First Impressions

Well, I have finally arrived in Belgium! It is exciting. XD So there is a lot to tell, but i have only gotten 7 or so hours of sleep in the past two and a half days, so i am going to just tell about one experience that made me laugh, and will get into more detail later.

Tonight, we went to a cheese party, but we arrived after all the cheese was gone. We were, however, there in time for the alcohol. Also, we were there in time to meet up with my host brother's friends. Now, my host brother is doing a Rotary Exchange in Phoenix, so he wasn't there, but they were all apparently waiting with anticipation to meet me. They had already had a few drinks by the time we had arrived, and that trend didn't stop. I knew drinking was big here, but it still sort of shocked me a bit. I didn't really believe the stories I had heard about Rotary kids returning from Belgium alcoholics until this time. I even managed to get beer spilled on me. One of the girls, in an attempt to get me to chug the hard orange juice in front of me, decided to get her arms involved. Swish went her arm and kersplunk went her beer, right in my lap. It made me laugh.

I found out a bit later that they didn't know i knew the orange juice had alcohol in it. This made me laugh even more. They offered me a beer, and knowing that I wouldn't be able to finish it because I've not exactly acquired the taste for it, i politely refused. Then one of the girls went off and returned with a glass of orange juice. "Por toi" she said. I took it and tasted it and immediately tasted the alcohol. But it wasn't bad and I was with my host family, so it was legal for me to drink it, by Rotary and Belgium law, so I took it and sipped at it. A bit later, after the beer was spilled on me, the girl who offered the drink leaned over and informed me, rather surreptitiously, that the OJ had alcohol in it. I don't know how to describe it, but the way she said it i could tell she thought i didn't know. It might seem like a bit of a deceitful thing to do, but i found it amusing. I don't know. Maybe i should be offended, but i'm not. Well, i will have more stories for you later, but now it is time for a few pics, then sleepy time.

A few bad pictures of my house (it is small, but I love it!):

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My host sister (she is adorable):

A random, really fat dog found at the cheese party: 

And me, just leaving the party: 

Sorry about the poor quality of the pictures. I'll try to do better next time.

I miss you all and hope you are all having a great time.

~Weston Halberstadt