acemi is abroad

and not in a zoo! I saw a fox running in front of my apartment building at around 2.30 am as I was coming back from Friday night out last week. I can't call my quarter natural environment for a fox since it is not far from the city centre but apparently the Parc Woluwe which is 10 min. walking distance from home nestles some foxes as well as rabbits, swans and many species of birds.

Since I didn't have to sleep on the street I cannot say "Yes I know how it feels like being homeless" but yes I was homeless for one month. I was homeless although I had the right to stay in a room I paid the rent for. But I am glad that I have some really good friends around and I could get through last April, a month full with uncertainity.

I spent the Easter in Madrid and came back home on Easter Monday which is a public holiday all over Europe and this means all shops are closed on this day in this part of the world. Since I came home early in the morning and couldn't sleep properly in previous night the first thing I did was to sleep. As I woke up starving I knew that I could eat the food I left in the fridge for this moment but... My dear flatmate was selfish enough to finish all instant food that was bought by me (and we never shared food in this manner apart from kindly offerings). My physical conditions (being just woken up and starving) pushed me to go to his room and ask him please to stop eating my food, after and before saying that I was sorry. After he got over the shock (you might be shocked if a flatmate complains for the first time in 3 months) and he decided to end the contract in less than 1 minute. I had one month to move out from the apartment. This didn't sound fair to me and that was the start of one-week-long fights.

We had fights like cats and dogs, like a married couple who cannot get along anymore, like jealous siblings for very tiny silly things... I got angry as he refused to listen to me when he knew I was right, he was not happy as I was telling him how selfish he was (I hate people to lie themselves). I unfortunately let him enjoy watching me losing control of myself by anger which is quite familiar to me from my childhood. After a guy came to visit the room (of course without my authorisation to enter into my room) and probably he liked and wanted to take the room as soon as possible he became wilder so that I would leave sooner and he could live with his new male flatmate happily ever after. One week after the first discussion I ended up leaving the flat urgently in same night after he attacked me physically. He didn't hurt me much and I didn't attack him at all but I had a bruise to show to the police.

I stayed in a friend's place in Antwerp for one week what I appreciate very much but 4h train rides everyday to and from the office was suffering and plus desperate feeling of being homeless... The next week I could move to another friend's place in Brussels and immediate househunting has started. On last day of April I could move into my place where I share a big flat with a german girl.

I don't believe I was such a bad flatmate to deserve this, especially not in a foreign country. As I expected, police didn't show much interest and they never called me back. The lesson I learned from this incident is to be careful with a heterophobic single gay in his 40s who suffers a desperate and unhappy life and is rasist (I think he is too rasist for a South Africa born white belgian) and run away fast. I doubt there are many like him though but I feel very uncomfortable still whenever I go to the area (La Bourse, city centre) as if I would meet him and he would tell me something.

I know it was just bad luck and I still feel happy living in Brussels. And now I have a funny story to tell to my grandchildren

In this chaos of course I couldn't take care of my blog but I hope to be back to the community soon

Since a few weeks we, residents of Brussels, enjoy lovely sunny weather especially at the weekend. I don't mean to complain but stink of urine on sidewalk or at the entrence/exit of a subway station ruins the light feeling of walking in the sun. Could we have a little bit of rain, during the week maybe? Please!

Kaiser Chiefs - Oh my God

2 weeks ago I traveled over an ocean for the first time in my life, whole trip let me experience firsts of my life. I spent 2 weeks in Sunshine State, Florida, USA for a business trip. I was lucky enough to stay in Miami South Beach at the weekend and to see a dear friend of mine who flew down to Florida from Atlanta to meet me. Stories of firsts will come soon but in the mean time you can check my photos from Florida here.

I don't remember having a nice new year's eve so far, except one in 2004 I think. This year I had a lot of fun but self-sacrificing was unavoidable at the same time.

My 3 friends working in Bonn, 2 Portugues and 1 Turkish, decided to come to Brussels for partying on Monday. The deal was closed, I was responsible for food and they were for drinks. After having dinner and couple of bottles of wine we took off to interns' party around 11.30. We didn't leave my flat mate alone who didn't have any hope to enjoy the night but I think at the end he was the one who was having most fun We went to the station to take tram which goes to the house where the party was taking place and we got on the first one. The line was correct but later on we realised that particular tram changed its route and we were on the wrong way. It was almost 12 as we got on the correct one and we had to accept the inevitable, celebrating new year in a train We opened our bottle of cava, Spanish sparkling wine, and the truck was bounced with holler of "Bonne année!" I couldn't photograph this odd and funny moment because I forgot my camera at home I've thought I should not have kept it in drawer after I forgot to take it today again and decided that I haven't forgotten it because I've been tipsy

For me party was finished at around 2.30, although we left at 5, as a friend started vomiting and it lasted for one hour. I was guarding him against people who wanted to use the bathroom and trying to comfort him. As he fell asleep on the couch I could take a rest sitting silently. After wasting half an hour to find a taxi we could arrive home at 6 am. Streets were still full with people and I could hear people shouting even at 9 am.

What do you think my 2008 would be like? Will I have fun, will I be busy with taking care of other people, will I be able to sleep enough? Anyhow I think I had a good start and I'm sure I won't complain being tired as long as I'm happy with whatever I'm doing.