It's Snowing in Saint Denis!

This past weekend has brought some very cold weather to Belgium. We've had down to -4 Celsius (about 25F), and it's been predicted to get down to -9 (16F) later on this week. And today it began to snow.

See here a photo taken from my bedroom window down Rue Frébutte.

This weekend I did some pretty cool stuff. Saturday I went to Brussels with some Rotarians for the day, making my first trip to the Belgian capital to actually see the city. We first visited the Magritte Museum, with surrealistic paintings by Magritte on display. Then we walked to the Grand' Place with the Christmas tree and creche (with real sheep) on display, as well as the Manneken Pis and wife-statue Jeanneke Pis. Before leaving we had the oh so famous waffle with bananas and chocolate with hot cocoa. When I got back to Mons, I went with other Rotarians to a soccer match. It was very cold, and Mons only tied this time, but it was nonetheless enjoyed.
Sunday I was again up early to head to Dordrecht again. There I rang a peal, my first of Lincolnshire. My hands hurt a bit afterwards, but it's always well-worth it. After tea and stroopwaffels I came back to Mons to start another school week.
And it's snowing outside, in November. This is going to get really cold, I am sort of scared.

Happy Thanksgiving

Even though I will not be celebrating Thanksgiving this year, I wish all my readers a most excellent holiday.
In Belgium the week surrounding the third Thursday of November is just a plain week. Noteworthy news for my week consist of the following

• it snowed last night and should snow again this weekend
• I went shopping yesterday with Spiri and reserved a spot for a trip to Cologne, Germany 
• during the above time, it hailed!
• I received two wonderful letters from Lexi McClure and Allison Millar
• I am being forced to take a French test administered byt eh Communauté Française de Belgique, with an outcome that will only lower their standards
• a had a great skype session with my parents and sister all together yesterday which was really nice to all see each other at the same time

My weekend plans include:

• Saturday- Brussels with Rotary people going to see abstract and surrealistic artwork + the city
• Sunday- back off to Dordrecht for another round of Dutch change ringing

Wishing you all well, eat lots of turkey, gravy, and sweet potato pie for me!

Thursday finished my school week, as Friday was a teacher workday. That evening I ate dinner with the Rotary at the regular meeting place, followed by a conference on Native Americans (they call them Amérindiens here). It was cool, I learned some cool stuff about the different cultures of Native Americans and ate well.
On Friday I went to see Harry Potter with some school friends at the Mons Imagix. Even though it was in French I understood almost all of it. I still prefer the book though.
Friday night I went out with the Rotary again and we had dinner at the Mons Tennis Club, followed by my first Belgian soccer match: Mons vs. Dour. Mons won so everyone was really pleased.
Today I am just sort of hanging around the house, watching the Office and sending emails, etc. This evening some of Bruno and Spiri's friends are coming over before we go to have dinner at some sort of banquet thing.
And tomorrow is Antwerp with my American friend. We might be going to the zoo, it should be great!
Until next time,
Noah

November November

I've been strangely tired lately, and eight and a half to nine hours doesn't seem to cut it these days. I think it may be due to the dark and cold weather. I have been doing some studying, having tests at school, all the regular weekly business. Yesterday I played hockey in the school entrance hall in PE, that was a first. In math class we are learning about equations and things, all stuff I already knew in English, but now I'm just relearning it with different names and in odd notations.

Grades come out next Monday, and I am failing some of my classes, but it's okay. I at least tried.

Friday is once again holiday on account of a teacher workday, so I think I am going to see Harry Potter in French at the Imagix in Mons with school friends. (That is to say, if it isn't already sold out.)  But it will be the last sweet day of vacation until Christmas break, which begins on Christmas Day (yes, I have school on Christmas Eve... heresy).

My weekend plans include: going to a basketball game with the Rotary Friday night, a dinner with the Rossis Saturday, and Sunday in Antwerp with my new American friend Lily, from Florida.

