Until We Meet Again...

Over a mere 1200 minutes, I went from jet setter to jetlag and world traveler to homebody. The journey home was tiring; however far from boring. My Saturday morning began at 4am (Brussels time), when I took a cab to a bus to the airport. Unfortunately, the airline altered my itinerary, requiring two different airlines with three transfers during a twenty hour span. My flight from Brussels landed in Manchester with only thirty minutes until my next flight. As time was ticking, I had to claim my luggage and then sprint through three terminals to recheck-in and catch my flight. I don’t think I’ve ever had so much motivation to run! When I finally made it to the second airlines’ check-in, an airline worker notified me that my flight had already taken off and the next plane to Philadelphia was not until the following afternoon. As they tried to schedule me for the other flight, I couldn’t help but think “this would only happen to me.”I know in the scheme of life this was just a little speed bump but I truly wanted to get home and see my family. Apparently someone felt pity for me, and informed us that my original flight had been delayed and could wait ten more minutes for me if I ran. So yet again, I ran! Even though I was given VIP status in the fast lane of security, the honor was overrated and fleeting. Furthermore, late passengers are always asked additional security questions. I was nearly out of breath and my mind was swirling from the events of the past half hour that I had difficulty concentrating on what they asked me. In the end, I was allowed to board the 757, full of impatience, angry passengers. Shamelessly, that didn’t matter to me – I was so happy to be going home! Once I finally landed on American soil in Philadelphia, I was all smiles at border control. For the first time in four months, I entered a country as a native citizen. However, in customs I learned my luggage was MIA, and untraceable. Merely, my two (heavy) bags of souvenirs and gifts were somewhere in Europe. Just my luck! To top it off, I was informed in Manchester that I could take an earlier flight to Columbus. Not the case. Eventually, I made it safely to my hometown but still without luggage. After numerous phone calls Sunday, my luggage was not physically present anywhere or even in cyberspace. Oddly enough, Monday at 2am, I had a call on my cell phone to inform me that my luggage would be delivered momentarily. Sure enough, the luggage arrived and due to my excitement, it was difficult to sleep. Consequently, I am still struggling with jetlag and often clueless to the time of day.

Since being stateside, I’ve had some time to reflect on the past semester. Though the last four months have been incredible and life changing, I’m so grateful for the people at home. Nevertheless, I know that this experience will stay with me for life and the lessons I’ve learned about this global and dynamic world will continue to impact me each and every day. As Ivanka Trump said in her recent book, “the more you travel, the more open you are to whatever comes your way.” Exposing yourself to something new makes you vulnerable, but expands your knowledge and perspective on the world around you.

I may be closing an important chapter, but I’m writing a new book. And I’m certain the people and the places I’ve seen will meet again sometime down the road…

Final Week is Finals Week

Though bittersweet to finish, this marked my last week at Ogilvy PR. I have learned so much and valued my time while assisting with their PR projects. True to form of course, my last week had to end with a bang! On Wednesday evening, the pull-out bed I sleep on (accompanied with built-in bookshelf and closet) came crashing down unexpectedly. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but I’m sure my heart skipped more than a few beats. Just couldn’t leave Belgium without some sort of ruckus.

Nevertheless, things returned to normal for my final days of French class. My roommate, Nora, and I pretended to be Julie & Julia, as we cooked French cuisine for our final presentation. We perfected our dishes including Lapin a la Française (French rabbit – I hope you don’t have a pet bunny, unfortunately, it is what we were assigned), Soupe de choux fleur (cauliflower soup), and Speculoos. For those of you familiar with my favorite Brussels treat, Speculoos is similar to a ginger cookie. Our version did not taste gingery. Rather, it tasted like a pound cake. Regardless, it was dessert so we were pleased. Of course, our entire meal did not look nearly as good as the recipe photos, but it was certainly edible!

My final course of the semester, International Business Negotiations, is extremely interesting and dynamic, especially for a study abroad student. I learned so much about worldwide cultures, debating strategies, and differences in negotiations with international parties. Though I have always loved my business and marketing classes, International Business Negotiations offers a new perspective into the worldwide markets, corporations, and government issues. Needless to say, as today’s society and business is becoming increasingly global, it was a great experience and will greatly assist me in the future.

