sweet, snowy vacation

Hello Everyone!!

I am currently suffering from cabin fever.
This is the most snow that Belgium has ever received since 1970. I wish this was a joke... but it is not. My family here keeps saying it is because I came and I love snow way too much that is record breaking amount of snow comes this year. This is a good possibility for the massive amount of snow. Like honestly, I have never seen so much snow in my entire life. I love it! Although I am kind of upset with it since I'm snowed into my house and I really wanted to go into town to celebrate the end of finals with my school friends. Oh well. The buses aren't in service (a big deal) so I can't get in. Blah! That is fine. I would rather be stuck in a warm house than in a cold bus on the side of the road because of the snow and ice.
I wish I could stop talking about how this snow is so epic... but it really is. For everyone! Not just me! Yesterday, I built my first snowman (bonhomme de neige) here. He was so cute! He had a little old man hat and a little scarf. And for the first time, I actually used charcoal for his eyes and mouth and a real carrot for his nose. I loved him and during the night the snow pretty much covered him up... but he is still there :) I got a package from my mom just in time for the massive amount of snow. In it was lots of hats, scarves, and mittens... thank goodness. Apparently my apparel for the snow was not cool! North Face is not popular here at all... so I really needed to get hip, new, and warm things. Thanks mommy ... I mean Santa :) It is weird that I will be moving in 2 days and that Christmas is in 5 days! For some reason... even with all the snow and decorations... it doesn't feel like Christmas for me. I would like to give you a better reason than that my real family is not with me...but I think that is the reason it doesn't really feel like Christmas for me. Maybe within the next 5 days it will get better... or on the day? I'm not homesick ... at all. It is just more of ... "Oh? It is Christmas already?" feeling.


So now my weeeeeek. Woo!
I was supposed to have a final in Science Sociales (psychology). Keep in mind I actually studied for this final which I thought was on Tuesday. Like - legit studying for hours, reading, and looking up all the big words I didn't understand. It was really productive and I was so proud of myself for actually putting in effort since my brain doesn't remember how to study anymore.
So then on Tuesday, I get to school and I don't see any of my classmates but I run into my teacher and I ask her where the room for the final is ... she just looks at me and is like, "Mallory, the final is Thursday...?" She said this in French obviously but then tried to say it in English because I looked so confused. But no. I understood but I didn't understand how stupid I could be! In that quick moment I realized I had German today... not Science Sociales. I didn't study a single thing for German because I thought I had all Wednesday to do that. So, I ran around like a headless chicken to find my German teacher so I could explain how I'm a stupid exchange student who doesn't understand schedules. He was understanding and let me take it on Thursday after my Science Sociales test. Thank goodness. Not that an extra 2 days really helped me with my German test... I am such a failure when it comes to German. The only way I might have passed the test was because when I listen to it I can comprehend enough since all the nouns in German are exactly the same in English - just spelled all weird. So ya... Welcome to my life. I'm so stupid sometimes it is hilarious. At least I laugh at myself... right?
After this classic Mallory Moment, I just went home and did exercises on YouTube to learn some German. Successful? Let's just say the most advanced I got what learning numbers. Then after a few hours at home I had to go to a Rotary Meeting in Liege at noon. This was a special meeting because my oldie (called this because she was here for 6 months when I arrived - thus I'm her newie... along with Jerry from Texas.... since we are all in the same club) Matilda, from Austrailia, is leaving in January and was presenting her year to our Rotary Club. So this was my chance also to present the powerpoint that I have had since 3 months ago. This is the same powerpoint that I had to do instead of going to the sea with my family on the last sunny day... Rotary is a bit annoying in this department I must say. Well, since I of course didn't update it it was just over my old life in Kansas City and those things. So, compared to Matilda's amazing powerpoint filled with all the amazing things she did this year - mine was a failure. I have only been here for 4 months... so I at least had this excuse for why my presentation was "not fully developed" and I have to do another one in the summer before I leave - along with Jerry. My presentation was okay... I did it all in French - with some mistakes. I have trouble with public speaking... so I was proud of myself to do a speech and to do it in French! Yay me! Like my blazer? I am kind of more proud of my blazer fill-up success than my French speech...is that bad?

Wednesday I didn't have any finals so I slept until noon and just went into town with some friends ... :) I had a lot of fun. I was home by dinner and in time to put in a little more studying for my 2 finals the next day.

Thursday I finally had the Sciences Sociales test (for 2 hours). I think I did pretty well. I wasn't the last one finished - or the first. I felt like I wrote well in French and understood all the questions and stuff. We will see. It is cool to actually do well on a test in another language... I don't know how to explain it. But I was just really proud of myself. Science Sociales at my school is not an easy subject... and there is a lot of reading and just a lot of information to take in. I'm glad I put in an effort :) Then I had German, which was such a fail. Whatever... I tried my best :) After these finals, I happily went home and spent the rest of my day watching Gossip Girl online for a few hours. I have a problem... I know. But this is what I do. I work hard and then I have to escape and bring my brain back to mush so it doesn't self-combust. It was necessary for me to watch maybe 7 episodes in only a few hours. Necessity people!! Don't judge... just saving my brain. Must I go on my rant again about burning out and ruining my life?

