> Well, I've been in London for a grand total of 1 hour, and it already rocks. Not that I'm surprised, I have been here before, but 3 years is plenty of time to forget how amazing it is. I mean, London is what originally made me want to come back and live in Europe. Seriously, everything is better. From the scenery: the rolling hills, picturesque ponds, herds of sheep grazing in a pasture, and gravel roads, which I have not seen since I left Saskatchewan; To the the sense of normality and efficiency that I miss from Canada. I mean, from the size of coffees, selection (chai lattes), and price, 2,30£ for a large!; to the efficient yogurt and muesli container design and the cutest miniature glass jar of jam (rather than the plastic things you get in Canada). There are even 7 cafes to choose from in this train station alone. > > Yes, I forgot to mention where I am, AMT Coffee at London St-Pancras Intl Station, and why, waiting for Marlene's train to get in. Why am I waiting for her train? Well, when we get to Gare du Midi in Brussels, we get to the Eurostar check-in (which the process is identical to airport check in, customs and security included) and someone realizes that they forgot their passport at home. We had 40 minutes until he train left, and she lived 20-30 away. She left and tried to get it and make it back in time while I waited in the boarding area. Needless to say, she did not make it, and I didn't want to have to pay a rebooking fee if that was the case. So I took our train, and she made it to the station 30 minutes later and took the next one, no hassle. So, rather than go to Alisons, have to meet Marlene and then go back to drop her luggage off, I'm just waiting out the hour and a half at the station. It's really not so bad though. As anyone who knows me, knows my love of cafes.
I am very happy today. Regardless of the fact that it’s Zombie Jesus Day, aka Easter, and all my family is 7000kms away celebrating together over wine and flapper pie. Regardless of the fact that I’m in the middle of researching and writing essays with the due date in exactly 2 weeks. Regardless of the fact that this current essay topic is deathly boring — only the EU can make one of the most complex and fascinating conflicts in the world seem incredibly dull. And most of all, regardless of the fact that I opted out of going to spend the day in the medieval city of Brugge and at the beach, in order to get my research done.
Why am I in such great spirit this morning? Perhaps it’s because I spoke to Chavdar a couple of hours ago when he landed in Brussels and he should be home soon. Perhaps its because Belgacom and Mobistar are finally coming to install the Internet tomorrow. Perhaps its because Marlene and I leave for London on Thursday, and I get to see Alison there again, and stay with her for free. Perhaps its because I found someone I know to sublet my room while I’m in Switzerland, saving me tons of money. Or perhaps it’s because I learned that Vera got accepted to Erasmus Brussels, and will be moving here end of August. I don’t know..
What I do know is that I’m sitting here in my kitchen, the sun is shining, a cool breeze at my face, looking across at a 200 year old church. I have the fortune to be in Europe, studying in one of the best programs across the world for conflict, learning from an amazingly cynical and sarcastic woman who is one of the leading experts in her field. This last paper I just wrote was quite possible the best essay I have written to date. It is definitely the only essay that days after I finish I’m still going back and making little changes to improve it. All the others I finished, corrected, printed, and never looked at them again. This one I actually love what I wrote. I love what I’m researching and what I’m doing. In this apartment, with this gorgeous weather, I’m even starting to love my days at home alone researching and writing. It just feels like one of those moments in life, where you are reassured that you’re on the right path, and this is what you are supposed to be doing.
+ I just reread this post, and I think this means that my relaxing/de-stressing techniques are working… +
++ Chavdar brought me back this little handmade traditional Bulgarian figurine with rose oil inside :) ++
I believe my last blog said that we had been 1 week without Internet, but it should be returning soon…. Well… As I don’t have access to my last blog to see exactly what I wrote, and as I’m forced to type this on MS Word and copy and paste later, I still don’t have Internet. I just did a quick count, and it has only been 16 days, but it feels like an absolute eternity has gone by. Thanks to Chavdar’s Baby Jesus Net (will explain later) and The Bench, I have been able to at least check Facebook updates and communications (as that is how all of BSIS communicates, via FB) and the news daily, and even stream an episode or two. I haven’t however, checked any of my pop culture and streaming news websites, including Twitter, Youtube and dA, and I’m a little afraid of how many updates there will be when I finally check them upon the Internet’s return. As it’s April 20th today (On a side note, Europeans have absolutely no idea what 4/20 is, in any way, shape or form, even the stoners), Chavdar has left for Bulgaria for Easter this morning, taking his laptop with him, leaving me totally and utterly internet-less and alone until the 25th. (Another side note, apparently Easter is a fairly big deal holiday here. I mean, I know it’s an important holiday in Canada too, but almost every European I know has or is going back home for Easter, even if they have to take time off work, and squeeze out essays early.) But, we finally have an install date, confirmed on paper: April 26th. Which is exactly a full month after I moved in, and two days before I leave for London, thank you Mobistar; worst efficiency and costumer service ever.
As far as Baby Jesus Net, Chavdar discovered that on his Grandpapa computer (old as the hills), placed at a precise location in our kitchen, he could pick up a weak, unsecured Internet connection. It was slow, faltered sometimes, was only on his computer and at that location, but it was Internet at home. Chavdar was so excited he proclaimed, “It’s like a hug from Baby Jesus!!” I proceeded to make fun of him, obviously, and from there it turned in to Baby Jesus everything. When Chavdar started leaving his computer at home for me to use if needed while I was researching, he started leaving these hilarious Baby Jesus messages for me to see when I got up.
