Hello everyone,
I hope you are doing well.
Since every one is asking how long I am still staying and the time is running faster and faster I am becoming a little sad that this adventure is about to end.
Of course, I am looking forward to see my familiy again, our baby-dog which is probably not a baby anymore, my friends, just see how lifes going - because I guess I missed a lot - from a lot of people I don't really know how they're doing.
I just wrote my evaluation with both a smile and a tear - because I can indeed just write things which are so good. And the evolution I made - I am not the same as before (and I was the one who didn't really agree with the words "mental change" which was said in the project description.)
I have the feeling that I am saying "good bye" a lot - but still, i am not really comprehending it.
I had a life here, a new one, which is hard to let go.
But this is also a part of EVS: learn to let go.
A special friend of mine, Amanda, once said: EVS is like a ball which is full of nice experiences, it is kind of "out-of-reality". (I don't agree here - I think it's getting as real as your daily life - just better :-)) And while your EVS goes on, the ball is kind of rolling and absorbing more and more good memories, impulses, things you've learned.
But the most important thing I took from this idea was: The ball continues rolling even when your EVS ends. It's just another step, another part of the journey. I like that thought. Outside there is waiting so much for us to discover...
But I am still wondering how I will feel when I am going back. Strange in my own hometown? everyone is moved to study, some ppl still abroad. it will not be the same, but thats a good thing.
I will just let it happen, go without a plan - it will turn out good at the end. And if not, then it's simply not the end.
I will miss belgium - but it is good to miss things because a) that means that is has been there before and in the case of belgium it will probably stay a little (until the glaciers melt and belgium drowns haha kidding) and b) then you appreciate it more. it's like getting a letter of an old friend or smelling something which immediately brings you inanother situation back in time.
So long,
xoxo sara
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
PRIKKEL
Hey everyone,
I have soo interesting news: I was on the Prikkel-weekend from Oxfam, from friday til monday, with a lot of fairtrade, open-minded ppl and much much information. I want to share some impressions, ideas, impulses with you.
Soo...
first of all: Make IT fair - By the way: Do you know, where the materials used in your mobile phone come from? Did you know, that a little bit from your mobile phone, lets say 1 gram tin, supports the war in Congo? Did you know, that the recycling process from a mobile phone is unbelievable difficult because of the mixture of the different materials? - If you didnt know that, dont dare to have a look at www.makeitfair.org
By the way, if you have an old mobile phone, send it gratis to www.zoozoo.be and even get money for it!
In connection with those information, also have a look at the cradle-to-cradle idea: a recycling system which is based on a circle-system, not a linear one: up-cycling instead of down-cycling - trash becomes material. http://www.cradletocradle.nl/
The story of stuff: We are buying and buying and buying, consuming all the time. Did you know, that just 1% of the things the average US citizen buys will last longer than 6 months?! Did you know, nthat the happiness-index in the US went down, since after WW II the nation of consum was proclaimed? Where is all the stuff going we are buying, eating, consuming, throwing away? Where does the stuff come from? How can a radio cost $ 4.99 if the production costs are pretty much higher? www.thestoryofstuff.com watch the movie and get a lot more answer than you had questions... ;-)
Desertec-Concept: Solar energie is a form of ebergie which is gratis, almost everywhere available - the sun shines for everyone. So a group of scientists came together to think about that - and a revolutionary idea came up: It is a fact, that in 6 hours in the world's deserts the sun gives so much energie to cover the total consumtion of energie in the world for one year. Six hours and the whole energie-problem is solved? Its of course not as easy as it seems, but still - it is easier than you might have thought.
A system from mirrors in the Sahara, or a huuuge parc of solar cells with high-tech connection to Europe (the technique alreadey exists) - this is already going on! (E.g. in California) Interested? http://www.desertec.org or, german: http://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/0,1518,658357,00.html
Architecture for Humanity: This is a concept which combines ideas for more efficient and so sustainable buildings. You can not critize something without giving a constructive idea, a solution: How can Haïti be rebuild? How can you give the poorest of the poor an access to water and elictricity? How can we avoid that the developing countries are making the same mistakes we made? How can we combine development with climate change?
http://architectureforhumanity.org
What is the future of fairtrade? Since fairtrade is no longer a brand for treehuggers and old-hippies but a new niche for a special group of consumers of the LIDL, ALDI, Carrefour ect. the question is: What is with Oxfam, Max havelaar ect.? The big chains as mentioned above are cxreating their own fairtrade brands - not always following the philosophy of Oxfam and CO but still - it is fairtraded. (Instead of working with small farmers they are working with bigger fabrics in the South and keep the price lower than Oxfam can do) How much fairtrade is in a fairtrade product?
