another blog

Sorry, sometimes I don't blog at all and sometimes I suddenly have this urge to blog a lot in one go. The effects of a lack of routine?

But I just wanted to direct you to another blog, which I'm going to link here. That of Maxplanck, an intelligent guy who has plenty to say and who just started blogging. Only it's in Dutch...But babelfish.altavista.com is a most helpful website for all who want to read in languages not their own. :)

another chapter

The academic year started before I had a chance to return to Belgium. So I jumped back into that as soon as I could, which was three days late. Now I'm doing an internship in the delivery room of a hospital in Sint-Truiden. This is a town with no internet café. In fact, I asked some ladies in the street and they were very excited to hear of such a phenomenon!

It's fine though; I have enough fascilities at the hospital. I get to spend the night there and even my food is provided for. I've assisted three births during the week that I've been here. None of them were assisted solely in Dutch. The languages used were Russian, French, Arabic, English and Chinese. I try to speak a little of everything, which is impossible. Still, I like the variety.

I get to learn much from the midwifes and gynaecologists here. One day I hope to be in the teaching position. For now I'm happy with where I'm at.

To all the students: I wish you a great academic year!
To everybody: May you face every day with optimism, believing that you can achieve anything you truly wish for, as long as God wants it too.

ode to the Amazighian

Strange how you can feel at home in a place you've never seen in your life.

It was the week of my brother Luke's wedding. It was also my first time in North Africa, though I think Algeria is the 47th country I've been to. The first night there, I stood on the balcony of my hotel room, alone, overlooking the quiet scene of Tizi Ouzou (the city of Luke's bride). The street looked dusty and there didn't seem to be any rules about crossing it. You could hear the sound of crickets in the night. I felt oddly at home and thought: "I'm back in Africa...yeah...I like this."

Strange how you can come to love a people in less than a weeks time.

The Amazighian or Kabyllie berbers (the picture is of their flag) spent the first evening staring at us strangers, not sure what to think. And yet they welcomed us and I was amazed by their kindness. In the hotel 6 waiters were serving us, while we were only three. This made me laugh, so I tried to pretend that my parents were saying funny things all throughout the meal. That didn't help much. My mother threatened to make me wear a veil if I didn't stop. :)

Throughout that week, they all got used to us (European fools who had no clue about their language or etiquette, but who kept smiling at them) and they even began to learn English. Meanwhile I tried desperately to improve my French. Some bowed their heads as they waited while we prayed, even saying "amen" with us. Outside the hotel we kept meeting people who were helpful, respectful and who had a good sense of pride.

These are people who have been ruled by others for ages. Their dignity hasn't been destroyed by that. I admire them and can only learn from their hospitality towards strangers.