Belgium: The First 36 Hours

If anyone tells you traveling is easy, I would like you to point them to this post. Even though it is not the hell of all experiences, it was a typical excursion I think and that just makes it clear that getting from Point A to Point B does not always go smoothly.

Because my host dad is in Antwerp for work and Munchkin has two weeks off school, we headed off on a trip Friday afternoon with two adults and three little girls. My morning started off pretty easy. We needed to do a few last minute things so I got sent to the store for milk and to the post office to mail my German train card back. When my list was cleared off, I headed home with a sleeping baby. That made my schedule so much easier. Instead of organizing my suitcase in the half hour in between getting off work and going to pick up lunch, I spent my morning shift folding and packing and organizing.

(Sorry for the crappy quality. I snapped it with my iPod.)

I finished packing and then got to do my Bible study before I headed to pick up lunch. Around 1, I went to McDonald's, ate lunch, and hung around in limbo for a bit until we left. Munchkin had fallen asleep so we got to deal with her tiredness. (When she's tired and there's the slightest cause for worry, she gets whiny and teary and though I do sympathize, it doesn't help anything get fixed faster. Unfortunately, as you continue to read this post, you will see this behavior had several reasons to come up.)

When we headed out, we got to the first train station and... our train had a five minute delay. (Setback #1) Luckily we would still have ten minutes to catch our train from the main station to Amsterdam.

That train then had a ten minute delay which increased to fifteen and then to twenty. (Setback #2) Unfortunately, our next transition time was only twenty minutes so there goes that connection.

We got on the train anyway, hoping it would make up time or we could catch a different connection, etc. But, Kathrin's train card had somehow been left behind. (Setback #3) This was actually discovered while waiting for train #1 and was the cause for Noemi's first tired whine. (Please understand I don't mean to complain about this and I don't mean it as negatively as the word "whine" sounds. It's simply a very high pitched complaint including tears that shows just how sensitive she can be. She pays attention to what's going on around her and if she thinks there's a possibility that something won't go as planned and/or as she wants it to, then this comes out. It's nothing above and beyond what other kids do; it's just so out of character compared to most of her behavior.)

Luckily, this train card issue was quickly dealt with and we were on our way. We settled in and everything went smoothly for a while. At least as far as I was concerned. Noemi and I colored in pictures and I listened to some music. The train guys told us the best course of action to take was X, then came back a few minutes later and said it was Y. Well Y meant that we had to get off at the next stop. And the baby was asleep (setback #4). We got everything together post haste and got ready to get off. All along the way, any time we had to get on or off there were nice people helping us with babies and kids and luggage. We were very blessed in that respect.

Sadly, the connection between our next two trains was quick. It was supposed to be three minutes. (Setback #5). They held the train an extra ten minutes though and we made it on with time to spare. And at this point we were in a first class car.

Let me repeat that. We were in first class.

We got settled, they gave us food, and we relaxed for a few minutes before getting to Antwerp. The one problem happened when Goose said she needed to go to the bathroom but wanted Mama to take her. Well Mama was in between Sweet Pea and Munchkin and was helping them with food. So I picked up a screaming three year old and carried her to the bathroom through the otherwise quiet first class car. Oops. Better that than pee on the seats, right? I hope they appreciated it.

The train finally arrived in Antwerp and we got off (but not without admiring the rear end on the porter who helped us disembark...) (Setback #6 was...) Our ride, Grandmama, wasn't there yet so we had to wait on the platform. When she did get there, she told us we were going back to her apartment. Which was, in my opinion, setback #7. Grandpapa got there after the rehearsal got over but Daniel wasn't with him (setback #8). When he finally did get there, he ate then took me to my apartment before going to get Kathrin and the girls to theirs.

(My apartment, viewed from the door)

(Plus bathroom...)

(And kitchenette)

So what's happened since then? I woke up today around noon and lounged in bed for a few hours. When you don't have work, a need to pee, animals, kids, or hunger, there's no good reason to jump out of bed. When I finally got up, I took a shower and drank some instant coffee. My plan was to run to a supermarket that's supposed to be about 600 meters away, grab some groceries, drop them off, then head to a cafe with a book and my journal. But then I got lost.