Friday was Marge's 19th Birthdayyyy! And the day a lot of snow was falling! I slept until around noon again and then hopped a bus in time to make it into the city by 1. Marge's family had this great idea that Mollie and I would surprise her at her house at night along with her other friends and host family friends... so we told Marge we both couldn't do anything at night but we could hang out with her during the day (so it wouldn't be completely obvious). So we all hung out in the city just shopping around together and talking... Marge and I are going the same New Year's party so we went shopping for Black and Gold things. I bought a very cute dress that I can't wait to wear! I have had my eye on it since I found out what I was doing for New Years... and I finally got it! After this, we went to get tea at this environmentally friendly restaurant in town... and other exchange students met up with us. It was nice to just sit and chat together. After this we pushed Marge on to her bus and Mollie and high fived because we got through the day with only a few slip ups. Quite impressive for us :) Then we hung in town a bit longer then hopped on our own train headed for Marge's town and we were picked up by her parents. Some friends of Marge's from school came too and we all stood with candles in the dark at the bottom of the stairs waiting for her to descend... yes, like a cult. She was really surprised though and Mollie and I were greeted with, "You guys are so weird!" Successful night and we all enjoyed a nice fondu with friends and speaking French. So much fun :) I was happy we did something special for Marge and all got to be together!! Yay for moments like these that are never ending in this country I call Belgium.
That night we had fun and stayed up wayyyyy to late to function properly the next day. We are such girls.
The next day we slept in and Marge dragged Mollie and I out of bed to be productive. We went for a walk around the farm in the snow. It was amazinggg and so pretty. We took so many pictures and had so much fun just walking in the snow together.
I think on that walk, it finally hit me that I am in Belgium and this is my life and that these are the friends I would have never met if I didn't do this. I am so happy here and even though some things here really suck sometimes... I'm still disgustingly happy. I'm happy that I got up the balls to do this, I'm happy I have people that support me, I'm happy I have new friends that feel like old friends, I'm happy that I am completely myself here, I'm happy that the simplest things have become the best things, I'm happy that I'm in Belgium for a year, and I'm happy that I'm living my own life for maybe the first real time.

I'm disgustingly happy here. Check off the list of my goals this year.


All for now - must go eat lunch :) and possibly go for a little sledding with Larry and Lisa since the sun is out.

Mallory

I don't know the word "studying" in French.or English.

Bonjour!

All the snow has melted away... which is quite impressive considering how much there was! But no worries though... we are getting some this Wednesay. I still love it... but my feet are starting to not be so much of a fan. I bought new boots but they seem to be more for fashion than practicality... damn my girl instincts. Currently my right toes are numb... and considering that I was outside maybe 30 minutes ago, I think I have a problem. Super.

So finals have started here! Woo! Love finals! I love them sooo much!! Especially in French!

Sorry for that moment of insincerity... that is not at all how I feel at all. I mean it is not like I enjoyed finals at home or anything, but here I find it extra inconvient. I try so hard to study for Science Sociales and the complete Social Security System of Belgium explained in (only) 50 pagess and I try so hard to study verb congegations in German to even form a sentence ... but I just can't. Does this make me sound like a baby? I think I am one. My brain is in another mode and it is winning in the argument, "Should I study or not?". I have had this thought ever since I have been here that I will learn as I live type thing... like French will come to me through life and I'll learn at that pace. So, I think I have tried to apply this to other subjects I'm studying in school... which is not good. You know what my faithful followers... you can judge all you want. I have worked my little (big now) butt off since middle school and studied every single night while doing sports and working. I managed all these things while managing high grades and being a productive member of society without doing anything (too) horrible. And I'm tired and this is my year to actually live and be lazy and be happy and be me...and I'm okay with this. I mean... if you continue this way in life you sooner or later get really burnt out and maybe this burn out is at a horrible time in your life and ruins your life! I am just trying to save my life here.

While this was a mildly convincing declaration to not study and shows my rebeliousness (is this is a word?)... I am also a good student who trys their best (as the exchange student motto goes). After this blog update, I will go study for my Science Sociales exam tomorrow. I hate it how conflicting my morals are... and how easy it is for me not to study.

Now my week in a nutshell...:)

Tuesday was a normal Tuesday. I wrote an essay (for my English class but I wrote it in French) last week and I recieved a pretty decent grade. I was so happy and proud! 22/30! This sounds bad for my school in KC's standards but this is actually really good... nobody in the class got over 24... well besides Jerry who got a 26/30 when he wrote it in English. I was proud of my writing and the teacher was really impressed.

Wednesday was uneventful and a half day. I just went home and chilled. I am so cool. I know you are jealous. Again, should have been studying for my French exam the next day but I instead did other things. I'm a horrible person... I know.

Thursday was my French exam. My first one in Belgium! The teacher was really understanding of the exchange students and made us all a special exam. It had 3 articles from some newspapers in Belgium over the same topic but a different point of view for each one. We had to answer some factual questions and then write little short answers to a few questions asking our opinion on the article. The articles were about these 2 teenagers who robbed a jeweler and the jeweler killed one of the robbers (who was 16) in self defense. It was a really big deal because the jeweler wasn't getting tried for murdering a 16 year old. So one article was saying how the 16 year old was a good kid, and then antoher on how the jeweler doesn't have to be tried for self defense. So being a good American, I defended self defense in one of my short answers ... which might have turned into a short essay. I think I did okay... it wasn't too hard for me. It was something I have done before at my old high school. The others used a dictionary but I didn't... this may be something to brag about if I did well. But we shall see.

