With the passing of this year, we have adjusted to full-time life in the suburbs, although not always easily and not always happily. After the initial feeling of being no longer fully American but not really Belgian either - because although we'd assimilated really well, we are in fact not Belgian - we have settled into our former American-ness but with an appreciation for what we were privileged to experience in Europe.
We miss European cafes and Belgian coffee and Belgian chocolate, but despite Belgium's claim to some of the best beer in the world, we do have good microbrews in the US that satisfy us as well as Belgian beer.
Life was slower in Belgium, but also more frustrating at times as we had to learn to adjust our expectations to meet the reality of life there.
We miss the peacefulness and safety of walking along the canal, but we do not miss those big horseflies that inflicted such nasty bites.
We miss the cool summer weather but revel in being able to wear summer clothes and summer shoes during the summer months.
We miss the long, long summer days but do not miss the long, long winter nights that encroach upon the day in Belgium.
We can no longer say "We just got back from three years in Belgium" because we're no longer just back. So now we look back and smile at the wonderful memories and realize we would not have traded our time there for anything. We are back in the US, but we retain a part of Belgium in what we have lived and who we have become.
Maybe it's time to rename the blog to something like "Life After Belgium".
1 comment:
Interesting commentary. If I have a vote, it's for "Life After Belgium".
I'm glad you are back.
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