Friday, August 30, 2013

My Time in Belgium:Brussels

Yesterday I went to Brussels with all of the other exchange students! It was so fun! All three of the districts were there for a total of over 250 exchange students!! I made a lot of friends and everyone was so nice! I also traded a lot of pins, so now my blazer is getting full! (YAY). 
We went to the royal palace, parliament, and I think the court house or something like that, and ate lunch (of course!). I'm going to keep this short so here are some pictures haha

Photo is loadingmy first beer in Belgium...

Photo is loadingin front of the royal palace yesterday

Photo is loadingNew friends in Brussels!

Photo is loadingLUNCH!!

Photo is loadingAll of the students in Parliament

Photo is loadingThe head of Brussels parliament (I think) and I!

Photo is loadingFanions from basically everywhere...

 ALL of the Exchange Students!!!!!

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Belgium... FINALLY

After a long time of waiting, three airplanes, and countless hours spent in airports I have finally (as of Sunday) arrived in Belgium! 
My host family is THE BEST, they are so nice and understanding, we have a lot of laughs! Also, Olivia, another girl from the U.S. lives here to with my host family she is really awesome too!
Most of all, Belgium is beautiful, the history, the landscape, the architecture... it's amazing!
So far I have visited an abbey (with a crypt)and we also ate ice cream (la glace) and had beer(bière), which I didn't like (Je n'aime pas!). We went for a walk around the neighborhood and saw plenty of cows and other animals (J'habite a la campagne). Today, we went to town and visited the bank, and a pastry shop (I had an eclair) AND ALSO MY SCHOOL!!! My school seems very nice, it is five years old and the people are very nice too! The headmaster told me A LOT of information about school, and how everything works (in French and if I didn't understand then in English). When we got home Olivia and I played a little game of cards, then went for a swim IN THE POOL! It was cold, but not that cold. 
Now, I am very excited for our Rotary trip to Brussels on thursday, we get to visit the palace!! 

anyway, more to come soon!
à bientôt
Holli
the view from my bedroom :)

Thursday, August 22, 2013

BELGIUM BOUND: August 24 2013 DBQ -> BRU

Hey Friends,
Photo: It's HERE!!!!
She is Outta Here!!!After a lonnnggg wait I have FINALLY received my Visa! It came in the mail today and boy, was I excited!
So, here's a little bit of a story. It has taken forever to get this thing! I first applied for it after I got back from France in June. I finally got it all ready to go in the BEGINNING of AUGUST after I received my guarantee form from the Belgium Rotary. Here, the Rotary had misplaced my paperwork/application so it took a while to get the GF. SO, thankfully the Belgium consulate pushed my application through and they and the wonderful ladies at Tzell got it all done in just about one week. Then today, the thing that will change my life forever arrived on my doorstep in a nice big, white, envelope. THANK GOD.

Anyway, now I will be leaving this Saturday and arriving on Sunday in Brussels, I CAN'T WAIT. But before that I have a lot of packing to do, friends and family to say goodbye to, and a Government course I have to finish. One thing I got done for the week: SENIOR PICTURES! My wonderful cousin Tony and his beloved, Sarah, took about five hours out of their busy schedules to parade me around downtown in the warehouse district, a farm, with horses, and the school football field. And when it was finally all done, WE WENT TO HAPPY JOES. Can you say DELICIOUS?! I can! I am so glad that those are finally done and can't wait to see final edits! Hopefully there are some good ones hahaha.

Alright, more stories/pictures/adventures/stuff to come later so I will see you all later! In the meantime, here are some pictures of BEAUTIFUL FRANCE!