tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47563013145700255742024-02-19T02:46:07.546-08:00SIS Summer Abroad 2010: BrusselsPolitics and Policies in the EU - Brussels Internship Program
Get inside the EU and discover how Europe works.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756301314570025574.post-32307254923992246322010-07-11T20:05:00.001-07:002010-07-11T20:35:28.334-07:00The Congo at 50<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.sacred-destinations.com/belgium/images/brussels/cathedral/resized/facade-cc-jahovil.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 350px; height: 466px;" src="http://www.sacred-destinations.com/belgium/images/brussels/cathedral/resized/facade-cc-jahovil.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I don't really notice posters or signs in the States, maybe its because one's mind is busier in his native country. In Bruxelles however, I found myself reading everything, and I encourage future students to do the same; a simple sign can make you aware of wonderful experiences.<br /><br />One day I was visiting a church near my internship, and I noticed a poster advertising a panel discussion and Mass celebrating the 5oth anniversary of Congolese independence. As I listened to the presenters discuss and field questions concerning the present situation in Congo and the role of the Church, I experienced how complicated colonial relationships are. There were some who insisted that progress could only be made by looking to the future and improving the relationship between Belgium and its former colony, but there were also those who insisted that a brighter future could not be possible until horrible tragedies of colonisation were healed and acknowledged honestly. No problems were solved that day, but it was an amazing experience to this discussion that crossed racial lines in person.<br /><br />After the discussion, everyone moved to the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula, where bishops and priests from the Congo gathered with the bishops and priests of Belgium. The Mass lasted nearly 3 hours, as a Congolese choir filled the gothic cathedral with a blend of African, French, and Dutch songs. It was remarkable to see, the elderly Belgian bishop smile as he was interrupted by the joyful screams and shrieks of Congolese women. During the celebration, a banner displaying a statement of solidarity between Belgian Christians and their brothers and sisters in the Congo was unfurled in the cathedral.<br /><br />It was a beautiful and eye-opening experience.<br /><br /><img src="file:///C:/Users/mjohnst3/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-2.png" alt="" />Le Grandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11299185673893822534noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756301314570025574.post-47464387297171257242010-07-11T19:37:00.000-07:002010-07-11T20:01:45.929-07:00FlandersAs you know if you are following this blog, about 8 weeks ago we visited four of the great cities of Flanders, Leuven, Antwerp, Ghent, and Bruges. Aside from simply seeing the beauty of Belgium and learning about its artists and architects, the trip also offered a historical perspective on many of the political and cultural struggles that are currently impacting Belgium and her future. In every Flemmish square there is statue of a local hero, often someone who battled invaders or unjust foreign rulers, but they are not Belgian heroes, they are clearly Flemmish heros. <br /><br />Flanders predates Belgium, and consequently, the traditions and cultural celebrations of the region are not Belgian, but regional. Nationalistic thinking would suggest that Flanders and Wallonia should seperate, but if Belgium can find a way to persist, she can become an example of a country, whose national goal is something greater than simply maintaining the well-being of a historically similiar people. Belgium can be a country that respects its past, while also embracing a diverse future, where culture is respected, but not at the cost of people.Le Grandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11299185673893822534noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756301314570025574.post-34528755176339412052010-07-07T06:26:00.000-07:002010-07-07T06:28:04.675-07:00Jesica Kincaid<br /><br />So here it is, my last day in Brussels has come to an end and I am writing my first blog post. Just goes to show how fast time flies here.<br /><br />While in Brussels my internship was at the Transatlantic Business Dialogue. It was a nice place to work and my boss and supervisor were very friendly.<br /><br />Brussels is an exciting and interesting place to spend some time. Just this week Belgium took over the presidency of the EU and there were celebrations and advertisements all over the city. For anyone who is interested in learning about the EU, this is the place to be.<br /><br />During my time in Europe I have traveled around Belgium, to Switzerland, Amsterdam, and Paris. I had a final trip to Barcelona planned but thanks to the French and their love of strikes that was unfortunately cancelled. Overall I had a great time traveling, even getting to visit some family. <br /><br />For anyone that is planning to come to Brussels, come prepared for crazy weather, friendly people, delicious beer, and dangerously good chocolate. It is really a nice place.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756301314570025574.post-6890584423838677372010-07-03T15:26:00.000-07:002010-07-03T15:27:46.746-07:00Au Revoir, Bruxelles<p class="MsoNormal">Well – it’s my last night in Brussels and I am absolutely exhausted. It’s been six weeks of interning, touring Brussels, traveling throughout Europe, and trying to make the most out of our time here. Here’s an update of the last week: </p> <p class="MsoNormal">About 8 of us were supposed to go to Barcelona last Thursday night, and we were incredibly shocked to show up at the airport only to find out that the Vueling flight had been cancelled due to the labor strikes in France – which meant we couldn’t fly over France en route to Spain. (IMPORTANT – if you buy a flight on a low-cost airline, beware of the major lack of customer service and likelihood that your money will not be refunded.) I think all of us went through various waves of anger, depression, laughter at the absurdity of everything, and sadness that we were not going to be have jugs of sangria or plates of paella, and no Mediterranean beaches or Gaudi sculpture to enjoy. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">After that great disappointment, I went to Paris for the weekend (again) and was able to enjoy some of the sights this time. Monday – Thursday were extremely hectic at work; I was unable to finish my projects within the given time, but my supervisor and I decided that I would continue to work remotely from California. She took me to an Ethiopian restaurant near the Grand Place, and it was pretty good. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I should also note that we’ve been having some incredibly warm weather these past few days. As much as we complained about cold and rainy Brussels for the past 5 weeks; it’s been humid and near the 80s and 90s – just like home!</p> <p class="MsoNormal">We had our pool party on Friday at Dr. Sheridan’s house and went out at night for a final time (coordinating this outing was far more difficult given that we no longer had our cell phones – we felt so handicapped). I finally saw the Jeanneken Pis and Delirium Café, so my Brussels experience became a little more complete. On Saturday, I visited the Musee des Beaux Arts (Magritte and Art Moderne), the BelVue Musee (Belgian history – really cool!), and the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and of Military History (there was a special exhibit on Congolese soldiers). </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Overall, it has been a great experience. I learned a lot during my internship, I met some really great people (both within the AU program and my host family), and I learned a lot from Dr. Sheridan’s lectures and Belgian tours. I’ve gotten to travel to some amazing places, get first hand access to Belgian culture and politics, and get wrapped up in World Cup madness. As excited as I am to go home to California, I am grateful for this experience. </p>hieretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05682719462231571626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756301314570025574.post-59323157879712448572010-07-01T10:35:00.000-07:002010-07-01T11:04:37.759-07:00Oh la vâche.Like ole Le Grand there, life has been a little too busy and fun to sit down and blog about it. Or, I'm just a procrastinator. Maybe a bit of both. <div><br /></div><div>I knew from the beginning that six weeks would just be too short a time to enjoy everything Brussels (and, uh, Europe!) has to offer. I feel like I was just starting to really get comfortable with the city, my internship, and my host family and now I'll be leaving in two days. I've had some really incredible moments while living and working here, and while it hasn't been exactly what I expected (for better or worse), I, however, <i>am</i> better off for having met all the people that have shared in this experience, from fellow students to my supervisors to my host family, and expanding my horizon a bit further. I've had a great time and I'll miss the music and art in the Metro, the wine with lunch, the heart-to-hearts with my host mom, and, yes, even all that research on security and defense equipment procurement directives. </div><div><br /></div><div>And now, here are some tips:</div><div><br /></div><div>-Bring warm clothing. I don't care when you're coming, Brussels will be chilly and rainy. Not all the time, mind you, but enough to warrant some hoodies, jeans, and real shoes.</div><div><br /></div><div>-Speaking of shoes, don't bring heels. I wear them from time to time in DC without incident, but here I wear flats and still come close to breaking my ankle at least twice a day. The uneven blocks and cobblestones will get you.</div><div><br /></div><div>-Go to Jerry's lectures, you'll be glad you did. </div><div><br /></div><div>-Do not buy Speculoos!! It is insanely delicious and pure evil. </div><div><br /></div><div>- This is not a piece of advice, but a joke my host mom's brother told me.</div><div><br /></div><div>Teacher: So, Billy, what does your father do?</div><div>Billy: My father died last year.</div><div>Teacher: Oh, no, I am so sorry to hear that. What did he do before he died?</div><div>Billy: *clutches throat and falls to floor* AArrgghhhhhhh!!!!</div><div><br /></div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03243149181219763246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756301314570025574.post-30599500121950960642010-06-30T17:02:00.000-07:002010-06-30T17:04:44.236-07:00First Post but not my last.It has been really hard to me find time to post. I have often thought about the things I would like to blog about, but it has been hard for me to sit down and write about them. It is difficult to recount an experience while you are still in its midst. Needless to say there is more to come.Le Grandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11299185673893822534noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756301314570025574.post-12594778701884514962010-06-25T02:22:00.001-07:002010-06-25T02:44:41.244-07:00(Pre) World Cup FEVER!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWMGRUU0ejQWq3mEaQHxaNVTi0WpsOu_Y8Xq6dRFkYT-HDIC7jFGoLtLesnsy_7W4bKrdOq_gshpom4WGRx918IX_149QnuVdCKKCTY2AdMjnPqitJImmCgv3ZAPX4JA9MdkZ8VoanKtI/s1600/P1090487.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWMGRUU0ejQWq3mEaQHxaNVTi0WpsOu_Y8Xq6dRFkYT-HDIC7jFGoLtLesnsy_7W4bKrdOq_gshpom4WGRx918IX_149QnuVdCKKCTY2AdMjnPqitJImmCgv3ZAPX4JA9MdkZ8VoanKtI/s320/P1090487.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486644824309803378" /></a>The game!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZHMF3ebbJvZmIw4H7CheYtK5uDbJjp3cMPxm_vXFpuc6PX-_hTazHMBoLmlSu7Rl-383xOz-DqFqrWvrZqxBPsdOGWAIWAwhNEM-6mfm-PuZuAT2t9RbQHQMaFpK93usBpe2yl2cOr0/s1600/P1090454.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZHMF3ebbJvZmIw4H7CheYtK5uDbJjp3cMPxm_vXFpuc6PX-_hTazHMBoLmlSu7Rl-383xOz-DqFqrWvrZqxBPsdOGWAIWAwhNEM-6mfm-PuZuAT2t9RbQHQMaFpK93usBpe2yl2cOr0/s320/P1090454.