A clarify post.

This post is mostly to answer your guys´ questions.
In learning German I will probably be pretty much useless. Unless Dad, you want to send over a German/English dictionary which other students have suggested for me. I don´t think I would mind.
I am not getting fat!!! Yesterday I joined a running club ( ithink, I dunno. It was all in French!) So I will be running sometimes twice a day; And they eat smaller portions here!
Amanda, I love reading your posts. It´s like you are actually talking to me. Why won´t Mrs. Fine let you guys do the bad seed? Because from the scene we read that thing looks pretty B.A. I have read little women once upon a time (great illustrated classics, of course) and it seemed pretty good.
Mr. Stephenson, last night I stayed up far too late just so I could finish an amazingly good book, Middlesex. It´s 530 pages so I had been reading it for a while. If you haven´t read it.. Do read it. It talks about Antigone!! So I got that part!

Oh and damien is 23. Stop pestering me about him Amanda! There is no reason to get the Hardy Boys involved.
Rotary weekend is tomorrow so that should be nice and boring.
Alison

GOALLLLLL!!!!!!!!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2006262&l=b99c2&id=1440960332
This is a link for my pictures so check them out.
Dad, that was a rude comment. At least I am not as big as you, mister...

Yesterday I went to the bank with my host mom, Kathy. It didn´t go smoothly so that´s annoying. I might just exchange my money because they don´t always use credit cards here. Like when I got my cell phone, damien had to pay because they wouldn´t take debit. I think it is a pay as you go phone so I am confused. Last night I watched soccer with Damien and Julie. It´s really funny how into it Damien is and Europeans in general. He was singing sometimes and made sound effects when somebody made an almost goal. He should me his CD´s and I must admit that the bands I knew I liked!
Today has not been a busy day. I slept later than usual and then I went with Julie, Mathilde, and Francois to a Hamburger place. Mathilde and Francois are cousins that I met yesterday. So we walked to the hamburger place and I got mine with mustard and onions. For somereason there was no tomatoes or lettuce or anything. Grrr... The hamburger wasn´t fantastic and I had breakfast pretty late so I did not finish it. And it was too spicy. Bizarre. Then we walked back. So I have been hanging out mostly, did some sudoku and have been reading a book.

Finis.
Alison

Premiere Mardi

Sorry that my blogs are a little off. Sometimes it is hard to find time to write. But yesterday was amazing.
Yesterday I went to brussels with fellow exchange students from all over the world. I got to reunite with all my camp friends that also went to Belgium. We took a huge tour bus to get to Brussels from liege. But I felt like an idiot for a while because I completely forgot to wear my rotary jacket. I didn´t even think about it!!!! But I brought my exchange pins and business cards! I went into the Palace but once you have seen one room you have seen them all!I was talking to an oldie South African (oldie means they have been here since January because their school year is different from ours) She was really cool and I liked talking to her. We talked about age laws (drinking driving smoking and voting). I also saw the grand place and went into the town hall thing. there the mayor of brussels spoke to us and also some guy witha wheezy voice who had to cough alot. But the man had a very good speech, especially for broken english! He said "Perhaps by doing this we make the world a little smaller." He was talking about exchange and how it promotes peace and understanding. Then he told us that the bar was open so all the exchange students and what not got some beer!!! What a country Belgium is!! This beer wasn´t as good as the day before though. Eventually we went back to Liege and Luigi Ferrara took me home. Then guess what happened...
I WENT TO MY FIRST ROTARY MEETING!!!The men were very nice and mostly old! I had good food (especially frites and eclairs) and wine. I talked to this old guy who had very good English and I definately think I was at my most charming. By the way; The rotary meeting was not boring as I thought it might be.
And mom, expect something in the mail soon. I think you will like it alot.
Alison
p.s. Today I go to the bank! finally!!!

Premiere Lundi

Not scoring in that sense!!!! I mean "score" as in "very nice!!" bravo, Amanda in on of your longer ramblings. I look forward to reading your comments because I can image you being here and saying them. I like watching sponge bob (Bob L´eponge) in French. He has a different voice. And there is Danny Phantom (Danny Fatôme), also a different voice. I don´t know about the kissing though. I think Belgiqns just strug it off.