A critical reportage from CANVAS: http://www.maxhavelaar.be/files/u2/terzake-6-augustus-2009.pdf (nederlands informatie)
http://terzake.canvas.be/uitzending/terzake-68-fair-trade/
Social entrepeneurships: More and more young ppl build up their own business - and combine social responisibility with economics. http://socialentrepreneurship.change.org/
(it even became a new area of studys btw) For example: www.lemonAid.de , www.armedangels.de
Okay okay, we have lots of problems, from C as climate change to P as poverty. But as you believe it or not: There are still ppl with visions, ideas and - probably the best thing - potential. Have a look at the newest ideas at: http://www.ted.com/
Voedselkilometers: How long did your food travel until it lays on your plate waiting for you to eat it? This is an idea to promote local consum from the UK - a little too simple because it just counts the kilometres, not the real impact on the enviroment in all cases (like fairtrade food or food from big plantages which lesson biodiversity ect.) But still - it is a good and funny idea to eat local but think global :-) http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/food_matters/foodmiles.shtml (By the way: Check your personal ecological footprint at http://footprint.wwf.org.uk/)
Even though there is a lot morte to share, this will be my last impulse for today: The book "Thinking in systems" from Donella Meadows http://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Systems-Donella-H-Meadows/dp/1603580557 which deals with the method of thinking more widely and connect problems to learn how to solve them. :-)
Thanks for the attentions and forgive my enthouthiasm :-D
love, sara
I have soo interesting news: I was on the Prikkel-weekend from Oxfam, from friday til monday, with a lot of fairtrade, open-minded ppl and much much information. I want to share some impressions, ideas, impulses with you.
Soo...
first of all: Make IT fair - By the way: Do you know, where the materials used in your mobile phone come from? Did you know, that a little bit from your mobile phone, lets say 1 gram tin, supports the war in Congo? Did you know, that the recycling process from a mobile phone is unbelievable difficult because of the mixture of the different materials? - If you didnt know that, dont dare to have a look at www.makeitfair.org
By the way, if you have an old mobile phone, send it gratis to www.zoozoo.be and even get money for it!
In connection with those information, also have a look at the cradle-to-cradle idea: a recycling system which is based on a circle-system, not a linear one: up-cycling instead of down-cycling - trash becomes material. http://www.cradletocradle.nl/
The story of stuff: We are buying and buying and buying, consuming all the time. Did you know, that just 1% of the things the average US citizen buys will last longer than 6 months?! Did you know, nthat the happiness-index in the US went down, since after WW II the nation of consum was proclaimed? Where is all the stuff going we are buying, eating, consuming, throwing away? Where does the stuff come from? How can a radio cost $ 4.99 if the production costs are pretty much higher? www.thestoryofstuff.com watch the movie and get a lot more answer than you had questions... ;-)
Desertec-Concept: Solar energie is a form of ebergie which is gratis, almost everywhere available - the sun shines for everyone. So a group of scientists came together to think about that - and a revolutionary idea came up: It is a fact, that in 6 hours in the world's deserts the sun gives so much energie to cover the total consumtion of energie in the world for one year. Six hours and the whole energie-problem is solved? Its of course not as easy as it seems, but still - it is easier than you might have thought.
A system from mirrors in the Sahara, or a huuuge parc of solar cells with high-tech connection to Europe (the technique alreadey exists) - this is already going on! (E.g. in California) Interested? http://www.desertec.org or, german: http://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/0,1518,658357,00.html
Architecture for Humanity: This is a concept which combines ideas for more efficient and so sustainable buildings. You can not critize something without giving a constructive idea, a solution: How can Haïti be rebuild? How can you give the poorest of the poor an access to water and elictricity? How can we avoid that the developing countries are making the same mistakes we made? How can we combine development with climate change?
http://architectureforhumanity.org
What is the future of fairtrade? Since fairtrade is no longer a brand for treehuggers and old-hippies but a new niche for a special group of consumers of the LIDL, ALDI, Carrefour ect. the question is: What is with Oxfam, Max havelaar ect.? The big chains as mentioned above are cxreating their own fairtrade brands - not always following the philosophy of Oxfam and CO but still - it is fairtraded. (Instead of working with small farmers they are working with bigger fabrics in the South and keep the price lower than Oxfam can do) How much fairtrade is in a fairtrade product?
