Advice

Some advice for students traveling abroad...

• Plan ahead for where you want to travel to. I wish I had done more research on different European countries over the summer so that I could have had a better idea of what I wanted to accomplish. 
• Because of our classes, we do the bulk of our traveling on weekends. We're trying to visit as many countries as possible, but sometimes the experience feels rushed. My advice is to pick some places you really want to go to and spend more time there. I've always wanted to go to Iceland and Greece but a weekend trip would not be satisfying. 
• Jump on any trip you can that you’re invited to. I had a great time on trips I never dreamed about going to before.
•  Say yes to everything. Yes to new foods. Yes to new places. Yes to new experiences. 
•  Study abroad for a full year. Time goes too fast and one semester is not enough time to experience everything. 
• Get to know the place where you’re living. I love Leuven and learn new things about it all the time. Every time I walk through town, I see new restaurants and places I've never noticed before. It's a great town to live in and it would probably take me a lifetime to experience everything Leuven and the rest of Belgium has to offer. 
• Try to speak the language. We were required to take Dutch classes for the first semester and it's helpful to know some basic phrases and words for your daily life. It also makes shopping at the grocery store a lot easier. The locals also appreciate you trying even though in Leuven, when you ask them a question in Dutch they answer you in English. They spoil us. 
• If you find a sandwich shop or coffee place you really like, keep going back and get to know the owner. In the beginning of the year, we fell in love with 't vorkske, a tiny sandwich shop, and our week doesn't feel complete without grabbing a sandwich from there. They have the best sandwiches and the owner knows us now. He always takes the bread fresh out of the oven for us when we come in. Sometimes, it's the little things in life. 

•  Lastly, have fun. Enjoy every moment as the experience flies by faster than you thought possible.