A little recap…
Sorry for the wait - it has been a bit chaotic!
April 3rd: After an all nighter with Jess in Budapest I was very ready to sleep for a long time! Ironically, while I was on the way back from Budapest I also happened to be on the same train as everyone coming to the University for school and I looked like a zombie. I made it back to my dorm at 8 in the morning and slept for 4 hours before trying to get back into a normal schedule. Flora and I grabbed lunch at the canteen and I had my language class. I came back made PB&J sandwich, showered, and was in bed to sleep at 9pm.
April 4th: Flora and I both slept in very late. We visited a very cute cafe in town called the Vintage Flower Cafe - it was very girly with lots of flowers and candles for sale! I tried the American Breakfast, which was 3 pancakes, 2 eggs, and 2 slices of bacon. We stayed at the cafe for several hours and walked back to the dorm enjoying the nice weather. That night we went out for drinks with our Finnish friends to meet Eetu’s girlfriend that was visiting! It was great getting to meet her, but more importantly she brought us some more candy from Finland to try. I can confirm that the licorice flavored candies are still disgusting, but they have delicious chocolate! We called it a night and slept in some more the next day.
April 5/6th: We really did not do much just grabbed breakfast at a cafe and did some grocery shopping for the next few days before Flora and I begin our own travels.
April 7th: We went to the mall after eating breakfast in the dorm to do some much-needed spring shopping! We went out to the park for a few hours to just enjoy the weather and be outside! Unfortunately, most of our friends were already off traveling since it was Spring Break. However, I was able to do some more laundry, since everyone was gone.
April 8th: We grabbed brunch at the canteen and walked down to the city center for another round of coffee and yapping. We came back and Flora packed for her week of fun in Budapest.
April 9th: I left in the morning for my trip to Menen Belgium, (I was visiting my cousin Lisa’s foreign exchange student - Yben - and his family that I met this summer). My flight landed late afternoon and was picked up by his sister and enjoyed being in a car for the first time in a very long time. After arriving at his place, we packed up and headed to the North Sea with his sister, girlfriend, and his girlfriend’s nephew and dog! The beach was about an hour drive and despite it being a bit cold and windy it was so much fun! We ate some Dutch fast food in Brugges for dinner and I was able to sample quite a few new options - including bitterballen bite size beef and gravy balls that are fried.
April 10th: We had a girls day in Brugges, a very cute and medieval town. We had poke bowls for lunch which was probably the healthiest meal I have had since being over here. We did a lot of shopping and walking around the town and ended our day with a coffee break. As we were getting ready to travel back to Menen, we stopped for a quick Belgian waffle with a chocolate spread. That night we had dinner at the house, and I was able to relax on a couch and watch TV in an actual living room.
April 11th: It was another beautiful day in town, and I enjoyed a morning on the patio with pastries for breakfast and a cappuccino. Ellen (Yben’s sister) and I took a trip over to Lille, France to do some more shopping and tried another fast-food place called Quik. We came back late in the afternoon, and helped prepare for the family BBQ. While we were waiting for the food to cook, I learned a new yard game called Kubb I was 1-2 on games before sitting down for dinner. I tried some Belgian beer (not a fan) and cider (which I did enjoy). After another relaxing evening, I got cleaned up and chilled on the couch some more (it is way better than the dorm beds/chairs that I have been using as lounging options).
April 12th: I started my day early and said a round of goodbyes after eating breakfast out on the patio again. I packed up and read a book for few hours soaking in some more UV before I was off to the airport again. About 6 hours later, I was finally back in my dorm and ready to get cleaned up after a half day of traveling by myself on the plane and train.
April 13th: Flora came back in the morning and we did some grocery shopping. The family called and we discussed our travel plans for their visit over here in June. After that call, I visited with Gabby and Jaeda who are coming over in May. We went through all of our travel plans and finalized flights, trains, and housing along with plans each day!
April 14th: My one class of the day was cancelled last night so I had another chill day. I did some housekeeping on my to do list and am finishing my day with updating all of you!
Sorry that it was kind of chaotic, a little short, and a few days late! I will be traveling again this weekend so the next post will also be a little late.
