Enjoy your meal !

Today, I'm going to give you a mouth-watering experience ! I decided to build a one-day menu that would be typical for us, Belgian people.
After the heavy meals of Christmas, I hope you'll still be hungry enough and be able to appreciate my              " Flemish Carbonnate" as the main dish, and the "Belgian Waffles" as the dessert.

Are you ready? If yes, let's get it started !!!!

1) The Flemish Carbonnade: 4 people, preparation 45 min, cooking 2h30

Ingredients, you will need:
1 kg of beef, 4 onions, 1 tin of mushrooms, 1 liter of Leffe (Belgian beer), one tablespoon of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of mustard, 2 big slices of country bread, 4 tablespoons of sunflower oil

 Preparation:
1) Cut the beef in cubes. Peel and mince the onions. Clean the mushrooms.
2) Put in a pan the oil and fry the cubes of beefs for 2 minutes. In another pan, heat the oil and stir in the chopped onions.
3)Put the country bread spread with mustard in the bottom of a saucepan and put on top the beef and the onions. Pour the beer then 30 cl of water.
4)Salt and pepper.
5) Sprinkled with brown sugar and let it simmer gently for 2h30 minutes.
6) At the end of the cooking, put the mushrooms without stirring the preparation.

2) The Belgian Waffles (from Brussels)

Ingredients: 125gr flour, 250 ml milk, 10gr sugar, 100 gr melted butter, 4 eggs, 10gr salt, 50gr icing sugar

Preparation:

1) Boil 25 cl milk and let it cool afterwards.
2) In a salad bowl, put 125gr flour and mix it with 4 egg yolks, a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of sugar.
3) Dilute the milk and then the 100 gr of melted butter.
4) Mix everything together into a smooth mixture and add delicately the beaten egg whites.
5) Heat the waffle machine and butter it.
6) Pour the waffles batter in the machine and let it cook until the waffles are brown on the top.
7)Finally, sprinkle with icing sugar.

BON APPETIT !!!                                                                ENJOY... 

The Red devils : our national pride

Have you ever heard of the Red devils ? According to you, what could it be? Take some time to think about it ;)

Here is a brief explanation. The Red devils is the name given to the Belgian  national soccer team.They are also called " les diables rouges" in French. This team is composed of 21 players. Half of them come from the French part and the other half from the Flemish part.

Our national soccer team has not always been good but last October,the Red devils qualified for the World Championship that takes place in Brazil in 2014.


But why are the Red devils our national pride?

It should be remembered that the relationships between the French part, the Flemish part and Brussels have not always been easy. Strong political tensions recurred for a long time in Belgium, we didn't have any government for 18 months during the crisis of 2010-2011. Many negociations had to be done and the disagreements between those 2 parts of Belgium grew stronger and stronger throughout the years.  We even thought that Belgium would be soon separated, the French part associated to France and the Flemish part to the Netherlands.

BUT the tensions have subsided and a consensus was finally found between the different political parties. The victory of the national team contributed to strenghten the feeling of belonging and unity of the Belgian people and for most of us we are proud to be Belgian.

Picture of my friends and I in Brussels next to the Roi Baudouin Stadium, ready for one of the World cup game, dressed up with our colours Black, yellow and red and drinking our most famous beer   "Jupiler".

YOUPOST 4

Hello Guys,

How are you doing today?

Are you ready to travel a bit more with me ?

Today, I'm going to talk about Budapest. I was there from December 20th till December 22th and I had a wonderful time. I would really advise you to go visit this city.

We travelled from Vienna with my boyfriend and we took a bus of the Orangeways company. It is way cheaper than the train and you arrive in the center of the city after only 2 hours and half. Don't forget to exchange your money when you get there, Hungarian people still don't use Euro.



