Back to the Real World....

The Canaries were gorgeous; the sun felt amazing, and our trip out of the cold couldn't have gone any better. Its back to business as usual in Belgium with new classes starting this week and snow falling as I type this.

We arrived at Charleroi Sud (our airport) yesterday evening and made our way back through the metro system to our house in Koelelburg, Belgium. Comparative to the Canary's tropical climate, the bitter winter winds of Belgium were hardly welcomed.

As far as all our travels have gone, we did the least in the Canaries, which is exactly what I wanted. I remember being younger and not understanding why parents wanted to just lay on the beach and read or sleep. I always wanted to do something and easily got bored just 'lounging around'. This was different. For once I understood the whole ideal of just laying around. I spent two days sleeping, laying in the sun, and reading books. I did no sight seeing (unless it was in front of my towel on the ocean), I did little exploring (unless it included ritual morning jog down the beach), and I was in no way productive. I loved it and I would go back in a heart beat.

Back in Holland, we met a group of American students who were likewise studying abroad and took a weekend trip to the Netherlands. They were our neighbors in the hostel and we hung out a bit as we meandered around the city. We parted ways at the end of the week and I personally did not give it much more thought. However, on our second day in the Canaries, who came trudging by the pool yard, luggage in tow? Yep, the same American girls from the Netherlands. It was a pretty wild coincident and we again ended up hanging out with some fellow English speaking, American students (which is always a relief from trying to communicate in another language). This was their 'spring break' and they ended up staying a few days after we left but we definitely enjoyed having them around.

I knew I had gotten some sun on the beach but ultimately did not feel like it would amount to much considering how pale I was when I arrived. However, upon entering CUBC today and seeing how pale the rest of my class mates were, we immediately realized we were in fact far better off than previously thought. Our comrades looked on with jealousy because we, unlike them, had color in our skin.

Academically, my semester abroad is divided into quarters. I finished my first set of classes last week and this week I start Finance, Law, and Management. I'm especially looking forward to Law and Finance as I know very little definitive information in either of these areas and am always looking for ways to expand my real life education. I feel confident I will do well them.

We're headed to Dublin following class this Thursday evening to catch the start of the Saint Patrick's festival in Ireland. I'm excited about the trip but more on that later this week once I'm actually there.

Time for a jog...in the snow...not on the beach.

All good; all the time,

Thomas