My sister was recently telling me about a lunch she went to with some old co-workers. Every woman there seemed to be at a different stage of her life and yet all (somewhat) wished for their lives to be different.
--One woman didn't start out with a lot of money, but married well and now lives very comfortably. However, her husband works all the time and she is lonely. She is now realizing that she really doesn't spend the money like she thought she would.
--Another woman doesn't have a lot of money, so she and her husband work very hard to make ends meet. The result is that she feels like she doesn't see her kids enough and is always stressed.
--A third woman has money and great children along with help around the house, but her husband is always working and she rarely sees him.
--And then then is my sister who is single without kids and so doesn't fit into any of the above situations, but still has things that frustrate her about her life.
We started talking about how it always seems that the grass is greener, but in reality, every one has their problems to deal with. I told my sister that my philosophy when I was single in college was that I never knew when I was going to meet Mr. Right, so I better enjoy every moment of singledom while I could. One night my senior year of college my roomate really wanted me to go with her date's friend for a fraternity's date night. I hemmed and hawed because I didn't really want to. But in the end I did, and now I am so glad. I still remember the nervousness and excitement of getting ready with my friend Reese for the date night. It turns out the next night Kyle and I went on our first date and I have not dated anyone else since. The realization of just how much I liked Kyle hit me on our first date and I knew I had kissed my single life goodbye.
Here in Brussels, if Kyle and I aren't traveling, we are often prone to sleeping in on the weekends. I always felt guilty about that until I talked with Emily Lodge. She reminded me that once we have kids, there will be about 20 years of not getting a chance to sleep in. Babysitting for her boys, as we did one weekend, was just enough of a (literal) wake-up call (at 3:30 and 6 a.m.) to remind me to enjoy the time I have now, because it will never be this way again. Carpe diem!
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Cambio in Atlanta!
According to the AJC, Atlanta now has their own version of the Cambio car share program I am in over here:
Flexcar, the by-the-hour car rental company, has arrived in Atlanta. Emory University received six Flexcar vehicles last week. More are expected soon at parking lots across downtown and Midtown Atlanta. The service is geared for the booming Midtown and downtown residential population and for people who take transit or carpool to work but occasionally need to drive during the day to run errands, visit the doctor or check on a sick child. Consider it a safety net for those who've decided to go carless. At Emory, plagued by notoriously bad traffic, officials hope Flexcar convinces some employees it's OK to ditch their cars and get to work by train, bus, or carpool. "We want to create an environment where there are no excuses for not using alternative transportation," said Laura Ray, the university's vice president for transportation and parking.
Here's how it works: Users register with Flexcar to obtain an identification card before reserving a car online or by calling a toll-free number. The vehicle is unlocked by swiping the ID card on a reader located on the windshield. The keys are in the glove box. After use, the car is returned to its parking space and the ID card is swiped once more to tally the time it was checked out. The cost: about $9 an hour. Flexcar pays for everything — gas, maintenance and even insurance. Users don't even have to replace the gas they use. All of the cars at Emory are Honda Civics, including one hybrid. Atlanta becomes the seventh market for Flexcar, joining Los Angeles, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C. Midtown resident David Emory said Flexcar will help him get rid of his 1998 Nissan Altima once and for all. Emory, 27, a transportation planner, lives near a MARTA train station and already goes for days without using his car. "It's gotten to the point now where just the hassle associated with having a car is more trouble than it's worth," he said. Flexcar "will help make the city a less automobile-dependent place. It's a big step forward for us in terms of the development of the city." No locations have been announced for the downtown and Midtown Flexcars.
Flexcar, the by-the-hour car rental company, has arrived in Atlanta. Emory University received six Flexcar vehicles last week. More are expected soon at parking lots across downtown and Midtown Atlanta. The service is geared for the booming Midtown and downtown residential population and for people who take transit or carpool to work but occasionally need to drive during the day to run errands, visit the doctor or check on a sick child. Consider it a safety net for those who've decided to go carless. At Emory, plagued by notoriously bad traffic, officials hope Flexcar convinces some employees it's OK to ditch their cars and get to work by train, bus, or carpool. "We want to create an environment where there are no excuses for not using alternative transportation," said Laura Ray, the university's vice president for transportation and parking.
