Thankful

Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE holiday. It's not just the family coming together or the endless array of pie (mmmm pie), but it the actual intention of the holiday that makes this one particularly special to me. I am a very grateful person- I give thanks every day for the many, many blessings in my life and I love that there is a day on the calendar dedicated to such an act. Plus, I *really* do like pie.

This is the first year I wasn't home for Thanksgiving, which made me a very sad waffle. I was so upset about this fact, that on Thursday I skipped my Dutch class/test and came home to watch Harry Potter and call my mommy. I am very glad I did, because what ended up making my night came next: speaking with other expats! I spent most of the night online chatting with Jake, who's studying in Germany, Kirsty, who's a teacher in Honduras (I think I'm linked to her blog, you should definitely check it out), and Jamie who's in the US Foreign Service in Mexico. We were all commiserating together about eating leftovers by ourselves, seeing our friends' facebook statuses saying they were home with their families, and generally how weird it can sometimes be to be an American abroad. It was really nice, actually.

But do not fret, I did have a Thanksgiving dinner. On Saturday. It was a vegetarian dinner for Belgians and a German and I think it turned out pretty well, especially considering I've never made Thanksgiving dinner before. There were sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, green beans, pumpkin soup, and mac & cheese (an all-American substitute for Turkey). Also, since this was an American celebration, there was pop instead of wine. And hugs instead of kisses on the cheek. I also told the story of Thanksgiving, including how to repay the Native Americans we killed them off, stole their land, and left them with alcoholism and casinos. Eat up!

Cooking in another country was a bit of an adventure. I was not able to make pumpkin pie! That was a big bummer, but they do not sell pre-made pie crust. So I bought a cherry pie, as it was the most American type I could find at the store. Also, they do not have cooking spray. Plus, I had to do all the measurements in liters, grams, etc, and use a celsius oven (I kept my Mac out for all the conversions!)

Dinner went well and I think everyone enjoyed it, and just to continue on theme (America!) I sent everyone home with large amounts of leftovers. It was nice to show my friends and my host family an American dinner and have people around me so I wasn't completely alone at Thanksgiving time. I am VERY grateful for that.

xoxo
kw

Learn, Live, Love in the Major Key

What would time in London be without proper royal pomp? Saturday was the Lord Mayor's Show. The Lord Mayor of London is an appointed mayor, not the elected one, who is the official liaison between the businesses of London and the government. In a tradition dating back to 1189, this mayor (who has only once been a woman) has a large procession the day following his swearing in ceremony. In other words: big friggin parade through London. The parade takes just over an hour to pass by wherever you're standing since pretty much every business in London is represented. Oh, and the Lord Mayor rides in on a golden carriage that was crafted in 1757. Jule arrived from Belgium and we watched it together with Keal!




After the show, Jule and I had one of the most romantic afternoons of my life. This is a recurring theme during my European adventure- incredibly romantic times with people who are absolutely platonic in my life. Whatever, at least I know they'll call the next day. Anyway, Jule and I had a delicious free three-course lunch at a hostel by the London Bridge (I know a guy), then spent the evening walking along the Thames, seeing the Tower Bridge and trying not to get blown away in the wind (my umbrella became a casualty of such gales).

Since I now had Jule with me, it was a little much to fit into Keal's dorm room, so we stayed at my friend Thomas' house with him and his roommates. Wow, did they make us feel welcome! They were such wonderful hosts, making this really fabulous dinner and taking complete care of us, they are really awesome guys (with very sweet girlfriends and sisters- also probably why the place was so clean). Thomas is originally from Italy and I met him when we were both exchange students in the Netherlands...nearly four years ago! It was great to see him, and I hope to visit again:)

Sunday was both scary and exhilarating. Scary? Camden Town. It freaked me out. There were people and punky things and stalls of stuff everywhere. I almost had a lil anxious moment, but Jule was there to hold me. Exhilarating? The reason we went to London in the first place...to see Patrick Wolf!

Jule introduced me to him and his music a month or two ago, and I was so captured by just one performance I had to see him again, even if it involved going to London (dedication right there). I believe I talked about him in another post, and let me tell you he did NOT disappoint the second time around! He played four instruments in this show, which was held in a beautiful old concert hall normally reserved for musicals. We saw this incredible performance (it's an all-encompassing show, with props and characters and costumes to make all of his music really come to life) in an ornate and historic building..the juxtaposition gave the show a rare energy and the entire evening felt magical.

I've included a video of Patrick singing the chorus to my favorite song of his, "The Magic Position," and if you want to hear the whole song click here. It really fits my life right now- it's about being in a beautiful and solid place in your life, being able to "live, learn, and love in the major key."




