I gave in.

Today, I gave in. Yes, I am following the crowd, I've given up. I need to make a blog.
At this point in time, I have already had my first experiences.
I've bought my first waffle.
I've tried my first beer.
I've eaten my first piece of chocolate.
Life in Belgium is nothing like I expected. I love it here. I can honestly say that I am truly and sincerely happy here. I love school. I love my host family. I love my friends. I love the scenery. Okay, okay, I'm not crazy about the weather, but it honestly makes everything look beautiful, so I can't complain.
As many people have already been told, my life here is like a dream. I am truly Alice in Wonderland... Talia in Belgium. My home and my life in America seem ages away from me now. I'm not homesick, I am not nostalgic, because my life now is here. I am living the Belgian life. I am going to a Belgian school, I am eating Belgian meals, I am hanging out with Belgian friends, and I am loving every minute of it.
My strategy before I left was to live in the moment. And I am truly living in the moment to the fullest possible extent. Please, don't get me wrong. I miss everyone back home like crazy. But, I'm not sad. I'm content. I'm happy with the way my life is going. This was my choice to be here, and I know that this is the most wonderful opportunity, and I am so grateful for everyone who has helped me get this far.

I have been in school now for five days. School is NOTHING like it was back home. The people are all very friendly (as much as I hate to admit it, yes, this mostly means the boys). I am lost all of the time, but I am enjoying myself. There are three other exchange students at my school. Two girls from America, and a boy from Mexico. For the first hour of every day I have French classes with a man named Pére Boly. He is a priest and his job at the school is basically to help out the exchange students. He is very nice, although not always diligent about focusing on teaching us French.  After that my day is a blur. In America, I would go to the same classes, in the same order, every day. Here, the classes change around. The classrooms change around. I could have history in one room today, but a different room tomorrow (not to mention, at a different time). Also, in America, they pass out a schedule to each individual student. Here, they hang them up on the walls and you have to figure out where you are supposed to be using a piece of paper (written in French) that in all honesty is ridiculously difficult to comprehend. But, regardless, I have made enough friends that I am able to find my way around well enough. The class are all, obviously, in French. I have found that every day I have spent here I am learning an obscene amount of French. When I left my vocabulary seriously consisted of "bonjour", "ça va?", "canard", and "fromage".  Now, I am able to have entire conversations with people, although a majority of the time I am playing charades for at least 40% of the time. But, as my favorite French expression can express for me "c'est pas grave" (for all of you who don't speak French, this basically translates into "it's not a big deal", and just ask my host family or anyone at school, I OVERLY ABUSE this phrase).

Today is a Wednesday, and thus, school gets out at noon. I cannot begin to explain to you how or why this occurs. But, regardless, I left school at noon. After school I went to a mine with Rotary. The picture attached is me pretending to drive a little cart at the mine (don't worry, I'm not breaking one of the four D's, it's just for pretend!).  I had a lot of fun. I originally thought that I would not bond with many of the other exchange students, but I could not have been more wrong. I have already made many great friends, and I always have a good time at the Rotary events.

Now, as much as I would like to update everyone on all of the amazing things I have already done, it is not possible. Especially tonight.  Just know that I am truly loving this experience :)  I will try to write as much as possible (without going overboard).

My final note is as follows. Please, do not judge me for my terrible vocabulary and inevitable grammar mishaps. I have found that speaking English is getting increasingly more difficult for me. Today in the car speaking with another exchange student from Rotary I used the word "unnormal". Yesterday in English class I forgot how to spell "sensible".  It is a dreadful thought. But, as my English is decreasing, my French is improving. I am loving every minute of my stay here, and I will write again soon!