There are some beautiful places to visit there. Between the splendid Hungarian Parliament, the royal palace, St. Stephen's basilica, the Chain Bridge, you have a lot to discover. I would recommend you the free walking tour that takes place every day at 10.30am. A Hungarian guy will explain to you what is so typical about the city, you'll go inside some of the famous buildings, you'll get to know the history of BUDA and PEST, and even know some funny stories about the city.

After the walking tour, you can't miss the famous baths of the city. I've been to the Széchenyi bath. It is unbelievable, the perfect place to be when it's winter time and you want some relaxation! Funny story: you can even play chess in the water!


Night time is also great in Budapest! The Hungarian pubs are cheap and full of students wanting to party with you! You must try "Palinka", it's the traditional Hungarian drink ( fruit brandy). But pay attention, it is strong alcohol, you might not drink too much!

Budapest is a great city and affordable for students! So go ahead and ENJOY :)

YOUPOST 3

Are you ready to explore the American West with me? 

Last week, I booked a wonderful trip in the United States with my brother! It's going to be a lifetime memory. We will be travelling for 2 weeks from April 25th till May 9th throughout all the American West. It seems to be the best moment to travel because the weather is nice and not too warm!  

We went to a famous travel agency " Connection" in Belgium and we found great deals over there. My brother being more than 26, we decided to rent a camping car for two weeks. We wanted a trip full of adventures and beautiful sceneries. We will cross five different States: California, Nevada,Utah, Arizona and Wyoming. Landing in San Francisco, we will stay there for 3 nights. We will have the chance to walk through the Fisherman’s Wharf, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Union Square or even discover Chinatown. After that, we will go to Las Vegas for 2 nights. I'm really excited to see this supernatural city, be able to gamble in the casinos and go out with my brother till the end of the night. Afterwards, we will drive till Salt lake city for 1 night to arrive the day after in Yellowstone for 2 nights. I have never been to Wyoming, it's a new State to discover. It's also the oldest National Park of the world. Monument Valley will be the next stop for 2 nights. When I was younger, I always watched western films with my family. A great deal of  movies have the Monument Valley as backgrounds. We will then have 4 nights left: we will spend 2 nights in Lake Powell, 1 night in Grand Canyon and finally 1 night in Phoenix to end our beautiful trip.

Costs :

1) Flights (Lufthansa): Brussels--> San Francisco ( with one stop in Frankfurt)

            Phoenix--> Brussels ( with one stop in Frankfurt)

Cost per person: 885 euros per person

2) Camping car ( 2 persons) + fuel+ several camping places

Connection booked a camping car with Authentik USA , departure San Francisco- Arrival San Francisco

Cost:

a) Camping car for 2 weeks ( with the special promotion) + fuel ( around 4000 kms)+ insurance+ free gps: +/- 1460 euros ( for 2 people)

b) Camping: Only 5 nights in a camping, there are many possibilities to park for free ( Walmart for example).

There is a small fee because we drop the camping car in Phoenix and not in San Francisco

All: +/- 1700 euros for 2 people = 850 euros per person

3)Activities:

A) San Francisco, California

 Alcatraz Island cruise and tour : a visit of one of the most famous Prison islands of the world. You will start the tour with a boat tour to reach the island. Then, you will have a visit of the prison.

Price : 35 euros/person

B) Antelope canyon, Arizona (Near Lake Powell)

Antelope canyon: You can visit the slot canyon sections, created by the wind, water and sand. It is possible to rent a jeep car to reach the canyon. Once you are there, you can walk inside along the high walls (40 meters). Around Midday, the daylight and the colors of the landscapes are the most beautiful.

Price: Departure 11h30 : 39 euros/person

C) Monument Valley (at the border between Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah = four corners)

Monument valley tour: After the demonstrations of carpet weaving at Navajo, you will be able to see the most spectacular views from the famous Monument valley you see in the films . Several stops will be planned during the visit: John Ford’s Point, The Mittens, Three Sisters, North Window.

+/- 2,5 hours, 48 euros/person

D) Las Vegas-Grand Canyon- Las Vegas

 Helicopter tour from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon: great opportunity to fly over the grand canyon and land down the valley.