Here's how it works: Users register with Flexcar to obtain an identification card before reserving a car online or by calling a toll-free number. The vehicle is unlocked by swiping the ID card on a reader located on the windshield. The keys are in the glove box. After use, the car is returned to its parking space and the ID card is swiped once more to tally the time it was checked out. The cost: about $9 an hour. Flexcar pays for everything — gas, maintenance and even insurance. Users don't even have to replace the gas they use. All of the cars at Emory are Honda Civics, including one hybrid. Atlanta becomes the seventh market for Flexcar, joining Los Angeles, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C. Midtown resident David Emory said Flexcar will help him get rid of his 1998 Nissan Altima once and for all. Emory, 27, a transportation planner, lives near a MARTA train station and already goes for days without using his car. "It's gotten to the point now where just the hassle associated with having a car is more trouble than it's worth," he said. Flexcar "will help make the city a less automobile-dependent place. It's a big step forward for us in terms of the development of the city." No locations have been announced for the downtown and Midtown Flexcars.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Full Speed Ahead
I commented to Kyle last night that by no means are our lives going at break neck speed like they definitely have before (ie: quitting a job, getting married, moving, finding a job, quitting a job, and moving across the ocean all within 4 months) but they are moving along a little bit faster than I normally like. Basically, between last week and next week, we will have been in Dusseldorf, Germany; Brugge, Belgium; London, England; Normandy, France; Paris, France; Dusseldorf, Germany; and Barcelona, Spain. 7 cities in 19 days. In between all of those, I am grocery shopping for guests, doing laundry, packing bags, unpacking bags, going to good bye parties, and volunteering at the Women's Club.
Brussels is a funny city because in the winter time, you really do hibernate for a few months. Everything is gray and wet and you just go through life in a fog. Then summer (finally) rolls around in June and you have visitors, and trips, and the sky is bright from 6am to 11pm and you are fitting as many things in a possible. And then in September you finally collapse and rest up for the next summer.
Brussels is a funny city because in the winter time, you really do hibernate for a few months. Everything is gray and wet and you just go through life in a fog. Then summer (finally) rolls around in June and you have visitors, and trips, and the sky is bright from 6am to 11pm and you are fitting as many things in a possible. And then in September you finally collapse and rest up for the next summer.
Monday, June 26, 2006
Express Yourself
I have been thinking a lot recently about personalities and censoring and being who we really are. I just read that Madonna dramatically toned down a concert of hers because her father was in the audience. I find this interesting because she normally seems so, "This is me, take it or leave it, I am not changing for anyone." However, she must slightly worry about her actions, or know they are 100% mainstream if she changes them for her father.
This blog pretty much expresses who I am, but I definitely don't say everything I feel on it because I have a wide audience and I don't want to offend people. However, if I act differently on the blog than how I do in real life, should I really always just be behaving/censoring myself like I do on the blog? I have also been thinking about all of this because Kyle's parents are visiting us for two weeks. I am pretty much myself around them, but I have definitely bitten my tongue and refined myself more than I normally would. What do I think is so inapproriate in their eyes that I hide it from them?
I have also been thinking about all of this in light of two blogs I recently read. The first one is about how a woman went to a funeral of a good friend and the funeral did not reflect his personality at all. Instead, it reflected the wishes of the family, which apparently didn't really think the same as him. The second blog reflects on the ideas of the first and made me wonder about if people really know me. Kyle hates when I talk about death, but I think it is a real thing and something to consider. In light of all of this, I think I might go write out my funeral -- totally uncensored.
