Come with me to Cologne

Yesterday and today Izzy and I visited the wonderful city of Cologne, Germany. Now, would it be traveling if there wasn't something crazy that happened? No sir! Let me just share how this entire experience went.

We decided to go to Cologne ultimately because it was extremely cheap to take a bus there. Like in America, Megabus exists in Europe. For a 3 hour bus ride to Cologne and back to Brussels, you only paid 15 euros. Yeah, you heard me - 15 euros! So of course Izzy and I said, "why not? let's do it!" We booked a bus that left Brussels at 6:15 a.m. Because it always rains in Belgium, of course it poured the morning we left. We hopped (more like dragged) ourselves out of bed at 4:15 a.m. to make the 5 a.m. train to Brussels from Leuven. Upon arriving at the Brussels North station with 15 minutes to spare, we searched for our bus. We walked out of the station where all the buses park, and ours was nowhere to be found. We walked around for 10 minutes, trying to search for it. Nothing. Mind you, while this was happening, it down poured, it was windy, and it was just plain miserable. Eventually, we found someone trying to get on the same bus as us - and we stood miserably in the cold together. 6:15 rolls around, and it's still nowhere in sight. We asked an employee and a police officer if we were in the right place, and they said we were exactly where we needed to be.

Eventually, I gave up and went inside. Thank goodness my phone connected to wifi, because I pulled up an email informing me our bus was going to be an hour and a half late due to bad weather. 8:15 a.m. rolls around and we finally get on. At this point I'm already wiped out, my hair is a horrible mess, and I'm about ready to take a nap. So that's exactly what I did.

3 hours later, we wake up to arriving in Cologne! The Megabus drops you off at the airport, forcing us to take the train to make it in the city. This was also not an easy feat. I don't speak a lick of German, and trying to figure out how the heck we were going to get from the airport to the city with no help around us was an adventure in itself. Ultimately, we got on a train and hoped for the best, and thankfully the best happened. We arrived in the city, full hearts and empty stomachs - ready for a new adventure.

I have a newfound love for train stations.

There's nothing like visiting a new city. I thrive off of the uncertainty and the opportunity to explore. As soon as we stepped off the platform, we were greeted by the fourth tallest cathedral in the world, Kölner Dom.  It is the most visited site in Germany, with an average of 20,000 visitors daily. Construction started in 1248, but ended for quite some time in 1473. It wasn't completely finished until 1880. I've had the opportunity to see Notre Dame and Westminster Abbey, but gosh was this church just magnificent. We even walked inside to see a service happening. You could just see and feel the structure reaching up towards the heavens, it was absolutely beautiful. I'm so happy to have had the chance to take in the beauty of this building.

I couldn't even fit the entire church in one shot!

Selfie stick in hand, happily enjoying our Dunkin' Donuts pick-me-up.

Unfortunately, I had no wifi the entire time we were were there. Thankfully, Izzy could connect in one spot - the information/tourism center, so we had the chance to plop ourselves down here to figure out our game plan. We couldn't check into our hostel until 3, so we decided to walk around and explore the city for awhile. 

Two of my favorite photos from our walk are pictured above. The first was around this adorable alleyway full of different colored buildings and cobblestone paths to walk through. It was lovely. The photo below that showcases a picture Izzy snapped of me thanks to Pinterest! I originally had no plans on finding this place, we just came across it and it was the perfect photo opportunity to capture the charm of Cologne (or Köln, as the Germans pronounce it). This street reminded me of a Wes Anderson film (if you've seen the Grand Budapest Hotel, Fantastic Mr. Fox, or Moonrise Kingdom, you know what I mean). Extremely pastel, colorful, and quirky - it embodied the style of his movies. 

Eventually, we looped around and made it to the Hohenzollern Bridge, known for the tens of thousands of love locks attached to the structure - very similar to the ones in Paris. It's so neat to look at them all and to see how far back some of them date to. 

After, we checked into our hostel. I didn't end up taking pictures -- just because it wasn't that exciting, but the place was modern, clean, and comfortable, which was all that mattered to me. Another must-see in Cologne is their chocolate museum. While much of it was just reading about the history of chocolate, half of the museum is a Lindt Factory where you can see how the company makes their delicious sweet goodies. 

They even had a chocolatier serving waffers covered in chocolately goodness. You can see in the photo there was a fountain full of the molten yumminess. To say I was in heaven would be an understatement. 

We finished the day off with pretzels and that was that! All in all, an extremely fun time exploring a new city. Megabus kept its consistency, as our bus was delayed coming back to Brussels. We were flexible though, and patiently waited to arrive home. 

