BIB Student Lydia Brown
Solvay Business School
Brussels, Belgium, 2009-2010
One of the most challenging, yet exciting experiences of my life has been moving to Brussels to go to school and live on my own. Through this experience, I have had the opportunity to speak a foreign language and to immerse myself in a new and different culture. When I think back to September, which feels like a lifetime ago, I am able to reflect on the amazing time I have had while living abroad. I had never lived on my own before and I was both anxious and excited to begin my school year in a different country and city. I feel very fortunate to have been able to live in Brussels for a whole year; it is such a beautiful place. One of my favourite things is that not only are you surrounded by French speakers, but you also hear many other languages such as Flemish, German and even English. I have found that a lot of people do not know very much about Brussels, but there are so many great things about this city. Belgium is the country of chocolate, beer, waffles and moules et frites (mussels and fries). It is impossible to go walking for ten minutes without seeing a chocolate shop, signs for Belgian beers or a waffle stand. The architecture here is also wonderful and you can spend the day in Grand Place just admiring the buildings around you and wondering what was happening there one hundred years ago. As for life as a student in Brussels, it is pretty amazing. There are so many things organized for you such as parties, trips, galas and more.
One of the main things I believe people should do while going to school abroad is to travel and see as much as they can. Living in Brussels allows you to go to so many places because it so close to so many different countries. Do you feel like going to Paris for the day? It is only an hour and a half away and why not spend a free day on the streets of Paris? Do you want to see what Amsterdam is like? It is only a three hour train ride away and it is easy to go there for the weekend. Being in such a central location has been great as it has allowed me to see most of Europe. Living abroad is not only a great way to see a lot of the world, but it is also a wonderful opportunity to really find yourself and mature as a person. You are exposed to a whole new way of living, which does provide some obstacles, but once you overcome them and achieve your goals, it is truly one of the best feelings in the world. How many people can truly say that they lived a year abroad in Europe? It is a pretty amazing experience and it should not be taken for granted. If you ever are feeling down or homesick (which will undoubtedly happen), you just need to say to yourself “I am in Brussels, living in Europe, how lucky am I”. It is also a perfect time to meet new people and make new friends. I have made friends from all around the world and I strongly believe that I have made lifelong friends while being on exchange. Living in Brussels has been an amazing opportunity and anyone who comes here will have a blast.