Its a Small, Small World

I'm enjoying my language class. While its very satisfying to finally learn some Dutch, I'm mostly enjoying meeting people. If you ever want to have an experience that will have you humming the tune to Its a Small World, take a language class in a foreign country. Its amazing to be on equal footing with people from Poland, Russia, Morocco, the Congo, Armenia, the Philippines, India.... We have a hell of a time pronouncing one another's names, but there is something comforting in the fact that it is just as difficult for that guy from Nepal to pronounce the "oo" sound as it is for me!

Today before class, I had an actual honest to goodness conversation in Dutch with a woman I met in the lobby. She was from Russia, and she was looking for help with her French homework. I told her I was in the Level 1 Nederlands class, and she forgave my lack of insight into French verbs and we chatted for a good ten minutes until both my Dutch and her English had been exhausted. It was more satisfying than a gold star from the teacher. After all, my pronunciation may not be perfect, but I had an actual real life conversation and I was understood! Hallelujah!

During the break from class today, I was chatting with some female classmates in a blend of Dutch and English. A new friend, a young woman from the Phillippines, suddenly looked around our small group and said, "This is amazing. We have the Philippines, Poland, Russia, and America right here in this circle!" After class I met two other classmates at the bus stop, and we chatted our way through the bus trip. I spoke a blend of English and Dutch, another woman spoke a blend of French, Dutch, and Arabic, and the third had the unenviable role of translating between the English and the Arabic. All of these nationalities and all of these languages in such a small place is truly amazing, but what is most interesting is WHAT we choose to talk about. We've all travelled far and wide to arrive here at this place at this time... and we talk mostly about our children and our families. No matter what the word is in your native tongue - mother, moeder, matka, ina.... a mama is a mama is a mama.

Ik Heet Heather, Ik Kom Uit America!

My first language class went well! I didn't get lost, I didn't miss my bus stop, I found the classroom, and I even made two new friends! I learned a lot, but I'll need to study study study to make sure it really sticks! I was relieved to discover I know a lot more than I realized, but I'm definitely in the right class!

Luna's first day didn't go quite so well. She was excited to arrive there, she took her notebook to her teacher and started to play with the other kids. And then I gave her a kiss and hug, said goodbye, and told her I'd be back later. She went from happy to hysterical in about two seconds. The teacher scooped her up for cuddles as I left, but I could literally hear her screaming from outside the building! And it was the HORRIBLE kind of screaming, she sounded like she was in pain! I cried all the way to the train station, it was horrible.

I called when I got to Leuven, and they told me she had settled down eventually once they gave her LaLa (the stuffed lobster), but that she was having a rough time with lunch as well. She ate next to nothing, and cried during the meal. After lunch was nap time, and when I called after that, they told me she had cried for awhile and then got MAD, but eventually fell asleep and slept for an hour and a half (miracle of miracles, that!).

She apparently woke up happy, and played in the afternoon. She ate three half sandwiches, some pears, and some platte kaas (kinda somewhere between yogurt and sour cream) at snack time, they were amazed, lol. The afternoon was going well, but then she fell and banged her lip. Its all swollen and bloody and bruised, it looks awful! Naturally, she got very upset after that, too. When we picked her up, she was playing with the other kids but still clinging to LaLa. She was so happy to see us, but she wanted to leave IMMEDIATELY, lol. She got very upset with us for taking the time to talk to the teachers.

It's been a long day. I'm glad we have two days at home together before we do this again!