Livin' Leuven- Belgium Update #4

Many people have asked what I do each day. Here are a few highlights of my time during the week:
Wake up and have some quality time to read my bible, journal, and pray.

I love drinking coffee out of the magical machine in the hostel. I thought I might eliminate my coffee drinking habit going into this tri, but I am afraid it has only encouraged it. The machine will make anything from Koffee, to lattes, to cappuccinos, to chocolate milk, to a combination of them all!

Logan and I love the coffee machine!

We go to team time and either stroll or bike to the place we meet.

We are all starving after, and go to the grocery store to buy lunch and dinner ingredients. We are certainly creatures of habit and have sandwiches basically every day...but don't worry we eat delicious dinners...more on that soon.

After lunch we have some down time to read, explore, or nap and then we are off to practice. At the track, we have met some wonderful people. Charlotte, is the great girl that Katie and I have made friends with. She is 17 and quite speedy for her age. She is tolerant of our inability to learn her language...we are trying! And is so positive and eager to share with us. We are excited to continue to know her more and love her well. I am sure we will stay in contact. There are 2 tracks in Leuven. One is more attractive to the distance runners because there are beautiful trails nearby, but the track is shaped like an egg, so the sprinters don't approve, thus we to to train track most of the time.

The team after cheering for Charlotte

After practice we eat a delicious dinner made by Rachel. We are so blessed by her service to us. She is truly a servant leader. She is our athletic trainer and cooks amazing meals. We all eat together around a table that shouldn't accommodate the 13 of us, plus the typical guests, but it is great! Logan initiated a tradition of what we call FPD: favorite part of the day. Each person shares the day's highlights. It is really powerful to hear what was meaningful to each person and gives everyone a chance to talk. I would suggest it at any dinner table!

The evening is not complete without ice cream and waffles...They are amazing. They make the waffles with dough and not batter. I can't even describe how tasty they are! We generally meet many other athletes from the states at the ice cream and waffle shop!

Our first taste of waffle

Katie, Logan and I enjoying a waffle at the market

Finally, we hang out on the big comfy couches or in our ladies room packed with 7 beds and have what we call "real talk" it is so amazing to have so many people eager to have such thought provoking conversations!

Our Cozy Room

I am so blessed to have this month devoted to loving and serving the people that I am with, growing in my faith, and trying to build relationships in the track world and with anyone I interact with!