Emma Alyson's Adventures Abroad!

So, I've arrived! Thought I should probably write some sort of update on what the heck has been going on with my life recently. I've been writing little notes about what's been happening on my phone but just haven't got round to putting it all together into one blog post. So I'll break it down into a few different sections for ya.

Arrival

I arrived on Thursday 16th June in the afternoon. Erna picked me up from the airport and we went straight to the flat to unpack my things. The airport was strange; nobody was allowed in to the arrivals gate due to the attacks in March, so everybody had to wait outside in the car park! When I got to the flat, Irene (the girl who moved out of my room) showed me around.

The flat

The flat is really nice, it's got a big open plan kitchen/living room with a TV which I've really missed having! My room is pretty small (although it's nicer than my room in Newcastle) with a mezzanine bed. So its a bit strange, but I'm getting used to it! My housemates are soo lovely; there's Mahi whose Greek, Jenny whose French and Chiara whose Italian! We speak English most of the time but sometimes Jenny will speak to me in French to help me practice. I was a bit worried at first that I wouldn't improve my French at all as I'm speaking English at home but after a 9 hour day at work all I want is to hear some English haha.

All the flats in my building are full of Europeans from so many different countries. It's really sociable; I've already been to two parties, one in our flat and one next door! Again, everybody speaks English all the time as it's the common language but a few people have chatted to me in French at parties. It's sooo difficult to understand people when the music is on really loud and I can only hear the odd word but I guess I just have to get used to it.

Work

Ahh, work. I really can't decide how I feel about work at the moment. The actual work that I'm doing is okay, if not a bit boring. I'll be doing translation eventually but at the minute I'm literally just rereading other people's translation. Not the most exciting job I've had but I suppose no office job is incredible. I like the fact that I have specific work to do everyday; I get to the office and I know exactly what I need to get on with rather than having to constantly ask for more work.

But it's also really difficult. Everybody speaks French all the time, obviously and I can understand most of it but when it comes to me trying to reply it's really difficult and I sound like an idiot. It's so frustrating as in my head I can respond to everything and say what I want to, but whenever I try to actually speak out loud my words just go to shit! I'm hoping that this is something that will improve over the next few months but it's annoying that I'm having such a hard time.

Belgian things I've noticed...

- Public transport - the public transport here is so great!!!! There are buses and trams and trains going everywhere and there's one ticket for all of them and it's just so easy! It makes me really happy haha.

- Food - okay, the food here is amazing but all the really nice stuff is so bad :( like chocolate and chips and waffles and Speculoos and cheese... but never mind. But I'm trying hard to eat a little healthier now that I've tasted all the good stuff. My first day at work was so difficult in terms of food though; I forgot my lunch so had to go to Delhaize to buy some; where's the meal deals at?! Everyone was buying like a baguette, some goats cheese, mushrooms and paté and just making random weird food concoctions. I panicked and ended up just buying a premade sandwich with tomato on which I don't even like. I also panicked the first day I went shopping with Erna and ended up buying so much food that I never eat! Like oranges; I have never willingly eaten an orange in my life and yet I bought 4!! And cornflakes too; I don't like those but the bread options were too overwhelming so it was easier to buy cereal hahaha.