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My Internet Diary of Belgium
Monday, April 11, 2005
I must be becoming a mother
Mood:  surprised
oooOOOOoooo my. Where do I begin. I havn't updated in so long. Everything is forever changing changing changing. I am now with my 3rd and final *phew* host family.

This was the origional plan:
1st host family: DOR
2nd host family: DUCHESNE
3rd host family: BEX

Then because I had a minor tiff with the Dor family they changed my second family from Duchesne to Piette because the Duchesne family is good friends with the Dors.

So then it went:
1st host family: DOR
2nd host family: PIETTE
3rd host familiy: BEX

But for vacation the Piette family, Dor family, and Bex family were all going on vacations so I had to find a filler family just for the vacation. During vacation there was a death in the BEX family and they decided the couldn't host me.

Now it is officially:
1st host family: DOR
2nd host family: PIETTE
2 1/2 host family: Chez Guilleume et Michelle (I forget his last name)
3rd host family: DUCHESNE

Sunday was my last day with my 2 and a half host family. 2nd and 1/2 because I was only with them for the vacation (which is 2 weeks short) so they wern't really a host family, but they were a great host family... all at the same time; I think that deserves atleast a half a host family title.) That night my 2 1/2 host dad took me to my 3rd host family. I had all day to pack but somehow I just didn't seem to finish it so there is still stuff at his house... like my dvd player. lol.

I arrived here around 9 on Sunday night and my host brothers and sister were sleeping already. I had a cup of coffee with my new family and my 2 1/2 host dad before he left. In my new family I have 3 host brothers and one host sister. The oldest, Francois, is 10 (almost 11); Guilleume is 8, Charles is... 6 or 7, and Laura is 3 (and a half). Francois and Laura both have red hair so I could actually pass them off as being my real brother and sister. Charles has blonde hair and Guilleume has brown hair.

The house is huge! I'm almost tempted to ask for a map so I don't get lost! When I was staying with my 2 1/2 host family we would go driving a lot and whenever i saw a castle I would say "Chateau, Chateau!!" (Castle in French) because we don't have anything like that in Maine... or anywheres in USA. We are just too young. So it always surprised me when we would pass a big castle while driving aimlessly along the countryside. When my host dad took me to my 3rd host families house, I yelled "Chateau, Chateau!! oh no wait, that is just my new house." :p It was built ... a long time ago and it used to be a home for young girls who were orphaned during the second world war. Not a very happy story... I know. But anywyas that explains why the house is soooo big. Not big in the same sense as my last house where I got my own apartement, but in the sense that there are tons and tons of itsy bitsy rooms. I'll try to draw a map, scan it, and put it on my webpage. it is not even believable. My host parents are both doctors, I think. I know my host dad, Bernard, is an eye doctor, but I'm not sure what my host mom does. They are both really nice.

So today is my first full day here with the DUCHESNE family. This morning I woke up around 7 and my host dad took all 5 of us to school at 7:55. My house isn't very far from school and I can walk there (if I am motivated enough to do so... which today I wasnt because it was too cold) The school I go to (the Secondaire= highschool+ grades 7 and 8) is right across the road from the Premiere= elementary. All my host siblings go to the premiere but my host dad just drops us off in the parking lot and we disperse into our own respectful corners of the world. In the afternoon it was still too cold to walk home so I caught a ride with my new host dad when he was picking the 'petites' up at school.

And there in the living room (one of the 4) was the biggest damned bumble bee I've ever seen. "Charlies, Guilleume, viens!! vite!!"- come quick! The boys came running with fly swatters and I stood at a safe distance behind a door. But of coarse I videotaped it... I mean it was the first big thing I've done with my host siblings since I've been here! You can't just let something like that slip past you! The rest of the afternoon I spent outside with the brothers and sister. Being with them reminds me of being with Sisi, Collin, and Darrell. They are all just so cute!! Laura is especially similar to Sisi! Awww I miss my little neighbors.(I hope you guys aren't too old to play when I get back!!)

When Francois got home from school, he had a friend with him; Corentin. Yup, my first host brother from the Dor family. He was surprisingly plesant. Maybe not being in the same family any more has changed his mind about me... I'm not so bad. :) As soon as Francois walked through the door, he demanded (in a kind way) if I was happy to be staying here with them.

