The Adventures of Chris and Ed

The last few days have been a whirlwind. Since my last post, we (Mike, Julie, and myself) have successfully… Slept in a McDonald’s booth at the Dublin airport. Still cannot get over the fact that they have curly fries and donuts. Waited ten hours for our flight to Chicago, and thanked God for the Dublin … More XIII. Speaking Without Language

This blog continued from XI. To Bruges and Back (Part I), which you can read here. “No, no—” she began as I began to calculate my escape route from the impending awkwardness, “I mean, no, that’s not strange. Yes, you can join me for the day.” WHEW… She smiled before continuing to explain, her hand … More XII. To Bruges and Back (Part II)

When I awoke the next morning, I had two goals. The first was to soak up as much Belgian culture as I could in (roughly) fifteen hours. It was my last day in the country, and I wanted to make it count. The second was to find my way to Bruges. If you are unfamiliar … More XI. To Bruges and Back (Part I)

My final day at Kasteel van Velm has come and gone. On Wednesday afternoon, following our bread-and-beer lunch, Alec drove me to the train station in Landen with Elia and Sandra in the back seat. “You want ze girls to join us for your goodbye?” he asked before we left, switching into a feminine voice … More X. Harry Potter and the Belgian Qwaffles

It is Day 21 here in Belgium. If days were years, and I was born on my departure, I would legally be allowed to drink this afternoon. Granted, this is Europe, and I am fairly certain that babies drink beer straight from the breast here, so…yeah. Anyways…hello, friend/family member/stranger! This blog post comes at you … More IX. The Turkish Coiffure

The past couple of days have been (much like my stomach for the past 18 days) FULL. Full of community. Full of French friendship (aka, French-ship). Full of good food, boxed wine, and beautiful weather. Last year, while writing the blog in Ireland, it was easy to keep up with the days because each set of 24-hours was … More VIII. Lessons in French-ship

Before we can talk about yesterday, it is important that we first introduce a character to this blog—a new face that has joined the community at Kasteel van Velm. A few days back, Diane mentioned to me that in the middle of May, we would have a few university-level students living at the school. She … More VII. The Pride of Belgium

Waking up to the sound of cows in the distance, I imagined that they were all wishing me a “Happy Birthday”. Fun fact about cows: the word “moo” is not very onomatopoetic. You do get the occasional “moo”-sounding “moo”, but most of the time? It sounds like a dinosaur struggling through a painful bowel movement. … More VI. Cow-nting My Blessings

The table was set for one. Considering this is the George Washington of tables, it could only mean one thing—I was going to be eating alone. And I was excited. Don’t get me wrong; I have loved my French-Belgian-Dutch meals…full of linguistic conversation, the occasional English explanation, loud news broadcasts, and Guando’s deep-and-terrifying barking. It … More V. Belgian Birthday Buddies