Amsterdam High Life

Ahoy!

I survived Amsterdam. Actually, I more than survived Amsterdam - I thoroughly enjoyed Amsterdam!!! Oh it was a joyous adventure throughout the city. The day commenced with a typical charter bus ride up, though I have discovered I love high speed trains and charters. The two bring back good memories of traveling while I was younger, throughout Europe and while in Washington, DC, art history trips and such. Once we arrived, we unpacked and immediately started exploring. Of course after Burger King, the group hit up a coffeeshop. Space cakes were engulfed and the adventure continued throughout the city. We saw incredibly detailed architecture on every street, characters of every sort, businessmen and teenagers alike, smoking and sharing a coffee, little kids running around. Above all else, I enjoyed the warm weather! It was the first time since my arrival in Europe I went without a coat. Oh the weather and the sun were terrific! In our walking, we stumbled upon a beautiful flower market, full of spectacular tulips. I wanted so badly to buy some bulbs to bring home. I knew I would not get them through customs, but I thought of the joy it would bring my grandmother to have Dutch tulips in her windsill.

I grabbed curbside pizza for dinner, doused with chili powder. Second time since my arrival my mouth felt heat! It was good. A couple of groups hung around the hostel, drinking and eating more space cakes as expected. Eventually, I went with a group to the notorious, though very pitiful, Red Light District. It essentially is an area full of window-doors, where young girls stand in skimpy swimsuits luring men in. I did not feel sorry for the women, but rather pitied the men who elicited the services. Who knows what kind of diseases were going around that place! It was funny to me to see some girl texting on her cell phone while "working" a window. I went for the novelty and after an hour of walking in circles, a small group came back to the hostel to relax and enjoy the thrills of Amsterdam. The next day, I visited Anne Frank's house, saw Amsterdam's lovely parks, and walked everywhere. The sun was out though so it was nice, but the slight cold wind made me need to wear my jacket. On the charter bus home, an officer of the organization put on a music video collection, with songs like "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion, a Shania Twain boot-scooting diddy, Selena's last number one, random songs from the 1990's like so. Oh the humor and embarrassment with the songs. I caught myself singing along, much like everyone else. I am surprised the driver did not pick up on the smell coming from the back either!

This weekend I have more school work to do, though I am excited about going hunting in Brussels on Saturday! Handbag hunting, that is!! I still have not found a handbag I want, and since I am not going to Italy, I have to find something soon. I may have to go back to Paris at the last minute for a day if I do not find anything before or during Easter break. Right now I am really concerned about the exchange rate, especially with my long trip coming up, but I hope I will manage alright. When I return from Easter Break, I have probably five or six presentations within that first week back, and even more the second week. But alas, I only have two months until I return home. I will be so happy to have roommates that talk to me, warm, sunny weather, and love! I cannot wait to go to Arizona after my internship, probably around August 10th. I have been considering asking if Brian should tag along, it would be nice to introduce him to the people that make my life complete. Oh the love I could share. It is a possibility, though there is plenty of time to plan!

With ♥ and hope for only two months more,

Chole

The Mundane European Life.

(Written two weeks past, again, not published correctly. My apologies!)

Well good evening my dear.

Yes, even though I am in Europe, life is still terrible mundane sometime. Not much has been going on around here lately. This weekend I stayed in Louvain-la-Neuve, as well as exclusively my dorm... I truly stayed in because I had so much to get done and the weather has been horribly dreary. I am happy to report things are starting to pick up the pace with school, as I prefer. All these group meetings are not fun to coordinate, but whatever makes the time past faster. On Wednesday, I have a total of four presentations in three classes. It was an eight hour miserable course day.

