Ode to My Boss

Look left, pretend to understand what the person speaking is saying. Look right, pretend to understand the person responding. Laugh when everybody else laughs, hahahahaha. Blankly stare into the candle flame and daydream while everyone is caught up in their several conversations. Apparently all of those times of pretending to pay attention in large groups has translated over to conversations that don’t translate so well. Even when I was consciously thinking about it, I caught myself smiling when everyone else was laughing at something that had just been said. But this thing is good, no? My host family had two other couples and their daughter over for dinner tonight. They told me I didn’t have to join if I didn’t want to, as they would be speaking French all night. I said that I would like to. Most of the dinner group spoke fairly good English and I was able to have some brief conversations. But I enjoyed sitting there listening to them all speak in French. I think I understood the jest of their conversations, and may have even picked up a thing or two. Although, I don’t think their daughter speaks much French as she was doing what I was most of the night.

I thought it would be nice to give a little shout-out to my boss, Dave. Although he is unlikely to read this anytime soon, he has been a tremendous help in my stay here in Brussels so far. Arriving in a foreign country, getting settled in a new job, and recovering from jet lag are never easy, but can be aided by a nice person. And my boss is perhaps one of the nicest people ever. Here is a short list of some of the nice things he has done for me.

Arranged for someone to meet me when I stepped off the plane

Being at the airport when I arrived

Arranging a driver from the airport to NATO

Picking me up and dropping me off for my first few days of work

Taking me to his house for dinner several times

Lending me a towel (that’s a long story)

Bringing me laundry detergent to work in a water bottle

Leaving for Church early when he already has to be there an hour early to pick me up

Lending me money for my first month’s rent because I couldn’t exchange enough that week

Being patient as I ask the same questions again and again

Did I mention offering me an internship at NATO? 

Like I said, he isn’t likely to read this anytime soon, so I’m not just trying to brown nose the boss. Its great to meet genuinely nice people. He is perhaps the best boss I have ever had. He is giving me the lead on several projects and has been overtly nice and helpful my entire stay here. So here is to nice people and great bosses.

Might I add that my host family are also exceptionally nice people. Marianne bought 40 waffles the other day for me. She asked jokingly if I thought they would last 2, 3, or 4 days. I said hopefully more than 2. Marianne and Pierre are great people. I enjoy talking with them each evening when I arrive home from work and we sit down for dinner. They are very accommodating and have really made me feel at home.

As promised, the next post will tell the tales of Le Bus.