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486643735093266514" /></a>Fred (from BYU lives with me and my host family) and I at the game<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrcKmJEeAfdnCxYloHfAkhIIrWN_oHBsaE3D0WippMatD4YE5U9wJ5urO7qe0vBE6yn4RTrvKUkIbQsWs1aUO9CZOXk4UOZgmzxRSZan1TD59F-j7_z5DNpbc0o39KJ-Uficd8q3aQS0/s1600/P1090415.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrcKmJEeAfdnCxYloHfAkhIIrWN_oHBsaE3D0WippMatD4YE5U9wJ5urO7qe0vBE6yn4RTrvKUkIbQsWs1aUO9CZOXk4UOZgmzxRSZan1TD59F-j7_z5DNpbc0o39KJ-Uficd8q3aQS0/s320/P1090415.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486643725570318098" /></a>Italians getting roudy<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDg6RB1I5P5u3MXcn_caJ3wybxwT1boW1ivM7Y6lvPHzI2UnGPJ9bJBBGZ2xD7ltMwojm_0O3XLhJoIqURpUbK2N6Xgc7845df7mwaX15QJIFH5CYQNc0UJvj9D9PlXvLQU082rPyl2o/s1600/P1090399.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDg6RB1I5P5u3MXcn_caJ3wybxwT1boW1ivM7Y6lvPHzI2UnGPJ9bJBBGZ2xD7ltMwojm_0O3XLhJoIqURpUbK2N6Xgc7845df7mwaX15QJIFH5CYQNc0UJvj9D9PlXvLQU082rPyl2o/s320/P1090399.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486643706129816402" /></a>Mexican fans<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWObwoJhIJPYLVp-p3ZTBjeWZbkgTRMdoHCBg9jzZppxg5yerG_uNBAq4Nt8SC6ZC3rn1c5eh-vSb2g0n4vFT0Ia4edUuR-IAAw4huLKMXZXmjJ5HgupUyaPFeB9ROwFFMXgqMIVrmHmE/s1600/P1090398.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWObwoJhIJPYLVp-p3ZTBjeWZbkgTRMdoHCBg9jzZppxg5yerG_uNBAq4Nt8SC6ZC3rn1c5eh-vSb2g0n4vFT0Ia4edUuR-IAAw4huLKMXZXmjJ5HgupUyaPFeB9ROwFFMXgqMIVrmHmE/s320/P1090398.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486643687113714466" /></a>Italian fans<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpi8OKjUNpE6vYXGcV7qXobb2wtAHp0DNF6QoHyfetJtMoGdc9Z7ouyUaL6E2__f7lX76gzwUwjvB3W4FpLvAQhpSzc6V7mJskM2nLRx0qI-lvshBEc7TNrH87XR0DDnbPr2bQHXPDvwo/s1600/P1090395.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpi8OKjUNpE6vYXGcV7qXobb2wtAHp0DNF6QoHyfetJtMoGdc9Z7ouyUaL6E2__f7lX76gzwUwjvB3W4FpLvAQhpSzc6V7mJskM2nLRx0qI-lvshBEc7TNrH87XR0DDnbPr2bQHXPDvwo/s320/P1090395.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486643673062009858" /></a>The stadium<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br />So as most everyone in the world should know by now. The 2010 World Cup is going on in South Africa. Since we are in "football" (In the US its soccer) crazy Europe. I couldn't turn down going to a World Cup warm-up Friendly match between defending World Cup champions: Italy and our neighor to the south: Mexico. It was a great day for futbol, the stadium was packed and the fans were intense! The game didn't turn out as expected: Mexico ended up winning 2-1. <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Nevertheless, It was a great precursor/introduction to world-class football and helped prepare us for the many games and hours we spend now watching the Beautiful Game. Unfortunately, Belgium seems to be one of the least soccer-crazy countries and they aren't putting on any fanzones, big screens, or World Cup parties. Likely in part because their own team didn't make it. But it is still glorious being in Europe, watching the games in the afternoon/evening rather than in the early morning as everyone in the US must.</div></div>Josh Kuyershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03120456973156054919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756301314570025574.post-11330618214150685292010-06-25T01:49:00.001-07:002010-06-25T02:20:32.246-07:00Return to the Motherland!<div><br /></div><div>I'm entering the blogging game a little late due to technical difficulties... SO while I am completely American (not just the University mind you, and to clarify for all South and Central Americans I am more specifically North American a "United States of American") my family ancestry is Dutch and I come from a small town that clings to its own dutch heritage (Pella, Iowa). So a trip to the Netherlands/Holland was right up my alley (I even brought and wore my Dutch soccer/football Jersey).<div><div><div><br /></div></div><div>Anyways, the Netherlands is notorious for bikers, windmills, orange, wooden shoes, tulips, dikes, and liberal thinking. We experienced all of the above while we were in Amsterdam (well we technically didn't see any dikes, but we did see lots of canals and land that probably wouldn't be accessible except for the dike system, so I think that counts). One thing to note is that bikers always have the right of way, even before pedestrians. So when you cross the street make sure you look both ways at least three times -once for cars, once for trams, once for bikers!</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-M8Alt9ljJsHolWsz2Z2SuPz7fNPcxYBtnYMa4i_JFmP4pEAVucbtKGqVOCWUGv7MrSQVH0xGtBrW5JfttbJY4D2k2Cj3mhXn6DksV6zjhB91ckOoZfDG4e8kwTHnq5wY6LK3tRLRYgw/s1600/P1090254.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-M8Alt9ljJsHolWsz2Z2SuPz7fNPcxYBtnYMa4i_JFmP4pEAVucbtKGqVOCWUGv7MrSQVH0xGtBrW5JfttbJY4D2k2Cj3mhXn6DksV6zjhB91ckOoZfDG4e8kwTHnq5wY6LK3tRLRYgw/s320/P1090254.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486637704510410754" /></a>I Amsterdam (get it!?)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxAXjdCNZ8TPUA7OpO72uJD-TmkSxnV1_EgYHrGlnaliPJwQdH_G9WM5ISLWla3ZAAXFJC-dQaDFErD5C2jQQZjZRufv3R9t3codSWYz3nv2mWG6zrf7Nq2c5xA0RZ1tTKN6ESvH2lf2A/s1600/P1090231.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxAXjdCNZ8TPUA7OpO72uJD-TmkSxnV1_EgYHrGlnaliPJwQdH_G9WM5ISLWla3ZAAXFJC-dQaDFErD5C2jQQZjZRufv3R9t3codSWYz3nv2mWG6zrf7Nq2c5xA0RZ1tTKN6ESvH2lf2A/s320/P1090231.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486637695805526642" /></a>Also you have to love the Dutch fronts (gables) that in ye olden days helped people with directions and basically served as "addresses".<br /><div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhuV6x4ayU3MxfB5oPRk8tAcS-WFicuTlupyt6wR_TaClwnNgKNDys3TNEeBZU09a0LYNRyGiuQUQDOIYTHCFONT48MEIRMZ8YGutrrwJvUmx5NEMOJmh_TGUHdckp0wGYA7Gos5n7is/s1600/P1090168.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhuV6x4ayU3MxfB5oPRk8tAcS-WFicuTlupyt6wR_TaClwnNgKNDys3TNEeBZU09a0LYNRyGiuQUQDOIYTHCFONT48MEIRMZ8YGutrrwJvUmx5NEMOJmh_TGUHdckp0wGYA7Gos5n7is/s320/P1090168.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486637683156369218" /></a>Me in Dutch Jersey with Stroepwafels (yum!) Dutch are also known for their pastries<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyloSFUtQAfVEF09IZ65-V-jB4nr7eRifvKP3UxRgVkUAW6YEKW-zcQ6OuSqj69IEdrdmOAoZnYgJa9UtV1MuXhkLiARug-ADSmKz95_niGt2dlVKdClW2HKqyGFGoz2qc7njVe9POoWE/s1600/P1090061.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyloSFUtQAfVEF09IZ65-V-jB4nr7eRifvKP3UxRgVkUAW6YEKW-zcQ6OuSqj69IEdrdmOAoZnYgJa9UtV1MuXhkLiARug-ADSmKz95_niGt2dlVKdClW2HKqyGFGoz2qc7njVe9POoWE/s320/P1090061.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486635963329832786" /></a>Canals<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1a_xF-fRJ7xI2B1RVe-yXCkD_SZ6MGocYeF5435L3z8KU_Kyj9_M3NUxu_3CvVYrxeQ8apwS8icctvoz0cJBlj5MtHK_zARQ3F_4w_XMEk8z1t1hzCxz0o8eYZ2c6jr6dOCO6Fr0E44/s1600/P1080962.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1a_xF-fRJ7xI2B1RVe-yXCkD_SZ6MGocYeF5435L3z8KU_Kyj9_M3NUxu_3CvVYrxeQ8apwS8icctvoz0cJBlj5MtHK_zARQ3F_4w_XMEk8z1t1hzCxz0o8eYZ2c6jr6dOCO6Fr0E44/s320/P1080962.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486634935266737394" /></a>Windmill<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div>Josh Kuyershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03120456973156054919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756301314570025574.post-52319122203436065842010-06-23T22:33:00.000-07:002010-06-28T01:44:17.061-07:00I need to stay awake, please and thanks!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1UxQg_ldDrE/TCL0RgH5C6I/AAAAAAAAACM/zmvkulkgK0U/s1600/P6191678.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1UxQg_ldDrE/TCL0RgH5C6I/AAAAAAAAACM/zmvkulkgK0U/s320/P6191678.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486215877608672162" border="0" /></a><br />This post isn't particularly useful. I just got up WAAY too early today and I have to keep busy so I don't fall asleep and end up late for work today. I don't have to catch the bus for another hour for work, so I will do a very short update on what's been going on so far! On Sunday I'll try to muster up the energy to create a more detailed post.<br /><br />I love how during the summer it stays light until really late! Seriously, when I first came here it would be pitch black by around 10:20 (if not earlier, I don't know when I started to notice how late it stayed light out). Now there's still light at 11 (it's not bright and sunny, mind you, but there is still a bit of light left in the sky).<br /><br />Okay. After the weekend of 4 cities in Brussels, I just chilled here because I couldn't make it to Amsterdam (long story that begins with an ATM in the States eating my card, as the Brussels kids know all too well). But that's okay. That following weekend I went to Madrid...but it was chilly and it rained, which apparently surprised all the Madrid-dwellers as well. But don't worry, last weekend I went to Rome, and it.was.amazing. I think I left a piece of myself there, and I can't imagine how you couldn't. It's just beautiful. I didn't get to the the famous fountain at night (sadness), but that's okay. It will leave me something to look forward to when I go back to Rome, because I will one day! It was amusing trying to stir up recollection of Italian while I was there, because A) I didn't study it for very long, B) I knew any native speaker to practice with outside of class (and speaking with other students isn't generally too helpful, especially if they're at a low level, and C) I took Spanish in high school and majored in French as an undergrad...so I totally skated by with an A without having to put much effort into the class. Especially when senioritis set it the semester after I started taking Italian classes.<br /><br />Of course the hostel employees spoke English. But did I speak English with them? No. Want to know why? Because two of them spoke French! Huzzah! The mother of one of them is from Nice while the other is Italian, therefore he grew up speaking both. The other guy just studied in school like I did, but he was at a night level so it wasn't like speaking to a kindergartner. I was so delighted when I found this out, especially since my host family here doesn't allow me to speak French with them, even though I specifically mentioned that I wanted to use my French...I even said I don't mind if my family ONLY spoke French. Ugh. That's another can of worms I'm not going to open right now. In the end, though, it's not so bad. Despite not letting me use French (which I am able to sneak in with my host dad and host sister...when the host mom isn't there), my host family is SO nice. And if that weren't good enough, my room there is huge. And we have a pool. And a nice backyard. Of course, material things don't matter...but if you're not going to let me speak any French then it's helpful to have other perks!<br /><br />So, what am I doing today? Well, I'm going to the Parliament today, but not for work. My boss said if there is anything going on there that we want to attend, let him know and we can just go, even if it's not work related. So I'm going to a public hearing with the Culture and Education Committee that's on the internet and using it as an educational took for cross-cultural understanding. I'm so excited, but it's actually something I'm interested in, which I don't get much of here. The people at my internship are great and our boss is so funny, but it deals with business and economics, which are fields that I have never wanted to go into. So yes, I'm excited for this hearing because this is what I had hoped I'd be doing when I came over here in the first place.<br /><br />After the Parliament I head back to the office, I think there's a meeting with important officials from...Ukraine or Belarus (since those are the areas we deal with)? I don't quite remember. But I have to work on my investment presentation so I can present it to the Ambassador of Belarus next week (yeah, not gonna lie, that's gonna be kinda cool). After work I head home to change, and then I'm off to the airport....destination BARCELONA!