Price : 222 euros/person

Don’t miss it, it’s a great opportunity

Total of the trip ( per person) : 885 + 850+35+39+48+222= 2079 euros + the food and souvenirs to add !

Don't hesitate to do this trip ! Others did it before us and they all seemed to be enthusiastic about it !!!

YOUPOST 2

Hello Followers,

How are you doing today?

If I tell you "United States", what comes first to your mind? What are the stereotypes and the preconceived ideas that you have?

Personally, I have many that I could mention:
- Americans are very patriotic.
- Americans don't know much about the history, languages and geography of other countries.
- Americans are obese.
- American football players always date cheerleaders.
- Americans are really conservative and religious.
- Americans carry guns on them all the time.
And many others...

But are all those stereotypes true? I'm going to develop one in particular and try to reveal the origin and the truth of it:


1) Americans are very patriotic:

Many Americans claim themselves as very patriotic and proud to be American. According to a survey led by the Pew Research Centre (an American think tank based in Washington DC), around 83 pourcent of Americans are proud of their nationality.
This patriotism is noticeable in different ways. First
of all, the American flag is everywhere, it is hanging in front of schools and inside the classrooms, in front of many houses' façades, on the back of many cars and even drawn on T-shirts. It is a symbol for liberty and democracy guaranteed by the Constitution.
As I was in America for my senior year in High School, I had to recite every morning "the Pledge of Allegiance" before starting class. And every time I had a sport competition with my swimming or soccer team, the anthem was always played before starting it. I always thought it was cool; it gave us spirit and motivation to win the competition.

Secondly, American people always thank their troops for the sacrifice they make for their country. They often honor their troops, particularly on Veteran Days. As I lived next to a military post on Fort Carson in Colorado, I went to see the "Welcome back from Afghanistan" of the troops. It was a very formal and emotional moment where the soldiers could see  their family again after 9 months-1 year deployment. During this ceremony, they usually play this song "I'm proud to be an American" (youtube video), showing their patriotism and their respect to the Nation.


All those elements show that this stereotype is true. This solidarity has lasted since the unification of the 13 founding States ( which are also the 13 stripes of the American flag) and the Independence of the United States in 1776.




Do you have other stereotypes about Americans that you could share with me? Any funny ones? If yes, don't hesitate to write comments! I would be happy to read you !

Hope you enjoyed this article, and I can't wait to discover more things and write you about my adventures!



Sources: Military post Fort Carson
               http://www.lefigaro.fr/international/2010/07/05/01003-20100705ARTFIG00653-les-americains-                cultivent-leur-patriotisme.php
                http://www.pewresearch.org/2010/07/01/proud-patriots-and-harsh-critics-of-government/
               http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence

YOUPOST 1

D-1, people!!!  Are you ready to celebrate this crazy and terrifying night which is Halloween?

I definitely am! Ever since I was little, I've never missed an opportunity to celebrate Halloween. When I was younger, I always dressed up with my friends to go trick-or-treating in my neighborhood. Whilst growing up, I changed it a bit. I now go to Halloween parties and watch horror movies till the end of the night.

 Yet, have you wondered how Halloween ever started? I always thought that Halloween was created in the United States to entertain children and make business out of it… but  after some research, this is what I found…

Halloween actually dates back to the Celtic times. 3000 years ago, the Celts celebrated New-Year during the night of the 31^st of October. During that night, they celebrated the Festival of Samhain  (= summer's end), which is a religious celebration that marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the winter season ( mainly for the farmers). It was symbolized by the extinction and the relighting of all the households. The Celts would gather around a bonfire set by a druid in the forest; they would dance and sing till nights'end. Believing that the dead could return to earth and mingle with the living, the druids dressed up and gesticulated in order to communicate with the spirits and ward off the demons. Indeed, the druids were known for appeasing the souls and protecting the people.

