Monday, October 16, 2006
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Ma kik aa is deur den bek sleuren?
What a load of gibberish 'right?! Just a simple line to demonstrate the hassles one goes through in this land! A country of 10 million (of which not all are Flemish speaking...) and a gazillion dialects to go along with this! The sentence I have used as a title is written how it is said (for example, an aussie saying that they are 'strayan') and should be said
Mag ik u eens door de mond kussen?
See my dilemma. For those of you who dont know what it means, go to www.freetranslation.com (my internet bible...) and don't forget the question mark! It translates quite literally, but you will get the meaning. However, the problem here is that nobody (except newsreaders, and not all of them at that) speak the clean language, so I am constantly learning from the Antwerp language. Have managed to put my finger in it a few times though when I introduced myself to Tom's step-grandmother (we will call her Rosa for comfort sake) as Tom zijn wijf (in antwerp language, this is Tom, his woman - in east flanders language, it is Tom's Bitch) - had a little uncomfortable laughter in front of a group of old people.
Apart from language learning, have been relatively settled the past few weeks: election results, Socialists are once again in control in antwerp, although the celebrating was ruined when both tom and I decided to throw up everything we had eaten and paint the walls in the meanwhile. Not our finest moments..., Leaves are beginning to fall off trees, and the winter-depression is setting in. It is a condition which has only come so prominently to my attention since living here, and for the first time, am beginning to feel it. Apparently, autumn has a high rate of suicides, and deaths in general (along with an overall feeling of melancholy). Quite a horrible feeling actually - but just another minor obstacle I guess!
Have decided to play with my side-bar a little today - found a funny little clip of Borat from the European MTV awards last year (one of the funniest presentations I have ever seen - consequently he has been banned from hosting anything again, I say bring on more Borat!). Hope it is enjoyed....
Mag ik u eens door de mond kussen?
See my dilemma. For those of you who dont know what it means, go to www.freetranslation.com (my internet bible...) and don't forget the question mark! It translates quite literally, but you will get the meaning. However, the problem here is that nobody (except newsreaders, and not all of them at that) speak the clean language, so I am constantly learning from the Antwerp language. Have managed to put my finger in it a few times though when I introduced myself to Tom's step-grandmother (we will call her Rosa for comfort sake) as Tom zijn wijf (in antwerp language, this is Tom, his woman - in east flanders language, it is Tom's Bitch) - had a little uncomfortable laughter in front of a group of old people.
Apart from language learning, have been relatively settled the past few weeks: election results, Socialists are once again in control in antwerp, although the celebrating was ruined when both tom and I decided to throw up everything we had eaten and paint the walls in the meanwhile. Not our finest moments..., Leaves are beginning to fall off trees, and the winter-depression is setting in. It is a condition which has only come so prominently to my attention since living here, and for the first time, am beginning to feel it. Apparently, autumn has a high rate of suicides, and deaths in general (along with an overall feeling of melancholy). Quite a horrible feeling actually - but just another minor obstacle I guess!
Have decided to play with my side-bar a little today - found a funny little clip of Borat from the European MTV awards last year (one of the funniest presentations I have ever seen - consequently he has been banned from hosting anything again, I say bring on more Borat!). Hope it is enjoyed....
Friday, October 06, 2006
Is er leven op Pluto? Kun je dansen op de maan
Been a while between posts - would love to brag about being busy, but in actual fact, have fallen into the rhythm of the autumn. I have mixed feelings about the weather at the moment - while I ride to work, I cant help humming along to the old favourite Simon and Garfunkel song looking around, seeing that the leaves are becoming brown, and noticing that it is becoming a hazy shade of winter, however, when I come home, am completely buggered! The entire week has had gusts up to 70kph (not much if you're from the coast, but awfully strong when you are used to 5kph winds!) Today I actually looked down while riding, and had the impression that if I walked with my bike in hand, I would probably be going faster! Somehow I managed to miss riding with the wind behind me all week! Must have done something bad to deserve this sort of karma!
Anyhoo...
Last weekend was the first of October which meant a couple of things in this baby little country: 1) One week exactly before provincial and local elections (quite a different system to oz, but am absolutely loving learning about the politics - a bit different to a few years ago when I couldnt stand the subject...) and 2) a fantastic reason to put on a free anti-racism concert to support the greens and socialists (instead of the increasingly popular fascist party... one which actually has a policy which requires women to stay at home while men work... and I thought Belgians were smart...).
So being the socialites we think we are, we took a trip into Antwerp, (along with many a thousand - all the big names of Belgian groups were there - those of you who know a little underground music may have heard of dEUS, Hooverphonic, Axelle Red, but hopefully not Clouseau). It was set-up in how I imagine the G8 concerts were last year, with one slightly painful setback. Unbelievable stormy weather. BUT for the first time in my entire life, I was prepared. We had 2 brollies, a rain jacket, and I even had rain pants (a new addition to the wardrobe - necessary for the bike), but non-waterproof shoes. Oh well. But, it then started hailing - first time I have seen it so large in Belgium! And to make it funnier, the hail was shaped like mini-spears, so it actually hurt a little more!
Concert was great, ending in a song as meaningful to the Belgians as Waltzing Matilda is to us (hense the lyrics in the title) - appropriately named België. My momento for the evening is two hideous bruises under my bum from when I tried to jump a fence which was a little too high for my disproportionally short legs - so I was stuck on the top (which unfortunately was not flat).
Elections this weekend, and am so pissed that I can't vote, but have plans to go board-gaming with friends after the voting is over, so am looking forward to some Catan Adventures!
Anyhoo...
Last weekend was the first of October which meant a couple of things in this baby little country: 1) One week exactly before provincial and local elections (quite a different system to oz, but am absolutely loving learning about the politics - a bit different to a few years ago when I couldnt stand the subject...) and 2) a fantastic reason to put on a free anti-racism concert to support the greens and socialists (instead of the increasingly popular fascist party... one which actually has a policy which requires women to stay at home while men work... and I thought Belgians were smart...).
So being the socialites we think we are, we took a trip into Antwerp, (along with many a thousand - all the big names of Belgian groups were there - those of you who know a little underground music may have heard of dEUS, Hooverphonic, Axelle Red, but hopefully not Clouseau). It was set-up in how I imagine the G8 concerts were last year, with one slightly painful setback. Unbelievable stormy weather. BUT for the first time in my entire life, I was prepared. We had 2 brollies, a rain jacket, and I even had rain pants (a new addition to the wardrobe - necessary for the bike), but non-waterproof shoes. Oh well. But, it then started hailing - first time I have seen it so large in Belgium! And to make it funnier, the hail was shaped like mini-spears, so it actually hurt a little more!
Concert was great, ending in a song as meaningful to the Belgians as Waltzing Matilda is to us (hense the lyrics in the title) - appropriately named België. My momento for the evening is two hideous bruises under my bum from when I tried to jump a fence which was a little too high for my disproportionally short legs - so I was stuck on the top (which unfortunately was not flat).
Elections this weekend, and am so pissed that I can't vote, but have plans to go board-gaming with friends after the voting is over, so am looking forward to some Catan Adventures!
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