On our way

Well, I knew there was something I was supposed to be doing.... Oops. We have to get on our plane soon.

Us leaving from the airport at 5AM. 

Gabe and I are in the President's Lounge for United/Continental.  Talked our way in, but free food and internet.

Super early morning, but we're about to leave for Singapore. Twenty-four hours! Twenty-two of those on a plane! Yay! (Not...) I already miss home, but am excited to be traveling again.

We'll meet Shreyas in Tokyo, and then we're staying at a cute little hostel in the heart of Singapore.  The problem with my camera is that it's too big to carry around and therefore we've started taking pictures with Gabe's cell phone.  The Chicago airport is really nice - big and open with lots of windows and really clean. The walkways have cool lights on the ceiling and I think I've heard "Fireworks" by Katy Perry about five times.  But there's one huge problem - there are NO OUTLETS!  Makes it hard to charge things before we leave. Also, Gabe's got a lot of static for some reason though, and keeps shocking himself and his computer and me.

Anyways, time to pack up and ship out.

Someone needs to recommend a new catch-phrase... "Goodnight, world" was for my last trip.

Traveling Again!

Hey everybody!

Well, I'm at it again. This time to Singapore with my wonderful boyfriend and best friend, Gabe. We'll be leaving on December 28, in just TWO WEEKS! He's studying industrial engineering, and I'll take whatever classes I can get (thirty applied for, three accepted so far - just one more!)  Super excited! Nanyang Technological University looks amazing, and our apartment won't be too far away.  =] The food, the culture, the clothing, the... everything. I can't wait to experience it all. Asia, here we come!

Last Day in Brussels =[

Wow. I can't believe it. Four months. Sixteen weeks. Over. And with it? One of the most incredible experiences I think I've ever had.  Tomorrow will be my deep reflection on the relationships and experiences I've had, since I'm leaving at 7 tomorrow morning and it's already late.  For now, just what I did today.

I woke up earlyish and cleaned most of the apartment. Frederique was supposed to come at 10:30, but came at 11:30 to check everything and make sure it was good for us to move out.  We cleaned and mopped and rearranged and now everything is ready for us to leave. 

I skipped the first half of finance class since we were cleaning, but then I went and got my test and final grade - a B! Several people failed, and more than a couple 4.0 GPA's were ruined.  I was happy.  Then we learned about personal finance and managing portfolios and how we should decide to invest.  It was the most useful, applicable thing I think I've learned all semester...

After class, I went back to Grand Place one last time for a few last minute gifts with Jackie before taking my very last metro ride back to the apartment.  Oh, and I also got my last waffle. It was sad. =[

Then I did random things until we had our CUBC dinner.  It was really, really good. Possibly my best meal in Belgium... at least non-kebapy meal.  We had delicious appetizers - rolls and white asparagus and prosciutto-wrapped melon that was incredible.  Then we had chicken and this weird lasagna thing along with potatoes and zucchini.  For dessert, there were a multitude of pies and cakes, along with luscious fresh strawberries.  I had banana cream and it was so good.

During dinner, we all talked and I ended up next to Prof Mowry and Eric (our finance teacher) and Christian, who runs the CUBC.  We talked a lot and it was really interesting. 

After dinner, we took a lot of photos and then a bunch of people came over to the apartment.  We played beer pong with water (everyone already had brought their own) and read Cosmo (there was one guy we were interrogating) and listened/danced to music.  It was a lot of fun.  After a while, everyone went out to celebrate the last night.  I stayed in for my early flight, so I've said goodbye to everyone and will see them at Clemson. 

So now I should probably go to bed. Early flight and I'll be home in less than 24 hours. 

Goodnight, world.

Second to last =[

Well. Today was fun. =]

It started off with House, followed by studying for and taking a law test.  It wasn't bad and everyone was just excited for the year to be over.  I also packed and managed to get my three suitcases all perfectly 23 kilos (50 pounds).  Whatever's not in them is either being worn or going in my carry-on.

Then I went to Grand Place with Elena, Erin and Brinley and got some cool gifts and delicious ice cream.  Brinley and I really talked for a long time before heading back to our apartment for a bit. 

I met up with Erin and Elena for kebaps (the last in Brussels) before meeting up with a whole bunch of people at Delirium.  We had a drink (mine was speculoos - yuck) with our law professor before going over to Booze and Blues.  Whoever came up with that name was very funny.  It's nearly impossible to say if you're not sober, but it does make for a lot of comical mispronunciations.  Anyways, we hung out there for a while and then headed back to Delirium since a couple of us wanted to do DAS BOOT!

Jackie, Michele, Katie, Kyle and I ended up doing the boot; mine was apple beer.  I thought it was appropriate as the first beer I had was also my last.  DAS BOOT! is the Delirium special - 1.5 liters in a real glass boot.  It wasn't bad, and by the time we'd finished, everyone else had shown up.  There were a bunch of people and we had a lot of fun.

