Goodbye Belgium.....for now

Dear Family, Friends, Acquaintances, Discerning Surfer, Random Person Who Stumbled Across My Wee Corner of Cyberspace:

This is it.

Belgium is no more for me.

At least in terms of living here.

For a while.

The time has come for me to spread my wings and fly. Something that I have threatened to do repeatedly for at least the last three years but none of us (including me) ever thought would actually happen.

Yes Folks - I am leaving Belgium.

I look at that last sentence and I still cannot believe it, even though I am typing these words in the wee hours of the morning (very quietly) in the spare bedroom of my friends’ house, friends who have kindly put me up for my last two nights of my stay in this wee country on the shoulder of Europe that most of us call Belgium but a place that I have called (and indeed thought of) as my adopted home for the last 6 and a half years.

The unthinkable has actually happened – I have finally taken the plunge, bitten the bullet, jumped recklessly on a leap of faith, or just plain ran away – depending on how you look at it – from the longest chapter of my adult life.

So, have I finally chosen a to leave the best friends I have on the planet to return to God’s Own Country and return to my home to be surrounded by my loving family?

Erm….

No.

Have I been offered a dream job somewhere that I just could not resist? (Angelina Jolie’s bikini consultant on some tropical island, for example?)

Erm….

No, again.

Am I leaving on a project that will take me out of Belgium for a while and then bring me back, before I’m even missed?

Erm, again the answer would have to be no.

The truth is I have taken a sabbatical from my job, given up all my employee privileges, moved out of my apartment, dumped a lot of stuff out of my life (with Oxfam being worthy recipients of a lot of it – such charming old ladies), placed everything else in storage, bought a backpack which is now filled to bursting - along with a hold-all and the by now famous “gay bag” - which now lie here, expectant, beside me.

Because….

I am going on a bit of an adventure.

For good, for better, or for worse, I am leaving Belgium.

I am leaving it for that country just around the corner of the world, the one where the beasties seem to be like something out of a post-nuclear war disaster movie, the place where “barbies” are king, everyone wears “boardies” and “double-plugged thongs”, sport is a way of living, crocodile hunting is a natural pastime, stingrays are fatal (along with practically everything else), and even the cuddliest inhabitant of them all, the koala, carries syphilis. (CRIKEY !!!)

A contrasting hotbed of entertainment that has spawned such big and small screen classics as Neighbours, Home and Away, Mad Max, Flying Doctors, Crocodile Dundee and Irresistible.*

* = I watched this movie last night – “Not Great” would have to be the verdict, although there was a scary bit of steam-iron action in the opening scenes. Sorry if I spoiled it for you…

Yes Folks, I’m off Down Under to try my luck there for a while.

It’s certainly not because I really did find Belgium boring (as I’m sure you all realise) but the time has come to explore, find myself, see somewhere different, whatever it is, the time is now.

I’d just like to take this opportunity to say thanks to everyone that I’ve met along the way. You’re too many too mention and as this is anonymous blog, I’m not going to anyway.

But, knowing how I am, I’m sure you already know who you are.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to say that I’ve met a few assholes along the way but once again, I’m sure you already know who you are.

I’m away for a while but I know in my heart how I feel. In the words of that finest US congressman, Termninator, I’ll be back.

In the meantime, take care of each other – at least the ones that you care about.

Lots of love.
Me

xxx