• order a coffee at the drive thru by walk, and have some cars waiting behind you
• Getting almost hit by a car while my manager is waiting for me across the street 
• show an ID get alcohols, as everybody does, but always got the question "where are you from?", and everybody looking to each date on your driving licence until figure out I couldn't be born on 2013
• conversation with the bus driver
  Are you waiting for me? 
  Yes
  Where are you going? 
  Everett 
  You're not from Everett
  No, I am from Belgium, but I guess it is a bit far for you to drop me off there 
• Never joke with the immigration boarding officers. I told one of them "Belgium isn't next door!". He didn't like my joke. I bet he didn't know where Belgium was. 
• Had to choose between French and English on a phone line and pick English because the French accent was so canadian
• My photographer hesitates to go shooting a story
  We'll, it is not like he shoot somebody, he just ran away!
  Does this mean you are actually waiting for gun fire? 
• An American durum is called a burrito
• Finding the perfect shopping place and no credit cards 
• Travel with the parents who don't speak English. In a French bakery, they ordered in French, the counter man didn't understand 
• Go grocery to the same organic store and made a new friend everytime I went there
• Having a farewell gift saying: "From Seattle, not Belgium...". I guessed what I was. 
• Living in the same place for three months, with the same cats. They keep hissing me until the last day

A month has passed since I last wrote for this blog. I was busy with school work, internship work and holiday.

Now I am almost ready to go so I get more time off.

For the holidays, I went to San Francisco. With my all family, we gathered to my brother’s place. We spent three-four days together. Each of us came a different day and left a different day.

We had fun. We did all the touristic stuff together. Even though I was the only one who haven’t step to the Californian land yet, my family was glad to show me around and we had fun together. We did traditional family picture. We finally got a chance to meet with everybody. It happens around once each five years. 

For New Year’s Eve I was by myself with my brother’s family. I took the opportunity to go out, meet Californians and enjoying partying.

The next day, I started to work again, mostly finishing school paper work.

I’ll be back soon in Belgium, only for a few days. I will be busy with finals. Then, my next destination is gonna be Romania. 

Saint Nicolas doesn’t use to come to U.S really often, neither does he in each state. Though, he has some European employees who bring his death around the world.

In California, Marc de Brabant brought him for a party time. The event was located in San Francisco, while Saint Nicolas music was played, and home candies shared.

In Everett, the town is much smaller and people never heard of that holiday. The night of Nicolas’ death, I sent an email to everybody to explain who he was. I agree I didn’t choose the right subject: “Mandela isn’t the only one dead”. Mandela’s death was so hyped than I was in lack of imagination

At home, reactions were also funny. My flatmate is sick so I put cookies in a mug, and covered everything in a plastic box because of the cats. At night, she had the good idea to wake up and to stumble on the box. Then also, she was wondering what that was for, thought it was a sweet behavior. When I came back from work early this morning, she caught me.

“Did you go somewhere?” she asked.

I didn’t dare to answer her. Slowly, I told her I was down to work to bring candies, as she had. I can’t lie.

She kept looking at me suspicious. Like “what a hell is going on with that Belgian?” I told her this is a special day for us, without saying so much. I sent her back to her email.

My city editor though that email was from Nigeria. Though, it was sent from an internal email address, to another internal one, which it is not possible to send from external. I tried.

When my city editor came to work, he saw the table filled of goodies. He stopped, and starts thinking.

“Is that about the weird email?”

Well, yes duh! He went closer, backward, turn on his computer, checked the note on the goodies and read: I am not a spam, I am Saint Nicolas.

Got a cookie, liked it and asked for the recipe. Both of us sent another email to make people read the story. Strangely, people started to show up in the newsroom, to grab a cookie and went by my side to thanks me. I couldn’t be anonymous in this situation, or I would remain the Nigerian who went through an internal system.

I felt sad for not having a figurine chocolate. You can’t find any home goodies at the store. To cheer me up, a new reporter brought me a Santa Claus figurine. Good enough.

Next time someone try to celebrate Saint Nicolas, please try to wear like him, throw candies on the street and look how people would react. It is already so much fun when I only bring cookies at night!

