Today is my final day in Brussels. I cannot believe that this four month adventure is actually coming to an end! It has been a whirlwind trip full of challenging and amazing moments.
Last night, we went downtown to celebrate my roommate Nora's 21st birthday. We ventured to Delirium for one last time, wandered through the beautifully lit Grand Place, and danced at a local club. It was enjoyable and carefree without the stress of work and classes. I began to feel sentimental, wishing that I had taken more advantage of the beautiful city while I was here. But ultimately, I have no regrets and I am extremely grateful for all that this experience has brought me: the memories, the adventures, the new perspectives...
In honor of this being my final entry, I've compiled a list of the top 10 things that I've missed about the US and the top 10 things that I will miss about Brussels.
US Top 10
10) The PAC workout center
9) Free water at restaurants
8) Riding in a car
7) My Blackberry/texting
6) The ease of communication sans language barrier and time zone difference
5) Efficiency of banking and bureaucracy
4) American football
3) My Wardrobe
2) Starbucks/Panera/Smoothie King/Target
1) My family, friends, and pets
Brussels Top 10
10) Sunday markets
9) Daily integration of environmentally friendly options (i.e. motion-operated escalators)
8) Acceptance of dogs
7) Belgian beer
6) Fanta Zero
5) Daring fashion choices (and amaaaazing boots!)
4) Belvita chocolate cookie snacks
3) Ease of travel to other countries
2) Breathtaking view of Grand Place at night
1) My roommates
On Saturday, my internship experience came full circle when I attended an IDF Europe Board Meeting at the offices. Throughout the meeting, my supervisor Lala kindly inquired as to whether or not I was learning from the experience, and if I felt that it was worthwhile. I assured her that I was truly grateful to be invited to attend. It was interesting to see such a diverse group of professionals represented on the Board, and to listen to their input on the issue of diabetes in relation to their specific field of expertise. There are 11 Board Members from fields ranging from Management Consulting to Internal Medicine. The purpose of the meeting was to introduce them to IDF Europe and to outline their duties as Board Members. I got a unique firsthand perspective of the brainpower behind IDF's ideas and actions.
At the conclusion of the meeting, I realized just how much this experience has meant to me as the bittersweet feeling sunk in. It was hard to say goodbye to Lala. She was so welcoming and eager to share information with me about the organization. It was wonderful to connect with her on a more personal level, as well, as we discussed everything from books and movies to women's rights. I feel so fortunate to have worked with someone so passionate about not only her work, but about the world as a whole.
It's surreal to think back on all that I've accomplished over the past four months. This study abroad adventure has undoubtedly been more rewarding and challenging than I ever could have anticipated. I navigated my way through European freedom, completed a Communications internship with an International Organization, attended meetings in the European Parliament, traveled to at least 7 different countries, written articles for a NGO's global newsletter...I could go on for while, but words can't really capture all the ways that I've grown from this journey.
Less than 10 days to go? I cannot wrap my brain around it. This Brussels life that started off so strange and alien is finally my own. When I returned from Amsterdam this past weekend, I stepped out of the Maelbeek metro stop and thought, “Aaaah I’m home!” When I first arrived, I could not fathom the idea that I might come to know and, dare I say it, love the streets of Brussels, but I certainly did.
Throughout my time in Brussels, I had a recurring dream about returning back to the United States. In this dream, I only had one full day to see my family and collect my American treasures (i.e. Honey Bunches of Oats and various items from my long lost wardrobe). It was overwhelming and sad, and I would wake up in a panic. I felt like my return to America was something so far out of sight that it would never come. But now I am feeling this panicky sensation in reverse.
I have less than 10 days left in Brussels. That’s a single digit. That is so soon. Do I really have time to do everything that I’ve wanted, and soak up the last bit of this experience? Have I truly taken advantage of this amazing adventure? I’ll have time to reflect when it’s over, but for now I’ll just enjoy my Belgian chocolate.
Last night, I had the opportunity to experience the true Brussels “home life” when my supervisor from work invited me to attend her weekly Wednesday dinner at her apartment. After getting a bit lost in search of the proper bus stop (typical), I made it to her quaint apartment in an area of Brussels that, although only about 3 minutes away by bus, I had never been to before. She warmly greeted me and invited me to sit down in her cozy living room with a glass of wine. The walls were covered with smiling family portraits, and snapshots of her children. One wall of the room was painted with an elaborate and beautiful red and white tree – created by her teenage daughter. The computer screensaver featured a slideshow of family moments, some in that very living room.
