Big Boss Obama and the Cabbage Patch

Hello from Belgium!

I am finally here, my home for the next six months. I took the train (three, actually) down from Leiden on Saturday and was greeted at the Brugge station by 3/4 of my host family- Tine, the mom, and two of the CUTEST little girls you've ever seen. They helped me get home and settled, and the entire trip Sarah, who is 4, kept looking at me excitedly with her big, brown eyes and telling everyone I'm her new sister (cue: awwwwwww). Seraphine (2) also looked at me with her big, brown eyes, but doesn't really understand what's going on as much as Sarah does. Because Sarah will say (in Dutch), "You come from America. With Obama. Who is the big boss."

Sarah can say my name, and with her front rolling "r"s it is beyond precious. Seraphine can kind of make the vowel sounds, and it really is just as presh. They also like to call me "meisje," which simply means "girl." So I'll hear them come home from the store and start shouting "where is girl?? GIIIIIRL!!!" I am their new toy and they are exhausting me. But yes, they're so cute I might take them home with me.











More on where I'm living: the city, like every other one in Belgium, has two versions of it's name. Bruges is the French, and Brugge is the Dutch. It's pronounced like the Hebrew "blessing"...as in "I'll say the b'rucha over the Belgian beer." If you're not Jewish, just go ask someone in your company's financial department to say it for you. The area of town I live in is called Koolkerke, or "cabbage church" (naturally). As a non-Christian, I say I'm living in the Cabbage Patch. It's a beautiful little village right next to the big city, so I get the best of both words. Koolkerke itself only has about 3,000 people, plus lots of greenery, horses/cows, corn fields, and a scenic tree-lined canal. Even though it's vastly different from the medieval, larger city (about 117,000, including these 3,000), it's only 3-4 kilometers to the city center.

More on with whom I'm living: I like my host family a lot, although there are certain habits I will have to get used to. Tine and Tario, who are just 32 and 34, are both very open and nice, and appropriately treat me like a mature adult roommate rather than a host-child. They want me to have open communication with them and be myself. It's kind of a weird situation though- on one hand, I'm living here 6 months so I need to be comfortable, but on the other hand I am a guest in their home and they are nice enough to house/feed me. So I'll have to find the least awkward balance there. Anyway, they are very simple, minimilist people- they try as much as possible to conserve water, electricity, food, and stretch every dollar. These are all things I believe in, but as a gluttonous American am certainly not used to. Tine also likes everything completely clean and put away, which I also believe in but I know sometimes can be difficult in the rush of life. So I'll do what I can, knowing that Amanda trained me very well in the ways of being a house guest.

Also, I might actually lose weight living in Belgium. Weird, right? But the family eats very healthy (as do I...mostly) and keeps plenty of fruits/veggies and very few sweets in the house. I'll have to go elsewhere for my waffle fix. They are incredibly accomodating with me being vegetarian, especially since Tario (who is Pakistani) cooks a lot of Indian food. My sinuses shall stay clear!


Emily and I toured Brugge last year for one day, but I'm excited to get to know the city more in depth, especially things tourists don't see! Let me know if you have any questions about my living situation- I included some pictures of my room (I almost feel guilty having my own sink and working internet when my friends in South America don't always have water and computer access), but none of the house yet since I want their permission before putting up pictures of the house/family. I'm here for the rest of the week, have orientation this coming Friday-Monday, and then start my work next Tuesday! I shall, of course, keep you posted:)


Words learned on this adventure:
Daarom- there are several words for "because," but this is the answer to when a kid asks "why?"
Mag Niet- literally "may not," it means "not allowed." What Tine says to the girls when they want to come into my room (without kloppen, knocking).
Poppenhuis- dollhouse
Kabouter- gnome (almost as useful as invisibility cloak)
Toverfee- fairy
Moe- tired, and the reason I can't jump on the trampoline anymore!
Konijn- rabbit
Kuiltjes- dimples. Seraphine has these huge dimples when she smiles!!

XOXO
kosher BELGIAN waffle!