This blog pretty much expresses who I am, but I definitely don't say everything I feel on it because I have a wide audience and I don't want to offend people. However, if I act differently on the blog than how I do in real life, should I really always just be behaving/censoring myself like I do on the blog? I have also been thinking about all of this because Kyle's parents are visiting us for two weeks. I am pretty much myself around them, but I have definitely bitten my tongue and refined myself more than I normally would. What do I think is so inapproriate in their eyes that I hide it from them?
I have also been thinking about all of this in light of two blogs I recently read. The first one is about how a woman went to a funeral of a good friend and the funeral did not reflect his personality at all. Instead, it reflected the wishes of the family, which apparently didn't really think the same as him. The second blog reflects on the ideas of the first and made me wonder about if people really know me. Kyle hates when I talk about death, but I think it is a real thing and something to consider. In light of all of this, I think I might go write out my funeral -- totally uncensored.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Spoiled or Savvy?
There is a common and well deserved perception in Belgium that American expats are just rolling in the money. Because Kyle and I have about 1/8 of the expat package that most others do, I feel more like a Belgian and I must say that I agree with them. Most companies relocation packages include a car, a housing allowance, and your children's tuition ($24,000 a year per child). The funniest thing to me is when American expats will say, "The companies are getting so stingy, I don't even have GPS in my car!" or other things like that.
Today really reminded me of just how lucky expats are though. I was with a new friend that is moving into a beautiful, truly European house. In the exchange with the landlord we learned all about the gardener, the plumber, the general fit-it man, the security alarm man, the painter, and the maids. It is a full time job just keeping up with the help! Afterwards I went to a going away tea. While there, I heard about a friend of mine that is moving to London for another job and has just signed a lease for an apartment that is 14oo pounds a week, yes, a week! To do the math for you, with the current exchange rate, that is $10,000 a month in rent. You might think this person is rude and snotty, but she is really nice and normal -- she just happens to live in a great place.
Maybe I am just fooling myself, and when I a 55 I will want a life like that, but I must say that at 26, I am pretty happy only having to keep up with a small apartment. Even though it gets frustrating at times, there is only a small area where things can be lost, fully cleaning the place only takes two hours, and it reminds me to stay humble knowing that this life of apartment living and public transportation is much more of how the rest of the world lives than in the American expat bubble.
Today really reminded me of just how lucky expats are though. I was with a new friend that is moving into a beautiful, truly European house. In the exchange with the landlord we learned all about the gardener, the plumber, the general fit-it man, the security alarm man, the painter, and the maids. It is a full time job just keeping up with the help! Afterwards I went to a going away tea. While there, I heard about a friend of mine that is moving to London for another job and has just signed a lease for an apartment that is 14oo pounds a week, yes, a week! To do the math for you, with the current exchange rate, that is $10,000 a month in rent. You might think this person is rude and snotty, but she is really nice and normal -- she just happens to live in a great place.
Maybe I am just fooling myself, and when I a 55 I will want a life like that, but I must say that at 26, I am pretty happy only having to keep up with a small apartment. Even though it gets frustrating at times, there is only a small area where things can be lost, fully cleaning the place only takes two hours, and it reminds me to stay humble knowing that this life of apartment living and public transportation is much more of how the rest of the world lives than in the American expat bubble.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Pass the Tissues
So I must really have some hidden issues (or else I have just drank too much wine tonight). I just got another e-mail about a friend leaving and I am just sobbing! The funny part is that she is not a great friend or anything, just someone I always enjoy seeing around the Women’s Club, but I guess it was just the straw that broke the camel’s back. I can’t stop crying! The goodbyes just got to be one too many. I can't imagine being an Army brat and moving all the time, or even living in Brussels for ten years and saying goodbye to people every year.
It must be pretty obvious from my attachment issues that I went to the school with the same people from kindergarten through twelfth grade and then most of those people went on to college with me too. Another hard concept to grasp as an expat is that you will most likely never see these people again. You don't really just swing through Minnesota, Moscow, or Singapore. Maybe by the time I leave Brussels I will be used to all of this, but I somehow doubt it.
