Brussels, Belgium
7:50 pm, Saturday

I arrived at the Midi train station this afternoon around 5:30 pm. From there it was only a 20 minute walk to the flat I am renting. After I dropped off my stuff, I set out to try and grab groceries and some other essentials so I wouldn't have to on Sunday.

To be honest, I'm not quite sure what I was thinking going somewhere I don't speak the language. I feel kind of like I am on a mission again, only without a companion to have my back and explain confusing stuff. Strangely, it wasn't until I arrived that I realized this is really my first venture outside of the English-speaking world. I went to Ensenada, Mexico when I was a freshman in college, but I went with a group of friends, one of whom was actually from Mexico (and Texas, but long story). Apparently his translating and local expertise sort of rendered my "foreign experience" much less of one.

Belgium's official languages are French and Dutch. It's kind of funny to see everything in two languages. (Rather than just include both languages like most signs do, placemats in Pizza Hut just alternated--half were in French, half in Dutch.) It seems that many people understand English, but certainly not everybody, and even for many of those who do, speaking it is a different story. It is definitely up to me to learn French!