<br /><br />I'll try to post something intellectually stimulating about the hearing, too, when I return on Sunday, since all my posts seem to be about traveling here and there and things that aren't really related to the Brussels program. Haha.<br /><br />P.S. You best believe I took a picture inside the Sistine Chapel, despite the guards walking around yelling "NO PHOTO" at everyone. Really, they don't do anything to you but tell you to turn off your camera, so just go ahead and take a picture. Their job would be so boring if it were for people like me to yell at. So in a way they should thank me. A big you're welcome, Vatican guards, from me and others like me for making your job slightly more eventful, albeit more frustrating.<br /><br />P.S.S. I had raw beef last night with some spicy mustard and ate it with a little piece of bread and some salad. And you know what? It was good! Yay for new experiences!Katrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12446584166374101161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756301314570025574.post-23270581997519613862010-06-23T10:51:00.000-07:002010-06-23T11:04:34.711-07:00Three Cities in Three Weekends<div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family:'times new roman';font-size:small;">Okay, it’s been a few weeks since I’ve posted something on the blog...but I promise, I have a good excuse! Much like the rest of the group, I have been travelling across Europe, trying to make the best of our three-day weekends. My first stop was…Paris! Unfortunately, I became sick and wasn’t able to actually do extensive sightseeing, but it was great to visit my cousin and her son…and it wasn’t my first time in Paris, thankfully. Also, it didn’t hurt that she has an awesome view of the Eiffel Tower from her apartment. During my stay, I attended a gala at UNESCO celebrating African culture, walked along the Champ de Mars, visited the Louvre and the Centre Pompidou, and tried to get over my fear of heights by finally getting to the top of the Eiffel Tower…but it just wasn’t going to happen. Oh well, maybe next time!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';color:#222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';color:#222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVMM8zuNeFeOsmb0Z6yt_gcuFVqNdBJCKFKhosq1iJ7NPk9hokfr6PWcYTeUEY0a2S3PVxjPVazrdOchgL8XVEiFnRmvfKulmjmq9_wp9kQH4Dg5c_CAe7B9yM0tKyZxbAi3hMnh7kinm-/s1600/P5280014.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVMM8zuNeFeOsmb0Z6yt_gcuFVqNdBJCKFKhosq1iJ7NPk9hokfr6PWcYTeUEY0a2S3PVxjPVazrdOchgL8XVEiFnRmvfKulmjmq9_wp9kQH4Dg5c_CAe7B9yM0tKyZxbAi3hMnh7kinm-/s320/P5280014.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486028710993897186" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The next weekend, I bought a €45 ticket and went to Madrid for the first time…all by myself. I didn’t realize how crazy this was until I was in the Plaza del Sol, center of Madrid, in a country where I knew no one and no one knew me. But I had a truly amazing time trying to revive my long-dormant Español, visiting the Prado and Reina Sofia museums (for free!), and just enjoying the architecture, parks, and liveliness of the city. Madrid was so colourful, vibrant, and cosmopolitan, the positive energy was inescapable.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Lastly, I met my Italian friend Elisa (whom I met on the streets of Paris three years ago) in Istanbul…and it was a weekend that I will never forget! First of all, three days in Istanbul is not enough; I am not sure that even one week there is sufficient to marvel at all that this city of over 16 million people has to offer. Secondly, I was amazed at how hospitable people in Istanbul actually were. It reminded me so much of Ethiopia, in that respect. On Friday, Elisa and I went to visit the old hippodrome and did some shopping at the huge Grand Bazaar. In the evening, a cousin of mine (yes I have family everywhere!) took us out on the town to Bebek, a hip area of clubs and bars/lounges along the Bosphorous River. Saturday, we went to Topkapi Palace, the Aya Sofia, the Blue Mosque, the Basilica Cistern, the Archaelogical museum, and we tried to squeeze in the Gallata Tower and walked up the steep hill only to find out that it was closed an hour early! However, that gave us a chance to walk along the Golden Horn Bridge that connects both European sides of Istanbul…at sunset, and it was truly gorgeous! On Sunday, we toured a few more mosques and got to do some more shopping at the spice market. The best part was the hour-long cruise on the Bosphorous that took us along both the European and Asian sides of the city. There were so many sights to see and the weather was just gorgeous. I took about 650 pictures the whole weekend; that must be a record, right?</span></span></p></span></div></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTtA9AFsqiH8V9Y8YgnWuEgfmEJeQ8_QXJXUqucFjJIYqoJYixMMqaN3wG7cR740dIQOUa3-kW1MGgOTk-h60TKrc5HTRJC-arxEady7UIC-s8RZa_2zKBhfNnkPGRLZHLqS6VFjLAk89J/s1600/P6120753.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTtA9AFsqiH8V9Y8YgnWuEgfmEJeQ8_QXJXUqucFjJIYqoJYixMMqaN3wG7cR740dIQOUa3-kW1MGgOTk-h60TKrc5HTRJC-arxEady7UIC-s8RZa_2zKBhfNnkPGRLZHLqS6VFjLAk89J/s200/P6120753.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486030158398997394" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80p2CyvV9AgTmN_e6UQkNl0I1m8ykxjbReo9eHWNWtQS7pbfkIsl8cUKA553_ZfzL8PVU4CyFL6vktdqCWEw-StXgR3nhTolx1l6yPEQUiqh4pwCuA1dv18ApdbjKVZ3PfiRNwCfB4EKk/s1600/P6110500.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80p2CyvV9AgTmN_e6UQkNl0I1m8ykxjbReo9eHWNWtQS7pbfkIsl8cUKA553_ZfzL8PVU4CyFL6vktdqCWEw-StXgR3nhTolx1l6yPEQUiqh4pwCuA1dv18ApdbjKVZ3PfiRNwCfB4EKk/s200/P6110500.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486030147765943314" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCvB9UfecLsCNz-K6eADgf5KvGYyq-Suob0kAqR3FHFhmVzcvQYCoRefgPE4rhaucmT6mJjRxU6qBtcpB21aleOtogJ37-R_3BMzQM6QNufIWML7J6JJRhYNRfwqFT6ckbIOTHU-pbX6m/s1600/P6110295.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCvB9UfecLsCNz-K6eADgf5KvGYyq-Suob0kAqR3FHFhmVzcvQYCoRefgPE4rhaucmT6mJjRxU6qBtcpB21aleOtogJ37-R_3BMzQM6QNufIWML7J6JJRhYNRfwqFT6ckbIOTHU-pbX6m/s200/P6110295.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486030145114037506" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE4CCEbk7kL_0X_BOIDapLoR4xbW_8phv44nEP58hb3hps3YzyJvxAgUnGkgRSOGSafCKQLgxW4vayXyBLTf8MFlTlAafNzOV9oNnrZ3aiqZdlgnhyphenhyphen8TDHnczBgUtrZdrsvI7k2cu7HLJj/s1600/P6110171.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE4CCEbk7kL_0X_BOIDapLoR4xbW_8phv44nEP58hb3hps3YzyJvxAgUnGkgRSOGSafCKQLgxW4vayXyBLTf8MFlTlAafNzOV9oNnrZ3aiqZdlgnhyphenhyphen8TDHnczBgUtrZdrsvI7k2cu7HLJj/s200/P6110171.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486030135342305874" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: -webkit-xxx-large; border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Now I am back in Brussels, working on the issue of small arms/light weapons transfers from Europe to Africa. I am learning that the effects of the massive weapons industry are truly lamentable when it comes to prolonging conflicts in Africa. </span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The internship has been pretty cool so far. I have been to both the Flemish and European Parliaments. The other day, I attended a seminar on NATO and security/defense where the keynote speaker was NATO Secretary General Rasmussen. That was cool, to be surrounded by many ambassadors and special envoys from Russia, Latvia, Spain, etc. Otherwise, our days have been filled with watching the World Cup and other random events around Brussels, like the music festival at Parc, or the near riot of Algerian fans after they </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tied</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> with England. Not even Brazilian fans celebrated their victory over Cote d’Ivoire as wildly!</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: -webkit-xxx-large; border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); "><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: -webkit-xxx-large; border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); "><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Lastly, here are some important life lessons that I have learned from my travels:</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: small; "><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: small; ">1. Never buy perfume on the street or in Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, no matter if it’s at a quarter of the regular price and seems like a great deal – you will be getting a watered down, discoloured version of the original (yes I had a temporary lapse in judgement)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: small; "><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: small; ">2. If you do not eat pork OR beef, expect to starve in Madrid. Apparently, they have never heard of chicken and jamon goes on everything! (I hope this is not also the case in Barcelona, where I am going tomorrow…)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: small; "><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: small; ">3. There’s no need to fill your suitcase with summer clothes when travelling to Brussels in May and June, as it doesn’t seem to get over 68° here anyway.</span></p></span></div>hieretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05682719462231571626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756301314570025574.post-27812217933461674332010-06-22T14:41:00.000-07:002010-06-22T14:43:10.844-07:00They see Napoli, and then die. I say don't see Roma, unless you're ready to fall in love<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CLiz%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CLiz%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CLiz%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> <w:word11kerningpairs/> <w:cachedcolbalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathpr> <m:mathfont val="Cambria Math"> <m:brkbin val="before"> <m:brkbinsub val="--"> <m:smallfrac val="off"> <m:dispdef/> <m:lmargin val="0"> <m:rmargin val="0"> <m:defjc val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent val="1440"> <m:intlim val="subSup"> <m:narylim val="undOvr"> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" defunhidewhenused="true" defsemihidden="true" defqformat="false" defpriority="99" latentstylecount="267"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="0" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Normal"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="heading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="35" qformat="true" name="caption"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="10" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" name="Default Paragraph Font"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="11" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtitle"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="22" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Strong"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="20" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="59" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Table Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Placeholder Text"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="No Spacing"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Revision"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="34" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="List Paragraph"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="29" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="30" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1107304683 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-520092929 1073786111 9 0 415 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:12.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-bottom:10.0pt; line-height:115%;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">This is the letter I sent my family after spending the weekend in Rome. Don't miss the opportunity to go, even if you have already been.
