so much better since you arrived makes all of it worth it. One thing I wasn’t really ready for was the culture shock. I knew Belgian culture in itself was different but I never thought about the culture of your host family. It’s so different and it takes so much getting used to but even though you want to do something the way you’ve been doing for your whole life but you can’t because you need to adapt. I can truly say that I’m adapting, that I’m becoming a part of Belgium, and that my own culture now has Belgian characteristics.
I’m so excited for my exchange year and everything I’ll be able to do and see. I’m not going to let time pass me by and I’m going to take every opportunity that comes my way.

8/28/2011

second week update!

Bonjour everyone! Well, as of yesterday I've been in Belgium for two weeks. It seriously doesn't feel like that long but it was. Exchange is already going by way too fast. SLOW DOWN.

Understanding french is getting easier easier every day. It's still really hard though. My speaking still sucks.






So what have I've done this past week? I went bowling with some Belgian friends which was a lot of fun. I have watched my host brother sail. I have been around Charleroi some more. I went to this really old Abbey with my host grandma and it was so interesting. I went to my first Belgian party which was SO MUCH FUN. Then, I went to Brussels on thursday and met up with the 200 something exchange students in Belgium and went to the Palais Royal, Parliament and the Grand Place. All really cool. The real fun part was getting to speak English with everybody haha. Since everybody has not really been able to tell everyone who they've been feeling and they haven't been able to talk a lot pretty much everyone was talking a lot a lot. I know I was haha. All the other exchangers are really great and I'm so stoked for all the cool things we're going to get to do. Then, I went to musée de la photographie with my host brother which has some really cool pictures. Apparently it's really known around Europe and it's like 10 minutes away from me. I'm looking forward to this week a lot because I get to go to Brugge with some other exchangers!


8/20/2011

first week in Belgium!

First, I'm sorry I suck at blogging.

Second, I love Belgium.

In my first week, I have been to Waterloo, which was really cool and the view was beautiful. I have shopped in Charleroi with two new friends which was really fun, even though we spoke a different language we were able to laugh about normal girl stuff and it made me feel like I could really belong in Belgium. I have learnt a lot of french. My host family is super nice :) I have had Belgian beer and other belgian specialties; the food is really good here. (i have yet to have a waffle which makes me sad haha) It's getting less and less awkward at home and I am adapting. At the end of each day, my brain is dead from trying to keep up with everyone and trying to understand french. It's difficult but my host brother said I have improved since I arrived last Saturday which makes me really happy :)

8/13/2011

first day in Belgium!

After 20 hours of traveling, I finally arrived in Belgium and it's nothing but perfect except for my lack of french. I just keep smiling and nodding haha. But Belgium is so beautiful and different from Fort Lauderdale. The first thing my host mom did when we got into town was go to this little shop to get bread and croissants and it was so delicious. Their house is pretty and has a perfect huge view of the backyard. In all the rooms upstairs they have this skylight which is like the coolest thing ever. Then dinner was just amazing. I forgot what the name is but they're kinda like meatballs and sooooo yummy. We also had frites (french fries) and I tasted my first sip of Belgian beer. I feel like this is all a dream and if it is I hope I never wake up :)