Read the Saint Nicolas's story here

Some stuff had changed since five years ago for Thanksgiving, and some didn’t.

First of all, the Zoolight looks still the same. The zoo transformed itself into a decorated area, with lights that represent shapes of animals all the way across. Even though, emplacement of decoration had moved and new stuff arrived for this year.

As usual, everybody take the day off to meet his family anywhere in the UnitedState. Some people have to flight away, while a snowstorm is scheduled, and others only ride their own cars.

What had changed is people got older so some of them can’t make it anymore.

Now, Black Friday. The event we hear about to Europe, the event European businesses try to take advantage of, well, it is not really Black Friday anymore, it became more like a Dark Thursday.

To remember, Black Friday use to be the morning after Thanksgiving, start with the sunset, or even earlier. Five years later, Black Friday starts on Thanksgiving’ evening. Some businesses also start on the morning.

The craziness looks the same, at different time. On Dark Thursday, stores are already crowded. Maybe a little less on Black Friday then for those who overslept like I did.

On that special sale day, you still have taxes in those states which don’t show up the actual price. Plus, you have to wait hours in line, especially in Target or Pink/Victoria’s secret. American girls love this Pink store! They filled huge bags of girly stuff, which I don’t even what they are used for. Oh yeah, to look pretty and to seduce. I am a ginger, I don’t need anything else.

Finally party time! Something I actually do like to do! My oldest sister offered me a cocktail before one of my friend made my make-up and leave altogether to have dinner and ales. We went to a country bar. As usual, I couldn’t dance any of the music but that’s okay. This is an excuse for me to ask someone to teach me.

A married guy taught me.

While I was dancing barefoot.

Then his friend asked my phone number.

And another guy sat right next to me keeping saying I was beautiful.

While he was starring at me, my friend was seducing another guy and my older sister talking with a guy too.

At the end of the party night, my sister and our friend were waiting for their guys so I had to wait for one of mine, which appeared in second position.

Talked and kissed.

It hasn’t been two months yet and I had my third wedding request. Americans don’t get I am surely not interested by their way of life.

And who said I’d need those Victoria’s secret sale products again? 

After a month working here, I think it is maybe time to talk to you about this internship.

For those who follow me on Facebook and Twitter, you could see how well it goes. The American way of life, of better saying, way of work, is much different than what we use to know in Europe, and full of experiences.

We always hear “here is so different, so much like TV show!”. At first, I didn’t believe it. Now I do.

You get to go in a big fire truck, wearing a fire uniform and at the same time you ask questions and take notes for a story. You get to have a label pins while going out to write a story about a Christmas tree, to see police officers and of course to see the marine and their huge boats.

I can tell, this is like a TV show where guys’ looks like those actors, really handsome, friendly and helpful.

Social issues in America aren’t the same as in Europe of course. Here I can talk about a little guy who flew to LA to contest with a Halloween costume, the story sounded like a Disney Channel show. Americans talk more about donation, money issues, government, shotgun, road closures, movies, and businesses. Americans like to help each others and to work on making good wage. The population is really concerned about how the government use their money, so of course, they don't like taxes. When it comes to financial issue, most of the time, you find someone who will try to make some bank robbery, bargaining or felonies. Yes, when you work for a newspaper, you spend your time feeling like you have to describe a TV show. 

I don’t write about all of those topics, but I do quiet a few of them. Each new story is a new adventure in SnohomishCounty, North of Seattle.

In the newsroom, we also have those funny moment like Halloween were someone grab you to join the potluck and at the same time you meet other colleagues wearing Simpsons costumes and make the whole family. We also had elections night, with pizzas, pops and much pressure.

Less funny but really interesting though, we participated to a meeting with the whole staff. It was about the new digital strategy of the newspaper. It started with a game to win a cookie. Of course, at the end of the meeting, the box just passed around. We had a second break time.

Everywhere I go, something is happening. Either at the office with others reporters or outside with people from the area, or even further with random people I meet on the road. I guess life is full of surprises. 

