Leuven Lovin'

      So I have FINALLY survived finals and can truly enjoy my last few weeks in Europe! Hallelujah! I had two oral finals, both confusing philosophy nonetheless, that stood between me and summer, but I made it! #TG Now that I can soak up every last second of my time in Belgium, the whole crew has been trying to take advantage!
     I brought a BJ's size box of Aunt Jemima pancake mix back to Belgie on my last trip so I could share good 'ole American pancakes with my unit. All of the pancakes here are sooooo thin, so I figured I'd spread the love. It is important to note that everyone loved them and the huge box was gone in less than a week....

Stipe and I making breakfast!
Don't forget the chocolate chips! 

      Last week we went to the Stella Factory aka the AB In Bev Brewery (in which the AB stands fro Anheuser Busch, which In Bev bought out a few years ago). It was MASSIVE and very cool to see because we saw the actual equiptment putting out thousands and thousands of liters of stella, jupiler, and kriek just to name a few. We had to wear these awesome safety vests as well, and you all now how much I adore neon! #winning

Candy is ready to go!

Pipes on pipes on pipes.

Emy & I at the tour!

Candy, Cait (dare to be different...), Steffi, and I
 enjoy the freshest Stella we will ever taste!

      The day after the Stella Tour we all came together to take DH, Sue, and Christel out to dinner. They have always been there for us throughout the year, so we thought this was the least we could do. It ended up being a wonderful evening and I think everyone really enjoyed themselves! We went to Notre Dame, a restaraunt in Leuven known for their Belgian/French cuisine, it was lovely!

Dinner at Notre Dame

Christel, DH, Sue and I after dinner. 

 

All the Americans in the huis, please stand up. 

 As the year comes to a close, there are a lot of things that are coming to an end. This past year I have babysat for a first grader named Amelie. She was born in the U.S., but now lives with her parents in Belgium. I have picked her up from school and played with her a few days a week. It has been really fun for me, and a great way for Amelie to keep her English. They are such a wonderful family and invited me for a goodbye-dinner at a local restaurant. There are so many wonderful people that I have met who have really made this year special!   

Amelie and I at dinner. 

          The Euro 2012 tournament is taking place and it has been a lot of fun hanging out in the old market watching all the games. Since Belgium isn't in the running, the Netherlands seems to be the team drawing the biggest crowds. My friends and I went to watch a few of the games and it is great to see so much spirit in the fans, because that is one thing I certainly miss about out American sports!

Go Holland!

Beautiful summer sky outside the huis.

    Of course, I also have been watching Ireland play, but it has been a bit of a struggle. They played against Spain yesterday, and it didn't go very well...granted Spain IS the reigning world champ-- But for me, it is all about the fun of the games! I will continue to watch to see who comes home with the big win! I will be traveling to Portugal and Spain next week, so I am excited to see how Euro 2012 is in other countries! Ciao for now!