Hello again!
Although it was very busy, I had a pretty good weekend, and this week isn't off to a bad start, either!
Thursday, I kicked off the weekend with a trip into Luxembourg City with my friend Michelle. I met her at her house and she drove us there in her adorable new fiat convertible! We went to pick up her friend Alexis, who she wanted to introduce me to. Alexis is from Chicago and she has been living in Luxembourg for a year now because of her husbands job.
It was nice to be in a group of just American women where we could all chat in English freely. Michelle is wonderful and her friend Alexis was also very nice and funny. We all went to dinner at an Italian restaurant and drank some nice red wine and griped about the difficulties and joys of being an ex pat. After a great meal and good conversation, we went to see a movie at the theater which actually has the original English film. We saw "the other woman" with Cameron Diaz and it was super funny. It's amazing how normal it felt to just be watching an American movie like I would at home with my friends.
After the movie, it was super late so we dropped off Alexis and made our way back to Arlon. Michelle is such a wise woman, and she makes me feel like I'm not alone. It was nice to realize that even though sometimes I feel like the only person who is missing their country and their family and friends, that this is not the case. The world is so big and full of so many people, who have relocated anywhere and everywhere for so many reasons. It's a good reminder that my problems aren't as bad as I make them out to be, and that I have a great opportunity to be where I am now.
After finally getting into bed at 2am on Thursday, Friday morning was hard to make it through. But the day went by surprisingly fast, because I knew I would have the house to myself that evening. The girls would both be at sleepovers, and the parents were going out of town for a work dinner. So after dropping Emma off at her friends house after her English class, I had the evening at home to myself. It may not sound exciting, but I got to do all my laundry, relax and read, and Skype with my friend Molly and my sister. It was a nice relaxing evening.
On Saturday afternoon, the girls and their parents returned home. However, the parents left again for the evening at about six o clock because it was Catherine's sisters 30th birthday party, which was at their parents home in Tournai, a two hour drive away.
So the girls and I had a sleepover on Saturday night and I made dinner and they made dessert (chocolate fondue I was amazed they did it without blowing up something in the kitchen). Then we all watched Frozen in French! It was interesting for me to watch it in another language, especially because all the songs were different! But it was fun and it made the girls really tired, which was good because they went to bed really easily.
On Sunday, the parents came home around ten am and we all had breakfast. But then they were on the move again because they had to go and vote. Elections are mandatory in Belgium, and all people over the age of 18 are required to vote. I can see there are lots of pros and cons with this.
After they voted, the parents had a communion for the daughter of a friend, so they didn't return home till the mid afternoon. When they did, we all spent the lovely sunny afternoon outside. The pool was opened for the first time, and the girls jumped in. I just sat on the edge and hung my feet in the water and enjoyed the sun for a while. After resting I spent about an hour doing garden work. Voluntarily, they didn't ask or expect me to, but I like working in the garden. It's very meditative and calming to be outside and work with the earth. I had tons of very important thoughts swirling around in my head and this helped me to figure them all out and come to some decisions.
Being outside with the family made me feel almost as if I was at home with my own family in the summer time. The dad was tinkering with all kinds of projects around the yard, like my own dad would. The mother was playing in the garden like my mom would do. And the girls were running around playing like my sister and I would when we were that age. The only thing that has changed now is that my sister and I would probably have our feet up on the patio enjoying ice cold beers. You would think this would have made me home sick, but it actually made me feel comforted. I was once again reminded of just how small the world really is, and how even though we are all so different, in the end we are all somehow the same.
As dinner approached, we all made personal homemade pizzas. They were delicious. After dinner we all watched some tv together for a while. This was a first, since they don't really watch a lot of tv, but it was nice. Shortly after 9pm, we put the girls to bed.
Now we get to the fun part. Please note the sarcasm here. After the girls were in bed, I had to talk to the parents about some important things.
As some of you may or may not know, my boyfriend, Brent, was offered an amazing opportunity for a fully funded phd program and teaching assistantship at Florida State University for this coming fall. I could not be more proud of him. However, this means that we will be moving together to Tallahassee on August 1st. It's a very exciting and yet very stressful process, since planning to move and work in a different state than your home state while you are in another country is not easy!
Of course, with this new development and beginning has to come an ending here in Belgium. So I knew that I had to talk to the parents as soon as I got the courage to tell them that I would need to leave here in July.
So, with butterflies of steel scraping around my stomach, I sat them down in their office to have a talk with them about everything. It went well, overall, despite a few awkward and uncomfortable moments. But I suppose this is to be expected. They said I have to do what is best for me and begin living my life. So I was grateful that they were understanding.
The only bad part will be telling the girls. I know they will be sad and I will be sad to leave them, too. Although there have been ups and downs they really are great kids. I will miss them when I leave.
Now for some good news! So here is the game plan: I will leave Belgium on July 1st and meet Brent in Amsterdam. From there, we will fly together to Croatia to meet his sister for a week long vacation! I am very excited. It is supposed to be a beautiful country, especially in the summer. After the vacation, I will fly back home to the United States, sometime in the second week of July. Then I will have a few weeks to unpack and repack and see friends and family before Brent and I move down to Florida on the 1st.
Are you still with me? Thanks for sticking it out through this long post!
Today, Monday, I went for a run and then made lunch for the girls (chili con carne) and then after I dropped them back off at school I went to my friend Lora's house for lunch and coffee/pastries. She is Bulgarian and I met her in my French class. She is so kind and I am so glad I met her. Just when I am starting to make friends here, I will have to leave in just about a month. Isn't that always how life goes?
But I am excited that even though it will be chaotic leading up to the move to Florida, that come August Brent and I will finally be living together in a stable arrangement for quite some time. It will be nice to finally have some stability.
This week is a short one. I will leave on the train early Thursday morning to meet Brent in Brussels! We will spend two days there, and then spend two days in Bruges! I am super excited :)
Till next time,
XOXO
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