Friday I didn't have school. The math exam was that day... and since that is the one class I literally don't understand anything... I exempted myself from that little joy of a test. It is weird because I used to like Math (if I was at the right level) since it is the same language all over the world. But let me tell you something - that is a lie. It is not the same! So instead of exercising a different part of my brain, I slept in until noon. High five! Then in the afternoon, I met up with some friends in town and just chilled. It was fun to just hang out and enjoy the marche de noel with friends :) It wasn't anything crazy but it was still great. I laughed a lot. Mollie (from Kansas) came home with me and I had my first sleepover at my house! Epic! We had so much fun :) We just chilled in my room on the computer doing stupid stuff and attempted to watch a movie. This was an epic fail... but it was fun still for the little part we did get to see. I was excited to have somebody stay at my house since for the past 4 months (officially 4 months tomorrow) I haven't had anyone really over. I was glad it was Mollie :)

Saturday, we slept in until like 10 and then Mollie had to go to the train station at noon. I did a bit of studying (or atleast attempted) and then Larry came home with the Christmas tree! A real one! It was perfect and so pretty :) We decorated the house and I helped decorate the tree. It was a cute bonding moment. Christmas is not so much about the gifts here but more about family... not saying that it is not like that in the states but the kids all receive big gifts on December 6th or January 6th (day of the 3 magis who visited Jesus) here instead of on the 25th. I think that is cool. The house looks so festive now and everytime I see the tree I smile. It is just so cute! It looks fabulous in the light or in the dark... that says something. That night I stayed in and had a very French meal with the family. What does that mean you ask? That means my friends that I enjoyed FROG LEGS. Yes! Everyone was right... they do taste like chicken! But I must add that they have the consistancy of fish. I helped Larry make them and I couldn't stop laughing. They looked like little people legs with a butt and everything! It was just really funny to me and I enjoyed taking lots of pictures. I liked them... but I couldnt eat them often or anything. They are very unique :) Just another experience under the belt!

Sunday was pretty uneventful... besides my failure to study. Blahhhh... whatever. Last night we roasted marshmallows and watched all the big series here (Desperate Housewives is kind of a big deal). It was fun to roast marshmallows in the fireplace and eat so many you feel sick :)

Today, I had my English exam but I took it in French. Without a dictionary again. There was a listening section and then the other part was writing an essay. The essay part was surprisingly easy and I was one of the first one finished... even when I wrote it in French. I am starting to wonder if this was a bad thing or a good thing to be finished so early. The listening part was just really confusing. I had no idea what was really going on... but I found out it was linked to a text they had to read and that that might be why I was really confused. I am pretty sure I failed this part of the test - which is pathetic since all the listening was in English. More funny though... I am currently laughing out loud at how lost I was in and English listening test. My only excuse is that the guy had an Irish accent... haha

All for now :)

Talk to you soon! Wish me luck on my exams... half way done!

SNOW...and other winter delights

SNOW SNOW SNOW

so much snowwww... and I love it way too much.
Happy St. Nicholas! December 6th. This is probably bigger than Christmas here - atleast for the kids. St. Nicholas is only celebrated in the Flemish, Northern countries of Europe though - which Belgium, being a bit of every culture, fits into this category. (France doesn't celebrate St. Nicholas) So anyways - the children put out their shoes the night before and St. Nicholas comes and brings them little games or chocolates or Speculoos for
being good all year. It is a big deal. It is also a big deal for the college kids here... as in another reason to throw a huge party. It is a tradition for all the college kids to wear white jackets (like butcher's jackets) and cover them in marker and such. They stand in intersections or really anywhere public collecting money
( pocket change)... for beer. This sounds weird - but it is true. When they don't receive money (as in coins) they throw flour and sometimes eggs - normally kids younger than them. Everybody older though gives them their change because they remember when they were young and did the same thing. So for the past month, these crazy, college kids have been running around collecting money for a huge party where they buy beer with the donated money. It's crazy. Today, my school was swarmed by past students now in college celebrating St. Nick's in their colorful smocks. I was a good girl and gave money to my brother (Francois - who goes to the University of Liege) and his friends celebrating. It was funny because it really isn't for the coins but just the tradition... it sounds weird but everyone (even the kids who get hit with flour) look forward to it. It is especially unique here in Belgium how they celebrate St. Nick's so I was glad I could experience it.
Yesterday, I came home to a nice little gift from my family - I mean St. Nicholas. It was lots of chocolate and even a little pocket money. It was so cute and it made me smile :) I totally forgot and it was an extra special surprise for me.

Saturday, I went to Margaret's house and yesterday I don't think it stopped snowing all day. Hard core snowing - let me clarify. Marge and I just sat there in awe and then decided to go sledding (on a piece of wood and half a shovel). That was an epic fail but it was fun just walking around in the massive snowflakes and talking. We didn't build a snowman though! Missouri has its fair amount of snow but I have never seen anything like this. Everybody here is kind of in shock too... I guess it hasn't snowed like this in 15 years!! Nobody knows what to do with themselves... this is not an over-exaggeration ladies and gentleman. I felt so bad because Larry was supposed to come get me at Marge's at like one in the afternoon and he got stuck in the snow and had to walk home from the highway. So much for a nice, relaxing Sunday for him! I ended getting picked up at 8 - so Marge and I pretty much had a whole other day to hang out. It was so much fun! I know you are all waiting in suspense to know if I actually got to see one of the sixty cows... dramatic pause... yes, my faithful followers I did get to see the cows. AND pet them. AND feed them. AND ride one. For a lack of a better saying, I was all smiles. Marge and I got to feed them the morning meal and then we petted them....for some reason I didn't realize how big the heads actually are on a full grown cow. They are kind of massive. The little babies were so cute!! Then Benoit (Marge's host dad) let me sit on one! I was in shock to actually be sitting on one and it felt so weird... the poor cow. After this little excitement of my life, we went on a tracker ride along with Benoit to help shovel the snow. I even got to drive it - as in sit there and hold the steering wheel as if I really had control.... but still. Kind of epic in my book. Marge and I got in the little shovel thing and Benoit lifted it up so high - like to the second story! It was so cool to see so far while all the snow was falling around us. After this little adventure Marge and I made a cake - without a recipe, which I guess is really hard to do successfully. Everyone loved it and I might have taken a piece home with me and currently be eating it in memory of my great weekend.
Margaret is going to University of Arkansas, like me. It kind of official that we will be rooming together next year. It was so cute because - after we were done baking, playing with the cows, and playing in the snow - Marge decided to be productive and do homework. We were both just chilling in her room listening to music and talking about random things every once in awhile... then it both hit us this is what college is going to be like. Her working on homework- but actually on Facebook- and me not even pretending to be working on homework but on Facebook. :)
Then around 8, Larry was able to defeat the snowy roads and come get me. It was sad leaving since all day Marge and I thought we would be having another sleepover but... Another time :) This next time Mollie will be with us!! We missed her so much :(

