The first Thursday night of every month (Tonight!) is the company ‘Drink Up’. So after work, probably close to 30 of us went across the street to the local bar, and had drinks for 2 hours on EMC. Then 9 of us went out to this really classy restaurant. It was right on a nice lake, and today was so hot (~80F), that it was a perfect night to eat outdoors. I got a 22 Euro steak that was much smaller than US portions, but SO good! After that we went back to Alyse’s place which was ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS. It has a great outlook onto Mechelen, and was so spacious. If she ever needs a room mate I’ll fight anyone else that tries to move in before me. We stayed there pretty late and then it was back to the hotel for me. Pretty fun way to spend my last night with EMC people in Belgium.

Tomorrow night: Brussels Part II or Antwerp. Yet to be decided. Hopefully it will be another late night so I can sleep on my flight home.

Today was another easy day. It might sound dumb, but I think time goes by a lot quicker because there’s a window in the room I’m working in. Work wise things went smoothly. I got a lot of work done and had a really productive meeting.

We took a really long lunch today, starting at 12. We went for a 9km run (~5.5 miles) around the canals. It was a beautiful day today, so it was nice to be able to enjoy it. It was bright and sunny out, and 25 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Fahrenheit), which if anything was a little hot for running. Tomorrow is supposed to hit 27C (80F)!

After work, we all went over to Annemie’s new apartment in Antwerp, which was REALLY nice, and then went down town for dinner at the Berlin. It was a pretty nice restaurant and we took our time and talked a whole bunch. Another relaxing but nice night. I kind of wish I got more of a chance to check out Antwerp, but I’m pretty tired, so having an early night home wasn’t so bad. I got back to my hotel at 10:30pm.

Tomorrow night is the company Drink Up. In Belgium at EMC, they spend the first Thursday of each month drinking at a bar down the street after work. I guess like 40-60 people usually go, so it should be a really good time. So that will take up that night, and then I’ll have just one last night in Belgium before I come home, which I think I’ll spend going back to Brussels to check out the Atomium.

But as for now, I’m exhausted, so here’s to going to bed before 3am.

Today was my first day working here. It was a pretty easy day. In the morning I pretty much just got my computer and badge set up to work, set up meetings for the week, checked my email, and did some work. I got some lunch with Sunita and Bart, and then it was back to work for a pretty productive meeting. Then I had an hour to work on a spec, and that was about it. Today was an awesome day, about 20 degree Celsius and sunny.

As work was getting out Annemie, in stereotypical form, said that we had to go for cocktails with her since today was so nice, and was the first real day of spring. She took me and Sunita with her to a restaurant by my hotel and Gert and Bart met up with us there. We ate outside next to a canal going through the city, like in Venice. The food was great and the conversation was pretty funny. We stayed for desert, and I got the Belgium classic vanilla ice cream with chocolate candy and sauce. We then went down the street to a small but pretty nice bar and talked about all sorts of things from immigration, to politics, to music. And then everyone was ready to go home, and I was still wide awake, so I started to think about calling up Patrick or Aysel, but was shocked to find out it was already 11:30pm!

Realizing I should go to bed since it was already pretty late, I headed back to the hotel. Switched rooms and wound down. That was about it. A pretty basic night, but fun. It felt like what I’d expect a fun, but not crazy, night after work would be like if I was from Europe, so that was cool. Time for bed. G’night!