The TV was tuned to a news channel where the big topic was, not surprisingly, the recent election of Henry van Rompuy as the new President of the European Council. Lala and I began discussing the controversy of the matter as this low-profile man rises to such an esteemed position. Many Europeans are skeptical about his ability to lead, so it was interesting to hear her opinion. She admitted that while he is not the most well known politician, he is by no means the worst man for the position.
Soon, guests began to trickle in. The party eventually grew to 10 people, and I was among the 2 who do not speak French. Lala was very accommodating, however, as she filled us in on the French dialogue. She also made an effort to ask us questions about everything from life in Brussels to homeopathy. I actually learned quite a bit about cultural differences in our multilingual smorgasbord of conversation. Musicals, for instance, are not very popular outside of the US and the UK. Thinking back, I cannot fathom a childhood without the Wizard of Oz, Meet Me in St. Louis, or Cinderella: The Musical. Lala explained that her children were extremely put off by the films...very bizarre to me.
It was inexplicably refreshing to be around a dinner table, eating a delicious home-cooked meal of chicken curry and lentils, laughing and exchanging stories. Even with the language barrier, the energy was incredibly warm and blissful.
While I love the sights and sounds on the bustling streets of Brussels, it was a wonderful experience to get an inside look at Brussels family life, and realize that this love and care is possible all over the globe.
 Beautiful Brussels sunset outside of my work. As my journey draws closer and closer to the finish line, I am an absolute mess of mixed emotions. I am worn out from all of the travelling and schoolwork, and I long for the moment when I can truly relax and know that I don't have to worry about another paper or travel booking or project. There is no doubt that I am having an absolutely amazing time, but I am also overwhelmed with...well, stuff. Whenever I have a moment to sit still, I feel like there is something else that I should be working on or doing.
Part of this stems from the fact that there is still so much that I want to do. In Brussels alone, there are so many little places unexplored, foods untasted, and markets un-perused. Will I ever have time to stop into that quaint little boutique with the gorgeous scarves that I have passed on the way back from school too many times to count? Will I have enough time to check out that cozy coffee shop on Avenue Louise? Are there enough nights left to go dancing at the Fuse club that we have heard so much about?
I look around me as I walk the streets of my neighborhood, and I take it all in: the distinct architecture of the European rowhouses, the French/Dutch signs, the biking couple. Soon, I remind myself, this will all be a memory. While I cannot wait to be reunited with my family and to sleep under the covers of my very own bed, it will be hard to let it all go.
It is truly a strange feeling to be soaking up the moment, but counting down the minutes.
 How refreshing it is to see a familiar face in a foreign place! I realized this over the weekend when my best friend from home, Maris, came to visit me in Brussels for the weekend with her friend Sessie. She and Sessie are studying in Strasbourg, France for the weekend, and they made the trek to Belgium on Friday evening. We spent Saturday exploring the downtown area. Wandering the side streets near Grand Place, we happened to stumble upon what is quite possibly the most amazing vintage shop that I have ever seen. It’s called “episode,” and it has everything from old Converse sneakers to quirky pantsuits. Old t-shirts and fabrics have been re-worked into unique dresses, tops, etc. It was honestly a shopping paradise! Somehow, I managed to walk out of there with only two items…I was quite impressed with my self-restraint!We were fortunate enough to meet up with Jennie, my friend from Furman, as well. She was in Brussels for the day with one of her friends from Groningen, so the two of them joined us for our shopping adventure.
 Of course, I had to take the girls to see the legendary Mannekin Pis. It was actually a very special day because the statue was decked out in “World Diabetes Day” garb for the 14th of November. It was absolutely surreal to see this Brussels icon promoting the cause that I have been working on for the past few months. Two of my co-workers from IDF happened to be at the fountain filming a promotional video for World Diabetes Day, and Sessie and I appeared on film to discuss the cause. It really meant a lot to me that she was willing to contribute.
After our World Diabetes Day adventure, I showed them the shopping district of downtown Brussels. It was absolutely bustling with people on a busy Saturday afternoon, so they really got to witness the insanity.
 We were pretty exhausted from navigating the crowds, so we took a break back in the apartment with a Chinese food dinner and some cheesy television. We were lucky enough to catch a British game show called “Hole in the Wall” – one of the strangest competitions that I have ever watched.