Ok - this is really out of order and I kind of did it backwards today but I really don't care. Now my week in a nutshell :)
Tuesday was really nothing special. The only interesting thing that happened was that the teachers went on strike because their salary was cut. All the Belgian teachers salaries have been cut... so they went on strike. A strike like this would never happen in the states. So I guess it was a cultural moment for me... and a free hour to play new card games with friends :) Then after school, I went to my French classes.
Wednesday (My Mommy's Birthdayyy) I went to Aachen, Germany with Rotary. They had this cute little Christmas Market (Marche de Noel) and it was full of all these Christmasy things. I have never been so cold in my entire life though...ugh... like seriously. I was on the brink of crying maybe 5 times. It was painful. Nobody was really well prepared for this little temperature drop since we were all at school, and thus it was worse. I forgot my scarf and mittens and that was the stupidest thing ever. Neither hot chocolate nor hot wine could get me warmed up... we kept stopping in random shops to try to get rid of the numbness - that was a lost cause. Cold here is different than where I am from. It is much more wet than dry and thus bone-chilling. My body is so not used to it - but it has another 3 months to get used to it! I love the winter ... but this is taking some getting used to. Germany looked a lot like the north of Belgium... which I kind of like a lot. Very clean and proper ... but old and yet new at the same time. It was so funny because when my friend was taking a picture of me this random German lady came up to me like she knew me and posed for the picture - it was kind of awesome. Best part of the day.
Thursday was not very exciting either. A lot of my teachers were sick (not sure if this was in relation to the strike earlier in the week) and thus I had like 4 hours free during the middle of the day. I decided to go home and catch up with things then I came back for the last 2 classes. That sounds bad - but that is my attitude during the end of the week. It was relaxing to go home for a few hours then go back to school... then french class.
Friday was again full of free hours since some finals started on this day. Instead of going home during my 4 hours free, I went to the shopping mall with my friends. We went shopping for things to wear for the huge New Year's party. The theme is Black and Gold - thus I had to get some gold accessories. It was fun to hang out with my new friends - are they still considered new? I felt so Belge :) It made me happy. Then after school, I went to the city with my exchange student friends. I didn't stay out late since it was freezing and I wanted to chill with my family since I wouldn't be there Saturday night. Not very exciting - but most of the Belgians are studying on the weekends because finals are coming up. I actually just found out today that I have a French final this Thursday. I should probably be doing that (since that is what I told my family I'm doing right now) but instead I have decided to dedicate this time to updating my faithful followers. I think the word for that is dedication? Yes, yes it is. Or is it procrastination?
Hmmm... I'll ponder on this as I eat my St. Nicholas chocolate. (Don't even ask how my weight loss is coming along.)

Oh and I officially move on the 22nd of December to my new family :)

All for now :)
Stay warm - and if you are in a warm climate this lovely winter... love it for me

thanksgiving and snow

Gobble Gobble Gobble!!

My first, big, American holiday that I missed - not so much missed but more as just experienced it a different way :)

Thanksgiving started a bit slow. I went to school and was telling everyone "Happy Thanksgiving" with the daily bisous... and of course got the weird looks. Everyone was a bit confused what it was. The first thing everyone said was, "Oh! Right! The American Christmas, right?" and I would have to correct them and say, "Nooo we celebrate Christmas also". Then after this was cleared up I was asked if we got presents as a celebration.... and again I had to say "Noooo" Thanksgiving is just about saying thank you and being thankful like the pilgrims were. I think by the end of they day everyone had gotten down that Thanksgiving is just a big, family meal with a football game and parade (to spice things up) and by the end of the day I had also gotten down the word for pilgrim! Score! After school I had my French course and I spent the time in between school and the class talking to my friends from home on the phone for my Thanksgiving "present". Which was nice :) I got home around 8:30 and I went into the dining room and realized that my family had made me a special, Thanksgiving dinner. I was sooo happy! Right when I was realizing this out it started snowing! The first snow of the season!! It was such perfect timing - just like the movies! (I love love love snow!) It was a good dinner complete with all the American traditions and I was very thankful that my family thought about me and went out of their way to do something special. After dinner, I skyped my grandparents who were staying at my house in KC. It was cute to skype them and say a little hello. They didn't quite understand that they could talk to me for more than 2 minutes, but it was still good! I'm glad I got to "see" them and my parents on Thanksgiving.

