Leaving on a Jet Plane...

It has been almost a year now since I moved to Belgium from the United States. 11 months in fact. Really it's hard to believe it has been that long, time has gone so fast. And at the same time, so much has happened, it feels like I have been here much longer.

In the past year, I've started learning Dutch, almost completed my MBA, met people from all over the world, traveled to China, competed in the European Business Plan of the Year competition in Greece, road tripped through Scotland, traveled to Paris, Amsterdam and Bruges. (Details of these trips to come in a later post). I've gotten addicted to entirely too many TV shows, become a better cook, and most importantly started to settled into another country.

Moving abroad is not easy, it helps when you're busy because you don't have time to stop and think. It helps to have a reason to go abroad. If anyone happens to read this that doesn't know me, well, my boyfriend is Belgian. So I came here for him, and to do my MBA for international business. Having the MBA was great. It was something for me, to improve myself, learn new things, and build a network. Building a network when you move abroad is crucial, especially if you move abroad for someone else.

There are still points you get homesick though. It's hard, getting homesick. You want to be stronger, able to handle anything. You moved to another country after all. But when you move and know that it is for an unlimited duration, it happens. It's okay that it does. I think the worst thing you can do is pretend that you're not homesick. It'll just get worse. You start missing weird things too. I miss food, random food. Like goldfish, or types of yogurt. It's things you're used to, that you want to have to make you feel at home.

My friends here have given me a hard time sometimes for wanting to go to Hard Rock, or another restaurant with American type food. But I live in Belgium now, I get Belgian food anytime I want. I don't get to go home much and that is what I miss, the food I'm used to.

Anyways, now that my first ramblings are out. This blog will be a place for me to write, because doing an MBA basically sucks away any free time you have and I miss writing. And a place for me to talk about my life as an expat. What that means, experiences I have and anything else I feel like talking about. Probably TV shows I'm watching (I watch a lot :P). So...anyone that reads this. Enjoy :)