Thoughts on Liege

Rather than viewing Liege through the rose-colored lenses of being an 18-year old exchange student, today I viewed them through a 55-year old world traveling adult. 

I was disappointed and very sad.

The biggest part of my feelings are the disappointments I am feeling about my host families. Five years and a half years ago I visited them and stayed with them. The trip was hurried. I promised I'd come back. The pandemic slowed things down. But, I am back.

Despite sending Facebook messages and mailing notes, I have not been able to connect with two of the families. The third one we are meeting up for lunch. I was hoping over a two week span I could also connect with their children, but everyone is busy.

I'm grateful to see host family number two (I had three families), but the disappointment hurts. I tried again today with an "I am here" message. I need to give up and make other plans. I received one message of "life is complicated, next time," and the other family continued to ignore my messages (but hits "like" on posts, so I know they exist on FaceBook).

I am thrilled my host son is picking me up on Friday to visit with his family. That is shaping up to be the highlight of the trip.

I am here.

The city feels different.

In about two weeks the much anticipated tram will be up and running. Yes, right after I leave. It is beautiful, and like the shiny Guillemins train station is transforming Liege into a tourist destination.

I have noticed a lot more beggars. I don't remember any from my youth, but why would they have asked a high school student for money. Maybe they have always been there. Maybe there are more now. They are all polite starting with "excusez-moi, madame...," but they don't match my rosy view of Liege.

I also feel like I am seeing more tourists. People about my age.

Liege is more of a foodie town than I remembered. I'll have to check out the restaurants tomorrow. Tonight I went grocery shopping and bought prepared cauliflower soup that reminded me of living here. The groceries (especially the eggs) were much cheaper than Wegmans at home.

The town feels dirtier than I remembered. It was never a shiny place, but it seems ever dirtier. Am I comparing it to places like Melbourne that sparkle? Maybe. Perhaps the pollution has made it even dirtier and buildings have not been power washed.

As I walked from the train station to the VRBO (a 35-minute walk), I passed the school I attended, and walked past shops I remember from the 1980s. The VRBO is near Place St.-Lambert. I recognize places.

Tomorrow I'll walk farther afield. Maybe I'll leave notes in the mailboxes of my host families. But, probably not. (I did walk past one house, but did not leave a note. I did not take mass transit farther afield to see the places where I lived. Much of that can be done with Google maps these days.)

When I landed in Denmark I felt a weight lifting. The pain in my right shoulder was gone. It is hard living in the United States. I told a Belgian-Algerian woman not to travel to the United States. It is not safe for her café au lait skin, even as a tourist. She hears awful things about our gun culture. I can't defend the United States.

I overheard a few businessmen sitting behind me on the 90-minute flight from Copenhagen. They were talking about Trump and how shortsighted his attacks on our healthcare system are. Again, I couldn't defend the United States.

My French has always been lacking in areas including cars and computers. Last time it took me three days to realize WiFi was pronounced wee-fee! Anyone who has studied French knows "i" is pronounced "eee" when reciting the alphabet. 

As I wrote my list of disappointments, I also wrote a list of "good stuff." 

Places felt familiar. As I walked from Guillemins, I recognized the school I attended. I recognized the cutaway past the locksmith I took on rainy days. I knew the Cathedral would be on my left before I got to the square. I knew how to find The Stairs. It felt like a homecoming.

I was able to hold conversations in French/franglais. I was understood. Okay, there were times I was not understood, but I'm focusing on the positive here. Someone once told me I speak French with a Belgian accent, that's why I'm understood in Liege.

I have plans with Yoran and his family. I have plans with Andre and Renee, my second host parents.

The tram will transform Liege, and by all appearances it needs that.

The sun is shining. I swear it only shined on my first and last weeks when I was there as a student. I'm sure that is an exaggeration, but Don said it was 40 and cold while I was enjoying upper 60s and sunny skies. Spring came to Belgium before it arrived in New Jersey this year.

The grocery store felt cheap. Eggs were 2.10 euros for 10 (about $2.30). When I left New Jersey they were $5 a dozen. 

I have free internet access.

Liege is vibrant.

Strangers helped me.

I felt that pain in my shoulder disappear leaving the country. It did not return until I was back in the United States. Most of my aches and pains disappeared, causing me to realize most are related to stress.

Don is helping me from afar. I enjoyed FaceTiming and texting him. 

I ruled Liege out of the list of places I want to move to someday.

All was not bad. I recognized as is typical for me when I travel, I am tired but am having troubles sleeping because of all the strange noises. The building I am in is labeled AirBNB, so the global issues of people buying apartments as businesses instead of places to live has spread here, too (and I am not helping the cause, I know). Short term renters treat places differently than people who live there. After midnight I could hear people coming "home" (from where on a Wednesday night, I have no idea). I can hear motorcycles and other traffic three floors below me even though I am on a very quiet street that leads to a parking garage. I know I'll sleep more soundly tomorrow. The apartment was across the street from a casino, but I never heard a peep out of that business, despite it being open from 8 am to 4 am every day.

I'm going to try another attempt at sleep. I hope to tint my vision back towards pink tomorrow.

Bonne nuit!