Auf Wiedersehen, Cologne!

Castles and Coffee and Class - oh my!

Week three is done. I can't believe it'll be a month that I've been gone here soon. Time flies. Unfortunately, I fell ill with a cold and sore throat (my body's way of saying slow down) so there was much more time for relaxation included in my schedule these past couple days. As you know, Monday I visited the beautiful Kasteel van Arenberg. From there, it was class - class - class - coffee - and more class.

I know I will be saying this throughout the entire semester, but I truly have already come to appreciate the education I'm receiving at Hanover College. While the subjects in my courses are extremely fascinating, it's difficult sitting in a lecture for 2-3 hours when there are no discussions to engage in. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to attend this university, but I already know I will be so happy to be back in our 15 student classrooms when I return back in September.

Tuesday, we had a girl's night with Annelien and a few of her friends. We made chocolate fondue that we dipped bananas, grapes, madelines, and marshmallows into and it was heavenly. While many foods taste different here in Europe - both the chocolate and marshmallows taste are out of this world in the best way possible. After indulging in sweet treats, we watched the movie, "The Other Women" in her residence hall's movie theatre.

Speaking of food, I am having McCalister's Sweet Tea withdrawals. I also want breadsticks....and Qdoba chips and queso. I have no clue how I will last the next 4 1/2 months, but I guess I can give in to snacking on some Belgian chocolate to ease my sadness.

Nonetheless, this week did bring a great surprise. My Institutions and Policy of the EU course met for the first time, where I discovered shortly after class began an exciting tidbit of information. My professor explained he was going to be at conferences throughout the semester, so days would vary when we would meet. As soon as he said this, I was curious, and googled him to find out that he serves on the European Commission (a.k.a the executive board of the European Union). How neat is that?! I will be learning all about EU policies straight from someone who serves at the executive level. I've heard the course is extremely tough, but I am so excited to gain knowledge on this area from an EU commissioner himself.

I also checked one of the coffee shops off my list - Koffie Onan. I already know I will be back. Say what you want, but I don't mind spending a few euros on a good vanilla latte. The drink I had was frothy, creamy, and dreamy all at the same time. I had a cliche European moment, as I sat at the cafe watching people walk by and taking in all that the scenery had to offer. It was a blissful moment - my sore throat was thankful for the warm drink as well.

So frothy, so wonderful.

You know how you can buy pillows or frames with cheesy sayings and life lessons to adorn your home with? Well, I've got one I want to custom make already. Life Lesson #1 brought to you by my time in Leuven: "Whether it's taking a different street home or going out of your comfort zone to meet someone new - don't always take the same path in life." I know I am a very task-oriented individual. I like knowing what I'm doing/where I'm going/how I will accomplish things. When you're traveling or living in a new place, that isn't always possible. I'm learning to slow down, to look up, and to take the long way back home - it's doing me wonders.

The cutest apartment I discovered, courtesy of "taking a different path home".

Today, I am catching up on some Cold War History readings and later we're meeting one of Izzy's friends who is currently studying abroad in Paris for dinner. New adventures are in the near future, and I can't wait to see what more this city brings me.

Exploring with Mal: Kasteel van Arenberg

Today brought the most wonderful adventure that I believed deserved its own post. I decided when I woke up this morning that I was going to visit Kasteel van Arenberg, this beautiful chateau located just outside Leuven that reminded me much of Downton Abbey. How did I find this gem, you may be asking? Instagram.

There's a moat, too!

Before arriving in Leuven, I looked up the city's "geotag" on the social media site to discover that this place existed. How neat is that? I found a girl who is actually studying abroad here and started scrolling through her pictures to discover the castle was within walking distance of my residence. After googling "Kasteel van Arenberg" I learned that this place has tons of history, and I mean tons. Since the 12th century, this has been the chateau of the lords of the Heverlee until the 15th century when it was passed from family to family during the Renaissance period.

You can find pretty little things everywhere you look.

Just before the first World War, the duke at the time was trying to sell the chateau to the University of Leuven. Unfortunately, it was seized by the Germans and Austrians once WWI rolled around. It wasn't until 1921 that the University of Leuven gained ownership of the building. Today, it acts as the engineering campus for our university. I can't imagine getting to go to class in a chateau everyday...how dreamy!

Belgium's very own Downton Abbey

The first signs of spring - the tulips are starting to pop up too!