... of coarse. :)

When my host mom got home, we walked to the grocery store, which is right down the hill, not a 2 minute walk, with Charles and Laura. On the way Charles picked a dandilion and a purple flower and then gave the dandilion to me. I held on to that dandilion all through the store, mindlessly twirling it around in my hands and then as I was passing someone in one of the isles it occured to me... I must be becoming a mother or something! I was doing mom-like things. You know when you are young and you pick a handful of dandilions or whatever other weeds you can find, and present them to you mom and no matter how rediculous she looks, she will keep them right with her or put them in a vase for everyone to see. It doesn't matter to her if she looks foolish or not... Yah, that was me.

but you know it feels good to be accepted.

I have little brothers and a little sister now!! Hey hey they like me!! :D

Well that tis all for now. I'm gonna go try and scheme a cup of coffee off my host parents and maybe get the scanner up and running. I just got 2 films developed so I have plenty of photos, I just need to put them on the computer. Keep your eyes peeled for those.

-ciao

happytracyinbelgium typed this up at 6:01 AM MEST
Friday, April 1, 2005
"Poisson d'Avril"
Mood:  surprised
Topic: Vacance de Paques
APRIL FOOLS DAY!!! Here it is called 'le poisson d'Avril' -the April fish because when someone plays a joke on you and you fall for it (when you are young) they put a paper fish on your back and you are the fish of April (or the fool of april, which is what it signifies)

Horray for summer in April!! It was 18?c today! I don't know what that is in Farhenheite but I know its warm and it was sunny and such a beautiful day! Really more like summer time than spring time.

Today was my day of recouperation (not that I've done thaaaat much, but sometimes its good to just chill.) I woke up around 10 and after breakfast I took the dogs for a walk with my host dad like usual. I took my video camera for I don't know what reason because im living in the country and it isnt like Ive never lived in the country before, lol this is more like home sweet home to me, but anyways...

Around noon I went into town to do the grocery shopping with my host mom and it was still sunny and nice when we got back so we ate lunch outside in the fresh air. While I was in town I picked up a magazine (in french of coarse) and after lunch I sat out in a lawn chair reading. Around 4:30-quarter to 5 my host dad had to go into town again to pick up Michelle from a doctors apointment and asked if I wanted to go. Why not? On the way home they surprised me with a visit to a castle!!! (because they know how crazy I am about the castles here.) I didn't have my camera with me because I didn't know that we were going sight seeing but they promised that we could come back. It was pretty big, with a mote around it and a big garden in front and to the side of it. We wern't allowed to walk around inside the castle because it was used primarily for gatherings like with schools or churches or such so we made a tour around the gardens outside. It was still sunny and warm and I can't wait to go back, maybe with Adriana.

There is a playground too, for the little kids and there was a big slide set up that was reeeeeaaaaalllllllly long and steep... it looked just like the one at the brooks park back in maine, only longer (with the sand pit at the bottom and everything so that your kids dont get hurt when they get launched off at the end) lol! ?sigh? boy don't I miss red neck parks like brooks (not even joking) :)

Then we made another stop before returning home at another castle, but it was privately owned so we couldn't go in. Imaging privately owning a castle...?sigh? "yeah just adding to my collection, another castle in Belgium." And who cleans their house for them?! lol this gives a whole new meaning to "Yuppie Sight Seeing"; Camden will never seem the same again :p

for dinner we had couscous!!! And to everyones surprise, I burnt my tongue... again!!! This is becoming a ritual or something, pfff. I love couscous sooo much but then I can never taste anything after that for atleast 2 weeks. lol

humm I guess that is all the adventure that has happened to me in the last 24 hours... and on my 'day off' none the less.

Oh wait, I broke my pen today. Yup, this is dramatic. I just... I can not believe it. My good 15 euro fountain pen. I've had that pen since the week I got here... it was a warrior, like me. We've been through everything together, me and that pen. So tomorrow I'm going into town to buy a new one... well I can't stay in mourning forever. I needed a reason to buy some anyways because we don't have pens like this in America.

ok yup that is all.