A critical reportage from CANVAS: http://www.maxhavelaar.be/files/u2/terzake-6-augustus-2009.pdf (nederlands informatie)
http://terzake.canvas.be/uitzending/terzake-68-fair-trade/
Social entrepeneurships: More and more young ppl build up their own business - and combine social responisibility with economics. http://socialentrepreneurship.change.org/
(it even became a new area of studys btw) For example: www.lemonAid.de , www.armedangels.de
Okay okay, we have lots of problems, from C as climate change to P as poverty. But as you believe it or not: There are still ppl with visions, ideas and - probably the best thing - potential. Have a look at the newest ideas at: http://www.ted.com/
Voedselkilometers: How long did your food travel until it lays on your plate waiting for you to eat it? This is an idea to promote local consum from the UK - a little too simple because it just counts the kilometres, not the real impact on the enviroment in all cases (like fairtrade food or food from big plantages which lesson biodiversity ect.) But still - it is a good and funny idea to eat local but think global :-) http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/food_matters/foodmiles.shtml (By the way: Check your personal ecological footprint at http://footprint.wwf.org.uk/)
Even though there is a lot morte to share, this will be my last impulse for today: The book "Thinking in systems" from Donella Meadows http://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Systems-Donella-H-Meadows/dp/1603580557 which deals with the method of thinking more widely and connect problems to learn how to solve them. :-)
Thanks for the attentions and forgive my enthouthiasm :-D
love, sara
Friday, February 12, 2010
i'm on a BOAT
hello everyone
so grey outside - but still - weekend!
i will go on an oxfam weekend with a bunch of dread-locked vegetarian save-the-whales people on a BOAT :-)
haha no kidding, I am sure it will be pretty nice - and i will probably just be talking netherlands for the whole weekend (in case I understand the participants cause its not that if you are able to speak nederlands that you understand the people from AntwArpAn or HHHent ;-)
But besides my worries to get on a boat with heaps of pretty radical people (I really can't stand narrow-minded people, even though they might be right - my mom says we gotta be tolerant!!!) I am really looking forward to this because this is the sort of things we desperately need, isn't it? Information, information, information and a little helping hand for changing something. The weekend will be over fairtrade and the economical futute of it, about climate change and the stock market, international negociations and the impact of NGO's. Sounds interesting, hé? (Haha I am such a nerd - the only thing which keeps me from being a nerd is that I think it's a pity that this weekend is stealing my valentine and my carneval! - Well, I am single anyway, but carneval? A whole town wasted... It's worth a glimpse by the way ;-))
So, just gotta pack my stuff (said easier than it is done, cause we have to pack so much - it's supposed to be cold and dodgy... but I just need some basic stuff like a heardryer, another pair of shoes, my bodylotion, another pair of jeans... ?! AND i bet there are people who just carry those tiny backpacks and have everything they need. I am jealous, me materialistic yes-I-need-this-all :-D) ButI mean, without a hairdryer I am probably DYING on a BOAT with the chance of a broken heater... (my mentor warned me ;-)) I mean, we're not in Australia for a nice and warm work and travel experience... it's more like - 71°noord haha
Sooo... it's eleven thirty now, I should work a little :-)
See you soon - have a nice valentine :-) ....
sara
ps. I hope their are no couples - a BOAT is pretty small ay? :-D Fairtrade love lala
so grey outside - but still - weekend!
