Thank you, Belgium

As of last Tuesday, I have been here for one month.

what.
what.
WHAT.

Time is flying by so fast. As much as I can't wait to see my family and friends when I get home, I don't want to leave. With everything I've done in the past month, I can only imagine what the next four will bring.

This being said, study abroad isn't all glamour and travels. There are tough days, days where you wish you could walk down the hall to your mom's room and talk to her about the challenges you're having. Days where you don't want to go to that boring class. Days where you just want to snuggle in bed all day. And that doesn't always happen necessarily.

But you push through regardless. Belgium has already given me plenty of opportunities to grow as an individual, and for that I am so thankful. I would say in general I am a pretty independent person, but this country has brought my independence to a whole new level. They say when you go off to college, you learn how to live on your own, how to manage your time, etc. But this place is different.

After going from a schedule at Hanover where I'm busy from 8:30 am to 11:00 pm at night to a schedule in Leuven where I don't have to be awake before noon only to be busy for 2-3 hours a day, accountability means something different. It means forcing yourself to do your school work, to make time for friends, to travel, and to find time for yourself.

I'm learning to find a balance between relaxation and productivity. I have more time to enjoy the things I don't get to at Hanover. If I want to take a break from homework to go take a walk outside, I can do that. (Let me tell you, there are some beautiful places to walk here). I'm learning how to do it all.

With this, I am looking forward to warmer days and the adventures that come with them. Meanwhile, we spent a chilly weekend in Belgium with one of Izzy's friends who was visiting from her study abroad experience in Italy. It was tons of fun, we ended up going to Brussels for the afternoon and showed her around Leuven which was lovely. Enjoy several pictures below:

Views from "Mont des Arts".

Belgian fries with "sauce Americaine" - still no clue what it was. I can't seem to get on the bandwagon with the mayo obsession here. 

Still on track with my waffle goal.

Tropismes - the coolest bookstore fit for royalty.

The Grand Place of Brussels.

Phi Mu love from across the pond. 

I will forever obsess of Kasteel van Arenberg. It is so serene and calming here. I almost forget I'm in Belgium when I visit. It feels like walking through the grounds of a peaceful Irish manor.

Happy Sunday friends - until next time.

"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.