Byrd Week in Review (of Sorts)

Thank you to all who have sent sweet notes to us, encouraging us on, commiserating with us, and offering to send us food from home. As some of you have found out, it's EXORBITANTLY expensive to send a package quickly. Plus, I found that we have to pay a customs tax (or something) on it when it arrives (it's not much, but it seems silly to have to pay and pay and pay for a box of treats!) I discovered this week that boxes are delivered by the TaxiPost company (not the mailman, who rides his bike), and if you're not home, they'll send you a letter (in French and Dutch) asking you to come pick it up or call for a redelivery date. And you think the cable company is bad -- I was given the hours of "between 9 am and 7 pm" for a redelivery.

Amelia
Amelia is definitely picking up on them speaking differently here. She's making up "definitions" of words. Just now, we were talking about going to today's market to pick up new tulips. She said that she would point to the ones she wanted. Then she said "hine -- that means point to the flowers you want." It's very cute. She's made up lots of new words and definitions, but she doesn't remember them. She's occasionally said "merci" and will try to repeat some of the french words. Yesterday, we saw a My Little Pony video in the grocery store, and she kept repeating "Mon Petit Poney" (which is what it read on the video).

She also learned how to write her name this week, and she also wrote Mom. Hooray!



She had a terrible choking incident last week with a banana -- I can hardly bear to write about it. She couldn't breathe or cough or anything. I'm trying to Heimlich her while trying to dial the emergency number. She finally coughed it out and immediately forgot about the whole incident. I was fine until that night and then couldn't sleep. I ended up sleeping at the foot of her bed just to make myself calm. So she and Jack are getting the same bite-sized pieces!! :)

Banking in Brussels
Did you know they don't use checks in Brussels? It's all electronic. So you use your debit card for just about everything. It has a little chip on it, so you stick the short end of the card into the reader and enter your PIN. And you don't automatically get statements from the bank -- you have to go online to do it or can go to the bank, where they have 10 little kiosks in the lobby where you sit down and get information on your account. I'm a little skeptical (I like my paper statements), but we'll see how it goes. Paying bills is also electronic -- instead of sending checks, you'll fill out electronic transfer forms at the bottom of your bill and send that in. I still haven't figured that out yet.

Also not figured out yet is the Proton card, which is part of your debit card. But for the Proton side of it, it's more like a gift card. You load a set amount of money on it (say, 50 euros), and you'll use that to pay at places that don't accept your debit card or if you want to pay for a little something at the bakery without cash.

We just got a credit card too, which is different. Again, you insert it with the short end and have to enter a pin. It's not very widely used, which is unusual, and there are no rewards cards. Also, your bill is automatically deducted -- in full -- from your checking account each month. Quite different than home!!

Now Accepting Visitors
Our furniture was delivered today, and we're overwhelmed with boxes. Everything seems to have made it, but we have a lot of unpacking to do. I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight!

For those of you planning your trips well in advance, I can't wait to see the flower carpet in the Grand Place in August 2008. Here are some links for you all to look at:

http://www.worldeventsguide.com/event.ehtml?o=758
http://www.flowercarpet.be/fraccu.htm

It appears that they do this every two years, but I'll have to research more. It looks amazing! (Madelyn -- I'm sure you'll love this especially!!)

Link to map showing about where we live -- this map (should) show about where Ste. Alix (our town square) is in Brussels. Just north, you'll see my walk to Stockel Square, and you should be able to scan out even further and see where we are in relation to the city of Brussels proper.

Other Oddities

• They charge you for ketchup and other condiments
• Lots of things close at lunchtime (like from 12:15-2:30), and almost everything is shuttered by 7 pm
  
• We have no garbage disposal. You can't imagine how much this stinks (I mean figuratively, although it will probably stink literally one of these days, too).
• I have not seen one travel mug of coffee. Ever. No take-out coffee (other than a little dixie cup full). How do these folks function??

Overall, the kids have adjusted wonderfully to the change. I have my ups and downs -- often on the same day. I was so excited today to get our things, but at the same time, it means we're committed here, which is still a shock. Even though many people speak English, it's the one time where they don't speak English and you can't speak French that is most frustrating. I've been in tears once or twice after some of the encounters. So I'm trying to learn my basic French and hope to set up some lessons soon.

I made it to the Carrefour (like Wal-Mart) for some basics and was quite pleased. Just stocked up on some European appliances (clock radios, hairdryer) and some other things. Had to buy swim caps for the kids and I for the local pool (apparently, you're required to wear swim caps -- infants too -- and boys/men must wear Speedos, not swim trunks. TJ is horrified, and I can't fathom how I'll get a speedo over Jack's swim diaper.) But apparently the Speedo rule is easing at some, but not all, pools. I just hope our pool is one that allows the swim trunks.

Below are some photos from the Stockel market.