First News Article Sent in by me to the Lee's Summit Tribune

Life in Belgium: An Insight to Life as an Exchange Student
Jamie Bronder
As I departed from the KCI airport I was anxious, excited, and I hate to admit, a little nervous. I knew that the life I was about to start would be a rollercoaster of ups and downs; but, I had no idea what to truly expect as a student living in Liège, Belgium. Arriving in the Brussels airport I was greeted by a family of smiles and cheek kisses. No hugs in Belgium. An hour long car ride from Brussels to Liege seemed like ten minutes, as I was transfixed by the beautiful scenery and great conversation. As I look out of my new home I take in a little farm with horses and sheep and a backyard with a garden that any Northern Californian would be extremely jealous of. Belgians are quite proud of their flowers, and do not hesitate to show them off to you; but they are indeed breathtaking.
As a Rotary Youth Exchange student, I will be living the next year fully immersed in the culture: attending school, speaking French, and eating too much delicious food. I will be living with three different host families, all who are members of Rotary. My first family is the Engelen’s. Philippe and Christine are kind, loving, and extremely welcoming. My host parents took me for a bike ride along one of the largest river in Europe. Located in Liège, La Meuse River is sprinkled with parks, bridges, and stores. The bike ride was a wonderful way to experience the city, which will become my home over the next ten months. I was delighted to see the city was beaming with life. I could not begin to describe the overwhelming feeling I experienced as I rode through the windy streets of Liège. I realized that life here would be strikingly different than life in Lee’s Summit; however, I knew that I would fall in love with this beautiful place.
If you would like to know more about Jamie’s adventures, go to www.JamieinBelgium.blogspot.com


I hope this doesn't sound too pretensious (ironically i don't know how that is spelled). Hope you enjoyed. I will be sending these in weekly....so if you don't live in Lee's Summit, you can still enjoy my adventures.

The above picture is of my grandfather, Pappi, as an American cowboy. Belgians love their cowboy hats.