And when I say lost, I mean LOST. I was in the middle of a Middle Eastern neighborhood and I'd taken just enough twists and turns that I couldn't have backtracked either. Normally, I might not know how to get to where I'm going but I know how to get back to where I started. Which made today different. Of course, here in Belgium they speak French and Dutch mostly. A good chunk of people do speak English but I hate asking for directions/help. Especially when I can't even ask "Do you speak English?" in the main language of the country.

Eventually, I found the main train station so I could get home again. I stopped by a bakery and ordered the first clearly vegetarian thing on the menu (panini mozzerella). Luckily, the guy spoke English and told me where the nearest grocery store was. The store was too small though and I ended up finding another. By the time I got back, I was tired. I chatted with my mom and have been texting with friends while watching Netflix ever since. (I also ordered and ate a pizza and tiramisu but the cola I drank is hurting my throat. I'm not used to all the acidity anymore I guess.)

Now that the day is over, I'm going to knit and watch Supernatural.

Good night from Antwerp!

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Day Five: Travel

Picture from Somewhere You've Gone

(London, 2009) 

 (Santa Cruz, February 2012)

(Osnabrueck, 2012)

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Gallifrey and Germany

Hello everybody! Long time no see. I've been knitting a lot lately which is not conducive to writing. And I honestly just haven't felt like it. If it's online and it requires brain power, I probably haven't done it in at least a month. Which includes blogging, checking my e-mails, reading blogs, etc. I haven't been on pinterest either-that giant timesuck-so it's not all bad. I did start using my tumblr (serendipity427.tumblr.com if you're interested). That's also bound to be a big timesuck when I start following more people. Right now my biggest tumblr suck is Gallifrey Burning. It's a Doctor Who (and other geekiness) tumblr (are these things called blogs or what?). She writes some amazing fan-fiction which I've also then been reading. And yes, that is just about the extent of my reading these days. If I'm taking a break from my niece's blanket to read, it has to be something so good I can't put down. Which Gallifrey Burning includes.

Speaking of Gallifrey... For those who don't know Gallifrey is the home planet of the time lords. What's a time lord? The Doctor is. Two hearts. Ability to regenerate into a new body when the old one is damaged. But only 13 times. And we're currently on the Doctor's eleventh regeneration. Which means either 1 or 2 more. Unless they change the rules. And it's Moffat so it's not unlikely. (No, I'm not explaining Moffat. Just glare and shake your fist muttering "Damn you Moffat" with me. Ready... Damn you, Moffat. Thank you.)

So speaking of Gallifrey (a planet with two suns, a bright orange sky, and silver leafed trees), with the money my parental units gave me for Christmas, I (paid my credit card and) bought a I <3 <3 Gallifrey shirt! I absolutely love it. It's so comfortable and so cute. It's long enough to not ride up when I raise my arms and the sleeves are longer than normal girl's T-shirt sleeves are. Which of course makes my tattoo only like half covered but that's fine. (I prefer either all covered or all exposed. With this tattoo it's normally the top rose is covered, the rest exposed because of short sleeves. Or all covered/all exposed. This shirt? Half the words are covered too.)

After we spent our time in Paris, we spent a few days in Prenzlau and then Schwedt. (While there I watched all 8 or 9 movies in the Love Comes Softly series. Yes, they are cheesy. But now I've seen them. Thank you Hallmark for cheese.) After a few crazy days there with nothing to do, three little girls to keep occupied, and not a freaking playground in sight, we were in Schwedt for one night so Daniel could conduct a concert. During the concert, Noemi and Kathrin watched and I stayed in Daniel's dressing room with Nuria and Ellie. I could hear the music, was playing with the girls, and had Tangled playing on my laptop for Ellie to watch. (They also ate a million slices of clemintines!)

Normally, I'm not a huge fan of classical music. I find it rather boring most of the time. If someone else puts it on, I won't complain but I'm not going to put it on myself. I don't typically seek out concerts (though I do enjoy them when I go). So I guess I'm a lazy intellectual. Anyhow, point is, while listening to this symphony, I was so moved I almost cried. I was also super desparate for some nature time and had just gotten a glimpse of the river looking into a national park. (On the other side of that river was forest and beauty and nature and then on the other side of that was Poland. That's how close I was to Poland, how far East. I was all of 3.5 km away from the border.) As I was listening to the music, I had this picture in my head of the river and the trees and just imagining listening to this beautiful symphony while looking out over G-d's beautiful creation moved me to tears. I felt so incredibly blessed at that moment.

