Remember me when you're the one who's silver screened

Amidst all of my election ruckus, I have been complacent in relation to my partner in life...

Tomorrow, he begins his end of year exams. I have absolutely all faith in him - I have witnessed him the past 16 weeks (the last 5 with serious blocking) learning, testing theories out on me, me yelling at him to quit the psycho babble and him poking his tongue out and blowing (as do all mature adults). He begins tomorrow with Onderzoek Methoden en Technieken (research methods and techniques), followed by Gezondheids (health) Psychology on Thursday. More updates in the following weeks.

Lots of pressure lies on these exams - as, unlike Australia, most exams here weigh 100% of the total mark - he does have two subjects where the exam only weighs 75%. AND - most seriously warped of all - like the Wespac Maths Competition at home, you lose marks for guessing. I still have horrible memories of partaking in the maths comp in Grade 8, answering all questions (naturally, many of which were a random 'havent-had-a-B-answer-in-a-while' guess) only learning later that we lost points for errors. BUT that wasnt part of a uni degree! Still, I know he has studied everything so much harder than I ever did. I particularly enjoy his mad professor study stance. He will kill me for writing this, but while studying, he closes himself up in the study, holds his notes in one hand, has his head tilted to one side, and paces (approx 5 steps) up and down the room while reciting his notes aloud. The sweetest part is that his other hand usually aids in diagrams/explanations/expressionism. Oh, and since he wears braces, he really looks the part!

So, before you kill me, all the best tomorrow, and for the following 2,5 weeks. I know you will be fine and I am so proud that you have almost finished your first year.

I love you

Election results pending...

Federal Election Results

P.S. totally unrelated to the elections... I have no idea as to what is being shown on television in Australia, but a few weeks back, I stumbled across one of those teen-drama style shows (yes, embarassingly similar to Dawsons Creek) which is shown daily and a good wind-down from work.

BUT

It happens to have one of the most awesome soundtracks I have ever stumbled across... So I have become addicted to the program, just to hear what music will be playing! I heard Missy Higgins on their a few weeks ago, and last week, Jose Gonzalez and the Shins! Most groups are relatively independant and alternative but there is nothing I have heard from the 'poppy' style (except a group or two). For fear of being labelled, I have chosen not to mention the name of the show, but will keep watching, and enjoying the music!

PPS. - You will be dealing with a grumpy girl tomorrow... It looks as though the Christian Democrats will have the next prime minister in Belgium - better than the 'Flemish Importance' party, but similar to the Libs of Oz. The country I fell in love with has taken a nasty turn in the wrong direction, and the chances of an even greater division between Flanders and Wallonia have increased (despite the new guy having the most french name of all: Yves Leterme!) Why a country boasting (erhmm...) a size of 30,528 sq.km (c.f. Australia: 7,741,220) would like to be even smaller baffles me!

PPPS - Congratulations to Justine - a strong asset to Belgium (even if she is from the wrong bit!)

You were in the dark, you were in the pain

Countdown has seriously started for our flights back home... 4 weeks and 4 days and we will be making that oh-so-familiar trip home... probably downing a cocktail or two hoping to shorten the journey by a few sets of 40 winks!

Another addition to our group of friends occurred this week: Annemie and Hans (landlords/work colleague/friend of Tom's since he was in highschool) have had their first child, Lisa. So many a 'suikerboon' was eaten and enjoyed - and maybe they will even be home for the election on Sunday - probably won't be a repeat performance of the elections from last year (if you remember, ended up with me and tom drowning our hallway with our stomach contents...)

I am not sure if I ever mentioned the suikerbonen tradition yet...

Not that the mother has enough to worry about... but when a child is born, it is tradition to hand out little packages of suikerbonen (translation = sugar bean - sugar coated chocolate) to all visitors, family, work etc. BUT - the colours are very important (they must match the geboortenkaart/birthcard), along with the design of the packages they come in! It can be seen as 'stingey' if you only give white suikerbonen in a cheap-arse basket...

My first experience with the suikerbonen came when I had first started working in Belgium. When I first started, I replaced one of the girls (Inge) on maternity leave (incidently, she has already had her 2nd...) and shortly after she gave birth, a lovely little wooden box was delivered to work with the name and birth date of her son burned into it, and it was filled with black and white sugar beans. BUT - they look remarkably like pebbles (especially when they are neutral colours!) so I thought it was slightly odd, but took one and put it in my bag to take home. LUCKY nobody saw me do this, because I later found out they were to eat (after I had informed everyone that the little pebbles from Inge had arrived...)

I need to learn to write down all of the subtle cultural differences before I forget them though, otherwise they blend into day to day life and I don't want to forget them!

P.S. - Big elections this weekend - if you are at all politically minded, and at all interested in a more-than-two-party-preferred system...click here!