Erasmus trips

One of the best things in my Erasmus year is being the trips. I considered myself a travel lover and my dream of travel around the world is becoming true  =) In just a few months I travelled many places around Europe.

One hand, I have visited mostly the bigger Belgian cities. I went to Brussels, capital of Belgium and full of culture where learn a lot. I also visited many times Bruges and Gent, two beautiful cities which love at any visitor; they look like a tale village. I really like them. I have been in Antwerp, Leuven, Liege…I have delighted with each place of this country.

Other hand, I have travelled outside of Belgium. I went to Bologna and Firenze (Italy), Bucharest and Brasov (Romania), Berlin (Germany), London, Bournemouth, Portsmouth and Brighton (England) and Amsterdam and Maastricht (Holland). I can’t explain my sensations about all of them (I could spend hours talking about them); they were wonderful, a lot of experiences, new people…I will never forget them!

Art project

Once upon a time, a prince and an exotic princess lived a fantastic adventure…

That is a very very very short summary of the story that we have performed in the Art project. In that one we have been enjoying some days learning about dance, music and theater. We had a day for each issue and, after that, we together invented and practiced a play to show it to many children later.

The moment to show the play to the children was wonderful. That kind of moments are a once-in-a-lifetime, you really can feel that the children are enjoying it.

In my opinion, this time made us a stronger group. It also taught us to act without embarrassed in public, important point for be a good teacher.

I love theatre and I think can be used it in mostly all environment of the life, so I am pleased with the idea of Art project.

Here you can see a video of all of us during Art program:

http://dasvoorlater.blogspot.com/2011/03/eos-khlim-wie-is-er-allemaal-bij-dit.html

E.O.S.

Experiential Orientated Spring Module for student teachers is the real motive that permits me to be like Erasmus student in Hasselt. When I chose my Erasmus I didn’t know how would be my program; now I am really happy to have selected it.

E.O.S. is a special program aimed to exchange students from around Europe. In that program we are people from Spain, Portugal, Greece, Latvia, Czech Republic and Poland. All of us are girls, except one Portuguese boy. There is also another girl from Canada (USA). To complete the group, there are five Belgian girls who help us whenever we need something.

This program focuses on the cultural exchange between countries and it also focuses on our formation as future teachers. It is an interesting way to learn a lot of things and take really life experiences.

Student life in Hasselt

Hasselt as a city which has so many different universities and high schools is a young and funny city. Before coming here I have never imagined I would be with a lot of students in that unknown Belgian city for me; and not only Belgian young people, also students around the world. Here is easy to meet new people and have fun. There are various student fraternities which organize all kind of events: trips, cultural events, parties…When you arrive alone to a new place this things help you to feel like in your city home. I have good memories of them like a festival October or “Cantus” in the beginning of my stay in Belgium. 

First one was a festival in Dusartplein, an important square in Hasselt where they celebrated the start of the university course. It was on 6^th of October (same day of my 19 birthday) so it was like a present for me! There were live music and funfair and it was enjoyable.

Cantus is a party organized by AES (Association for Exchange Students), one of the student fraternities. In that party you play karaoke singing songs in different languages, drinking Belgian bear and talking people. There have been three of these parties during the course. They were so so funny! I will miss them!!

Winterland

I spoke about a world of elves…

Winterland is a little place in many cities of Belgium, where the magic of Christmas is embodied. When you are there, you think that you are in a film, in a fairy tale in which at any time you may see an elf, a friend of Noel, who will fulfill your wishes for Christmas.

It’s amazing how every detail is taken into account: lights of all colors; stalls of chocolate, waffles, churros…; many things to give away on Christmas holidays; and the prevailing giant wheel.

Winterland invites you to enjoy pleasant moments, watching to fall the dazzling snow, surrounded by friends in a wonderful Christmas mood.

http://www.winterland.be/fb111onid883pwgb1pwgb205.aspx

Spanish festival in Hasselt

Sun shone that morning, it was strange so I had to enjoy the day on the street. I didn’t know what to do but I had to go outside. At that moment, Cristina phoned me and said: There is a Spanish festival in Hasselt! Everyone went to find out which consisted it. Every year a festival of a different country is celebrated here and this year is time of our country, luckily. We arrived at the central square and seemed as if we were transported to Andalucía. Little stands of wine and different types of tapas ('jamón ibérico, ensaladilla rusa, tortilla española, paella…') were everywhere. For dessert: 'churros'. We couldn’t believe it! Everything was decorated in great detail. 'Flamenco' couldn’t miss: Spanish guitar, 'cajón flamenco', live singing 'cante hondo' and 'bailaoras'. After the wonderful performance of the group, another group of Belgian women danced some 'sevillanas' very excitedly. I loved it; I’m delighted that people like Spanish art in many corners of the world. I have to confess that I couldn’t contain myself and I started to dance with one of the Belgian women. I thoroughly enjoyed the day, feel close to home is always nice. =)

 

Erasmus means many things

Although many people don’t believe it, an Erasmus year not only means party, party and more party. In fact, everyone who experienced it know that it’s not so.

On the one hand, ‘the least positive’, is the distance. Distance of people who need: family, friends, people who don’t give so much importance when you are close but when you are away remember them…people who are part of your life. Distance of things you do normally: to call a friend to meet you without waiting months, to go outside to take a snack, to walk the street after a long day without all is lonely (the city becomes a ghost town at six p.m.). Distance of your homeland: there is a wonderful landscape here but I miss fragrances and colors, ‘my streets made of stone’ and little houses of my villages…Distance of my language: to speak about all you want say in a language that you don’t know very well is very difficult.

 

On the other hand is the loaded part of positive things. You meet a lot of new people from around the world (Spain, France, Italy, Poland, Finland, Turkey, South Africa…), with their languages, cultures, their ways of being and their own experiences; and you make new friends. You visit new places (Brussels, Brugge, Gent, Leuven...Holland or Italy). You learn to manage in a different place, away from it all, not only to be free and to can do what you want; to take care of all or to be alone with a toothache too; but, believe me, these experiences are useful for you to know that you can be a survivor. Well, on second thought, to be free and to can do what you want is very, very good! I never thought I would be travelling from here to there without stopping as soon, and I feel very lucky for it! Finally, I must to talk about parties, parties and more parties because…Erasmus means it, too! ;)