Kristen and I came home early and now it's time for bed.  I can't believe tomorrow is my last night; that tomorrow is my last day. It's astounding. I'm excited to go home, but sad to leave Europe (not Brussels, Europe) and all the traveling and new things that I see every day and every weekend.  It will be weird to be home, but I know I will enjoy it.


Goodnight, world.

Tuesday, Tuesday (da da, da da da, da da)

I always said Tuesdays were the worst day of the week.  Except for this one.

This morning I went over to Jackie's and talked for a long time under the cover of weighing my suitcase.  I'm now checking three bags.  THREE. Plus two carry-ons. Five bags total. Wow. 

Anyways, after talking, I studied finance before taking the finance final.  Apparently I didn't fail it, but I won't know how I did til Thursday. 

After the test, I got a waffle and headed over to the Musical Instrument Museum, which was really interesting.  You got a pair of headphones and walked around looked at a whole bunch of really old instruments while you listened to the music they make.  I really enjoyed it.  The harpsichords and violins and fifes and drums and brass and wind instruments were all incredible.  So old and so detailed.  It was a lot of fun.

Then I went to Grand Place and got some gifts before getting frites with curry ketchup (yum, yum).  I came back to the apartment, attempted to watch House, read Cosmo and "studied"/had fun with Kristen, Sam and Jackie, all of whom I will miss dearly when I leave Brussels.  That is, along with Kristin and Elena and Brinley and Kyle and Josh and everyone else.  Our studying was mostly laughter, but we did get through a fair amount.  Law test tomorrow and then I'm done. Wow.

Goodnight, world.

Productive Monday

Well. Today I got up and took a finance test first thing.  I didn't do too badly on it.  Then I went to law class, where we finished our last day of learning, before going over to Eric's office to pick up our finance tests.

Oh, I also went to the post office, talked to my parents, had some ramen, packed four times and took a pointless management test.  I had some weird chicken nuggets for dinner.  I have so much food, it's ridiculous. There's no way I can finish it in the next 83 hours...

Anyways, I promise I will do a grocery store post before I leave, but not tonight.  It's time for a shower and bed.

Goodnight, world.

Sleepy Sunday

Well, I did absolutely nothing today, and I don't feel well, so the grocery store post will (continue to) have to wait.

I woke up around 9, had breakfast, read some law, was asleep by 10 or 10:30, slept til 2:30 or 3, had delicious lunch of cucumber and tuna salad (a new creation I've had for the past couple of weeks) with leftover mac and cheese and then sat down on the couch, drifting in and out of sleep and feeling really strange.  I don't know what's wrong, but I just feel restless but also carefree. Also slightly sick. 

Anyways, Sam's friend Jenna is here for the week, three girls left, and two leave tomorrow.  Apparently there was some sort of to-do this morning when the three girls got back at 3AM because one of them had been roofied and was passed out.  She missed her flight, but took the next one out.  They flew Ryan Air from Italy, so it wasn't a very big deal. 

Tonight will be an early night since I don't feel well.  Tomorrow I have a finance test and law class.  Last minute errands and some shopping, too.  Then my management final.  Tuesday I want to go to the music museum before my finance final, then Wednesday is my law test.  Thursday is my last day, with a big dinner at CUBC and then everyone's coming here to party all night.  Then my flight out on Friday morning and I'll be home in 120 hours from right now. Wow.

Goodnight, world.

Saturday in the Park

Well. Today was fun.

I woke up, took a shower and then went to the "park" which is Montgomery circle and read my law book and made flower chains.  Then I came back and promptly fell asleep upon continuing to read my law book.

Sam woke me up about 2 to go to the rugby match, which was AWESOME.  We met Jackie, Erin, Elena, and Sarah in the metro and then met James, Brittany, Grace, Kirby, Joel, Brendan and Brinley at the game. 

It was really interesting, but don't ask me how you play.  It was confusing and we decided it was the most masculine sport ever.  There were some really cool things, like lifting people up, but then there was a 15 minute fight that wasn't stopped while the game continued.  We had all chosen guys to be "ours" during the game, and my guy's eye pretty much was swollen shut by the end of the game from how bad his black eye was.

At the end of the game, all the players were by our end of the field and the Belgian fans were mocking the Polish (who had lost terribly) and so one of the Polish players came up to the fence and some guy headbutted him.  We were all in shock.  The Polish player's forehead was dripping blood, and the guy was basically thrown out of the stadium.

After all this, everyone went out onto the field to get autographs and take pictures and talk with the players.  It was pretty cool.  Then we all headed home.  I watched RENT and did a little homework, talked to some friends for a long time, and now it's time for bed.

Goodnight, world.