For Easter, I will be going with a fellow Longhorn, Corinna, to Central Europe. I had wanted to go to south France and Italy, though Corinna asked, "When are you going to come back to these places? You can go on vacation to Italy, come with me." Our intenary is as follows:
*Saturday, April 4th to early Tuesday, April 7th: Celle, Germany - where Corinna's grandmother lives.
*early Tuesday, April 7th to afternoon of Thursday, April 9th: Villach, Austria
*late Thursday April 9th to Friday, April 10th evening: Innsbruck, Austria
*Friday, April 10th evening to late Easter Sunday, April 12th: Munich
*late Sunday, April 12th to late Monday, April 13th evening: Salzburg, Austria
*late Monday, April 13th to Wednesday, April 15th afternoon: Vienna
*Wednesday, April 15th afternoon to Thursday, April 16th: Budapest
*Thursday, April 16th evening to Saturday, April 18th afternoon: Bratislava, Slovakia. Then fly home to Brussels from Slovakia.
Germany, Austria, Hungary and Slovakia should be an experience of a lifetime! I think it will be nice to go to around, plus I needed plans. Yes, it was expensive, but I did not need to sit around here for two weeks by myself, depressed. So I am traveling! It should be fun and I am looking forward to Easter Sunday in Munich. I will not have internet so please do not be concerned if you do not hear from me during that time! I promise, if anything goes awry, I will be in touch.

Next weekend is Amsterdam with the exchange group. It should be a pretty good time! I am not sure who is going though, everyone has been traveling too much to ask around. Wish me the best, this week is full of group meetings and laundry and uneventful days and nights! I miss everyone terribly. Almost half way done...

With ♥,

Chole

Parisian ♥

(I wrote this two and a half weeks ago, it just did not get published apparently, my apologies!)
Hello to the world!

For five days, I embraced the Parisian life to it's fullest! Oh how I loved Paris. I almost wish every day could be Parisian. I finally feel a bit more like myself after this weekend, and for once in a blue moon, happy! It was a magnificent weekend of seeing, tasting, and doing everything you should while in Paris. I arrived on Thursday, and left Monday, three full days was just enough to get everything in and have some fun! The weather was gorgeous, only on Sunday was it dreary. I miss the sun so very much.

On Thursday night, Saloni took me to a fun party at her school - sponsored with free alcohol, champagne and candy! On Friday, Brady, another UT student visiting from Ireland, and I visited Notre Dame and the Latin Quarter. That afternoon, Saloni took us around where she lives in the heart of Paris, the 3e Arrondismont. Oh what fun they had making me try on 300 EUR sundresses and outfits. If only I could take one of those pretty dresses that was in Vogue two weeks prior home with me. Friday night we stayed in, exhausted from the day.

On Saturday morning, Saloni and I walked to Pere Lachaise Cemetery (many famous people buried there. I have seen Jim Morrison's grave now. After some time perusing the dead people, we walked a couple of miles to Sacre Coeur! On our way we stopped for delicious pastries. We burned the calories off after another couple of miles. But once we arrived to our destination, oh the glory, the beauty, the fun!! Next was Moulin Rouge on our way to La Galleries LaFayette, a posh Parisian version of Harrods. I could live at the store, easily. Moulin Rouge could have been missed had the tourists not been around, though it was fun. I handbag shopped at Galleries while Saloni searched to replace her blush. The sun was setting and home was calling - the Texan-themed party was to be Saturday evening at 9P. We made it back in time to get dressed, eat and party Texan-style! I tried a new beer, almost a combination of champagne bubbly and a lager. Interesting combination called Finkerbrau I believe.

Day three: Walking on Rue de Rivoli (lots of shopping!), walking around the Musee du Louvre and the Palais du Louvre gardens, the magnificent and never disappointing Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Ladurée, home to scrumptious macarons in flavors like Rose, Citron, Myrtle Berry, and my favorite, Orange Blossom. So worth the pleasure! They melted in your mouth, no wonder they are the best in Paris!! The three of us girls ate our packed lunches under the Arc de Triomph and then continued on our ultimate destination, Le Tour Eiffel.

I loved visiting Le Tour Eiffel. I think we spent just as much time, if not more, taking pictures of or with it, than we spent climbing and experiencing it! It was just as I remembered from ten years previously, the views and the wind, simply breath taking. There are 668 steps to the second level! We even were able to catch the night show! Before my afternoon train on Monday, Saloni took me to a cute crepe curbside and then lunch at a great falafel place, recommended by Lenny Kravitz.

The sunny weekend was simply lovely. I loathed coming back to Belgium, especially when I returned from a sunny, semi-warm day in Paris to rain, clouds, and a cold wind in Louvain-la-Neuve. Paris was a perfect weekend get away. Cannot wait to return in yet another ten years!


Sending Parisian ♥,

Chole

Last weekend in February?