My own little torture chamber
Because we live in a small apartment, I can't really buy things in bulk. This means that almost every day I have to go to the store to get things. This wouldn't be so bad if we also didn't happen to live up four flights of stairs (44 stairs to be exact). Somehow I always seem to buy a few more things than what would be an easy load to carry. To add to my torture, Belgians are very stingy with plastic bags, so they load each bag to beyond maximum capacity in order to not have to use another one. All of these factors result in this being my daily internal dialogue:
(walking home from the store three blocks away) "Ow, the bag is kind of cutting off the blood flow to my fingers. Whoa, watch the dog poop."
(one block from the apartment) "Ok, change hands to feel your fingers again."
(at the outside door of the apartment) "Why do I carry so much junk in my purse that I can't find my keys?!? I'll just have to put the bags down and pray they aren't where a dog just peed."
(up 10 stairs) "Ok, here we go, just think of it as exercise."
(up 20 stairs) "Oh wow, I can feel my thighs burning. Kyle better appreciate that I am his human pack horse."
(up 30 stairs) "Breathe, breathe. Ok, just take a rest right here. I hope the neighbors don't hear me panting outside their door."
(up 34 stairs) "Come on, you can do it, only a few more steps."
(up 40 stairs) "Why the *bleep* did I buy so much stuff?!?!?!?"
(up 44 stairs) "I made it! Oh good, now I just need to sit down and rest for a bit."
After all of this, Kyle comes home and says, "Why do you never unload the groceries as soon as you get home?"
(walking home from the store three blocks away) "Ow, the bag is kind of cutting off the blood flow to my fingers. Whoa, watch the dog poop."
(one block from the apartment) "Ok, change hands to feel your fingers again."
(at the outside door of the apartment) "Why do I carry so much junk in my purse that I can't find my keys?!? I'll just have to put the bags down and pray they aren't where a dog just peed."
(up 10 stairs) "Ok, here we go, just think of it as exercise."
(up 20 stairs) "Oh wow, I can feel my thighs burning. Kyle better appreciate that I am his human pack horse."
(up 30 stairs) "Breathe, breathe. Ok, just take a rest right here. I hope the neighbors don't hear me panting outside their door."
(up 34 stairs) "Come on, you can do it, only a few more steps."
(up 40 stairs) "Why the *bleep* did I buy so much stuff?!?!?!?"
(up 44 stairs) "I made it! Oh good, now I just need to sit down and rest for a bit."
After all of this, Kyle comes home and says, "Why do you never unload the groceries as soon as you get home?"
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Bon Voyage!
The Lodge family is getting ready to head to Moscow, and friends sent them off with a great going away party Friday night. Emily and Andrew always have fun costume parties and this one was no execption. Since it is in bad taste for them to be leaving Brussels, the theme of the party was "Bad Taste." There were a variety of costumes and people got really creative. Keep in mind that Brits have a very dry sense of humor and have a pretty high tolerance for anything offensive, so nothing was too taboo for them. There was even a woman dressed as Hitler! Kyle went as a Katrina evacuee, and I went as the British pop star Jordan on her wedding day (she wore a foot tall tiara). There were also slutty nuns, two Monica Lewinsky look alikes (complete with the blue dress and all) and two American tourists with their beer bellies, tennis shoes, fanny packs, visors and jean shorts. All definitely in bad taste. Click here to see the photos.
Saturday afternoon Amy, Nate and their friends Jamie and Jessica came to Brussels. We had a great time having a beer outside, touring the Grand Place, eating tapas and then watching the US play Italy in the World Cup. Soccer fever is huge over here and it is so much fun to see how into it everyone is. Click here to see the photos of our evening.
