Memorial Day Tribute

It's crazy how we can get caught up in the shuffle of daily life and just like that, the years have flown by. This afternoon, as I read the Facebook and Twitter updates of people thanking their troops, I couldn't help but think of my own family and friends who have fought for our freedom.

It has been almost 3 1/2 years since the day my brother returned from his 12 month tour in Iraq. The longest 12 months I can ever remember. I think about how fortunate we were to be able to communicate, almost daily, thanks to the wonderful world wide web. I often stop and think about how families did it during times of war before the internet...I always say I could never do it, it would be too hard not knowing if they are safe...alive...I just cannot imagine. The strength you must need to trust that everything will be ok is something I cannot fathom.

I remember the day like it was yesterday. I was riding my bike to school one morning, my head in a cloud because my Aunt Sue - my other mother - was admitted into the hospital the night before for some pretty serious health issues. All I wanted was to be home with her, not in La Crosse finishing up with finals and my undergraduate career. All I could think about was her, hoping she would get better soon and that her daughter, my best friend and cousin's wedding was only about a week and a half away.

My phone was in my front pocket that morning, because it was easy to reach while pedaling, just in case there was more news about Sue. My phone rang, but it wasn't Sue, it was Brian. He only had just a minute, but just wanted to say he was officially leaving (he had been in Texas as the first part of his tour). I will never fully be able to describe that feeling - I just sat at the stop sign wondering what to do next. The world seemed to continue on while I couldn't seem to move. Somehow I made it to campus that day but not for very long...my heart and my head needed to be at home - or the hospital rather - with family.

The days, weeks and months that B was gone were hard. Many a night my sister and I would call each other when the tears just wouldn't go away - somehow we were always able to calm the other down, pretty much laughing at each other by the end.

The last weeks before he came home were the WORST! He was somewhere in Kuwait, just waiting....he said he would watch other groups come in and leave, while his group still sat and waited. We finally got word that his plane would be coming in to Volk Field - I think it was supposed to be Saturday...then it was Sunday...and finally, the official Monday, January 18th 2010 - MLK Day, at around 5am. The night before, a much healthier version of my Aunt Sue (yay!) and cousin Hanna, stayed up making, in our opinion, the BEST signs. Laughing and sharing memories of B and talking about how much we just couldn't wait to see him!

I'm pretty sure I didn't sleep a wink that night. We left the house at about 3am to make sure we were there when the plane landed - apparently for security reasons they really can't say exactly when they would arrive. It was a cold, January morning, but the best January morning! When we saw that plane in the distance, the screams and cheers from family and friends was deafening and yet, extremely calming. He was finally home!

Hanna showcasing one of the signs

Aunt Sue Sue

So proud of my little brother - who teaches me every day to not take life too seriously

 Not the greatest family photo - but we were happy all the same :o)

So happy Memorial Day to all those who serve and have served our country - and to the families who love and support their soldiers!!! Especially to you, B. I am so proud of the person you are today - a loving brother, son, uncle, boyfriend and now Daddy. :o)

Now I'm off to my first French class of the summer! I'm nervous and excited all at the same time! 

Ciao!

And the Process has Begun!

In order to live and work in Brussels, we must become residents of the city. To do that, we must register ourselves with the town hall. Brussels is a very large city, so there are several different postal codes that section off the city. We were warned from the beginning to stay away from code 1000 - just do it they said. Well wouldn't ya know, here we are in postal code 1000 because we found such a great place!

Map Relocations, the company we have been working with on all things related to - imagine this - our relocation has finally begun helping us get this process started. Yesterday I had to venture outside of the city to meet the agent, Cindy, at her office. I followed the directions given to me by Google Maps as far as utilizing public transportation, thought I was going to lose it when I couldn't find the correct place to get on the bus, but I made it!

The first step in the process is to get all of our documents "apostilled". I am really not sure what this exactly means, but basically they need to have the Belgian consulate in the US verify that the documents we provide them are certified from the US government. Both our marriage certificate and our FBI background checks (it was awesome, we got fingerprinted down at the police station in Charlotte one morning) need to have this certification. Because our relocation happened so quickly, we were unaware of these things and thus were not able to have them "apostilled" before we left the US. Thankfully the woman I met with yesterday at Map is going to send them back to the US for us!

She said she will send copies, for now, to the town hall so that they know we have begun the process. Technically you are supposed to be fully registered with the town hall within 3 months of your arrival. Well Tonico is coming up on that date, so it's time to get things going!

