Impressions

Tomorrow is our farewell dinner with our host families. We are touring the Pink Elephant Brewery, and then we are going to have an authentic Belgian multi-course meal. Between courses we are each giving a presentation on our impressions of Belgium. To help me brainstorm for that presentation, I thought I'd spend today's entry looking back on these past three weeks. 

Before we came on this trip I was only concerned about two things - beer and chocolate. I knew that they were two big things in Belgium and I wanted to get lots of both. I was right, they were both very popular here. I was never much of a beer drinker, but I tried to like it so that I could try a bunch here. Didn't find many I liked. However, I loved every bit of the chocolate... now I'm FAT! I guarantee you that 90% of the new weight in my luggage is some form of chocolate. My favorite thing was probably the chocolate honey spread that my host family had with breakfast. I'm buying at least two tubs of it Wednesday to take home with me. 

I'll miss the carefree environment that I found in Belgium. Everyone always took their time here. We didn't eat dinner until late and when we had friends over we stayed at the table and talked well into the night. I'll also miss tax-free shopping! It is nice to know that you'll only have to pay what is listed on the price tag. I definitely won't miss euros though. I can't wait to get back to America and have my $1 be in bills instead of coins. 

The most shocking things in Belgium were the driving, refrigerators, and what they chose to put in refrigerators. The first few days of riding in a car here were scary. If someone is in your way, well you just go around them... even if there is a car coming. All the cars are so little here too. I saw one dually while I was here, and I wish I'd gotten a photo... it took up the whole street! I'm ready to get back home and drive on what now seems peaceful roads.

The refrigerators are so tiny too! My host family has a mini fridge in the kitchen, and that's it! I did notice last week that they have a bigger one in the laundry room, but still! They also don't refrigerate hardly anything. What blew my mind the most was the fact that they don't refrigerate milk! They buy it in bulk and keep it on the shelf in the cellar. Drinks are rarely refrigerated too. I look forward to a big Sonic cup full of ice when I get home. 

There were so many things that were nice here, but I look forward to going home in two days. I can't wait to hug my family, sip that Route 44 Sonic drink, and eat me some TACO BELL!