Greece pics!

Laetare pics!

Report Neuf

This report marks the passing of one of the best months of my life, but also the beginning of the two possibly hardest months. Because as tough and detached as I sometimes may like to think of myself, usually I only say goodbye, this time there’s a lot more chance for it to be adieu.

This past month three big things have happened and I will focus on them, as they are already each one big enough for a report of their very own. First of there was Laetare of Stavelot. Very similar in concept to Carnaval, in the sense that it changes with every town. I was lucky enough to be in the Laetare capitol of the world (or at least that’s what the people from that town call it). It starts of with an evening parade and festivities. So once again everyone was dressed up and ready for fun. I personally dressed as the Belgian equivalent of a girl scout, complete with wig and leggings. So though the distance the parade traversed was shorter than Carnaval in Malmedy, the floats were much more elaborate. After the parades people broke of to get food from the stalls set up and listen to music in the cafes or big tent set up. The next day was the official day, with the full official parade. I have never seen such a parade in all my life. The amount of effort and detail that went in these floats and costumes was simply astounding. Every group had at least one big float with several little ones, some had multiple big ones. The biggest group consisted of over two hundred people, all dressed in the same costumes doing the same choreography. This group happened to have a float with an elaborate fountain system built into it. Needless to say they won the contest for best ensemble. After all the amazing groups went by, next came the ever famous Blanc-moussis. An enormous group of men and boys all dressed in white hooded capes with white clothing and masks with exaggerated noses. The marched through proudly with pig bladders and old fish on strings and/or on sticks that they waved in your faces or hit you with. The reek was nauseating. Some also walked along long poles that they used to jam windows of upper floors in houses open, preparing for the next step. Now it must be said before I move onto the next step that throughout this entire time people are flinging confetti everywhere. That does not however prepare you for the grand finale. This is when two floats come by, each wielding two confetti canons so big and powerful they take two people to manipulate them. This is why the windows were jammed open, so that when these canons come by, they stop in front of the windows and just blast straight into the houses for a good five minutes before moving on. I had the pleasure of knowing someone controlling one of the canons, so I received quite a face full. The day then continued was again into general celebration for the rest of day and night. Some people even stop the day after, so that when we arrived at school, they were there waiting for us, still partying and flinging confetti everywhere.

A few weeks later the Easter holidays began, and I left on one of the most memorable journeys of my life, to the land of olives, marble and broken plates. I went with Rotary to Greece and was therefore with people from all over the world, only increasing the wonder of that trip. We took a bus down to Italy, and then crossed over to Greece by boat. A long voyage, but when you’re with the right people, anything can be fun. We went to visit the Meteors, Delphos, Athens, the Parthenon, Hydra, Olympia and some other little places. For me this was a dream come true, because as a child I loved Greek mythology, and therefore had always imagined going there. Well I did, and it did not disappoint. I was in Greece six days (ten days but four spent arriving and leaving), and in those six days the amount of people I met who had been to Canada or had some family in Canada was utterly gobsmacking. Every time I talked to a Greek, the moment I’d say I’m from Canada, a twinkle would appear in their eye and they would explain their link with it. There was also quite a bit of musical talent, so I got to practise my singing a bit as well while I was there. The things I did in Greece I will remember forever, and all the people who I met along the way as well.

The third big thing I did, a perfect way to end such a splendid month, was the outbound weekend. I was invited to present my country to and meet, all the out bounds leaving my district here in Belgium. A fairly big deal when you consider there were at least fifty of them if not several more. I even got to meet the girl coming to 7070 this year! Not to mention a girl heading up to Barrie where I have family! So I have decided that instead of completely leaving Belgium, I’m going to take some of it with me. Come back with real waffle recipes, a huge jar of andalousse, a deep fryer to make “real” fries and a bunch of Belgian friends in the surrounding area to share it with.

Report Huit

know I say this every month, but this month was absolutely full non-stop! If this month had only contained Carnaval it would already have been one of the best months yet, considering it just started with it.

