Eleanor Clifton: Wake up, Commute, Coffee, & Repeat

Using more figurative language to describe my daily existence to engage the reader, I'll start my day chronologically. Upon waking up in the morning, it was cold as a dog's nose in my apartment. It wasn't "see your breath kind of cold", but the kind that makes you want to snuggle back under your warm blankets or wish you had gone to bed partially dressed for the day kind of cold! The average temperature in Brussels hovered in the 40-degree realm and sunshine was a rare viewing. If D is the sunshine vitamin, I was definitely deficient. Resolved to start my day, I braved a hot, but brief shower (largely just to wake up), dental hygiene and applied face lotion, chapstick, and then dressed in layers of "black" topping off my ensemble with my trusty winter parka for the trek to work. (An aside note about clothing in Brussels: black is the new you.) A five-minute walk brought me to the bus station. Public transportation is your best friend and my bus ride was always an interesting study of locals off to their employment or home from a serious night's revelry. Once at work, a rather sophisticated coffee station provided at least one if not two cups of java for the day's boost of energy.

Picture from Freepik

My work station wasn't elaborate but was comfortable. I had a little space of my own which afforded me the ability to complete my tasks as well as reach out for camaraderie with the team if I wanted. The first order of the day was to read emails missed and respond appropriately. Meetings were sometimes called and time would tick away as I moved thru projects and daily tasks. Eventually, lunch comes around! The norm for my office colleagues was to gather in the conference space. No sad workers eating at their desks because they think they're too busy or too big of an introvert to feel comfortable with the team! Everyone in my team brought or bought their lunch and ate together. Once everyone had their meal in front of them, lunch commences and conversation flows for about an hour. It's actually really nice to connect in such a basic way. Everyone is tidy and cleans up after themselves. Back to work you sit and grind out for the next 5 or so hours until the metaphorical alarm rings and its time to go.

Retracing the morning steps you grab your coat and bag. The bus ride home has you gazing out the window at all the beautiful history this capital city has to provide. With visions of the Gothic Cathedrals still dancing in your head, a delicious dinner of cheese ravioli I purchased at the grocery store would be prepared and consumed for my dinner. Replete, I'd catch up on social media from the States and then fall blissfully asleep under my warm covers.

RING, its time to do it all again.

For me, being in a foreign country with many unknown variables, my routine was comfortable.