A More Coherant Description of My First Three Days PLUS Pictures

So I re-read the post from last night and realized it did not make a lot of sense. Take two.


When I got to the airport I meet up with 3 other AU kids and we took a cab to a hotel and arrived at 10ish. We could not check in until 2 so we had to walk around the city and grab lunch. I had mussels and fries. Wonderful. Something I guess I just forgot about Europe was the not tap water at restaurants and most of the time beer, wine, or soda just costs the same. 

While we did not eat here I had a little AUWRFC moment when I saw this restaurant. Which I will be returning to. 

We went back to the hotel after lunch and napped before meeting up for dinner-which ended up being at the same place as lunch. After that we walked around and watch the soccer game at a bar. And went to BED.

Saturday we toured of the Grand Place and we saw all of the old Guild halls and the Beer festival, people were lining up at 10AM, and it is a celebration of all the Belgian beers, which is WAY up in the 100s. During our tour the a copy of the Manneken Pis was being paraded around because they were going to change his costume. Because yesterday was the anniversary of the liberation of Belgium from Germany in WWII, the he was dress him up as a soldier. But I think they were going to change him into a beer tasters costume.

Did I mention that they hooked up the statue so that the statue peed beer?

At this point you may be saying "Kelsey, why do they have a statue of a little boy peeing?" Here is why: In 1142 there was a battle between two lords.  Back then battles were an event so the lords had brought there family to watch the battle.  One of the lords boy ran out into the battlefield and started to pee.  This was the so funny they made a statue about it.

After we metroed out to AUBC and got the "Don't do XYZ with your host family" speech. I have another AU student living with me so I am not awkward alone. And I am SUPER awkward with not knowing French very well. Also I have been woken up for meals twice already- dinner last night and lunch today(even though I was at breakfast at 9)- I just keep laying down to read and falling asleep.

Today we went to a castle about an hour away that my host mom's cousin owns. See photo.

It was built in the 13th Century as a fortress and converted into a home in the 15th Century. It was super cool with a large garden and we had a picnic with GREAT apple cider.

Orientations tomorrow!

Also these are wonderful: