I'm back!

Well I've been back in Brussels for 10 days now, and it feels like I never left. (except I'm not dying of heat anymore) This place, despite our total lack of furniture, is starting to feel more like home now. A Canadian friend of Tom's that has been here for a year already is moving back to Canada, and for helping her move and giving her a place to stay for a few weeks before she leaves, she is giving us a few odds and ends. Notably, 2 small tables or end tables, some kitchen stuff, and a foldable ikea closet thing! So after setting that up I could finally get my room organized and make it look and feel more like a room, rather than a sad space with a horrible air mattress and suitcases. We also went up shopping on Bourbonne Street, which is a very cheap Turkish street where you pay in cash and get no receipt, and got some curtains, pillows, a few blankets and such. So I now have a curtain, a mattress (queen at that!) sheets, and a tiny closet! Haha, living the life. Tomorrow (hopefully) we will pick up a table and chairs we bought off a BSISer that is moving out, and we will finally go to Ikea and get some more things (hopefully a couch) and actually have things to sit on! Finding time to go to Ikea has been extremely difficult, as Tom's schedule right now, is like mine during my last 3 months of school (so any one that knows me, will know exactly how much spare time he has). On top of that, Ikea, as is the same with almost all other stores in this city, closes at 8pm during the week, and 9pm on the weekend. Also because it is huge (but actually very very small by North American standards), it is almost outside the city, so it takes a half hour to get there. Anyway, Tom finally had to book time in his schedule to go to Ikea, and the day has finally gotten here! The big question now, is how to get things home.

That is the one major issue here: lack of vehicle. This is a huge pro and con for many reasons. Good, mostly for the lack of expenses on gas, parking, insurance, license, accidents, etc. The public transit system is amazing, so you can get anywhere you want quicker than driving anyways. You never need to find parking. No need to worry about who is driving, and you never ever need to find a DD. However, when it comes to moving things, you are shit out of luck. My mattress we had to fold in half (thank you ikea) and bring on the Metro. Suitcases were also brought this way. But for the table and chairs we had to tap Tom's list of connections for someone with a car we could borrow. Or I guess the other alternative people use here is a taxi-van. For about 15 euro they can load it up and take it back home. This is probably what we will end up doing from Ikea. They have a whole fleet of taxi-vans eagerly waiting to take people home right outside the store.

As far as Brussels itself goes, it is amazing. Sure there are many European quirks that we have to get used to (sitting shower, no food delivery, very consistent weather), but we are in Europe after all. Everyone I have met (the list goes on to include people from Poland, Czech Republic, Brazil, Germany, Russia, Romania, Holland, Greece, Ireland, France, Turkey, strangely not Belgium, and other countries I'm sure I've forgotten) all speak 3-5 languages. The Germans in particular that I've met, all speak 5 languages. It's amazing to be in the metro or any other public place, and hear at least 3 different languages being spoken around you. The Belgians apparently, while being very friendly, are very reserved. So while I have obviously spoken to many of them that are in the service industry, I haven't actually met one.

Speaking of the Germans, they literally did not believe me when I told them how much a pack of cigarettes cost in Canada. They were actually complaining about the price of a pack here in Brussels, 4,70 euro. They said where they are from they can get a pack for 3 euro. They almost fell on the floor when I assured them the Canadian prices were real. AND that in winter they could not smoke inside, but rather had to go outside, 10m from the door, and freeze to smoke. They both agreed they'd rather quit.

Also, no Europeans so far have heard of marshmallows or gravy! Gravy especially! I can also see why no one eats burgers here; they're disgusting. They're all fried in this big pot together and look very orange and rubbery. Belgian fries on the other hand, are reputed to be the best in the world, and I believe them. They also make the best waffles, which you can buy on any street corner for 2 euro, and chocolat, which you can also buy on almost any street corner. I know what everyone is getting for Christmas ;)!