(Weeks of May 31-June 20)
The flags over the Oude Markt
Playing instead of watching soccer
Playing some Soccer with Americans and Europeans
Can't decided if I look tough or frightened
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Me and Liam
The Nachbahrhuis Spring 2010
The Italian Fans
The big screen in front of the Eiffel Tower
Kevin and I
The Final Bro-Night
With the departure of Monique, my attention was quickly refocused from fun to finals. She departed leaving at the start of a 2 week break period before finals season started. For most people in the group, the break served as an easy travel time to take a nice week off. However, I spent the 2 weeks writing papers. At the end of the first week, I had to write a 40 page paper, and the end of the second a 15 page one. However, the stress of those early weeks would be redeemed later on as I ended up finishing my finals on the 16th of June and had an 11 day break before we went home. This provided me with the perfect chance to travel some before the end of the year.
The signature of the start of the end of the year was our end of the year BBQ which came on the Thursday before Monique left. Gathering in the backyard of our professor’s house in the Begijnhof, the group of 72 Nachbahrhuis-ians came together for the final time. The gathering was bitter sweet as it was great to see everyone together, but sad to know it was our final engagement.
The first of my adventures since the start of the finals season began when Tim, Ginger, Liam, Francesco and I headed in to watch Italy play Mexico in Brussels, in a World Cup warm up. We had wanted to see a soccer game in Europe before the end of the year and this friendly match served as the best opportunity to do so. At first we were concerned when we boarded the train into Brussels, hoping that at least a decent crowd would show up to make the game interesting and loud (after all it was Italy vs. Mexico in Brussels – we weren’t expecting much.) However, the atmosphere that greeted us when we boarded the metro out to the Atomium Park, quickly changed our minds.
“I’m excited!” Tim exclaimed as he turned, wide-eyed staring at the mass of blue shirts flowing off of the metro – the sound of screams and vuvuzela’s preceding and following them as they swarmed. Italy drew a good crowd – more so than the Mexicans – but nonetheless the atmosphere inside the stadium was even crazier than the metro ride. Though Mexico lacked its supporters, the Italian fans more than made up for the enthusiasm, as they proceeded to hang signs and do chants throughout most of the game.
Some of the most event-filled parts of the match came when some Italian fans threw road flares onto the field. This helped to supplement the relatively low action game that occurred. The game finished 2-1 in Mexico’s favor, though the stadium was pretty crazy when the Italians mounted a late comeback. When the chants settled and the game came to a close, with Mexico surprisingly taking it to the Italians (though I suppose not so surprising seeing as how the Italians finished in the World Cup). Either way, the game was fun for us Americans to be a part of and I think everyone (minus Francesco) enjoyed the match.
The soccer game started a theme for the past couple of weeks as World Cup season has taken Leuven by storm, transforming the Oude Markt into an outdoor ESPN Zone with big screen TV’s out front of every pub and fans dressed in their appropriate team colors cheering in front of their respective TV’s. More importantly the game has been especially fun for a house full of internationals representing a number of teams in the World Cup: Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and the United States. In addition, the early success of the US allowed us (me) to be significantly more obnoxious as I decked out in red, white, and blue and headed for the Oude Markt for each match. The atmosphere on the Oude Markt had turned from quiet afternoons out to drink a beer, to packed crowds all sitting outside staring at TV’s which have been propped up outside. Above the bars flags from most of the competing countries were flown, turning the stone stories into bright vibrant colors, all flowing in the slight breeze of the Belgian air, complimented by the cheers and jeers of the disappointed fans carried throughout the streets of cobblestone. Over the course of the World Cup, we spent many afternoons out in the Oude Markt, enjoying an afternoon Belgian beer in the sunshine.
Carrying the sprit of the World Cup into our own lives, we have taken several opportunities to gather our house against the other American huis – JL Vives International Huis – in a couple of futbol matches. Representing the Nachbahr, Liam, Nick, Kara, Francesco, Thibaut, and I have all taken turns playing small sided games against the other huis – even a couple of times playing together with the other American and Europeans. We have had a couple of very close and fun matches and the competitive contests have given me the opportunity to relive my glory days of soccer – though I must admit I find myself much more winded now. I’ve even had the opportunity to play goalie a couple of times trying not to embarrass myself too much.
In addition to soccer, the end of the year has afforded me some travel time, as my finals finished up earlier than others, I was granted the opportunity to travel a bit. With the conclusions of my exams on the 16th, I took the extra time I had before I went home to plan a couple of trips. One of those trips was down to Paris for a day and night to see Kevin who had been traveling through Europe with some of his friends through a program at St. Peter’s. I headed out to Paris to meet up with him, Sir Campion and the Prep crew. The 27 hours I spent in Paris were entertaining but went by quickly to say the least. I was there for one day and one night and my time was more about hanging out with the group than seeing any major sights.
When I arrived I met up with the group on the Champ D’Elysees – it wasn’t exactly hard to find a group of 20 Americans walking down the most popular shopping street in Paris – and we made our way back to their hotel. After relaxing for a bit, we gathered to grab dinner at a Moroccan Restaurant. I used the time to catch up with Sir on Prep and the goings-on of my Alma Mater – it was great to reminisce with Sir Campion, one of my prized teachers at St. Peter’s. The food at the restaurant was outstanding as we coated coos coos in chicken, vegetables and other Moroccan cuisine. After dinner, the group ventured down to the Eiffel Tower to watch the soccer game between France and Algeria – which ended with a bunch of disappointed Parisians as France imploded in a loss.
The following morning we were up by noon for lunch and another meal at a second restaurant. The restaurant was in the heart of the Latin Corridor, and once we finished the meal, we walked about the college section of Paris, taking in some of the sights while heading toward Saint Sulpice. Saint Sulpice is one of the hidden jewels of Paris and was a delight to get to see. I ended my time in Paris at this stop – I had to rush back to the train station to catch a 5:30 train back to Brussels. Bidding my baby brother farewell and thanking Sir for allowing me to tag along, I was quickly headed back to Belgium to begin my final week in my Leuven home.
That final week was symbolized by the ending of a great tradition. Over the course of the year, the Gentlemen of the Nachbahrhuis gathered occasionally, typically once a month for a “Bro-night” tradition. During these aforementioned events, all 7 of the American men – accompanied at times by various other males (including a couple of visiting fathers) – would get together, smoke a cigar, have a couple of rounds in a bar either out on the Oude Markt or at the Klokhuys, and then proceed to argue, debate, scream, yell, and b-s with one another for the evening. The “Bro-night” was a gathering that we all looked forward to and always enjoyed. On the Sunday before the final week the 7 bro’s of the Nachbahr gathered for our final “Bro-night.” It was a bitter sweet engagement as the somber night didn’t lead to much debating but more to reminiscing about the year and all we had done. Then – as every “Bro-Night” in the past has done – we finished the night walking home all of us together with arms wrapped around shoulders.
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