...and I just can't get enough...

Tonight in Graslei....

Suddenly the Portuguese anthem was heard…our big small ben clock set half past one a.m…. people on the both side of the canal were singing it… Awesome… and there were some Belgian friends saying… “YOU shut up! We are Belgians, we don’t make noise… ” eheheh.

…Contra os canhões marchar marchar!!!!!

Latest MoCoMa news...

- Tonight was the international dinner and we had so much food that tomorrow at noon everybody will go back to the polish place to finish the food. :P

- “Why not?” (You should pronounce it as Marta did when we were surprised with her engagement next year!!!) is, for the moment, the most popular sentence among us.

- According to Laura (you’re crazy woman!;)) you can have a pain, or you can have a pain and a half!

- Nico pimped my life! :P

- The more north your country is, the earlier you will leave the party…

- Laura from Latvia 12points had (not anymore) the nicest house here in Gent, and Laura "tu eres mona" takes the silver medal... ;)

- Less then 4 weeks to go… too much work and little time to enjoy everything… but we are managing…

- Graslei hasn’t been spoiled by us last days, but we will compensate you!

- We, MoCoMa students are in every web corner!

- We hate wikis! :P

- Portuguese girl is f*ckin’ loving her classmates the most when they are almost leaving… it’s not fair…

Almost Frankfurt

“Everybody was supposed to go to Frankfurt”.

Somebody didn’t buy the ticket (Shame on Miagui).
But somebody did. But this somebody lost the bus 3 times in the same day (How is it possible? Ask sleepy, tired and disorganized Ana Mesquita).

The plan B was to change the date standing on the ticket (a little falsification:P) and try to catch the same bus but 24h later. And so I did. But I didn’t succeed because that night nobody from Gent wanted to go to Frankfurt but me…

Bucas, we will go there some day… :)

Almost FanKlub... :P

I’ve been introduced to electro music since I’m leaving this experience with my Malaka and I can say that I’ve discovered something that I really need. When I don’t go to one of the parties that I use to call “his kind of parties” for a long time, I miss it, and I can’t wait for the next one…

FunKlub is one of the most famous spots for those parties around here. One specific party Malaka likes to go for month, in Antwerp. Since October that he was inviting me and since October that I was giving him excuses not to go (other plans, work, money…). But apparently April was THE month and I was going. Or not! :P

We gather at my place for some food and drinks… talking, laughing and drinking for some hours… and the rest I won’t tell… but I can say that we DID get to Antwerp – it was the first time for me there, and I was so excited for that too, Antwerp finally! – but not to FanKlub, at least me, Laura and Nico.

But undoubtedly it was a night and a trip in the train we will never forget… :)

P.s. We will try again this month, right?

Flashback IV

There was an exhibition of some art students. One of them decided to create this – according to me – stupid black room with black light. On the ground there were a bunch of mice running from a corner to another, trying to escape from the big feet of the humans that were around. It was even harder to see them because they had this brilliant idea of covering the ground with polystyrene – I guess it was part of the “art demonstration” which no one really understood the purpose of.

While grabbing those little mice in my hands one of the guys (I think it was Korneel) was whispering me words like “you know, those little lab mice are going to dieeee heeerrreee…”. I was touched :P So I said that I was going to take one home. Luis asked me to keep a second one for him, and so I did.

I was the last one to arrive home and Steven had gone before me, with our two “pets”, named Threeninho and Fourninho.

When I got home I was really surprised to see almost everybody from the floor in my room. Wow… coollieee - I thought - until Yves said: “We ain’t gonna keep them!” and Hanna added “I cannot sleep knowing there are mice in the room next door” After a long period of discussion and deliberation I was obliged to accept the decision and I left them on the park, in a very cold winter night… :(

But we will always remember you both… :P

Last stop: The Nederlands

Last month I went to the Nederlands with my Romanian friend Georgiana, Geo for me. My “elements” =) were in Amsterdam, and some friends of Geo as well. It was the Queen’s day and night… and we can tell it was a hell of a party. It reminded me Saint António’s day in Lisbon… the best party of the year for me…

During these festivities, Dutch people don’t work. Instead of that, they rather take their boats, invite some friends, and dance while sailing in the canals… it’s awesome!

Besides, Amsterdam is always Amsterdam… the canals, the boats and the cosy beautiful houses, the good weed, the relaxed atmosphere, … Amsterdam is just beautiful.

One of the nicest parts of my third visit to Amsterdam was the introduction of a totally new concept for me. Have you heard about SQUATting? Well, to squat is “to live in an empty building or area of land without the permission of the owner”! So cool! Normally in the Nederlands – our Dutch connections told us – they do it in company buildings which means that they have HUGEEE rooms and no kitchen – so they make up one!