Well hello,

It's once again Monday, and the month of February is already gone? Wow, I did not see that one coming! This past weekend since I sadly have a cold, I stayed in Louvain-la-Neuve. Friday was the most exciting, an adventure to the grocery and two loads of laundry! Saturday I unexpectedly went to Brussels for the Comic Strip Balloon Parade to see some pretty cool balloons up close and personal. I had never been to a balloon parade like that before! Now I know why people love the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. They are super cool. When I returned home from the afternoon, I pulled together homemade chicken soup. I was just very proud of myself because it tasted delicious - especially with no written recipe! That's all I have really eaten the past couple of days, but since I have no appetite, it is wholesome and healthy and hopefully will get me better. No worries, I brought DayQuil and Pseudophed, not to mention the large quantities of hot tea I have been drinking. I honestly do not think I have been this sick since high school, though I really do not remember the last time I was sick. Sunday I was productive and worked on school for the most part.
On Sunday, it was my grandfather's 89th birthday! I called, but the connection was poor. I sure wish I could have been there with the family. My grandmother told me all the good food that they were having and just the thought made me smile. I sure do miss them and cannot wait to visit in August. I leave on Thursday for Paris and it should be an amazing weekend. A bunch of people are surprisingly going to Paris and/or Europe for their Spring Break, the week after next. Supposedly it's the new Playa del Carmen. Germany, Amsterdam, and Italy are in my personal traveling forecast. Updates soon!

With ♥,

Chole

A Slow Down

Good Morning!

Well to start, it is 1 o'clock in the afternoon, technically not morning anymore. But let me explain myself. I have come to adjust to the mentality that morning here in Louvain-la-Neuve is from 9 or 10 until 2. With this sort of schedule, a Belgian makes time for lunch by 2, we consider it to be the afternoon after 4, and evening after 8 when dinner is served. The night shares it's title no later than midnight, going until the wee hours when you finally get to bed at 3 or 4 AM. Enough time for a decent amount of sleep until, say 10A. Sunday is the exception because everything is closed, and I truly have not experienced Louvain-la-Neuve on the weekends. I have been traveling since my arrival. Nevertheless, I love love love feeling as though it is still the morning in the middle of the day. This might quite possibly be the reason for my poor productivity throughout the past six weeks.

This weekend of February 28th, I will not be traveling. Beyond sounding like I am dying, possibly due to intense allergies or a cold, I need a weekend to catch up. The group projects are piling up to be mountains, the expense account is running on a mediocre supply, last weekend I traveled three days straight, and finally, I need to plan the rest of my adventures for the semester. On a lighter note, I temporarily have a new roommate, a tiny spider named Cleopatra. Cleo just came around a few minutes ago, though I am not sure if she will stick around. I like small spiders as such and I regularly miss naming random visitors. Speaking of which, I am curious to know whether or not Brian's upside-down fish is still living. I honestly prefer tiny spider visitors or geckos that eat other bugs to dirty fish. I look forward to the day when I am able to give a proper home to a pet, preferably a kitty.

This week in class has been beyond worthless, the common exception though Brand Management. I am actually learning in that class, though the rest just seem to be nonsensical. Seriously, I go to class to listen to duplicate student presentations given on the same article and same material for two hours. Many of the exchange students have figured out that bringing other classwork to finish makes best use of our time. The work is not hard, though having a group meeting every day, occasionally two, makes life difficult! These huge research projects and assignments that each involve five or six persons make coordinating schedules chaotic. I do not miss having multiple exams throughout the semester though. I have yet to decide the lesser of the two evils.

My friend Saloni, a close friend and fellow McCombs School of Business student, came to visit me last Friday. She took a train from Paris, where she is studying this semester, to Brussels; the same trip I will make the first full weekend in March. I borrowed a random air mattress from the common area in my kot for her stay. I could not find a regular pump so I blew it up with my blow dryer. Saloni was quite impressed with my innovation, coining it true love. It was lovely to have someone around to speak to in English, share stories, and express all that is difficult to do with our "new" exchange friends. Having someone familiar makes life much more enjoyable and carefree. During her visit, we saw Brussels on Friday, Antwerp on Saturday, and Maastricht in the Netherlands on Sunday. Monday she went to Bruges alone; I stayed home to work. Brussels and Antwerp were both surprisingly different experiences than my first visits. I loved Antwerp yet again, it has definitely become my favorite major Belgian city.