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Buon giorno tutti!</p> <p class="MsoNormal">How is everyone? I am doing fantastic! Everything in Brussels is the same old same old. However, yesterday I returned from the Motherland. I finally planted my two feet on Italian soil, and it was better than I dreamed. It sounds silly, but I almost cried exiting the airplane because of how overwhelmed I was. I just couldn’t believe I was in Italy. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">The events that passed that weekend reconfirmed that initial reaction over and over again. The hostel we stayed at was wonderful. The staff was extremely friendly and very helpful. I especially loved how they brought us fresh cappuccino and a croissant in the morning! :-D Regardless, you could see that they really put an effort into making sure that everyone has a good time while staying there. The best part is they wanted to talk to you. What brings you to Italy? Where did you learn to speak Italian? Why did you learn to speak Italian? I answered them all the same, and the response was the same: Oh, you’re Italian-American, I can see it in your face!</p> <p class="MsoNormal">We went to numerous sites, but unfortunately we did not make it to all. You cannot do Roma in two days. Naturally, I appreciated the beauty of the scenery and the majesty of these ancient landmarks, but that is not what touched me the most. My friends and I ended going to a museum on immigration of Italians to other parts of the world. It is touching to see the artifacts that people sent back! It was emotional, especially when they started playing Santa Lucia in the background, Mom Spitale’s song. I couldn’t help crying. My friends asked if I was okay and I was, but some things are hard to explain, like the emotions I felt. Seeing that museum made me proud to be an Italian-American, not that I wasn’t before. But there I felt like I saw what Mom and Pop Spitale and Mom and Pop Crivellaro saw when the embarked on a journey for a new life in America. We know that for them in many ways the life was hard, but in some ways their dreams came true. The museum made that much clear.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The other moment that sticks out was our trip to the Vatican. When Connie went to Italy she told me about how she saw the Pope preach from the balcony. Having such a short amount of time in Italy I didn’t have the opportunity. But I knew I wanted a similar experience. Who knows when or if I will return there. <span style=""> </span>So, I asked a priest if he would bless and he was gracious enough to accept. So, my site seeing in Rome ended with being blessed in Saint Peter’s square. It is something I will never forget. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">In short, Rome is a beautiful city, with wonderful people. I call it my personal candy store. Mom always said before she died that she would love to see Italy one more time. Well, Concetta you walked the streets of Rome again June 18-June 20<sup>th</sup>, 2010. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Un bacione a tutti! Vi manco!</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Elisa</p> Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13349296616592890829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756301314570025574.post-22426588317899108062010-06-22T06:55:00.000-07:002010-06-22T07:46:04.601-07:00Oh la la! Le temps passe vite!Ok, well I will admit it just took me about 15 minutes to figure out how to create a new blog post...I guess that means it's been a little too long since I've written. I cannot believe that next week is our last week in Brussels. There is just so much that has happened, and definitely not enough time to describe it. So, we'll start from the top and work our way back. To start, my internship has been amazing. I'm really one of the lucky ones who has an internship that is pretty much right up my alley. As I previously stated I work at the European Policy Centre, in the communications department. I was a little skeptical at first, since I don't study communications. I study International Peace and Conflict Resolution, but there have been more links to my studies and interests than I could have imagined. My job is to attend events and write up reports on them. One long report which gets sent out to our members, then a shorter version for the web. If you care to check them out visit: <a href="http://www.epc.eu/">www.epc.eu</a>. But, the events which I get to attend are truly phenomenal. I have the chance to mingle with people from the European Council, the Commission, Parliament and then people from awesome organizations like International Crisis Group and European Peacebuilding Liaison Office. My boss is wonderful and really tries to assign me the reports for the events which deal with my interests. So far, this has meant a Policy Breakfast with the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, a Policy Briefing with the Turkish Minister of Finance, a meeting on the conflict in Georgia/Abkhazia with the EU High Representative to the South Caucasus, and an event with the founder of the Global Peace Index, just to name a few. So, needless to say, I'm learning a lot just from attending these events and having the chance to listen to different viewpoints and opinions being expressed on certain issues. On one Policy Dialogue on Turkey, people actually walked out when the topic of Cyprus was brought up - so it's really shown me first hand some of the strong feelings people have on these topics. Not to mention, the people I work with are wonderful. I think that the EPC is larger than some of the other organizations where people are working in offices with one to two people, but the EPC has a lot of different branches and so it's always pretty lively and the people are very welcoming. Plus, it's fun because it's a very multi-cultural staff, so although the main language of communication is English, I hear conversations in Italian, Romanian, German, French and Turkish on a daily basis, which I really enjoy. So, in short, I have been truly thrilled with my internship. They've been flexible and very understanding with hours, and my workload. One positive thing is, I can't say that I'm bored!<br /><br />But, Brussels isn't just about work and no play. So, let me just recap some of the highlights of the fun bits of the last few weeks. This past weekends one of my best friends came to visit. She is originally from Moldova, but is currently studying in Prague, which gave her the chance to come to Brussels for cheap. It was great to see her again and so much fun, since it was her first time in a French speaking country and we actually met in French class! She was very excited to see la Grande Place and the European Institutions, and she also loved seeing how friendly people are. She's a journalist for Radio Free Europe and so while I was working, went to the park to do some interviews and everyone was more than willing to chat with her. It was fun, because it was like seeing Brussels for the first time all over again through visiting it with her and seeing her excitement. Especially when we went to the chocolate shops! Mmmm! But, not only did I have the chance to show her Brussels, my host-mom happened to be going to her house in Normandy this past weekend and offered to take us along. It was absolutely amazing! I've been to different parts of France before, but Normandy took my breath away. The ocean and the cliffs were gorgeous. And we were lucky, because it was sunny the whole time! We walked to the top of the bridge of Normandy and looked over the Seine at sunset. After that we drove through the quaint streets of Honfleur, before arriving at Anne's home. It almost seemed like we had been removed from reality for a bit - probably not having access to internet and the depressing news headlines everyday helped that. But, just when we thought things couldn't get better, we'd go on to our next place or "activity" and we'd be breathless all over again. Some of the highlights of the weekend included just walking through the streets of different cities in Normandy, visiting harbors, seeing beaches, but also we were there for a race of "char a cerf-volants" or Kitebuggys in English. I never even knew such a sport existed! And seeing all these people on their little "buggies" being pulled over the sand by vibrant colored kites at sunset, with the ocean in the background, was truly an experience. Another favorite part of the weekend was when we took a picnic with my friend's favorite animals: cows! There is a cow pasture close to my host-mom's house and since my friend was excited everytime she saw the famous cows of Normandy, we decided to pay them a visit. It wasn't anything I'd ever imagine doing, but fun nonetheless, especially when they all came up around us to see what we were up to. I've never seen cows so close before, and it was quite an interesting experience. The only downside, was that the weather chilled us to the bones almost everyday, which is not what I was expecting. But, this was quickly cured when we got home with a cup of hot tea, or a nice warm fire. This weekend was truly an extraordinary experience, I tried to summarize it, but being brief is not my strong point, especially when it comes to talking about travelling!<br /><br />Another weekend trip I took was to Spain, which was to visit another friend. It was great, because although I've been to Europe a number of times, I never made it to Spain. We met in Sevilla and stayed with her former host-mom. (Do you see a trend here? Host-families can truly open the doors up to wonderful experiences!) The sun was shining bright everyday, and we enjoyed walking through the streets and taking breaks for ice cream and coffee. Most people would probably not have found the trip that exciting, because we spent more time catching-up and eating ice cream and tapas than seeing sites. But, it was exactly what I imagined Spain to be: warm sun, warm company and great food!<br /><br />The weekend before my Spain trip, I spent in Brussels. It had been a bustling couple weeks, and I just needed some time to relax. And it was great to see the less touristy parts of the city, like the park just a short walk from my host-home. Ashley and I spent Saturday enjoying the nice weather in the park next to the pond with a lovely picnic. We finished off with a round of frisbee.<br />Sunday, the group had planned to take a bike ride through the forest near Ashley's house, but the forecast of rain threw our plans out the window and we ended up meeting up to play cards and frisbee instead. Overall, it was just the relaxing type of weekend I'd been hoping for, and it was a chance to see Brussels in a different light.<br /><br />The weekend before that, a few from the group and I took a trip to Amsterdam, which was very exciting, because it was one place that I hadn't been yet. We really had a great time walking around the city, (watching out for the bikers, of course, who seemed to have the right of way over everything - even cars at some places), seeing the flower market and the Van Gogh museum. The weather wasn't perfect everyday, but we lucked out for most of it. My favorite part, was definitely seeing all the innovative different types of bikes, though. We even saw some that had little carriers on the front to hold kids in, and one with an infant! I thought that was superb!<br /><br />Well, if you've gotten this far, BRAVO! I said that a lot had happened in the last few weeks, so I tried to give a recap. All in all, it's been a wonderful time, and I'm excited to see what these last two weeks have in store for us all!<br /><br />Ciao all!<br />Katiezima.dievkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01936344697823448263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756301314570025574.post-37825084600734189282010-06-16T02:33:00.000-07:002010-06-16T03:34:44.735-07:00The Chronicles of AU in Brussels 2010 Part ISo, I looked at the calendar yesterday, counted the days left at my internship and realized, to my great surprise, that we have only 16 more days to go in the program! Shocking!! The past couple of weeks just have been packed with sightseeing and traveling, working and learning. It seems that only now did I get the chance to stop in my tracks and take a big breath...only to realize that the final stretch is upon us... so after having checked off a substantial portion of my "what I need to do when I get to Brussels" list, I seriously need to get started on my mental "what I need to do before I leave Brussels" list! Ay...dios!!! Mon dieu!! Oh Gott!!