Having an internship in an American Media has a good value on European resumes. Though, according to the American immigration, it is harder to study in the USA, especially when your school doesn’t tell you the rules.

First of all, the 90-days VISA as everyone knows, is for tourists only. Students and Medias aren’t allowed to have that kind. Students needs the Student VISA and media the Media VISA. Which one would I need as a journalist student? I never figured this out. 

The easiest is to travel into the USA with a 90-days 90 days VISA. When you need more days, you usually think you can go abroad and your VISA will count down. Well, USA makes everything more complicated. Traveling in border countries is counting up in your 90-days. To make it counting down, you have to go at least to Guatemala. It is the closest country which can reset your 90-days VISA. Even islands don’t help you with it.

When you live your home country with plane tickets that proof duration over 90-days, you get stuck until you proof you are going abroad. You can say you are going to Canada, they don’t mind, they wont neither tell you that it doesn’t count! So when you go back on the USA territories, an immigration officer tells you that your days are still counting up, from your first step in the USA, not even when you finally have reached your destination. 

For me, my days were counting from when I arrived to Atlanta. My stamp has the name of the city and the date on it. It doesn't matter if Atlanta was only a connection to my next flight, I got stamped, which means I had already spent a day in the USA territories. 

Of course, when you are under a 90-days VISA, you can’t look for a job and you can’t apply for another VISA while you are in the USA. Neither you are supposed to reset it. If the immigration find this out, they can send you back home. They don't need to follow any other criterias than their own. 

For any reason, 90-days wouldn't be enough, you can only stay on a illegal stay (which means you are not supposed to). While back home, it becomes necessary to apply for a B-2 VISA, the real expandable tourist VISA. Of course, it requires fees and plus, an interview with an immigration officer. Europeans have most lickely their B-2 VISA. Nevertheless, USA requires candidates to speak out if they had a denial (like you would say so). Once it notices, candidates have to wait at least 6 months to hope another possibility to get a VISA. 

USA makes everything complicated to let you in the country. This new Europe is afraid that people would stay to live in, even people who made up this huge country, I mean, the Europeans. 

Take a deeper look. Europeans went to America and killed natives. Now, the Europeans who stayed in their own old countries can't even go to the new one as they wish. You have to pay, to have to attend interview and hope to have a nice face talking to you at the immigration border line. Don't even expect to game the rules. American authorities are really stricts and subjective. 

An advice, if you don't look like an new american, dyed you hair, cut it, paint your skin in blue and wear a white hat. Like this you would at least look like a belgian, -even though Americans don't know where the smurfs came from

Welcome to America.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html

First I went to a hockey game, it was five years ago with my host dad. There was almost a fight and my host dad told me I was lucky to see this little.

At that time already, we were watching Thunderbirds, team of Seattle.

Well, with the same team years later, on a Saturday night at Comcast in Everett, I saw so much more.

Around the middle of the game, two players, one from Seattle and the others from Everett, Silvertips, were grapping each other, took their helmet off and punched. 

At the beginning I thought it was okay, until I noticed that arbitrators let them fight.

When it started to look really bad, arbitrators finally stepped in between the two opponents.

The end of the game approaches, two others players hit each other. This time, one fall on the icy floor, and the other go closer to be able to punch him. Two arbitrators were necessary to immobilize them. 

Likely, the game wasn’t only fighting and players kicked off. It was also about ice skaters playing like clowns on the rink. 

Of course it is funny when someone fall on the ice rink, even more when a professional player is sliding on his butt to the closest edge. Several of them lost gloves, sticks… and even part of their sticks.

Players got angrier at the end of the game. I guess Thunderbirds are bad losers. They lost 5-0. They provoked most of the fight. I guess also it is because it is in the American’s character to be that aggressive.

From the day they came to this land, they fought to have it, against anyone, Native American and others Europeans. No one had more right than a other community to be here, except the native, who died when the first white came.

When I watch any game that is famous here, it can be American football (for not getting confused with soccer), Rollers derby, or Ice hockey, they all look violent. Players enjoy winding and audience loves to watch, which make the producers make it more convenience. 

