My Own Personal Film Festival

In September 2008, when I came back to Belgium for a master's, I had a lot of plans. I was going to achieve so much here, I would educate myself in everything. Over the years, I was able to realize some of them, I started and quit some others, and never got to even start the rest.
One of my plans was following cinema courses (in French) in Cinematek which are organized every year, from February to May. During my first year, I thought my French wasn't good enough; and on my second year, I was so consumed by my thesis that my sole objective was to stay alive. Now, on my third (and maybe final) year here in this country (and city), I had to do something about this unrealized project. (Plus, I need some practice with my French in a different environment than the French course.)

Last Monday I received an e-mail from Cinematek stating that the courses were to start towards the end of February. After a few days of hesitation, last Thursday, I went over to register for the course "Fragments pour une mémoire cinématographique VIII"! Voilà, my French is finally ready for its biggest exam :)
(By the way, as future reference I must add that I tried to drag Heini with me into this. I guess I'm really allergic to doing stuff on my own... Anyway, I'm trying to change, as you will see when you read the lines below.)

When I was trying to decide to follow the courses or not, I had also been studying the program of January and February. Actually, I do this from time to time and mark the films I want to see. Unfortunately, I was never able to go see a movie in Cinematek after my first time during Erasmus - which was in November 2007 I guess. (Pathetic, huh?) As usual, again, there were dozens of films I wanted to see. But different from all my previous attempts, I was determined to do something about it: There I was, considering to buy the bi-monthly subscription! I thought about it for days and nights; and yesterday, for the last time, I slept on it. Today, just before buying my ticket for M.A.S.H (which I reserved in advance) I bought the bimonthly thingy. Again, there I was, engaged in this feast of cinema for the following 39 days and nights!
(Again again again, for future reference, I was about to "laisser tomber" even at the last minute when I was drinking coffee with Gert-Jan. The conversation was really catchy, what can I do? But I survived all the temptations and went there in time.)

To make leaving Brussels even more painful, I'm returning to cinema - my biggest passion ever - in this very city. Here's where you can find me until the end of February: Rue Baron Hortastraat 9 ("rue" and "straat", the Brussels way). To be more specific, I'll be either on the 3rd, 4th or 5th row in the front, in "la salle Ledoux".

Sinterklaas, typically Belgian.

I know, I know.. If I should descirbe myself with only one word, I'd say "unstable". I took a biiiig break from this blog thingy and now I'm back for more! But first, I must write about what I haven't written before..

Everybody knows Saint Nicholas and his presents to kids. In Belgium, a special day is dedicated for this cool person, Sinterklaas. (Well, actually this holiday is not only celebrated by Belgians but Dutch and their ex-colonies.) That special day is the 6th December (making the 5th the Sinterklaas Eve).
On this night, Saint Nicholas - through his servant boy Black Pete - distributes candy to children. On the other hand, the naughty kids risk to be kidnapped by this Black Pete fellow and the saint. (Today, all this Black Pete business is seen as the racist side of the story but I won't go into that.)
In the piscure, you can see the famous Manneken Pis in the costume of Sinterklaas. (To tell the truth, he seems a little scary to me.)

Our kind landlord Philippe left a bag of chocolates, speculoos and candies in front of our doors on the morning of 6th December, thus, I got to celebrate Sinterklaas too :)