-ciao

happytracyinbelgium typed this up at 8:57 PM CET
Updated: Friday, April 1, 2005 9:20 PM CET
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Bonne fete de paques! Et joyeuse nouvelle famille!!
Mood:  caffeinated
Topic: Vacance de Paques
Happy belated easter sunday a tout le monde!! I hope the easter bunny didn't miss anyone! He even came and visited me here in Belgium. I got a "baguette"(or wand thingy) filled with easter eggs made of Galler Chocolate "Belgium's favorite chocolate", as did all of the 'enfants' =children. lol (which consisted of me, my host sister who is in her 30ies, and her husband who is around the same age) it was too cute :)

The story of Paques (easter) is this: An angel found Christ after the whole world thought he was dead. To tell everyone that he was still alive, he flew over the whole world ringing a big bell so everyone could hear. Is this the same story in America? Funny I never asked when I was back home. So where does the easter bunny come in?! I dont get it :p

So when I got my present of chocolate I didn't thank the Easter bunny, I had to thank the "grande cloche" =the big bell.

My new host family has all the bells and whistles to deck the house out for easter. The egg candles, the wooden rabbits and ducks tucked in the plant pots and napkin holders, the basket of chocolate eggs. Life is so festive and spring time is on the rise!!

Saturday, the day before easter, was the day that I changed host families. Everyone cried and it was saaaad. :( I miss my long talks with my host mom; if it wasn't for her, my french wouldn't be as good as it is now. That family was sooooo great and I'm glad I got to stay with them for 3 months. The time passed so quickly, it sure didn't feel like 3 months. Now the family I am with now, I will only stay with for 2 weeks during easter vacation, then I will go into my 3rd host family. The reason I didn't change directly from the PIETTE family into the BEX family is because the BEX family is on holiday.

So my 2 1/2 family is the soon to be 'president of Rotary' but he isn't ultra ultra strict like I thought he would be. He is really nice, actually. He and his wife, Michelle, only have one child who isn't a child any more. Now she lives with her husband nearbye, so it is just me bee bopping around most of the time unless I invite someone over. I don't have a problem with this, it is nice and tranquille here. There are 3 dogs, Lallie, Zara, and Cleo, and two cats but I dont know the names of the cats. They live in a big house made of stone with a pool in the back yard and a rock fountain that runs into a little pool of water where they have a large family of goldfish. And here is the kicker.Besides the huge house, they also have a double car garage that is two stories tall. On the second level it is all finished space. It is only attached to the house by a hallway inbetween the garage and the main house, so in essence, it is like having my own apartement. So sweet. I have my own "room". I call it "chez moi" = my home; I have my own bedroom, my own bathroom (with a shower and heated towel rack), my own living room, with a table, chairs, two couches, tv, radio. I've hooked up my dvd player to the tv so now I can watch my dvds. ?sigh? life is so peaches and cream right now.

Each morning around 10 or 11 I go for a walk with my host dad and the dogs around the country side. Complete with rolled up old blue jeans and mudder boots. (because we live more or less in the country; In the summer time the fields are filled with cows but they haven't been let out yet) Its great to get some exercise...I was beginning to worry I was getting fat... nah!!

Finn came over Monday night. I was worried that my host family wouldn't like him or would be turse with him but they 'accepted' him and after dinner when he spent two hours talking to my host dad about european history, they thought he was GREAT! lol

Adriana stayed over Tuesday and Wednesday night. She, like me, was impressed with the spacious living quarters... and now plans on (plus ou moins) living with me for the remainder of the vacation :p lol naaaaaht a problem. We stayed up laaate last night watching her host brothers collection of Sex in the City DVDs and scrapbooking but I wasn't feeling good so we called it a night around 2 or so.

"Sex is power. Money is power. Paying for sex is meerly (sp?) just an exchange of power" - Samantha (Sex in the City)

*smirk* this made me giggle :)

Then today a rotary member picked Adriana and me up and took us to Maastrict (a cute little town in Holland (you know... the country?),not far from Liege.)With him and his wife. Before we went to Maastrict we stopped at the 'Tour d'Eben Ezer' which is a castle that was made by an insane man. He spent his whole life working on it... just him. He mined the rocks, carried them to the house, put them in place and made four gigantic statues that he put at the corners of the house. He lived there for ten years after it was complete before he died. Its hard to explain... I've pretty much given up on trying to put pictures in my blog so just go to the website. When I get the photos developed that Adriana and I took today I will post them in my album but for now... just go to the website. It is in french but theres a picture... that is what is important.

http://www.gargouilles.be/eben/a.htm

Incredible, huh? It is in the middle of nowheres. Just driving along a dirt road through a forest then you come to an open spot where there is a cow pasture on one side and the first thing you see are the huge statues... it was foggy today too so... wow. Impressionale, non?!

