What A Week...

Sorry to everyone (or anyone) who has actually been reading this---i know it has been forever since i last left any news! This was a verrrrryyyy long week. One which included alot of fun. Our classes technically started last week, but we didnt really get into anything interesting until today (Monday). Since it is still the beginning of the program it is really intense days. Today we started school at 10 and didnt end until 7. Luckily we get lots of breaks---and i find the classes to be REALLY interesting so there is no problem keeping my focus.

During the week I visited the Royal Palace---although the king doesnt actually live there it is more his office. It was really neat and I am glad i did it because it is only open until next week. It was really beautiful---especially the ballroom, i could just imagine myself there 150 years ago! On Saturday I went to the Belgian Military Museaum which was HUGE and sooo cool. Unfortunatley nothing was in English so i dont understand alot of what i saw lol, but it was still really neat and i have lots of pictures. (See below)


On Sunday we all took a trip to Brugge----a city in Flanders (north Belgium) which dates back to the 13th century. In those days it was a bustling metropolis and was the most important seaport in Northern Europe. After their economy died, the city remained pretty preserved since there was no money to put into improving it. So there were alot of interesting things to see. It was a very religious place---there were many statues and small icons in different spots as well as many churches. One of which---Onze-Liev-Vrouw---had one of the only Micheangelo's outside of Italy, a statue of the Madonna and Child. The statue of course was beautiful but the rest of the church was amazing as well. There were also many "godhauses" that were one of the first forms of social housing. The rich would build these houses for the poor and in exchange the poor had to pray for them every day so that the rich would have a better chance of getting into heaven. They are mostly from the 15th and 16th century and are so cool looking! People actually still live in them today. The rest of the city was quaint, lots of old buildings, chocolatiers and restaraunts serving mussels (one of Belgium's specialties). It was a very exhausting day, but very worthwhile. It is also the capital of Belgian lace production---i was very tempted to buy some, but unfortunately most of what they sell are cheap China re-pros that arent worth the money. (see below pictures of Brugge)


I have been able to do alot of stuff with some of the people on the trip as well. One of the girls has a little apartment at her homestay so we have cooked dinner there a few times, and we usually go out a few times a week to restaraunts or pubs etc. It is hard to believe though that it has only been 11 days since i arrived! I already feel like it has been a month! Ughhh !! Not that i want to wish my time here away, but it is often very frustrating and exhausting here! Luckily now that it is Monday my host mother cooks for me again! The way the program works is that we get 7 breakfasts and 3 dinners per week. I take my dinners Mon-Wed and Marie-Claude is an AWESOME cook. Sometimes she just makes basics....tonight we had chicken, mashed potatoes and a tomato salad---sometimes she makes me interesting Belgian food---last week we had what is called "Oiseaux sans têtes" (or bird without head), however it is actually a large ball of sausage wrapped in veal. We had that with hot endive and cream salad and fingerling potatoes. Yum! So on the days i get to eat at home i eat very well. On the other days my friends and I either go out for dinner, or just drink a heavy Belgian beer to fill up lol.


I am still having alot of fun, but i do really miss home!!! I really miss all my family and friends, i miss driving and having a big bed. I miss winnie and our new kitchen, and i miss stupid stuff like Mac and Cheese and peanut butter (which is odd because i HATE peanut butter lol).

Keep sending me emails if you can! I LOVE THEM!!! :)

Love
Cristen