impatiently waiting

So that little mention at the end of my first post--we bought a house in Belgium--yeah, well that is kinda been the only thing on our minds these past few weeks. We are finally used to the idea ourselves. So we decided to tell some people here in the US. Back home, my parents told the rest of the family and a few good friends. Needless to say my parents themselves are ecstatic. From what it sounds the rest of the family is pretty happy too, although I haven't actually gotten a single note about it from anyone (except from one cousin, but then I had already whispered to her that we were thinking of moving back.) Most people are just really happy for my parents, one of my mom's friends actually started to cry because she was so happy for my mom. Now that is a friend! The few friends I have left there are pretty excited about it all as well, and one of them is proving to be a great help with all kinds of info on the rebuilding and remodeling project.

Here on our end reactions have been mixed of course. We told only a handful people. We don't really want to broadcast the news since we are both still in professional situations and we just don't want the fact that we are planning to move (regardless of when that actually may be) influence our jobs. Family and friends are sad we are leaving the US I suppose. So far only one friend has expressed her happiness for us, taking into account the fact that I have been gone from my home country for nearly 15 years now and that both of us have been yearning for Europe for several years. Some friends I told, reacted with their own stories of wanting to buy a house in Mexico, and Guatemala, for the summers... and I sat there listening, and thought, hmmm, you seem to be forgetting that I am FROM THERE, that this is not really that sort of plan. Oh well, I suppose it is a compliment really, that people do think I belong here and forget that some other country on the other side of the Atlantic is actually where I am from.

So Robert and I have been breaking our heads and pencil-tips over quickly-drawn floorplans trying to decide which wall goes and which wall stays. My parents went to the house with a contractor and reported back to us with all the things he thought needed to be done. Talk about a reality-check! One of the biggest disappointments was the fact that he thinks we need to get rid of the mosaic-floor in the hallway because it is cracking and coming up. That floor is original and thus 100 years old. It was one of the details that made us want the house. And now some guy who knows about houses and rebuilding tells us it has to go! Well, we're going to put up a fight for this one. I suppose I owe you pictures of what I am talking about.










On that note, I owe you more pictures of the house, the neighborhood, etc. I promise to do that next time. The house was built in 1908 and is situated on the outskirts of the old city center of Antwerp in a neighborhood called Zurenborg. Zurenborg is actually quite famous in the field of architectural history. The neighborhood developed in the 1900s and all the houses were built in the current art nouveau style, but it is quite eclectic. The most famous street is the Cogels-Osy Lei, which truly has some gems of houses. If we had wanted to buy on that street we would have needed a few more 0's, if you know what I mean. Our street though is a side-street of this famous street. If you want to read some more about the neighborhood, check out this link:http://www.trabel.com/antwerp/zurenborg.htm.

Back to the contractor. Other than giving us the dismaying news regarding the floor, he drew up a plan of all the major phase 1 works that need to be undertaken. New electricity, new central heat, getting rid of things and adding things, etc. So, we are waiting on a bid. We are nervous. He said he would have it for us by the mid week. We are now Friday and still waiting. This bid will give us an idea of how much we will be able to do in the house. We have soooo many ideas, but of course it will all depend on the budget. And as of now, we have no idea! So we wait, (im)patiently. Stay posted...from Texas, with love.