Case in point....my car, or better yet, cars!
Since I am here for a limited time (2 years) many leasing companies did not want to do business with us. They wanted to do more of a longer term lease (3+ years). We finally found a company that would lease me a car for 2 years. I will not go into too much detail about the insanity of this leasing company....but it has been awful.
When I first arrived, I received a rental car which was normal and what I expected. It was a nice Mercedes that I really liked. See below! It was large enough, yet small enough to get in those tight European parking spaces!
In Belgium you have to order your car...you cannot just go to a dealership and pick one off the lot. So, about a month after my arrival, I ordered the Ford Fiesta which would be my permanent car. I got to pick the color, etc. The downside was that it would take at least 3 months to come in. Is that crazy or what??!! You cannot tell me there is not a black Ford Fiesta anywhere in the city of Brussels?? Guess not!
Anyway, I placed my order and was given a loaner car. Let me remind you that I arrived in April and we ordered the car in May. It was around June sometime when I received my "first loaner". I say my "first loaner" because it did not have air conditioning!! HA, I guess the leasing company did not know who they were dealing with by giving a Southern girl a car without air conditioning! I had this car for a total of 2 days during which time I made a phone call and was promptly given a new car with air conditioning!!!!
My next loaner was great! When I first saw it, I thought..."oh no...a station wagon"!! Let me tell you....this car was awesome! It was very long....so long, in fact, that it has a sensor for backing telling you how close you were to something behind you!! It had air conditioning too! It came in very handy for transporting all of those necessary move-in items like closets and the many shopping excursions to Ikea!! I also had it for when my Mom and cousin came to visit as well as my friends (Jennie, Ginnie, and Gail). It was great to have a large car with the amount of luggage they all brought! The only downside to this car was the length. There were days where I would have to park around the block from my apartment because I could not fit into any open spaces on my street. The timing for this car was perfect with all I needed to buy, transport, and the family and friends who came to visit!
Finally, 1 week before I was leaving to go to Memphis in October, my Fiesta arrived.....4 months after we ordered it! Not too bad for Belgium standards! When I first got into the Fiesta I was amazed at just how small it really is! I have since learned to love it and so excited when I can squeeze into most small spaces! It is an automatic but acts a lot like a manual (you will have to see it to understand!). I know that I will have trouble with future visitors and their luggage (but we will manage so don't let that scare you away from coming!!!). I do love my little car and wonder what I will want when I have to buy a new car when I go back home???!! I am getting use to the mentality of it not mattering what kind of car you drive here. A car is a means of getting from one place to the another....no matter the brand or size!!
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