Maastricht was a blast for Carnival, or as Americans usually reference, Mardi Gras. Carnival in three words was mayhem, insanity, and fun. Maastricht holds the biggest of the Dutch carnivals, where everyone sings and dances in the streets wearing costumes, drinking, and enjoying life before the beginning of Lent. If you need a better idea, Carnival antonyms include: realistic, reasonable, responsible, sane, sensible, smart. I sorta-kinda saw the town, we really were only there to party. I am sad though that because it was Carnival, I was not able to pick up a postcard. Hopefully I will be able to get one from one of my friends who goes another time. The pictures are ridiculous I warn you, though quite accurate of the event.

Next week should be more meetings, more school, more hectic scheduling. The week will be cut short because I will be leaving for Paris to visit Saloni on the afternoon of Thursday, March 5th. I am getting excited! A Texas-themed party, clubs, sites, French cuisine, and almost everything Parisian is on the agenda. I will stay until Monday afternoon. My future plans will be debated, planned, and booked preferably this weekend or early next week. Thank you for your patience in my blogging updates and lack of true communication with the rest of the world. I love you all and I hope every one is doing well.

Best wishes and with ♥,

Chole

♥ Valentines in Bruges ♥

Bonsoir!
(Good day!)

For Valentine's Day 2009, fifty exchange students made the journey to Bruges, Belgium. It was definitely an experience, not only staying in a hostel for the first time in my life, but embracing the exchange student life. The city itself was gorgeous. We were fortunate enough to have beautiful weather all day long! The sun showed its glorious rays, the clouds stayed home. The weather also made for spectacular pictures, of which I took about 150 throughout the weekend. Everyone should be able to live vicariously through my travels with that many!

It was quite the weekend, though without someone to share the day, the super abundance of couples and horse carriage rides in the market square in Bruges were excessive. The dinner reservation stupidity was too. Anywhere we tried to eat, they asked if we had a reservation (for 8 pretty ladies): no. Onto the next place. Finally a small, overpriced Italian hole-in-the-wall offered their less than mediocre service. After dinner, a few of our group went back to the hostel around 9 pm to rest and relax, while the others went into the cold night to explore. At 10 in the evening, the party started apparently at the hostel. I sipped my hot tea and laughed as other students heavily drank the night away. They drank and drank and drank until the moon set, or so I heard. I retired to my room with my three roommates for the night after 12. We tried to sleep... once everyone returned from the bars merely two hours after we had settled in. It made sleeping difficult, but soon people got to bed. Nevertheless, there was a sly group of boys, particularly a couple of Canadians and students from Mexico, that took it upon themselves to wake the entire hostel. Luckily, our large group had rented the place out, but everyone was upset by morning. Every hour, on the hour, from 3 until 7, they yelled and sang, "alcohol, alcohol, blah, blah (some Canadian drinking song)..." After the restless night, we had a decent breakfast and made the hour train trek to Ghent, another port city along the Belgium coast.

Just in time for our arrival in Ghent, the weather decided to incessantly and continuously drizzle. You know, the horrible, just-enough-to-ruin-good-hair, make-everything-slick, grow moss on roofs, type of miserable, misty nonsense. Our large group managed the port city, home to the famous painter, Jan van Eyck, by boat, by foot, and by tram. I thoroughly enjoyed the ducks on the water, as well as the wind energy turbines. Besides the boat tour, lunch, and collecting postcards, there was not much in Ghent. I know a lot of history about the city now, nothing worthwhile I suppose. Ghent is famous for it's overabundance of breweries. Not many still brew, though the past still remains. Something interesting I learned was the water was so terrible in the late 19th and early 20th century that everyone, young and old, was better off drinking beer instead. Thus, it was not uncommon for a three-year old to be drinking beer rather than water at the time! A fellow Irish exchange student called it blasphemy, claiming the Irish started their young-ins' earlier.

It was an exhausting weekend, but I am happy I was able to brave the cold to see the historical and beautiful cities.