And I JUST LOVED the squat where I was sleeping in. There was no object that you couldn’t find in that “house”… useless boats in the “garden”, useless computers in the corridor – let’s say JUST 3 or 4…

Our host, Alwin was really cool too. (Hospitality club benefits! :) )

DEFINITELY (and this definitely is, once again, dedicated to mon amour Nico ;) - I know that you just love it:P) the freest spot ever! You can do whatever you want to as long as you respect the others. And so they live happily… :)

We hitch-hiked all the way from the border until Amsterdam, and then later from Amsterdam to lovely Delft – my dear Joaninha is there doing Erasmus.
On my way back to Gent I was alone, but I want to get a lift – at least to prove everybody that was doable! So I was standing on the road to Rotterdam for 7 minutes, with my thumb up, laughing with myself… when the cops came. I was so pissed of… Ok, it’s “not that you cannot hitch-hike although it’s dangerous and bla bla… but you cannot stay here… you might provoke an accident and bla bla…” Rrrr… my motivation was completely destroyed so I just took the train…

But I can’t complain… at least train trips around here are really pleasant! =) And I was back in Gent… again… :)

Come what may.

India foxtrot yankee oscar uniform echo victor echo romeo sierra echo echo tango hotel india sierra… Alpha mike oscar (tango romeo alpha charlie índia november hotel oscar) tango echo juliet oscar alpha oscar.
Echo india sierra sierra oscar november alpha oscar mike echo papa oscar delta echo sierra november echo golf alpha romeo...

Something's wrong...

The wheather changed suddenly. A car hit me while I was biking but I’ve only got some bruises. I don’t want to leave, but I want to go. Loads of work to be done and lots of people to spend time with.
The Erasmus itself will be finished by June 15^th. (Don’t Panic, don’t Panic…)

And something’s wrong…

Homesick?

I love bars in Gent, but there is no such place as Tejo Bar…

When you walk in the most typical neighbourhood in Lisbon, Alfama, you may stumble across a little cosy room with a normal front door. You will think that you’re in a private house; the books, the games, the instruments, the personal notes and the pictures hanging on the wall will easily lead you to that conclusion. You’re in Tejo Bar though.

Mané and his wife are a Brazilian couple who moved to Portugal some decades ago. As artists, they used to exhibit their work in a room downstairs their bedroom, and as open-mind people, they show it to everybody by maintaining the door always open.

The paintings leaded to conversations. Interesting conversations demanded “having a seat” and eventually to: “Hey Mané, do you by any chance have a beer in your fridge?”

Beer after beer, night after night… Unknown people become friends, and friends always come back with other friends. Mané didn’t have any option but to open an “official bar”.

The 10 tables arrangement in such a small room - you cannot even clap your hands, just scratch them on each other – invites you to have a role-play in the night. To play the instruments, to go to the counter and serve your own beer, to read the books and play chess, to declaim the poem’s day or sing, to leave a post-it, to take a cigarette from a box - or to put one inside for those who have just finished their pack - are some of the “activities” that one tends to do there. The costumer is invited to be a friend who feels at home in a very relaxed and unpredictable atmosphere.

Curiously many of the customers are foreign people who are travelling and because of that is seldom hearing only Portuguese. The cultural differences are totally welcomed in the spot – especially when Mané pushes everybody to sing the same song, at the same time, but in eight different languages…

The night will depend on the level of initiative and interaction among everybody and that is what makes Tejo Bar a different place to be.

Tejo Bar
Rua do Vigário No. 1
Lisbon,
Portugal

No one can stop us…

Apparently this is the warmest year ever in Belgium and one can notice everybody is more energetic than before – if you bear in mind that for weeks the Sun didn’t even visit us once, you will understand.

Parks are occupied by students talking, studying, eating, playing and relaxing, Graslei is THE place to be each night and many “daily tasks” are done outside – sometimes people grab their food and go to have dinner in a park.

For the first time in my life, I can’t stay at home when the Sun is shining – ok, sometimes laziness wins and I go just across to “our” park... - and I’m enjoying a lot this “new passion”, I’m rediscovering nature…

Maybe that's the reason why I haven't posted that much recently... Travelling, enjoying Gent and Gentians have also been irresistible to me...

Quality of life.

Last stop: Ireeeeland

Some words about Ireland by Poulain and Seninho.




Last minute check-in. Last bag sticker. The chewing gum. Right turn to be left. Strictly Ireland. Plan: South! "Her is een nacht...". Jimmy, the youngest truck driver in Ireland! Twins toothbrushes. Sun, lots of it. Green, fuckin' green. Cows and Sheeeeeeps! Farmer's Farm. Mééééé all night long. Breakfast included! Kilkenny, lovely Kilkenny. Lovely hostel, nice beer. But... er... but. THE Leprechaun!



