After I wrote the title I think I could probably write a whole book about what I have learned so far. So I should probably narrow my focus and just explain what I have learned in Dutch class so up until today. So here goes, no book, no notes, just my memory. Which I'm hoping I can still count on these days. I should probably check that but I think that takes all the fun out of it for my Dutch speaking friends!
Goedendag. Ik heet Brandon en ik kom uit America. Ik woon in Meerbeke. Ik zit in de class intensif. Mijn lereras heet Micheline. Zij komt naar school met de auto. Mijn kennis komt ook met de auto. Ik kom met de fiets naar school. Ik denk de fiets is beter. Ik denk ook nederlands is gemakkalijk! Ik ben niet getrouwd. Ik heb een kennis gemakt. Zij spreekt arabisch, frans, engels, en een klein beetje nederlands en zij komt oit Belgie. Ik woon drie maanden in Belgie. Ik spreek een klien beetje nederlands!
A little bit more than I learned in class but I hope it makes sense...
Ok so for dinner we went out to a nice Italian Pizzeria style restaurant. I had a calzone with ham, mozzarella, and champions (mushrooms). I had a really tasty aperatif but I forget the name of it. I was a bit confused because our waiter was speaking french and I was speaking dutch and english and just trying to make sense of things. I mean I wans't confused like the general sense of the meaning. It was more like seeing double. You know what you are looking at but seeing it twice is making the situation a bit more complicated. I also forgot how to ask for the check in french so I asked our server and then I remember "l'addition svp" or something to that effect.
Today I finally went for an easy training ride. Well not as easy as easy, I mean I rode for two hours, actually 1:59:06, and for some reason that point in time just stuck in my head. Probably because it has been four, no, five days since I last rode my bike. Going out for a ride is just plain relaxing. Mentally and physically. The repetition of each leg following the other helps to put the mind at rest. Physically I feel better when my blood flows with a bit of force through my veins. Which is exactly what it did when I climbed the back side of de muur (I forgot the formal name, kapelmuur maybe?). It is like de muur but it feels a little steeper at points and it is paved. Probably feels steeper because it goes straight up the hill instead of winding a bit up the side. I was a bit surprised to find that at the top of the hill I was in my 39x21 and not my 23. Progress maybe? I then proceeded to try and loosen up the mucus in my head by going up Kappellestraat. I figured if the jarring from some old cobble stones can't break the snotty mess up then nothing will. Another reason I did this route today is because it was really windy out today. It sounds strange but when it is really windy outside it is almost a guarantee that there is a tail wind coming home from the top of the Bosberg. Racing home at 45km/u to 50km/u with the wind pushing you from behind is best feeling ever. It feels so pro to go that fast and not be sucking wind. I could only imagine what Devolder felt as he finished his assault on de ronde.
Before I raced home to win the ronde though I found myself on a bike path. I know where I was but I wasn't expecting to come up on a dirt road with mud holes. Strange how I reacted though. There was something about me that didn't do my normal, reach for the brake hoods, and question my speed. I simply moved my hand position on the bars and continued to cruise. I found myself riding through puddles, sliding through silt like mud, and casually grabbing as drink as needed. This was becoming fun. I eventually rode to a Duex Aceres (I think, and it is pronounced as one word basically because of the A in front of the x rule thingy in French). I don't know if it annoying to Flanderians but I enjoy the dual language aspect. It could be better with a stronger sense of being "Belgian" as opposed from being from Flanders or Wallonia. Riding along la rue bon nuit it was like I have this new spirit about me. A small wanna speak French spirit. Maybe it is the spirit of multi-cultural surroundings? Those that speak Dutch and French are really quit lucky. Think of how much more they get to enjoy in Europe? Naturally people tend to move towards their environmental comfort zones. Places where they can more easily understand the way of life. With a stronger sense of understanding life become more fulfilling. To think that, ik spreek twee talen, frans en nederlands, I would certainly feel as if I could embrace more of the little cultural differences. I could pull them together, grabbing from each basket the things I liked and letting the rest wash out with the rain.
