L'Abbey de la Cambre

As I mentioned before, there is a stunning Abbey directly across the street from our apartment. It is beautifully situated in the middle of the city as a little oasis amongst all of the cars, people, and noise. Church bells ring upon the hour as people go about their day-to-day activities. The Abbey was originally built in the 13th century as a Cistercian sanctuary where Catholic monks lived. It was later rebuilt in the 18th century after many of the buildings were destroyed by various wars. The Abbey is now a visual arts college.

Another wonderful aspect of living in Ixelles (the district in which my apartment lies) is the Belgian version of Greenlake that sits down the street from me. There are two lakes right next to the Abbey that are surrounded by a small dirt path for those who want to take a leisurely stroll with their dog or even a quick run when they are feeling particularly motivated. Trees line the water and men and women sprawl out on the green grass that surrounds the lakes.

Yesterday, with Percy in one hand and my book in the other, I set out to do some reading on the grass next to the Abbey. For the past several days the weather has been magnificent and I have enjoyed the sun streaming into my window, waking me in the most radiant and ideal way.

The Beauty of Living in Another Country

For some reason, the shower in our apartment has not been working very well. Instead of taking a leisurely hot shower to wake me up in the morning I have had to suffer through the painful experience of frigid water hitting my entire body. Not one ounce of remotely warm water has come out of this shower head, despite the fact that we get hot water in every other faucet in the apartment.

Needless to say, it was essential for us to call a repair man. Gennie began school yesterday, so unfortunately she was not going to be here during the time the repair man would make his visit. When we made the appointment on the phone, the company assured us that they would send someone who was fluent in English (because I would be the only one here).

It didn't take long after the repair man buzzed to get into the apartment that I realized he didn't speak a lick of English. Perfect. So began the fiasco of fixing our shower. As he came into the door he rattled off a long sentence in French. My initial reaction was shear panic. However, I knew that now was not a time to be meek. I pulled out all of the high school French that I remembered. Surprisingly, we communicated the entire time in French and thankfully we were quite successful.

Now, not only do we have a wonderful hot shower awaiting us in the morning, but my confidence in French has been bolstered.

C'est la vie!

These past several days have flown by!

On Monday and Tuesday Gennie and I ran all over town to get our apartment ready for the new school year that is quickly approaching. Brussels is decadently mapped out with superior public transport... the envy of every environmentally-friendly American. Buses, underground metros, and trams cover the city so that every nook and cranny can be explored by travelers and citizens alike. Gennie, a native of Brussels for years, promises me that within days I will be fluent in this seemingly overwhelming system of transportation.

Last night Gennie spent over an hour mapping out every bus number, underground, and tram that I may need during my time in Brussels (color coded stickers and artistic drawings included). My dreams of not taking anymore tests after finishing my nursing boards quickly faded as I realized that at any time Gennie will be quizzing me on what tram number I need to get home from le Grand Place or Artsloi!

On Monday, in the midst of buying new school clothes, tram passes, and phone cards, we found the time to stop at a cafe for a delicious Belgian lunch. Small, rod iron tables and chairs line almost every cobblestone abbey so that a short, mid-day lunch break can be taken by the deserving customer. Whether with friends or completely solo, people here find the time in the middle of the day to stop whatever they are doing and sit to enjoy a glass of wine and sandwich before finishing their day of work. Gennie and I enjoyed delicious mushroom, cheese, and tomato paninis as we watched the waves of people shopping and strolling about le Rue Neuve.

At home, people are astounded when I enlighten them that I grew up in a house built in 1917. Old buildings are hard to come by, preserved and even turned into museums in some cases. I am surprised by the nonchalant attitudes with which many people here pass by an exceptional piece of history that must have a fascinating story behind it.

Here at Last

I can't believe that I am here at last! I took a long flight from Seattle to London and was picked up by Suzie. It felt incredible to be welcomed warmly with a hug and immediately feel at home due to the offer of a Starbucks coffee. The two of us then took the tube to the northern London town of Islington where the family lives. The charming streets wind around and are lined with houses that have been there for centuries.

I then met Gennie; an energetic, funny, and absolutely lovely 17 year old who I will be living with for the next 6 months. After a good meal at a little Italian restaurant down the street I finally got some much needed sleep.

The next morning Suzie, Gennie, and I went out to a little cafe for fresh croissants and juice as we went over all of the details for our time in Brussels. Then Gennie and I were off to Brussels by train! The little that I have seen of this beautiful city has already exceeded my expectations. Our apartment is picturesque. My lovely room has a three pane window that opens to a stunning view that overlooks the city. We live just across from a luscious green park with an old Abbey on the grounds. The cobblestone streets give Brussels a feeling of richness and history that is comforting.

