The flight was pretty uneventful, with the exception of the old man sitting next to me singing love songs and the people in front of me watching "Taken" - possibly the worst movie selection for a flight to Europe.
We walked a little bit in the downtown area of narrow winding cobblestone streets with a bakery and chocolatier on every block. But just like any major city, you see a subway or pizza hut if you turn the corner!
We've taken tours of much of the downtown areas - and the history is really incredible, everything from the Spanish Inquisition executions on the Grand Place to King Louis XIV's destruction of Brussels.
AU's Center is actually on a medical school: picture 12,000 students studying med, pharmaceuticals, and everything else and 17 American undergrads studying foreign relations seems pretty out of place. On the plus side, there are labcoats in the bookstore should I ever feel the need to purchase one! My homestay has been great so far - very nice family and right downtown.
While I probably won't be eating very many Brussels sprouts this semester, I will be having plenty of Belgian chocolate, waffles, beer and "frites" (French fries, invented in Belgium).
It is very much an adventure trying to order food in French - there is a lot of pointing and nodding for sure. I have "turkey" and "ham" down, but everything else is very much a mystery. It's actually fun having to guess.
Despite the cold and the rain, there is always something going on here, and it should be an amazing semester.
Bienvenue a Bruxelles!
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