Saturday afternoon Amy, Nate and their friends Jamie and Jessica came to Brussels. We had a great time having a beer outside, touring the Grand Place, eating tapas and then watching the US play Italy in the World Cup. Soccer fever is huge over here and it is so much fun to see how into it everyone is. Click here to see the photos of our evening.
Friday, June 16, 2006
The Sweetest Words
I think that some of the sweetest words I ever hear are, "I need to cancel." Normally I hate it when people cancel things because if you have made a plan, then I think you should stick with it. However, there are days (like today) where I am really busy and have things planned back to back to back. And then someone calls to cancel and all of the sudden I have three free hours that I wasn't planning on. Wow, what a great feeling!
We are off to Emily and Andrew Lodge's going away party tonight and then dinner with Amy and Nate Chan tomorrow to say our goodbyes. I feel like I could cry right now just writing that. I can't tell you how hard it is to say goodbye to some of our closest friends.
We are off to Emily and Andrew Lodge's going away party tonight and then dinner with Amy and Nate Chan tomorrow to say our goodbyes. I feel like I could cry right now just writing that. I can't tell you how hard it is to say goodbye to some of our closest friends.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Tis' the Season
I always remember as a child that my mom never liked the spring months of April, May and June and now I understand why. Even though we don't have kids, I still feel the pressures of finishing up the school year and planning out the summer that hit right about now. Especially as an expat, this season is tough. It is nearly impossible to keep track of when and where all of your friends will be out of town for the summer. To really make things worse though, this is also the season that expats move home. This week alone I have three going away parties. The hardest part about saying goodbye is that you might never see the person again. One friend is moving to Minnesota, the other to Moscow, but luckily, the third is moving to Atlanta!
As someone pointed out recently, a hard concept to grasp as an expat is that if any of us come back to Brussels in ten years, not one person we knew will still be living here at all. In some ways, it is almost as if we did not exist. At least with high school and college, you could go back and see an old professor, or a plaque that reminded you of your accomplishments. But when you only live somewhere for two to five years, you don't have much time to make an impact on a city. This city is so transient that others don't have time to mourn or put up rememberances to those who have left. This point really hit home the other day at bunco when a few girls were trying to remember the name of a friend of theirs who left five years ago. It took them all at least a few solid minutes to come up with her first name, let alone her last.
The other problem with this season is just how busy it becomes. Last Thursday through Sunday Kyle was at a conference. Even though I was with him, the meetings of the conference included breakfast, lunch and dinner, so we barely saw each other. We got home at 9pm on Sunday evening. Monday night Kyle and I went to trivia with some friends, Tuesday I had my last bunco group for the season, Wednesday I had my last bookclub for the season, tonight Kyle has a work dinner that doesn't even start until 9pm, Friday we have a going away party, Saturday we have a going away dinner, and Sunday we have church in the evening that we are hosting at our house. Kyle and I will have basically gone eleven nights without having dinner together. I am ready to become a hermit and just stay home for awhile!
As someone pointed out recently, a hard concept to grasp as an expat is that if any of us come back to Brussels in ten years, not one person we knew will still be living here at all. In some ways, it is almost as if we did not exist. At least with high school and college, you could go back and see an old professor, or a plaque that reminded you of your accomplishments. But when you only live somewhere for two to five years, you don't have much time to make an impact on a city. This city is so transient that others don't have time to mourn or put up rememberances to those who have left. This point really hit home the other day at bunco when a few girls were trying to remember the name of a friend of theirs who left five years ago. It took them all at least a few solid minutes to come up with her first name, let alone her last.
The other problem with this season is just how busy it becomes. Last Thursday through Sunday Kyle was at a conference. Even though I was with him, the meetings of the conference included breakfast, lunch and dinner, so we barely saw each other. We got home at 9pm on Sunday evening. Monday night Kyle and I went to trivia with some friends, Tuesday I had my last bunco group for the season, Wednesday I had my last bookclub for the season, tonight Kyle has a work dinner that doesn't even start until 9pm, Friday we have a going away party, Saturday we have a going away dinner, and Sunday we have church in the evening that we are hosting at our house. Kyle and I will have basically gone eleven nights without having dinner together. I am ready to become a hermit and just stay home for awhile!
