17/18 February, Annif de Marie/Durbuy

I got to go out for the first time in so long that the cold and the rain didn't even bother me.  I was so happy to see Liège again.  It was my host sister Marie's birthday!

and my other host sister, Natacha, lent me her scarf.

the following day, my host dad and brother and I went to Durbuy,
famed for being the smallest "city" in Belgium.  Officially a city because
of population or government or something, but still, it's quite petite.

It was starting to warm up (8 degrees Celsius already!) but all the ice everywhere was still frozen!

Durbuy is situated in a little valley, and is apparently beautiful and flowery in the summer.  Also very touristy.
The castle is now a hotel.

There are gardens.  The river is one of the rivers that feeds into the Meuse (the river in Liège).
Obviously, this is upstream of Liège, however we are far south west of Liège.  This river runs
through Tilf on it's way to Liège.

A rocky valley it is.

If anything can be said for Durbuy, is that it has a lot of charm!

Illness! February

But then I got sick.  For 3 weeks I got sick.  That's an obscene amount of time to be sick!  I don't even know how to be sick for that long!  But I managed.  Started with strep throat, then bronchial pneumonia, and then a lung infection, for which I used this nebuliser with inhale-able medicine!

You go to the doctor, I've always either been at the doctor's personal office (usually in his or her own house) or the doctor comes to you.  You get a little examination, they write you a prescription (ordonnance) and then you give your insurance info and you pay hardly anything!  Healthcare!  The other thing is, you can't buy any sort of drug in a grocery store without a prescription, which is why you go to the pharmacy.  You can buy cough drops and natural remedies without a prescription, but even my zyrtec needs a prescription.  Then you must take the medicine!

20 minutes morning and night.

I think that is my cough syrup.

Oh yeah, and I had to replace my phone cos it got stolen.  This is my new phone!

My rose for Valentine's Day :)  I was disappointed I didn't get to go to school for it though.

My wolf-dog!  Her name is Léa.  And she barks like a wolf.

But she's friendly.

so this is what I did for a few weeks.

I am your father!

By the way, these are also the weeks where it snowed about five centimetres and then didn't get about -7 degrees Celsius for the duration of those weeks, so technically, I was sortof glad not to have to go to school where I have to leave the building in between every class and ice skate across the courtyard to the other buildings.

Superbowl XLVI, 5th February

Celtica is an Irish pub in Brussels where they played the Super Bowl!

Proof I really saw it!

And there's the screen.  I think we were all pretty pleased with the outcome.

Then of course it was really really late, so I went to a Rotex friend's apartment and slept the morning.

Then went into Brussels the next day.  It was something like -5 degrees celcius. This is Grande Place

Touching this statue is good luck!  Right near grand place.

First Mannequin pis sighting!  Dressed in WWII army uniform

and a real gaufre de Brussels.  I still prefer Liège waffles, but Brussels waffles are pretty decadent.  The last time I had a brussels waffle before that, it was burnt, so I was pleased with this one.  Brussels waffles are a bit thinner than their Liège counterparts, and they put fruit and whipped cream and stuff on top.  Anything you like really.

Realising why I don't like drinking Senseo: Life thoughts.

I think the reason I like drinking coffee is because you get to share the pot.

New Host Family

Up to date update: 28 march. Today was my second night in Seraing with the Makas!  I'm already loving my room, and got it all organised!  Unpacked my suitcases completely, and even put some stuff on the walls!  It's amazing how that gives meaning to the room!  To have my drawings, photos, and Wallonne flag on the wall.  The location is amazing too, cos there are buses all the time, and it's only 3 minutes to walk to the bus stop.  Once I get used to it all, it'll be great.
My host mom, Martine, is a gynecologist, and my host sister is at a school in Liège for after high school, but like, pre-med school sort of thing.  I'm about a week older than she is.  My host dad is her step dad, and he likes Belgian beer.

I don't know my family very well at all yet, but so far, it's been going rather smoothly.  except that I'm just so tired!
I also live on the 3rd floor.  I have a tiny window from which I can see the factory at Seraing with the flame tower, and see across the Meuse to Jemeppe.
Leaving for Paris with my French class on Friday for the day!
Leaving for ITALY with Rotary (BRESA) on Sunday for 11 days!
holla

Cross-country skiing with the Pollains on February 5th

It was just Cyril, Sylvie, and me.  They were both pretty good at it!  They were used to it anyway.

 All the photos are extra large!  I went to do cross country skiing one day!  My first ever time skiing!  There wasn't enough snow to do downhill, and it was only in the Ardennes, so the hills weren't terribly high anyway, but I still had a wonderful time!

I learned the word for a stand of pine trees here!  They are grown to be harvested, and they are called "pépiniers."
Words for everyday use.

Sylvie and Cyril in the "pépinier!"  I fell so many times that I lost count.  And always to the right over my left ski.  3 kilometers, 45 minutes.  Sunny and fresh!

And then the sledding hill!  Where more falling took place.

Little shoe skates for snow!  They were so glidey!  Don't I look like a pro!

But for real, it is the hardest thing I've ever done. Harder even than trick skiing on water!

Even Cyril couldn't really make them work!

 Baraque Fraiture was the ski spot.  One actual ski slope, a sled slope, and nice tracks for cross-country-ers.  about an hour from Villers le Temple.  I was so tired afterwords!  But then, that night was the super bowl... so...

Beginning of February!

Catching the bus at 7:13 in the dark and snow.

After the big snow, the courtyard froze all the way over at school, and I skated around in order to make my host sister worry I would fall!  

And it wouldn't get about 0 degrees celsius for about a week there.

Bois d'abbeye in between Seraing and the country.

Snow is so pretty it's still clinging to the trees!

or when it's in great huge fields!  One day I stayed at Chelsea's house, and we went to play with her host adopted guide dog.
But eventually it gets slushy and icy and black.

Marie, Fanny, and me!  Little party in my bedroom!

My current host dog, Lea.

She's a wolf.  But a gentle one.