Brief Recap.

I want to write something profound, but I fear I am a little brain fried. I am sitting in the Brussels airport after a wonderful trip to Belgium. Not only Belgium! I also got to go to Germany and the Netherlands.

I can’t tell you everything we did and why because it’s not mine to tell. Ask me if you think that's too mysterious. Haha.

I biked for the first time in years! If biking in Pennsylvania was like biking in the Netherlands I would definitely bike more! I loved it and I loved “my” bike! I was a little sore after but it was worth it. Haven't exercised those muscles in forever!

I saw lots of windmills got to go inside at least 4! And Definitely got to see fields and fields of tulips! Wow! What a beautiful country The Netherlands!

Germany was a highlight! We went for only a few hours, but the pine forests smelled like my childhood! I loved the hills and the thin trees that got so dense it was pure darkness behind! The sunlight on the trees and the hills, the beautiful old houses, crisp pine scented air! Real pine!

Wallonia, the south of Belgium, was also a delight. I loved the rolling hills and clusters of flowers, and there there were blossoming fruit trees that smelled like heaven.

Before Wallonia was West Flanders. The landscape couldn’t be more different! Flat. So flat you can’t capture it in a picture! We were driving alongside a canal we were looking for but we couldn’t see it though it was only a few yards away because of how flat the landscape is. But the flat is far from boring! The landscape was dotted with yellow brick houses with red tile roofs adorned with the natural yellow-green lichens! I loved those houses!

The flatness meant that we were able to see fairly far. You could see churches from far away and as you got closer see a few houses surrounding the church, then then flat again before we approached another little village!

We also popped into France for a few hours. It's funny the way you can just pop across country borders the way we move freely between states in the U.S.

All in all a lovely trip and I will have to write more soon!

English Isn’t My First Language

Not being able to speak the language(s) of the country you’re visiting can be extremely isolating. In Brussels I didn’t notice it so much because though we were in an apartment with another girl from Norway she spoke very good English. A lot of people in Brussels speak English. I think a lot of people in West Flanders also speak English but I just really wish that I spoke Dutch. I have to say, I am not proud to be an American.

Q: What do you call someone who speaks 3 languages?
A: Tringual.
Q: What do you call someone who speaks 2 languages?
A: Bilingual.
Q: What do you call someone who speaks 1 language?
A: American.

I know a few Dutch words. And I know what even fewer Dutch words mean. I see words on signs and I’m like “I know that word! But I don’t know what it means.” And because I can barely form a sentence it feels insulting to try. I’m just another loud American tourist disturbing this beautiful county. But everyone we have met has been kind and has spoken a bit of English and has not seemed annoyed by us. It is just myself who feels shame for not being able to speak their language.

But there is a language here, and most places, that I understand. On Sunday we drove to Dunkirk and went to Catholic Mass at St Eloi. Did I understand the words the children sang? The words we were invited to sing? The words of the priest? It was French. I know a handful of French words, but got almost nothing from the words I heard. But I heard more than the words. About 20 children took their first communion on Sunday. I am not catholic, but I understood the children’s declarations of faith. I understood the people around me kneeling. I understood the voices singing to the Lord.

That evening we went to another Catholic Mass in De Panne, Belgium. Another language. This time I picked out a few words of the sermon and recognized the Lord’s Prayer immediately when we started saying it. But it wasn’t the words that spoke to me but the people around me. A smaller service than the St Eloi by far, but just as touching.

In Catholic Mass you are only offered the bread, not the wine, something I don’t understand and want to read more about. But I understood the tears of the woman in front of me as she took the bread of communion.

Wherever you are in the world there is fellowship if you look for it. Indeed, I felt more at home with the people of St Eloi and The Chapelle Royale than I would among many English speaking people. I spoke the same language as the people around me. They are not of the same religion as me, but they don’t need to be: they are worshipping the Lord!

I'm Belgian Bound.

My brain is mush after a very short amount of research. Cause scouring the web for a bit of information is made SO much harder when you're slogging through French and Flemish websites trying to make sense of it from the little you know. And yes, I am aware of "translate this page" buttons which work some of the time.

I am sure my brain will be even more mush when I arrive in Belgium. But I am excited. Oh by the way, did I tell you I'm going to Belgium? I am so excited about it all. It's a long story involving me voluntarily getting dragged into making a movie with a friend. I was free to help out and so I kept being around and going to meetings and planning and then all of the sudden I was co-producing and assistant directing a film. Ask me about it sometime.

So, one thing led to another and now we're going to do some research in Belgium and location scouting and DANG! I'm going to Belgium! The last time I left the country was 8 years ago when I went to New Zealand (not including trips to Canada). I've been to Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, England Scotland and, though it barely counts, a 3 hour layover in Germany. I have never been to Europe proper and by the end of April I'll be able to say I've been to 3 more countries (4 if you count two short layovers in the Dublin airport).

Needless to say I am quite excited! I am mostly pretty organized and packed at this point with only a few more things to add to my suitcase. Can't forget my toothbrush. Not sure why it wasn't on my list already, but luckily a friend offered to look over my list and pointed out the essentials that I was missing. Super useful. Always get someone to look over your packing list.

Life is good. God is good. I am grateful. I am Belgian bound!