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Summer Feet in Hades
Around June every year as I was growing up my dad would encourage my sister and I to "get on our summer feet." In his terms, this meant to roughen up our feet enough that we could run around barefoot for the summer. Now that I am an adult, I have a different idea about summer feet. I recently got out my summer clothes. Since I haven't worn any of these things for the past eight months, I have forgotten the details of most of them. The best example of this is in my shoes. I forgot that my tan mules rub on the inside of my right foot, or that I can't wear my black flip flops two days in a row because of how they fit on my feet. Slowly but surely I am remembering the different little "characteristics" of my shoes, but all of this trial and error has resulted in some blistered, sore feet.
However, I must persevere with my summer clothes because it is so hot here!!! I know 89 degrees doesn't seem too bad to most, but remember that no one here has air conditioning (and I mean anywhere -- the car, the store, the bus, the office). This means that there is no reprieve from the heat. It is kind of funny how you just get used to continually sweating. Today I didn't really feel like I needed to go to the gym because I had probably sweat as much during the day as I normally would have being there! To explain just how bad it is -- I carry around washcloth with me just to wipe my face througout the day. I didn't have the washcloth with me today and I actually had a full drop of sweat make its way down my face and land on the book I was reading. Talk about feeling gross! I especially knew the heat was bad when I was huddled in the 1 ft. area of shade with a complete stranger while waiting for the bus because it was the only shade anywhere around.
However, I must persevere with my summer clothes because it is so hot here!!! I know 89 degrees doesn't seem too bad to most, but remember that no one here has air conditioning (and I mean anywhere -- the car, the store, the bus, the office). This means that there is no reprieve from the heat. It is kind of funny how you just get used to continually sweating. Today I didn't really feel like I needed to go to the gym because I had probably sweat as much during the day as I normally would have being there! To explain just how bad it is -- I carry around washcloth with me just to wipe my face througout the day. I didn't have the washcloth with me today and I actually had a full drop of sweat make its way down my face and land on the book I was reading. Talk about feeling gross! I especially knew the heat was bad when I was huddled in the 1 ft. area of shade with a complete stranger while waiting for the bus because it was the only shade anywhere around.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Happy Second Anniversary!!!
From Athens, Georgia to Bath, England and everywhere inbetween...Vieques, Montgomery, St. Louis, New York City, Brussels, London, Brugge, Salobrena, Venice, Luxembourg, Tunisia, Cologne, Prague, Madrid, Dublin, and the Champagne Region...What a wonderful two years it has been!
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
What a Week!
This has been a busy, but very fun week for me. Last Friday Kyle and I rented a car and drove to the Champagne region of France (basically northern France). We took the scenic route down there and went through a few very quaint little towns. Friday we went to the town of Epernay and toured the champagne house where Dom Perignon is made. Saturday we toured the Taittinger house as well as seeing the museum in Reims where Germany signed the papers that they were surrendering during WWII. Sunday was a leisurly drive home and then church. I'm working on editing the pictures with titles, but until then, just a small note that I have figured out why French women are not fat -- our room in the B&B where we stayed was up 80 steps. Once you got there, the entrance to the bathroom was only 38 inches between the wall and the sink. Talk about a tight squeeze!
Kyle's new boss from NYC has been in town all week so we went to dinner with her both Monday and Tuesday evening. Tuesday we went to one of the nicest restaurants in Brussels, La Maison du Cygne (The House of the Swan) which is on the Grand Place, and which also has a Michelin Star. The food was great, but I find it hard to think that any one plate of food is worth around 70 US dollars. The majority of the clientele were actually American businessmen and I couldn't help but think of how they were eating 60 euro entrees while some of their wives were probably home changing 60 dirty diapers.