Ok it is late here (1:17am) so I better head to bed. Goed weekend en tot mails!
Goedendag. Ik heet Brandon en ik kom uit America. Ik woon in Meerbeke. Ik zit in de class intensif. Mijn lereras heet Micheline. Zij komt naar school met de auto. Mijn kennis komt ook met de auto. Ik kom met de fiets naar school. Ik denk de fiets is beter. Ik denk ook nederlands is gemakkalijk! Ik ben niet getrouwd. Ik heb een kennis gemakt. Zij spreekt arabisch, frans, engels, en een klein beetje nederlands en zij komt oit Belgie. Ik woon drie maanden in Belgie. Ik spreek een klien beetje nederlands!
A little bit more than I learned in class but I hope it makes sense...
Ok so for dinner we went out to a nice Italian Pizzeria style restaurant. I had a calzone with ham, mozzarella, and champions (mushrooms). I had a really tasty aperatif but I forget the name of it. I was a bit confused because our waiter was speaking french and I was speaking dutch and english and just trying to make sense of things. I mean I wans't confused like the general sense of the meaning. It was more like seeing double. You know what you are looking at but seeing it twice is making the situation a bit more complicated. I also forgot how to ask for the check in french so I asked our server and then I remember "l'addition svp" or something to that effect. 
Today I finally went for an easy training ride. Well not as easy as easy, I mean I rode for two hours, actually 1:59:06, and for some reason that point in time just stuck in my head. Probably because it has been four, no, five days since I last rode my bike. Going out for a ride is just plain relaxing. Mentally and physically. The repetition of each leg following the other helps to put the mind at rest. Physically I feel better when my blood flows with a bit of force through my veins. Which is exactly what it did when I climbed the back side of de muur (I forgot the formal name, kapelmuur maybe?). It is like de muur but it feels a little steeper at points and it is paved. Probably feels steeper because it goes straight up the hill instead of winding a bit up the side. I was a bit surprised to find that at the top of the hill I was in my 39x21 and not my 23. Progress maybe? I then proceeded to try and loosen up the mucus in my head by going up Kappellestraat. I figured if the jarring from some old cobble stones can't break the snotty mess up then nothing will. Another reason I did this route today is because it was really windy out today. It sounds strange but when it is really windy outside it is almost a guarantee that there is a tail wind coming home from the top of the Bosberg. Racing home at 45km/u to 50km/u with the wind pushing you from behind is best feeling ever. It feels so pro to go that fast and not be sucking wind. I could only imagine what Devolder felt as he finished his assault on de ronde. Before I raced home to win the ronde though I found myself on a bike path. I know where I was but I wasn't expecting to come up on a dirt road with mud holes. Strange how I reacted though. There was something about me that didn't do my normal, reach for the brake hoods, and question my speed. I simply moved my hand position on the bars and continued to cruise. I found myself riding through puddles, sliding through silt like mud, and casually grabbing as drink as needed. This was becoming fun. I eventually rode to a Duex Aceres (I think, and it is pronounced as one word basically because of the A in front of the x rule thingy in French). I don't know if it annoying to Flanderians but I enjoy the dual language aspect. It could be better with a stronger sense of being "Belgian" as opposed from being from Flanders or Wallonia. Riding along la rue bon nuit it was like I have this new spirit about me. A small wanna speak French spirit. Maybe it is the spirit of multi-cultural surroundings? Those that speak Dutch and French are really quit lucky. Think of how much more they get to enjoy in Europe? Naturally people tend to move towards their environmental comfort zones. Places where they can more easily understand the way of life. With a stronger sense of understanding life become more fulfilling. To think that, ik spreek twee talen, frans en nederlands, I would certainly feel as if I could embrace more of the little cultural differences. I could pull them together, grabbing from each basket the things I liked and letting the rest wash out with the rain.
Ok it is late here (1:17am) so I better head to bed. Goed weekend en tot mails!
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