Well its almost midnight and I wanted to catch a shower before this cuz my towel warmer shuts off at 12:30 so I'll sign off for the night.

Ciao!

happytracyinbelgium typed this up at 10:51 PM CET
Updated: Friday, April 1, 2005 8:15 PM CET
Friday, March 25, 2005
Vivre les vacances!!
Mood:  incredulous
Topic: Vacance de Paques
Today is the offical beginning of Paques. (Easter Vacation= 2 week break.) Is tomorrow easter?! oh NOOOOO its on sunday... Why was i thinking that today is Saturday... I know I was in school today. o:)

oooooo I'm frick!n exausted! I am so glad a vacation has just landed in my lap, cuz I could use it! When I get home from school I'm always so happy and bouncy and my host mom asks me, "so you had a good day at school today?"
me- no, not necessarily... im indifferent to school... no, I'm just happy to be 'home' and talking with my host mom!! o:) (!!!) It isn't at school where I learn most of my french, it is here with my family.

Last wednesday I was at the Carre (the square of bars in the center of liege) and I left with Jorja, 'fugly slut' (don't ask :D (!!)), zimmie, and two other girls and when we were walking through one of the safer parts of Liege we met up with this group of guys that started harassing us and following us... I'm not one to be intimidated by that; ive never been attacked or anything before, like what are they going to do, stab me in broad daylight in a mall? no I don't see that happening... so when we went into the Galleries Opera (mini mall) and they tried to follow us, I 'closed'(not very gently either) the big heavy glass door on one of them and, well, they wern't much nicer after that. They started to spit at us and one even burned my backpack with his cigarette!! C'mone! sh!t that is an expensive backpack buddy! pffff we finally lost them and made our way back to the less secure part of Liege (I was just hoping they would follow us into the carre cuz i know guys there and if they were still harassing us, they would get hit... that is fur sure.)

Yesterday I had to say goodbye to Jana, my German friend. Adri and I didn't even have time to go into Liege and get a little photo with her before she left!! And I realized that, wow that is going to be me in 3 months, saying my goodbyes and it is going to be soo hard. I wish I had done more with Jana while she was here, she became such a good friend to me and she was there when I didn't have anyone else and now she's gone!! Who is going to go with me on Wednesdays to the Carre with me!? =O I mean, I don't wanna overdramatize it or anything, she only lives two hours from me, and I'm so going to visit her in the second week of vacation at her house in Germany where we are going to have crazy wild parties (and I am going to have to learn German or speak in French) lol it is funny with us, an american girl and a german girl, together speaking French because I don't speak German and she doesn't speak English! :D

Tomorrow I change families. My new host family is the president of Rotary =O I hope he's not too strict on me, all I ask is the freedom to be able to go out and do things. I'm ruuuuuly sad about leaving this family I have right now... they are genuine... I love them sooo much. My french has gotten 10 times better since I've been with them. So tonight is my last night. I still ahve to pack my valises (not that I have that much to pack) but its just that... once my bags are packed, its more real. It says: "NOW I am ready to go." But I'm not ready to go. :( And my location is prime. I live about a hop skip and a jump from Jorja which could have been great if we had more time to get to know eachother.

My host family has become like my real family. I can communicate with them... express my feelings, and that changes a lot. That is the difference between this family and my first one. I wasn't a real 'person' to them... I didn't have the ability to express myself and therefore a lot of things went unsaid. With this family, I had great long discussions with my host mom and we learned a lot about eachother and our different cultures. Its great to be understood.

tonight when I was arranging the table I went to put my little clothe napkin back in the basket with the other ones, then I realized that I didn't need to because I wouldn't be eating dinner with them tomorrow night... Its just the little things like that that really get to me.