The last message he left yesterday morning, was “Enjoy the last day on Jesus Net!” with a picture of Jesus browsing the Internet on a computer.
But enough about the Internet… Spring has officially hit Brussels. Well, in my opinion it’s basically summer, but Europeans insist it’s just spring. The trees and flowers are fully bloomed, the bugs are out (although here they really don’t bite!), it was 23C yesterday, and is supposed to be 26C this weekend. People have even said that I already have a tan, from sitting out and reading in the park so much I suppose. Every snack, coffee, lunch, meal, or beer is officially spent on a terrace, which every establishment owns, and if they don’t, it’s space on the sidewalk with a few tables.
This is really what I love the most about Europe, well, Western Europe anyways: the café culture. Even now, in ‘spring’, as I walk to my bench in the mornings I pass by and older man and a younger female couple sitting outside reading the newspaper and chatting over un petit café and un pain au chocolat. Or with an added jus d’orange and sometimes un croissant for the typical French breakfast. I love it. The ‘Breakfast Special’ at most places is actually a coffee or tea, freshly squeezed orange juice, a warm pain au chocolat and/or croissant, and/or a newspaper for the price of 4€, sometimes more, sometimes less. If you see someone with a laptop, almost guaranteed it will be a foreigner, either student or professional. The locals tend to have company or read. However, for all of us Master’s students who are at the point where we feel like our essays are one big karmic attack, attempting to right some ginormous past wrong in the form of essay nightmare, we are permanently attached to our computers; Internet-less computer at that. Studying for my exam on stacks of notes, documents, and textbooks after these are all done and submitted will be like a lovely break. And then, on May 18th at 5pm, I’m done. Finito. Well, I mean I still have my dissertation/thesis to do over the summer, but essays, academic assignments, lecture readings, ridiculous exams, all done.
As far as summer goes, I actually got an update from Johannah on dates and where we’re staying. The interns will be staying in this place called Chalet Mavambo, which is right across the street from her place. Click herefor the link to their website which has some pictures of the place and click the 'summer' tab for pictures of the surroundings, also click here to see a google map view of where it is exactly :). I also found out that my contract is from May 30th to August 30th. And as I hand in my dissertation August 8th, that gives me 3 weeks of total freedom (aside from work of course), to enjoy my last moments living in the Swiss Alps. Apparently the Chalet even loans you a free GPS with all the best hiking, biking, and climbing trails pre-programmed in. You even get a discount at the bike rental place which is conveniently located across the street. And after talking with Stephen last night about his work at an Office for Climate Change NGO in Hungary, I’m even getting more and more excited about the work itself, forget about the location.
This ‘little update’ ended up being much longer than expected… I really wish that writing my essays would come out as easy as writing this blog. Or that I could get paid for blogging; Life would be perfect.
Before leaving you for god knows how long, I’ll share you with a song I’ve been listening to on repeat lately. Not only is it wonderfully relaxing in this high stress time, the music as well as her voice, but the lyrics remind me of home, for many reasons :). Alexis, thank you.
Unfortunately I could not manage to find lyrics for this song online, let alone an english translation of the lyrics :/
So this will legitimately be a quick post, unlike my other 'quick' posts which are pages long... As I am currently internet-less, and not to mention in the middle of researching and writing essays for my deadline in exactly 4 weeks. But being without the internet has truly been interesting. You don't realize how much in today's day and age we rely on the internet for everything, especially in a foreign country. The internet is my TV, weather information, phonebook, map, newspaper(s), information for every question or though, international phone, ‘what’s happening’ guide, research guide, radio, cookbook, source of international news, source of popular culture news, lines of communication with everyone, especially Canada, bank, and I’m if I had more time, this list could go on. Needless to say, without the internet, we are totally lost. Literally. I can’t google addresses to get anywhere. We had to walk down the street last night just to google the number for the sushi delivery place. However, now that I have found this lovely bench, about a block away from our flat, it seems almost good again. Almost.
Not a bad view for a hobo internet bench. I don't have to lean up against a random building, feigning forgetting my keys to steal their internet for a few minutes to look something up. I don't have to go buy a 2 euro tiny tiny cup of tea to use the internet for 30 minutes. I don't have to be a hobo sitting on a curb stealing internet with my laptop to look up an article. I can leisurely sit here on this bench once and a while, listening to my iPod and enjoying the view.
Life without the internet or TV at home is an interesting experience. Chavdar and I talk a lot more. We cook more. We sit and enjoy the sun and each others company more. We read more. When I'm alone I sit and stare out the window while eating my breakfast rather than watch some TV. Or read the news I uploaded on my iPod the night before rather than skimming headlines and reading the odd interesting article on my computer. When I want to email someone, I write the odd 'letter' on MS Word, and transfer it to my iPod to email it once I go out later. I don't waste any time on Facebook, and oddly don't miss it. As Chavdar said, like this, you feel more connected to life. Other than the extreme difficulty getting any information of any kind, including research, and the hours spent on the phone with Mobistar trying to get a date when they can come hook it back up, I think this has been a really good experience, and I highly recommend it. Seriously. Try going a week (as that is the amount of time we're at now) without internet or TV. That includes no smartphone, Blackberry or iPod internet either. No DVDs, only the odd movie you have recorded already. On top of reconnecting you with what is important, I think it actually reduces your stress level.