Later in the VIIIth century, the Pope, Gregory III, established the “All Hallows ‘day” on the 1^st of November to celebrate All Saints ‘Day. Then, the immigrants of Ireland and Scotland imported the event with them to the United States in the XIXth century. It was then called “all Hallows ‘Eve” which means "the night before All-Saints ‘Day".

Don't you find it surprising that Halloween has existed for so long and doesn't, in fact, come from the United States?

One thing is for sure: every Halloween, I'll remain a child and whatever its origins, I find it amusing and will always dress up and party!

What do you really know about Belgium ?

If I talk to you about Belgium ? What comes first to your mind ?
Usually, when I ask people this question they always answer me: " I've heard about that country, but I've never been there". In general, they have been all over Europe, but strangely enough never to Belgium.

But what you may be wondering is why Belgium is great country to go to? That's where my knowledge about my home country comes in handy, in order to help you understand why and how wonderful a nation it is!

Belgium is a small country (a little bit more than 11 million inhabitants) and lies between the Netherlands, France, Germany, Luxemburg and the North Sea. Small but true, Belgium has a central position at the heart of Europe. Its capital, Brussels, is also the capital of the European Union ( with the European Parliament, Council of the European Union and the European Commission). Belgium is a constitutional, parliamentarian monarchy but also a federal government composed of communities and regions. Its current king is King Philipp, who succeeded after his father on July 21th 2013, on the National Day.

Belgium is divided into three parts:
1) The French part ( center to the south of Belgium)
2) The Flemish part ( center to the north of Belgium)
3) The German part ( a tiny area in the East)
So come to think about it, Belgium has three national languages !

My little country is also known for its beer, chocolate and its comic books ( Tintin and the Smurfs). Nevertheless, its gastronomy is very reputated ! So if you happen to go to Belgium and notice the many restaurants, go and try one of our local dishes !

Do you want to party ? Belgium is the place to be... There are many dynamic student cities where many opportunities are offered. Belgian people have the reputation of being welcoming, with a great sense of humour. They even have the particularity of  not taking themself seriously.

So, what are you waiting for? Do you want to come and explore my beautiful land ?

Good piece of advice: you can find 20 euros flight ticket with ryanair ( from Budapest till Brussels). So why aren't you jumping at this chance ?

Welcome Followers !

Welcome to my blog followers,

I will start it by introducing myself shortly :


My name is Julie Thomas and I'm 22 years old. As it is written in the title of my blog, I'm from Belgium and I'm an Erasmus in Graz for one semester.
I'm studying translation-interpretation in English, German and French  in Brussels . I'm right now in my third year Bachelor.

If you know a little bit about Belgium, you can wonder which language I speak. My mothertongue is French but I obviously learnt the two other national languages of Belgium at school, which are German and Dutch.

I have many hobbies in life, such as spending time with my family and my friends. It is the most important thing for me. I love going out with them and creating new memories.


I also love travelling, learning about new cultures and getting to meet people from all around the world :

When I was 18, I got the chance to be an exchange student for 10 months in the United States, in Fountain-Fort-Carson High School, Colorado. It was one of the best years of my life. I could improve my English and live the real "homecoming", "prom" or the famous "graduation" I watched on television. I really loved learning about American customs and traditions.

Last year, I went to Cologn in Germany, I did an intership in the Belgian Consulate to translate but also to promote Belgian tourism in Germany, that was also a great experience and really rewarding for my future (and also for my cv by the way :) )

It's currently the third experience abroad I'm doing right now, and I'm loving it so far... I'm improving my German a little bit more everyday (even if the austrian dialect is really difficult to understand) and I get to know more about Austrian culture. I try to travel and hike here as much as I can. I had the opportunity to visit Dachstein-Hallstatt and Vienna already.

Throughout this blog, I'm going to talk more about my country (sports, traditions, food and so on) but also other countries and their characteristics.

I hope you will enjoy it and feel as if you were travelling the world with me !!!