So that is my beautiful, exciting, and even heartwarming time in London. Until we meet again...

xoxo
kw

I See London, I See France

Two weekends ago I took the train from Brussels to London, via Lille, France. So I really did!

Taking the train was a great experience. For one thing, I'm petrified of flying. It's up there with my fear of snakes and commitment. Second, I had this really wonderful feeling while on the train, like I had "made it." I don't know why exactly the trip to London overwhelmed me with this feeling of success, but as we rode into England I just kept thinking to myself, "a year ago, I was just applying to volunteer abroad, sitting in a job I hated and not knowing the direction of my life and now...I'm going to LONDON!" It really felt like the cherry on top of the beautiful ice cream sundae that has become my life:)

One of the best parts was seeing my friend Keal, who I know from my Dutch class at Michigan and who is currently studying at the London School of Economics. He showed me what to look forward to as a grad student- a diet of PB sandwiches (don't worry Mrs. Harter, he eats Starbursts to get his fruit!), staying in to study, and being tired. Can't wait. I stayed with him in his dorm for the first few days of my trip and it was in a great location! I pretty much walked everywhere, which was incredible because it gave me a great opportunity to see the city.

And the city...honestly, it overwhelmed me a bit at first. I hate big cities and geez there were people EVERYWHERE. But I did enjoy the general splendor of the ambiance and reveled in the history and importance of London. I went to the British Museum, where I saw the Rosetta Stone, Greek colluseums, and Aztec treasures, feeling completely humbled by the sheer amount of incredible stuff they hold. I also went to the British Museum, my favorite of the trip, to see old works of literature. It was unbelievably fun! Part of Beowulf, Shakespeare's first folio, Austen's Persuasion, pages by Thomas Hardy, Charlotte Bronte, Virginia Woolf, Oscar Wilde, Sylvia Plath, Lewis Carroll, not to mention the Magna Carta and sketches in Leonardo DaVinci's notebook...I was in serious nerd heaven.

Since I'd never been to London before I just really enjoyed seeing all the old and royal buildings, including Parliament, Big Ben, London Bridge, Westminster Abbey, and the London Eye. When I first set sight on the Parliament building, my breath was literally taken away. Here are some pictures!



I went to shul. Voluntarily. Now I don't have to go again for a year or two! Another wonderful thing about my trip to London is that I was taken in by some very giving near-strangers. My cousin's girlfriend, whom I adore, is originally from London. While she is living in the states, her family invited me over for Shabbas dinner. That invite turned into an invite to go to their son's band's gig downtown on Thursday as well as services on Friday. Everything was fabulous- the family was warm and welcoming, the gig was really fun (hung out with real Londoners in a London pub!), synagogue was interesting (Heebs with a British accent!), and the food was delicious (Jewish mother thinking I need to eat more!) I felt very at home:)

This was just the first two days of my trip, the second half will be left for another post...



xoxo
kw

p.s. I got into graduate school. Someone thinks I'm smaaaaaaaart....

Wapenstilstandsdag

I spent the remembrance of the end of World War I with a Maltese and a German in a small Belgian town-turned-battle-ground site. It was a day to remember and I'd like to share it with you.

We spend Wapenstilstandsdag (Armistice Day) in Ieper, a village near the Flemish/Wallonia line. The city of Ieper/Ypres was key in World War I, as the German's invasion here lead the British to enter the war. The front where the Allies and the German's fought for nearly four years was just kilometers away from the city center, seeing at least five deadly battles and martyring most of the city. It was also the first place where the Germans utilized poisonous gas as a weapon. As you can imagine, this city feels very strongly about the war; every evening they have a salute to the fallen soldiers of the war, and every year they host Belgium's WWI internationally attended ceremony.

When I say internationally attended, I mean there were ambassadors and representatives from the US, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Malta, Germany, India, and the United Kingdom. Most of the soldiers who died around Ieper were part of the then British Empire, which explains most of these countries' involvement. Along with Belgian officials, they participated in a prayer and wreath laying ceremony in the large Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, a monument dedicated to the British and Commonwealth soldiers who were killed and whose graves remain unknown.

Next to and around the Menin Gate was the poppy field. Poppies are a symbol of the day due to their blood-like red color and prominence in the worst battlefields in Flanders, which lead to the popular WWI poem "In Flanders Fields" (see below). The poem is often used in remembrance ceremonies around the world, and especially here in Flanders. This year they did a really cool thing with the poppies: cardboard poppies were sent to two million Brits asking for a "personal message of remembrance", and 400,000 were returned. Here are some pictures:





The day got even more special from there. Huge crowds were flooding the small city, many of them foreign, and about a third in uniform. All different uniforms, of every shape and color, kilts, berets, badges, medals, adornments, worn by those of all ages! It was a big veterans celebration, an international one joined by former adversaries and current allies. It was humbling.