<br /><br />I do not, however, want to deprive the audience (that's YOU) of a recap of my past few weeks here. Dear reader, please be prepared that this will be a LONG post (since this is my first post, which can be attributed both to my great love of procrastination and what you will find, if you keep on reading, a crazy couple of weeks. Blame my German-ness for the bullet points in chronological order.<br /><br />May 15, 2010 After spending a total of 3 nights at my parents house in Ruelzheim, Germany and showing fellow AU Brussels Summer Intern Elisa W. around the old beautiful city of Speyer and the not so old ugly city of Karlsruhe (seat of the German supreme court), Elisa and I took an early train that took us via Koeln (Cologne) to Brussels.<br /><br />May 16, 2010 Jerry gave us a tour of the Grand Place, including all the inside stories of the<br />of Bruxelloise history and a detailed lesson in decyphring 18th century architectural sings of flipping the bird to royal authorities, followed by a detailed study of the symbolism of medieval guilds. For example: A swan on a building signifies that it is a brewery, however, two swan swimming away from each other is code for "this is a brewery but you may purchase services of quite a different nature here as well". I will never look at a building the same way, I can promise you as much.<br /><br />In the evening we met our host families - and, I must say - BINGO! I'm convinced my host mother, Anne, is the BEST! She's a nurse, has two kids, she's francophone. She understands English, but since I'm living with Katie LP, who's married to a Frenchman, the working language in the house is French... It's awesome, although I was literally exhausted after dinner on the first two days because I was trying so hard to understand everything Katie and Anne were talking about. It's going better now, but it's still frustrating because I definitely lack a good portion of vocabulary (and verb tenses) to be able to express myself properly. It reminds me of the tantrums I threw back when I was starting to learn English and my teacher just couldn't understand what I was trying to say...*sigh* Anne, however, is a SAINT... she's so very patient and gives so much to the people around her!<br /><br />May 20 - 21, 2010 Interviews with the different organizations. To sum it up in very few words: An invaluable exercise in getting to know the city's public transportation system inside out - which thanks to google maps, is really not that difficult! If you're like me, and being interviewed is one of the most frightening things in the world (surpassed only by public speaking), then let me tell you that, in my opinion, these were much more relaxed and conversational than any of my past interviews in the U.S. I feel like there's a great advantage to the fact that the potential employers here know that you're here to learn, that it's essentially an academic exercise and that you're NOT going to be their slave (although you still might get to do some really boring tasks). I enjoyed 99% of my interviews and ended up wanting to interview for all of them. Nevertheless, I was, to be frank, quite disappointed, that there was no European institution or agency on my list. After all, I came to Brussels with the idea (maybe naive) to intern with "the EU". Ce n'est pas grave. The organization I'm interning for is a consultancy specializing in public tenders. Haha...ok, I will translate the jargon. My boss helps companies apply for jobs that the EU institutions need to get done, be it construction, services, etc.<br /><br />But I'm getting ahead of myself, since we didn't actually start interning until June 26, 2010. In the meantime (June 21-24, 2010) we embarked on a journey with our fearless (and tireless) leader Jerry, touring 4 whole cities in 4 days! The endeavor was remarkable, even more so, since from the beginning, Jerry dedicated himself to get our legs and brains marching, as he guided us in zig-zags through Leuven, Antwerp, Ghent and Brugge. The way he brought the history of guildsmen, rising against their greedy tax-raising overlords and Beguines, fleeing into monastic life during the crusades, made us forget our sore feet. I have only one recommendation for anyone planning on going on this trip - bring a device to record Jerry's tours! After four days and four cities, your brain will be fried and all the information starts to blend. So -audio recorder = no problem identifying what's on your snapshots afterward :-)<br /><br />Oh lala...so much already written and we're not even close to hitting June. Maybe I should stop now and continue with an account of the internship, my trip to the International Disaster and Risk Conference in Davos, Switzerland, the past weekend in Madrid, my interviews with EUrocrats for my SRP, Jerry's lectures, the elections...and what else there might be to come in a couple of days.<br /><br />Until then, bis dann, hasta luego, a bientot :DSusanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06287009210633949778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756301314570025574.post-28310381362090308852010-06-07T13:23:00.000-07:002010-06-07T13:48:37.288-07:00Stealing the thunder...Katrina seems to have said a lot of the things I could say! But I guess I will try to update with my own random experiences of Brussels....<br /><br />This past weekend was the first 'calm' weekend since I arrived... My mother came to visit last weekend, which was great fun because, well, she is fun!, and because the jazz festival was happening in Brussels. There were so many bands playing all over the city, and there was so much energy with all the music and people. It wasn't obnoxiously crowded everywhere, but there were enough people, all in good spirits, to bring a new burst of life into the city. I think Europe in the summer time, almost no matter where you go, has that feeling throughout most of the summer because Europeans <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> appreciate their summer months. I guess that is what happens after terrible, dark winters!<br /><br />So after a few days with my mom, she headed back to Sweden, and I returned to my normal (ha, I love how this is has become 'normal') life in Brussels. I finished a full week of internship, and another week of distance learning (boo!)... to greet the weekend with open arms and excitement for the new exploring potentials! Katrina covered Friday, so straight to Saturday... I checked out Sterling Books, a well stocked English bookstore fairly close to the Grand Place. I spent some time enjoying the books all around me and the potential for new reads. I ended up buying <span style="font-style: italic;">A Picture for Dorian Gray</span> by Oscar Wilde as I have never read it, and all the other choices I had in mind were awfully large and long, which is not exactly good for packing. All in all, good choice so far I must say.<br /><br />But enough about books! I headed to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Flagey</span> area after that... it's a bit of a hike for Belgium standards (took me about 30 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">mins</span> to get there on the metro then the tram), but it's worth it. There is an awesome cafe, Cafe <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Belga</span>, on the corner of this old radio hall building that overlooks this beautiful lake/park area (a picture would have been appropriate here.... if only I had my camera!). I sat on the grass by the lake and ate a baguette with brie (a delicious penny saving meal on this side of the Atlantic) while enjoying the beautiful weather. After that, I headed inside the cafe and enjoyed a coffee while doing homework. Later in the evening, after feeling satisfied by my productivity that afternoon, I met up with some of the other people in Brussels for the evening and had dinner.<br /><br />Sunday was a lazy day that greeted Brussels with sun, and then rain, and then many clouds playing hide and seek with the sun and the rain. It was a nice afternoon of cards, coffee, Frisbee, and shared laughs with my fellow Brussels participants. A particularly spectacular moment featured a 20 year old tackling, a poorly (or maybe very calculatedly, it can be debated!) thrown Frisbee, and one unsuspecting forehead to absorb the impact of the flying plastic. A moment to be remembered, and surely will now not be forgotten. ;-)<br /><br />Perhaps next time I will include pictures like the other, more organized, posters.<br /><br />But until next time... Au revoir!The Swedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10792030038371989895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756301314570025574.post-89949714712107909892010-06-05T13:41:00.000-07:002010-06-06T13:49:41.774-07:00Being VIP, Parliament, Coffee, Protests, and Namur<span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This is only my 2nd post in 3 weeks. So much to say and not enough energy to say it. I'll talk about being VIP in a bit. First of all, my internship pretty much has me sitting at a desk all day, doing research on business investments (of which I know nothing about). It's cool that I get to intern with another AU student, Ashley, and the people at our office (there are between 2 and 3 other people, depending on whether or not Katya works from home) are really nice.</span><br /><br />Now, Ashley and I went out to lunch one day at this tiny cafe she saw on her way to work from Montgomery. The owner and chef, Basil, is now our new BFF. He is so sweet! He kept offering us free food, telling us that he wants us to feel at home and welcome. We chatted for a while and said that we'd be back next week, which was this past Monday. He wasn't there at first because the main responsibility of the cafe is to cater food to people. So, we had stuff from the salad bar, hung out, and when Basil showed up he invited us (which means you don't pay, I found out) to coffee and Macaroons. Macaroons are absolutely delicious and quite pricey I found out! They're usually almost 1 euro per piece, and the pieces are very tiny. Another day we walked by on our way home from work and he invited us to coffee and chocolate cake. He said that if we wanted, we can rent out the restaurant at the end of our program and have a little farewell dinner with all of the students. We'd only have to chip in for the food, which is at a good price. Long story short, Basil is adorable and he makes Ashley and I feel so VIP.<br /><br />Back to the internship. So our boss mentioned that if Ashley and I wanted to go to the Council, the Parliament, the Commission, any embassy's, etc. to let him know and he'd gets us in there. We went to an event at the Parliament on Thursday about the Danube Strategy and it was really interesting! Afterward, the assistant of an MEP treated us to coffee, gave us a little tour, and then after Ashley and I walked around the city a bit we came back to the Parliament to have lunch there. I tried mousse for the first time (vanilla, of course, because I don't care too much for chocolate), and it was like eating a cloud. Quite good! He put together a goody bag for us and we exchanged details so that we could meet up for drinks and proper night on the town. He's around our age, I think (late 20s maybe) and is really sweet.<br /><br />Me, Niki, and Josh hung out Friday afternoon around the "Asian street" (I don't know what the name is, but it has a bunch of Asian grocery stores and is near the street with a lot of Asian restaurants and cafes). We headed to the Palais de Justice (where a judge and clerk were killed Thursday morning in court, in case you heard in the news) to see if the street fair had started yet and to have coffee and Old English. The bottom floors are a museum that you have to pay to get into, but if you tell them you're going to the restaurant they give you a ticket and you just ride up there to the terrace. On our way over we spotted Stephanie and Elisa, so they joined us. The view from the terrace was great! It would have been better on the other side of the building, but oh well.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1UxQg_ldDrE/TArCu4JIKOI/AAAAAAAAABk/WFX6xQgW7WI/s1600/P6041363.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1UxQg_ldDrE/TArCu4JIKOI/AAAAAAAAABk/WFX6xQgW7WI/s320/P6041363.