It's the end of the beginning, if you know what I mean. I'm starting to actually take some time to enjoy life, rather than just concentrating on setting up bank accounts, voicemail, and feeling petrified about work.
And gradually it's starting to dawn what a rewarding place this is for me to live. Even the TV reminds me how fortunate I am to have left the UK.
Tonight, for instance, I watched the weekly Eurovision Song Contest magazine programme on Dutch TV Op weg naar het Songfestival. Along with the interviews with previous performers, and a weekly focus on a particular year, there's also the 'Fan of the Week' slot, where we're invited into the home of a devoted Eurovision fan. Needless to say, they're often gay, but as this is Nederland 2 and not ITV 2, no great feature is made of this - the partner is presented in a completely matter-of-fact way, whether gay or straight.
It's nice to live somewhere where Eurovision fans aren't saddos good for a chortle on TV Hell and where a life partner isn't presented either as a 'gay lover' or 'friend'.
I've also been going out - there's this really great place on Sunday afternoon/evenings called Plančte Chocolat - like gay clubs used to be about fifteen years ago (ie before drugs made them all boring). It opens late afternoon and there's a mix of music from pop to ballroom - and a real mix of people too, from trendy to retired. I'm probably making it sound like some sort of terrible community centre, but it's not at all - it's got buckets of style. This is Brussels, after all!
Matthias, my friend from Cologne, took the train back on Saturday, so I wasn't able to take him, but after seeing him off onto the gorgeous, super-high-speed German ICE train back to Cologne (with wood-panelled interiors!) I was suddenly reminded of the perfect geographical location of this place. Just a train hop from Cologne, London and Paris, and that I'm looking forward to a weekend in Cologne in a couple of weeks.
Anyway, suffice to say that the dust is starting to settle, and the contours of my life are beginning to take shape. And so far, it's fun.
It definitely sounds like you've found the place you're meant to be.
Are you ready for visitors yet? :)
Posted by: matt at October 22, 2003 12:41 AMI think you've known that this was the right place for you for a long time but hadn't quite plucked up the courage to dive in (if it wasn't obvious to you then it certainly was to me :-)
I bet you didn't realise that you'd be running a B&B on the side :-)
Posted by: Shyboy at October 22, 2003 1:03 AMWell as for visitors, yes, feel free - it's lovely to have friends here to stay.
In fact, one of my best friends from Bradford, Leah, is coming to stay with me this very weekend for a bit as she's moving to Brussels as well. You see, everyone's leaving the country, Matt! ;-)
Posted by: Eurodan at October 22, 2003 6:39 PM