Today started with train troubles after I awoke and ate a hasty breakfast in the room. Both trains were delayed and I had to take a local train with more stops to get to the office so that I arrived about 20 minutes after I wanted to.
So, not getting into details this class has had many issues due to the equipment I have here. I spent most of the day fixing issues on one system rather than teaching which is not ideal at all. The students seem understanding and helpful however it is adding a level of unpleasantness to the class that rivals the language barrier I had in Hong Kong. I will say that overall the students speak English well and that is a very helpful thing. I can tell jokes and they get them, so I am happier with that.
After class I took the train to Central again and found dinner in another restaurant on the main square where I could eat outside called L'Estaminet according to the receipt. The menus on the table were in French and Dutch and I asked if the waitress spoke English and she asked if I wanted the English menu. That set the lady next to me who turned out to be from Cincinnati to asking for the English menu to with a sigh of relief. She was also in Belgium for work and we chatted a little bit about food and our travels as we waited for our food to arrive and ate. I ordered the rabbit stew which was tasty if a bit overcooked. They also served me the boniest portions of the rabbit which made for less meat than I would have liked of course. My neighbor got the salmon which looked incredibly good. I wish I had gotten that. In any event I accompanied with Grimbergen Blond.
While I was settling the bill some of my students were downtown and found me and I went to have a drink with them. We went to a place near the Central station and each ordered a Kriek Mystic, which is a cherry flavored beer. It was good but the sweetness would make it a one beer order before I needed to switch. Where the students weren't beer drinkers they all liked it thinking it tasted like cherry soda. I had seen the Krieks a few times on tables and was curious to try one so I am glad I did it even if I wouldn't drink it often.
After the drink I got them off to the train station and walked back to the room to write this and have another beer. A Westmalle Tripel which I have had a few of here in Belgium on the last trip and quite enjoy. I should point out my Belgian student Yves from the last class showed up at the office and I ran into him today so that was also kind of cool. Overall it was a rough day but I made it through it.
The pictures from today are located here.
No comments:
Post a Comment