Today, I visited Brussels’ Winter Wonderland Christmas market. The area surrounding Grand Place is filled with German style booths. Brussels’ Christmas market is one of the largest in Europe, offering an array of gifts and trinkets, perfect for stocking stuffers. Seeing all the Christmas lights and trees around the central square, city hall, and guildhalls, was a great way to set the Christmas spirit. Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Last but certainly not least, I have learned that final exams are the same in every country. There is absolutely no way to sugarcoat this one. This past week, I’ve successfully completed 2 presentations and 3 papers. Merely 1 paper and 1 exam to go! And best of luck in exams for my friends at Furman! :)

London: More than Harry Potter and Mary Poppins

The city known as the Square Mile has an abundance of sights to keep visitors busy for days. Immediately off the train, my friend Jasmine took me to Platform 9 ¾. For all you Harry Potter fans, the St Pancras train station has made a special tribute to the teenage wizard. We moved on to have dinner in Piccadilly Circus, which looks similar to Times Square. Next, we visited Trafalgar Square and the National Portrait Gallery. Then, after visiting the LSE campus, where Jasmine studies, we met her friends at a wine bar to enjoy the London nightlife. And of course, the club scene in this major city is “dress to impress” with VIP lines and guests lists. Apparently I was rolling with the right crowd, as we were able to avoid long lines and high cover fees.

Jasmine and I made sure to have an early start Saturday morning. We began at St. Paul’s Cathedral, where we ate pastries on the cathedral grand steps. Following breakfast, we walked across the Millennium Bridge. From here, I saw the Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, and the London Eye. We carried on to Big Ben and the British Parliament, passing by Westminster Abbey. Before you leave London, you must visit the Queen at Buckingham Palace. Of course, getting the guards to smile was a bit difficult, but we managed to get smirks from a few security officers. And contrary to myth, the guards don’t wear the big, black, bearskin hats! Near Buckingham Palace is Hyde Park, which recently opened its well-known Christmas market, dubbed Winter Wonderland. With over 50 beautifully decorated chalets featuring gifts and food, this German Christmas market offers everything for the holiday season. My great host and tour guide finally led me to the famous Harrods department store. The store occupies 4.5 acres, which makes its motto quite appropriate - The Harrods motto is Omnia Omnibus Ubique — All Things for All People, Everywhere. In over 330 departments of the store, Jasmine and I managed to squeeze our way through the thick crowds.

The last, but certainly not least, adventure of the day was the transportation. London, with nearly 8 million citizens and thousands of tourists each day, becomes quite congested. One of the Tube stations (London’s underground metro system) closed due to overcrowding. By the time we were allowed into the station, people were wall-to-wall and barely moving. If that was an improved situation, I wouldn’t have wanted to be there earlier! And like any large city, you need to run like a sprinter in the Olympics to make your bus!

I arrived back to Brussels this afternoon, realizing I have finished my scheduled trips during my study away. It’s unbelievable to fathom that in these 4 short months, I’ve been fortunate enough to visit so many exciting cities.

Where I’ve been:
Brussels, Belgium
Bruges, Belgium
Antwerp, Belgium
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
Prague, Czech Republic
Normandy, France
Paris, France
Nice, France
Vienna, Austria
Bratislava, Slovakia
Monte Carlo, Monaco
Berne, Switzerland
Cagliari, Italy
Milan, Italy
Berlin, Germany
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
London, UK

And of course, if you have any travel suggestions for me, please be sure to let me know! =)

Something New, Something Old (Theatre that is!)

This week was all about routine celebrations in Brussels. We celebrated my roommate’s birthday and attended Belgium’s New Moon midnight premiere. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Twilight movies, it began with Stephanie Meyer’s four novel series. New Moon marks the release of the second movie in the sequence, starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner. Consequently, my friend Nora and I waited in line at 11:45pm with hundreds of Belgium teenagers all yelling in French! I’m sure you wonder if the movie was in French. Although we forgot to check (Opps!), the movie was in English with French and Dutch subtitles (remember, Brussels has two official languages). Nora and I give New Moon two thumbs up and four stars – we may be a little biased though!

Continuing with the visual arts themes, my roommate and I attended a French play. Jean Giraudoux's La Folle De Chaillot was featured at Le Théâtre du Parc in Brussels. Though, this production was completely in French, and of course, without subtitles. With less than a semester of elementary French under your belt, try understanding that! Nevertheless, we managed to watch the madwoman of Chaillot, Countess Aurelia, plot to save Paris. Half bag lady and half nobility, the Countess traps businessmen who threaten to ruin the city in search of oil. Written during the Nazi German occupation of France, the play is a sentimental celebration of the common Parisians. The Countess represents the voice of the innocent French, while the play symbolizes hope while France was occupied by the Nazis.