4 leafs shamrock!
Holy Holiday - No alcohol. Maybeee this maybeee that. Colours in Cork's buildings. Relaxing trip to the coast with Shannanigan. Filthy Guinness. Countryside or town? Definitely countryside... Camping in the middle of nowhere. City Lights. Tasty cheese, good chouriço, "expensive" wine, and excellent companion. :) To be or not to be Steven's stars. :P "Keep smiling and you will always get a lift!". Jerry, THE Irish. Tradicional Irish music. Diiingle --» Dublin (!!!) 7 lifts, 10 hours, we've did it! M&M. =)





Keith. Cais do Sodré standing on the wall. Nice thoughts, nice conversation. Starbucks. Scones with milk. Zo schattig! =) Playing in the biggest European garden. Roll over once and again. Kiekeboe!! "We can do it". Fish and chips... Ireland, we will come back...

Divagação.

Quero dizer.
Quero partilhar.
Não consigo, então vivo.

dolce far niente

Flashback III

Once, me and Pedro parked our bikes near the supermarket.
We had had them for a week or so, and you could see that in little details. :P
He was locking his bike when it leaned forwards to the other bikes parked there.
5 seconds later there were 7 bikes completely stuck on each others! They felt on the ground as domino’s pieces!!!
We laughed a lot while trying to park them properly again…
Simultaneously the owners were appearing and everybody could understand that FOR SURE we weren’t Flemish – these guys were born on a bike! :P

One of the reasons I like the most living here…

How can a phone call on your way home (because tonight you reallllly want to rest) and a bunch of unexpected meetings change your plans for the following 10 hours…

“Dinner at my place tonight.”
(Ok, afterwards I will go home - I think…)
“We are late for the concert.”
(Concert? Ok, just a beer then)
“Look there’s A, B and C guy!”
(30 minutes and I’m gone)

Bla bla bla… :)

I just can't help myself...

Me according to mijn Malaka. :)

Check it out more...

I love Gent...

"I just can't get enough, I just can't get enough..."

Apresentando alguns amigos...

I wrote the following post in January/February… Introducing some friends, my “flatmates”. I’m toooo lazy to translate into English… and anyway, they would be able to read it and I don’t want them to know how special they are to me. – I’m kidding… I’m sure they already know that… Absolutely one of the most important parts of this experience…

........................................................................................................................

Já há imenso tempo que quero apresentar as personagens deste filme. Pelo menos parte dos protagonistas. “Não passa de hoje” pensei… Mas já o disse outras tantas vezes… Será?

Somos oito neste piso. Oito. Oito estudantes (?) moram no 1º piso do número 125 da Lucas de Heerestraat. Mais oito no 2º e outros tantos no 3º. Depois ainda há uns tipos ricos e individualistas que têm um estúdio só para eles. Mas aqui as coisas funcionam mesmo por pisos. Eu estou no mais "interactivo" deles todos... pelo menos é o que nós dizemos! :P

A Hanna mal a vejo. Mal a conheço para dizer verdade. Cabelos curtos encaracolados. Farta-se de trabalhar e normalmente só usa o quarto para dormir.
Falamos às vezes, até já provou a ginjinha portuguesa e ajudou-me a salvar o meu poster “We can do it!”, mas pouco mais.

Já a acordei duas vezes às 5 da manhã… Por causa do barulho… Chato…

A Karolien faz com que as pessoas que cá venham comentem: "Moram aqui pessoas estranhas" - risos. Claro que só dizem isto depois de também conhecer a Rebecca!
A Karolien é gótica mas não gosta que a rotulem como gótica. O que quer ela que eu faça; sempre de preto, cabelos pretos corridos, unhas bordeaux, cheirinhos de coisas satânicas - tipo aqueles objectos que eles usam ao peito – e isto sem contar com o quarto forrado a preto, com a cama preta e com o sofá preto. Ela não é preta, mas tem respostas pretas. Assim é a Karolien. E depois de nos primeiros tempos quase se recusar a falar inglês comigo "Se não falarmos dutch ela nunca vai aprender!" e de eu me sentir um pouco como uma estranha para ela, agora até já lhe beijo e abraço, a custo lá os recebe.

Na primeira noite em que dormi em França recebi uma mensagem escrita por ela. "We're drunk and we miss you. Steven and Karolien. Beijos." Não sei até que ponto era sentida mas não me interessa. Só o facto de, eventualmente, "se meter" comigo já me deixa contente - uma vez que no inicio parecia não despertar qualquer sentimento - bom, mau ou até indiferença - nela.
O João diz que daqui por 2 meses já me dá beijinhos... Eheh. A ver vamos...
[Dat klopt! A Karolienska já é das nossas! Que felicidade!:)]

O Yves namora com a Hélène. Mora cá o Yves, e por isso às vezes mora cá a Hélène.
[Agora mora mesmo cá, no 2º piso, mas só dorme lá, tudo o resto fá-lo neste ”nicest floor in the building!”]
Gosto do Yves. Quando cheguei cá falamos logo imenso. Nunca se impuseram muitas barreiras entre nós. Na primeira semana deu-me um poster com as constelações para preencher aquele espaço vazio no meu então "empty room" - eles diziam que era estranho ver um quarto tão vazio, mas a verdade é que os 20 kg de bagagem permitidos pela Virgin-Express não deram para trazer mais do que roupa e coisinhas máximas!

