My friends, this reactivation is to tell you that there is beauty in the world, and that I have found it.



Most of it resides in the "Pain Quotidien"'s tarte au citron.

After this, I promise I really will shut up.

I don't have that much to announce either, only that exams are a bitch (like we didn't all know already), that the Belgian weather really should decide what it wants and just dump the bloody thunderstorm on our heads already instead of making me suffer and sweat through that clammy pre-thunderstorm atmosphere, and that the travel blog is set up, but currently empty (constructive criticism about the way it looks and all the rest more than welcome).

You'll find it here: http://bolivianbourlingue.blogspot.com/

Oh yeah, it's in French. Since it's going to be enough of a challenge just to try and understand + speak Spanish asap, I figure I should keep my priorities in mind and stick with the other Italic language that I know. Also, as the biggest part of the readers will speak French, it's kind of the logical choice. Of course English will stay my first love, but I'll probably end up speaking it like a barbarian, which is what every exchange student tends to do: mix the local brogue with some piss Bamboo English & a dash of their own language.

I've already invented my own name for it: Embroglio. It sounded better than 'Shaken, not stirred'. We aren't talking about vodka-Martini's in the end.

Anyway, I've got to get to bed to go on stressing a little about my piss-poor maths, and Newton's binomials and pigeonhole principles, statistics and the fucking maths behind Google will surely crowd my nightmares. I feel the belly-ache coming up already. Stupid exam jitters. I can't even dance the jitterbug. In fact, I can't dance at all, I've got no rhythm and two left feet. Pity for the others on the dancefloor that I love to do it. And about the belly-ache, Harry Nilsson's got a plan:  

It's time to close up shop.

As you may or may not know (and I frankly don't give a damn which one it is), I'm leaving for Bolivia on the 12th of July, 4 PM, Zaventem (notice the very subtle hint to please drop by and come wave a handkerchief).

One year of living abroad in a Spanish-speaking country where one shouldn't automatically assume everybody understands three words of English. One year in some of the world's highest cities, in one of the world's developing countries (and one of South America's poorest) with people I don't know in places I have never seen with a very slow and ineffective postal service, about 6300 miles (10139 km) from home.

Sounds adventurous? Surely is the most adventurous I have ever done.

Also, Internet is most likely only available in cybercafés. Hence the closing of this blog, which really lives on spur-of-the-moment writing. Last time I tried to hold an idea to make it a post at a later date, it went horribly wrong. Horribly wrong in that the post really was barf-worthy. In the throwing up on your screen sense of the word.

However, don't panic! This is not the Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy, but I'm opening up a new blog to try and make my own little Hitchhiker's Guide (for the AFS student going to Bolivia. Besides, I'm in serious need of a banner or a layout idea for that blog, so if you have suggestions, shoot! Below there is this shiny little button that says comment. It never triggers explosions and I'm never angry when somebody punches it.)
It'll be my travel blog/journal/tips collection and it's going to be named....

(drum roll, please)

Magali Goes to Bolivia

(and Frankie Goes to Hollywood. So Relax!) 

Not sure about the subtitle yet. My guess is I'll change it along the way. Other major dilemma is which language I'll write it in. I'd love to keep my English & Dutch up while I'm diving head first in the Italic language that is Spanish, but I know some people, namely my family, will want a native tongue read -- that would be French. I've played with the idea of a weekly newsletter to all French speakers, but nothing guarantees I'll be able to send every week.

One thing is sure, though, that blog will be made & you are all more than welcome to read it. A link will be placed above this page and it'll remain there for as long as this one stays inactive -- if I ever reactivate it. Not so sure it will be missed.