50 Days Left in Europe

Hello Everyone!!

I hope you are all well--I'm not going to add so many pictures this time as you have likely already seen my most recent postings.

Since I last wrote--we have had the most incredible weather here in Brussels. It has dulled down a little bit but it's been in the high 60's and sunny all day long, I can't wait for this to be a constant. Below is a pictures of my massive & beautiful backyard that yes, has a pool. I have been hanging back here when I have some free daylight and playing with Joy my wonderful host dog.

 I've also done some more exploring in Brussels--visiting the L'Atomium Brussels and the King Baudouin Stadium (where the Belgian National football team plays --thats soccer fyi). It was a pretty gloomy day but it was fun and really incredible to see Brussels from so high up.

The next week we travelled to Den Haag, Netherlands to visit EUROJUST & the ICTY as well as a bit of sightseeing. It was a great experience to be there and the weather was incredible. Also--there was a beach, my friend Bethany and I didn't make it down there until night after we had a delicious dinner near the ocean & split a bottle of wine (it was heaven). 

After Den Haag it was a quick train ride to Amsterdam for the weekend where we explored beautiful botanical gardens, saw priceless and beautiful works of art, and watched the sun set on the canals. [also we all almost got hit by a bike/public transportation at least once]

This last week was a bundle of stress as we all studied away for Midterms and took two big tests last Thursday. Since then I have been relaxing/applying for internships/studying for our next big text/ and writing the internship paper we have due in a few weeks -- right before be leave for the Balkans. 

Tonight I will travel to Munich, Germany to visit old family friends from when I lived in Germany! I'm very excited to be re-united in Munich and can't wait to get there! It is going to be such an adventure and I'm beginning to realize how fast the next 50 days will go by. 

After this week in Munich (the weather is supposed to be amazing). I will return for a week that ends on a thursday with a midterm and a weekend that begins on a thursday night with a flight to Berlin. 

The next week will be filled with finishing the 10 page internship paper we need to write. And will end on a Thursday with a bus to the Balkans (destinations unknown except Bosnia & Serbia). 

We won't return to bxl until April 13 and then will have another week of classes before another week that ends on a thursday, with a long weekend in Paris with my dear friend Sonia who is studying in Denmark. 

After that it will be April 20 and a final weekend in Brussels before finals. My last day of my internship. And a flight to Frankfurt. 

Then back to the USA. 

I must say I have had my healthy amounts of homesickness and I am starting to really miss my friends & family state-side. However, I know now is not the time to dwell on this because I will see them soon. I have about 20 days left where I am actually in Bxl, the rest will be traveling, and I want to make the best of every moment because it is going to go by so so so fast. I love you all and am thinking about you constantly. Whether it is me laughing at cats roaming netherlands and how funny you would find it, or having the most delicious glass of wine and knowing you would adore it, or getting lost in a foreign country and knowing you would be just as lost as I am, or meeting new friends and wishing I could share them with you--I miss you all and can't wait to share with you all my stories. 

For now, my constant photos and social media updates will have to do. Bisous and Auf Wiedersehen for now! 

The Organized Chaos Begins

Hello all! 

Sorry it has been so long, I should really work on writing everyday or else it all jumbles together.

As you may have seen from my 300+ photos I have been traveling quite a bit! Two weeks ago we had our first trip out of Belgium with the program where we travelled to Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, then to Trier, Germany, then to Maastricht, Netherlands, and Bastogne+other Belgian cities in between.

In Luxembourg we had the immense pleasure of visiting the Court of Justice of the European Union, it was incredibly interesting visit in a beautiful building. Afterwards we attended an event with some Fulbright scholars who had converged in Luxembourg from all over Europe.

After COJ we did a lot of walking too around Luxembourg, truly beautiful city. Here is one of my favorite shots from a top of a citadel. 

In Trier I could barely pay attention to all of the history because I was SO excited to see my family that evening but it was an incredible day tour. We went all around town, had a brat and sauerkraut (of course), and traveled to a roman amphitheater & roman baths -- I took a lot of pictures but here are a few of my favorites. 

That evening in Trier I got to be with my Valentine early! Mr. Van (my beloved godson) and his most amazing parents, my godfather Carey and the wonderful Coco (who by the way is pregnant and looks hott)  took me out to dinner and spoiled me with valentines presents and just their love. I honestly couldn't have been happier to see them, before I even had the chance to get homesick ;). 

Being with them reminded me so much of how amazing of an adventure I am and also just reminded me how happy life is, seriously these three are some of the happiest people in the entire world and I'm so so so excited to see them loving it here! My trip to Frankfurt at the end of my program to see them is sure to be great--and who knows! Maybe I'll be there to witness the fab three turn into a fab four! 

