September 22, 2015
It has now been one month since I
got on a plane and headed to Belgium for a year. I had no idea what I was
getting myself into but I have certainly not regretted my choice. Belgium is a
beautiful little country and I have loved exploring it. In the past month I
have traveled around the country and to Paris. Because Belgium is such a small
country it is easy to hop on the train and travel to any city in less than two
hours. The city I’m living in is Lessines, it is located about thirty minutes
from Brussels, the capital, and about thirty minutes from Lille, France.
Lessines is a classic European city with narrow streets, and European
architecture.
Belgium
is also very different from New York. The language, cars, landscape, and food
is all different. There are no mountains or hills anywhere. Everything is so
flat and there are lots of farms. However, the hardest adjustment is the food.
People in Belgium eat a lot more bread than I’m used to. A typical breakfast
consists of bread with Nutella, jam, or butter. Lunch is usually bread with ham
or cheese like an open faced sandwich. Fries are also a food group in Belgium.
Despite them being called “French fries”, fries, or frites are actually from
Belgium. My host family makes fries for dinner at least once a week and you can
find fries in any city on any street. Belgium is also known for chocolate and
waffles which are very easy to find anywhere as well. I have loved my first
month Belgium and am falling more in love with this country every day!
