Brussels and Beyond: Day 13- America, my country... Brussels, my city

I never thought studying abroad could make me feel at home. You expect to go away and want to come back immediately. Yes, there are still things that I miss about America. Taco Bell being one of them, as well as Walmart, Goldfish and Dr.Pepper… but there is a sense of “homeyness” I did not expect to encounter here, all thanks to my wonderful family.

On Wednesday evening, I met up with Terry and Ruth Anne Hoggard who are missionaries from my home church who have been in Brussels for 15 years. I grew up knowing them on an acquaintance level, but here they have accepted me as family, and I am so grateful for that. The Hoggard’s picked me up on Wednesday and took me for a tour of some of the things I had not seen in Brussels, including my mom’s old high school…ISB (international school of Brussels). For those of you who do not know, my mom and her family moved to Brussels for five years during her teenage years. My grandfather’s job transferred over to Brussels, so he picked up his wife and four screaming daughters and took them on a trip of a lifetime.

As soon as I got into the car, I began to realize how much I did not know about these people…they used to pastor the church that my family went to while they lived in Brussels. And they also know great family friends of mine, the Testas, who have been like my Italian grandparents growing up. It is so crazy how the mention of a few names can melt my heart and immediately make me feel at home in this crazy city. The rest of the night was wonderful as they told me hilarious stories about people I have known my whole life and their funny adventures in Brussels. I heard classic stories about my pseudo-grandmother, Aunt Debbie Testa, calling for her husband “Sam” in her usual, loving way…and stories about Uncle Sam hiding from her calls J I remember hearing that story, which I have seen acted out in front of me my whole life, and feeling immediately comforted. Some things really never change, no matter what language, country or community.

We visited ISB, pictures below. And countless stories ran through my mind I have heard over the years of my mom meeting certain boys, skipping classes, going on fun field trips, watching basketball games, and breaking those boys hearts. I felt like she was right with me. Then we went to the church that my family used to go to and the church the Hoggard’s used to pastor, Christian Centre. Mr. Terry still had a key so we got to walk around. The church is so neat; all the services are in English but they have a translation booth (pictured below) that translators sit in during the services to make sure all the groups can understand what is being said. Also in the church, is a painting with a lot of the older members in it, including one of my “aunts” Donna Testa, and probably a whole bunch of people my aunts and mom knew. How cool is it that you can go to a foreign country, not know the language…then drive down the road some and have such rich history of your own family right in front of you! I was introduced by the Hoggards to some people that were still at the church that night and I was introduced as Gordon Peterman’s granddaughter, a man who was one of the first leaders of Christian Center of Brussels. As tears filled my eyes, I held out my hand to shake theirs and could not have been more honored with the introduction. My grandfather, who I never knew on an intimate level, (died when I was three) was unforgettable to those who met him. From the stories I know, he possessed so much of the passion, joy and craziness for life that I want embody, but he also knew how to love his Savior and lead his family in that lifestyle. Those of you who know me pretty well know that I laugh loud, talk loud, and speak with my whole heart no matter if it is truly appropriate or not…I have been told before that those parts of me come from my grandpa Gordon Peterman…and I am proud to posses those qualities…they make life a lot of fun J Because of Grandpa Peterman and his legacy, not only do I have an incredible mother who is my best friend, but I have a heritage in this city that is becoming more and more like home to me everyday. So thank you PawPaw. If you were here today, I would call you and laugh with you about trying to order in French…because I hear your “Texan-French accent” was pretty legendary. I would also thank you for your love for your savior and your passion for serving him…because of your diligence I am enjoying a trip of a lifetime.

Love you all,

Bailey Jo