We travelled next through Bastogne and sites memorializing WW2 specifically the battle of the bulge. I think my photos speak volumes more than I can about how it felt to be there and honor my grandfather who was part of the 101st airborne. 

And if you thought I was getting de-sensitized to how incredible all these places are you're so wrong because I'm absolutely in love with the next place we went. Maastricht, Netherlands. Not only is it an incredible city with beautiful sights, there are caves (yes they were awesome and had bats). I made a few friends there and had an incredible time exploring the city. Hopefully I will go back soon! 

After this trip we spent the day traveling back to Brussels and stopping at a few places along the way I will never forget. Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery in Henri-Chapelle, Belgium as well as the remember museum. I have yet to put these photos up on facebook so here's some teasers. 

This concluded our trip and upon returning to Brussels I slept very very much.

Aside from this classes have been great, we've had two tests so far and I'm doing well (knock-on wood), really enjoying all of my studies and becoming even more interested in European political dynamics. My internship in incredible as well, although I was sick last week I'm bouncing back and loving doing photography/writing/everything in between for them, also the cafe in our building is excellent. Here's a link to one of the pieces I wrote up/the photo I took. Click here!

This weekend I left the schengen area! Don't get me wrong I loved the benelux trip but it was great to travel to the land of english (english english), fish & chips, pints, and incredible history. Not to mention where a few of my great friends are studying & my godmother lived. I had the most incredible time and it was freakishly sunny so THANK YOU London and especially Alex Citron for taking me to the most INCREDIBLE lunch on the 32nd floor and Kim Vidal for hosting me & cuddling & showing me everywhere. 

Oh and, I'm still so incredibly happy. I miss my family so much, and my friends, and I feel it. But I love it here, love love love it. I wish I could share moments with you all, but I wouldn't trade this for the world. Thank you again to everyone who got me here--seriously, so blessed and I don't let a day go by without reminding myself of this. 

Looking forward: spending the weekend in Brussels! Hopefully will get to do a bit more of sightseeing and pretending I actually live in the city I do instead of traveling constantly and will finally get to do some running. Then next week we will be traveling to the Hauge/Amsterdam. Hope all of you reading this are just as happy as I am, and if you aren't message me and I will cheer you up because I likely love you more than you could possibly know :) Have a great week -- until next time. 

I don't know where this journey will end, but I know where it starts.

Brussels, I love you.

It happened so fast, at first lust, infatuation, and desire: being here has lived up to every expectation. Every little corned, street, area I explore, I'm absolutely fascinated and adore every second I am here. I already know I'll be heartbroken to leave.

What is most surprising to me is how happy I am. So happy. I can't emphasize this enough. You know when you start feeling like you're just trudging through life, watching yourself from a birds-eye view, going through the motions? Yea, that.... but the exact opposite. It was like as soon as I got here everything just warped into this entirely illuminated and spectacular world. Yes I know what you're thinking--this is because you're visiting, your traveling, it's your first time there it's different. It's temporary. You are so very correct. But who cares? I am enjoying my time so much, and I think that's how it should be right? You should just say yes, and feel awkward and uncomfortable and most importantly oblivious, that's all part of the adventure.

I say this now, because I'm not quite sure where I'll be the next time I write, but the next few months are going to be insane. If I'm bad at communicating--this is your warning. It's going to go by so fast so I'm trying by best to take a deep breath and enjoy while I can.

In case your wondering what the next months will hold here's a rough draft (my personal travel plans pending).

In this order Leuven, Antwerp, Ghent, Maastricht,Trier, Luxembourg, London, Paris, The Haage [Netherlands], Amsterdam, Berlin, The Balkans [really, I don't even know exactly where], Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Munich, Frankfurt.

So the middle of all that is a bit muddled and deeply optimistic... I should probably try to figure out how to work Dublin in there. Or Paris twice. I also probably missed a few, so don't think I'm a liar when I start blogging from somewhere in Poland or something. But like the title says, I'm not quite sure where this journey will end but I know where it will start (here in Brussels). I guess I lied again though because my flight is out of Frankfurt to go back to the states, so I do know where it ends... literally. I guess what I'm saying I don't know where I will be mentally/emotionally by the end of all of this. I really just wish it didn't have to end. Although I miss so much from home. I have a strange feeling this is just the beginning of something.

Any issues with the next many years of my life consisting of spontaneous travel and an AWOL Victoria please defer to my mom because she started it. Who knows maybe I can join her on her next adventure.