Tonico is finishing up a week of work in Italy, so this afternoon we had a 3 way conversation with Cindy about what the next steps are. She sent over the documents to the Town Hall. Now, we wait for them to email her back with an appointment date. This will be our first visit, they call it "declaration of arrival" and should only take about 30 minutes or less. Then, in the next week or two, the police will make a stop at our apartment to ensure that we indeed live where we said we did and that we are not living with 20 other people - seems absurd but apparently that happens more than you'd think in Belgium!

Once the police have verified our living situation, they relay that message back to the town hall. Then we will wait for our second "invitation" from the hall to visit and do the actual registration which can take up to an hour and a half. Thankfully, Cindy or another representative will accompany us on our visits to the town hall to help with translation and such!

Now, this all seems relatively simple, but Cindy reiterated with us several times that at 1000 Brussels, you never know! They apparently have security all over the town hall because things can get very heated. They change their policies, or have little things they require from us that they didn't from someone else, etc (another reason the agent will come with us). She also said it is likely this process can take at least a month but more than likely about 3 months! So we are in for a long one!

Keep your fingers crossed that things go as smoothly as possible!

Frequently Asked Questions

This post is dedicated to my Favorite Aunt Pat (and to all the aunt's saying "What!?" I say, you are my Favorite Aunt fill in your name here) and loving god-mother :o) She had suggested I do a blog post of the most frequently asked questions since I have been here and gave me a few to start out!

1. How are you liking it in Brussels?
Brussels has been pretty great so far! I am not going to lie, I was and am still very homesick for family and friends - but I cannot waste my time being sad and lonely or this whole experience is going to be ruined! Tonico and I have spent a little bit of time exploring the different areas of Brussels but we still have so much to see and do! 

The second week I was here, there was a national holiday on a Wednesday so Tonico did not have to work. His boss had lent us his company car while he was away on vacation, so we decided on a whim to leave town and head to Amsterdam. Tonico had been a few times before so it would be a great place for him to show me around. They also just welcomed a new King so the whole city was decked out in Orange - their national color - and people were everywhere!

We were only there for the day but we were able to walk around much of the city and take in the uniqueness of it all. I am not sure how many of you have been to Amsterdam but it is a very interesting city - they love their pot and their sex! Tonico and I have started a tradition of buying magnets from all the different cities we visit and it was quite the culture shock to walk in to the tourist shops to see most magnets covered in XXX, topless women, joints or a combination of the three! 

While their culture is much different than anything I have ever been exposed to, the city is absolutely beautiful and one I would definitely like to visit again! (Mainly b/c they have my favorite restaurant from Charlotte, it's called Vapiano and it's amazing!!!!)

2. How easy is it to get around in Europe?
Our trip to Amsterdam took us about 2 hours by car - probably only 1 hour by train but since we had the car, and the gas was paid for by the company, we took advantage!

Belgium, I have heard said, is only about the size of Maryland. With it being located between Germany, France and the Netherlands, it's only about an hour to each of the boarders if not less. The public transportation system makes it super easy to hop on a train to most any destination. 

We ventured to Germany last weekend stopping in Liege, Belgium for breakfast and a walk around the city square, then Aachen, Germany for an early afternoon beer. Here's a fast fact that I love: Every beer here in Belgium/Germany has their own special glass - always. Not like in the US where you get your first Stella in a challis and each subsequent one in a plain pint glass!

Tonico does a great job of showcasing the glass for the Franzikaner beer - my favorite so far

After our beers in Aachen, we headed to Cologne to see the Cathedral - we decided not to do a guided tour of the cathedral but you can go inside and walk around the main floors. I read online you can walk up to the top of the steeple, 509 steps, but I guess we were not up for it after our beers!

We are really bad at getting pictures while we are out and about! The top picture was taken from a little cafe that had some of the best desserts - which of course I had to eat before I even thought to take a picture!

 We ended the night in Dusseldorf - thanks to Tonico's frequent stays at the Marriott, we were able to book a hotel for free for the night. We walked around Dusseldorf that evening with our jaws dropped probably 95% of the time. Having done little to no research on Dusseldorf before arriving, we were stunned as we walked up and down Königsallee which means "Kings Avenue". We saw countless Astin Martin's, Rolex, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, etc.  Another culture shock but very cool to people watch in such a busy and affluent place!