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479406007250069730" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">After coffee we went to De Brouckère where people were having a protest regarding the incident with the Israeli military and the ship off the cost of Gaza. There w</span></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><span style=""><em></em></span></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><span style=""><em></em></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">ere so many police around, in the metro, too. I think the protest was peaceful, but there were a few guys who tried to burnt the Israeli flag. It burned for a bit and then died out. Once they realized that it wasn't going to burn easily, they decided to stop on it and tear it apart instead.</span><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1UxQg_ldDrE/TArCvdFYomI/AAAAAAAAABs/bQPuqROlXOY/s1600/P6041370.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1UxQg_ldDrE/TArCvdFYomI/AAAAAAAAABs/bQPuqROlXOY/s320/P6041370.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479406017166484066" border="0" /><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em></em></span></span></em></span><span style=""><em></em></span><span style=""><em></em></span><span style=""><em></em></span><span style=""><em></em></span></a></span></em></span></span></em></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I left for the Demey metro stop early that evening to meet up with Susan, K</span></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><span style=""><em></em></span></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><span style=""><em></em></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">atie S, and the latter's host family. We took a short drive to Namur, where they're from, and had a lovely dinner with Isabels family (her mother, father, one of her sisters and her boyfriend). They then took us out to one of their favorite bars and treated us to drinks. The next day Geoff took us around the open market, which happens every Saturday and is HUGE. We went to the animal section, which had animals such as chickens, peacocks, goats, rabbits, ducks, gerbils, geese, etc. You </span></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">could even pick up the baby ducks and chickens! Ahhh, they were soooo cute!</span><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1UxQg_ldDrE/TArCvlJm_eI/AAAAAAAAAB0/2O7awdZ0L_U/s1600/P6051390.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1UxQg_ldDrE/TArCvlJm_eI/AAAAAAAAAB0/2O7awdZ0L_U/s320/P6051390.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479406019331685858" border="0" /><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></a><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1UxQg_ldDrE/TArCvdFYomI/AAAAAAAAABs/bQPuqROlXOY/s1600/P6041370.JPG"><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em></em></span></span></em></span></a><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1UxQg_ldDrE/TArCvdFYomI/AAAAAAAAABs/bQPuqROlXOY/s1600/P6041370.JPG"><span style=""><em></em></span></a><span style=""><em></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We had coffee and chatted about this and that. Somehow we got to the topic of proverbs and sayings. Apparently t</span></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1UxQg_ldDrE/TArCvdFYomI/AAAAAAAAABs/bQPuqROlXOY/s1600/P6041370.JPG"><span style=""><em></em></span></a><span style=""><em></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">heir equivalent of "It's raining cats and dogs" is "It's raining like a pissing cow," which is so much more hilarious than our saying, so I think I'm going to use that from now on, haha. We also walked around the castle they had there (thankfully they knew sneaky ways to get into th</span></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">e castle through tunnels and such, so we didn't have to pay to get in). We went to Geoff's parent's house for lunch and we hung out by their pool for a few hours. The property and the view is to die for! Pictures don't do it justice.</span><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><em><span><span><em><span><span><span><span><em><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1UxQg_ldDrE/TArCvlJm_eI/AAAAAAAAAB0/2O7awdZ0L_U/s1600/P6051390.JPG"><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1UxQg_ldDrE/TArCwqWWidI/AAAAAAAAACE/O8HnF4-rZ9Y/s1600/P6051415.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1UxQg_ldDrE/TArCwqWWidI/AAAAAAAAACE/O8HnF4-rZ9Y/s320/P6051415.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479406037907179986" border="0" /></a></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><span style=""><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></span></span></span><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><em face="trebuchet ms"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">So, after a lovely day in Namur (which is in Wallonia, the francophone part of Belgium...you shoul</span></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span></span></em></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><em><span><span><em><span><span><span><span><em><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1UxQg_ldDrE/TArCvlJm_eI/AAAAAAAAAB0/2O7awdZ0L_U/s1600/P6051390.JPG"><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></a></span></em></span></span></em></span></span><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">d go if you have the chance because it's such a cute city) we hopped the train back to Brussels! What's really great is that the weather the past few days has been absolutely beautiful!</span><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:100%;" ><em><span style=""><span><em><span><span><em><span><span><span><span><em><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><span style=""><em><span style=""><em><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1UxQg_ldDrE/TArCwE2tXpI/AAAAAAAAAB8/ttgFe3pLQNk/s1600/P6051419.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1UxQg_ldDrE/TArCwE2tXpI/AAAAAAAAAB8/ttgFe3pLQNk/s320/P6051419.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479406027842346642" border="0" /></a></em><em></em><em></em><em></em><em></em><em></em><em></em></span><em></em></em></span><em><em></em></em><em><em></em></em><em><em></em></em></span><em><em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em><em></em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em><em></em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em><em></em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em></em></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em></em></em><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">....And tomorrow there's supposed to be a storm! I love storms, so tomorrow will be a nice, chill day watching nature do it's thing!</span><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></em><em style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></em></span>Katrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12446584166374101161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756301314570025574.post-56700852946201081402010-06-04T06:42:00.000-07:002010-06-04T07:23:30.372-07:00Belgium vs. the USSo I've been bad and haven't posted anything yet even though we've been here for three weeks. So far things are going well. I like my internship at a media consulting company, I've already gotten to go to parliament to listen to debates on the Digital Agenda for the EU, and the people I work with are great. I didn't know any of the other AU students when I came here, but I already feel like I've made some great friends and we've traveled to some really cool places so far.<div><br /></div><div>For my first post I'm going to write about some of the differences I've noticed between Belgium and the US.</div><div><br /></div><div>1) Stores</div><div>Stores close a lot earlier here than they do back home. Most of the stores close by 7 pm and are closed on Sundays too. I was at the mall near the AU Center before class Tuesday and was surprised when everything started closing up just before 7. I guess I just assumed the stores would stay open as late as they do in the US! While this can be a little annoying, it must be nice for the people who work there. I know I would have loved to have gotten out of work that early when I worked in retail!</div><div><br /></div><div>2) Money</div><div>At least in Belgium, many many places don't take credit or debit cards, or you need to have a Belgian card with an electronic chip in it. This was definitely hard to get used to for me as at home I <i>never</i> have cash on me. Now I have to go to the ATM (known here as a Bank Contact or Mister Cash) a lot more often. This is good and bad. It's good because it makes you more aware of how much money you're spending. However for me paying with cash makes me feel like I'm spending more because I mentally deduct it when I take out money then I feel like I'm paying again when I buy something! </div><div><br /></div><div>3) Showers</div><div>Anyone who's been to Europe knows that bathrooms here are different from back home. At my homestay we don't have a bidet or anything but they are still common. Our shower is fairly normal, except for the fact that you have to hold the shower head instead of it being up on the wall. It's obviously not a big problem, but it was nice when we were in the hotels on our trip around Belgium and had regular showers!</div><div><br /></div><div>4) Washing machines</div><div>Dr. Sheridan warned us that the washing machines here would be complicated. Luckily the one at my homestay isn't complicated, but it is different from at home. First of all its in the kitchen. This seems strange since in most apartment buildings in the US there would be a room for machines downstairs. Its also a lot smaller than ones in the US and the cycles are much different. The regular one takes two hours! We also don't have a dryer. I know some people here do, but there isn't really any space for one in the apartment.</div><div><br /></div><div>5) Drinks</div><div>At restaurants in Belgium they won't give you tap water for free, you have to buy it. This is one thing I don't like because having to pay for bottled water at a restaurant seems like a waste of money. You can also buy beer in a restaurant for about the same amount of money, 1.50-2 euros. </div><div><br /></div><div>6) Coffee</div><div>Belgium is like much of Europe in that they typically drink espresso or cappuccino in the morning. While I do like those types of coffee, most of the time, I just want a nice big cup of coffee that I can carry with me and drink for a while. I haven't seen any Starbucks yet (supposedly there are some around) so for now I'm drinking Senseo coffee, which is somewhere in between regular coffee and espresso. </div><div><br /></div><div>7) Beer and Chocolate</div><div>These are two of the things Belgium is best known for and for good reason. In general they are both <i>much</i> better than in the US! Of course back home you can get good beer and chocolate, but they tend to be expensive. Here even the cheaper options for the two are really good. It makes it hard to resist (especially chocolate) when there is so much of it around and its so delicious, but I'm trying.</div><div><br /></div><div>8) Street Food</div><div>My last difference is Belgian street food. In the US we have hot dogs and pretzels. Here they have waffles and french fries and they are both delicious! While they have the typical Belgian waffles (here called Brussels waffles), but the better option are the Liege waffles. These are more doughy, and sweeter, studded with little bits of crunchy pearled sugar. If you ever get the chance to try them do not pass it up! The french fries are pretty similar to the US, but they have a ton of different sauces for them, including curry ketchup and the ever popular mayonnaise. My favorite so far has been the Andaluse sauce, which is a kind of tomato mayonnaise. </div><div><br /></div><div>That's all for now! This weekend I'm going to a town in the south called Namur where my host family is from. I'm excited to go and see the differences between Wallonia (southern Belgium) and Flanders (northern Belgium) where we went on our trip to Antwerp, Ghent, and Bruges.