Tem a mania que sabe tudo, e lá saberá algumas coisas. Já está a tirar a segunda licenciatura e parece-me ser bastante bom naquilo que estuda e estudou - a ver pela maneira como lida com cada pequeno problema que tenho no meu computador, é um cromo, resolve-me tudo! É o meu “personal informaticman”.
Vegetariano, sempre a comer caril e demasiado preguiçoso para lavar a loiça imediatamente a seguir a usá-la.
Este fim-de-semana descobri (ou fez-me ver a minha querida Joaninha:)) que também é um bocado psicótico em relação ao fumo e doenças! No outro dia quis ficar com dois ratinhos de laboratório a saber, Trininho e Fourninho, e ele não me deixou! Uma injustiça! Às vezes faz um pouco papel de pai… e nós passamo-nos!

A bonita Kaatje… “Je” em holandês será um equivalente a “inho(a)”. O mais engraçado é que o nome dela é mesmo Kaatje.
Ela é linda. Tipicamente belga da Flandres. Loira, activa, organizada e inteligente. Rapariga de sorriso fácil e contagiante! :)
Apesar de andar sempre a correr de um lado para o outro tem sempre 1001 planos para nós. “Temos de ir nadar, escalar, beber uma Chimey, temos de ir ao Backstage e a Brugge beber uma Garre, ver a Amelie todos juntos, tenho de vos dar aulas de fitness, e isto e aquilo…”. No outro dia até falou em irmos ao Equador quando acabarmos o curso!
Adoro viver com a Kaatje, cada vez mais. Pensa-se que já se conhece bastante uma pessoa, já a consideramos amiga, e depois descobrimos mais, gostamos e ficamos surpreendidos. Com ela tem sido assim.
Deu-me alguma energia para estudar, organizar-me e acordar cedo – “empurrava-me” para o duche a horas decentes!:P
Gosto muito da Kaatje, de partilhar o meu dia-a-dia com ela. É simples, tem sempre uma palavra amiga e é mesmo boa onda, porreira.
Sim, porreira será o adjectivo que melhor a caracterizará!

A Rebecca não tem explicação. Russa espadaúda de 29 anos.
É cla-ra-men-te a personagem cá do sítio. Nem dá hipótese. Abrir a porta do meu quarto às 8h30 e deparar-me com ela na cozinha a fazer Ulla-ulla de mini mini shorts e com um top justíssimo foi só o primeiro exemplo.
Farta-se de inventar. Cria o mundo dela e às vezes é difícil percebermos o limite entre a realidade e a ficção. Antes de a conheceres deves saber que não podes acreditar em tudo o que ela diz. Mas asseguro-te que te vais rir… esta mulher não existe e é um gozo viver com ela.
Ficaria aqui até amanhã com as suas estórias e não iria ter nem metade do impacto que tem vivê-las! Por isso, se quiseres saber do que falo… TENS MESMO DE PASSAR POR CÁ! ;)

A Jill foi a primeira que abracei.
Quando o fiz, algures na 1a semana por cá, chamou-me "querida". Ainda hoje o faz. Quando um dia passar uma temporada em Portugal até se passa com tanto abraço! ;)
Querida belga loira que te faz imensas perguntas quando te conhece. Detalhes como a última vez em que choraste ou qual é o teu vegetal favorito contam.
A Jill recebeu-me de braços abertos e foi sem dúvida a primeira a fazer-me sentir em casa.
Não come carne, viciada no seu laptop "Podes guardar-me durante umas horas para ver se estudo alguma coisa?", Tool, nuddles com molho de amendoim se faz favor, rapariga-tipo-nunca-nada-é-um-problema, boa ouvinte, adoro conversar com ela... Fofa, fofa… Adoroo a Jill.

Last but not least… mijn klein broertje! :)
Explicar a ligação que temos demoraria estes quatro meses que vivemos juntos. Não me atrevo sequer a começar a escrever sobre ele... Cumplicidade máxima. Meu “mais que tudo” belga, sem sombra de dúvidas. In-se-pa-rá-veis.
“Maninhe” é talvez das palavras que mais me faz sorrir na Bélgica. :)

[Quaisquer referências temporais deverão ser ignoradas. Muita coisa já mudou, tanta coisa já aconteceu... mas não tenho pachorra para alterar/escrever de novo… Just for you to have an idea…]