A few weekends ago we went to Grand Place to see the annual Jazz Festival. The Grand Place never ceases to make me stop in my tracks and think, "Wow, I live in Europe." As Kyle and I were sitting there waiting for the next band to start, we talked about how many memories we have made on the Grand Place. It was really sad to think of how many friends we have hung out with there who are now someplace else.


Our first memory of the Grand Place was walking down there on our first day after arriving in Brussels. Just a few months later we met Hal and Anna for the first time in front of the Godiva store and afterward we all became good friends. Soon after that I went to the Ommegang parade with Kelly and tried to sneak a peak through the bleachers to see the performance. Who knew that a few years later I would be eating dinner in the Maison du Cygne watching the same performance from the best seat in the house.


We have been to three Brussels Beer Festivals there, which always hold a lot of memories. There was the time we met U.S. Air Marshals and ended up eating dinner with them, along with Amy, Nate and Jason. That was the same year I starting talking to a girl in the port-a-potty line just because she spoke English and we then became friends. Another Beer Festival followed but this time it was with Tim and Lynn. In between all of that we saw the Flower Carpet with Kelly (an event that only happens once every other year), the light show on the Hotel de Ville at Christmas and a few Belgian weddings too.


We always seem to friends leaving, but for some reason, this month has brought a larger exodus than normal. I think it is because we have been here three and a half year now so anyone we have met along the way is finishing up their 2-3 year contract. I know we have been so lucky to have had so many friends during our time here, but it just gets so old to say goodbye again and again and again.