Eighteen years ago, there was an adorable baby girl named Greta

Just finished my first school week in Belgium and had my eighteenth birthday.  I'll start with my birthday.

Friday night, I went out with a really nice girl from my school who's going on an exchange next year.  She is very patient with me and, even though I rarely understand a conversation, it's nice to be with other people.  Walked home at about one 'o clock.  It's a testament to the security of my town that a girl walking home alone after midnight is not in any danger at all (but they tell me not to go through the parks alone at night). 

Saturday, I woke up early and headed to Mons, where I met up with other exchange kids.  It was fashion day, and the town was hopping.  I went shopping, watched a little bit of the fashion show, and became closer friends with some of the other girls, expecially my new Canadian friend, who spent the night at my place and didn't even mind going to mass in the morning.

Speaking of which, mass with a bishop is pretty awesome.  I'm definately not a religious person, and I didn't understand a word.  I just kept thinking, as I looked around the cathedral, this is where kings have prayed.  It was a really awesome thought, and, even though the cathedral is currently being renovated, it's still beautiful. 

After the mass, there was this weird ceremony when people came in dressed in medieval clothes carrying banners, and the bishop gave the key to the city to the mayor (I think).  It's tradition, and I'm not fully, one hundred percent sure that I understand correctly.  After that, we sang the Tournai song, which I totally don't understand because it's old French, and a really weird dialogue as well.  But I love it. 

Les Tournaisiens sont là!

Leray l’a dit, dins les guerr’s de la France,
Quand l’caporal s’apprêteot à buquer,
S’ortournant su s’n’officier d’ordonance :
« Dis deonc, l’ami, ç’qu’on peut bêteot qu’mincher ? »
No n’aid’ –de-camp s’ortourneot tout d’ein’ traque,
... R’wettieot au leong et puis diseot comm’ cha :
"Sa Majesté, on peut donner l’attaque,
On peut qu’mincher, les Tournaisiens sont là !

Et si pus tard i faudreot qu’on r’quéminche,
Aux greos, aux p’tits, ein Belg’ sareot prouver
Qu’i n’suffit pos de dir’ : « Tés-ta, j’te minche ! »
Neon ! Avant cha, i faudreot nous tuer.
Et quand no roi, au momint du touillage,
Dira : « M’z’infants, l’ennemi est là-bas ! »
Nous s’ecrireons : « A nous Tournai, courage ! ».
On sintira qu’les Tournaisiens sont là

 

After that, there was supposed to be this huge parade where people carry heavy Mother Mary statues around the city because it was supposed to protect the city from the plague, but it was cancelled because of the rain.  :(

 

I forgot to mention that I had candy for breakfast.

 

Oh, and a random black guy gave me his number.

 

I think that covers the weekend festivities, now for school.

 

So, I'm really totally confused in every lesson.  I'm not even sure when we have homework or what to do.  Everyone is nice to me, but I honestly feel like I'm mooching off them.  There are people that I want to get to know, and I don't want to settle into a friend circle until I've tested the waters in every one, but that's harder said than done, considering that I can't remember any of their names and don't speak French.  But, for this year, I want to be friends with the people who throw snakes.  Not litterally, because I don't want to be within a hundred foot radius of any snake, but the people who are living life and doing exciting, possibly crazy things.  All my life, I've been an observer, not a do-er.  That needs to change.

 

But everything is hard.  The professers are really kind and understand that I have no idea what I'm doing, but I feel so aimless, and I sigh a lot.  It's so difficult.  Also, my schedule is still kind of messed up (I realized ten minutes into one class that I had already had the same lesson that morning).  It's kind of horrible.  I just wish I had friends here. 

 

Life here is not a vacation or a party.  It's like AP testing, but it never ends.  I am always tired and really hungry.  Sometimes, all I want is to go home, but I know that if I do, I will regret it for the rest of my life.  So I've got to stick it out.  I just keep reminding myself that this is an adventure, and, sometimes, adventures aren't always fun.  You think Frodo and Sam enjoyed climbing all those stairs in The Return of the King? And Hannibal couldn't have been comfortable, crossing the Alps.  Things just suck sometimes, and, if you give up, you'll never destroy ultimate evil/Rome/the One Ring/the Sith/cockroaches/the six-fingered man/etc.

 

Now, I just have to follow my own advice.

 

Sincerely,

 

Greta