Two down, two to go

Well today was an interesting day;

* I did the 30min presentation of my Drug Policy paper this morning, which was incredibly nerve-wracking considering the brains that were present in the room... EU criminology experts and whatnot... but it's over thank goodnes :)

* I also handed in my written paper for Organised Crime in New Zealand (why couldn't I have been born Italian so I could have dealt with the real good stuff??) which I thought wasn't so good, but I did my best. Thanks to mish at least I had one book :) So I have handed in 2 of my 4 papers, and done 1 of 4 presentations. Getting there.

* I got my assignment printed free because the lady in the copy shop was nice

* I participated in a conversation IN DUTCH with real Belgian people!! Ok, so it was very simple, (talking about what time the organised crime paper was due, because the Masters students in my class mostly speak Dutch), but I understood them, or at least parts of the conversation, AND I could reply!!! Yusss!!!!!!! However this small victory is rather offset by the fact that I was so busy writing my assignment I completely forgot about my Dutch class on tuesday and now I've missed all the notes!! Dang it.

* Peanut butter here is weird. They don't take the thin husky layer off the peanuts so you get that funny crumbly brown papery peanut husky stuff dispersed throughout the peanut butter. And its really not very common, I can only get it at one shop! Mind you I thought there was a conspiracy against porridge here too, but then I found some of that, so conspiracy over.

* The 'Home Boudewijn Menagerie' is ever amusing. Outside my window there are chickens, roosters and baby chickens all feeding in the grass. Also, there are bunnies hopping around along side said chickens, also feeding. Said bunnies chase eachother, and sometimes said chickens, and sometimes said chickens even chase said bunnies. Hooooours of entertainment right there. That photo was taken from the 9th floor btw, 15x zoom haha!

* I have now officially reached the half-way point of my stay in Gent (2 and a half out of 5 months). That's a scary thought. I have to go somewhere else when I leave here, but I don't know where that is yet!

* I saw TWO freckly Belgians today. In the copy shop! But that still doesn't mean there are many freckly people in europe nean!

* TOMORROW Ben will arrive in Gent!! Yay!!! I'm having the weekend off from study, and I reckon there will be some fun NZ style

Have fun at the V8's!!
xxx