Bienvenue a la Belgique

After an eight hour flight to London, a four hour layover in Heathrow airport (when Victoria found me and we chatted for a but) and the subsequent hour flight, I finally arrived to Brussels! I made my way though a crowed baggage claim and was able to retrieve my luggage sans probleme which is always a marvelous sign. Next, I acquired a taxi which took me to my hotel but before arriving I saw my first sites of the city in which I will be living for the next several months. Although there was plenty of traffic (even here they cannot avoid rush hour) I found the commute to be enjoyable as I took in the historic buildings and young and old walking along the streets to get to there destinations. Once at my hotel, I waited for Victoria and we made our way through the Grand Place and into a little restaurant with very affordable prices for dinner. Later I was able to contact the US and then bedtime!!!It was a good end to a very long day.
The next day, Victoria and I again ventured out into the Grand Place but had very little luck working the metro system and decided to wait for instruction by our professor. We had lunch and at 17:00 (or 5pm lol) met the rest of the EU in action enclave group. Brief orientation was followed by a typical Belgian dinner and then my first time at a bar....it was quite interesting. For although smoking is technically banned no one seems to pay any attention to this and the streets and bars were full of not only Belgians but tourists making there way to a good hang out place for the night.
The next morning bright and early we headed to the Grand Place yet again for an official tour by Professor Sheridan (pictures will be posted soon!) Perhaps the most famous thing we saw was the little peeing boy fountain. It was much fun. We later headed to the Universite Catholique de Louvain where AU Brussels Center is located and had our first orientation about our host families. It was here that I was informed that I would not be going home with my family right away because they are out of town but with Victoria and her host family. I am currently in Victoria's host family's house awaiting until 18:00 to meet my host family... once I arrive there I will post more.