Our Cock Is Dead! Do You Have A Man?

I've always said language was fun.

Dutch speakers are great at English, but there are a few times when it takes all that I have to keep myself from laughing inappropriately. Such as my first day, when my boss pointed at a guy and said, "That's our cock." After regaining composure, I quickly remembered the word for cook in Dutch is "kok"- pronounced "cock." When they translate it into English, they often leave the vowel sound as is. So I have had people introduce themselves as "a cock," tell me "we've got a great cock," and generally make me giggle like a 12-year-old.

Additionally, a few adults at work (both staff and non) were translating a popular children's song and began singing, "Our cock is dead! Our cock is dead!" They meant male chicken, but I just had a moment where I thought wow, my life is strange. Another fun word mix-up would be man/husband and woman/wife- there's no seperate word for them in Dutch. So I hear women talk all the time about "my man" and I feel like they're from the Real Housewives of Atlanta or singing a Beyonce song or something. I started working with a new group of kids this week, and they were asking me all sorts of questions, including, "Do you have a man?" Strange.

I am proud and pleased to report that my Dutch is getting better, but I have to say I miss being able to speak complete English. I don't have any friends or colleagues who are native English speakers, so my brilliance with the language is often either unappreciated or sadly unused. I love playing with words- I revel in nuance, delight in diction, adore alliteration, and rely heavily upon wit for humor. So when I have to ax idioms and nix Austen-worthy descriptions, not to mention text speak for sms-ing and online chatting, I feel as if a part of me has been lost. And the parting is such unsweet sorrow.

In other news, I am very happy with my new/current/not-crazy/permanent host family. I feel very at home and welcome. The mom is an incredibly gentle and kind woman who has volunteered all over the world and is taking me in to give back. She is also a Pisces, so we get along well. The mom and the three girls (8, 10, and 12) are all vegetarian so I am eatin' good and really feeling at home:) PLUS, and this is the best part, they have a clothes dryer. It is the first one I have seen in Belgium and I had not realized how much I love them until now.

I have a new address and I'll be here for a while, so please send me things. I'll appriciate them and thank you appropriately, I promise. I get a little homesick sometimes so it's nice when people send me things. Especially cookies.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to see a man about a cock.

xoxo
kw

Why I Love Wednesdays

We made African masks out of recycled materials. But the best faces are on the kids:)

Here's one of my favorites!



She is a small and aDORable girl- she made a cat:



This boy smiles with his whole face and it lights up a room (and my heart) every time!



He's a little guy and so precious:



These kids all live together in the same group- it's very sweet how the older ones help the younger ones and how they compliment each others' works.


I'll write more about the adults later (I'm even more inspired by them), but had to share these adorable kiddos!

xoxo
kw

Valerie = Awkward in Every Language

Last week in Art we worked with a live model. A live nude model. Now, I love a good naked weekend when the roomies are out of town as much as the next person, but I'm a little too American to be comfortable in this situation. What was the most awkward part? So many to choose from! It could be how the model smiled at me every time I looked over at her, the fact that the guy I was helping was sweating profusely and kept forgetting he had clay to mold, or it could be that I'm now convinced a few select piercings aren't for me. Whatever it was, it was AWK.

Now, being me, you can rest assured this hasn't been my only encounter with such situations, although this has been the most exposed. It seems that a few of the guys I work with have crushes on me. And I don't mean guys on staff. One of the newest people I've started working with on this already at-ease project likes to comment about how pretty he finds me to my boss...while I'm sitting right between them. Or take pictures of me as I'm finishing lunch (very flattering shots, I assure you). Another guy told some of the girls on staff how cute and nice I am, and I'm pretty sure they were teasing me about it in dialect (which I can't understand).

Although, if I looked uneasy, they probably took it as the norm. The staff at work seems to think that I'm not comfortable at work/around them because I'm always kind of inelegant- they're always checking to make sure I'm happy and feel at home. I wish I could wear around a sign at work saying "I'm not uncomfortable, I really am *that* awkward."

In unrelated news, Belgium is a lot like the Midwest. It's flat, filled with cornfields and cows, and the people are incredibly warm and speak a little funny. There are even parts of both where ending sentences with "eh?" is in fashion (and you thought you had that monopolized, Canadia!) There are a few major cities (Chicago/Brussels, Minneapolis/Antwerp, Milwaukee/Brugge), a couple great college towns (Ann Arbor/Leuven, Madison/Gent), and beers and cheese aplenty. Oh, and the weather is craptastic, so whenever its 43 and rainy, it feels like home:)

Only semi-awkward, a group of friends and I went to this huge party held at a community center right outside of Brussels where one of our friends is a volunteer. Pretty much the entire village showed up, which was weird between 10 and 1 when a good amount of the people there were under driving age. It was like a really goyshe bar mitzvah with beer. Entertaining was watching the guys suffer as they'd start to flirt with girls and then realize, "crap! I don't think they're legal..." so they just abstained from getting too flirty with anyone and kept themselves out of Belgian legal trouble. After 1, more adults showed up and the place was PACKED. It was a good time, I like my friends:)



Excited to go back to work tomorrow and amass more awk scenarios. Feel free to leave your awkward moments in the comments section to entertain me (it's only fair).

xoxo
kw

It's a Tamarack Tie!

