Junior Program in European Culture

1
Living in Leuven
Junior Program in European Culture Society
Spring 2005 Katholieke Universiteit Leuven,
Belgium Sarah Viall
Introduction
I spent 4 months (February-June) in Belgium in
the university town of Leuven (approx. 25 km east
of Brussels). I had spent a week in Paris,
France during the summer of 2004 and loved it
so I wanted more travel experience as a result.
My main motivations for study abroad were the
travel cultural aspects of it. Although I
could have graduated in December of 2004, I
extended my student status so that I could go to
Belgium. I figured that it would be somewhat of
a reward to myself for finishing undergrad and a
break before starting grad school.
Results

• Objectives

I ended up in a single in a house with one other
American student and about 25 others (mostly
Belgian students), although I had originally
requested a roommate. Looking back, I still wish
that I had a roommate, but it forced me to be
more independent. It also gave me a feel for how
the Belgian students really lived since I was
surrounded by them. I took a variety of courses
(all taught in English), none of which were
directly related to my major, yet interesting
just the same. One of my friends knew a Belgian
student at K.U. Leuven (who did a study abroad
semester himself at U of I a few years earlier)
so I was fortunate enough to know someone and he
introduced me to a few of his friends as well. I
was assigned a Belgian buddy with whom I spent
some time with also. Both provided interesting
and valuable insight into how Belgian students
lived and Im sure my experience would have been
greatly lacking if I had never met them. I was
fortunate enough to travel quite a bit which am
pleased about. I did experience some periods of
homesickness like I anticipated, but I think it
was for different reasons than I had originally
expected.
I was very concerned about the cost since I was
going to be taking it all on myself. The Junior
Program was one of the most reasonable programs
in that respect. Leuven is not far from
Brussels, which is an important travel hub,
making it easier to find connections to many
travel destinations. I wanted to participate in
a program that was unique and not the typical
study abroad destination. To be truthful, I
wasnt exactly sure what to expect, despite all
of my preparations. But, I knew wanted to
actually experience another culture and all that
it would entail, rather than just studying it in
a class here.
Materials Methods
I went to the study abroad fair just out of
curiosity at first, but found that I was really
interested in actually participating in a
program. I picked up a quite a few brochures
there and then made an appointment to meet with
an advisor at SAO to go over program options
before deciding upon Leuven. I attended a First
Steps meeting early in the fall semester. I
filled out the necessary applications materials
for both SAO and Leuven itself. This included
getting letters of recommendation transcripts,
a doctors statement, and writing an essay
explaining why I wanted to participate, among
other things. I applied for scholarships from
ACES and SAO and for additional financial aid. I
attended the SAO pre-departure orientation as
well as all of the sponsored workshops. The visa
application process was frustrating and took a
long time for a response. I got course approvals
for quite a few classes, more than I intended to
take. I got the proper immunizations as a
precaution. I booked my own air travel using
www.studentuniverse.com, but I waited on
purchasing a train pass for use in Europe. I
tried to read up on Belgium to know what to
expect and asked lots of questions of my friends
who had studied abroad before me. I found myself
experiencing a whole range of emotions (from
extreme excitement anticipation, anxiety,
restlessness, fear) throughout the entire
process, and my biggest concern was of becoming
incredibly homesick and possibly depressed while
abroad.
Discussion/Conclusion
I would definitely recommend study abroad in
general because you learn so much about yourself
that otherwise would not be known in other
situations. I really liked living in Leuven
because it is a university town like
Champaign-Urbana. That fact provided quite a bit
of comfort to me. If I would have gone to a huge
city such as Paris or to a tiny little town
instead, Im sure the experience would have been
much different. One major thing that I would
have done differently dealt with the timing of
it. I went to Belgium during the last semester
of my undergrad career and knew that I would be
going to grad school in Missouri the following
year. I wish I would have studied abroad earlier
so that when I came back, I would have had some
familiarity to come home too. I felt really
unsettled and rushed after I returned home
because I was making plans to head off to another
place again in addition to trying to readjust to
life in the U.S. again.
Above Leuvens Stadhuis (background) Fonske
statue (foreground) Below, left to right Duvel
shadows, graffiti behind Match grocery store,
Willemshome plaque at Willemsstraat 38 (where I
lived), scarab on the Ladeuzeplein, me the
University of Illinois inscription at the
university library on the Ladeuzeplein, STUK
performing arts center, one of many Stella signs
(brewed in Leuven), Kruidtuin botanical gardens,
Thank you come again farewell seen at Colruyt
grocery store.