January 22nd, 2008
Bruxelles, Belgium

Unknown

Having filled my stomach with a fresh, warm belgian waffle with whipped cream and strawberries, I went scouting for belgian victims.

One of these was this lady; I stopped her on a streetcorner and introduced myself in english - but soon realized that the only language she spoke was french.

Now, I usually try to impress people with my many language-skills, coming up with phrases in english, german, french, spanish and even latin. The only problem is, that it's only in english and slightly in german that I actually know enough to have a conversation.

I gave it a whirl and started up with "Je m'appelle Lasse, je suis danoise, et... et... eh... jeeee... eh... une project? De la foto...?".

It was not going well.

She looked very doubtful and was about to turn around and run, as I suddenly remembered a single word that turned the situation around: "ecole". "School."

"C'est une project de l'ecole!" - it's a school-project!

Her face changed immediately, and after saying a few nice things in french that I didn't understand a word of, she smiled and let me take the portrait.

For those of you who don't know, I haven't stepped inside a school for almost two years - I just wanted her to let me do the photo.

I'm a dirty liar, I know.

But a dirty liar with a portrait.