I Think I May Die...

Ok a word to the wise: When you're full, STOP EATING.

I'm so full of food I can't stand it. I don't even know how my little tummy is holding it all. It's been like five hours and I still feel as if I'm going to burst. Let me back up and explain. Today, we went to my host dad's sister's house for the Christmas dinner that we were supposed to have yesterday. I met my host dad's brother and sister and their families, and his parents were there too. I really like his family! His sister is very nice, and she told me about the American store that is nearby, and his brother was nice too and we had some good conversation. P.S. My host dad is definitely the crazy in the family. But he did wear normal pants today.

The dinner was four courses. We started off with a salmon and something that resembled deviled eggs with a different taste. But the salmon had a weird gelatin on the bottom of it, and that really bothered me. I tried to ignore it and it was good overall. Next came the soup. I think it was a pumpkin soup, but I couldn't tell you for sure. After that was the main course. We had stuffed duck with oranges, green beans wrapped in bacon, potatoes, a celery purée, and these little fruits that I've never seen in the States with a name that I don't know how to spell. It was a good meal, but everything had this weird taste behind it that I didn't much care for. The thing about European cooking is that there is always fatty meats involved, which I really don't like. Green beans are great! But why must they be wrapped in bacon???? The duck was good, but it had a layer of fat across the top, and I think I was the only one who took that part off. I just can't handle the texture of fat in my mouth. I just can't chew on it. But after that was the dessert, and that was my poison. I intended on trying maybe two of the six cakes and tarts that were out on the table. But no, everyone was piling my plate until I had a piece of every single one. There were two ice cream logs, one with vanilla and raspberry and one with mocha. There was another log with mocha and chocolate, but it was more of a cake. There was a fruit tart, a rice cream tart, and an almond tart. And I had a piece of each. I really did think I was going to die. But after a half hour, I somehow managed to finish it all. They were all very good. I especially like the almond and the raspberry. The fruit tart was good, but it had a layer of that weird gelatin on it, and I didn't like that. I'm surprised I didn't burst. And I'm still feeling very full. My host brothers and dad ate dinner when we got home, but my host mom and I couldn't. I still feel like my stomach could burst any second. Hopefully I'll be able to sleep it off.

They did get me presents though! I received more Galler chocolates and a jar of Skippy crunchy peanut butter. YUM. Thank you American store in Antwerp.

Ok this wasn't the best post ever, but I'm tired and full and I want to go to sleep. I need to work out for like 5 hours tomorrow. Goodnight!

Take 2

The second day of school was definitely better than the first. Today, I wasn't completely lost, I ate lunch with Belgians, and actually enjoyed one of my classes, although I still had to go see Madame Vanesse (the director) a couple times over the course of the day. We started the day out with our daily French lesson by the sweet old priest. Today was a little difficult to deal with, but the exchange students were treated to a nice breakfast with him and Madame Vanesse. We had croissants with jelly and chocolate. They were probably the best croissants I've ever had. Wonderful :) Then I went to Math. Let me make one thing very clear. I hate math. With a fiery burning passion that is as hot as fourteen suns. But I loved it today! Why, may you ask? Because the wonderful thing about math is that it is the same in French as it is in English. So for once, I understood something!!

Math was then followed by a study hall, but I spent that time in Madame Vanesse's office trying to understand the Belgian school scheduling system, and then went to lunch. Lunch is my favorite part of the day. You do not need to speak French to be able to eat. And I ate with my Belgian friends, Manon and Pauline. After lunch, I had double Social Science, which was death. It took every once of my strength to stay awake during that class, and I eventually turned to letter writing as an alternative to sleeping. It is so difficult to stay awake because I am constantly trying to comprehend something that my brain cannot handle and it eventually just stops functioning. It's like when a computer freezes up because you are trying to do something that it can't do. That's my brain. "Overload". Following that was French. That class will kill me. I have three French novels that are required and then there are two lists from which I have to pick six more books and two films. This will all be due at different dates throughout the year. The first book I must read by the 24th. And then there's the final project. In the States, my most arduous paper that I had to write was about 12 pages long. Here, the projects must be 50-100 pages long. No, I am not kidding. And the prof passed around examples from students past, and they are literally books. I don't mean they are big enough to be books, I mean they are bound, covered books, complete with chapters, footnotes, and tables of contents. Kill me now.

But now I get to relax with Talia as we spend the night eating peanut butter and watching movies :) By the way, my whole host family thinks the peanut butter is weird. Both days, after school, because of the insane amount of stress, I have had to turn to my drug: Peanut Butter. And I have a spoonful. And my host brother looks at me like I'm eating poo. And then tells me I'm going to get fat. But I don't care because I need it and it makes me feel better :)

Bonne nuit!