Of course, after that we had to hussle to the train station and when we got to Berlin for our train change, we had to race to catch the train to Osna. The family got on and underway while I went to get coffee with Karen, one of the family friends. She lives in Berlin and I was headed to Hamburg. She was so interesting to talk to that I lost track of time... and missed my train. I had to buy a new ticket (which left me broke) but I did get on the train and made it to Hamburg.

And I think this had rambled on for long enough. I'm going to write some more later but it will post throughout the week. Have a great evening!

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I'm still alive...

Title because I survived the Mayan Apocalypse AND because I haven't written in an eternity...

Last time I wrote, I said that I didn't see the point in reading the Bible. And that apathy has carried over to most forms of the written word lately. I haven't journaled much, haven't blogged, haven't been reading books, haven't read the things my friends have sent me, haven't read my e-mails, haven't written my stories, nothing.

Hi, my name is Victoria and I fail as an English major.

Good thing I already have my degree, huh?

(See? Screenshot of my degree from a Skype chat with my family)

But now... you get a post written this morning! Enjoy!

I’m laying in bed in Paris. It’s about 11AM and I have about five hours before I plan to head to the city. I would go in sooner, explore, go on a tour, but it’s raining out and I don’t have an umbrella. And my shoes aren’t waterproof. So I’ll go in to Skype my family from Pret (first I’m calling Mom and then at 8:30 I’m calling in to my family’s Christmas party). Tomorrow I’ll be baking up a storm so I doubt I’ll be able to go explore. I’m making chocolate chip cookies and buckeyes for gifts and then cheesecake for Christmas. It should be cherry cheesecake but I couldn’t find cherry pie topping. I do think I have to get more cream cheese than I bought yesterday. I can’t make just one cheesecake stretch to 14 people.

We got here yesterday and were at the house by noon. Normally I’m not afraid of flying and I did not believe that the world was going to end yesterday. But somehow, some bit of something got in my head and I was honestly afraid about our flight. I just didn’t know what might happen. But of course I didn’t want to scare the girls. So when Kathrin and the girls went to the bathroom and I stayed with the stuff, I took a minute to pray and to start reading Matthew 6 (Who of you by worrying can add another second to your day?).

I’m not afraid of dying in general. I believe that since I have accepted Christ into my heart, when I die I will go to be with Him. If the idea of a third-line Christian is what makes someone “qualified”, then maybe I’m not but I am trying to get there. I am seeking. Last night, I told G-d “I want to want only You”. I believe that if something had happened yesterday, I would have gone to heaven. So my fear wasn’t “What will happen to me after I die?” It was more of a sorrow that I’d never see my family again, that they’d have to deal with the pain of losing someone, and the fear of the process of dying (Would I hurt? Would it be quick? If our plane crashed, those last few moments, how would I react? How would I process my own mortality and comfort the girls?). G-d did give me peace as we waited for the plane. I prayed if it was my time, it would be fast and painless but that He would please protect us. Being reassured of my salvation by the peace that overcame me, I was able to enjoy the flight. I sat next to Yael and across the aisle from Noemi while Kathrin and Nuria sat behind us. The girls had workbooks that Kathrin bought which they did and I mostly just concerned myself with them instead of my typical plane activities (reading, music, knitting).

Speaking of knitting, getting through security was SUCH a pain in the ASS this time. I’ve never been hassled more. I know why all the rules are there and I’m glad that they keep everyone safe but man are they inconvenient. My pants went off so I got wand-ed. My bra has metal on it of course so that beeped and I got felt up by the woman working. Then I had forgotten my cell phone and that had to get run through. Then my legs got all felt up and they made me take my boots off to scan them. When my bag came through, the guy started searching through it. I know they’re allowed to but that’s never happened to me. He had his hands on probably everything in there. Took my Kindle out, ran it through separately and ran my bag through again. Then he started rummaging again. He pulled out my (empty) knitting needles and told me I really shouldn’t have them with me but he was nice and he did let me keep them instead of confiscating them.