i will go on an oxfam weekend with a bunch of dread-locked vegetarian save-the-whales people on a BOAT :-)
haha no kidding, I am sure it will be pretty nice - and i will probably just be talking netherlands for the whole weekend (in case I understand the participants cause its not that if you are able to speak nederlands that you understand the people from AntwArpAn or HHHent ;-)
But besides my worries to get on a boat with heaps of pretty radical people (I really can't stand narrow-minded people, even though they might be right - my mom says we gotta be tolerant!!!) I am really looking forward to this because this is the sort of things we desperately need, isn't it? Information, information, information and a little helping hand for changing something. The weekend will be over fairtrade and the economical futute of it, about climate change and the stock market, international negociations and the impact of NGO's. Sounds interesting, hé? (Haha I am such a nerd - the only thing which keeps me from being a nerd is that I think it's a pity that this weekend is stealing my valentine and my carneval! - Well, I am single anyway, but carneval? A whole town wasted... It's worth a glimpse by the way ;-))
So, just gotta pack my stuff (said easier than it is done, cause we have to pack so much - it's supposed to be cold and dodgy... but I just need some basic stuff like a heardryer, another pair of shoes, my bodylotion, another pair of jeans... ?! AND i bet there are people who just carry those tiny backpacks and have everything they need. I am jealous, me materialistic yes-I-need-this-all :-D) ButI mean, without a hairdryer I am probably DYING on a BOAT with the chance of a broken heater... (my mentor warned me ;-)) I mean, we're not in Australia for a nice and warm work and travel experience... it's more like - 71°noord haha
Sooo... it's eleven thirty now, I should work a little :-)
See you soon - have a nice valentine :-) ....
sara
ps. I hope their are no couples - a BOAT is pretty small ay? :-D Fairtrade love lala
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
kersenpittenkussen en werkloosheidsuitkering
Hello everyone.
I am sitting in front of the computer and try to find a word which could be the superlative of "update". Since there was an article in the "Heusden-Zolder Krant" I am forced to "update" my blog. Even though "update" is, as I mentioned, not really the correct word: the last blog entry was published in November. This date makes me blush... AND moreover: Someone, who is calling herself a friend (won't mention your name, Amanda, don't worry) threatend to DELETE me from her blog-follower's list. Ha, this is the facebook generation: Simply delete people from your list and get rid of them :-D
Ah seriously, hows is my EVS going? - Pretty good. 100% content. Still! Even though at the moment I feel as if I missed to go on winter sleep. But well, I shouldn't whine, in Poland it's minus 27 degrees right now. F***** hell, that's to call cold.
Sometimes I guess it's the revenge of the climate for us failing in Copenhagen.
I took me 9 hours from Cologne to Hasselt - I could have WALKED faster. Just because of the snow breakling down the public transport. Well, probably we deserve that, right?
Just recognized that from November till end of January pretty much happend, I will give a short overview:
19/nov: a "studiedag" round children's rights in the Culturcentrum - because it was its birthday they became 20. Very nice day, worth to mention it here. I followed a workshop from Arnaud Raskin over his mobile schools. He is working in several countries with children in the streets - not to teach them how to analyse Shakepeare, but to show them how strong and great they are. And that they can find a way out, if they just keep on trying... a very impressive concept round how to appreciate humans and how we can learn from them by searching for a solution instead of a problem.
Take a look at www.mobileschool.org
24/nov: Shoppen in Maastricht! Great & girly - and they are several ways leading to Rome :-)
25/nov: my first project started: Christmas in Shoeboxes from children for children in Heusden-Zolder. Even almost nobody is aware of this fact, every fifth child in Europe is "poor". And this isn't just in Estonia or Bulgaria - no, even in France, Germany and Belgium. So we started a project in which the kids collected some toys to pack them into shoeboxes and send them via St. Vincencius to those kids who can't expect that much under the tree. It turned out as a success, even though a german aphorism was right: Rely on someone and you are left alone.
But in the end it wasn't a big deal - and the kids were happy. Nice!
28/nov: Brahim concert in Muze! Very good :-)
03/dec: mid-term-evaluation with my mentor: first of all: dammit, "mid-term" means there are just 3 months over?!
Second: EVS is gewoon de beste keuze die ik had kunnen doen, echt waar! Ik ben heel tevreden :-)
04/dec - 06/dec: short periode home, for my love: gyro wheel - presentation was good even though I had never a muscle ache from this extent :-D
And I hadn't known that it can be so stressy trying to visit all your friends in one weekend. But it was worth it. Sometimes, you just need to go home for a sec.
09/dec: Exposition about human rights "thirty somethings" in Maastricht with the people from Article 27 and Pieter: So good! And randomly I met about 10 german students there. Haha, the world is so small.
11/dec: I am so lucky: Got invited for a dinner from the center for handicapped people and people with special needs because they had guests from there german partnertown Brilon. Cool, ay? Practising my german again.
12/dec: meetingpoint EVS: meeting with some other volunteers and Ex-volunteers to visit a brewery and the christmas market in Brussels. 1. "Geuze" tastes like a mix from beer and champaigne - believe me, don't try. 2. Glühwein tastes good everywhere.