The walk there was so beautiful. Leuven is surrounded by one big loop/highway that acts as the entrance/exit for the city. In order to get to Kasteel van Arenberg, you must cross this highway and then continue onward down this beautiful path lined with old homes and vine-covered fences and gates. If you're from Indianapolis - think Meridian Street, but 10x's more European. It was so romantic. I'm thinking this will be the perfect place to run once it gets a bit warmer out. Upon finally arriving to the castle, you can walk on the grounds and explore.

Another building just next to the castle with the neatest watermills. 

We even got to pet a few doggies being walked along the way! An afternoon well spent - but tomorrow it's back to class!

My Little Slice of Leuven

Week 1 of class is in the books y'all. It's been a crazy, but productive week. I feel like I'm finally getting the hang of things around here, and pretty soon I will hopefully know all the ins and outs of the city!

Updates. I am taking 5 classes here. They include:

-Cold War History
-International Relations and European Integration since WWII
-Genealogy of North African Cultures
-Institutions and Policies of the EU
-Flemish Art & Culture

I am definitely appreciating my time here, but let me tell you - I MISS THE STRUCTURE AT HANOVER. Quite a lot. It's not similar at all. Here, we sit in a lecture hall and the professor talks into a microphone for a couple hours. You take notes, and hope you retain all the information you need. It's very intimidating as well. I am enrolled in two masters level courses, and the rest are provided through the program. It's fascinating to hear professors talk about the United States, to hear their views on current events, and to simply learn about life from a European perspective. I will hopefully snap some pictures of my classrooms soon so you can get a taste for what it looks like, but I will say, I am so happy I chose to go to a private college.

Celebratory First Day of School Waffle - the best in Leuven. 

This week, we had to go to our town hall to get residence permits which was a nightmare. We ended up waiting for almost 3 hours to hand in a couple papers and to get a signature signed. Biggest hassle of my life. I don't do well with patience, and this experience definitely tested me. We did meet a nice guy who was studying abroad from the United States as well, so it made the wait a bit more bearable. Mal also sent me the loveliest note in the mail that I got to read while we waited - it included a "list" of things to do for the month of February - she's the greatest.

What else what else. We spent some more time exploring the city. I have found two coffee shops I want to try: "Le Moustache" and "Koffie Onan". I don't have class on Mondays which is fabulous, so I feel like one Monday when I need a study break, I will be able to stop by.

The nightlife in Leuven is awesome (and very different) to experience. It's just such a unique culture here. They had an orientation party for all the students attending KU Leuven this semester that night, so there was tons to experience. The main strip where you can find Leuven's nightlife is called "Oude Markt". Here there are tons of places to explore - it's so much fun to even people watch just to take it all in.

Finally, after a long week of class - we decided to spend the weekend relaxing and preparing for the week ahead. Today, we made a trip to our library to explore a bit. We had planned on going to a market that is supposedly in front of the building, but there was nothing to be found by the time we got there (market is still MIA).

Okay. So this place is spectacular. It truly feels like I am exploring Hogwarts as I walked throughout the building. In order to get to the main common room, you must walk up these massive marble staircases. You open large grandiose wooden brown doors that lead from one room to the next, and it's just remarkable. All I needed were my robes and a wand and it truly would have felt like I was transported to the wizarding world.

Can't wait for cozy afternoons studying here. 

Can you point me in the direction of the Great Hall? 

We were going to head up to the library tower where you can see some amazing city views of Leuven, but we decided to save it for another day when the rain wasn't our enemy. All in all, a fantastic first week. Next weekend may bring an overnight to Germany (?) and the following we've booked flights to Budapest!

Day Trip: Antwerpen

Tomorrow marks our first week in Leuven. It's crazy how much we've crammed into a week, but things are finally settling down and soon we start our classes. Yesterday, our program took us on a day trip to Antwerpen where we got to explore much of the city. Our train left at precisely 9 a.m. and we were off on an hour ride to the northern part of Belgium. I absolutely love taking the train in Europe, as it is so wonderful getting to ride through the small towns and beautiful homes you find in the countryside.

Upon arriving, our massive group of 39 students split up into 2 groups. While I love learning about the history of the places I visit, I was not a major fan of our tour guide. He was very informative, but he showed us some very odd things, one of which included the parking garage below the train station we got off at (?). By the end we finally got the opportunity to see some historical sites - thank goodness.

Centraal Station, Antwerp

The train station is absolutely beautiful, and one of Belgium's previous kings, Leopold II was attributed for making it all happen. It shares similar architecture to the Palace of Versailles in France as well the Pantheon in Rome - it's absolutely stunning inside as well.