The three of us went to the In Flanders Fields museum, one of the most significant museums on the Great War. It didn't glorify war; it showed how futile and awful it is. It was incredibly well done and if you're ever in Flanders I highly recommend visiting. There was one exhibit entitled "Who Won the War?" and simply contained pictures of soldiers in the trenches whose pictures were taken but never retrieved when the war was over. To see the faces of the kids (yes, kids), was horrifying and made the war feel real for a generation much removed.

In fact I was talking with my German friend about WWI. I wanted to know if she/Germans viewed that war differently from WWII, since while both had the Germans on the aggressor side, WWI didn't have the evils of the Holocaust. My friend said that honestly, she can see that point, but she really just feels closer to second war than the first. She doesn't have any connection to the first war, no emotional attachment. I agreed that the same was true for me- WWI is an intellectual exercise, while WWII is an emotional one; both of my grandfathers faught in it, my great uncle was captured and tortured, and I know Holocaust survivors. I don't know if my family had even arrived from the old country when WWI was happening. It was interesting talking about these perspectives with a German, and to look around at the older people in the city and know that to some of them, this was personal.

Additionally, I'd like to mention that the museum also commemorated those who became disabled due to the war. It made me feel really good to know that that sacrifice was not overlooked or forgotten.


That is my long and (I think) interesting day in Ieper for Wapenstilstandsdag. I'd love to hear your comments!

xoxo
kw


ps. In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

— Lt.-Col. John McCrae (1872 - 1918)

Belgian Halloween and Requited Thai Food

A major drawback of being jam-packed with adventure is lack of time to write about such endeavors. I shall begin to record the past few weeks' tales, but a full account will take more time and energy than I presently have.

Having lived in DC for three years during Halloween, where this occasion is paralleled in magnitude only by New Years Eve, I was not going to get my hopes up for a grand holiday. Instead, I laid low and mainly worked on grad school applications (glamming it up in Europe!) and let the kids enjoy the evening. One of the girls went out with three of her best friends and I was pleasantly surprised when they returned! First of all, they don't call it trick-or-treating, so they all looked at me with a blank stare when I asked how it went (in Dutch). But they DO have a little song and dance they perform whenever someone opens their front door. I can't guarantee I've figured out how to work the sound on my camera, but it's all in Dutch so you wouldn't understand it anyway;) The shy girl on the right is the 10 year old I live with.




(DAD: Push the white arrow in the middle of the video. Or Amanda can show you...)

For anyone who went trick-or-treating as a kid, you understand the extraordinary importance of fair candy division. These four girls stood around the table for a good half an hour meticulously and as just as possible dividing their candy. Whenever they couldn't figure out what to do with a candy, they'd give it to me! I made out GOOD for the night, especially considered I stayed in my pajamas!

I've noticed a lot of things that separate Belgium from, well, most places in the world. One of the most impactful in my stay is that it's especially difficult to make friends with actual Belgians (aB). Yes, us volunteers have taken to calling them "actual Belgians," as we are trying to infiltrate their ranks in their natural habitat. For some reason this is a reserved culture and it takes months to get aB to warm up to you. They'll all admit it, and I've had aB tell me that they find it so strange how quickly other cultures exchange phone numbers and become facebook friends. How else do you get to know people better if you don't have this contact information? Wablieft?

Much to the shock and wonder of my volunteer friends, I was invited over to dinner at an aB's place! I work with a really awesome girl about my age who's in charge of the kids' art projects and I'd met her boyfriend at a few different work events (who eerily reminds me of someone I knew in college). It was so wonderful of them to invite me to their house, and they live in Gent so it was really easy! They made a tofu based thai dish (I guess I mentioned I missed good thai food!) and we went out for a drink afterwards. I had such a great time with them, and felt accomplished that I managed to make friends with some aB. Not just for the thrill of the chase, but because when I lived in Holland I didn't make many Dutch friends and it's always something I've regretted. So I think I'm doing pretty well for myself in a country of reserved aBs:)

These are some of my adventures, I'll write soon! That picture, by the way, is the smallest bar in Gent:)

xoxo
kw

I'm not sick in the head; I just have autism

I've written quite a bit so far about the kids with whom I work- it's easy, they're cute. Just talk about the funny things they say ("what reading level are you in?") and post adorable pictures and done, talking about kids is easy. I haven't been able to talk about the adults yet because actually, I'm still wrapping my head around working with them.

I work with about 20 or so adults with autism each week. They're different from anyone else I've worked with with autism because they're incredibly high functioning. They get themselves to and from the community, are in charge of many administrative tasks in one of the offices, and most speak English, if not French or German as well. What is so impressive and inspiring about them, though, is how self-aware they are. They know they have autism, they know they're a bit different...and it blows my mind.

