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Miracles In Progress 12 Step Recovery Forums -> Alcoholics Anonymous -> Alcoholics Anonymous -> First Meeting Abroad
Post Info TOPIC: First Meeting Abroad
SteveP


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First Meeting Abroad
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Hey all, Steve here, an alcoholic.

Am in Belgium with the family today -- arrived yesterday and will leave Monday.

Went to my first meeting in another country today. It was an 0930 meeting at a clubhouse here in Ghent. Got there early to meet the locals. The meeting itself was in Flemish (Dutch) but it didn't matter, b/c I knew what everyone was saying. They welcomed me in English and translated some of the sharing for me. I shared in English. I was almost in tears of joy, it was so great.

AA truly is an international fellowship. I'm going to go back for a meeting tomorrow at 1900 local time.

AA has meant that I have friends here in Ghent already. AA has give me and my family the gift of a sober holiday. Thanks to AA, I am not going to drink and ruin this holiday - TODAY.

Thanks all you guys.

Steve

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gonee


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Enjoy your self Steve. You deserve it.

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mikef


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Awesome!,recovery in all parts of the world!Friends of Bill everywhere!!!!Enjoy it steve,thanks for helping me remember to savor lucid events in my life and thank the God of my understanding for His grace and mercy in another day of sobriety...smile

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turninggrey


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Awsome Steve! Did they serve waffles at the end? I think its great that there is no language problem when it comes to shared purpose!
Tom

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angelov8


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Great STeve!  I went to Belgium  and Ghent on my honeymoon five years ago and had a wonderful time meeting people, and back then, drinking a lot of beer.  I thought I'd never be able to go back there as a sober person, so thanks for showing me how it's done.  PS-did you go to the Design Museum Gent?  Thought it was amazing and fantastic.

Your still there, I'll leave the address, it was an out of the way place:  Jan Breydelstraat 5

-- Edited by angelov8 on Sunday 6th of June 2010 12:52:01 PM

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SteveP


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Thanks all for the great replies. Went to another meeting today at the same clubhouse. They were talking in Dutch about the first step (after doing a reading about it). It is so true that the language may be diferent,but the message is the same. It is so comforting to be with others who understand when I'm on holiday.

Angela -- OMG that is so cool about you having been in Ghent and your recommenation of the design museum! :) We are staying about 100 yards away from it! My wife and mother in law and son went to it literally today -- they loved it!

It is true that here in Ghent there is beer evewhere. Definitely not a place for very early sobriety. When I first came into AA ,I never thought that I could see a place like this in summer and not drink. As I shared with my new friends tonight, I am so grateful to AA for showing me the way today....for showing me how to get that daily reprieve, contingent on the maintenace of my spiritual condition...

(And now to bed -- we leave tomorrow).

Steve

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