About Time

Alright I think it's about time I posted on here, honestly I have started several posts (which means I've typed in the title and then lost interest) but I never seem to be able to finish them. I am suffering from a serious case of the lazies. I have a hard time getting myself to do anything!

In spite of this lull, I am getting better with French. Besides the fact that several people have complemented me on my progress :) I have noticed it myself-which is even better! It's gotten to the point that when I'm sitting in the "cafeteria" eating lunch with my friends (yay friends!) I can follow their conversation, and though I don't catch every word, I can totally follow what they're saying! Also, now when people talk to me they speak at normal speed (I think) and I understand, but the weird thing is that when I try and think back on what they said (right after they said it) I think it in English, of course, so I always catch myself wondering if they spoke to me in English, this thought is always followed by a miniature panic attack (I hate it when people speak to me in English) and then the realization that my brain must have just gotten really fast at translating French to English! It's really a weird thing, but I'm taking it as a good sign.

Earlier today I went shopping for sweaters with my host mom. Yes, I was in desperate need of sweaters, let me explain the situation to you. First off, it is definitely true that humid cold is way worse than dry cold, and secondly, my school apparently does not believe in adequate heating...maybe they think the cold stimulates brain activity? I have no idea, but imagine sitting still in a chill room for two hours and then having to stand outside in the cold for twenty minutes during "recreation" then going back to a cold room! It's awful and once I get chilled it's really hard to get warmed up again. So I decided to stick it to the cold and wrap myself up in layer after layer of warm, loving wool. We just drove to Anderlues (which is actually where my next family lives) because there are a few shops there, but if you really want to go shopping you head to Mons, they have a shopping mall there! So anyways, as I was saying, we went to Anderlues and in the first shop I found quite a few sweaters, long-sleeved shirts, and turtle-necks that I liked...until I looked at the price tag. In this way I truly am my father's daughter. But really who would pay 30 euros (about $40) for a long-sleeved shirt! The second store was the same story, and I was starting to think I might just be warm enough if I just layered all four of my long-sleeved shirts from home....when we went to lucky store number three! It was the Belgian version of Ross, and I was in heaven! I ended up getting seven warm articles of clothing and a few packages of thick wool socks :) Needless to say, I was quite literally skipping as we went back to the car to come home.

Which leads me to the next thing, I way over packed! As I was sitting on my bed lovingly eying my spoils I looked at my shelves, already full of the thin shirts I brought from home that will rarely, if ever, see the open Belgian air. I came here thinking it wouldn't be that cold, after all, I'd checked the internet and it gets colder at home! I guess I should have listened when they said wait till you get there to go shopping....but on the bright side this is another reason for little Lucy to come visit me...and bring an extra, empty, suitcase :)