Flanders Field

Flanders Field was very interesting, we visited a bunch of memorials, cemeteries, and trenches from World War I. It was one of those crazy Belgian days where it flip flops back and forth between pouring rain and wind to blue sunny skies, though the bitter cold is felt in both types of weather. Supposedly the farmers almanac says this winter will be the coldest and longest of the millennium in Europe, fabulous haha. We had a really fun day though; normally on our trips it is just the Loyola students, but today all of the internationals living in our house came with us so it was good bonding.

Unit Dinner

Last night we had the opportunity to go as a unit to our professors house for dinner. The house I live in is broken into six different units, mine is the smallest, and has the most Belgians which is really great. We had fajitas, it was really nice to have a home cooked meal!

Lanzarote, Spain

Wow. I am just looking through my pictures and can't believe I actually just spent four days on an island in Spain. I was privileged enough to get the grand tour, experience the food, and even relax on the beach. In addition to the awe of riding up the side of a volcano on a camel, i got to see a geyser spray into the air, a grill where food is cooked from the heat of the lava beneath the volcano, a boiling pot where the volcano heat boils the water in a cove, lava beaches, and a green sulfur lake. I was lucky enough to go banana boating, slide on a boat in the middle of the crystal clear water, and jump off a little cliff into the water.











The food was phenomenal, we had tapas one night which allowed my palate to just have a taste of everything, it is smaller portions then appetizers but of so many different things. I got to go to a winery where the grapes are grown in the ash left from the lava which was delicious and very interesting. I feel like I could go on and on about everything I did and saw. But, I will leave it at this was one of the most amazing weekends I have ever had. Flying home I got goosebumps looking down at these huge ranges of volcanos and thinking i was on top of them exploring. The opportunities here continue to amaze me and the sights continue to be one more beautiful then the next

Oostende

Me, Maggie, Corey, and her spanish roommate Rosa went to the Belgian Coast this weekend to a town called Oostende. It was really beautiful, we spent time walking around one of the parks, shopping, having coffee. It was the perfect weekend to spend a day near the water because it was not the typical rainy, grey Belgian weather, but seventy and sunny.

We also took a tour of the Mercator, which was a three masted ship, kind of like the Eagle which Mick sailed on in the past but smaller. It was neat to tour and explore that as well. It was only an 1.5 train ride. Definitely somewhere I would go back too.

Ethiopian Experience

Salem, one of the Loyola students studying abroad with me is Ethiopian and found an Ethiopian restaurant in Leuven that 15 of us went out to eat at this weekend. It was delicious! I won't lie, I was apprehensive when she was describing it to us, but it was such an experience. You eat everything with your hands and roll the meat and vegetables up in these little crepe/quesadilla like rolls. The only word I can use to describe it is flavorful. You all should try it at least once, I plan to go back!

Bouillon

Bouillon was very beautiful and full of autumn foliage. We took a tour of the castle and citadel, had the ever famous french fries with Mayonnaise, and watched a lovely bird show.

I was chosen to have the bird land on my head and feed it which was both thrilling and terrifying haha. It was a rather rainy and foggy day, but it was definitely nice to travel back to the french portion of Belgium for the day. I love that in 2 hours I can travel "cross country"... only in Belgium

You sound like you're from London

So, London was quite the adventure to say the least. The trip begin with an overnight bus ride. Customs was very intimidating crossing the English channel they probably asked me at least fifteen questions, but I got my passport stamped in France and the UK which was exciting. Our bus then drove onto a nine level ferry at 3 am in the morning which had restaurants and shopping aboard. We arrived in London at 6 am, i don't know that I am so fond of the overnight travel, as you all know I am a girl who needs her sleep so making it through the whole first day of tours in London was a struggle. But, very worth it.

Day one was typical London rainy, grey, and cold.. but we embarked on a three hour free walking tour and embraced every second of it. I saw Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Parliament, Hyde Park, Westminster Abbey, all the big tourist attractions. We then endulged in some fish and chips and went shopping on Bond and Regent Street the equivelent of 5th Avenue and Time Square!

Day Two we spent on our own Tour of the London Tower, London Bridge, Shakespeares Globe, St.Paul's Cathedral and Wimbeldon. It was so much fun!

Our last day we relaxed and got lunch and played some pool in our hostel and then embarked on our journey home...which turned out to be a bit more then we bargained for. Our bus was very late and our bus driver was quite grouchy, but instead of taking the ferry we took the euro tunnel. That was really neat!! The bus drives onto a train and all the cars and buses and 18 wheelers are aboard this train which then travels underneath the channel. We ended up getting home very late, but all in all a fantastic trip. Saw a lot, just learning the best ways to travel.. bus probably isn't my favorite haha.

Day trip to Brugge

So our day started with an 8 am bike ride to the train station which was a first for us, and let me just tell you a picture doesn't do it enough justice. There is a parking garage for bicycles with 10,000 spots... 5 blocks of bicycle parking... a half a mile of bicycle parking. It was unlike anything I have ever seen. And it was hard to find a spot haha

After an 1.5 train ride we arrived in Brugge (the venice of Belgium) known for it's delicious chocolates & canals filled with swans. We took an hour long boat tour, visited an art museum, saw a Michelangelo sculpture in a famous church, had a good lunch, and spent the afternoon just exploring the town which I loved!

Anyone who comes to visit will definitely get the pleasure of spending the day in Brugge. The boat ride was my favorite part. You go under probably 10 different bridges some of which you have to duck and feel like you are in the charlie and the chocolate factory movie, haha you have to experience it.

Love to all, Brigette

My room

For those of you who were asking : )

here is a photo of my room. It's quaint. Still waiting to see when my roommate will arrive from Poland, everyone else's has and mine is MIA...

Antwerpen & Fort Breendonk

Today the PECS program (the program for all international students) took us to Antwerpen and Fort Breendonk. Antwerpen is the second largest port city in Europe and was filled with churches, castles, diamonds, and museums. Below is a picture of a castle we visited, the gardens of the museum of the first ever printing press, and the original row houses dating back to the 1700's.

After Antwerpen we hopped back on the bus for Fort Breendonk, which was originally a fort for the Belgian Army during WWI but in WWII it became a Nazi concentration camp. That was eye opening, it gave you goosebumps just standing in the jail cells, torture rooms, and following the stories of the individuals. Much like the experience of the Holocaust museum, something you are so intrigued to see but really heart wrenching. I am getting to see so much.

The past week was filled with 30 hours of dutch and I have my midterm Monday, crazy how much they can squeeze into a week. But, it has already proven very helpful in restaurants, getting directions, and in the grocery store. It is amazing how much you can pick up when you are literally immersed in a completely different culture. After my midterm we have a week of Orientation and are going to London for the weekend before classes begin. I am quite excited!