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!

"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.