So my apologies for not posting while we were there. But by the time evening came around and I actually had a moment to sit and reflect, I was way, way too tired to write. Plus, initially there was not much good news, so I preferred to defer from posting anyway. Now that we are back, I can summarize the events, the ups and downs, and focus on all the positive things that came out of the trip. Here is the major one: We (finally) closed on the house on the 25th! It is ours. Yeah! (Imagine the sound of champagne corks popping!) By the time we actually got to that stage only four days before leaving, the toasting came with big sighs of relief and mental exhaustion. Better than the champagne was the feeling of being able to open the front door ourselves for the very first time!
While Evelina was spoiled and pampered by her Moeke and Baba, Robert and I ran around from place to place looking at kitchens, bathrooms, floors, etc. and had meetings with the contractor, architects, plumber, painter, etc. Robert is well on his way to learn a variety of dialects (which in Flanders means altogether new languages) after all this. I am not entirely sure how I pulled it off myself. I often had to ask the contractor to repeat things or rephrase them when I did not understand. After I got to know him better and felt more comfortable being myself with him, I straight-out said "Try to speak Flemish to me!" when I lost him. Still, yet another reason why we need architectural plans to communicate lest walls will be removed that we did not want to be removed. Even if you don't know Flemish at all, here is an example that will clarify what I mean: If I want to say "all gone" I say "alles weg." The contractor says "alvoet." No further comment...
I think we are incredibly lucky with him and his team though. My friends Debie and Patrick in Antwerp have been looking for an Antwerp contractor for months and it seems that the waiting list for projects is about 2 years. Ours is from the province of Limburg (where my parents live) and he is a friend of my father's, so he is invested in doing a good job. He made a tremendous effort to meet with us and to go over ever single detail to the extent of causing me headaches. I was not prepared to be thinking about plugs and sewers and drains and pipes. I just wanted to find the perfect kitchen! Ha. We found an enourmous (probably 100 year old) well (empty) and a septic tank (not empty!) and then he asks me what I want with that. Help! How do I know? It is hard enough to choose where I want the stove to go.
To sum it all up, Robert and I made some firm decisions about the organization of the house. Some of these are the complete opposite of what we initially planned to do, but being back in the house and imagining living there really changed things for us. Staring at plans is one thing, standing in the space that will become the kitchen and thinking of being there and living there is another. On some of the details we are holding off until the next visit. Even though we had a frustrating start, we left happy and felt accomplished.
What really stumped us when we first got there was the fact that apparently the seller had become quite upset with us during all the negotiations regarding the error that I had noticed in the contract (see my post of 5/3/07) and our request for an adjustment of the price (which was minimal really.) In any case, he had taken back the key from the real estate agency and refused to communicate with us. So when I very kindly made a plea to view the house again so that we could proceed with the architects he ignored all of my calls. So while we had planned to see the house a few times while working with the architects in person for the first time, we did not get in until after the 25th. Once again, I feel that it is really the agency that made the mistake. At the moment Robert and I are not very big fans of Century 21, and in fact, we are considering writing the main Belgium office about this. In fact the agent initially made me feel as if I was asking for something completely uncalled for as well, until I reminded him that I too was his client and that a large sum had already been paid on the house. He changed his tone after that, but to no avail. We were not admitted in before the closing, not even for a quick visit. Since it was beyond our control we focussed on other things and tried to use our time as efficiently as possible. It was not until after the 25th when we really we able to spend time in the house that I realized how tremendously necessary it is to be IN the space when figuring things out with the architects. We basically wasted two meetings and several hours with them working on things we immediately nixed after being back in the house. I did get a little mad at the seller at that point but by then he was out of the picture and had become the previous owner.
In the personal meetings with all parties involved (agent, seller's new girlfriend, and seller himself as well as his "notaris" facilitating (though in this case NOT) the sale, Robert and I were as courteous as could be offering bottles to show that we never had ill intentions but were merely protecting ourselves. The mistake was made by the seller's notaris and the agent, and even though neither one ever admitted it let alone apologized, we were friendly and even apologetic for the delay all this caused. The closing should have been a fun event, but in this case it was awkward and uncomfortable. Yet meeting the other party's notaris made it immediately clear where all the communication had gone wrong and things had turned sour. He was the epitome of what is known as "Antwerp Arrogance and Boasting" (apologies to my Antwerp friends but I think even they will have to admit that this prejudice has its foundations in actuality.) The man made a textbook example for Robert who had not really come across one of these specimens. For the Americans among my readers: try to imagine the arrogance and superiority-complex of a Bostonian mixed with the pride and rudeness of many a New Yorker (or are these merely prejudices as well?) and you get the drift.
In any case, as I said, we left feeling quite accomplished and with a very good feel for the house. Lots and lots remains to be done and it will be a challenge to orchestrate it all from here. But we've got a team of great people helping us over there. In fact, many of the businesses have been very accomodating as well when they heard of our situation. So onward we move. I will post the revised plans once they are done. And I ask for well-wishes regarding permits etc. Burn candles, pray, keep fingers crossed, etc. whatever it is that might help. We will need it if we want to have a house ready to move into in January.
We tried to have some non-business times as well, so I will post some pics of those moments. Evelina had lots of fun no matter what. She was entertained with all sights and sounds new and played with bubbles, had icecream (on several occasions), helped my mom with the laundry ('cause really, those front-loading washers are sooo much more fun than the American top-loading ones) and got all excited to learn that not only my parents have cats, but that the neighbors have a little dog. Her face upon seeing him for the first time is priceless and one of my favorite pics of her. Robert and I insisted on spending at least one afternoon at the beach. We went on probably the coldest day of our stay, but we wanted to avoid the holiday weekend-rush. It was so worth it for we had so much fun running around unihibitedly on the beach. Really, can two adults have this much fun on a cold and deserted beach without a kid and a ball? Of course my camera ran out of power so the rest of the pics are on my mom's camera. I will post them later.
Here is a picture of the happy family having a drink in Zurenborg, our new "hood", right after our first visit to the house after it became ours. The neighborhood is such a lively place and it was wonderful to experience it in the spring when restaurants and cafes open the doors and tables spill onto the streets.
I will end then with a shot taken at the open-air museum in Bokrijk which recreates rural Belgium (with actual houses not Disney-style fakes). Lots has changed since the times from which the houses here date, but at the same time I feel like I could have taken this picture along many of the highways. Lots of Belgium still does look like this and Robert and I were both pleasantly surprised to notice how green it gets there in the spring and summer. It had been a while since we were there at this time of the year. Hey, even the grape vine on our facade is thriving and will bring some green to our house at least some part of the year.
More news as more news develops, for now, greetings from Texas with love.
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