Belgium has random days off too...

Monday, October 17th, 2011

Well, I was suprised to find out that it is just not Auburn Riverside that gives students random days off of school... Because we have them here to! Of course, I am NOT complaining at all... Any day that I don't have to go to school and be bored half to death is a good day for me! Not that going to school isn't important, it's just that sometimes I get VERY bored. Well, I mean it's the same in the U.S. But here, I have to figure out most of my own work, because currently the only work I REALLY have is to learn French. It is definitely the most important thing for me to do right now, possibly the most important thing for me to do on all of my exchange. Because that, along with learning about an entirely new culture and representing the U.S. well, is my main job as an exchange student.

So I got a slow start to the day, of course sleeping in. Well, actually, whenever I don't have school I sleep in pretty late. It's not like I go to bed super late or anything most nights... It's just that being an exchange student just exhausts me. I swear, no matter what I do during the day, how late I go to sleep, or when I get up, I am always worn out by like 8 o'clock at night. Which is just crazy, really. Not always physically tired or tired from lack of sleep (if that's not the same thing as being physically tired...), but mentally tired. Even if I try to tune it out sometimes, the French is always there and just hearing it and trying to understand, it tires me out. Other than my family, the second most exciting thing for me about returning will be having EVERYONE speak English. I seriously think everyone needs to appreciate the beauty of the English language more, because I sure do miss it. Never again will I complain about writing an essay, as long as it is English. Because I sure do miss it!

Ok, well enough rambling on because I really haven't had much of a chance to speak with anyone within the last 36 hours (have seen Pascale for like an hour or so, same with Eddy. Not used to having two working parents...) After sleeping in and enjoying myself, I had to go to the administration building in Jalhay to pick up my carte d'identite. It was something that Pascale and I had been meaning to go pick up for like a week, but with Pascale's working schedule and my school and the hours that the building was actually open, it was like impossible to go and get it. So, I was a bit suprised when she told me I would have to do it myself, because I was sure it would require me to speak French and such, and well, I'm not all that good at that part of the exchange yet. I can understand, but am not so good at expressing myself yet... But, well, it was something that needed to be done, sololy (if that's a word...) for me, so I just figured out the bus and went. Unfortunately, I remembered the hours Pascale told me wrongly. Or, maybe she told me the wrong thing. But that, along with the late bus, had me arriving at the office a mere 10 minutes after it closed... I took my chances and rang the little bell for assistance anyhow, because I knew I was like dead if I didn't get this card, and thank goodness someone came to the window. The lady seemed pretty angry at first, but when I explained what I needed and she figured out that I was American (and YES, it was all in French...:) ), and the fact that it was a really quick process, she softened up. All I had to do was go into this little office for like 2 minutes, write out some secret pin or whatever that I had gotten in the mail, and I was on my way, now officially in Belgium. Legally, that is.

Of course, seeing how my life is ultimately ruled by public transportation schedules, my quick in-and-out of at the administration building meant that I had a whole 45 minutes until the next bus that I would take straight to my French courses. So, I explored the town a little bit (which is really quite small...), found a store and bought some Belgian food to send to my little sister in a package (I.e. belgian waffles and chocolate...), and still had to wait at the bus stop for 10 minutes. Although thanks to buses and trains, I have had some nice adventures and stories to tell on my blog, I seriously miss my car. Being able to just get in, and drive anywhere I want, when I want. Definitely the third most missed thing in my life right now...

Just to continue my obsession with the brick buildings...

Church in Jalhay!

Kinda bad pic, but I absolutely loved the flowers on the garage.. They actually looked real!

Of course, the bus was late, and I ended up being like 10 minutes late to my French course. Well, the way the schedule worked out I was already planning on being like 2 minutes late or so, but still. I got lucky though, and actually wasn't the last person to show up. And we really hadn't even gotten started yet, so it was fine. I guess I am just lucky that the teacher is so chill about that kind of thing... And I guess that Belgians understand having your life be ruled by bus schedules. Because a whole lot of people ride them here. Especially kids under the age of like 22. Even though you can get your license here when you are 18, apparently the whole process is quite grueling. Also, cars and upkeep are so expensive, as well as the lack of parking space anywhere, makes it easier and probably MUCH cheaper for people just to take the bus. When I first visited my school and Pascale showed me where the students parked, a lot consisting of about 8 parking spots and a little area for "motos", I almost laughed. This, compared to home, where it's kind of expected to get some kind of car to drive when you are 16. And the student parking lot, well that is way bigger than the teacher parking lot and the visitor parking lot combined... Life sure is different here, and sometimes it seems simpler. Although it would be really hard to get around at home without a car, it still kinda makes me feel like Americans are a bit stuck up or spoiled or something when I say that everyone has a car by like 16. And maybe not a car, but definitely their license and the chance to drive a parent's car when avaliable. As far as the whole public transportation thing goes, I really thing Belgium as got it down right.