With ♥,

Chole

Antwerp

This past Saturday I visited Antwerp, the city of diamonds! Too bad I forget to pick some up. Stood up the diamond museum too. Another time. Nevertheless, for once people understood English. It was much easier this trip to order food and communicate. This last week was rather uneventful, though there were definitely highlights:
- Class was canceled on Monday. Everyone rejoiced. I do not have classes on Monday any week. Seriously?
- I will be the only intern for the Texas Department of Agriculture this upcoming summer! Full-time, regular position, 10 weeks, Go Texan.
- Laundry is a lost past time that should be left in history. It cost about $7.30 for my single load and took about two hours. Oh but how I do love the smell of clean clothes! I felt very successful on Friday late afternoon.
- I received lots and lots of love and mail this week! There is a super special feeling I have when opening up and reading letters written with love. I have begun to plaster my walls with the delightful cards and notes. It makes me want to go home to Texas and Arizona for so many more reasons. Yes, in my mind a trip to AZ in August is tentatively planned... Get excited!
- I booked my train ticket to Paris! I will be visiting my friend from UT studying there on Thursday afternoon, March 5th, until Monday afternoon, March 9th.
- No exchange events like the first week, though some students regularly go out partying. The smoke kills me, I do not like beer being spilled down my hoodie, and sleep does the morning well. Weekend traveling has become the time to see each other and have fun among most of us.
- Watching my TV shows is possible. Listening to music is too. I am no longer alone in the world when eating meals. Dr. Grey, Betty, Hugh Hefner's girlfriends, and the Housewives join me regularly!
- The art of American beer pong has saved Louvain-la-Neuve Thursday nights.
-Belgian. Road. Sign. Yes, another gift to add to the collection. The sign and it's journey to me was epic.

My weekends are much more educational. I was supposed to go to Maastricht in the Netherlands, though my traveling buddy got sick. The trip is rescheduled for February 22nd so we can go to Carnival! However, I was lucky enough to stumble upon a group of Canadians Friday evening who were planning to go to Antwerp early Saturday morning! The train took less than two hours and the ten of us were there before 11. We arrived, stormed the visitors center, decided we needed coffee. Thus the exploring commenced. Twenty minutes later, our mission was accomplished. We drank and chatted, enjoying posh white leather couches, delicate coffee bean shaped chocolates, and warm energy. The obnoxious group, including myself, then took to the city, walking in two pods, taking up entire sidewalks and pushing the locals to the sides. Eventually after seeing the Rubens statue, hearing the bell tower at Onze Lieve Vrouwekathedraal, wandering around and around for hours, and walking along the boardwalk, the group settled on true Belgian fries for lunch. The combination of hot fries and a sandwich was ideal. Honestly, the Belgian fries really are not as spectacular as locals might suggest, just basic french fries that are always cut thick and served hot. After a warm place to recuperate, the group split into two. The majority of the girls went shopping; four others, including myself, went searching for the true identity of the city and chocolate. We did not exactly find either, though the experience was truly unique and quite adventurous. Our group had fun.

The two boys, Chesli, and I stumbled upon Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen. The Antwerp Museum of Fine Arts. The museum was showing a lovely exposition of the prolific seventeenth-century Flemish painter, Peter Paul Rubens. However, I truly enjoyed the impressionist and modern sections of the museum. It was only one euro to enjoy the beautiful artwork! Totally worth it. The three hours were gladly stolen. Afterward, we bundled up again to continue our expedition. The boys found a very modern building about ten blocks away that turned out to be a courthouse. We each thought it was an auditorium or opera of sorts. Dinner the two groups reunited, feasting on delicious pitas, filled with the best of sauces and fillings. For the first time since my arrival, my mouth felt spicy heat! It was actually better than the Belgian chocolate experience in Brussels. That evening only a few went out once we returned, everyone else gladly went to bed.

Sunday and Monday were my rejuvenation days. I worked on different things, though my productivity levels are nearly zero in comparison to this time last year! Once the sun returns I will possibly regain some of my productivity. It just seems I should be hibernating right now, really. On a similar note, it was hailing, snowing, and raining all at once while I was walking home from class today at one o'clock in the afternoon. Nothing compares to a warm sunny afternoon.

This week should be about the same as last. Saturday and Sunday I am traveling with most of the exchange students though to Bruges. Everyone is looking forward to having fun and spending the night in another city. It should be pretty memorable.

With ♥ and a temporary tanning membership request,

Chole