So, Carnaval, where to start. This is a five day celebration, celebrating the start of the 40 days of fasting before Easter. It changes not only by region but by town, each town that participates having its own special versions and costumes. As I was Malmedy I got to witness the Haguettes and the Ardennaises, something you will see in no other Carnaval in the world. The Haguettes are dressed entirely in silk with old fashioned admiral’s hats with enormous multicoloured plumes sprouting out the top. They carry long wooden pincer thingamadoodles that they use to make sounds grab people’s ankles. If they happen to snag your ankle you have to go down on one knee and ask forgiveness. The Ardennaises is anyone who dresses up as an Ardennais can participate. The Ardennais costume being that of white pants, a blue tunic (with embroidery if traditional as mine was), a bandana around the neck held in place by a box of matches. I participated in this particular one, and it was fantastic. The enormous procession of Ardennaises is lead by the town marching band, and as they go around the town the Ardennaises cannot simply walk. They have to link arms, forming lines, and run/skip side to side throughout the entire procession. You also have to try and get as close as possible to the band, so there is a lot of cutting in front of other lines, and a lot of stepping on feet. This is then repeated later in the evening with the burning of the Haguette. A monstrous fire is set alight, as high as the surround buildings, so hot that ten metres away you feel its heat. When the fire has started to calm down the Ardennais are set loose to run around it in their linked arm lines. So Carnaval starts on the Saturday, though there is a midnight opening celebration the Friday night, the Saturday is when the may gives the opening speech, in Walloon, the regional traditional dialect. There is then a little parade, with tons of confetti and plenty of audience participation. The Sunday is the full parade with the huge floats and dance groups, also the masses dressed in traditional gear. As there are several different I will describe two. One is the long noses. They essentially have an Ardennais costume, but with a mask with a Pinocchioesque nose and a little pipe, also a little white red striped tuque. They walk around in groups of six to a dozen. They walk in lines with their hands behind their backs. They then choose someone to follow. If they follow you it becomes a sort of follow the leader, they have to do everything you do exactly how you do it. If they succeed in imitating you, you then must pay the entire group a round of beer. Thus why you have to be at least eighteen to participate in these groups. Another costume is the pig bakers. Costume consists of traditional baker garb with fake pig nose and cheeks, as well a long oven paddle. This paddle is used to smack inattentive bottoms. As you can tell you need a very good sense of humour, and a very full wallet to truly enjoy this wonderful celebration. Monday is the scenes, so all the big mistakes and humorous blunders made by known people in the town are re-enacted in Walloon. The Tuesday is the Ardennais and the burning of the Haguette, with symbolizes the end of winter.

The week after this amazing experience I had a rather unfortunate one. Ten minutes into a soccer game I went to a bad tackle and had my knee almost dislocated, at least that’s what it felt and seemed like, as I felt it move out and back in. So I went to the hospital and nothing was broken or torn, just a bad hit. At the time no biggie, the day after when I could barely walk and it had swollen so much you could see it through my jeans I started to worry a little, as I knew the next day I was supposed to be leaving to Berlin with my school. So I stayed home and rested it as much as I could before going off to Berlin. Berlin is a beautiful city, where you can see almost anything and everything architecturally speaking, though this does mean a lot of it was under construction. We then went to a concentration camp, an interesting and humbling experience.

I then got ready for the next big thing, my last family. This family I have known the whole year, and have stayed several nights throughout the year with them, so as a transition it was quite different. Only sad because it made me realize how it’s almost all over, and how little I want to leave.

Well enough ruminating the inevitable, because today I leave for a week in Greece!

Report Sept

Another month has whipped by. Actually a month and a half, but things are going by so fast it feels like a month. The unavoidable countdown is now looming around every corner. I know that I still have four months, but at the pace they’ve been passing it seems more like four weeks. Needless to say I am not looking forward to leaving this beautiful country. Despite the constant rain and lack of government, it has a feeling in it that I don’t want to lose hold of. Not to say that I am not looking forward to returning, the thought of seeing my family and friends again still makes my heart lighten.

Now enough of this sappiness, cause I’m having too much of a good time to linger on such inevitabilities. So this month has very much been the month of preparation, preparing for school projects and test, preparing for voyages, and most importantly CARNAVAL! Now even though carnaval has already passed, it was in March so I’ll save it for the next report, mainly because it’ll take an entire report just to explain all its intricacies. But there was some preparatory celebration. The four jeudi gras leading up to carnaval are all celebrated (jeudi gras meaning fat Thursday). I only participated in one of them, the third one. It is the one more popularly celebrated. Essentially the whole town dresses up and comes out to have some fun. Most people dress up in groups, but I did not know this until it was too late and therefore had to go solo. I went with two of my friends, Rwendy and Denise. They dressed up as smurfs. I dressed up as a woad Scotsman. So we had an African smurf, a Tex-Mex smurfette, and a crazy Scotsman. Quite a crazy blue combination. I had a great time and saw some great costumes. My personal favourites being the Barbies in boxes. Though of course school the next day was interesting. Everyone showed, but not in the greatest of form.

School has been going well. The poetry in French class has been really interesting and great to do. Math is making a lot more sense now, and even the sciences are starting to improve. I got 100% on my last Chemistry lab! English however is just getting irritating, which has nothing to do with the teacher as she is great fun, just for obvious reasons it doesn’t keep me very interested. Though reading the Orient Express by Agathie Christie was nice and suiting. In religion we’ve started group projects, mine being on the Holocaust. So that should be very interesting, to see their point of view on something that was so much closer to them (geographically). We’ve started gymnastics in physical education, which is proving to be a difficult and interesting challenge for me.

Soccer has been going fairly well, though the attendance of my team or lack there of, is really starting to get on my nerves. At practices it means we can’t do things full out and therefore I get less of a workout, thus why next week I’ll be going to see if I can start track and field, cause if not these fries, waffles and chocolates will start building up some nice comfy curves on my body.