We began our Saturday night out with a trip to the Delirium alley. We eventually made our way to the Central Station after hearing rumors of a free party in the train station. Of course, I curiosity got the best of us, so we at least had to check out the scene. Stepping out into the station, we heard thumping music and saw swarms of police officers and drunken teenagers. Apparently, this is a famous annual event with renowned DJs who I would not be able to identify. After scoping out the crazy scene and realizing it was not worth waiting out in the rain and bracing the crowd for an undetermined amount of time, we headed back toward Grand Place to go dancing at Le Corbeau. This was a wonderful choice as the bar/club had a decent crowd and a spectacular music selection ranging from Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love” to Grease’s “You’re the One That I Want.” It was a splendid night in Brussels, indeed.
 On Sunday morning, I took Maris and Sessie to the Place Jourdan Sunday market to see the wide variety of stands and to get coffee in a nearby shop. It was a relaxing way to start the day and give them a taste of authentic Brussels traditions.
The rest of the afternoon was spent watching Mad Men in the apartment before the girls departed back to France. Oh how we’ve missed the joys of vegging out with American TV together. It is certainly an underrated pleasure.From dancing to chilling and everything in between, it was absolutely one of my favorite weekends in Brussels with two wonderful girls!
 My roommate Nora and I spent a leisurely week in Paris for our fall break from Tuesday-Saturday. And when I say leisurely, I mean as leisurely as a visit to a bustling European metropolis can be. We went to the Musee d’Orsay on Wednesday which was absolutely amazing. It was surreal to see the legendary images from fancy art books and television specials hanging delicately on the walls of the museum right before my eyes. We were pleasantly surprised to find that the museum had an exhibit on Ensor, a famous painter from Belgium with a quirky appreciation for skeletons. As you progressed through the exhibit, the colors got darker and the images more violent in a reflection of Ensor’s personal deterioration resulting from the death of his parents. My favorite part of the museum was the impressionist exhibit featuring gorgeous works by Renoir, Degas, and Monet. The Renoir pieces were absolutely breathtaking with the soft, blurred colors that highlighted dreamlike scenes from the 19th century.That night, we grabbed a casual dinner at a little restaurant near our hotel. Of course, we were hungry pretty early (around 6 in the evening) and the waitress was surprised when we actually wanted to order dinner so early. It is very rare to see someone eating dinner before 8 o’clock at night in Paris.
 On Thursday, we made the journey up to the top of the Eiffel tower. It was absolutely incredible to get a 360-degree view and take in all of the beautiful sights! I saw the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe and the Notre Dame all in one glance.
Next, we went to the outskirts of the city to check out the Roland Garros Tennis Stadium. The museum was closed for the day, but the stadium is in a gorgeous area right beside a beautiful green park, and we enjoyed perusing the gift shop.
That evening, our friend who is studying with us in Brussels unfortunately fell down the steps of the Paris metro and broke his foot. Our friends who were staying with him at a nearby hostel had to meet us and assist him with getting back to their room. As if navigating the maze of the Paris metro wasn’t difficult enough, when they got him to the hospital, only one or two people spoke English. He got crutches and a cast, so we will have to see how he fares for the rest of the trip!
 The highlight of the trip came on Friday night when we got to see Anna and Amanda, two of my best friends from Furman. Anna is studying in Madrid, Spain, and Amanda is studying in Versailles, France. Both are doing language-focused study abroad programs and absolutely loving their experiences. I enjoyed hearing about their experiences, and swapping stories about European adventures. Nora and I noticed that they do not feel nearly as out of place as we do simply because they can speak the native languages. Clearly, this makes a significant difference in comfort level and acceptance.
While Paris is breathtakingly beautiful with its regal architecture, legendary artwork, and gorgeous river views, there are parts of the city that are astoundingly unattractive. Even during the week, the streets are pretty crowded with people who have no qualms about pushing you and walking directly into you. We definitely had to keep our guard up as we moved about the city. The part that bothered me the most was probably the homeless people on the streets. It wasn’t that I’m not used to poverty – there is plenty of it in the United States and Baltimore. It was awful that nearly every homeless person sleeping on the street had a dog with him. It was almost a guarantee. With each person that I came across in the metro or outside of a museum, I instantly looked for the poor animal that with him or her. As I walked to the grocery store one rainy afternoon, I looked down to find two of the cutest puppies that I have ever seen in my life, shivering in the cold…beside someone begging for money. It’s not that I don’t feel bad for the people, but I wonder how on earth these poor animals get dragged into these horrible lives. Why must they suffer, as well? Why do they have to be a part of the gimmick to make money on the street?
