Settling in.

I thought that I made the biggest traveler's mistake ever yesterday... I fell asleep as soon as I found a bed. It actually worked out wonderfully though! In the past, I have always stayed up for the entire day after an overnight flight to AVOID jet lag. This usually brings on the day from Hell... as I try to take in sights and can't even focus on what I'm looking at. But after arriving at 9am yesterday morning, I decided I was going to try something different. 

But I will get back to that. After arriving at the Brussels' airport, I think we spent about 20 minutes trying to figure out the dinosaur payphone and get through to someone to come and pick us up. After calling all the numbers they gave us several times, we (the intern that I met up with in Chicago and I) finally got through! We were picked up shortly after by Lucas, the owner of the B&B that we are staying at in Zaventem, and he gave us a nice little tour of the town and then brought us to our rooms.

I went to sleep as soon as I arrived at my room... because the bed just looked so inviting. I took a good 4 hour nap. Then I ate some dinner and grabbed some fries and beer with my roommates. We ended up staying up until about midnight, then I made the best decision of the trip so far. I took some NyQuil and then slept like a baby for 8 hours! I woke up refreshed at 8:30am and think that I am pretty much on track! (I say that now, probably because I just had 3 cups of coffee... each with an extra shot of espresso.) I did already get in trouble for trying to bring my coffee into my room. OOPS. 

We have had a lot of free time so far, giving us time to chat and get to know others as they arrive. I love being able to talk to people that have lived all over the world. Today, on the way back from exploring the town, I had a nice chat with a woman who is great friends with my uncle and aunt, and got to hear stories about their many, many years in Japan together! Over lunch I chatted with a guy who has lived in Berlin for the past 15 years. It is amazing to have so many people, who have been living in all sorts of different cultures, come together to one place for an entire month.

I am so proud of myself right now, and I think Julia will be proud of me too. Here is a list of the places I already know my way to:

1. The Bar
2. The train station
3. The kebab place
4. The coffee place

So yeah, I am basically set.