A summer day

The doorbell rings. It took me 18 minutes to reach her house, not bad. Probably because I was so excited to arrive. In my bag, a red shirt with the Belgian Red Devils logo on it. A toothbrush, my pluffy sheep I sleep with, clean socks and underwear. Four facemasks, a pyjama, two gifts for the two birthday-piggies. My bikini, but not a towel (oops). Sunglasses. Candy.

All the others have already arrived. My friend said that we could come starting from 4, so I came at 5.15. It's obvious that I'm still in the India-spirit. There are the familiar orange and green cups on the table, as well as candies, soda, gifts.

I know the house of my best friend as well as I know my own house. I've spent nights in a row there. I've sat at their dinner table for breakfast, lunch and dinner, several times. I automatically go upstairs first, to drop my bag in the room. I know where to get another bottle of juice. I know the house as well as mine.

In the kitchen, my friend and I put MNM's in the colors of the Belgian flag in a yellow bowl. We're both over-excited for the match that's on tonight. Belgium to the finals. SNAP, a photo. She's happy, or at least she seems to be.

Three friends take my camera. Apparently, they are bored and need some entertainment. So they take 237 photos on my iPod. They feel really funny, they even pretend to be Usain Bolt. SNAP, a photo. They are happy, or at least they seem to be.

The mother of my best friend comes home, with her son. She comes out, we hug, I see my friend's brother for the first time since I'm back. He still knows my name, I'm happy. Her mother is like a mother to me, always caring, always there. After two holidays together and countless days in her house, we know each other pretty well.

We go for a swim. Of course, the birthday piggies have to go in first. If not volunarily, we'll force them. We force them. It's not even 20 degrees outside, not really pool weather, but in Belgium everything above 15 degrees is pool weather, and it's tradition, we can't just skip it. So all of us jump in, at the same time. It's freezing. Quickly, we get out and cover ourselves in towels. My friend's mother comes. SNAP, a photo. We're happy, or at least we seem to be.

As we're eating the traditional icecream-cake in the shape of a pig, we realize that the football match will almost start. After eating one more macaron, my over-excited football friend takes her make-up. We put the Belgian flag on our faces. We dress up (at least, the two of us do). We're ready. SNAP, a photo. We're happy, or at least we seem to be.

Some of us leave, some others stay. It's pure necessity, I can't opt to leave, I just can't. Tradition is tradition. Not that I want to leave, by the way, not at all. There's no place I'd rather be. The matresses are put, we'll share three with the four of us. It feels good to be at a sleepover again, finally. I've missed this. SNAP, a photo. The fours of us, we're happy, or at least we seem to be.

The next morning, we shortly go to the park. It is so beautiful. We just sit there, and talk. I get a text from my brother. Where are you? I don't have the key.
I have to go, but right before I leave. SNAP, a photo. The day is happy, or at least it seems to be.

July 2014, missing you.

She thinks

It's "winter" in India. Sometimes, it's only 12 degrees in the morning. Everyone is "freezing". If you pick just one, what would you choose, efficiency or spontaneity, she asks the other ten attendants, while a shiver comes up from her feet, to her head. It's 6.30, it's getting cold. We had better stayed inside, she remarks. Why are we more efficient in our relations to the outside world, than in our own bubble, she answers, while the third one runs off to the next meeting. Maybe democracy isn't the solution, he concludes, as everyone walks towards the caf to get their rice-dal. If they're lucky, there might be some chicken.

I'm so jealous of you, you can still go running in this biodiversity reserve for one and a half years, she thinks to a first year after a run. She doesn't say it out loud. She doesn't want to come over too dramatic. The first year stretches and laughs at her friend, exhausted on the floor, even though she didn't run half the distance they ran!

As they walk up the stairs, her friend says Today, I realized I'm gonna miss this place so much. Today, she asks when she finished her cup of milk she just bought in the Dukaan? I realized I'm gonna miss this place so much so often, she thinks, but walking up the stairs to wada one, it hits her again, and she realizes for the fourhundredthirteenth time that she's gonna misss this place so much.

He asks What is the third tradeoff? Quickly, all the students look away. She pretends to be writing , but when no one answered after 4 seconds, she gathers all her courage and raises her hand, looking for the right words. They seem to have dissapeared as soon as he turned around and pointed at her. 'Louise', he says, but not in the way you're supposed to say it, more like Louiis. They just can't.

There are 10 minutes left until the next class starts. They walk to the library lawn, where the warmth can reach their sun-craving skin. How are you, her roomie shouts from afar, but then in Hebrew, not in English. She answers in Hebrew. She's proud. They take of their much-needed sweaters and scarfs for 9 minutes, and lie down in the grass. I don't want to go to maths she says, me neither she says. After 12 minutes, they go anyway.

How, they wonder, can we convince him to make her un-grounded for tomorrow? They planned this dinner for so long (5 days), he has to let her go! They make a drawing of three girls (you can recognize it's them because there is one without hair and one really tall one) in a restaurant. One says Cheers!. The girls in the drawing are happy, because he let her go. This must work, she claims. It actually only works when the grounded one agrees to being grounded one more week. Doesn't matter, it worked.

So they take the short cut to the gate. They are lucky in the beginning: the first tractor already stops. Paud, they ask? He points to the back of the car. They climb into the back, trying to stay as elegant as possible, very aware of the looks of the three guys in the front. They get out, and one of the guys asks them One picture please. They say yes. We've given so many pictures for free, one of them says afterwards, we can give this to 'pay him'. The other two agree in silence.
They still have 5 km to go, but they thought it was just one km. It's getting dark, they're tired. When the needs are highest, you will soon be helped out, a Dutch saying says. So one of a sudden, a rickshaw appears. They discuss whether they should actually pay the 30 rupees he asks, but one of them convinces the others: it's really getting dark! The following morning, they get up early, to make sure they don't miss brunch. They laugh about the night before. They are all a bit really tired. They had fun.

She sits at her desk and lights a candle. She also puts incense on her desk. Her laptop is open, waiting for her to use it, but she can't concentrate with this horribly wonderful music on the background. It awakens a kind of sadness in her, but the most beautiful one that exists. She smiles to herself, her roommate shuts her curtains.

I'm gonna miss this place so much, she thinks.

I'm gonna miss this place so much, I think.

Sorry for not writing!

I apologize for not writing for so long, it's just that I was too busy doing what one does in MUWCI, you know? I was so busy catching up on readings and making Maggi noodles, cuddling friends and having deep conversations on Monday afternoons... I couldn't really write because I really had to walk down that hill again and sit down with a bunch of friends somewhere halfway to see the sun set over the mountains at the other side of the river.

Honestly, I feel bad about it. But you know, I really had to hitchhike to Paud again and enjoy good food! I hope you understand that I had to prioritize, and sitting in the treehouse at 11 PM, looking over the lights in the valley, is just more important than writing.

I was also really busy visiting 10 cities in North-India, catching up with my family, and laughing together with our driver. And even though I would have loved to write on Christmas, I was lying in bed with a fever back then! Even though I would have loved to wish you all a happy new year, I couldn't because my brother was in the hospital at that time! 

It was impossible to write in the first week back on campus, because I was too busy showing this beautiful campus to my family, walking my brothers to the basketball field and having tea with my friends and my mom!

There was one time when I really wanted to write, when I had to finish my global politics IA, but I decided to be responsible for once, and to actually finish it. Besides that, I wanted to give you an update when I was finishing my university applications, but I wouldn't have forgiven myself if I decided to not do my applications...

I hope you accept this apology note, and I will try harder to make time to write. It's just that....

With love,

Louise