Despite all good intentions to start up a blog straight away, I do realise that a month has gone by before I actually got round to it. I guess this means that I have a fair amount of catching up work to do and that those, whom are keen to learn what I have been up to the last month, will have a fair amount of reading to do.  Once you are fully filled in on the last month, I do promise to keep on informing you on a much more regular base. So here we go..

Believe it or not but I left Belgium on February 2nd in order to travel to the UK, where I have presented several lectures on the Great War. The London, Essex and Worcestershire branch had invited me, as well as Sandwich technical school. Even though I will never become rich whilst lecturing, it will be very hard to find something else to do which leaves me with the same feeling of satisfaction. Lecturing is fascinating, fun as each and every time it challenges me to push my boundaries in order to capture the audience. What a great opportunity this is to visit a country, to connect with friends… I have been moved when learning that some of my guests had driven more than 1.30 hours ( to Belgians that means a hell of a distance !) to attend my lecture. I have been deeply touched by the fact that some guests surprised me by attending a lecture. All in all, I was left with a feeling that I was close to royalty even! One lesson I have learned during these 3 weeks : my plan to move to the UK in the near future will most likely become reality. This country feels like home to me.. Having said that: should I come across an interesting job whilst travelling, I might just decide to stick where the opportunity arises. Right now it feels as the world is my oyster, ready to be discovered.

Back to Belgium on February 23^rd, I left again on the 26^th, this time catching a plane to Bratislava.  Fact is that I have never won the lottery, in other words : I will have to work to provide bread on the shelf (even if that is the only thing I eat!). In October last year, I had applied for a job as a program director (PD) on a cruise ship. Since I didn’t receive any reaction, I just assumed that I was “too old” to be considered, so I started planning my trip around the world. All those years, I have had the desire to see the big outside world : the best option to actually do it, was in between leaving Varlet Farm and picking up a new job. Not having any idea where the wind will blow me, at least I wanted to assure that I wouldn’t have to die with regrets.

In January, this year, I received a letter from Grand Circle Lines (GCL) , the firm where I applied for the job, asking me to forward my CV at new. The next thing that happened was an invitation for a job day in Brussels on January 17^th.  Believe it or not, but for this Flemish girl (or should I write : woman?) this was the first time I actually travelled to the centre of Brussels. At that stage I could say that I had been to London more frequently than to our own capital. A group of 18 people showed up, of which a small number were selected. Needless to  say that I was only too pleased to be one of them. In the one on one discussion with the representatives ( a one on four it was in reality) , the only doubt they expressed was  : “Will you be able to work in a team? We sense that you are a strong leader but in order to work for us, you have to work in a team”. I have replied that I have been part of a team of 4, in the board  of the Passchendaele Society 1917 since 2004 . I told them that I am a team player on the condition that they put 4 different personalities together as then you get to a situation that one pushes the other forward, which builds a strong team.

So off to Bratislava to embark on the river Aria, a beautiful cruise ship. The first 3 days  were spent to inform us of the values of the GCL and to give us a chance to meet our future colleagues (on the condition we made it through the training of course). From day one, it was specified that this wasn’t a fun ride, which is only logical to me : after all GCL are the ones paying our wages, so clear enough to expect a service in return. One lesson was learned very quickly: an American firm makes clear that they expect their employees to perform.  An attitude which I can only subscribe to since I have been on the other side, having run my own business. After 3 days we set sail for Vienna. From then on, it was a matter of working hard: absorbing information, learning how to take constructive feedback,  pushing forward your own boundaries all the time.  Stressful yes, but at the same time challenging and I am always in for a challenge. We started with a group of 31 of which 12 have been sent of board along the training. Words can not express how pleased I was to be one of the “survivors”. I am leaving behind financial security but at least I have the guarantee there is a job waiting for me.

Fact is that I was actually asked to pick up the job the week after the training, something which wasn’t possible at all, since I barely had one day to pack my suitcase for what I hope will turn out to be a trip of a lifetime.

Returning to Belgium on the evening of March 12^th, I departed for Brussels in the early evening of March 13^th… I am sure I must hold the world record for packing a suitcase for a 6 months trip in about 45 minutes time. Yet, I am happy to say that, so far, I haven’t come to conclude that I am missing vital items. Besides I am not flying to Timbuktu : I am sure there will be shops where I will eventually end up.

Tampa, here I come : that is what I was thinking on my way across the Atlantic ocean. I made it in without any problems but… my suitcase did not!  What a great start of a trip, worn out, feeling slightly sick, jet lagged, wondering around on an airport where my bright red suitcase had been sent to. At least I had some moral support, as there was one more gentleman who knew exactly how I felt (apart from the cold) since his suitcase was somewhere else than where it was supposed to be.

