Orientation!

So yesterday was orientation!!!! Oh my goodness, I thought I was excited before, NOW I'm excited! I met so many new and fabulous people from all over the country, and even a few more people from California :)  The actual orientation was pretty boring, all information we'd heard over and over again.  Went on a campus tour, which was... interesting to say the least.  Then to lunch which was also...interesting. I had frites for lunch. Yes please. AND you can get wine and beer with your lunch in the campus cafeteria, which is awesome.

But by far my favorite part of orientation is the fact that the student government held a get together at the campus bar, and is also sponsoring a bar crawl tomorrow night, and a chugging contest and beer pong night next week.  My school promotes binge drinking. Oh Belgium, you're incredible.

I rounded out my night by going to the infamous Delirium bar, which has the largest collection of beer in the entire world. Needless to say it was the greatest bar ever.  I went with a group of people from VeCo that I had met that day and they are freaking amazing.  Everyone I've met so far has been so wonderful, and fun, and I'm so excited for this fabulous semester.

On a side note, went to a McDonalds last night, they serve beer. The McFlurrys are AWESOME.  Not only do you pick your mix in like m&ms or oreos, you also get to pick like, a sauce for it, like chocolate or strawberry.  AND they have funny names for all of they're sandwiches and burgers which makes me giggle.  And as per usual, the people watching was phenom

More updates to come this weekend I'm sure!

New Friends!

So this afternoon I met up with some other students from Vesalius, and it was absolutely fabulous! We me up around noon-ish (communicating and meeting with people without cell phones is an adventure!) then we went to get some phones for three of the girls who had just gotten there, and thennnnn hung at a bar for a little for some drinks! after that we ventured to Carly's casa, which conveniently is SUPER close to my flat, then to the metro to get our metro passes, then Carly, Mary, Brendan and I went to go check out the Grand Palace and grab some more beers :) Then Brendan and I navigated public transportation home (he conveniently is staying on the same street my family is staying on!)


All in all, it was fabulous, all the people I have met so far are absolutely amazing, and I am SUPER stoked for orientation tomorrow!!! Words cannot describe!! Belgium is going to be AMAZING!!!

Amsterdam.

So, I just got back from a phenomenal overnight trip to Amsterdam.  Pretty much, I'm in LOVE with this city! When we first arrived in the train station and walked outside, I was immediately overwhelmed by the sheer number of bicycles.  Honestly, you cannot even begin to imagine.  The people watching was also phenomenal.  I was amazed to find that the locals speak excellent English and were super friendly, which only enhanced the experience!
Now, I shall begin my lists of observations:

• The trains smell horrible, but what else is new.
• The street performers were legit, a man with a didgeridoo and a synthesizer, another man with a cello playing pop songs.  
• While in the red light district, I noticed that some of the hookers were kinda fat.  Not to be mean or anything, but that wasn't really what I was expecting...
• THE BEER IS AMAZING. SO much of it!
• SO. MUCH. WEED.  obviously.
• Lots of dogs. Especially beagles, random.
• CATS EVERYWHERE! We went to this one bar for dinner, and this cat just strolled through, hopped up onto the bar and the bartender (who was damn fine btw) gave him some water.  Freaking legittt.  A lot of the stores also had store cats.  So precious.  Especially the cats strolling through the red light district along with all the people.
• Bought some books in a bok store, and the cashier was from Palo Alto.  RANDOM. But amazing. 
• Stumbled upon a beautiful wedding for a gay couple, which made me so unbelievably happy that more and more people are finally getting to experience the beauty of marriage that they too deserve.  
• The shopping was phenom. Shopping in Europe will be the death of me.

Welp, Amsterdam was absolutely amazing, & I will for sure be making multiple trips there this semester.  I'm in love. 

A Few More Observations...

A few more observations I've made today...

• If I see one more Euro wearing a Yankee hat or shirt, I'm going to shoot myself.  WHAT on earth is the appeal of the Yankees? I bet you don't even know what baseball is.
• Do not, I repeat, DO NOT eat the Mexican food.
• MULLETS. There are tons of them.  & they are awesome.  (note above photo)
• Almost every other woman is pregnant, or has a stroller with a baby or small child in it.
• A lot of older women wearing lace bras that you can CLEARLY see through the shirts they are wearing.
• The beer is delicious. So is lemon Fanta.

That's my updated "Did you know that..... Now you KNOW!"
Thanks Bill Nye.

Off to learn some French.
Thanks Rosetta Stone.

A Few Observations..

Okay so having been here for a few days now, I'm starting to notice somethings about Belgian/European culture that I find fascinating.

• There are an overwhelming number of men wearing pink shirts. Polos, t-shirts, hot pink, light pink, magenta.
• Not so many fanny packs, but plenty of socks with sandals.
• Almost everyone smokes. I knew it was big here, but the public works guys have giant outdoor vacuums to keep up on all of the cigarette butts everywhere.
• Speaking of public works, they all wear ridiculous jumpsuits, & it's awesome.
• My brother got some cereal that is essentially Captain Crunch filled with Nutella.
• THERE ARE REAL LIFE GYPSIES!
• Brussels is a fabulous place to play "your team"
• The men here are gorgeous, I can get used to that.
• Orange Fanta here is pretty much carbonated orange juice. Orangina if you will.
• It's weird seeing european people decked out in Hollister or Abercrombie.
• French radio stations that play all American music.
• RIDICULOUS rollerblade party mobs cruising through town with a DJ in a truck.

Pretty much, Belgium is awesome. That's all... for now.

First Full Day!

So my wonderful adventure began yesterday! I flew out of LAX at 5:30 yesterday, then connected to another flight at London Heathrow to Brussels! I definitely did not sleep on either flight, but I did get a few movies in! (Clash of the Titans, How to Train Your Dragon, Valentines Day, She's Out of Your League, & Toy Story) Needless to say, I was EXHAUSTED when We finally crammed 4 people & 7 suitcases into a station wagon taxi that took us to our SWEET apartment. My parents & brother ventured out to grab something to eat, but I was pretty dang tired so I hit the sack, hard. Hahah

After a much needed, fabulous night of sleep, I woke up this morning ready to explore the amazing city that is Brussels. We walked across the city to where Vesalius College is, and explored a little! Then after some wandering, getting lost, and having a very nice little Belgian man save us with directions, we ventured to the city center and the Grand Place. Did a little shopping, got my cell phone all squared away (pretty sweet if I do say so myself!) and had an awesome lunch at a precious cafe that my mother compared to "The Belgian version of a Dennys" Wow mom, needless to say it was nothing like a Dennys. As soon as we had ducked into the cafe for lunch, it started to rain, pretty hard, and continued pretty much every time we attempted to walk anywhere. So we bought a few umbrellas and stopped into another cafe for a beer when the rains became torrential. Then we started to make our way back to our apartment once the rain let up a bit. Then stopped by a mini market of sorts and my brother and I scoped out some of the rather, interesting foods. (pickle, Ketchup, and barbecue ham flavored potato chips, & other various european things)

So needless to say, I'm a huge fan of this city, and CANNOT WAIT to start school in a few weeks! Not speaking the language had been a little frustrating, yet has motivated me further to learn, and immerse myself further into this incredible culture.

Every day is a new adventure, take full advantage.

6 Days Away!

So I'm 6 days away from starting my epic adventure in Brussels!

So I leave you with this:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/12651/three-sheets-belgium

LIFE CHANGING. I'M SO STOKEDD!