Please welcome our first Moderator!

[admin]

Belgium.com is pleased to welcome Son_of_Yoda as our first Moderator!

His duties will include:
-welcoming and helping new members
-answering members questions
-keeping posts on topic
-creating new interesting posts for member participation
-editing/deleting of offensive posts and language

If you have any questions regarding his appointment, then please feel free to contact me: members@virtualcountries.com, or post in the feedback forum.

We hope that all members will take this opportunity to welcome Son_of_Yoda, or introduce yourself if you do not already know him.

Thank you,

[Son_of_Yoda]

Hello everybody,
I have been active for some time on the forum, and I thought it was about time I did something extra for the people interested in Belgium and its people. I live in Ghent, one of the biggest and most beautiful cities of Belgium and work as a programmer.
I hope I can be of use here, and will do my best to keep the forum interesting and enjoyable for all.
And of course I would like to thank the admin for giving me this opportunity.

[admin]

We are so excited to have such a knowledgeable and helpful member as our first Moderator. Belgium.com, its members, and guests are very fortunate to have you on board.

Thank you for your enthusiasm and commitment!

[JUNE]

Hi,

I am just curious. Who is Yoda? Thx.

[Son_of_Yoda]

Yoda is a Jedi master, a character starring in the Star Wars movies. If you want to find out more about Yoda, check :
http://www.starwars.com




Yoda



Yoda, the ancient and revered Jedi Master, lived his final years hiding on the swamp planet of Dagobah. Nine hundred years old, Yoda had trained Jedi for eight centuries, and was very powerful in the Force. Among his last pupils were the most important (and reckless) Jedi in recent history, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker.

In the waning days of the Republic, Yoda was a respected senior member of the Jedi Council. Serving alongside such luminaries as Mace Windu and Ki-Adi-Mundi, Yoda was present during the turbulent events that would eventually unravel the centuries-old Republic and seal the fate of the Jedi order.

When the Empire arose from the ashes of the Republic, the Emperor's agents set out to slaughter the Jedi. Yoda went into hiding on the distant swamp world of Dagobah. There, he waited patiently for a new hope to arise and end the dark side threat to the people of the galaxy.

Three years after the Battle of Yavin, that new hope arrived. Guided to Dagobah by a vision of his former mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker discovered Yoda without even knowing it. Stranded on the swampy world, Luke met a comical elfin creature that promised him aid. The creature's antics wore thin on Luke's short patience, but it was the first of many tests -- tests that Luke would fail.

Revealing himself to be Yoda, the Jedi Master began Luke's training in earnest. Telekinetic challenges, challenges of the will and body, more challenges than Luke had ever faced before helped mold the reckless youth into a Jedi. Still, Luke failed to "unlearn" his preconceptions.When asked to raise his sunken starfighter from the Dagobah swamps with the power of his mind alone, he responded he would try. "No," scolded Yoda. "Do, or do not. There is no try." Luke did not believe the Force could lift such a massive object. He was proven wrong when Yoda telekinetically lifted the X-wing fighter and placed it on dry land. Again, Luke was incredulous -- he did not believe; that is why he failed.

When Yoda taught Luke how to "farsee" into the future, a chilling vision of his friends in danger caused the young Skywalker to abandon his training. Luke promised he would return, and rocketed off to rescue his friends. In the end, Luke failed, having to be rescued himself. Yoda feared all would be lost in the effort to stop Vader and the Emperor.

About a year later, Luke did return to conclude his training. Having faced the hardship of confrontation with Vader, and having learned that Vader was actually his father, Luke learned from Yoda that his training was complete. In Luke's absence, Yoda had become quite ill. As he lay dying, Yoda shed some light on Luke's distant past: there was another Skywalker. Yoda died shortly thereafter, disappearing as his body became one with the Force.

Luke would learn that Leia Organa was his sister, and he would also reclaim his father from the dark side. At the celebration after the Battle of Endor, Luke saw the specter of Yoda, joined by ghostly images of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Anakin Skywalker, his father, who had died in the light.

Yoda was a tiny being, under a meter tall. While Yoda could pretend to be an impish gnome, in truth, he was a stern instructor. He was a wrinkled alien of an unidentified species. He had green skin, and long, pointed ears. He dressed in an old, tattered robe, and had a square amulet around his neck.

[JUNE]

Thanks for your reply, son_of_Yoda. Are you a Belgian then?

[Son_of_Yoda]

Indeed I am, JUNE !

[admin]

Wow! Very informative. Thank you for sharing this information with all of us!

[Geert]

Great name, Yoda-baby. Yoda is also one of my "heroes" and I have a small Yoda collection. May I ask who might be your mother?

I am Belgian (Flemish), lived in Belgium as a kid, have lived in the Texas 30 years now, and am still homesick for friet met mayonaise. I have a cousin in Gent, Johan Aerts. If by chance you know him, tell him he can drop me an email at belg@prodigy.net in English or Vlaams. Even though I visit my many Belgian relatives every 4 yrs. or so, I don't keep close contact.

This is the first time I've found this site - maybe I'll chat on some other topics later on.

Well Son_of_Yoda, do you know any other good Yoda sayings I could use as my signature? (other than may the force be with you)

Geert