Which means the knitting project I cast on yesterday needs to be finished by the 26^th so I can put my needles into Kathrin’s checked bag. It is going quickly though so I do think that will be possible. I have 30 rows left to knit and I did 22 yesterday. So this one will be done today and the other one could possibly be finished between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. My only problem is a small ladder forming on either side. It’s small though so I don’t think it’ll be noticed. I’ve never had this problem before though so I’m not sure why I am not.

Well I do think it’s time for me to get up and brush my teeth (it is almost noon now). See you later, folks.

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Home for the Holidays... Yeah Right

Every year apparently it seems there's a Christmas song I can't listen to. Last year, since I was newly single, I remember going caroling with my housemates. We were trying to come up with a song and someone suggested either "All I Want For Christmas Is You" or "Last Christmas I Gave You My Heart". I vetoed it. My dear but oblivious housemates didn't understand until I adamantly refused and said, "Guys. Seriously. Think about it." On a broken heart, I just couldn't do it. Those songs would have made me cry.

This year, cleaning up the kitchen and listening to the Pandora Christmas station. What song comes on...

(Source: My Own.)

Talk about depressing. This year, the holidays will be spent 4000 miles away from home. With a family who I've grown to love but who still aren't mine. This is just a temporary home. One that has changed me and that will always stay in my heart but it's still going to be incredibly strange that I'm not spending Christmas morning throwing balls of wrapping paper in the corner of our living room, making blueberry muffins with my family, and arguing over whose DVD we'll watch first. There might be a cherry cheesecake but if so it'll be made as a concession to me. (Well honestly even back in America this year it would have been.) 

Please don't get me wrong. I love this opportunity and I'm very glad to be able to make these memories. How many years do you get to live on another continent? How many years do you spend Christmas with three little children and see the wonder in their eyes? Or get to be in Paris for that case? I'm going to enjoy every moment of this. I'm going to savour the minutes that I walk around Paris in the snow, that I sip hot cocoa in Berlin, that I bake cookies with the girls. 

But I'm also going to cry when I get done Skyping into the family Christmas party. I'm going to miss it, even if the way it's changed since I was little means it rarely feels like a Christmas party anymore. But this was supposed to be the year I hosted Christmas. It's finally at a home this year instead of in a park shelter. Maybe this year would feel like Christmas again. But instead, my bedroom is probably as decorated as it's going to get. I've got Christmas lights up. That's it. There's no nativity set. There's no ABCFamily to play Christmas specials so I'm finding them online. 

This is going to be one weird Christmas. And I'll be avoiding that song this year...

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Planning: Berlin

I'm currently trying to plan two different things at once. I'm planning Thanksgiving and a trip to Berlin. It's a lot to juggle, a lot of chaos in my brain.

Since Berlin is the one I was working on most recently, here's my current plan for my trip:

Thursday: Breakfast and coffee in Osnabruck
Take the train from about 12-3:30
Settle in wherever I'm staying til around 5 or so (less if needed)
Head out for a walk and to get some food for the weekend
Go to bed

Friday: Breakfast (and coffee)
Free walking tour at 11am
I'll be done with the tour around 2pm and will head to Wilhelm Kaiser Memorial Church to check it out.
Then I'm heading to the Christmas market for a bit.

Saturday: I'll be headed to Sachsenhausen Memorial Concentration Camp. It's bound to be a sobering day but how can I not go to a camp when I have the chance? We need to remember what happened and though it's likely to be a depressing day it will be one I'll never forget. When I get back to the city, I'm going to head to a cafe to journal about the day.

Sunday: I'm going to head to the zoo before I leave the city. Or the TV tower to see the panorama of the city. I'll take the evening train and get back to Osnabruck around midnight.

Somewhere in there I'll be getting together for a coffee with another au pair.

I'm still searching a couch to sleep on before I turn to a hostel. (I have two connections that might pan out but am still searching couch surfing as well. Stop panicking, Grandma. It's not as scary as you think it is.)

