Once in a Lifetime

My time abroad has afforded me  opportunities I never even dreamed of. Yesterday I went to Easter Mass at the Vatican in Italy and came within 5 feet of Pope Francis. In Rome alone I saw the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and the Pantheon, to name a few. The first time I went to Paris I assumed it would be cool to see the Eiffel Tower, but when I arrived I was completely overwhelmed by it's size, beauty and history. Every time I go to a new city and see the famous sites I am reminded of how blessed I am to see these amazing national marvels that not many people will ever have the opportunity to see.

The history national landmarks represent is the true 'wow factor' in each city. Every site I went to in Rome was incredible because so much world history and culture stems from these landmarks. In the  Colosseum thousands of Christians and other people were murdered for entertainment purposes. It is interesting to measure the leaps and bounds humanity has made towards respect for life and all religions and cultures in the past 2000 years.




Easter Mass at the Vatican












5 feet awa

Time Flies

Every time I look through the photos on my phone I am in shock at all of the places I have been. In 2 short months I went to France, the Netherlands, Spain, England and Poland. I have seen major cities, national landmarks, and famous works of art. Going to different places and experiencing all a culture has to offer has helped me grow so much as a person. When in a new city, you are forced to cope with language barriers, unfamiliar food, and an overall different way of doing things. Even though two countries are next to each other, their cultures are often polar opposites. France and Spain, for example, are neighbors but speak different languages, have completely different food, and have entirely different attitudes and ways of doing things. 

I was told before I left for Belgium to try not to say no to new things during my time abroad, and this is a challenge I have taken seriously. I quickly learned that Europe is not friendly to picky eaters like myself and I was forced to adapt. I tried octopus in Barcelona, escargot in Paris and goulash in Krakow. While I don't enjoy all of my new choices, I have developed a new-found love for gourmet cheeses and Belgian beers; I also fully intend to bring the Spanish tradition of siestas back to the US! My favorite place to eat in Brussels is a traditional West African restaurant that offers wings, samosas, and fried plantains (to name a few). I would have probably never tried a restaurant like this at home, and now I go there for lunch every few weeks. 

This is my first time leaving the country and it is crazy to look back and see I had a beer inside the British Parliament in London, climbed Tibidabo mountain in Barcelona, saw the Eiffel Tower lit up at night, and visited the Auschwitz concentration camps. In the European Parliament I have met the Kurdish ambassador, heard victims of Isis speak and taken notes in meetings working towards ground-breaking world trade agreements. Living abroad has been an indescribable blessing that has changed how I view the world. I have a new found desire to see more of the US and countries in all parts of the world. 

 

Exploring my host country

In the 4 weekends I have spent in Europe, I have spent only two of those in my host country of Belgium. I went to Paris and Amsterdam the other two weekends. While both countries were incredible, I realized I needed to take advantage of all the beauty and culture Belgium has to offer. I found myself missing my quaint little town of Leuven while I was away and I have barely explored major cities in Belgium. In this short time Leuven has become my home and I can't imagine spending my time abroad anywhere else.

This past week, by some miracle, I had an entire day off. My classmates all went to work at the Parliament so I was alone at the Irish Institute. It was a beautiful day so I decided to explore Leuven and do some shopping. Although small, Leuven is filled with culture and hidden gems. I found canals, a fantastic chocolate shop, and loads of new places to eat.

On Friday we went to Brussels for the night. Although we go to Brussels twice a week for our internships, no one had really set out to see all the city had to offer. Part of being abroad is trying new things and food is definitely new and different in Belgium. With the Superbowl being last Sunday we were all in the mood for wings and we found this African restaurant that served wings.  Instead of getting wings, fries and hoagies, we ordered wings, samosas, falafel, and tons of other authentic African cuisine. The wings did not come slathered in hot sauce and served with celery, but seasoned with dry rub and served with a ridiculously spicy chili sauce. After, we went to the bar Delirium where they offer hundreds of different Belgian beers. Some beers have up to a 14% alcohol rate, where as most American beers are only 3-5%!

 Finally, on Sunday we went to Antwerp. We went to an immigration museum, explored the city's cathedral, took some photos with a statue, and visited a castle on the water front. I couldn't believe how beautiful it was. Antwerp offers the classic Belgian foods of waffles, beer, chocolate and fries on nearly every corner, and we of course sampled all of them. Taking day trips is honestly something I prefer to spending an entire weekend away. I saw two new cities this weekend and I was able to come home to my own bed every night and not have to worry about paying for a hostel or a B&B. I plan on seeing the Belgian cities of Bruge and Ghent soon and definitely heading back to Antwerp for the day.







The castle in Antwerp



One of the many canals in Amsterdam



The statue in the center square of Antwerp




Antwerp is the port city of Belgium



The lock bridge in Paris with Notre Dame and the Seine in the background

My First 10 Days

I have been in Belgium for about a week and a half now and I have already experienced so many new things. I took my first flight, saw my first foreign country, and started my first internship. From the very beginning the program has been different than what I expected. The Irish Institute where I and my classmates are staying is absolutely beautiful and the staff is fantastic. Leuven, the town in Belgium where I am living, is historic and European but has a youthful feel because it houses 50,000+ college students this time of year. We have tried many Belgian specialties like beer, waffles, and chocolate and they definitely live up to the hype. I take four classes in the internship with professors from the local university, KU Leuven. The European style of teaching is very different than how we are taught at home but all of the professors are fantastic and so knowledgeable. We have each class once a week for two and half hours, which is definitely different than my schedule at CUA. Twice a week I go to my internship at the European Union parliament in Brussels. I take the train there and back and unfortunately it is not as easy to understand as the DC Metro. The Parliament itself is very different than the US Congress. Unlike most interns who work on Capitol Hill, interns in the EU Parliament are expected to brief their members, go to committee meetings and take detailed notes, research bills, and many more hands-on responsibilities. I love this program and have already grown close to the 14 other people in the program. The 10 days has gone by so quickly I know I need to value my time here and experience as much as possible during this once in a lifetime opportunity.



The town hall in the Leuven center square.



Local shopping, restaurants and bars in Leuven.