</div>Katie Schoenbergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07460931724201957850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756301314570025574.post-86331245092354994082010-05-27T09:16:00.000-07:002010-05-27T09:36:57.160-07:00beautiful buildings and lots of animals<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_O7TKDRYI-FZCHE2VNwZi4ROT3-059sYGiqcxT2kkSZkc9a9ziqgeRziFdkmBG_8hvsg_wfeSzH8oypD7fCJ1iCcMATlER8ymTp3vIhDpieCBsps95ZbuO8-3ZmSyi5y5uPPvpm82IQT/s1600/P5240181.JPG"></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:-webkit-xxx-large;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">It’s almost the end of our second week here in Brussels and I think I am already completely exhausted! I still haven’t recovered from our long weekend touring the region of Flanders…. especially not with all the extremely-fast walking that Dr. Sheridan had us doing! (I am too short for that speed haha, and I must give much thanks to Katie L-P for her constant prodding and anticipation of shortcuts … not sure I would’ve kept up without her!)</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">Nonetheless, it was a truly amazing trip. I must have taken at least 500 pictures between the 4 cities of Leuven, Antwerp, Ghent, and Bruges. The buildings were truly gorgeous…all of the intricate details, history, mini-statues, and wit imbued into their cathedrals and town halls are just astounding. I am pretty sure I fell in love with the Stadhuis of Leuven and Antwerp, and the St. Bavos Cathedral in Ghent (our hotel was right next to it!) I am still sad that I didn’t get to go on a boat tour in Ghent, while much of the group did the tour – I stayed behind in the hotel doing homework for my distance learning class: Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Wingdings;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">L</span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">. On Monday we toured the quaint city of Bruges, and although it was picturesque, romantic, historic, and filled with chocolate shops, I just didn’t like it as much as the others…</span></span></p><div><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw4nX-OiL4GSqD7K01Diu01-9zlw2nA8qUML-w2V9lsukRmfdfT2gQwQsEW3wtv_wJbF08RVhQPOTcnRWwN94THotnVTgI3VC_5uu4dyoeZxEuZHf984A7R51sNbc4w48CVB9t8iF0JTB6/s1600/P5230602.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw4nX-OiL4GSqD7K01Diu01-9zlw2nA8qUML-w2V9lsukRmfdfT2gQwQsEW3wtv_wJbF08RVhQPOTcnRWwN94THotnVTgI3VC_5uu4dyoeZxEuZHf984A7R51sNbc4w48CVB9t8iF0JTB6/s320/P5230602.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475988268909221074" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigyGNnrPBmjhiUTXKJTHzJhPuNe2fT_um7xEJHpErQSoE7ubZmpol9X_ct59AHBo-H0TJs8cGE1nbg4Zz-gwNdN8-dkG7kEx99pfGIQUldYkXGvcnJYeHfsI0kTGhxp7Ycx8XsSVbS50h8/s1600/P5220414.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigyGNnrPBmjhiUTXKJTHzJhPuNe2fT_um7xEJHpErQSoE7ubZmpol9X_ct59AHBo-H0TJs8cGE1nbg4Zz-gwNdN8-dkG7kEx99pfGIQUldYkXGvcnJYeHfsI0kTGhxp7Ycx8XsSVbS50h8/s320/P5220414.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475988259798578002" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOkMR5yBYMbOBDx02WoPyU2-exA13GXrC24RH2EhiO119sbHR5stCG9hizePoJyN4UGMyH2sk0bveMXBKTrmCJx3KtRrwOuLmFbJNRKLbC8gGWxfsiRkLvTq3B3ZwUBko-ThABPRA3T24/s1600/P5210188.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOkMR5yBYMbOBDx02WoPyU2-exA13GXrC24RH2EhiO119sbHR5stCG9hizePoJyN4UGMyH2sk0bveMXBKTrmCJx3KtRrwOuLmFbJNRKLbC8gGWxfsiRkLvTq3B3ZwUBko-ThABPRA3T24/s320/P5210188.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475988255641301202" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOrD6gLLGsSrJUiEeimL5kIdzSb7Bosu33XkWIWaHjDNLRMKkwrliPKF77pkHhvHRLQ9Tu7SUyDWIiblrwKXeU9_rHCXHMkh9cP-h9brVSNWr1YY6WOPkoPBDIXBhWZU2UxDpC9HNCWtL/s1600/P5200031.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOrD6gLLGsSrJUiEeimL5kIdzSb7Bosu33XkWIWaHjDNLRMKkwrliPKF77pkHhvHRLQ9Tu7SUyDWIiblrwKXeU9_rHCXHMkh9cP-h9brVSNWr1YY6WOPkoPBDIXBhWZU2UxDpC9HNCWtL/s320/P5200031.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475988252678086626" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Tuesday was our last day before starting our internships full-time (well, Mon-Thurs), so I decided to make the best of it. In the morning, I trekked to Tervuren to visit the Royal Museum of Central Africa. The museum is a converted residence and the property is just amazing. Beautiful park, lake, and mansion. I was in awe….until I stepped inside the great hall and promptly died of laughter. The majestically golden European woman nestling the ape-like African child, the grand statues of a civilized King Leopold II and various Belgian explorers juxtaposed with the animalistic African warriors complete with a ferocious scowl and spear in hand… it was too much for me.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_O7TKDRYI-FZCHE2VNwZi4ROT3-059sYGiqcxT2kkSZkc9a9ziqgeRziFdkmBG_8hvsg_wfeSzH8oypD7fCJ1iCcMATlER8ymTp3vIhDpieCBsps95ZbuO8-3ZmSyi5y5uPPvpm82IQT/s320/P5240181.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475988900510457778" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Although the museum acknowledges the condescension, it excuses it with the fact that the museum is 100 years old and is in tact to teach a lesson. Um…ok? The historical exhibit of Belgium in the Congo is great, I will admit that…although perhaps a section on post-independence relations is also in order, especially with all the posters anticipating DRC’s 50 yrs of independence. It’s one of the better and more comprehensive museums of Africa that I’ve seen…but the sections on animals and insects were obscenely expansive. Aren’t there humans in Congo too?</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Anyway, sorry for that digression... On Wednesday, we all started our internships and I was introduced to what will most likely become the bane of my existence…the French-language keyboard! Two days later, I am still struggling…but I refuse to give up! I am interning at the Africa Europe Faith and Justice Network, doing a project on the proliferation of small arms. Follow the link to learn more!</span><a href="http://www.aefjn.org/index.php/arms.66.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(53, 66, 88); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">http://www.aefjn.org/index.<wbr>php/arms.66.html</span></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I will talk more next week about my internship and other random thoughts. Now I must get ready for my next stop…PARIS….tonight!</span></span></p></span>hieretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05682719462231571626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756301314570025574.post-21659111764091020202010-05-26T09:26:00.000-07:002010-05-26T10:21:28.553-07:00Brussels through Pictures<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGOaedcAMOFtqfZei1ssV8RnARCQPu-FZ1lVxacrUlJiczThcVcEE-STz2KTcXUTpjlgnDk5aHzMUTiazZJPe2CvxqRxES5dCSnN0A4shoqlNBolQUB5qNw9uy3cF6EnTS5cFzOXNR3TQ/s1600/europe+287.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGOaedcAMOFtqfZei1ssV8RnARCQPu-FZ1lVxacrUlJiczThcVcEE-STz2KTcXUTpjlgnDk5aHzMUTiazZJPe2CvxqRxES5dCSnN0A4shoqlNBolQUB5qNw9uy3cF6EnTS5cFzOXNR3TQ/s320/europe+287.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475628929800559570" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A map of Bruges made out of lace<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9PLnZ_kvUwO74tBkzcwH-yKMHCLZTebLzh0eK3iQd0ZHleKVW_PZEM2mgpmCnpbn_rUxkWErit1BAuZlEBMrlZPU7HQN5smZfrY5YLFWqK7CPepRpx2heF1JdyJrPRx-NyG85EEpDeo/s1600/europe+228.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9PLnZ_kvUwO74tBkzcwH-yKMHCLZTebLzh0eK3iQd0ZHleKVW_PZEM2mgpmCnpbn_rUxkWErit1BAuZlEBMrlZPU7HQN5smZfrY5YLFWqK7CPepRpx2heF1JdyJrPRx-NyG85EEpDeo/s320/europe+228.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475628918080683634" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The medieval castle of Ghent<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNi0THxtmjdiwDWWQtMW0hFJTW5MUKYhhjGrZwJf9lUTms44ANNpNmDY8iKWJ5P_yTHNmpNelCkQl2ZjNym5otUmL24Fbgv6A0rHpqWn5aA3jhsk_7dgfT5h1hSB9yz9LYGa-9xoiCVcw/s1600/europe+198.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNi0THxtmjdiwDWWQtMW0hFJTW5MUKYhhjGrZwJf9lUTms44ANNpNmDY8iKWJ5P_yTHNmpNelCkQl2ZjNym5otUmL24Fbgv6A0rHpqWn5aA3jhsk_7dgfT5h1hSB9yz9LYGa-9xoiCVcw/s320/europe+198.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475628912847688642" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The Diamond District in Antwerp<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6C7VJ9TL0ypX1iaMGFuRt9hN9ZP9ofDOlzBiA87VEaxe2EvAJ-XzOa3foNaeRHvtiG7BDUjPP75CvmmINrtkbyX0jeXoxKBeZ7NEz89LpCUnlr2wfrpvAE-LnnhNvbLVc_nYeyTLF8PU/s1600/europe+195.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6C7VJ9TL0ypX1iaMGFuRt9hN9ZP9ofDOlzBiA87VEaxe2EvAJ-XzOa3foNaeRHvtiG7BDUjPP75CvmmINrtkbyX0jeXoxKBeZ7NEz89LpCUnlr2wfrpvAE-LnnhNvbLVc_nYeyTLF8PU/s320/europe+195.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475628904597680370" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The fountain of knowledge in Leuven<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4sjN-VeZE0Z9VjPsgACYOWdIznbZtYK96WE0VpijU9Klelne31zbp7sXW4oJo-WsrflQCHdUaRCh69VMfn2Leok5u5clDh72hAln6NsiB8sVX3NZVLd41lq21TDDjZu88XriwwdwLwU/s1600/europe+089.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4sjN-VeZE0Z9VjPsgACYOWdIznbZtYK96WE0VpijU9Klelne31zbp7sXW4oJo-WsrflQCHdUaRCh69VMfn2Leok5u5clDh72hAln6NsiB8sVX3NZVLd41lq21TDDjZu88XriwwdwLwU/s320/europe+089.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475628899680681714" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The first Belgian Waffle.Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13349296616592890829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756301314570025574.post-50888263060993703942010-05-25T05:24:00.000-07:002010-05-25T06:12:26.258-07:00Bonjour de Bruxelles!Bonjour tout le monde!<br /><br />Well, the Brussels summer adventure started last Saturday (May 15th) and I cannot believe everything that has been crammed into the last 10 glorious days.<br /><br />Last weekend, we had orientation on Saturday and Sunday, went on a wonderful tour of the city with Jerry and then got to move in with our host families on Sunday. I'm utterly impressed by how well some of the host families were matched up and simply love my new home in Brussels. I am living with another student from the program (Susan), although we both have our own rooms, in a house with a single woman, and a French student who she also rents a room to. I think the most impressive thing about the host family set-up is that I was really worried about living with a family, because I am gluten-intolerant (I cannot eat bread, pasta, anything of that sort). I knew that bread was a staple to most European countries and was so worried of making things difficult for my host-family, but in fact, my host-mom is also gluten-free! This may not seem amazing to anyone else, but really is to me. The first couple days she made me special gluten-free crêpe batter, so I could have fresh crêpes for breakfast. Recently, she has been making fresh gluten-free bread every night, so I can enjoy it in the morning. It's wonderful! The times when we all eat dinner together the three of us, my host-mom, Susan and I spend hours at the table talking and enjoying our evenings in each other's company. I think that host-family situation has really helped me become comfortable in Brussels quickly. I know that if I ever have a question or a problem, I can talk to my host mom and she's always more than happy to help. (It's also wonderful to have the chance to practice my French!)<br /><br />However, the last week has been much more than just getting acquainted with the city and meeting our host-families. In fact, much of our time was spent preparing for our interviews. I had 5 interviews over the span of 2 days, which was great, because it introduced me to a variety of organizations. Unfortunately 4 were on Wednesday and only 1 was on Thursday, which made for a very exhausting Wednesday, but everything worked out very well. The organizations that I interviewed with all seemed very interesting and included a business council working to promote Belarusian business in the EU and vice versa, a culture house, an organization working towards non-proliferation of small arms in Africa, and two organizations dealing with European policy. I found out on Friday that I was placed with the European Policy Center, so I am very thrilled about that, although also nervous. Work starts tomorrow, so we'll see how it goes!