Friday I was still really happy and was so smiley from the night before. It snowed that morning, so I was even more happy! Everyone at school was like, "Do you not have snow in Missouri or something?". It was funny because everyone kinda hates the cold weather here so nobody really gets why I like it... but that doesn't stop me:) After school, I hung out with some friends in town and then came home for dinner with my family. When dinner was finished, I went to this party that 'Scouts' was having for Christmas in my neighborhood. Scouts - pronounced Scoots - here are kind of a big deal and cool if you are involved in it while you are in high school and is pretty much like Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts but combined. A lot of my friends from school do Scouts so it was fun to hang out with them and try my first hot wine! I didn't really like it but I HAD to taste it ;)
Saturday was sooooo much fun. I met Mollie (from Kansas) at the trainstation around 2:30 and my parents drove us out to Margaret's farm. Yes, FARM. WITH 60 COWS. Not only was I beyond happy to be spending time with my new besties but I also got to be on a farm. Sadly, I must report that I didn't meet a single cow or see one. We didn't have any time! We didn't have any time because Margaret's family was throwing a huge, Thanksgiving dinner party for 25 people. And we (as in Margaret, Jordan, and Mollie) were in charge of making pretty much everything for the dinner. Quick pause to explain who Jordan is - Jordan is a friend of Marge's from St. Louis who is doing a Rotary Exchange in Germany and wanted to spend a few days in Belgium. I don't think I spent more than 10 minutes with this girl before all 4 of us were like best friends. I think this is an exchange student thing - we all have each others backs and even though we hardly know each other we already have so many things in common with one another for even doing an exchange for a year - so we all just clicked. It is an unspeakable bond that you just have with another exchange student and you just get each other. I like that. But so back to the dinner party! "We" made a huge dinner and only had one turkey for everyone - but it turned out to be just the right amount. Everyone was so nice to us and I was so happy to be around my good friends and such a loving Belgian family. Before dinner, everybody gathered in the kitchen and listened to Marge (in perfect french - jealouss) explain Thanksgiving and we all went around and said what we were thankful for - in whatever language worked best. It was like the scene from one of my favorite book's Eat, Pray, Love. I think I may have teared up a bit... ok...I did. It is the things like this why I love Belgium so much. The dinner was amazing and everybody loved it - especially the gravy (totally stirred this and added the flour!). After dinner, we all played Pictionary and it was soooo funny! There were also 2 Rotary Exchange students from Taiwon at the party and so with every drawing that was revealed we would translate the word from French into English, German, and Chinese. Such a cultural bonding experience :) I drew a cow (une vache, eine Kuh, 一牛) . Surprised? Pictionary finished around 1 AM and then all four of us slept in Marge's room and just talked... it was nice to just talk and find out more little things about each other.
Sunday was just as good! We got up around 9:30 to drive to Vise for a Rotary Event called "Exotic Dinner". This is where you get in a group with other exchange students from your country and make a traditional dish (conveniently this event is during the week of Thanksgiving so the Americans don't have to think too hard) and then everybody brings it to this huge gym area. Our parents came and we got to enjoy every country's special food! It was really easy for Mollie, Marge, and I because we just brought leftovers from our dinner the night before (cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes). I have to admit that I was a bit embarrassed to be from USA with the disgusting amount of peanut-butter sandwiches that too many people made. Most of the Belgians hate peanut butter, so that was just too many sandwiches gone to waste. It was fun to taste all the different cultures and I also got to see people I hadn't seen since the last big Rotary event. I was all smiles once again. My second host family (the Brans Family) came along with my current host family and I was so surprised to see them! I thought maybe Marta had told me they were coming but I forgot but no! it was supposed to be a surprise - and I was happy to spend time with them :) I hadn't seen them since we went to FantasiaLand in the beginning of September! We finally have figured out a moving time for me... and it looks like I will be spending Christmas with the Bran's family and then actually moving moving after Christmas but before the New Years. I am excited ... not to be leaving my family I am with now but because it will be another new experience. It will be weird living with two teenage boys but I think it will be really fun at the same time. Every day at school, Benoit asks me when I will be coming to stay with him and today we actually both knew the answer!

The first week of January, I'm going on a school trip to the French Alps and skiing with all my new friends - I'm really really excitedddd! And the New Year should be a blast also! I have so many things I'm looking forward to now :) but I'm still enjoying now too! Promise :)

Today was alright - typical Monday. Wore a dress, but it didn't really help today. It is hard getting up and getting in a good mood when it is dark outside and pretty much dark when you come home from school at 4. So... ya. But today it snowed and I think it started just about when I got off the bus and embarked on my 15 minute walk home from school- in a dress. Even though I think I was numb all over ... it was so pretty! Snow Snow Snow :) Everyone else can hate it while I love it. Fine with me.
Wednesday I'm going to Aachen (which I just found out is Aix-la-Chapelle in French, not a different town) with Rotary to enjoy the Marche de Noel - the Christmas Market. Liege has a Christmas market too... I think every major city in Europe has one. They just have little shops with Christmasy things, hot wine, and possibly a skating rink or something like that. I'm excited to go to Germany! The last time I was in Germany it was warm and I was riding roller coasters with The Bran's Family... that seems like yesterday.

Oh! And Margaret's family let me take some fresh, cow milk home with me (mind you in an empty plastic coke bottle - classy) and I have been enjoying that! Even though I think it creeps out my family a bit. I love milk :) Andddd Sion (my high school in KC) sent me a little goody box in the mail for my exams - which this year will be an epic fail - and an invitation to a reunion at the school in January - that was nice but none of the things really applied to me in the box beside the food they sent. Story of my life. It was still a nice thought and I actually impressed Sion sent me something! I appreciated it and kind of made me wish I could go to the reunion for just a few hours and then come back to my life here. But nope. Won't be home until mid July and I could not be happier :)

I had a great weekend and hope this week I can keep the good vibes going :)

All for now!

Listen to the Music

Hello Everyone :)

I am currently listening to "Listen to the Music" by the Doobie Brothers. I was going to copy the lyrics on hear and psycho analyze the verses for everyone but then I realized that my posts are way too long as is and that everyone would much rather read a hippy paragraph on my obsession with music these days...