But I don’t want to dwell on the negative. We really did have a wonderful time relaxing and meeting up with friends in the beautiful city!
 Growing up, my mom always told me that I was born the week that the Berlin Wall came down. She always thinks of me, she tells me, when she hears about the Wall. Strangely enough, I never really knew what this meant. I had no idea what the Berlin Wall stood for, and why it’s destruction was so significant. But after reading Anna Funder’s Stasiland and making a trip to Berlin last week, I learned firsthand what the fall of the Wall truly meant.
On Friday morning, we started our trip with a bus tour of the city, taking in all of the sights from West Berlin to East Berlin. We had an interesting German tour guide who had some insightful one-liners (i.e. “There is a candy store where you can go get shveets for the shveety”) and strange insights (i.e. “There was a bombing that killed more than 20,000 people…too bad”). I expected to see a significant difference between the two – a bleaker, more cold atmosphere in the East where the Stasi regime had taken control, and a more artistic and liberated West. But to tell you the truth, it was difficult to tell the difference between the two sides. They have already done a tremendous job of moving forward and filling the city with life. The streets were bustling with people and shops and restaurants. It was much more dynamic than I had anticipated. I expected to see stiff German citizens marching the streets in dark clothing. But it was a lively and beautiful city. We passed spectacular churches, monuments, and museums with architecture ranging from modern business buildings to historical row houses with high ceilings. Of course, one of my favorite things about the city was the presence of the Berlin Bears, colorful statues scattered throughout the city much like the lovely Crabs in Maryland. All of the souvenir shops had lovable stuffed bears that were tough to resist.
 We stopped at Checkpoint Charlie, the spot where the division between East and West was made and officials used to stand guard. It was undoubtedly a major tourist spot with stands selling fur hats, army jackets, and even DDR passport stamps. But thinking about the history of the location that separated two very different worlds was remarkable.
Throughout the city, there is still a line that runs along the sidewalk where the Wall used to stand. It’s eerie to look down and think of the physical barrier that used to loom over the people of the Berlin.
 It was positively surreal to touch the wall with my own hand, and to see the extraordinary display of artistic spirit that the standing stretch of the structure has become in what is called the East Side Gallery. The wall is covered in a series of different paintings, each with a unique identity using various colors, images and messages. The art on the surface of the wall represents more than just artistic talent, but also the perseverance of the German people. Rather than destroying reminders of the past, the people have turned this section into a tribute to overcoming the struggles of former division and suppression. The beautiful images and words running along the wall acknowledge overcoming the past, and confidently moving forward.
Although it was a bitterly cold weekend and there was not nearly enough time to take in all of the beautiful sights, it was truly special to finally connect with this legendary place that has been such a mystery to me.
On Tuesday evening, I had the pleasure of chatting with my sister’s 6th grade class from St. Ursula’s school in Baltimore, Maryland. Thanks to the wonderful technology of Skype, I was beamed into their classroom for a video chat.
It was pretty interesting to hear their questions and gain some insight into their assumptions about European travel. Many of them were curious about the food over here: “Do they eat Brussels Sprouts in Brussels?...What was the food like in Venice?...Do people go to waffle stands in Brussels like they go to Starbucks in the US?...Do they have lots of cheese?” And some of them were a bit more off the beaten path: “Was it crowded in Vienna?...What are their celebrities like?...What kind of landmarks do they have in Brussels?” It was difficult to articulate just how tough it can be to navigate through this new world, but I did the best that I could. Their reactions to my answers were pretty telling: they laughed when I explained that men are very nicely dressed and well-groomed, and they were pleasantly surprised to hear that Belgians appreciate “High School Musical” and the Black Eyes Peas. The first thing that comes to mind when they hear about Europe and Europeans are the intense differences.
I realize that we’re all fascinated by these differences. That’s what makes us want to travel and explore and learn. It’s magical and exciting to go somewhere unfamiliar, but this enthusiasm makes it nearly impossible to anticipate the challenges that come along with the adventure. But in the end, these difficulties merely add to the experience and make the beautiful discoveries that much more valuable. It’s frustrating when I can’t figure out the map of the Parisian metro system, but it is well worth the hassle when I emerge from the underground to see the stunning vision of the Arc du Triomphe lit up against the deep blue of the evening sky.
