Case Study: Stephanie studied abroad in Brussels
Brussels Flower Carpet
by John & Mel Kots
This article was written by Global Graduates, published on 22nd July 2010 and has been read 8202 times.
Stephanie spent her year abroad in Belgium, Brussels. Here, she tells us a little bit about the city and her studies out there...Tell us a bit about you...My name is Stephanie and I'm half Swedish, half Czech. I'm 23 years old and love travelling, reading and hanging out with friends when I'm not studying or working. I speak Czech fluently and can also speak French and a bit of Spanish.Where did you go?Belgium, Brussels.
What course did you study?I'm doing a BA in Communications.
What was the university like?
Since there are only about 350-400 at Vesalius College it's very personal and classes are small - you recognize everyone in the corridors and the teachers know you by first name. The school is a part of (and shares campus with) Vrije Universiteit Brussel, which is the main Flemish university in the city, but classes are taught entirely in English. The programs are very broad and the style of teaching is not strict at all, there's a lot of room for opinion and discussion in the classroom. The people studying at VeCo are from all corners of the world - thus discussions are always interesting!
Did you have any problems whilst you were out there?
From what I can remember I didn't have any major problems, it was a bit difficult to find a good place to stay but as long as you are patient and don't stress too much, it's fine.
How did you find living in a different country?
Since it was my third time studying abroad when I moved to Brussels it wasn't that much of a big deal. However, every country and city is different and I did feel lost in the beginning - especially since I knew this was going to be my home for 3 years to come! But I think that belongs to the whole 'moving abroad' experience and after a few weeks I got settled, getting to know the city and people in school.
How do you think your time abroad has benefited you for the future?
The people I've met studying in Brussels is probably the biggest benefit for my future - I now have friends all over the world! Other than that, I feel like I have a different perspective on life than I would have had staying at home studying in Stockholm, I know how to network and I feel comfortable meeting new people and travelling.
Would you recommend going abroad to other students?
I would definitely recommend going abroad to other students, it's an experience you will value throughout life and it makes you grow as a person (as clichéd as it might sound it's very much true!).
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