This weekend I’m London-bound to visit Jasmine, a friend who recently graduated from Furman University. Jasmine has agreed to play tour guide – from Harold’s, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey, we’ll be keeping up with the Griswold’s European Vacation! I cannot believe that is my last planned trip while I’m abroad!

Open Eyes, Open Mind

Three weeks. Merely 21 days remain of my European adventure. During the past fourteen weeks, I have embraced the opportunities presented to me – studying at a European institute, interacting and collaborating with people from all cultures, working in an international agency, travelling as often as possible, becoming a resident of a country halfway around the world from what I call home.

While I’ve been making the most of each moment, part of me has continuously missed Dublin and Greenville, my hometowns. But now that I’ve spent nearly a third of 2009 in Brussels, I’ve grown fond of this new place, new home. From the familiar faces on the daily metro commute or the French greetings at the nearby bakery, I’m going to miss this place. Europe constantly challenges you in new ways. Between diverse languages, differences in cultures, outspoken government stances, and mixes of social values, the hub of the European Union, Brussels, combines rich history and ambitions for the world’s future, socially and politically.

What sparked my recent reflection about a city I’ve been living in for over three months? My mom’s departure. Throughout her trip, she was consistently excited and open to any new thing we encountered. Unlike most tourists, it wasn’t merely about the seeing the sites and monuments, it was more about taking in the way of life, traditions, and growing from the experiences. Needless to say, this observation stuck with me – something so simple, yet so powerful. I only hope to continue this mindset, fully appreciating each day and the opportunities it brings.

“City of Lights,” Camera, Action!

It only seemed appropriate that my mom’s last weekend in Europe be in Paris. So that’s precisely what we did! At the Paris Nord train station, built for Queen Victoria’s visit in the 1860s, we began venturing the “City of Lights.”

As we walked through the Montmarte, an area of Paris known for steep hills and sweeping views, we stopped at the Sacré Coeur, which was built to celebrate the freeing of Paris from Prussian invaders. The grand, white basilica surely draws surprising expression since it is nearly hidden from the street. We continued to Moulin Rouge. Most people remember the recent movie starring Nicole Kidman, but Parisians know Moulin Rouge as the only place in Paris that still performs “the real cancan”.

Passing through the Lafayette Galleries, we made our way to Opera Garnier, Palais Royal, and the Louvre. The Opera Garnier, with a facade of complete marble, is known as where the Phantom did his haunting. Past the Opera house, the Palais and the Louvre are popular Paris attractions. The palace, once the world’s largest royal palace and former home to Louis XIV, is magnificent in detail with its imperial image. The Louvre houses the Mona Lisa and is arguably the world’s greatest art museum.

Mom and I strolled along the Seine River to reach the Paris Town Hall and Notre Dame Cathedral. The world-famous cathedral is truly more beautiful in person and open free to the public. Plus, you can climb its towers to see the malicious gargoyles and stunning views of the city.

As the evening approached, we completed our Paris tour with the Arc de Triomphe, Avenue des Champs Élysées, and the Eiffel Tower. The Arc de Triomphe, the world’s largest triumphal arch, is a phenomenal monument to tribute the victories of Napolean’s Grand Armée. The Arc also brought a few astonishing sights – bride and groom taking wedding photos, stopping traffic and break-dancers battling directly below the Arc. Quite memorable moments in my opinion! Mom and I continued down Avenue des Champs Élysées, overflowing with shoppers in designer stores. Here, we visited the famous flagship store of Louis Vuitton, which was beautifully decorated and sparkling for the holiday season. And at last, we reached the Eiffel Tower, synonymous with Paris for the 1889 Universal Exhibition. Weighing 7,000 tons, the tower was glowing in the night. Appropriately, it was once denounced as the “world’s greatest lamppost.”

After touring Paris thoroughly, we spent Sunday at Versailles. With 40,000 workers over 50 years, Louis XIII’s former hunting lodge was transformed into this extravagant palace by King Louis XIV, who installed his court and government here.

First, we toured through the chapel and 17th century galleries, filled with the finest 17th century French art. From the royal courtyard, Mom and I gawked at the state apartments, including the Hall of Mirrors and the King’s chamber. We finished the palace tour with the history of French galleries before strolling through the royal gardens and estates.