Today the sun has finally come out which is refreshing since it has been rainy and 50 degrees for the past two weeks. Wednesday is one of my favorite days because I love going to our afternoon market. I never feel more like I am living in Europe than when I am at the market.
Tomorrow Kyle and I are headed to Bath, England for a long weekend. Well, I guess it is a long weekend for me and a working weekend for Kyle. He is attending a conference on the economic writings of Arthur Seldon to discuss such riveting titles as The Virtues of Capitalism, and Introducing Market Forces into Public Services. I am joining him because he is staying at a really nice hotel and I wanted to tour around Bath! Our two year anniversary is this Monday, so we will probably try to go out once during the trip to celebrate it.
On a different note, I was speaking with a friend this weekend about how everything is all about your attitude. I was just re-reading this entry and thought, “Man, people must think I have the greatest life with no problems.” However, I just happened to write the above only highlighting the great parts. I didn’t mention the part about having to eat the European version of McDonald’s on the drive to Reims because we couldn’t find any other place that was open. And then how we had a horrible meal on Saturday evening that was so gross I didn’t even eat my appetizer because I swear it was animal bone marrow. I could have said, “On Saturday, we bought croissants and ate them at the foot of the cathedral in Reims.” That would be true, but it would be even more truthful to say, “On Saturday, we bought croissants, but the Diet Coke landed on one, which smooshed it. We sat at the foot of the cathedral trying to avoid sitting in bird poop, while Emily continuously coughed and blew her nose because she was still sick. The croissant shop didn’t include any napkins and Kyle couldn’t find a bathroom to wash his hands, so Emily had to sacrifice one of her valuable tissues to him. We went to the tourist office to find out about champagne tours, but it took an hour to get all the information and by the time we were ready for the tours they were all closed for two hours for lunch.” To get to Bath, we were trying to save money so I am taking the train while Kyle is flying. However, due to odd train schedules, I will end up traveling for six hours, while flying would have only taken two hours. So all this to say, read my entries with a grain of salt and know that there are probably a few downsides to every trip that I haven’t included.
Kyle's new boss from NYC has been in town all week so we went to dinner with her both Monday and Tuesday evening. Tuesday we went to one of the nicest restaurants in Brussels, La Maison du Cygne (The House of the Swan) which is on the Grand Place, and which also has a Michelin Star. The food was great, but I find it hard to think that any one plate of food is worth around 70 US dollars. The majority of the clientele were actually American businessmen and I couldn't help but think of how they were eating 60 euro entrees while some of their wives were probably home changing 60 dirty diapers.
Today the sun has finally come out which is refreshing since it has been rainy and 50 degrees for the past two weeks. Wednesday is one of my favorite days because I love going to our afternoon market. I never feel more like I am living in Europe than when I am at the market.
Tomorrow Kyle and I are headed to Bath, England for a long weekend. Well, I guess it is a long weekend for me and a working weekend for Kyle. He is attending a conference on the economic writings of Arthur Seldon to discuss such riveting titles as The Virtues of Capitalism, and Introducing Market Forces into Public Services. I am joining him because he is staying at a really nice hotel and I wanted to tour around Bath! Our two year anniversary is this Monday, so we will probably try to go out once during the trip to celebrate it.
