Dear Kayla, Thursday & Friday were teachers in training days. An excellent opportunity to see a Belgian school from the inside. For European students a unique moment; there are a lot of countries that have locks on their school gates. So visiting a school without this extra security was a treat. I didn't get a lot of information, because we were all split up in small groups, and the Belgian students didn't have to go... I wanted to work on my "Afstudeerproject", but I cleaned my house one day, and slept the other. I am very tired! It must be the winter blues... The grey sky, the cold temperatures, lack of sun, lots to do... I am allowing myself to feel tired, and sleep when I can. I'll do some proper work when I've recovered. Friday evening was our taste and eat dinner at KdG. Almost everything was tasty, the room was warm, the surprising mix of culinar goodies were a festivity for my tongue. Conversation was lively, people relaxed because next week is Krokusholiday. Some friends will visit London during a couple of days, others have boy friends to meet. My Polish colleague with three children is travelling home for the week. And when we start again, we go to Ghent, and later that week we will present our youth sub culture project. I'm trying to find hippie clothing...
Hello Kayla, Tuesday was a calm International Class day for me: the administration had to be arranged, and because I'm a local, I didn't have to go to Antwerp. I went to Vorselaar instead, where I had a meeting to work on the English Extra Trip to England, later in March. After a couple of hours, I found some time to work on my diary, that has to be presented coming Friday. I think I did a good job, taking into consideration that I am a talker, not a creationist (pardon the pun, I like Darwin better...) Wednesday was a subculture day in Karel de Grote Hogeschool. We worked together in different groups to find out what groups there are and what they stand for. We went home with a task: present in group, in an interactive way, a subculture. My group will present the hippies. Because all the adults have gathered in this group, I think it will be a funny mix of young and older hippies... I'm looking forward to this. I have already found my guitar, it'll come in handy. I've just read the other student's blogs, and I still wish I could have gone to Madrid as well. The Spanish girls in my class are very friendly, and I love the language, but they couldn't bring the sun in their bags. I am fighting my winter depri moment, but I must admit I hate all the shades of grey around me. I'm looking forward to spring. Oh, something cheerful, the first yellow crocuses have popped up in the grey grass in front of my house. Courageous little lights for my soul.
Hello Kayla, today was a class day. Ludo gave an interactive lecture by power point presentation about our tasks, which included preparing and presenting countries of participants of the International Class, without their assistance. A puppet show as a warming up, a travel agency visit to get to know the country better, and feedback from the inhabitants to finish it off. This is a way of getting to know the stereotype views about countries. By Wednesday, we have to create a proper presentation about some elements in different countries. I'll do manners in Belgium, group members will prepare art, rituals and language. It'll be a challenge to bring it together, because all the members live in another area... On the way home, the bus had to slow down because an accident had happened. It wasn't far from my house, and the biker that had collided with a car was lying still at the side of the road. I cannot get this image out of my head. How different the evening must be for these people's family tonight and tomorrow. When my oldest son arrived at home, he talked about the motorcycle and the car he had seen on the way home, lying in the middle of the busy road, and I was glad all my boys were safely at home. Life can change in blink of an eye.