At the far end of the estate lies the Queen’s Hamlet and Farm, the Grand Trianon, and Marie Antoinette’s estate. Marie Antoinette was the only queen to impose her personal tastes on Versailles, scoffing at Court traditions. In the Trianon estate, she found a haven of privacy from the rigors of court etiquette. As one can imagine, the Versailles Estate was a rich, over the top, massive, opulent, stately, bright, magnificent, prestigious, shiny, imperial, brilliant, overwhelming, extravagant, legendary, mythological, spacious, grand, elaborate, serene, romantic, and vogue fairytale palace. Interpret it as you will, but our day spent at the estate was fit for a king (no pun intended!). So let them eat cake and then, off with their heads!

All Aboard: Amsterdam & Antwerp

To continue our travels throughout the week, my mom and I visited the city that truly has something for everyone – Amsterdam. Famous for its 47-mile network of canals, the small city has been reclaimed from the sea. Our welcome wagon was a Heineken horse and buggy, as Amsterdam is home to a former Heineken brewery. Needless to say, the brewery is a popular tourist destination.

Our first stop was a deeply moving visit to the house of Anne Frank. As one of the most inspiring figures of the 20th century, the museum tells Anne’s story of her and her family’s 25-month life in the secret annex above her father’s office. Otto Frank, Anne’s father, was the only survivor of the eight people in hiding. He published his daughter’s diary and was active in making the secret annex accessible to the public as a museum. Open since 1960, nearly 1 million people visit the museum each year. “To build up a future, you have to know the past,” said Otto Frank in 1967.

My mom’s only request of our Amsterdam excursion was to shop at the Royal Delftware store. Of course, I had no complaints! The blue and white porcelain has been a Baker family tradition. Several purchases later, I left with my favorite European mementos.

The Dutch adore flowers, particularly tulips, which are throughout the city. While Mom and I were admiring the flower markets, we stumbled upon Amsterdam’s infamous “Red Light District”. As one of the city’s greatest tourist attractions, the world’s oldest profession not so modestly occupies Amsterdam’s oldest quarter. From the photo, Mom and I were lucky enough to find a Dutch knight to escort us out of the seamy side of Amsterdam.

We trotted along to the Van Loon Museum, a traditional 18th century canal house. Home to the co-founders of the Dutch East India Company, the family opened the prestigious property to the public in 1970, fully restored to its appearance in the 1750s. The delightful and charming canal house is unlike most preserved museums, as nothing is roped off, so visitors can enjoy every nook and cranny.

With street performers, adorable shops and cafes, we concluded our visit at Dam Square. The very heart of Amsterdam marks the site of the original 13th century dam on the Amstel River. Today, “the Dam”, as the locals call it, includes the town hall, national monument, Madame Tussaud’s Scenerama, and stunning canal views.

To see the European source of cutting-edge fashion design firsthand, my mom and I took another day trip on Friday to Antwerp, Belgium. Antwerp is Belgium’s second largest city and has one of Europe’s busiest ports.

Immediately off the train, I began snapping photos, as the Antwerp Central train station is an architectural monument in its own right – modern with several stories of platforms on the inside and Neo-Classical preservation from the outside. Directly adjacent to the station is Diamond District, including the Diamond Museum, dedicated to the world of the precious stone.

Continuing through Diamond District, we reached the Meir, Antwerp’s premier shopping street. The pedestrian high street is packed with boutiques, including popular European and designer brands. As we passed the main shopping area, Mom and I stopped at Rubenshuis, the artist Pieter Paul Ruben’s home and studio from 1611 to 1640. After being carefully restored, the home now showcases Ruben’s formal gardens, art gallery, main studio, and private living quarters.

Our next stop was Grote Markt, which reflects Antwerp’s golden age of trade in the 16th century, as the cosmopolitan town hall was built by architects from all over Europe. Around the Grote Markt sits the Onze Lieve Vrouvve Kathedraal, the largest Gothic cathedral in Belgium. The construction of the cathedral took nearly two centuries to complete and now occupies 2.5 acres in Antwerp’s city center. Mom and I finished our visit of Antwerp at the pier of the River Scheldt. Here, we toured the National Scheepraartmuseam, the maritime museum located inside Antwerp’s original fortress and oldest building of the city, known as the Steen. And of course, no trip with Mom could end without a surprising twist... On our return, we passed Brussels’ very own “Red Light District” at the Brussels Nord train station. Never a dull moment!