And here are some Bruges photos:

Bruges

So, today I went to Bruges, and in essence, it was amazing. Although deemed here the "Venice of the North," I found it very different. There were less canals, and more Flemish/Dutch architecture. It was absolutely wonderful nonetheless. I took two hours of train each way in the process of getting there, which turned out to be totally worth it. On the train I joined a friend, and in Bruges we met up with more exchangers for the day trip.
We walked around the city, took photos, and ate, among other activities. It was a glorious day, and like Paris, it was depressing to the common American to see such things old, ornate, and so uniquely European that they could not possibly exist in the New World. The intricacy with which these buildings were made, the style, the architecture, it is all overwhelming. And beautiful.
I love Belgium.

Wednesdays

Today is the last school-day of the week for me, as November 11th is a big deal here. So we are making "le pont" = the bridge so we have vacation tomorrow and Friday into the weekend. This makes me happy, because despite the fact that we just had a week of vacation, I am still tired from school.
Today to celebrate the long weekend I went into the city with friends after school to a café. There I spoke someone who obviously longed to practice English for about an hour, but I enjoyed it.
I also came home to a n expected and highly enjoyable mail parcel about "the size and weight of a brick." It consisted of lotion, American toiletries, and Halloween candy; all that I could wish for.
Tonight with Andrea I will be going to a school dance sort of thing. I'm really not sure exactly what it'll be, so I shall just have to find out.
For the weekend, I hope to be going to Luxembourg and Bruges, but I don't now if either will actually come to pass. We will see.
I wish you all a happy Wednesday, and hope that all your endeavors go well.

In Holland

Wednesday morning I left for Holland by train around 9 o'clock. In Brussels where I was to connect to Rotterdam, the train never came, so I took the one coming an hour afterwards. But it was alright, and from Rotterdam I switched to go to Utrecht. There I met Tante Leonie and Oom Ben with whom I have been staying. Then we drove to their home in Maartensdijk. Shortly after I had arrived, their daughter Yvonne's family of five came to stay for their Belgian Fall break too, making it a whole family occasion. We went for a walk in the woods nearby in Lage Vuursche, had a big family dinner that night and caught up with each other. It was nice to talk with my relatives in Dutch.
The next day we had a Dutch breakfast then embarked for a day-trip into the city of Utrecht. We shopped, ate dinner at a Spanish tapas restaurant, then did some brief site-seeing, going to the Domplein, old Post Office, and VVV. It's a really beautiful city with old Dutch-style houses, and canals. Before we left we went to the Domtoren, which is the Netherland's tallest tower. We climbed all the way to the top with a guided group, and from there we had a splendid view of the city all lit up in the mid-evening. After that we returned to Lage Vuursche, but this time we went to one of the many traditional pannekoeken huizen (pancake houses). As you might expect, we ate Dutch pancakes. They are thinner than ours, more like crêpes, and the size of a medium pizza. I got mine with bacon of the Ardennes, and Dutch cheese. It was amazing. Then we had vanilla ice cream for dessert.
Friday and today I have been staying mostly in the village of Maartensdijk because the weather has permitted little opportunity to explore. I have also been helping out with my first cousin once removed, Erwin, and family, who are currently in the process of moving within the village. I have gotten to go around the village some though, and I've taken lots of pictures.
Tomorrow I am going back into the city of Utrecht, and then back to Dordrecht again before I return to Belgium by train. Monday will begin school again.
I have quite enjoyed my Fall break, and speaking Dutch was a major bonus too. I have learned a lot of new words. The weather is less than desirable though, and I know it will only get worse through the course of this winter. I will live though (with heavy woolen clothing, scarves, gloves, and an umbrella).

Tot ziens!

Paris

Paris was all that I had expected, and just as beautiful as everyone says. It's a magical place.
We were 50 or so on the trip, with Rotarians from Namur as chaperones. We toured a lot by bus, and spent a good amount of time visiting all of the aforementioned places. The disappointing exception is that of the Versailles Palace. This just means I will have to visit it another time. Most of my time was spent in the company of Americans and Canadians, and I made many exchange friends on the trip.
The weather was pleasant, warmer than I have been used to since October in Belgium. We are having a spell of warmer and drier weather in Northwestern Europe, and I am liking it.
Today is my day of rest and to-dos. I have a long list of things to do, and I am getting lots done. This afternoon I shall prepare for the remainder of my Fall holiday which will be spent in Holland. Tomorrow morning I leave by train to Utrecht where I'll stay with the Dutch family. And then Sunday I will make a stop in Dordrecht before coming back for school Monday.