13/dec: I had like the best advent-dinner ever: (I know why I am getting so fat here - constantly invited for havin g dinners... ;-)) Soooo italian, so familiar, so tasty, such a good evening! Thanks to Tienne, Brigitte and Frank.
14/dec: Listen to "The Killers - Sams town, Abbey road version".
16/dec: Oh god, how humilating, EVSers, protest! I had to play the "zwarte miet" - it took ages to clean the black colour off!!!
18/dec: holidays!!!
20/dec: the belgians are kind of paranoid from the snow: about 5 centimetres wet, white stuff laying on the streets forces everyone to stay home and even radio 2 advised not to go out "if it's not really necessary". Someone from the Sauerland had to hide her smile...
24/dec: Merry Christmas. Celebrated Christmas with 20 people with belgian ands polish traditions... how cosy and warm it was. Great. Thanks to my lovely and warm-hearted family.
27/dec: Partying in Gent! And meeting Kate Moss!!! haha
29/dec- 03/jan: Went home for new years and celebrated it with my friends and a lot of Cuba Libre. Thumbs up! And my family bought a puppy. Never thought I would fall inh love with a DOG. How unlikely for me... But well, "everythings's changing and I don't feel the same"...
03/jan: Odysee from Homer is nothing against trying to get from Cologne to Hasselt! Good thing there is Starbucks to sit in for 3 hours, good that there is chocolate to share and get to know some travelling-compagnons - ... In the end we went by taxi to our final destinations. Felt pretty VIP :-)
...nothing happend....daily life in Belgium... (isn't it cool that after a while it is just "normal" living somewhere else?)
22/jan - 24/jan: mid-term-training in Brussels: SO good to see all the group again, haven't seen most of them for more than 4 months! Very nice people, good conversations, nice surprises... and beginning to say goodbye. Even though I have still 1 1/2 months to go, I start to think over: what's next? It makes me nervous, I even find it scary: how much will I miss it here? The belgians always say: Ah, it's just Belgium. But then I meet unbelievebly nice people, gastvrij, warm-hearted, I see Brussels and Hasselt, I am drinking Genever, seeing those lovely pralines ((trying to resist ;-)), living in a family which formed my new home, living in a country which is so liberal and populated with so many free-minded people. And then I say, no, it's not just Belgium. It's Belgium. And I love it.
I think I changed a lot during my stay, learned a lot. Going home will be the next step - a new task.
I prepared for my new project a questionnaire about living in Europe. The last question is: Do you feel as a European?
Someone wrote: "I am a visiter in the world". I will keep this in mind.
And til I go there is still so much left to see!!
Ps to Saskia: Central Park in spring...!
I am sitting in front of the computer and try to find a word which could be the superlative of "update". Since there was an article in the "Heusden-Zolder Krant" I am forced to "update" my blog. Even though "update" is, as I mentioned, not really the correct word: the last blog entry was published in November. This date makes me blush... AND moreover: Someone, who is calling herself a friend (won't mention your name, Amanda, don't worry) threatend to DELETE me from her blog-follower's list. Ha, this is the facebook generation: Simply delete people from your list and get rid of them :-D
Ah seriously, hows is my EVS going? - Pretty good. 100% content. Still! Even though at the moment I feel as if I missed to go on winter sleep. But well, I shouldn't whine, in Poland it's minus 27 degrees right now. F***** hell, that's to call cold.
Sometimes I guess it's the revenge of the climate for us failing in Copenhagen.
I took me 9 hours from Cologne to Hasselt - I could have WALKED faster. Just because of the snow breakling down the public transport. Well, probably we deserve that, right?
Just recognized that from November till end of January pretty much happend, I will give a short overview:
19/nov: a "studiedag" round children's rights in the Culturcentrum - because it was its birthday they became 20. Very nice day, worth to mention it here. I followed a workshop from Arnaud Raskin over his mobile schools. He is working in several countries with children in the streets - not to teach them how to analyse Shakepeare, but to show them how strong and great they are. And that they can find a way out, if they just keep on trying... a very impressive concept round how to appreciate humans and how we can learn from them by searching for a solution instead of a problem.
