Someone keyed my car!

I drove my mom to the store yesterday and when we got back she noticed there were huge scratches on the passenger door of my car. She asked my if I was aware of this, which I was not. I went to inspect and behold, this is what I saw:

Two big deep scratches, obviously made by some wanker with a key! Who does that!! Poor grandpa car is now mutilated (named so for the vague, but after a whole year still lingering smell of the 84-year old man I bought the car from). I have no idea when these were made or where. But I assume it happened by the station, where I park my car when I go to work. Some punk kid who thinks it's funny to drag a key over someone's car. It's very likely that it happened last week, when I left my car there overnight when I came home late from drinks in Brussels with the colleagues and had my dad pick me up at a different station. It just seems more likely that someone keyed it when my car was practically the only one there rather than in the middle of the day when the parking is packed.
Was really pissed off when I saw that, I just paid off the damn car! I'm not having it fixed of course, as it would cost far too much. And it's not exactly a Ferrari, so not worth the money to fix a scratch. Doesn't make it any less annoying though.


Anyway, on to more cheerier subjects! I had my extra day off yesterday, and I must say it really made a difference. I was really in dire need of some time off work, and even though this is just a one day extra weekend, I will feel a bit more refreshed when I go back to work on Monday. Right on time, as it is looking like it will be very busy the next two weeks with the sudden change of post of our ambassador. I well get a lot of administrative work dumped on me as the First Secretary is overwhelmed with work and due to lack of staff, us lowly consular officers will have to help carry the load! So I'm really glad I decided to ask for a day off this week, good thing work doesn't mind last minute leave requests.

Less than two months now until my trip to Spain! Will be so nice to finally get a proper holiday and 8 whole days off of work! I wish it wasn't so long anymore, as I could really use some time out of Belgium. As I mentioned before, I'm getting quite fed up with these surroundings. But just a little while longer and I'll be off to the sun and hopefully see some nice things as we have planned.

I do love to travel, it just feel so nice to get away from everything for a while and get a breather and see some beautiful things. What I'd really love to do some time is make some sort of spontaneous trip. Just pick something random on the airline website, and just go as soon as possible, no planning, just off on a little adventure with someone. Far away, for short or long, that doesn't matter, just the surprise and adventurousness of the whole thing would be very fun. I'm more of a planner when it comes to travelling, so doing it like that would be exciting! Or alternatively, just get in the car and drive. I do love a good roadtrip.

The feeling of being off somewhere, seeing something new, not having to think about anything stressful, few things beat that.
Just you and the horizon, and the wind in your hair.

Scary man

Only just got in this morning when the excitement began! The doors that lead into the embassy (these giant vault-like doors) were all open wide because there's works on the roof all day and the workers can't use the entry card the whole day to get in and out. Me and my German co-worker just got in when suddenly this man appeared, he just walked right into our office! Who does that? It clearly said outside that we weren't open to the public until ten, and it was pretty obvious that people aren't supposed to just walse right in our office. German colleague said we weren't open until ten, which he said wasn't correct as he said he checked our website and it said nine. She answered, understandably agitated by this annoyed man in our office, that he was incorrect and it should definitely say ten.

Then he got really pissed off and said to my colleague to not take such a rude tone with him and not to get impolite and that he wasn't going anywhere until we checked the website. I told him he wasn't supposed to be in our office, that the doors were open for workers, and that there's a room for the public which opens at ten. He yelled some more and said to just check the website. He just stood there arms crossed and looking very aggressive, I was quite shocked and not so at ease. We have bulletproof glass seperating the public area from our office, so we're always pretty safe from possible psycho's, so to have this man in our office was quite a scary experience. Of course the website said ten o'clock and not nine. We pointed it out to him, and he was suddenly flustered and said 'oh I thought I read nine, I'll come back later.' and then he up and left. Pretty relieved about that! He already had gotten really aggressive over the phone and through mail with my colleague, so it wasn't a one time bad mood. And I was just told he was really rude to the receptionist downstairs as well. Phew. We closed our door after that!

Exciting morning that's for sure. Very busy today, but I thought I'd tell you all about my dangerous encounter :D! Looking forward to the weekend already, everyone is going on holiday and there are soooo many visas to be done on top of everything else I have to do. Phew, I need a break. But I only have twenty two days off a year and I have to save everything up for my trips, most of it anyway. Have taken one day off since I started working here six months ago. It sure is tough I can tell you, so I hope the trips will be worth it!