3. What is the weather like there?
To preface this question, I have to say that Tonico warned "It's just like Seattle" - rain, rain, rain. Normally I hate rain, but if that's what it is going to be like all the time, I better make the most of it = new rain coat and rain boots!

Once I got here, and for many days after, the weather was b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l! Sunny skies, warmish temperatures, not a drop of rain in sight! But the landlord warned, you never want to leave the apartment with the windows open because in one day, there could be 4 seasons. I just could not believe it!

And then....last Wednesday evening that all changed! Since then, it has rained at least 4 times a day - sometimes a soft, light rain and then later in the day a thunderstorm. The temperatures have dropped to the 40's and it's been super windy. 

Here's the future cast for the rest of the week....and if you were able to keep scrolling, that keeps going until at least next Monday!

4. What was your first impression of your new home?
I still do not believe that I live here. This city is so beautiful but European life is so different. I feel like I am on an extended vacation while my husband works his butt off! He has been so wonderful in helping get me acclimated to this new life - though there is still a long way to go. I certainly could not have made this move without his constant encouragement and support that indeed I can make a new life in Brussels!

And now, the job search begins....stay tuned!

Welcome to Our Home

And, we are back! After getting my phone up and running...followed by using up all the data for one month in about one week (thanks Facetime/Skype), we are now connected to the internet in our apartment and all is well in the world once again!

It's been a busy last couple of weeks in the Marin casa. Countless trips to IKEA and Cora (similar to a Walmart/Target) our apartment finally feels like home! Here's a quick preview:

The only downfall to this apartment is that the bathroom is inconveniently located outside of our apartment! It has a lock and all, but it sure isn't fun in the middle of the night! If you see where the boxes are in the right hand corner, that's where the next set of steps heading down to the bottom of the building.

After several apartment searches online, I felt doomed that our bathroom would be disgusting and that I would just have to make due, but that's just not the case! There's tons of storage and everything is brand new! Parallel to the counter is the shower which is huge!

This view is coming in from the front door with our coatrack we looked high and low for!

And the kitchen! The tall 'cupboard' on the left is actually the refrigerator - short and narrow = Lauren goes to the grocery store at least once a day! 

Because we are on the top floor, we get the luxury of 'sky lighting' - though the landlord really doesn't like us to have the shades open in the day time because the sun is so strong it drains the color out of the wood floors - but sometimes, I just can't help it! Underneath the island is our washer/dryer unit and it is amazing! I was a bit skeptical at first but I have never had such clean clothes in my life! Maybe the detergent has something to do with it too, I don't know, but I'll take it!

The water pressure here is also very strong, which I guess then means there is a lot of calcium in the water. You can see it on things like the sink because the water spots just never go away. There is special soap you have to put in the washing machine along with your detergent and fabric softener. Then you also need to clean the stainless steel stuff every couple of weeks with some simple white vinegar. Man, do I sound like a housewife or what!?

Not much to say about this picture except to ignore my finger in the top left hand corner! The steps on the right lead upstairs to the bedroom.

Here's a better shot with the lovely picture collage my dear sweet husband put up for me :o)

And here's the bedroom! We are at the very top of the building and as you can see, the ceiling is slanted. I'm not sure I have been up there one time where I haven't smacked my head! You can't see it very well (because I'm a horrible picture taker) but on each side of the bed there are built-in shelves with doors covering them up. Very nice for clothes, shoes and storage of extra things we didn't end up needing or wanting! This bed, from IKEA, is so unbelievably comfortable I find it hard to get up every morning! Sure beats the old bed Tonico used to have (right Shawn!?)

And here is our living room! Europe is known for having little to no closet space, our's having none, so we had to purchase a wardrobe. Who knew there were so many options?! We spent at least three hours in the wardrobe section of IKEA. They even have this cool thing where you can sit down at a computer and design your own! We are pretty happy with what we got!

And this my friends, is my favorite part of the house - the patio! One of the perks to the apartment - I can deal with a bathroom outside the apartment if I can have this huge space outside! The little pots are my first attempt at tulips (just for Jenna) and some herbs for cooking! We just love it out here and can't wait to get our grill set up and running for the summer!

Finally, I leave you with this shot I took while waiting for Tonico to pick me up one afternoon. This is Parc du Cinquantenaire and it is just about 2 blocks from our apartment. There are lots of different museums on each side of the park and lots of people out and about all day long. There are lots of parks like this in the city and it's so nice to have one so close! It's finally starting to feel like home :o)