Oh, oh, listen to the music. This is my life now. All I do is listen to the music and let it flow... wherever I am. It is not always on my iPod but sometimes to the music of Liege, or the music of speaking and listening to French, or the music of the busy rush in the morning halls at my school, or the music of my family here, or the music of laughter, or the music of the crowded bus, or the music of finally having a moment alone, or the music of the sun finally shining here. It is everything in my life that is flowing and I finally feel like I'm flowing with it. That might be a bit too deep for my faithful followers... but these are my thoughts. I have been here for over 3 months now and I finally feel like I am going with the flow of things - more than anytime in my life. Stress and my brain have always gotten the best of me - and they still do from time to time - but I am not letting them stop me from listening to the music...

Like a lazy flowing river

Surrounding castles in the sky

And the crowd is growing bigger

List'nin for the happy sounds

And I got to let them fly

That was a bit deep but take it as you may.

Now about my week :) I had a pretty good week!!
Mondays are always dreaded by me - so I had to wear a pretty dress to make me happier this Monday. It worked and it was actually a good day and not as bad as normal Mondays are :) I also went for a nice run after school and felt really good about myself. My rapid weight gain has become the Debbie Downer of this dream I'm living so I am finally doing something about it. Especially now that I have energy to go on runs!!

Tuesday was good! I had a lot of free hours during school so I just chilled with friends and got caught up with all that went down this past weekend (I feel like the school I'm at here has more drama than my all-girls school in KC - which is an epic statement). I ended early and went home for a quick run then shower and went back into the city at 6 for my French class at the University - and yes, this class is still very easy but it is too late now for me to swtich and it is over in December sooooo ya.

Wednesday was a short day and after school I hung out with some Rotary friends. It was just a few of us and only for awhile because we all had to go home and get ready for the Opera that night. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Mallory goes to Operas in Belgium. Doesn't that sound so classy? I guess I'm turning into quite the little, cultured American over here. Despite the slight disappointment in not being able to wear my dress I planned on wearing (must we get into the details of why?) it was a fun night and quite an experience!! I read the plot details of the play (La Boheme) before I saw it - thanks to Marta - so I kinda had an idea of what was going on. I was so impressed that these people could sing so well and loud for so long! It was much shorter than I thought it was going to be - atleast it felt like it. Which is a good thing that it went faster than one might think an Opera would be. But I got to see everyone from Rotary I haven't seen in awhile so that was good to catch up in our fancy outfits. It was quite an experience but I think I prefer musicals to operas still...

Thursday was another good day. When I first arrived in Belgium one of my English teachers wanted me to help him in the Language Center like once a week and ofcourse I agreed to it half out of confusion. This Thursday was finally the day that it actually happened! We had a meeting place and the kids from the English classes could come and just eat lunch with me and speak in English (without a teacher correcting them). I thought nobody would come - I mean I wouldn't back in the states. But like 20 kids came and we just sat in a circle eating our lunches while they asked me questions. It was so much fun - but I think I was talking too fast sometimes. It was cute because most of the kids who don't participate in class were talking to me and were so proud when they formed the right words together for a question. It made me smile and happy to be listened to. It was nice to switch roles with my classmates and have them understand how hard it is to have a conversation in the real world. One girl came up to me and was like, "That was exhausting to be in your world for an hour!" I was like, "Yes, yes it is very exhaustinggg!"

Friday was pretty chill. After school, I just came straight home because I wanted to chill with my family since I would be gone all Saturday and Saturday night. I skyped my friends back home and just hung out with the family :) It was a nice relaxing night after a good week.

Saturday I got up nice and early (for a Saturday morning) and went to the trainstation in Liege to meet my besties Margaret and Mollie. We have been planning this little get together since our days in London - so it was kinda a big deal. Mollie's dad picked us up and we went shopping for dinner - our taco dinner we wanted to make for the family (big success - who doesn't like tacos?). Then after the shopping trip, we just went back to Mollie's house and hung out for a bit then went for a run through her neighborhood. It was such a pretty day and the sun was out, so the run was not bad at all... we saw this cute, fluffy dog with a bagette in it's mouth. So French. After the run, we just hung out on facebook stalking people and just catching up. Then the bonding moment with cooking dinner started soon after- which I must say I really just obeyed stirring and adding directions from Margaret. I really am so worthless in the kitchen - it is a serious defect of mine. We (as in Margaret and Mollie) also made chocolate cake! Then we watched "The Chorist" - in french - which really was so good. Then after dinner we played SingStar (not PingStar) which was absolutely hilarioussss and then again just hung out and talked. I think I could talk to these girls for days... it is the weirdest thing - but I love it. We all get along so well. Marta asked me today if we fought since 3 girls around each other too much is sometimes a bad thing and I was like no? We all three are so compatible, different, and yet the same.

I hope I get to see my K-MO girls next weekend!!

Today, I was back at Liege around 10 and went home to eat breakfast with the fam. Sunday breakfasts at my house are kind of a big deal. Lisa and I love them. Larry ges pastries from the local patisserie - sooo good. Then I always enjoy putting jam on my crispy croissant and drinking my coffee. After this I went for a run - the sun has been out quite a lot this weekend! Have to take advantage of it! Then I came back and just worked on this blog post (you guys don't even know how long it takes me to compose one post). Then we took a little Sunday trip to Verviers (about 20 minutes from Liege) to see this small, chocolate festival! I have never been to a chocolate festival so ofcourse my mouth was open the entire time we were there. They had these crazy sculptures of chocolate and all these weird things. It was sooo crowded also. People get pushy around chocolate!! We didn't even leave with any chocolate - just candy sorts of things. Which is fine with me :) Dessert tonight is going to be good!!

All for now :)

Mallory

Cambridge

These past few days were so nice - despite it being very cold in England!! I'm so happy I got to spend time with my real family and I'm also happy to get back to my routine here in Belgium...