My Thanksgiving Day plans will have to be the topic of my next post. :)

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A Weekend Away Part 2: Saturday

November 10, 2012
Today was lovely. Long and I’m very glad for a couple hours to myself before we go out to dinner but lovely. I’d ignored my alarms and was planning on spending the morning by just going to a bakery for something to eat, maybe reading in said bakery, or something along those lines. I was going to wander the town and take some pictures, then probably meet up with the family for lunch/dinner. Instead, around 10:30, Kathrin knocked on my door with breakfast (how sweet is that) and let me know they were leaving in another half hour or so to go to the beach in another town. 

I got ready and we headed to a town about 20 km away. Daniel headed off somewhere while the rest of us went to see the baby seals. 

Nuria slept, the kids played in the play room, I began my next Christmas project (a knit hat). Eventually, we headed in the direction of the sea. That was the weird part of the day. When I say “sea”, that scene you picture? That’s what I pictured. But instead there was a few dunes with sea grass, a span of sand, then after a few stone stairs, a spance of wet sand that squished under my feet. 

I don’t know how far out the squishy part went out but I didn’t see any rolling waves. Not exactly the awe-inspiring scene I’d pictured. The fact that it wasn’t the ocean wasn’t an issue.

The fact that I didn’t see that huge expanse of water though? I am, honestly, kind of disappointed. I was really hoping to just soak in that view. I’m really not sure when the next time I’ll be able to escape to a natural place again. I mean Berlin, Paris, Hamburg… Awesome but cities. And I haven’t spent much time in nature since I got here to Europe. I didn’t realize just how much being in Houghton, the drives between Houghton and Rochester or Rochester and Elmira, how much that was filling up that cup. 

 (Letchworth State Park)

(Right on campus!)

After almost 6 months, my nature cup is nearly empty and I don’t know when it’ll get full again. I started realizing this when I went to Carlotta’s and saw the gorgeous leaves out in the countryside. Another part of my problem is that November is one of the ugliest months. I’m looking forward to the first snowfall. Everything will get covered in white glitter and will be washed clean. I love the first few months of winter. It’s gorgeous. 

And I love the symbolism of the world being washed clean, a fresh slate. It’s like how we’re washed clean by the blood of Christ. His red blood makes me white as snow. I’ve got this picture in my head of how the red drips on me, instead of making me stained like if I pick at a scab, instead it washes away every mark, making me as clean and innocent as the day I was born… except even then I had original sin. Now, I’m even free from that burden.

(All photos contained in this post are my own.)

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A Weekend Away (Part 1: Friday Night)

November 9, 2012
Well I’m laying sideways in my bed in our little B&B in Greetseil.

(My very comfortable bed)

Why sideways? Because I’m closer to the TV this way and I’m practically blind with my glasses on. And why, you ask, do I not have my contacts in if I’m still trying to do things? Because my right contact is totally ripping and bothering the hell out of me. I’ve ordered a new box and hoping they’ll get to the shop on Monday so I can pick them up straight away. This trip was decided on yesterday. I’m absolutely loving the chance to just be away for a weekend. I just needed the change of scenery and the fact that we’re on the North Sea just makes it better.

By the way, “meer” does not mean “ocean”. North SEA, Mediterranean SEA, and probably others translate as “Meer”. So yup still looking forward to seeing the water, will still get the same thrill at seeing the huge body of water, but um it’s not the ocean.

My brain is rather scattered right now so forgive the ADD approach. I’ve got German TV on right now. Except it’s Law & Order: SVU auf Deutsch. By the time we got here tonight, it was already dark (thanks to going even FARTHER north) and there’s no internet here. I didn’t expect it but I’m still thinking about how little contact I’ll have with my family and friends. It’s not really about the entertainment. It’s about the isolation, the lack of contact.

(German TV: A dancing loaf of bread)

(American TV: A talking sponge.)

We went out to dinner at “Captain’s Dinner”.

No I didn’t translate that. It was written in English. I had a salmon filet on a bed of pesto spaghetti. So delicious. But I was stuffed.

And now that I’m back and it’s been an hour or so I’m starving. Without any food. I’ve already got my alarm set for morning so I’ll go to breakfast before I head out. And when I head out, I’ll have my camera with me. Why I didn’t bring my purse I have no idea so I’ll probably end up toting around my laptop bag w/o Artemis in it.

I’m going to put on FRIENDS (I brought a couple DVDs with me) and finish wrapping my stupid headphones. Also need to spend some time with Jesus. G’night.

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