Too long, way too long.. in Belgium

There are numerous lists of “you’ve been too long in Belgium, when..” so I thought to write my own. ;)

1.     You don’t mind that it takes forever to queue to a cashier in a grocery store.

(I’ve started to examine what my co-shoppers are buying and “judge” them based on their purchases)

2.     Don’t get annoyed when the customer front of you in the queue chats with the cashier, pays with coins and once made the payments start to pack their purchases … really taking their time.

(Thank God for iPhone and all the apps in it.. )

3.     You consider a square km of planted trees a forest.

(I don’t really do so.. but Belgians DOES)

4.     You started to miss nature.

(I really have started to miss the real nature and fresh air..)

5.     Consider anyone using public transportation a lower class person.

(I haven’t start to think this way myself as I use bus + train; but it seems like that the only way of transportation for Belgians is either their own car or bicycle.)

6.     You think it is normal behaviour in an intersection that you drive long as you can move which means that the cars who would cross it from other direction will get blocked.

(I just cant put it into words.. hope you get my point.. it happens every bloody day here.)

7.     All public places such as busses and airports are very warm during winter, but houses so cold that you need to wear a down jacket when visiting Belgians.

(Never put your jacket on during the winter when getting out of the plane, it’s very warm at Brussels airport; in addition you have to walk about 10 km to get out of the airport. Oh, and I’ve once caught a cold when visiting a Belgian home!)

8.     You consider egg as a vegetable.

(If you order a sandwich with all the vegetables you get a slice egg in there as well.)

9.     You consider big sandwich made from white bread as a healthy lunch choice.

(They’ve been educated bit differently when it comes to healthy and nutritious food here than compared to Nordic countries..)

10.  You think it is totally normal that people of same nation speak English to each other as they don’t know or don’t want to use the other one’s native language.

(Noticed on a course that French and Flemish speaking Belgians do speak English together, even though no-one else on the course said that they do not speak French except me.)

Well, in December I am less than a half month in Belgium, yay!

How was it in Finland?

I am stuck listening just one artist for weeks now! Forsome reason I can’t stop listening her! I guess the reason being is the factthat I don’t have good nor bad memories linked to her music and it is verygood. Usually I link memories to music and it can ruin the music quite a lot to me, so I have to keep looking new music. Well my close friends think that I am totally untalented person when it comes to music, so they would not take any music recommendations from me. But believe me Laleh is a really good one! So now again it’s onthe background when writing this little blog of mine.

Lastweekend I was “home-home.” You know “home” is the place where Ilive; where I am officially registered, where I go after work. But placecalled “home-home” is the place where I am from, where I go to relax and spendtime with family and friends. So my parent’s place is the ultimate home, whereactually all my stuff is stored at the moment. Have to say I would like to have a home with my stuff around, but that has to wait now.

I alwayswonder what I should answer to people who ask me the surprising question of“how was it in Finland?” or “was it nice trip to home?” Iknow those questions are asked out of politeness, but I am frankly quite boredwith them. As it is always the same when you go home-home; you eat your stomachfull of mother’s cooking, enjoy the clean air by jogging or biking and best of all see dear oldfriends!

Anyhow, itis difficult to come up conversation about trips that you make few times peryear and they are pretty much always the same. Sometimes I also meet up with my old colleagues, but the outcome of the trip is the same: GOOD. Wonder, what kind of answerthose people asking are expecting.. “Oh, what a horrible trip! I just hate togo home, but one has to do it few times a year!!” Well that’s something you’llnever hear from me :P You know one of my favourite things about living abroadare those visits to home-home as then you’ll really enjoy all the positivethings about Finland and nothing bothers you. If somebody there suddenlycomplains me something about Finland – i.e. traffic I just advise how itis in Central Europe andmake them to understand that nothing is so bad in Finland.

Now I thinkI have booked all flights that I’ll do this year, unless something surprisingcomes up. Wondering what such a thing could be… Well like a party somewhere!This weekend I had very quiet weekend, but as of next weekend I am quite busyuntil mid December when I’ll fly back home-home. In between I’ll make a dayvisit with two of my friends from French course to town called Breda in Netherlands. Yes, very logical to visit Netherlands with friends from French course.BUT we’ve all finished (read quit) our French studies over a year ago. Theother friend is Dutch and the other one dating a Dutchman, so suddenly thedestination makes bit more sense.

Thenweekend after I’ll head to Göteborg. This will be my second visit to that cityand I am very much looking forward my long weekend in Sweden. Practicing Swedish with Swedes isnever bad and I gotta have another huge cinnamon roll in a café called Husarenin the old town of Göteborg!! So this means that so far it seems like that I won’t go to Stockholm anymore this year, unlike theoriginal plans. But then again one has to remember that plans are made to bereplanned.

Ooh, andthen there is the compulsory Christmas shopping coming up. That’s something I actuallydo not look forward, as I never have great ideas when it comes to Christmaspresents… Best thing about Christmas is the food and the quietness once thecrazy shopping period is over. Even though yesterday I got a little bit into aChristmas mood as I prepared a birthday present to a friend, that actually is anadvent calendar. I enjoyed doing it even though wrapping 24 little gifts takestime and patience especially since I had way too many somewhat round things towrap.

Now I’llreturn back to my latest project, as I am knitting a sweater to myself. It’syears since I’ve knitted such a big thing. Hmm.. well it won’t be as bigas before, as I’ve lost weight, but still a lot of knitting to do ;)

..oh and I’vebought groceries, which means I need to cook today! :O Busy afternoon ahead: knitting,jogging, cooking and ironing!