My first day, this darling 49-year-old guy "Paul" asked me, "Have you ever worked with autism before?" I said yes with a smile and he replied, "Do you like it? It takes a lot of patience." I don't know if someone told him it takes a lot of patience or if he has just realized it, but I was taken aback. He has since asked me if I enjoy working with autism, and I said, "Paul, we have a lot of fun together, don't we? Of course I like it!" He's able to tell me that he's feeling uncomfortable around me because I'm new, or that the surrounding noise is bothering him and that's why he's shaking his hands. I'm learning a lot from him, I can't wait to see what else I discover.

A few weeks ago, I sat with another guy on the bus home from the community. While asking him where he lived in Brugge he told me, "I live in a psych-place right now- but I'm not sick in the head; I just have autism." I was stunned, I could just nod and say "right."

I'd really like to talk to these guys more, find out what else they think and know about autism and how it makes them feel. That's what's so amazing about this- autism is a communicative disorder. You usually don't know what someone with autism is thinking, let alone what they're thinking about autism!

It can be hard to ask them questions, because despite having really great basic language skills, they don't always have the deeper understanding of a question. Paul can tell you he was born with autism, but gets a little upset if I ask him too many questions about it. I asked one of the younger guys if he remembered an event from when he was younger at the community, and he continued on his previous topic, I think not really understanding what I was asking. I'm still navigating the line, but I hope to continue learning so much from these guys, in so many ways.

That's it for now, I'd really love to hear your thoughts if you wouldn't mind leaving a comment!

xoxo
KW

ps. I made this in art the other week for Mama "why aren't you smiling?" Warner:

WANTED: KOSHER WAFFLE (I think it should say)

Home Sweet Holland

Last weekend consisted of Michigan accents, tacos, and great American TV. Where was I? Breda, of course!

Breda is a ritzy city of about 200,000 in the south of Holland. Housing members of the regal Orange-Nassau family, Breda attracted many nobles and wealthy families throughout its history, establishing lavish residences and impressive Gothic churches. Unfortunately, much of the city was destroyed by a fire in the 16th century, destroying 90 percent of the buildings. The Grote Kerk (Great Church) survived to tell the tale and now towers over the rebuilt and still beautiful city.

Breda holds international significance as well- England's Charles II spent most of his exile from the Cromwellian Commonwealth in Breda. Additionally, the 1st Polish Armoured Division liberated the city from German occupation in 1944 and each Liberation Day a large Polish contingency visits Breda, which has a museum and monument dedicated to the Division as well as a Polish cemetary. Plus, Elvis' manager was born in Breda. Talk about significant!

That probably doesn't answer your question as to why I was in Breda. Other than missing a place where they speak actual Dutch, a friend of mine recently moved there! Wendi and I grew up together, but lost touch in high school. When I heard that she moved to the south of Holland I knew I had to go visit her! It was so wonderful to reconnect- we're very similar people and have a lot in common, it was really great to be with someone familiar and from HOME! She lives with her boyfriend, who is from Pinckney, Michigan, where I spent my summers growing up. We all talked about lakes and Cap'n Frosty's and Brighton...it was great. There were Michigan accents, we made tacos (I miss cheap Mexican food...), and had West Wing marathons. I was seriously as happy as a pig in poop!

It wasn't all eating great food in front of the TV (gd bless America)- Wendi and I ventured into Dordrecht for a day trip. Dordrecht is the oldest city in Holland, with its city rights granted in 1220, and holds the oldest gymnasium (secondary school, not junior high torture chamber) in the country. Due to the all-too-common Dutch flooding, Dordrecht became an island in the 15th century. It's an interesting place with much cultural significance, both church and state-wise. In the 16th century, the Dutch declared their independence from Spain in Dordrecht and installed William of Orange as their leader. In the 17th century, the church leaders held a conference in Dordrecht to decide whether the orthodox Calvinists or the liberal Armenians would be the faith of the country (Calvin beat Hobbes on this one). And in the 20th century, it was occupied by the Germans, as is required to be considered a Dutch city.

The best part of the city was the Grote Kerk, the second largest church in Holland. It was remarkable. It easily displayed some of the finest stained glass windows I've ever seen, many of detailing the history of Dordrecht. There are dozens of chapels, a grand ceiling, and a very well-displayed Dutch version of the Ten Commandments (I zoomed in on "Honor Thy Mother and Father.")





I also located The Random Jewish Monument mandatory in all NL cities. The Dutch says, "You must tell it to your children;" can someone please translate the heebs? Toda.











And that was my wonderful weekend in Holland, where they speak my Dutch, have bagels (they don't even know what bagels are in Belgium!!), and house two lovely Michiganians:) I will certainly be going back!

xoxo
kw

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