Alyxe Perry -- Belgium

Hello Everyone!,


It has been 3 weeks since I have arrived in Belgium!I have experienced a lot and am learning so much. Since I didn't know much French at all before I came here I am finding it very exhausting to concentrate, but they say I am learning fast which makes me feel great! I get along pretty well with my host family. I have 3 younger sisters, and a host Mom: Vero and a host Dad: Luc. They are wonderful they include me in all the family activities and keep me active. I am playing soccer on the towns club team and might start doing track too. Sports are not big at all in Belgium especially for girls, which is one thing that is difficult for me because thats what I do all the time at home.

I just finished my first week at school which was an experience. School is so different here compared to home. You don't necessarily pick classes you pick a track. For example I am in Math-Sciences, so I take a lot of science classes and since I didn't want to take math classes I go to the library during that and study French. Every year, based on their "track" students have a certain number of hours of courses so instead of having Biology one year Chemistry another year and Physics another year, a certain number of hours of those courses are taken every year. It's very different! There are 3 other exchange students at my school. One from California, one from Arizona, and one from Brazil. Don't worry I do not speak English with them :) At school you don't go inside and stay inside like in my school at home. You wait outside for a lot of things. For example between classes sometimes there is a break kids go outside and it is very cold! In the mornings when school starts at 8:00 it is only about 53 degrees F. So you have to dress warm, but at around 3:00pm it starts to get warm, maybe 75 degrees F or so. A big difference from the morning. I have learned wearing a ton of layers is the name of the game.

To get to school and back most people take public transportation, there are no school bus's! Another thing that is different here is that kids can't drive until they are 18!

I am having a lot of fun though and time is already going so fast! I am meeting a ton of awesome people from all over the world.

Thanks for this opportunity :)   Alyxe Perry District 7190, Southern Rensselaer Rotary Club