Take a look at www.mobileschool.org
24/nov: Shoppen in Maastricht! Great & girly - and they are several ways leading to Rome :-)
25/nov: my first project started: Christmas in Shoeboxes from children for children in Heusden-Zolder. Even almost nobody is aware of this fact, every fifth child in Europe is "poor". And this isn't just in Estonia or Bulgaria - no, even in France, Germany and Belgium. So we started a project in which the kids collected some toys to pack them into shoeboxes and send them via St. Vincencius to those kids who can't expect that much under the tree. It turned out as a success, even though a german aphorism was right: Rely on someone and you are left alone.
But in the end it wasn't a big deal - and the kids were happy. Nice!
28/nov: Brahim concert in Muze! Very good :-)
03/dec: mid-term-evaluation with my mentor: first of all: dammit, "mid-term" means there are just 3 months over?!
Second: EVS is gewoon de beste keuze die ik had kunnen doen, echt waar! Ik ben heel tevreden :-)
04/dec - 06/dec: short periode home, for my love: gyro wheel - presentation was good even though I had never a muscle ache from this extent :-D
And I hadn't known that it can be so stressy trying to visit all your friends in one weekend. But it was worth it. Sometimes, you just need to go home for a sec.
09/dec: Exposition about human rights "thirty somethings" in Maastricht with the people from Article 27 and Pieter: So good! And randomly I met about 10 german students there. Haha, the world is so small.
11/dec: I am so lucky: Got invited for a dinner from the center for handicapped people and people with special needs because they had guests from there german partnertown Brilon. Cool, ay? Practising my german again.
12/dec: meetingpoint EVS: meeting with some other volunteers and Ex-volunteers to visit a brewery and the christmas market in Brussels. 1. "Geuze" tastes like a mix from beer and champaigne - believe me, don't try. 2. Glühwein tastes good everywhere.
13/dec: I had like the best advent-dinner ever: (I know why I am getting so fat here - constantly invited for havin g dinners... ;-)) Soooo italian, so familiar, so tasty, such a good evening! Thanks to Tienne, Brigitte and Frank.
14/dec: Listen to "The Killers - Sams town, Abbey road version".
16/dec: Oh god, how humilating, EVSers, protest! I had to play the "zwarte miet" - it took ages to clean the black colour off!!!
18/dec: holidays!!!
20/dec: the belgians are kind of paranoid from the snow: about 5 centimetres wet, white stuff laying on the streets forces everyone to stay home and even radio 2 advised not to go out "if it's not really necessary". Someone from the Sauerland had to hide her smile...
24/dec: Merry Christmas. Celebrated Christmas with 20 people with belgian ands polish traditions... how cosy and warm it was. Great. Thanks to my lovely and warm-hearted family.
27/dec: Partying in Gent! And meeting Kate Moss!!! haha
29/dec- 03/jan: Went home for new years and celebrated it with my friends and a lot of Cuba Libre. Thumbs up! And my family bought a puppy. Never thought I would fall inh love with a DOG. How unlikely for me... But well, "everythings's changing and I don't feel the same"...
03/jan: Odysee from Homer is nothing against trying to get from Cologne to Hasselt! Good thing there is Starbucks to sit in for 3 hours, good that there is chocolate to share and get to know some travelling-compagnons - ... In the end we went by taxi to our final destinations. Felt pretty VIP :-)
...nothing happend....daily life in Belgium... (isn't it cool that after a while it is just "normal" living somewhere else?)
22/jan - 24/jan: mid-term-training in Brussels: SO good to see all the group again, haven't seen most of them for more than 4 months! Very nice people, good conversations, nice surprises... and beginning to say goodbye. Even though I have still 1 1/2 months to go, I start to think over: what's next? It makes me nervous, I even find it scary: how much will I miss it here? The belgians always say: Ah, it's just Belgium. But then I meet unbelievebly nice people, gastvrij, warm-hearted, I see Brussels and Hasselt, I am drinking Genever, seeing those lovely pralines ((trying to resist ;-)), living in a family which formed my new home, living in a country which is so liberal and populated with so many free-minded people. And then I say, no, it's not just Belgium. It's Belgium. And I love it.
I think I changed a lot during my stay, learned a lot. Going home will be the next step - a new task.
I prepared for my new project a questionnaire about living in Europe. The last question is: Do you feel as a European?
Someone wrote: "I am a visiter in the world". I will keep this in mind.
And til I go there is still so much left to see!!
Ps to Saskia: Central Park in spring...!
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