As you noticed, I am nearby Seattle. I spend some weekend crossing the Washington’s capital, so I’ve got two points of view of what is going on here in the state.

Well, for Halloween, it is a bit quieter up here. Even though, we had a great potluck at work. People brought some food, main dishes and desserts, even some dry vegetables (don’t ask about freshness). Some of our colleagues even wore a Halloween costume. The Simpson’s family was almost all gathered.

Most of my co-workers didn’t dress up though. We are reporters. Could you imagine one of us coming to interview you with a superhero costume? We wouldn’t be credible.

It doesn’t matter. This morning, I went to see many people who had worn costumes. They were all white and blue, with plenty of badges on their chest. Some of them had cap, others put on their beret. I was at the Navy basement.

Tonight, I have the “chore” to come back home and deliver candies to children. My flatmate couldn’t stay. It was a good plan to leave this to me. They can get scared of a Ginger-Belgian-French girl! I bet my cute accent will make them run away.

Down in Tacoma, it is totally another story. Dogs are all dressed up for Halloween, plus humans of course. A friend managed to take me with her to a party. She dressed like Mickey Mouse so I had to be Minnie Mouse to match with her. My host sister was a panda, more like a sexy panda.

Other people were dressed like a bloody bride, a character from Hell Raiser (the one with a white face and some pike on it), a Wolverine…

Everybody was dancing on a dance floor on country music. They were doing some steps they all knew. I didn’t and I still don’t. My friends manage then to find me a partner to teach me how to dance on American music, wasn’t that easy. Plus, they’ve found a guy younger than me, shame on them! 

Follow-up

On the evening, my flatmate left me alone at home to deliver candies. She told me only few kids would come by.

A girl, with her school team shirt knocked at the door, she seemed lonely, I felt so sad I couldn't find any candy anymore; same for the ninja little guy who passed few minutes later.  

The amount of kids, according to what my flatmate averaged, doubled.

Children came first with bunch of their friends, so my first candies ran out.

Then, I could find some candies in the kitchen, I am sure I wasn't supposed to give them away. They could serve the second rond, with some Belgian cookies. Wasn't enough.

Nevertheless, it was nice to see some teenagers come with children. They were also wearing costume. An young adult wore a really scary one. He had a white cape, with a blue-bone mask.

As soon as I ran out of candies, children finally started to shout "Trick or Treats!". I was so excited! I couldn't thanks them, I couldn't even scare them neither. 

The night is not over yet. Some kids may pass by again, I am gonna be still off of candies. This doesn't matter. Tomorrow morning, everybody will have a story to tell.

Dear blog,

It has been since July 2009 I didn’t write you. We are now on 2013, 4 years later.  I finally could make my trip back in the US, and it was pretty epic. 

First of all, my mom woke me up an hour earlier than I was supposed to get up. She didn’t count the time well last night, and I actually needed to leave at 7 am instead of 8. I didn’t plan that, so I got tired when I got up. I also woke up my brother, who came back from San Francisco last night. We saw each other for 5 minutes in Belgium, and we’re gonna meet again in California for Christmas.

Arrived at Brussels Airport, an employee told me I’ve got 91 days instead of 90 for my stay in the US, so they can’t let me pass. With the Delta’s manager and my parents, we managed a weekend in Vancouver. It costs so much cheaper this way. 

Again on the first line for the check in, the employee didn’t understand what was the solution. He said “Seattle – Vancouver? I’d do that by car!” His manager responded this was the easiest and cheapest solution we could find. “Problem is, she needs a ticket to prove she’ll get off of the country”

At the gate, I took the wrong line, the manager was there again, and showed me the right way.

So, I am in my first plane, but it doesn’t get off of the ground. Three to four bathrooms are broken. We were stucks for half an hour. The pilot told us we wouldn’t be able to have all of our connections. It freaked me out. I had only an hour and a half to take my next flight. The woman next to me was Flemish. In English, she reassured me and gave me some advices. I made my second friend.