Let me just take a moment to brag about myself and my success with country hopping alone - pause for recognition....Okay - it is really not a big deal but I'm just very happy with myself that I managed to do it rather stress free and without getting on the wrong train. High Five! I took the bus (with two rather large shoulder bags) during morning rush-hour to the train station in Liege and then I took the train to Brussels then hopped on the Eurostar. In an hour and 55 minutes I was in London (much better than the 9 hour bus ride with Rotary) and found Myme... I mean my Great Aunt ;)... pretty easily! We decided to just go to the house instead of heading into London since I might have overpacked a bit and for some reason thought that there would be a car... but it worked out fine and we just chilled at the house until the boys got home. It was cool to meet Zachary and Noah again since the last time I saw them they were so young! They are the sweetest little boys and I think I could listen to their litte, British accents all day! Little Noah is the cutest thing and the whole time I was there he would want me to read him a story at night and would come up and hug me during the day. We are besties :) Zachary and I got along well also!
That night I enjoyed Fish & Chips and a nice, huge glass of milk... :) I think I drank 2 gallons in 4 days. My stomach was really confused after not having milk (like this) in 3 months... confused but happy! My stomach was so happy when it was re-introduced to Myme's sour cream and onion dip. No words can express how much I love this dip... OH and homemade turtles!! I have yet to share them with anyone in Belgium ... SHH! Let's just say that it was a good 4 days of eating for me. I also got to enjoy playing a wonderful, family custom of ours - DOMINOS (mexican style). I lovee this game and it made me so happy to play - even if it wasn't for a dollar ... or should I say a 'pound'.

On Wednesday, it was Zachary's 11th birthday so I got up early to watch him open his birthday presents. He got this intense, lego thing that you can build robots and control them via the internet and all these crazy things - it was beyond my intelligence level. He loved it though!! Then that day, we (Louise, Myme and I) went on a double-decker bus tour of Cambridge. It reminded me so much of my friend's (Hayden's) double-decker that I pretty much grew up on and always enjoyed on St. Patrick's Day... good memories. We sat on the top and got a crazy, good view of the town. I learned so much about the city and how it really is not considered a city because it doesn't have a Cathedrale. I had no idea that so many intelligent people went to Cambridge... around 60 Noble Peace Prize winners graduated from one of Cambridge's colleges. That is crazy!! I was impressed - for a lack of an intelligent word. I also learned what "punting" is... which Cambridge is apparently known for but I have never heard of it in my life. It is like those boats in Venice that the guys stand on and push it with a stick - but Chris told me it is not like this at all. It is not a competition but just for fun. Then that night we had enchiladas for Zachary's birthday :)
Thursday was really fun also. Louise, Myme, and I went to Ely Cathedrale - about 20 minutes away from Cambridge. It was such a cool church and had so many chapels!! I enjoyed walking around and reading all the little plaques about whose tomb was whose... which there were also a lot of. I bought little christmas cards and a christmasy candle holder for Marta (she loved it) at the gift shop there - all of us ended up buying something from Ely Cathedrale ... it was funny. When we got home we had clotted cream (not curdled!!) , jam (not jelly!!), and scones. This was a religious experience for me but came to a sweet halt when I realized how many calories per teaspoon there was in curdled cream!! I feel that with my constant talking of food in this blog it is redundant for me to update everyone on my progressive weight gain... which is almost amazing. I will stop eating tomorrow... that is what I said after my first kilo!! Anyways ... that night I went to the local pub with Chris. It was fun to just chill and enjoy a cold beer or two... :)
Friday was a good day too! We went to this new sushi bar in Cambridge that had the plates on a belt thing (don't remember the word) and they went past all the tables in the restaurant. You just grab the thing you want and they charge you at the end based on the color of your plate. I was soo happy to finally eat sushi and it was such a cool restaurant. Myme and I stole the menu and I am going to pin it on my blazer - it was that epic. Then pretty much all day we went shopping. I bought way too many things and Myme bought me a new pair of boots :) I love them!! It was a fun day.
Saturday was one of the longest days of my life. I woke up at 7 in the morning and I went with Louise and Chris to London. We went to Harrod's. Which is amazing. I don' t know what I was expecting but it was nothing what I thought it was going to be! It was crazy big and crazy ritzy and crazy amazing!! I think my mouth was open the entire time we were walking through... especially when we got to the food courts. Chris bought me a cute, little cupcake. It was lemon and was beyond amazing when we ate them in the busy train station. It made me happy :) Funny story and your Mallory Moment - I wante to take a picture with the Harrod's door holder. Which I think I asked him in the most awkward way and didn't know how close to get to him and if we should make small chat. All in all it was beyond awkward and when the picture was taken I pretty much bolted with Louise. Halfway down the block, I realize that the picture didn't save so I had to go back and get another awkward picture with him. I couldn't stop laughing and I'm sure the doorman thought I had a problem or was just another stupid American. Classic.

I got on the Eurostar at 1 and was back in Liege at 6. Just in time to go straight to Larry's dad's birthday party... which lasted until 2 am. (Welcome to Belgium.) It was a nice re-introduction to french though!! It was a huge meal - complete with 3 appetizers and a 4 course meal and 3 different types of wine. It was really sweet of them because they had turkey as the main dish - so it was like my thanksgiving here :) I was happy that they thought about me. I was sooo tired though when we got home at 3 am...

got up today at noon and helped out with the raking. It was sad to rake up all the leaves that I loved so much... :/ but a new season is on the way! Hello Winter!
All for now

Cheers

Fell in love

LONDON LONDON LONDON

:)

I can't even describe how much fun I had... :) It was seriously some of the best 3 days of my life. I will never forget these memories

Now... to share with you a bit. Which I feel will be nothing compared to living it and being there but I will try my best.