On a different note, I was speaking with a friend this weekend about how everything is all about your attitude. I was just re-reading this entry and thought, “Man, people must think I have the greatest life with no problems.” However, I just happened to write the above only highlighting the great parts. I didn’t mention the part about having to eat the European version of McDonald’s on the drive to Reims because we couldn’t find any other place that was open. And then how we had a horrible meal on Saturday evening that was so gross I didn’t even eat my appetizer because I swear it was animal bone marrow. I could have said, “On Saturday, we bought croissants and ate them at the foot of the cathedral in Reims.” That would be true, but it would be even more truthful to say, “On Saturday, we bought croissants, but the Diet Coke landed on one, which smooshed it. We sat at the foot of the cathedral trying to avoid sitting in bird poop, while Emily continuously coughed and blew her nose because she was still sick. The croissant shop didn’t include any napkins and Kyle couldn’t find a bathroom to wash his hands, so Emily had to sacrifice one of her valuable tissues to him. We went to the tourist office to find out about champagne tours, but it took an hour to get all the information and by the time we were ready for the tours they were all closed for two hours for lunch.” To get to Bath, we were trying to save money so I am taking the train while Kyle is flying. However, due to odd train schedules, I will end up traveling for six hours, while flying would have only taken two hours. So all this to say, read my entries with a grain of salt and know that there are probably a few downsides to every trip that I haven’t included.
Faking It
So I am torn. I have a great pair of fake diamond earrings. I bought them in college for around $35. However, I had thought a lot about what I wanted before I purchased them. I knew that I wanted something big, but not too big; square; and with silver prongs. Well, it turns out that I did a little too well in my purchase because so many people think that they are real.
Case in point -- last night Kyle's (female) boss commented on how beautiful they were. Do I tell her that they are fake (so she will think I can't afford real diamonds and that Kyle needs a raise so that he can buy me real ones)? Or do I go along with her thought that they are real (so she thinks I am used to a certain standard of living and that Kyle needs a raise to keep up with my buying habits)? Such a dilemma...
Case in point -- last night Kyle's (female) boss commented on how beautiful they were. Do I tell her that they are fake (so she will think I can't afford real diamonds and that Kyle needs a raise so that he can buy me real ones)? Or do I go along with her thought that they are real (so she thinks I am used to a certain standard of living and that Kyle needs a raise to keep up with my buying habits)? Such a dilemma...
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
It's a Small World After All
I used to think it would be great to go to some remote place in the world, because you could do whatever you wanted and no one would ever know. Thank goodness I never put my theory to the test because I have realized that this is a very, very small world. In Brussels at about this time last year I was walking by a few outdoor restaurants. I happened to glance up and realized that a girl on one of the patios looked very, very familiar. It turns out that she and I went to UGA together. Now only were we in the same year at Georgia, but we both dated guys that were brothers. She now works in Brussels and we see each other about once a month.
The other night I was playing bunco at a friend's house. At one point the conversation turned to a woman there that I had not met before. Someone asked her where her daughter went to college and she said, "Oh, a little town in Georgia, you probably have never heard of it." Well, it turns out her daughter goes to Mercer in Macon and she moved here from Hazlehurst, GA!
Thank goodness my Catholic guilt and conscientious parents have kept me well behaved, or I might have had stories to follow me all around the world!
The other night I was playing bunco at a friend's house. At one point the conversation turned to a woman there that I had not met before. Someone asked her where her daughter went to college and she said, "Oh, a little town in Georgia, you probably have never heard of it." Well, it turns out her daughter goes to Mercer in Macon and she moved here from Hazlehurst, GA!
Thank goodness my Catholic guilt and conscientious parents have kept me well behaved, or I might have had stories to follow me all around the world!
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Home Sweet Home
We had a great time touring the South a few weeks ago when we were home for a visit. I have finally put the pictures together, so if you are interested in seeing where we went, click here. And a few more pictures from my Aunt Carol.
In other thoughts, I have been reading To Dance With the White Dog recently. After reading about Sardis, Madison, Winder and Athens I looked into it and hadn't realized that the book was by a Georgian author. It is definitely a nice, easy read that will make you feel like you are sitting in your grandmother's kitchen again (that is, if you are from Georgia!)
In other thoughts, I have been reading To Dance With the White Dog recently. After reading about Sardis, Madison, Winder and Athens I looked into it and hadn't realized that the book was by a Georgian author. It is definitely a nice, easy read that will make you feel like you are sitting in your grandmother's kitchen again (that is, if you are from Georgia!)
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