As we continued our tour, we went through little alleyways that led to hidden gems including this one. It was just adorable, and I could've spent all afternoon walking through the cobblestone paths. 

By the end of our 3 hour tour, we saw the cathedral, Grote Markt, and a German neighborhood completely refurbished after the devastation the city experienced post-WWI. At this point, we were allowed to head off to do whatever we wished, so Izzy and I headed for Museum aan de Stroom (MAS). It's a modern museum that was just opened in 2011, offering stunning views of the city from the rooftop. If you ever visit, go here because it only cost us 3 euros to experience it all and let me tell you, it is worth it. 

Museum aan de Stroom

As you climb up the 10 stories, you get stunning views of the city. While you do so, there is much to be explored on each floor in regards to the history of Belgium and the integral role that Antwerp played in WWI. 

We ended up having wifi in the museum, so by the time we reached the top, I ended up getting to FaceTime my mom to show her the views of the city which was great. While it was extremely windy, we lucked out as there was never any rain throughout the day. 

All in all, Antwerpen treated us well - maybe i'll be back soon.. 

"Welkom op mijn leven in België"

Welcome to my life in Leuven.

The time has come and I am finally here in Belgium! This has been in the works for quite some time. Growing up, I knew I wanted to spend a semester abroad, I simply had no clue where I would end up. Upon arriving on Hanover's campus, I discovered the "Programme in European Culture and Society" or "PECS" as we like to call it here and instantly knew this was where I wanted to be.

So. After piles of paperwork, sending visa forms across the country and back, and booking flights , I am here! Exhaustion would be an understatement to describe how tired I was after arriving in Leuven. Thankfully, no luggage was lost and taking the train was simple from the Brussels airport. Like the previous two times I've landed in Europe, my heart skips a beat gazing out the plane window as the clouds disperse to reveal the first glances of the European countryside.

First impressions of Belgium? It's extremely green and lush... and it rains almost as much as it does in the United Kingdom (who knew?) Nevertheless, I am so happy to be here. My main concern upon arrival was figuring out how to carry my two suitcases across an airport, onto a train, and throughout Leuven before reaching our dorm, but somehow I did it without breaking any of the wheels off my suitcase (no repeats of France here!)

Izzy and I are living in a dorm/house named "Junior House". It's located on a quiet street quite close to the train station. It's also only a 5-10 minute walk from the city center and it is absolutely beautiful. We lucked out, as our dorm is pretty large and we are one of the only rooms with a balcony. Yes, you heard me - a balcony! It's so lovely getting to open our door each morning to stand outside, breathing in the fresh air. It's the little things, my friends.

The view from our balcony.

"J-House or Junior House", our home for the next 5 months. 

While our first day mainly included rest and unpacking, we did explore a bit of Leuven on Tuesday. Izzy has a Belgian buddy, Annelien, who ended up showing us around. We all had so much fun together, and even got to taste our first bites of Belgian chocolate at one of her favorite chocolate bars in the city. I love this place. While I'm still learning my way around, the town really isn't too difficult to navigate. As long as you can make it to the city center, you are basically good to go. This week alone, I have walked over 25 miles. I am also learning how to cook my own meals (and that in itself is an adventure.)

Thursday included an afternoon in Brussels. Izzy and I both bought cheap train tickets and went into the city to explore. While the main goal was to get her money exchanged, we ended up seeing a lot more than planned. Unfortunately, it was extremely rainy and a bit windy, so trying to enjoy the views of the Royal Palace of Brussels was a bit of a bust. But, I know I will be back. 

By the time it stopped raining, we made our way to "Grote Markt" or the "Grand Place", which is surrounded by ornate buildings covered in gold and beautiful architecture. It was absolutely breathtaking. Through doing some research, I learned that this place housed the original town hall of Brussels and has buildings dating back to the 14th century. How amazing is that? This is why I love travel. The idea of being transported back in time, imagining all of the history that took place in these breathtaking spots is just magical. 

Grote Markt, the Grand Place of Brussels. 

Some of the guild houses covered in gold.

Our last stop for the day was at Maison Dandoy for some Belgian waffles. Started in 1829, they had a tea room upstairs where you could enjoy a warm drink and a waffle of your choice. Of course, I went for the one covered in chocolate (pourquoi pas?). The atmosphere was perfect. We sat by a window that overlooked a busy street and got to enjoy the pure bliss that is Brussels in the rain. 

Making Leslie Knope proud.

All in all, a fantastic first week. Tomorrow is our daytrip to Antwerp and then classes start Monday! I can't wait to continue making this city my home, signing up for classes that I love, and to continue meeting new and wonderful people.