<br /><br />But a first week in Brussels would probably be more exhausting than enjoyable if it only included orientations and interviews, so we got to end the week with a bang by taking four separate days trips. It was amazing. On Friday we went to Leuven, Saturday morning we left for Antwerp, where we stayed overnight and then Sunday we spent in Gent, where we then spent Sunday night and on Monday we ended our fabulous weekend in the breath-taking city of Brugges. The trips were simply amazing! Jerry organized everything and was also our tour guide. The tours of each city consisted of a lot of walking, but they were well worth it. We learned so much about European history, Belgian history, and how architecture and buildings can play a role in telling these different stories. It was fascinating and something you have to experience to truly understand. But, the tours didn't last all day long, and usually early evening, around 4, Jerry let us go off and do our own thing. Often, this included a nap for me before heading out to dinner with the group. Other times we went for coffee and ice cream or continued to explore the cities. Some highlights for me included going through Peter Paul Rubens' house in Antwerp, as well as playing frisbee on the main square there; exploring a castle in Gent and sitting by the river, enjoying ice cream in Brugges. But, similar to the ending of Reading Rainbow, if any of you remember that show - you'll have to come to Brussels to really find out what awaits you! All I can say is it has been an phenomenal experience so far.<br /><br />A la prochaine!<br />Katiezima.dievkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01936344697823448263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756301314570025574.post-77383000791492690162010-05-20T16:10:00.000-07:002010-05-20T16:14:39.648-07:00Bruxelles, Finalement!!<p class="MsoNormal">It’s been a few days since we’ve all arrived here in Brussels, but I am still feeling a bit disoriented and jet-lagged….so please bear with me as I sift through everything that has happened over the past few days!</p> <p class="MsoNormal">After my unfortunate (and quite expensive) detours through Manchester (UK), London (UK), and Lille (France), I finally arrived in Brussels by train on Saturday night. Dr. Sheridan met us at the hotel on Sunday morning to take us on a tour of the Grand Place…which was absolutely amazing. I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the Grand Place, a cobblestone square surrounded on all sides by historical buildings accented with statues, carvings, and gold. I don’t think that any of the pictures I took really did it justice – particularly the Hotel de Ville. I must go back there! We also looked at the Hotel Amigo, where the Spanish Inquisition once executed many Protestants, and the Manneken-Pis, which was much smaller than I had expected him to be.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Later on, we went to the AU Brussels Center (AUBC) to meet our host families. Although my host family has been great, I must admit that I became very scared to meet them as we were given instructions on how to behave and what to expect of the typical Belgian family. 5 minute showers!? And only 7 minutes total if we’re washing our hair?! A time limit for using the internet?! I panicked when I heard these things. But logistics aside, my host family has been so kind and hospitable, and what’s even better is that Gribaumont, our closest metro stop, is very close to both AUBC and the downtown area. And, I swear this area looks just like the UCSF area of San Francisco – parks, buildings, and all!</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Aside from getting acquainted with the city/region of Brussels, we have spent the majority of this week mapping and researching in preparation for our interviews. After all, that’s why we’re here in Brussels! On Tuesday, Dr. Sheridan gave us a tour of the downtown area, the EU Parliament, the Belgian Parliament, the military museum, and a basic history of Belgium. I had interviews on both Wednesday and Thursday, and I broke up my time with getting my first authentic Belgian waffle which was delicious….although I think the waffle I had in Amsterdam a few years ago is better! </p> <p class="MsoNormal">On Wednesday, Stephanie (my AU housemate) and I watched the friendly football match between Belgium and Bulgaria with our host parents and their relatives. It was very fun to watch, especially since Belgium played awful until about the 89<sup>th</sup> minute, playing well enough for the final minute and into extra time to score two goals and win the game 2-1! We also discussed Belgian politics and the upcoming election with them, as well as the possible separation of Flanders and Wallonia. This brings me to my final topic – the language divide.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Although I have only been here for 5 days, the divide between Flemish (i.e. Dutch) and French speakers is a bit disturbing. It seems that although everyone is a Belgian, the two sides are living, as Susan called it, “parallel” lives. EVERYTHING is translated into both languages – which is good – but…it seems to be like the “separate but equal” U.S. Supreme Court ruling that legitimized segregation. It’s less about equality and more about physically, psychologically, emotionally, and legally separating the two populations. There are separate TV stations and newspapers that report on separate events and programs; separate entertainers and sports teams. Dr. Sheridan said that the only thing Belgians really share is football, the king(?), and beer ….oh and of course Brussels! It’s truly sad to see. Most people I’ve talked to seem to blame the politicians for the intensity of the hatred and desire to formally separate, but…something tells me that there’s more to the story, and I hope to learn more about the dynamics during our weekend trip to Leuven, Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent, and beyond!</p>hieretehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05682719462231571626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756301314570025574.post-40178568162722110572010-05-20T04:48:00.000-07:002010-05-20T05:44:20.876-07:00I dream of waffles!<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 326px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 234px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473329619901255682" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1UxQg_ldDrE/S_UsSlTWkAI/AAAAAAAAABM/B1ZqNUi5UjA/s320/P5181087.JPG" />Is it crazy that I have been in Brussels since Saturday and I have YET to try their waffles? I figure I'm just trying not to overload myself with too many amazing Belgian experience all at once. I'm thinking I'll have one this week as a reward for getting through all of my interviews in one day, while almost missing the first one because of listening to someone else intead of my own instincts regarding directions, almost not getting money from western union because of technicalities, etc., all without cutting someone off at the knees out of sheer frustration. I'm quite proud of myself! Plus, because of the chaos that was yesterday, today I can be in chill mode and go at a more relaxed pace. In the end it was worth it, and after the first interview I wasn't nervous anymore (except for the one where 10 of us had an interview with the same person, ugh).<br /><div><div><div><br />Sooo..Brussels thus far...We've done quite a bit of walking and have seen a surprising number of sites in only a few days (of course here, everything you look at could be considered a sight because everything is very old and therefore has SO much history to it, and the architecture is great). Since you can never really put your experience into words, I won't even bother right now and will instead give you a few photos.</div><div> </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 327px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 257px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473330005254355362" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1UxQg_ldDrE/S_UspA2sOaI/AAAAAAAAABU/nWbpD6IG6q8/s320/P5151035.JPG" /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 326px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 262px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473328421866579746" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1UxQg_ldDrE/S_UrM2RoJyI/AAAAAAAAAA8/Cq9Z0MOjxZM/s320/P5151036.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 330px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 313px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473328830278806274" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1UxQg_ldDrE/S_UrknusKwI/AAAAAAAAABE/rlgLXjXP4Ug/s320/P5161046.JPG" /> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 239px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 296px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473330371175780434" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1UxQg_ldDrE/S_Us-UBKEFI/AAAAAAAAABc/MpI0LbD856E/s320/P5151030.JPG" /><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div>This last one was taken the Saturday everyone had to be at our hotel. I've never tried to walk on stilts, but I'm pretty sure it's at least a bit difficult. When you include wearing a chicken costume...yeah. This person has mad skills, haha.</div><br /><div>Well, that's it for now, kids! There are things to do and more of Brussels to enjoy! If I have time later tonight, I may even put up a couple pictures of the peeing boy statue.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Katrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12446584166374101161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756301314570025574.post-47575440674693766292010-05-19T13:05:00.000-07:002010-05-19T13:15:39.488-07:00Brussels!So we have all arrived in Brussels as of Saturday, May 15th. It was a bit rainy and cold during the weekend and at the start of the week, but the weather is surely turning around to be sunny and nice and cool. :) We were put up in a nice hotel right off the Grand Place for Saturday evening while also eating a delicious dinner at Grand Cafe (I think that's what it was called?).<br /><br />Since then, Jerry has taken us on a few tours of Brussels, which have been quite interesting and cool! It's a very diverse and complex city with its many layers of history, culture, and politics. We have also had time to explore and enjoy the different restaurants, cafes, and shops around the city. It's great to be here!<br /><br />We moved in with our host families as of Sunday, May 16th, which was an exciting and nerve-wracking day! So far I think everyone is enjoying their stay... We'll see how that shapes up.<br /><br />We have done a few interviews for our internships starting today. Mine went well, I hope?, haha, and everyone I ran into during the process seemed to be having positive experiences too. It was a bit intense when we were first introduced to what would happen during the internship interview process, but once in it, it really isn't too bad.<br /><br />This weekend will be a trip with everyone to Leuven, Antwerp, Ghent, and then Bruges. It looks like it will be a fun weekend! :) I am especially excited to check out Bruges because I have heard it is incredibly beautiful and I rather enjoyed the film "In Bruges" so I am eager to check the city (town?) out.<br /><br />Well, I have homework to get to (a distance learning course, not a part of the AU Brussels program, so have no fear future readers of this blog and potential participants... you will not be bogged down by homework while here).<br /><br />I will update again next week with info on our trips around Belgium and the results of our internships...!<br /><br />-The SwedeThe Swedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10792030038371989895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756301314570025574.post-79494261855107841222010-04-30T09:03:00.001-07:002010-04-30T09:03:13.082-07:00Welcome!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0