I’ve had three Rotary events this past month. One just a normal meeting, the next I helped work the bar at a big car rally. And the latest being a trip to Luxembourg with all the other students. We visited a beer brewery, Bofferding, and a ham leg (the likes you see in cartoons) factory. We then went for a nice visit of the town itself and got drenched, which later resulted in me getting a little cold.

As for Valentine’s day, all plans fell through and I spent it alone. It meant I got to have a nice birthday skype my little cousin Aidhana though. That’s been this month, expect a lengthy report in half a months time.

Thinking of Misaki and Peter, hoping they’re both safe and healthy.

Silly little poem

Normally I wouldn't put such frivolous little poem into public view, but in a very simplified way, it does express some of my feelings about friendship. Something that has become an enormous factor on this trip. And not just on the Belgian front, but the Canadian front too. Which I guess in one way makes it very suitable to have written such a simple and frivolous poem, because I have come to realize, just how simple and frivolous some of my friendships are.

Do not let yourself linger, sigh, gripe or fret,
Though reminisce you may as you'll see me yet!
In just one-thirty-eight days I shall return,

Finally bring an end to this longing, yearn.
To see the little people's I left behind,
Though they still continue to stay on my mind.

If you ask me why I made this foolish rhyme,
There are no greater reasons, other than such,
That friendship is worth so very, very much,
That it deserves a poem from time to time.

What can I say?
Apparently you inspired me today :)

Originally written for Ashley Nevin... one of my less frivolous friendships.

Report Six

This last month has a whirlwind of nonstop moving around. I get baffled and tired just thinking about it. I am in my second family who live in a chalet out in the “boons”. Now of course this is what Belgians consider “boons” to be. Though admittedly it is just a small collection of houses, no real communal structures, it is only three kilometres north of Malmedy, a fairly good sized town where most my friends live. So of course when I quite nonchalantly said “well I can just walk into town”, they all gave me this look saying, calm down there mister “I’m a super Canadian”. The concept of walking three kilometres, which honestly is not that much, was just not getting grasped. All being said though, I haven’t actually done that walk yet. The reason that I have once again landed a phenomenal family! It is a single mother of two (one in university the other in Idaho) with her boyfriend. Both are huge believers in making the most of life, and therefore are willing to drive me just about anywhere. Unfortunately that means they are very often busy, especially because the mother is a nurse and therefore has some sporadic hours. Thus why I’m so thankful for my third host family, who let’s me come whenever I want. In fact I’m with my third host family so often it’s almost half and half now. So I am quickly becoming a champion of quick and small one night packing.

Now onto the actual doings of this month. First and foremost, MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am now seventeen! It’s still weird to read that sentence. Now seeing as my birthday was on a Sunday, and Sundays are not exactly the quintessential celebration days (especially as it was the last day of Christmas break) we celebrated the “Reveillons” of my birthday. Kind of like a New Year’s of my life. So I went into town with some friends, and we fooled around until midnight when officially celebrated the day of my birth. It was great fun. One of friends even brought a little cupcake with a candle on it for me to blow out, seventeen times, they relit it sixteen times. It was economical! I then spent the actual day at home resting up for school the next day. My host mother baked me delicious apple pie in celebration.

School is pretty much the same. They all think I’m crazy for wearing shorts and tee-shirts to school in winter, and don’t understand how I seem to know more people in the school then they do. I’ll be going to Berlin with my grade in March! To which the only downside is we have to sell economic light bulbs to raise money. So if anyone reading this wants some economic light bulbs let me know, you’ll have to pay for shipping and I cannot guarantee their arrival, but hey, if you get them they’re more then just economic light bulbs, because they come with a story. As far as subjects go I think I have finally gotten a grasp on the math that we are doing! I’m still passing French and will be entering a contest about deep marine life in abysses with my Biology class.

Rotary has been pretty quiet with me, but considering the amount of people that might be being sent home that’s probably a good thing. On a brighter note I have a newie! So, in case I haven’t explained this already or you’ve simply forgotten, in the Belgian Rotary exchange system there are two streams of students. The August-July students, and the February-January students. So they took this system and used it to their advantage by creating the newie, oldie system. So when I arrived there was already a large group of students that had been here since February. One of these students, (a certain FANTASTIC Diana Nixon) was my oldie. So she was part of my club, and was responsible for helping me get settled and make friends. She did an amazing job of it too! So now that she has gone and a new batch of students have come in, I am now an oldie, to a Maddy Lovelle. Though I doubt I will be able to reach the standard that Diana achieved, I will do my best to help her.

Sports have just been getting better and better. My soccer is starting to win. And by a lot! I myself have put in three goals! (and one beautiful cross in assist) We actually won a game 9-1 the other day! Granted the other team only had nine players, but nonetheless! It was great. I have also started to run with my host father. This region is perfect for it too. The rolling Ardennes, make a beautiful surrounding for a long distance run. I’m also going to be looking into starting some Track and Field.