Percy, Gennie's puppy, is actually quite endearing (I can't believe that I am saying this). She snuggles up into my lap whenever she has a chance and follows us wherever we go in the apartment. All the shops are closed each Sunday and Gennie was shocked when I told her that most stores are open on Sundays in the States.

I think that these next months are going to be full of new experiences and I cannot wait for it all to begin!

A New Journey in Life

The past four years have changed my life. Seattle Pacific University has been a wonderful experience that has given me friendships, laughter, and a thousand unforgettable memories. I am eternally grateful for all of the opportunities that SPU has given me and will always remember those years of spontaneity, staying out late, painful hours of studying, and most of all the life-long friends that I have made.

It seems like yesterday that my parents dropped me off in my room on 5th Hill and said goodbye as I started my freshman year of college. Little did I know that the next four years were going to fly by and all of my expectations be completely exceeded!

As each chapter in my life comes to an end I am waiting with anticipation for the next chapter to begin. After much prayer and consideration I have decided to move to Brussels for the next 6 months. I will be living with a 17 year old girl who needs some companionship and support while she finishes her senior year of school and her mom is working in England. I have no idea how this experience is going to be, but I am confident that this is the direction that God has for me right now and I am eagerly waiting to see what He has in store for me!

In just 2 days I will be on my way to Brussels! My hope is that I can travel, study French, go to museums, soak up the culture, make new friendships, and become a more loving and compassionate person.

After I get back from this journey, I plan to begin working as a nurse... maybe Labor and Delivery or possibly Pediatrics. We'll see!

Camping

the smell of a campfire... the crisp sound of a tent zipper... the quiet babble of the nearby river... squeals of ecstatic delight from neighboring campsites... hot dogs and smores permeating the cool night air...

Some of my greatest memories of when I was a little girl were from the magical summer nights when our entire family was enjoying the anticipated annual camping trip. We would run throughout the campsites, dodging tents and firewood (while parents tried in vain to keep track of all the cousins' sticky fingers and mischievous smiles), planning for the evening of marshmallow roasting and games. Finally we would be tucked in, exhausted from the day's important activities, and fall fast asleep under the dreamy stars.

Little did I know of the immensity of planning such a memorable vacation! Apparently it is extremely easy to take the brilliant, well-orchestrated planning of moms and dads for granted.

In a last minute decision of spontaneity we decided to take advantage of our final weekend off by camping in eastern Minnesota. Thankfully, Kalan had a kindhearted coworker named Bob who hooked us up with some outdoor camping necessities... a small tent, two chairs, two sleeping bags, and a cooler.

Before I continue, I must take a brief timeout to expound upon this kindhearted coworker. One sentence is all that is necessary, actually one word. Talladaga. Joe and his wife went to Talladega for their honeymoon. Yes, Nascar was the event of choice for these newlyweds and Talledaga was the exotic location.

Now I will continue with the rest of this riveting narrative that I briefly interrupted with the amusing details of Bob's pastimes.

So Kalan and I set out in search of a state park that rendered itself worthy of spending one night. We ended up finding a neat park right on a river that was a stones throw away from Wisconsin. After we picked out a picturesque campsite we decided to set up camp. We took out the mangled looking tent and couldn't stop laughing as we stared at the heap on the ground. I'm ashamed to say that I've never actually put a tent up entirely myself. All growing up I've had the expertise and knowledge of my Dad and brothers, not to mention willing uncles and cousins.

I looked at Kalan and all I could say was, "I refuse to be one of those girls who can't figure out how to put up a tent." We kicked into gear.

Within minutes we had our humble campsite set up. We were ready for a relaxing day of reading, hiking, and enjoying the outdoors! By the end of the night we were sitting by our fire, in a full fledged battle with the mosquitoes, enjoying a warm drink with the slight sounds of crickets in the background.

Patriotic Indulgence

The way to a college student's heart is through his or her stomach.

I'm not gonna lie. I was definitely guilty of overeating this 4th of July... but I figured in the spirit of our independence I would fully indulge in all the festivities. By the time the day was over and everything was set and done, I participated in an extensive breakfast, two food-filled BBQs, and multiple desserts- including my first authentic southern sweet potato pie.

I had a lovely time visiting some of Kalan's family for the 4th of July yesterday. We stayed in a little cabin on a lake in Holcome, Wisconsin. It was such a blessing to be welcomed into a home, eat homemade food (for the first time in what seemed like ages), and enjoy the beautiful scenery of rural Wisconsin.

By the time evening rolled around and BBQ number one and two had come and gone, we were all without a doubt unable to take another bite. In utter discomfort we sprawled down on any surface that was available... evidence of our shameful food consumption still in plain view for all to witness.

We needed rest from the eating.

There are various moments in life when I know I'm full and I forge ahead without restraint. This holiday was admittedly one that would certainly fall in this category. However, in retrospect I think that even though I made myself nearly sick because the irreverent amounts of food I consumed, it was definitely worth every bite.