No plans thus far for vacation. Well yes and no. Wednesday I'm going into town with Jorja to do... "stuff" as long as my visa is working then.. who knows what I'll come home with. 'shopping' if you will. ;) Thursday I am going to Mastricht (holland) with a rotary member and then to see where his daugher works (because she is an architect and I want to be an architect... so that should be interesting) :) Next week some time I'm going to Jana's in Germany and... yup thats it. No big trips or anything planned. noppeee. I was trying to get Finn and some other peeps to go with me to Amsterdam but I don't think it will work because I will be with my new family and I can't see them just setting me free in Amsterdam... :(

10:30 tomorrow morning I change families so my next post will be all about my 3rd (temp. family cuz they are just for the vacation.)And now I will bring to a close my last post at 'chez PIETTE' and finally get started on packing my suitcases... it just can not be put off anylonger.

gros gros bisous a tout le monde!
-ciao

happytracyinbelgium typed this up at 8:51 PM CET
Updated: Friday, March 25, 2005 11:20 PM CET
Monday, March 21, 2005
"Mass Confusion of the Little Mind"
Mood:  not sure
This weekend was a full one, with activities planned for each day... I like the weekends that way. Friday night was the birthday party for Eline (a girl in my class) and Adriana and I stayed there at the sall with a couple other people that night.

We had to be up early the next morning to do a "pie run" --> go to the boulangerie and get pastries to bring to adriana's first host families house. We ate breakfast with the Fayersons and then set out for Brussels with Adriana's first host mom to see the Exposition d'art at the art university where Marie works. I am one to make cute things... but when I go there and see beautiful, wonderful, amazing things, it really inspires me. ****poof**** look out: tracy is in artistic mode. eeeee. :p I have such an appreciation for art. I Love it. I want to run out and make things. No... not in Belgium... it is toooo expensive. :'( meeeeeeeehhhhh! I want to create things about frogs, sheep, and feet. lool! ;)

When I first got here, I was installed in an art class, but I didn't speak french very well and when they boosted me into the 11th grade, I had to drop it. I made one accomplishment while I was in there: a sketch of cliff from a photo I had. Adriana is keeping the sketch I drew of Cliff, when I first got here. It was a really great sketch ... but you know, sh!t happens. And she is giving me her big photo of her ex boyfriend also.. we are trading ex boyfriends, you see, because they both are just too beautiful (the photos) to throw away, but it hurts too much to appreciate them so we trade and now I can appreciate her beautiful ex boyfriend and she can enjoy mine! lol (dont ask :D)

And it just so happened that on Saturday (the day of the art expo.) it was also a huge manifestation in Brussels (The capital of Belgium, but also, more importantly, the capital of Europe (!!)) because they were protesting something. Me, being from the 'willy works of the world' had never ever seen anything like it in all of my upbringing... Adriana, though, was less than impressed. (Let me remind you, she is a Brazilian who is used to passing her time in Rio de Janeiro... can you say 'carnival' (!!!)) but for those less fortunate, like myself, it was a real sight to see; all the main roads were blocked off, police cars, vans, bikes, and such in hords at every corner, all the people marching down the streets with big flags and blaring loud music, chanting their protests. They just kept coming and kept coming... I didn't think it would ever end and I kept thinking that they were just going around the block and coming back around because I couldn't fathome the thought of a steady flow of so many people... (like in science class when they tell you space is infinite... no I will not believe it. Quantium physics style "light is lumpy"... c'mon I'm sure we can all relate) just honestly... Ive never seen anythingn like it. pfff lol et moi sans m' apperail de photo ou camera! merde alors!!!

Sunday I went to the most beautiful little village aupres de Namur... wow it was just incredible. There was a rotary meeting in Mozet (the pretty little villa) in a mini castle... there is a name for a mini castle: 'manoir' and I guess it was a bit of a retreit where certain students are asked to stay the whole weekend and talk with outbounds (students origionally from Belgium who are going to be exchange students) I was not one of the invited, therefore I only went on Sunday with my host family because Justine (my host sister) is going to be an outbound. (in Austrailia) AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE (((oi oi oi))) lol;)

But you know the sad thing is that I didn't even get any photos! I'm so torn about this. I must, absolutely must, go back. Get a video... something.

Yeah...I know, I know... * I experienced it and that is all that counts.* buuuut its good to put memories into pictures... share them in a way you can't share mental photos. You know, I saw the Buckingham Palace and didn't even take a photo!? Yeah so I saw it, but memories don't last forever. So now, I'm hoping mom is going to buy me a digital camera and send it back with the Fauquenoits. That would be ARCHIE COOL!!! ;) lol
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

strong

I change host families next saturday.

And I'm home today.

happytracyinbelgium typed this up at 11:51 AM CET

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