One of the super cool things I found out in Belgium is that depending on the area and city, they speak either Flemish (a form of Dutch) or French. Even the cities and historical sites had two names plastered on signs, one french and one dutch. Since Christopher was in school, I spent a lot of time in Belgium traveling alone, which can be very good for the soul, or it can be terrifying (especially as a woman).
Brussels/Bruxelles
I arrived to Brussels in the early morning from Roma and spent all day exploring the city. I really enjoyed sitting in the cafes, eating in public, people watching, eating chocolate, and visiting the main sights.
And it was nice to do all of that by myself. I am introverted at heart, and although I love love love meeting people and having meaningful conversations with others, constant interactions and constant stimuli from our wired world drains me. It was nice to be unplugged and just appreciating the mental silence.
However, traveling as a single woman can prove to be quite dangerous, which honestly sucks. I was approached by a man who wanted to have a drink with me and after I respectfully declined, he would not leave me alone. I told him that my boyfriend studied abroad here in Brussels (lie, he studies in a different town, Leuven) and that he was coming to meet me here at the Grote Markt (lie, he was meeting me at the train station, which was not anywhere near me, nor was our meeting time any time soon). I decided to stay put in the public space because I did not want him to follow me, since we both knew that I was alone. He did not leave my side for about 40 minutes. He sat extremely close to me as I "read" a book. Luckily, it began pouring rain and he scurried off, as I ran impossibly fast in the other direction. I must say, it was one of the most terrifying situations I had ever been in, but thankfully God was on my side and everything returned to normal.
And it was nice to do all of that by myself. I am introverted at heart, and although I love love love meeting people and having meaningful conversations with others, constant interactions and constant stimuli from our wired world drains me. It was nice to be unplugged and just appreciating the mental silence.
However, traveling as a single woman can prove to be quite dangerous, which honestly sucks. I was approached by a man who wanted to have a drink with me and after I respectfully declined, he would not leave me alone. I told him that my boyfriend studied abroad here in Brussels (lie, he studies in a different town, Leuven) and that he was coming to meet me here at the Grote Markt (lie, he was meeting me at the train station, which was not anywhere near me, nor was our meeting time any time soon). I decided to stay put in the public space because I did not want him to follow me, since we both knew that I was alone. He did not leave my side for about 40 minutes. He sat extremely close to me as I "read" a book. Luckily, it began pouring rain and he scurried off, as I ran impossibly fast in the other direction. I must say, it was one of the most terrifying situations I had ever been in, but thankfully God was on my side and everything returned to normal.
Gent/Ghent
Highlights: day drinking, discovering my love for kriek beer, exploring many beautiful cathedrals.
Leuven/Louvain
I really enjoyed my time in Leuven. I spent most of the days exploring the town by myself, which was therapeutic in a way. I would never have felt comfortable eating in a restaurant or drinking beer/coffee in a bar by myself, but whether it was socially acceptable or I felt more bold, it just felt comfortable to do so.
I also felt discomfort many times in Leuven. At first, I had noticed men staring me down, which I felt was normal in Europe. After awhile, I realized that women and children were also blatantly staring at me. I felt disrespected but I also kept an open mind to the fact that perhaps something about me was out of the cultural norm. However, if it was my race or gender, that made no sense because there were plenty other asian people in this college town. Was it because I was traveling alone? Something I was wearing? Was I just that beautiful??? I still haven't figured out what exactly was occurring, but next time, I think I'll just blatantly ask what the deal is.
Eating well in Leuven
I loved that for every cappuccino I bought, it came with a cookie!
Although I spent a shorter period of time in Belgium than I wanted, I was happy to experience a country where I did not have any practice in the language (Flemish is also very hard). It put my need to improve my cultural competencies into perspective. I have only traveled in countries where they spoke English (England) or I had some knowledge in the language (Italy, France). I think this is important because language is culture. Knowing a person's language can teach you a lot about a country.
For instance, Belgium was occupied by many; Spanish, Austrians and then French rule, so a standard dutch language could not really be developed. And although more than half of the Belgian population spoke Dutch, French was the main language in law, education and the state. In the 19th century, the Flemish movement began to stand up for the rights of the Dutch culture and language, specifically Belgian Dutch, which we know as Flemish. Currently, Belgium is a role model for political unity in multi-linguistic rights with three official languages: Dutch, French, and German.
Also, I am extremely elated that I got to travel with my rad best friend and experience a small part of the world with him. I am thankful that he also has my wanderlust and I can't wait to see where the world will take me/us next!
Own only what you can always carry with you: know languages, know countries, know people. Let your memory be your travel bag. – Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
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