So my Thursday started off with me getting up at 5 AM to go catch a train to Namur where everyone from Rotary was catching the bus (yes - a bus. I detest buses). We drove From Namur to Calais, France - where we caught a ferry to Dover, Enlgand. There were about 60 Rotary Students from all over Belgium and the whole trip was organized by Rotexs (which are "kids" who have already done a year abroad and live in Belgium and are normally 20ish) The ferry was really fun. It turned out to be a sunny day so we all just hung out on the deck and it was so windy - it was somewhat ridiculous. After about an hour of getting our hair tossed by the English Channel, everyone went inside and pretty much just sat there out of exhaustion. It was so nice to get off the boat!! Then when we were in Dover we drove about an hour or two to Canterbury. The famous Canterbury Church was epic - we had these hearing tour guides that I actually enjoyed. Which I guess nobody is surprised about that - I have read (and sung - shout out to my AP English class junior year) so many things on Canterbury it was nice to actually be there. It was impressive. Then we had free time to just wander the city - it was so tiny but cute! The typical English town :) Around mid-afternoon we hopped back on the nasty bus and were in London in time for dinner. With the weird time change here, it gets dark around 4 so it was already dark in London around then and everything was all lit up and pretty! It was a nice introduction to the city when you saw Big Ben all lit up and reflecting off the Thames River. We were starving so a group of 7 of us headed into the city with our 10 pounds and found a cute, little restaurant off the main road. It served English Breakfast all day so we went in and enjoyed ordering in English (felt weird - I must admit that I continued to accidently say "merci") and eating beans, sunny-side up eggs, toast, sausage, bacon, french fries, and milk for dinner!! Then we drove to our hotel - which was 30 mins from the city - and everyone pretty much crashed. I had the best roommates :) I think we may have all three been separated at birth. We are all from the same area in the States - Mollie from Manhattan, KS, Me from Kansas City, MO, and Margaret from St. Louis, MO. I love how close we were in the States and only in a different life do we get the opportunity to be friends and such. It is weird but I consider these girls some of my best friends and I have only known them for a month or so - my mind has no concept of time anymore. Just a tid bit on that - we were inseparatable all trip :)

Then we got up around 7 on Friday and went to Windsor Castle!! My first Enlgish Castle :) It was gorgeous and huge - and even better on the inside. I saw a mini changing of the gaurds - which so did not live up to my expectations. I also never saw any of the gaurds in the red uniforms with the weird tall, black hats - my only let down of the trip. After Windsor Castle we had lunch at this cute little café in town and enjoyed just talking in Enlish and not getting stared at oddly. After this we headed into London to go see Madame Tussand's wax museum - which was another epic visit!! I was soooo impressed with all the wax people!! They had everything from Will Smith to Barack Obama to The Queen of England to Hitler! I kept taking pictures and the pictures and the wax people looked so real that I almost got giddy like I ACTUALLY DID meet Marilyn Monroe and Brad Pitt - it was crazy. After this we went to an early dinner at the Hard Rock Café - finally enjoyed a cheeseburger. It was cool to all eat together - since normally we have free time during the meals to do what we want to do. Then after we went to a musical called "Blood Brothers" - which I must say I was not to keen on going to on a Friday night in London but it turned out to be one of the best musicals I have ever seen (third after Mama Mia and Wicked ofcourse). I'm not going to explain it because I will just look like a babbling idiot so let's just say that I laughed, cried, and felt stupid for not wanting to go. That night was fun with the other Rotary students :)

Then Saturday we got up nice and early again and I walked all over London for a legit 5 hours (from 7 AM breakfast until lunch at 2). It was cool to just be walking around London stopping at all the well known places and enjoying the unknown places as well - but my feet and back were hating me by the end of the day. From 3 until 10:30 we had an Oyster Pass (where you can go anywhere in London on the Underground all day) and do whatever we wanted - it was beyondddd amazing. I went with my new besties and friend from Canada (Christian) to the art museum, shopping which includes making a stop in Burberry and sadly forgetting to go to Harrod's, fish and chips for dinner, pub stops (including being carded and happily showing my Belgian ID and later being asked if English was my 5th Language because I apparantly speak awful English), tea stops, grocery shopping for snacks on the bus, etc. It was one of the best nights of my life to just go around London on a Saturday night via the Underground (thanks to Margaret) and just living it up completely enjoying every minute.

It came to a halt at 10:30, when we left London and got on the bus ... then the ferry (which we missed the first one and had to take another around 2 in the morning). Everyone was so exhausted and I'm pretty sure on the ferry I slept in two chairs like a bathtub - great sleep ... not. It was sadly better than the bus - which smelled like feet and sweaty bodies. Ugh. It was gross then we got to Namur around 8 in the morning... and Liege around 9. I looked like a hot mess I'm sure when Larry picked me up and I'm sure my French was an epic fail. When I got home I went straight to the shower then slept from 10 until 4 - ridiculous. I had school today - which was actually not bad since everyone had something to talk about. It also helped that today was my only school day of the week (I'm missing Tuesday and Wednesday and then Thursday and Friday are holidays - again). I'm so excited I get to go back to England tomorrow!! For those of you not up to speed - I had planned to just go early or stay after the Rotary trip in England to visit my family in Cambridge and my great aunt visiting but Rotary denied this. So I had to come home and travel alone if I really wanted to go - so thus I am here for 2 nights and I am back to England again :) Everyone was very confused at school when I kept saying "See you Monday" (in french) and the would all respond by saying "Mallory, today is Monday tomorrow is Tuesday." It was kind of funny because it really is ridiculous that I am going back after 2 days. Love it.

Well I'm off! Kind of nervous to be traveling alone - but just another experience and challenge :)
Talk to you soon!!
Mallo