Hello, Goodbye!

My 18-month adventure in Brussels has come to an end. It is with a bittersweet feeling that I leave this city. I will definitely miss my friends & colleagues in Brussels, in Netherlands (my 2nd home), and Switzerland (my 3rd home). All the get-together, daily dinners, weekly dinners, clubbing, dancing, shopping, drinking, movies, and travel getaways. Not to mention the introduction to Turkish, French, Flemish, Indian, Italian, Romanian, and Moroccan cuisines, and most especially being welcomed to your home and the opportunity to meet your family. You know who you are! THANK YOU for such a warm treatment, for caring for me, and for keeping me away from home sickness. There was never an idle time with my weekends as I would always be out with friends and it felt as if there is not enough time to spend with you all! You are all the reason why I will miss Europe!

Besides my friends, I will definitely miss the:

1. Belgium Weather! Yes, a note to my Belgian friends, you have one of the best weather in the world. It is a country with a few natural disasters. It only provides cold gloomy weather with mild showers now and then but I've never seen flooding, rain storms, snow storms, and earthquakes. To add, that due to the cold weather, it's like having free air-conditioning all the time!

2. long drives and wonderful scenic routes. I've discovered that driving is my de-stressing activity, the time to reflect, to pray, and to enjoy a break from the city. Being able to get out of Belgium and drive cross-country is definitely something I won't be able to do in the Philippines. 

3. fully equipped kitchen in my apartment that has encouraged me to cook and even start this blog. The humble abode kept me sane all this time! I discovered as well that I have such passion with cooking and that gardening can trigger asthma attacks.

4. HP Cafeteria. I will definitely miss the cafeteria with a wide variety of dishes and healthy food.

5. sound of French and Flemish language. I will definitely need to adjust when I go back home to make sure I don't greet people with Bonjour or tell them Bon Appetit, Smakelijk, Au Voir, Cava, Bizu, and more.

In these 18 months, I have been domesticated. I have learned how to cook, do my own laundry, iron my clothes, clean the house, and be a gardener. I have learned how to put gas in the car and fill the tires with air. I have discovered my passion and hobbies I like to do. I learned how to live a simple life. I have been blessed to be able to travel around, tour Europe, and celebrate different cultures. I have truly seen people really living with a work-life balance. I have discovered I'm as a clean freak as my mom and like her I love shopping for household items. Lastly, I have learned how important it is to be grounded with my faith, principles, and I have learned that there are much more important things in life. 

A chapter has ended and it is only filled with very good memories that I will cherish for life. Before I say my goodbye, I wanted to thank all my friends who have really made an effort to leave me with touching goodbye messages, goodbye gifts that will always remind me of the wonderful memories. Thank you as well for attending/organizing the goodbye parties. Till we see again!