I work at summer camp. Well, technically I work at a community for people with autism in Brugge, but it feels a lot like making lanyards in backwoods Michigan. Luckily, there's no swimming in pee-infested lakes involved, so Brugge remains preferable.

I help both kids and adults with art projects, and sometimes when things are slow or the adults have a handle on their projects, I'll do some work of my own. I got to paint horses by a sunset, work on a self-portrait (hard! and creepy once it starts looking like you...), and sculpt a Cocker Spaniel out of clay. I had never really painted with acrylic before and I really enjoyed it! The art teacher told me I have talent and Mom said I could get a paint set when I get home:) I had no idea I would be working on this area of my personal growth, but I definitely think finding some creative outlets is a very good thing. I'm also involved in candle making (pumpkins and Christmas trees are currently in vogue) and helping kids make African masks out of recycled bottles and animals out of old shoes. The fact I get to call this my job is just incredible, and not having to suffer through camp food is a major plus.

My favorite time of the week is easily Wednesday afternoons, when I work with different groups of kids. I LOVE the kids, and yes I even have favorites! Some have taken to me quickly and it's so wonderful to feel like I've connected with them, especially since it can take kids with autism a while to open up AND we don't speak the same mother tongue. When I work with kids I'm very aware that all of us have a "handicap"- the kids have autism and I don't speak fluent Dutch (with the adults I can always use English if needed). We're all working together to create projects, think outside the box, and have a good time; it's so rewarding when we're able to accomplish all of this despite the various hurdles. Watching their minds work and race is a wonder to witness- the creativity of a child's mind is something to behold! My goal each Wednesday is to connect with a different kid, in hopes that a little extra work with one or two will really help open them up to another human being. I can't describe the feeling when you experience someone with autism warm to you- it's very special and worth any amount of effort. It's hard to leave them at the end of the day!

One thing people often don't realize about kids with special needs is that they're still KIDS! They can be stubborn or hyper or need some affection, not because of their "disability", but because they're 8 or 10 or 6. I love being around these kids who have their own setbacks but are still sweet and normal kids in so many respects. First of all, all the boys are obsessed with the Club Brugge soccer team and always want to make their projects the club's colors, blue and black. One kid, "Cody," did a bunch of drawings for me and the art teacher because he really enjoyed the class one day. Another, "Vick," is pretty attached to me and always wants to show me what he's doing with his project. Some of their smiles completely light up the room, and the look on their faces when they're proud of themselves is just priceless. Vick asked me the other day if I had kids, and Mom thinks it's because he senses I'm a natural:) I simply live for Wednesdays.

Again, I'm really happy to work somewhere that understands these guys. ADD and ADHD are common in kids with autism, just to add yet another challenge to their lives. So oftentimes the kids will act up, or get over excited about things, and if you didn't know what they were facing you'd think they were just bad kids. They're not bad at all! Cody once came up to me after art to apologize for not behaving that day- he said "I'm sorry," probably one of the only English phrases he knows. He's just a 10 year old who has a hard time controlling himself sometimes, and was so genuinely sorry afterwards I almost felt sorry! I feel very blessed to have the chance to see these kids for who they really are, not just their diagnosis or behavior.

Okay, enough gushing about the kids I work with. I could go on all day, and I should probably get back to my friendship bracelets. B.F.F.

xoxo
kw

ps. with the new host family, very comfortable and at peace. they are kind, giving, and vegetarian. and there are three very well behaved and sweet kids! happy waffle:)

1 Bathroom for 9 People? Yes!

I'm nomadic, what can I say.

My "new" host family turned out to only be a temporary one- they offered to take me in order to get me out of my first, horrible host family, but only until my org found me a new place to live. I still don't have a new host family, but have been staying with them for longer than they can handle, so I'm in a hostel for the week. It's not ideal, but it's an adventure. Plus, I've actually stayed here before with Emily, so I kinda feel at home:)

But, onto the fun parts....I spent the weekend in Brussels with my loves Jule and Petar! Whenever I mention that I'm going to an event at the synagogue, my friends always ask if they can come too! This time I brought Jule with me to the Simchat Torah celebration. And by celebration I mean we made it in time for lunch and drinks (hey, we had to get there from Oostende/Brugge. Only making it for the free food was a coincidence.)


