Blog Maken

I chose to entitle this blog "blog maken" because this website is in Dutch and it cracks me up. I spent last week trying to pass Dutch and it was honestly a joke, because Dutch is hard and I am terrible at it. It is a combo of German and English, but it is not pretty like Italian, Spanish, or French. It is like you're coughing something up whenever you speak. So anyways, I am just sitting here passing time before I get ready to go out to an Alma party, which is basically another orientation party here at KU. We have had endless gatherings going on in town where we meet other students, which is really nice, because there are just so many people to meet here. However, I do feel like a freshman all over again, which is really weird. On the other hand, it's nice because nobody knows anybody, but there is no feeling of exclusiveness here so far. I guess that's what happens when a bunch of internationals are thrown into a foreign city. Last night I felt sick, but I went out anyways, because I remind myself every day that I am in Europe and that life is short, haha. No excuses here. In Leuven there are faculty bars where you can gather and hang out with people from your major. I went to the faculty of the arts bar and it was amazing inside...so nicely decorated with quotes all over the walls. I love the bars here and the social scene; its so laid back.

This morning I went shopping for a short jacket, and ended up getting a cheap black one from H&M. I just hate going shopping here though becausethe dollar is so weak, and everyone is so damn fashionable, so I immediately want everything in the stores. However, I am always quick to remind myself that I am a student and that I must strictly adhere to a student budget. It is so hard to budget over here, by the way.

As for trips, I went to Antwerp and Brugge recently. Brugge was by far one of the prettiest places I have seen in my life. The canals and winding streets were outstanding. I think that I might ake my parents there when they visit me in November. They call Brugge the Venice of the North---and that it is. My calendar is so full here. Cookie and I were planning more trips today, and we were looking into a tour around Scotland right before we go home for Christmas. Her friend took a tour there last year for 4 days and saw most of the country. Also, we want to visit her cousin in London, because he has a penthouse flat overlooking the city...awesome! I also think that I am going to London and Bath with my parents when they visit. From Oct 31-Nov 4 I am going to Ireland as well, which should be absolutely outstanding. We have been thinking of taking a weekend trip to Germany admist all of our other trips, but it is just so hard, because we barely have any free weekends as of now. We are going to Amsterdam Nov 16-18, so along with that, my parents vcisiting, Ireland, and Thanksgiving, Nov. is basically full. I have one free weekend in October, so I may go to Germany then. Classes start this Tuesday...ugg. Actually, I am kind of excited to see what the classes are like here...should be interesting. I am going to take 5 though, which sucks. Oh well. I will be on time with my credits when I return to Loyola, which I'm sure I'll be thankful for. I am so glad that I am staying here for the year! I just want to see so much, and because I'm taking a full course load here, I'm going to need the whole year...without a doubt. I got pretty excited today when Cookie and I were looking into trips. We were also talking about what we want to do at the end of Jan/beg. of Feb. when we have our long break. We will probably go backpacking through Prague, Munich, Vienna, Salzburg, and Budapest, which will be amazing if it works out that we get 2 full weeks! As of now, we only have 9 days, but if our exams end a week earlier, we will have possibly 2 weeks. Also, we will have a few days to go to Greece after our Italy trip in the spring, and then I have two weeks to go to Spain, Switzerland, and south of France at the end of May/Beg. of June. Wow! I can't believe that I am getting to do all of this! This just is amazing and i smaking me excited just typing it.

So anyways, I must be on my way because I need to get ready for the Alma party. I'm excited to meet more internationals, although it's been rough trying to break the language and culture barrier with the people I have met so far. At first it was hard with my roommate, because she speaks little English, but she is already getting better at communicating, and she is a dear!! She is so cute. I absolutely love her and she always looks so cute. Last night she went out salsa dancing and came in at 4 am. I woke up and she told me that some guys were following her and that she is always paranoid. I told her that I am the same way...ahaha. She is so affectionate and always seems overjoyed to see me. Being the german person that I am, I find it difficult to embrace this sort of thing, but I find that I am growing accustomed to it as time goes on. Soon I will be hugging and kissing all of my friends, as well as holding their hand inpublic...jk. It really is cute though how the Spanish and Italians are so affectionate. My roommate also thinks that I have bad taste in men. She thinks that Spanish men are the epitome of manly and is quite convinced that I need to come to Spain to find a man. She is not interested in anybody here, which is funny, because I swoon over anyone with an accent. She jusr doesn't get that lol...don't expect her to either. Well, time's up, gotta go...this blog is very rushed and is probably ridden with poor grammar...deal with it. bye/hasta la vista/tot ziens/ourvoua (sp)/ciao--i am trying to learn like 5 languages here..no joke. its hard.