Back to the point. My friends here are brilliant. Truly, each and every person on the program is so unique and intellectual, interesting, and dynamic in their own way. They all have such passion and personalities, it's so nice to be able to have people here who understand exactly what you are feeling. Shout out to the little blonde you've likely been seeing in my pictures, Bethany, who's not only stunning but so incredibly kind, she is definitely my partner in crime, also we're dating. Yes I know it's less of an "immersion" but it's perfect. And, I'm learning so much, our classes are going full speed ahead (AKA two hour econ lectures that I'm having to re-read over and over) and I truly did not expect to be this invested and interested in the political workings of the EU... Council, Commission, Parliament, and wait for it LAW. That was for you Alex, incase you couldn't tell. <3

Food update, I love beer. But really it's great. I'm teasing. Am I? My host family cooks the most incredible food for me I don't even know how to describe it--it's just the best food always. I have been so welcomed here and am so happy to be here.

So, thank you for taking the time to read me rant, if you've gotten this far you likely love me and are a wonderful individual and I'm likely missing you right now. I will try to post again soon. So much love from Brussels.

I leave you off with a photo of the quite and delightful commune (that really just means area) I like in called Wezembeek. It's quite charming. Bisous

My First Week In Belgium

First of all, I added a musical background for those of you who are fans of understanding thoughts/feelings with music (aka me) Feeling Good-Muse

Although it has only been one week, Belgium already feels like home. Between understanding public transportation, trying the greatest foods/wines/beers, understanding the politics and history, and falling asleep at night in the beautiful home of my host family I have found so much happiness in this experience.

For those of you Brussels Program Alumni wanting to know more logistical stuff--so far I have explored a bit in Grand Place, Wezembeek area, Shuman area, and I've gotten lost more times than I'd actually like to share. True story I have't cried yet. That's good right?

Today I found out I will be interning with the Communications team at The Friends of The Earth Europe (https://www.facebook.com/FoEEurope). The two women I interviewed with were so absolutely incredible, kind, warm, british, and passionate... I honestly couldn't have wished for a better opportunity to fall into my lap. Also, it looks like this internship will let me use my photography skills--photos to come!

School is great, another shout out to all of the Brussels Program alums who sang praises to my newest professor & director of the program "Jerry", he is SO incredibly smart and motivated for us to learn and to give us the best experience. He has so much patience and understanding but is all about efficiency and getting as much as we can out of our time here.

My host family is wonderful as well, thank you thank you thank you to Kristen, Courtney, and my lovebug Kelly for recommending them to me. I have my own room, cozy bed, desk, and SO MUCH closet space (it's being well used).

In unrelated news I have found a way to watch hulu/netflix and am avidly keeping up on Parks and Rec and soon House of Cards. I miss the States a lot, but a lot less than I anticipated. My friends, my sister, my mom, my family, MY CAT, my berks apartment, DC, California, oh and THE SUN. But honestly it's great. I don't think I've ever felt so blessed. Yes, it is different, yes it can be frustrating but on the same token this is not "overcoming adversity" by any means, this is embracing opportunity and saying yes (within reason), because I realize how beyond privileged to be here in Brussels, preparing to travel and exploring a beautiful city rich in history AND getting more education. Mom. THANK YOU. I know I wouldn't be here without you.

It's been one week, but it already feels like home. I know already I will be back after this journey ends. The people I've met and the happiness I feel is not only re-assuring but enlightening. And to quote Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse "It's a new dawn, It's a new day, It's a new life, for me, and I'm feeling good."

Bisous.

Pre-Departure

As I prepare for my adventures abroad, I have taken a lot of time to reflect on what has gotten me to the place I am today. A daughter, a sister, a friend, a junior student at American University, a former intern in DC, NYC, and CA, and a photographer. While college has put my love of photography on hold as I pursue a degree in International Studies I am reminded of my love and passion for stills of everyday life. As I look forward to the travel and adventure that will take place during my time in Europe, I am quietly anticipating re-kindling my relationship with landscape photography.

Much of this last year was spent stressed, missing my family back home, worrying about my financial behavior and, finding a more mature balance to my life. Finding balance was quickly offset by the drastic change that is finals week in DC and winter break in S. California. While personal space and boundaries disappeared and we quickly got on all of each others nerves, looking for "space", I've realized that I won't be feeling this way for a very long time. In this next adventure I will be unfamiliar and uncomfortable, even if just at first, that kind of adjustment is disconnecting.

For this reason, I have decided to begin a blog. Now--hear me out, I am entirely prepared for this to only be read by my Mom, Sister, Dad, Grandma, Great Grandma, Uncles, Aunt, Grandpa, and the wold bunch of my family, perhaps some of my friends in the Professional Foreign Service sorority I'm part of, a few former professors, and so on.

So--If you're some unknown internet surfer looking for something to read--this is going to be a lot of sarcasm, a lot of cat references, a lot of #change, and photography of Europe.

I leave to go back to the east coast in 8 days, to Brussels in 14 days, and turn 21 in 16 days. It is going to be the adventure of a life-time, and while I'm sure there will be ups and downs, bear with me as I will be missing you all dearly while I am away.