I learned the most interesting thing at lunch. I was talking about the volunteer work I'm doing, and one of the ladies at the shul came up to ask me about it. She works with special education and was telling me that there are 8 designations within special education in Belgium. Those with down syndrome are in one group, those with a physical handicap are in another, those with a learning disability another, those with autism are in another group, and so on. That means that teachers are able to tailor their teaching to a specific type of special need! How incredible is that? Instead of just dumping everyone deemed "other" into one class room, they use a more targetted approach to these kids' education. I think it's phenomenal.

Okay then the REALLY fun part of the weekend was after that- Patrick Wolf! I had never heard of him or his music before, but I am so amazed at his talent and musicianship that I might escape with Jule to London next month just to see him again! It's hard to describe his style, but it's kind of a mix between electro and folk. However, he is accomplished at many instruments, from electric guitar to ukkelele to violin, that each of his songs sounds unique since he's able to play with various genres and make them his own. Additionally, that boy has a voice- AND he knows how to use it! He has this rich, mellifluous deep voice that any country artist would kill for. He is such a lovely and sweet person; I learned in just a few hours he's close with his family, it was always his dream to play at Brussels Botanical Garden, and he has a special place in his house for all the stuffed animals fans throw on stage for him (much to the chagrin of his boyfriend). We had a fabulous time at the intimate performance of my new love, Patrick.

I must reiterate- Belgians are strange! Jule and I WERE THE ONLY ONES DANCING! This wasn't a sit-down concert; this was a stand-up, general admission, everyone crowding the stage in a same smallish room in hopes of seeing the sweat roll off Patrick's face concert! Seriously, what is wrong with them??

One of the best things about seeing a show in the Botanical Gardens is that Petar lives a 5 minute walk from there. Amazing. So we crashed there Saturday night and went with him to a flea market Sunday morning! It was quite fun- we looked at some of the oddities that made me want to translate "one man's trash is another man's treasure" into both French and Dutch, people watched a good bit, and I discovered I am not too shabby in French when I dust off my old language skills (Merci Madame Herman!) The best part was just spending time with Jule and Petar- they are both such darling people, I really love hanging out with my friends!


Dutch words learned many adventures ago that I've forgotten to post:
geneiten- to enjoy
muts- hat (a soft one, not a baseball or top)
klimmen- to climb
het jeukt- itch
krabben- to scratch
koger- bullet
ijskar- ice cream truck!
de veer/de pluim- feather
roeren- to stir (soup, etc)
slijmmerig- slimy
mierikswortel- horseradish
vieren- to celebrate. The Flemish are always vieren something...

That's all for now, I'll write more about the inspiring adventures of work soon!

Much Love,
kw

Wonder Woman, Jazz Castles, and Go Car(t)s

Hello Adored Readers,

Belgium is a strange place. By the time I'm done here I could probably right a book on the oddities of the land, and another book on the differences between BE and NL (two countries, divided by a common nothing). So in true 'when-in-Rome' fashion, I try to take advantage of any and all events, normal or otherwise, that might come my way. This leads to new experiences, fun adventures, and a whole lot of "wablieft??"

Two weeks ago, the highlight of my weekend was a jazz concert in Gent. Okay, jazz in Belgium, that's nice. No, three of us went to a private launch party in a 12th century castle. I felt *just* like "A Kid in King Arthur's Court," but without the pre-adolescent voice cracking. Built in 1180 by the Count of Flanders to resemble a Syrian crusador castle, 't Gravensteen has contained the many phases of the ever-changing city. Rulers entertained in the castle during the Medieval period, the highest court in the land met in chambers there for over 500 years, and the building has been used as a mint, a prison, a cotton-mill, and a textile center with the clanking of looms echoing in the stone chambers. So all in all not a bad venue for a little bit of jazz.

The musicians, by the way, were phenomenal. Like I said, this was a private party, so only about 100 people there for a cozy and intimate viewing of two duos. These guys could PLAY! It was so amazing to sit in this centuries old room, surrounded by music lovers and low-strung lights, listening to instruments have conversations with each other. I sat between my friends Milda and Chris (the well-connected one who got us into this swanky affair) and we just kept looking at each other with amazed glances. I often closed my eyes and just absorbed everything, even once on the verge of tears at how unique and special that evening was! Plus, in true Belgium style, they didn't serve champaign, they served champaign beer. Whatever that is.