Lesson number one when flying from a tiny country to a larger one :keep in mind that distances are longer to get from a to b. I am not the first one to conclude that, as a matter of fact I am pretty sure that many more Europeans will find that out the way I did. Lesson number two : forget about public transport… Eventually I found a shuttle service as the Hilton hotel where I was staying did not bother to send a shuttle all the way to the airport. Was I pleased to be the first one in the shuttle van as my Belgian logic read that as being delivered quickly to the hotel (give me a bed please, I have been on the go for more than 22 hours!). Wrong guess… it felt as if I had ended up in a bad comedy since the van kept on driving from the front part of the airport to the rear side and back to the front  and so on…. It took him about 1 hour to fill up the van: one long hour to test my patience! Finally I made to the hotel : first one in the shuttle, last one out. A very friendly and efficient check in and I could hit the sack.

It took me a good 2 days to overcome the jetlag : stress, lack of sleep, sore throat, long flight in combination with the fact that I am no longer 21, I have paid the price for that.

Up to the seminar then : with my limited experience of one seminar, I was eager to go for a second one. What a tremendous difference with Victoria, the year before. To start with : all lecturers were well established and published professors. Where does that leave me?  It made me realise that my backgrounds were so very different from all the rest however, I have to fight with the weapons I have . Where could I make the difference? Well, after all I was the only one who actually lived on a battlefield. All the others could talk about it, I lived it. As soon as I looked at the situation from this viewpoint, I knew that I had something to tell. And yes, I did survive…

Florida, that is the synonym for “sun “ to us  and I haven’t been disappointed. Perhaps I have been a bit overwhelmed as the step from 7 °C in Belgium to 33 °C in Tampa was quite a big one. Well for once in my life I could get a tan, that is what I was thinking of. No tan to get during the 2 days of the seminar though :rather than that it meant a serious risk of a cold as I am still convinced that the airco system only has two settings : on or off. And “on” it was, turning the room into a fridge where a sweater and a jacket were essential to prevent death by freezing!

Looking on hindsight onto the path I have chosen so far, it almost feels as surrealistic. A farmer’s daughter, without a degree, travelling the world to give lectures. All I know is that is has been a breath of fresh air to me to start living, to find challenges and to meet those challenges. If this doesn’t line up with the path, I was expected to walk, resulting in the fact that many people declare me crazy on the spot: I can only say that they have a bigger problem than I have. Of course I will never forget my roots and sure enough I hope that the day will come, on which I will be able to talk in an adult way with those I have left behind. As far as I am concerned, I wish happiness to everyone, so whether or not that day will come, depends on them alone. Life is simply too short to spend it in a treadmill that suffocates you little by little.

While Belgium is picking up the first smell of spring, Florida remains a big step ahead. Temperatures crossing 30°C without a problem :that means hot to a Belgian! However this wouldn’t be the US if this would cause a problem: air-conditioning is working non stop. The only part missing is how to control it more efficiently. Clear enough energy doesn’t cost as much here as back home.

It goes without saying that it is unfair to judge a whole country on the small impression you get when visiting. Having said that, when walking around, it soon becomes clear that this country has a huge problem with overweighed people. I don’t mean a but chubby but seriously obese. Not that it surprises me that much. When going to a restaurant, I soon realised that ordering a children’s dish is the only way to avoid being presented a plate with a meal that can keep me going for 3 days.

Americans are friendly, no one can doubt that, wherever you go, people are keen to help you, answering questions, provide information. It is heart-warming to experience that much human warmth in a country where material things play such a big part as well. Still there are people around, who realise that human warmth is more important than anything else. At this stage, I can not think of this country as one I would like to live in but on the other hand, if I would decide to do so, I know I would be welcomed with open arms…

Nevertheless, I get the constant feeling the city is missing “soul. The streets are laid out in a grid system. Even though 4 lanes seems to be the norm, they struggle to deal with the huge amount of traffic. Fact is that Americans don’t walk… the funny looks I got when declaring I was going to walk to a  museum about 4 miles away, made that very clear to me. There is probably not a single other society on the planet which is as car orientated as this one.

Well, some clichés are there to be confirmed : the US is a country where everything is big. You won’t hear me discuss that one. When walking to a place I believed to be a botanical garden, I soon came to realise that it was a theme park where they welcomed between 40000 and 50000 visitors a day. Say that to a Belgian theme park and their shares will rocket up in value!

After 4 days in the Hilton hotel, I thought it was time to see a bit of the  “ real” society, so I booked myself a B&B , decorated in Amish style. The contrast between the hotel and the B&B setting, couldn’t have been any bigger. However, what the rooms were lacking in modern comfort was more than compensated by the wonderful hosts , Carolyn and Larry.  I booked this B&B for 8 days … days during I started having problems with a life of having nothing to do. I am sure that I must have been the most crazy guest they have ever welcomed since I ended up  cleaning windows, washing the car, cleaning the pool… so what about that for a true taste of American life? When checking out after 8 days, I knew that I had made new friends. All I hope for is that our paths will cross again one day.

copyright :Charlotte Descamps 2012