Aquired Knowledge

December is party month, according to Marie.  It all begins with her seventh birthday, yesterday.  She is having two parties this month, one with friends and one with family (in Paris!), and is very excited.  The second celebration is on the sixth.  On the night before Sinterclaas comes to the house with his helpers, Zwarte Piet, and leave presents for the children.  He is based off of St. Nicholas, and is dressed as a Bishop in all red.  The Zwarte Piet have black skin because they are the ones who go down the chimney to bring the presents to the children, and get all sooty. The final holidays are Christmas and New Years Eve.

Marie has also taught me to count to five in Dutch.  Whenever a family member called for her birthday she would stick the phone to my ear and say, "Count to five in Dutch!"  Een, Twee, Drie, Vier, Vyf.  I will be learning most of my Dutch through Marie's instruction, as well as Thomas' (5 years) picture books, until I can start classes in February.  Camille (2.5) doesn't speak any English, and according to her mother, mispronounces Dutch.  She and I still communicate through hand gestures and funny faces.

A few other interesting tid-bits:
-There is real ketchup in Belgium, though they prefer Mayo.
- The BBC Channel is the only one fully in English, though other channels do have American shows in English with Dutch subtitles.
-Weather this cold in not normal.
-The bottom floor is called the Ground floor, and above that, the first floor, and so on.
- They learn the Happy Birthday song in English, expect they replace the third line with a Dutch phrase about a cow saying, "I love you."

Check back soon for pictures of my room, the house, and all that snow!