Rotary trip to Bruxelles

Yesterday I went to Bruxelles with all of the other exchange students in all of Belgium. I had a lot of fun and made some new friends. First, a big group of us took a double-decker bus from Liège to Bruxelles. Jordan, Jaclyn and I sat in the very front on the top level, so we got to see EVERYTHING through the windshield. There were even windshield wipers for us so we could see better! On the bus, everyone exchanged pins and cards and got to know one another a little better. The girls from 1630 were given navy blue scarves and the boys dark blue ties so we could identify each other as members of specific districts. I looked like a flight attendant with my scarf, and Jordan was having some difficulties accepting his tie. It was too short (he's 6'5", so he wears extra long ties) and didn't match his pants, as he put it.

You know what's amazing? The number of boys who don't know how to tie a tie. I had to tie Jordan's and Aaron's, and other guys were complaining that they couldn't make it work either. If I ever have sons (shudder), they are going to know how to tie a tie. Period, end of story.

Once we got to Bruxelles, we all sort of milled around in a park until everyone else arrived. Camille, my third host sister, was there, so I had a chance to talk with her for a while, which was great. Anyway, once we got moving, we toured the Royal Palace (the flag was flying, so the king was in residence! How cool is that?!), which was BEAUTIFUL, if a little extravagant for my taste. :P There was also a section with taxidermies -- a polar bear and a boar. I didn't like that part as much...

There was a room in the palace that was decorated with 1.4 million beetle wings. They were the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Honestly, the room looks like it's part of the Emerald City from the Wizard of Oz. The entire room sparkled and was a dark, iridescent green. Words can't really describe it.

Most of the exchange students were hungry at this point, and I think I would have liked the palace more had I not been starving. Next we went to the city hall in Bruxelles and had the flag ceremony. Basically, kids from each country gave their Sponsor Rotary District's flag to the Chairman of their Host District. The U.S. was by far the largest group there. That ceremony took quite a while, but afterward, we went to lunch, which was at a beautiful restaurant looking down on the Grand Place, a beautiful square in Bruxelles. The architecture was phenomenal. Anyway, we had a meal of meatballs and frites. It was yummy, but I really wanted chocolate afterward. :)

After lunch, we had a tour of the House of Parliament, which was extraordinary. We had a chance to sit in the meeting rooms of the Senate and various reading rooms and places for the press. The tour guide explained (in English, which was nice) the portraits and the marble busts that were all over the place. Most of the artwork was of long-dead politicians, but there were photos of the current king and queen, which I enjoyed.

At the end of that, André Flahaut, the President of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives gave a speech, and then two exchange students from each country went forward and gave him all of the flags from their country. After a speech by M. Binamé, the District 1630 Chairman and a speech in French, Spanish, and English by 2 exchange students, each country got to take a picture with M. Flahaut. I thought that that was pretty awesome. :) I'll try to get a copy of it.

Our time in Bruxelles had finally come to an end, so we all piled back onto the bus and headed home. I sat with Jordan again, and we chatted and played 20 questions with some other exchange students. The bus ride back went pretty quickly, and I was happy to get home, eat dinner, and go to bed.

Today, I woke up and went riding at a GORGEOUS stable 5 minutes' walk from my house. The horses there are all eventers and jumpers, which was a little weird for me, coming from a western barn. I had fun though, once I figured out the saddle and bridle and what not. I'm riding a horse named Eros, he's 17 years old and huuuuuuge, at least in comparison with the horses at home. He's stable mates with another horse, and they didn't seem to content on parting with each other. A woman who works there, Sophie, came and helped me get Eros to pay attention, which was nice. FYI, horses in Belgium like to buck. She rode with me and we chatted and I hope we get to hang out some more. I liked her a lot.

I also got my first package from home today! It was so nice to have a little box of America.

Hmmm... well, I'm feeling hungry, so I'm gonna go eat.

Toodles,

Mikayla