 I finally had my visitor from home this weekend when Michael came to see me during his fall break. It was exciting to show him around my stomping grounds on Wednesday as we ventured around Brussels. He came with me to work for a bit (what a trooper) so I could send out a few e-mails, and then we scoped out the view of Brussels in Louise. We stopped in Place Jourdan so that he could try out the famous frites. He was mighty impressed. After a lovely dinner with Mary Catherine and David on Wednesday night, we took the boys to see the stupendous Mannekin Pis statue. I honestly feel like the statue gets smaller and smaller every time I see it. It is so tiny for being such a huge icon! I insisted that Michael try the “gaufres” of Brussels while we scoped out the site…he gave another thumbs up of approval to the tasty Belgian treat.
Next, we moved on to the famous Delirium bar where there are more beers than you could ever imagine. I even decided to be adventurous and break from my fruity beer to try a new one – it was a “Speculaas” beer with warm spices like the famous Belgian Speculoos cookie. It even came with a little Speculoos…delicious! Michael enjoyed the crazy Belgian beer, but he was not so used to the high alcohol content. It definitely takes some getting used to!
On Thursday, Michael, Mary Catherine, David and I headed to Paris by train. It was so much nicer than the hustle and bustle and mayhem that is the Ryanair experience. We simply boarded, sat, and arrived in a little over an hour. On our first night, Michael and I took to wandering the Parisian streets. After a quick dinner at 7:30 during which everyone was cocktailing and not yet eating, we stopped into Starbucks for a sweet homey treat. The doubledecker Starbucks at St. Lazare provided a beautiful view of the busy Paris streets, overlooking a bustling intersection just a few blocks away from the Opera. We then braced the Metro (which, I might add, is brimming with untapped talent like the mandolin-playing woman and the accordion aficionado) to explore the area near Arc du Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower. It was so strange to see such iconic landmarks from famous books and movies emerge on the streets right before our eyes!
 On Friday, we hit some of the legendary sites: the Louvre and the Notre Dame. Both were astoundingly beautiful! After about 3 hours at the Louvre, I feel like we had still barely touched it. The Napoleon apartments were lavish and beautiful, the statues were classic and elegant, and of course, the Mona Lisa was…well, the Mona Lisa. It was almost overwhelming that there were so many famous works of art under one roof. Of course, I thought of the Da Vinci Code the entire time we walked around, as well. The Notre Dame was simply breathtaking with its high ceilings and majestic pieces of stained glass. I felt reminiscent of my Catholic School days as I wandered through the isles of the legendary establishment. At night, we ventured to Montmartre, a famous Parisian district that sits on a hill overlooking the city. We randomly chose to sit down for dinner at “Chez Eugene,” and were pleasantly surprised to see that they had a live duet band entertaining for the evening. I was in heaven: amazing company, delicious red wine, fresh fish, warm bread, waiters in berets, and a band that played everything from the Beatles to Jack Johnson. The singer even invited Mary Catherine and I to join him in performing “Sweet Home Alabama,” but our familiarity with the lyrics was limited to the chorus, so we were rather unimpressive. We had a fun time in the spotlight, though! After dinner, we went to check out the view. It was absolutely gorgeous to see the Eiffel Tower highlight by twinkling blue lights against the dark night skyline. Unfortunately, rowdy teenagers and creepy old men selling Heineken to the youngins crowded the steps of the beautiful Basilica. It was kind of amusing, but the romantic mood was a bit lacking.
 On Saturday, our last full day, we went to the Pantheon to see the legendary crypt where French heroes including Voltaire and Victor Hugo are buried. Once again, it was incredible to see another astounding architectural treasure in Paris. Afterwards, Michael and I spent the afternoon wandering along the riverside, checking out souvenirs stands, and simply enjoying each other’s company. Tired from walking, we spent the evening watching BBC and…Taken. So perfect to see the familiar places in this touching action film set in the very streets of Paris (if you have seen the movie, you will sense the sarcasm)!Sunday should have been an uneventful morning of departure, but it turned into chaos when the boys missed their plane to the States. Hurrah! They made an unexpected trip to Brussels for one last night before a 6:20am flight. Oh the joys of international travel…
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