Arrival

Hello Everyone!

I have arrived safe and sound after a fairly uneventful travel day. This post is a little mangled because I am so jet lagged, hungry, overtired, and have yet to see the light of day in Belgium. However, here it is before I forget it all.

- The plane started boarding passengers about 25 minutes late but somehow we still managed to leave on time. I am still impressed by this.
- Although not full, the plane had a capacity of about 380 passengers.
-  I lucked out and was one of maybe three people who had an entire row to myself. Originally I'd planned to try to stay awake on the flight but once I raised those arm rests and laid out across those seats I was done.
- I slept for about 6 hours in a very restless-your neck-will-never-forgive-you way.
- The final two hours of flight were passed eating a quick breakfast (orange juice, yogurt, and a cinnamon roll thing) and reading on my kindle.
- The plane landed way earlier than expected. I don't know if we made fantastic time or if the ticket was just plain old wrong but it was at least 45 minutes earlier than I had expected. Thank goodness too because my train was bang on time and the extra time to get to it was greatly appreciated!
- Customs was a really quick process and getting my bag didn't take too long either. Finding the train station caught me off guard. I had looked at maps of the Frankfurt terminal and thought the train station was in the basement. It is really at a separate terminal. I still think the way the map is drawn is silly. Anyways, found out I had to catch a shuttle over.
- Moved my train ticket to my jeans pocket because I kept pulling it out, trying to find clues as to where my train would be, and was clueless. Went to ask someone for direction, reach into my pocket and find it missing. Mentally flip out for 2 seconds as my hand checks other pockets knowing it was in that front right side, glance around, see it lying on the ground 25 feet away. Sheesh. Lesson learned.
- The train ride was nice enough. Wish I'd been forward facing instead of backwards but that's ok. The German country side was pretty.
- Get to the Liege-Guillemins station and see that the student with the Erasmus Student Network isn't there to pick me up yet. After 20 minutes I turn on my phone and text him. 10 minutes later he returns my text saying he can't make it and call Chelsa (the other U of Lethbridge student). After giving her a quick call, I end up taking a taxi to my apartment. It ended up being 7.65 euros and holy moly. The cab driver did not understand my French at all! I really really really need to work on it. We managed to hash it out eventually but yikes.
- My building mate, Lionel, let me in, carried my heavy bag up to my apartment for me and handed over the keys. He tried explaining the water heater thing to me but he has such little English and my French is apparently just not happening so we just kind of laughed and that was that. I have yet to figure out the lock on the bathroom door. I know how it should work, I just can't get it to actually do up. Throw it on the list of things to learn in the daylight.
- I am on a fairly busy street. It was quite noisy until about 10:30 pm but as the businesses closed, it isn't too bad anymore. It is however extremely bright and the curtains don't do much. I'm glad I brought ear plugs and a sleep mask.

Tomorrow will be the day to start assessing what I really think of the situation. I was such an overtired bundle of nerves throughout travel and arrival that I didn't get a great impression. Even now, it is 4:19 am local time. I managed to sleep from 11 pm - 2:45 am but jet lag has apparently decided to have its way with my sleep patterns.

The point is I am here and hopefully the morning will shed some light on the situation.

Love you all,

Jacqueline