VOL. XVI, NO. 1
SEPTEMBER 27, 1974
'If This Is Tuesday,
It Must Be Belgium'
It Must Be Belgium'
Last summer Des Plaines was minus two in its population, when Maine West sent its two AFS students, Steve Schaefle '75 and Barb Andraski '75 to Belgium, a small country northwest of Germany. They left June 24 and arrived back in the United States August 31.
Since Steve plays the trumpet in the concert, jazz, and marching bands, his talents were put well to use when the AFS picked a musical family for Steve to live with. Steve's Belgium father, Mr. Marcelis, was on vacation which enabled him to travel to Paris and to other parts of Europe and to play some dances with his Belgium family. While in Belgium, Steve had three brothers, aged 22, 21, and 18 and a 16‑year‑old sister.
Steve lived in a small village that was somewhat cutoff from the big cities. Since Steve couldn't really understand the language very well, he didn't find out about President Nixon's resignation until he got back with some Americans before returning to the United States. "My Belgium father knew about the President, but he later told me he was to embarrassed to tell me."
When Steve was asked what this experience did for him he said that he learned a lot about people and himself and how he reacted to just being alone in a strange country with no family and friends.
Since Steve plays the trumpet in the concert, jazz, and marching bands, his talents were put well to use when the AFS picked a musical family for Steve to live with. Steve's Belgium father, Mr. Marcelis, was on vacation which enabled him to travel to Paris and to other parts of Europe and to play some dances with his Belgium family. While in Belgium, Steve had three brothers, aged 22, 21, and 18 and a 16‑year‑old sister.
Steve lived in a small village that was somewhat cutoff from the big cities. Since Steve couldn't really understand the language very well, he didn't find out about President Nixon's resignation until he got back with some Americans before returning to the United States. "My Belgium father knew about the President, but he later told me he was to embarrassed to tell me."
When Steve was asked what this experience did for him he said that he learned a lot about people and himself and how he reacted to just being alone in a strange country with no family and friends.
The other AFS student, Barb Andraski, spent her summer in French Belgium, in a town called Herentals. Barb stayed with a family called the Hendricks, where she had two brothers, aged 16 and 14, and two sisters, aged 17 and 11. Barb's father was on vacation, and she and her family traveled in a Mercedes Benz to Paris and other parts of Belgium. Barb was impressed by how clean the cities and countryside were and the pollution laws they have. "One custom I loved was the 'blessing of the sea,' where the people drop flowers along the shore.
"Life is very strict in Belgium," says Barb, "there are no boy-girl relationships unless the couple is engaged." Barb was also fascinated by the time it took to prepare and eat the food. "To them, eating is an art," Barb explained; "I liked the salads and the pastries best.''
By visiting other countries both Steve and Barb agreed life here in the United States is better and what a great country this really is.
"Life is very strict in Belgium," says Barb, "there are no boy-girl relationships unless the couple is engaged." Barb was also fascinated by the time it took to prepare and eat the food. "To them, eating is an art," Barb explained; "I liked the salads and the pastries best.''
By visiting other countries both Steve and Barb agreed life here in the United States is better and what a great country this really is.