It´s always very funny because my host mom will say we are going to do something but I don´t understand (but I don´t tell her that. I nod. smile. and say "oui. oui.) So we get into the car and everywhere I go is a nice little suprise. It´s tres fun!
Today I went to the school and talked to the director. Thank goodness that he is marvelous at English!! I got an idea of what classes I will take. I needed to take a foreign language (I am already enrolled in English) so I am taking German!! That is a shout out to Liza! Also I verified myself in the country so that I don´t get deported or something. Also today was Damien´s presentation so he could finish the university or something. It went very zell even though I hardly understood a word. I know it was about cow milk and calcium. Then we stood around for eternity and finally went outside. We walked into this truly foul smelling building with a bazillion glasses that were once filled with beer. Soon they were passing around fresh beer and my host parents TOLD ME to try it. Belgium beer really is good. Much better than red stripe, Dad! I made sure I didn´t drink it to fast by watching Anne-Sophie. . Then I came back home and I was somewhat afraid to eat dinner. It involved salmon... But it turned out to be pretty good.
Alison

Mon duexieme et troisieme jours

To answer your question, Mr. stephenson. Yesterday I helped move to the cows into the milking barn and watched them do their thing! It was tres interesting. It is insane how beautiful it is here! And Amanda; Damien is my host brother NOT THE ANTI CHRIST!!!!
Also yesterday, Phillip (my host dad) gave me a small tour of Liege with my host mom and sister. I will post pictures soon. Léglises (the churches) here are gorgeous. We stopped at a cafe and two men were kissing. In Oklahoma people are not quite as accepting of that behavior so it was interesting. Today I went to the outdoor market in Liege. Mon Dieu! The sights were insane! I saw a baby ostriche as well as smelt the strong ordeur of dead fish and many other sights as well! I also met Luigi Ferrara (my second host dad) He is very nice and very good at many languages including english. But he says "only speak French!" Also today I went to a rotary barbecue (that sounds funny; rotary barbecue. Cannabalist much?) I met a fellow exchange student from Canada who knew less French then me. I was actually helping her. Who knew? After a humongous walk ( I mean, at least an hour... at least!!!) we finally congregated back where we started. We ate some very good food and I met a very cute boy. He is the son of the rotary president and is my age! How do you say "score" in French? He also goes to my school!
Overall a very productive day. I learned so many mots (words)
au revoir
alison

Mon Premiere Jour

I am finally winding down from a long and wonderful day. I am ici, safe and sound, in Belgium. My travels started on thursday from DFW to Newark. I sat next to a nice couple going to a wedding in Edinburgh; In Newark, a girl stopped me because she recognized my hideous rotary jacket. She was super sympa and we chatted. She went to Germany a couple of years back. Then I got pleasantly harrassed by this Jamaican guy who wasn´t bad looking. He had noticed my Ambassador to Belgium nametag and ´Became´my body guard and asked people if they had met the ambassador. I couldn´t stop laughing! When I landed I was worried nothing would go right. I was wrong thank goodness!! And customs didn´t check my bags! The bruwiers met me with a bienvenue alison sign. The children were Julie, Anne-Sophie and cousin Lionel. We drove from Brussels to Retinne and it was an awesome ride. everything was so new. The cars are so efficient looking here and fun to drive! (not that I can) Anne-sophie drove Julie, cousin Louise, and me around Herve after I met my host dad´s parents who were super nice. Then later Anne-sophie drove me to Liege to pick up Damien and her boyfriend. Liege is way cooler than people described it. Then Damien said to me regarde a gauche ( look to the left) and there were prostitutes in shop windows! I think I love Europe!!! I also had some really good cheese today. I am getting off before I pass out on the keyboard.
Communicating is easier than I thought, but still complicated.
I am looking out the window and seening really pretty cows.
Alison

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL (IN AMERICA)

After much debate, I decided that I would enjoy going to the first day of school. Reasons being so that I could say hi and bye to all my friends, tell people to come to my going away party (7pm Aug. 15th Hill's house), and so I could see what I would be missing out on. I COMPLETELY FORGOT THAT I WAS TAKING 3 AP CLASSES AND 1 PRE-AP CLASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So thank goodness for not being there this year!
The class I will be sad not to be taking is Ceramics 1. Elizabeth is in there and it looks like Mr. Maddox just might be the coolest teacher ever (Except for Mr. S.). I also decided with the help of the principal that I would not attend anymore school but would show up to the lunches on August 20th as a visitor. My final horrah, you could say. I look foward to it.
Oh and I had to wake up at 5:30 for early morning cross country practice. And I had to go to my final dental appt. today.
I must begin packing now.

Pictures

Okay, I have cleaned my room since that picture. This my brother. SO there you go.

Picture Fantastic

I GOT A NEW CAMERA! I GOT A NEW CAMERA!

PREPARE YOURSELF FOR PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sweet dreams

Last night I had a dream about Belgium. I was with my host family and I was using extremely simple sentences.

But I did get a good night's sleep!

I have my visa. Why is it that when I have to take important pictures (i.e. Passport and visa photos) I always look my worst. Walgreens needs to shape up!

Anyone else agree?