St. Nicholas

There are a lot of things here in Belgium that are so great, it’s a wonder why we don’t have them back home! Waffles for one… Waffles here are a million times better than those at IHOP or somewhere like that; and the State Fair “Belgian Waffles” cannot even compare to the ones here!

Trains…. Why don’t we have these? It takes way too long to drive all the way across Texas; it would be so much easier if we could just hop on a Train! I really like trains too; you meet some of the neatest people on them.

Speculoos….. These cookies are so yummy….. I feel like we have something like them back home, but nothing can compare to their awesomeness! They are by far the best cookie I have ever eaten!

Busses… Yet again why don’t we have these? I know very odd people can be found on them on a regular basis… but they are a lot more convenient then always driving everywhere! I would take sitting next to someone who is a tad creepy over searching for a parking spot and then searching for my car once done shopping. Plus I would much rather buy a bus pass over a tank of gas.

Snow… Texas needs to get with it! I miss the heat of Texas but snow is so pretty! We definitely need more of it!

Now, my new favorite holiday; St. Nicholas! St. Nicholas is celebrated on the 6^th of December. It’s not even the 6^th and I am in love with this holiday! The week or two before St. Nicholas all the High school and college kids celebrate. My school celebrated it Friday. The days before you get a white lab coat and find someone to draw a picture on the back. Most people got a cartoon character or something like that, I got a stick figure that was smiling and holding a Texas Flag. Then you take it to school and pass it around like a yearbook and have everyone sign it! Come Friday, you come to school armed with flour and a mug in hand. You divide up and as a “senior class” guard all entrances of the school. Anyone who tries to get into the school is at risk of getting flour thrown at them. The only way to avoid this is by bringing a TON of change and dropping coins in everyone’s mug. Little kids about 5^th grade and under are fine, but everyone else better have coins to give or they will be floured from head to toe! The “Rhetos” or “seniors” will line up outside the buses waiting for all the kids to exit, same for cars that are dropping off kids. After school start and people stop trickling in everyone kind of splits up. Some people go to the grocery store, others to the hospital and there you continue to beg for money! At about 2 everyone heads into town and spends their money however they may choose. People get as much as 40 bucks!!

That’s only the start of it too! Then you celebrate it with your family, like Christmas you go to grandparents and have a dinner and enjoy each other’s company. This past Saturday I was invited to a Rotarians house for their St. Nicholas celebration. It was so sweet of him to have invited me and the other exchange student! It was his family celebration and was very nice! It felt just like home!! Then that evening had another celebration with my host mom’s family. Starting on the 1^st of December “St. Nicholas” also puts little presents in your slippers if you leave them out at the base of the stairs! When I find out what happens on the 6^th I’ll be sure to post about it. 4 days before this holiday I am already in love with it! We definitely need this one in Texas!