Finally, we landed in Atlanta. I go as fast as I can, as far as I can. People on my way were nice to me and easily let me pass except one guy…the immigration’s employee. As usual, there’s someone to ask you questions about your trip. He started to be suspicious about me and I didn’t like it. Plus, I was in rush for my next flight. He didn’t believe that I was travelling 3 months in Washington to visit my family and without my own funds. I didn’t want to spilt I was actually a journalist trainee. I know some countries don’t accept that really well, and I didn’t have any official support. I thought it would be too risky. So, I got pretty mad and he threated me. “You’re lucky I am nice, otherwise you would go with that guy and he wouldn’t let you entry intro the country”

Oh well, I should have remembered my mom’s statement “Never makes fun of Americans”. 

Later on my way in the airport, I see that poster "Inform on terrorists, save lifes". No doubts, I am in the US. Do I really look like one for the immigration ? I am a ginger though, with nothing in my luggages that could make think of criminality. 

At the next gate, we were about 10 persons waiting to be seated in the plane, but there were only 2 seats available. Again, I was freaked out. How would I warn my drive when I arrive if I don’t follow the schedule? Likely, it was a man assigning seats. He just took the first two girls. While I was waiting and complaining, I talked to that military guy, who told me there was a medical convention in Seattle. That was what why they weren’t so many free seats. 

The women in front of me was Chinese, she didn’t speak a word in English. A customer tried to explain her what was going on with her translater application on her phone. In the plane, I was alone with her, and our seats were next to each other. I noted she was worried about her carry-on bag. The plane didn’t have even space for that, so they took our bags to put in the baggage hold.  I explained that to her while drawing in my agenda. During the whole flight, I slept, and we tried to talk together. I made my 4th friend.

Finally in Seattle on time, my landlord found me, helped by my Couchsurfing photo on her phone. While arrived, I first called my family in Tacoma and the one in Belgium, then, I was feeling the jetlag.

Now, I am pretty much ready to live my three months here in Washington :-)

I cleaned up my room to get ready for my family. They're came at the airport July 6th. I went to pick them up with my host parents. I was so excited! I couldn't stay at the same place! First, my host mom grounded me because I told her 8:30 and the flight came at 8:36. What's difference? Seriously! I didn't care about they rules anymore, I had my family, my rules, my life coming back.

I saw first the little face of my little brother, looking the wrong way. I saw him, I jumped on him! Too excited to think, I screamed and hugged everybody. Mom was crying, and made me cry of happiness.
We spent altogether a really nice summer time!

We went first in Oregon where my host mom planned everything. They didn't want to understand Belgium culture though I listened to them for the whole year. My host dad grounded me because my family wasn't American. I summarize but this was his thought. Actually, I'm glad to be Belgian.

Despite our difference, we hung out together without them the evening, avoiding being fatter.

After, we went to Canada, it was really fun! The tourism is really different but we learned about others countries and cultures. We saw the beautiful nature of earth. We met the host family of my brother and also one of his friend. We had really fun on Denman Island! I think there was the best moment ever with graduation celebrations!

Back to US, we went to Seattle and close to where I lived. We met up my brother in Seattle for the second time. First time was in Canada, in Vancouver's park, nearby the aquarium.

Mom helped me to eat more correctly. Everybody saw in what I lived for almost a year. They saw the American culture, not as beautiful but different from the first thought.

I was glad to be at the airport with my brother, his girlfriend and my parents. It was also so much easier to get back everything! Despite some trouble at the boundaries because of my expired VISA. IN Canada to get back to US they finally decide to get off my situation as exchange student for tourist. With my good English I talked a lot with the authorities to let me cross the country. Last trouble at the airport. I couldn't bring with me too little snow ball. I packed them as second luggage for my brother to get it free.

Back in Belgium I couldn't recognize anything at first and I was really tired of the travel. My body had hurt of the suitcases to bring from the planes to the train to the station. Near our station, Mom told me we were in Nivelles. I didn't recognize. After I had to turn around my house twice before to know where I live. The first nights I felt as a guest. To get home, my neighbor picked me up, each a car, a really small Belgium car as I knew before.

Now I am with my parents, I see my friends, I work and soon I'm gonna move out to Brussels. I take pleasure for each moment I live here with each person I love.