Study Break

So, over the past week and a half, I have studied more than I ever thought was humanly possible.  Food and sleep are no longer a huge priority.  The Lisbon Treaty has taken over my life.  I have been spending most of my time with my American friend, Alexandra.  We seem to operate on a similar wavelength and so have found studying together to be quite productive.  About two days ago, we both discovered that we love Twilight (the series, not the time of day; although, that is nice too sometimes).  Anyway, neither of us had seen New Moon yet and we were both dying to go.  We were planning on biking to the theater (crazy), but without a car, what else can you do?  Belgium literally rained on our parade last night with the rainfall that the entire state of Washington receives in a year.  We decided to postpone for one night (for that is all the longer one can be asked to wait for Robert Pattinson).  We set a clear study goal and decided to shoot for the 10:30 showing.  We reached our goal, but God, despite his original promise, had refused to close the heavens on Bruges.  We had had enough.  We took a taxi to the movie theater.  I can't believe it, but we paid more for transportation than we did for the show and snacks.  And you know what?  It was WORTH IT!  We arrived at the theater ten minutes late, ran to grab the sugar-free popcorn from the case, looked desperately for a soda fountain and, finding none, settled on two bottles of water while hurriedly being forced to choose our seats (who the heck needs a seating arrangement to see a movie??) and then racing down the corridor giddy as, well, giddy as two school girls.  As we sat in the plush seats of our own row in the theater, we were beaming.
The movie was GREAT!  I am not sure if it was the fact that the movie was good (probably not) or that I have not been to a theater - or out of the city - for months.  But I have not been this happy in a long time.    The entire experience was hilarious.  It was a rather cultural experience in fact.  No one else in the entire theater laughed.  At all.  Ever.  Alexandra and I were cracking up half the time.  I am not sure what the Dutch subtitles were saying, but something was lost in translation.
I did not want the movie to end!  So sad when it did.  Alas, then it was back outside to wait for a taxi home.  On the ride home we were both still giddy to be riding on a two-lane road, to be in a car even.  It feels as if we were under house arrest and we finally got our ankle bracelets off.
It was lovely to escape for a little while; pretend like we were back in the US.  Laugh hysterically while repeating lines from the movie, chow down on salty delicious popcorn, and just RELAX.  It was nice to be reminded that there is a life that does not involve the European Union, or politics, or books.  Just stretches of beach in northern Washington where the only thing you have to do is take a walk with your smoking hot (vampire) boyfriend.  My bad, that's not my life.  But I can dream, can't I?
Good night, be sure to let the vampires bite!

Peace, Love, and Waffles.