Mumble Jumbled

Oh my...
Well let me start this post by saying it´s not completely my fault. I meant to post earlier about everything that has gone on but some complications have come up. For starters on  the poblems my new computer died!!! AGAIN... so while it is being sent in for repairs I am using my host family´s old desk top with a european key board so forgive my typos please if I made some, (and knowing me I will make some, especially since a "q" is in the "a" spot)

So back to the begining... My first week was very challenging. My greatest challenge came from jetlag; Being tired made everything, and I mean EVERYTHING harder. My survival technique was simple, Just laugh at my mistakes, and go with th flow. My perfered phases were, "pardon?(pardon me?), "ok( acknowleging that I understand and was in accordance), and of course "desole, je suis fatigue( sorry, I´m really tired). I was actually surprised by how much I understood, and understand.
When we were trying to find activities that I could do or things we could do with the family, we always had to stop and think about my foot... my darn stupid, painfully useless foot... I pushed myself through the pain as fast as I could so I could walk without my crutch. After a week, I was walking without my crutch. Each day I pushed myself further, and each day I could walk longer and further.

My first Belgian experience was seeing a "Cramignion."I have asked everyone I know how this started and why we do it and nobody really knew... but it doesn´t matter, its interesting, fun and entertaining. My explaination of a cramignion is that it´s a weekend long celebration, with a parade, street caranival, and community activities. The parade is not like the ones we know in Canada, it is people of all ages partnered up and all dressed up walking around the village, then the stop,"prends un verre," (have a drink) then contiune doing this for several hours. Now when I say dress up, I mean they really dress up, like you can see in my last post, all the girls wear ball gowns!! Later in the weekend there is a huge "bal"/ dance which is crazy busy, and fun. then as the weekend comes to a close quieter activities take place, for example in Bassenge we will have a bocce ball tournement.

I have been to Liege twice already, once with my family for dinner and the second time with another host family and their neighbour to go shopping. When I had dinner with my family I had liegeoise meat balls and fries; there were only three meat balls but they were the size of my fist. up until that point I hadn´t been eating much due to jetlag, but I ate them ALL! They were to good to even take them home in a doggy bag. Everyone including myself was surprised that I ate them ALL! When I went to Liege with an american rotary student, her host family, and their neighbour, we went shopping. it was a fun and relaxing afternoon. As well as I was one of the majour culture shocks that I experienced... FASHION... oh man, I am not a fashion person but there were no "normal clothes", or anything that I really recognized. so I guess this is just one of the times that is do as the natives do. I also blame liege for my new addiction: Liege WAFFLES!!! they were the best thing that I have ever had. it was sweet but not too sweet, it was crunchy and gooey, it was satisfying but not too filling, it  was  a square piece of heaven.