Last weekend was a volunteer event in Oostende, the resort town on the sea, but in Belgium so really friggin windy. The weather wasn't too great, but we had a fun time anyway:) We drove Go Cars around the city. Not go carts, with any sort of helpful mechanics, but 5 person bike machines that make me think of the Flintstones. Jule and I were the clever ones who sat in the backseat, meaning we didn't have to peddle and could just enjoy ourselves. There was of COURSE a festival going on, the Oostende Kermis, so we got to see everyone out at the carnival and take some great pictures. The night one is my favorite, as anyone who knows me know I love a good juxtaposition!

If you've never seen the YouTube clip of 200 people suddenly dancing to The Sound of Music in Antwerp Centraal Station, I strongly encourage you to look that up right now. The day after our Oostende adventures, my friend Petar and I went to Antwerp for a Tori Amos concert. As soon as we arrived in Antwerp Centraal, we started singing and dancing to Julie Andrews...and have the picture to prove it!! It was a very exciting moment for the two of us- I feel as if I've accomplished something by crossing "do as in the Do Re Mi clip" off my list.

After our remarkable life-imitating-art moment, we went to see Tori Amos. Petar is a HUGE fan of hers and her songs are deeply personal to him. I'm not familiar with any of her music but was once told I had her hair color. So we went in with different approaches, but we both had a phenomenal time. Tori Amos' voice is a remarkable instrument! She is so passionate about her music it fills her up as she performs; her movement and music along with the lights and energy create a great performance. You can tell she's a very special person, even if you can't understand all her lyrics (I still don't know any of her songs). And on top of that, she looked like Wonder Woman. She wore this red dress that was cocktail length in front (that means short, Dad), and full length in the back with gold leggings and high heels. As she sat on a bench between two pianos, her legs were often in running position, the back of her dress appearing as a cape behind her. I was ready for her to save the day, and possibly jet into the air at any moment.

Concert venues in Belgium are just like those in America. This one was comparable to the Palace or the Verizon Center, if you know the D or the DC. They serve nachos, hot dogs, beer...and waffles! I love this place!

xoxo

kw

This Should Scare You

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMoodNews/autism-estimates-double-US-kids/story?id=8737978#

Autism estimates have just jumped to 1 in 91 births. That's more than one percent of kids!
Autism rates are climbing rapidly in the US, and nobody knows why or how to stop it. What I find so scary is that by the time I have kids, this rate will probably be even higher. Get educated!

Additionally, it is also true in Belgium that boys are much more likely to be diagnosed than girls. I worked with about 50 kids last week, and only 3 of them were girls. It's a similar ratio with the adults.

Please let me know if you have questions or want to get involved or help.

Kosher Waffle

The "I Gotta PEE" Rosetta Stone

I've spent the past week working mainly with kids at the community, doing art projects and going to museums. They are so adorable and fun, it's been wonderful! And I didn't even steal any to take home with me...yet...

Working with kids with autism in another language is quite an adventure. I don't always know what they're saying or asking, and I've gotten into a terrible habit of just saying yes whenever I'm unsure of what they've asked. This is definitely something I need to reconsider as I may have given a girl permission to touch the artwork in a museum and only realized what she really said after she got yelled at by her teacher. Go me. Hey, it's a learning process and I'm now learning to tell kids to go ask someone else.

I do understand a lot and I find the kids to be really patient with me. I follow about 60 percent of what they say, and often when I don't get what they're saying and they seem confused, another kid will interject "she doesn't understand you" or sometimes tell me what the kid is asking in another way. However, something I'm really good at understanding is, "I need to use the restroom, would you mind showing me the way?" In Dutch, as with any other language, this is a knee-bending dance accompanied by big eyes and a desperate expression. Luckily I know how to ask a child "must you go pee-pee?" because of my experience living with small children. However, I should probably look up these phrases for adults to avoid any unneccessary awkwardness.

There is much debate over special education, whether kids with autism should be immersed with average students or taught separately. I am not an expert on education, autism, or really anything other than House, but this past week has started to give me an opinion on the topic. I think it depends on the child, but having a seperate community for children with autism seems SO wonderful for them! I was watching groups of kids (ages 5-10) interact with each other, and was amazed at how they all fit in here. Where I work, these kids aren't outsiders. They're not seen as different or bad, they're able to make friends and interact with groups of kids just like them, and they're understood by the people around them. I just kept thinking that if you took any of these precious kids and put them in an average school, they would be on the outside, they probably wouldn't make friends as easily or feel included, and they certainly wouldn't be as understood by adults as they are here. I don't know how it affects their learning, but it seems to me that the confidence and normalcy the children are able to get in this community would contribute to better development in and out of the classroom. But what do I know.

I'm loving my work, loving the children and adults I'm working with, and very happy to be involved in this community overall! Plus, and this is by no means certain, but I might be able to introduce a small therapeutic riding program into the community! Horses, kids with autism, and Dutch...it's like my own little paradise:)

Please let me know if you have any thoughts or questions!

xoxo
kw