Halfway through studying abroad in Brussels and I already feel like I have spent a lifetime here, but in a good way. Before I came, I was worried about the other people and the new environment I would be in but so far both have only proved to be better than expected. Upon arriving, I immediately made friends and did not feel like an outcast. It was far easier than expected because everyone on the trip is in a new environment and for the most part with new people, so everyone is eager to make new friends and memories. Also, being on a trip with people of exclusively the same major ensured that while we may not agree on every issue, seeing as political science can be somewhat divisive, we all have a passion for the same thing. This mutual interest made making friends much easier than anticipated and many people found common ground where they saw none before. Further, being with a group of relative strangers allows you to be more carefree and really soak up the most authentic experiences from the places you are at.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the aspects of getting to know all of the people on this trip with me and have never been so glad to have done something as I am that I studied abroad. I mean, I lived in Brussels for a week and my first weekend I went to London, so I think it’s pretty hard to complain about that. Being here feels like an adventure every day from the coupling of learning more about each new place we visit, be it Brussels, London, or Paris, along with learning more about the new people that I am living with for a month. If I had to complain about anything, it would be the lack of air conditioning in most places, but you get used to it after a while and opening a window really helps with that, but I just look at is as being a part of the experience.
