International

Another positive aspect of Leuven: internationality. As an Erasmus student, you won't be out of the ordinary at all. English is spoken everywhere and everyone in the city is used to internationals. As an exchange student you are more part of a big group than an exotic.

Joppiesaus

Never heard of it before? As soon as you step into your first frituur in Belgium, the special sauce follows you wherever you go. Everywhere there are French fries, there is Joppiesaus. And I can't tell you more about it than everywhere there are fries, there is now also Joppiesaus. That means for you: French fries in Belgium next time with Joppiesaus!

Kasteel Rouge

Talking about Belgium, we also have to talk about beer. I'm not a big beer drinker per se. At home I like to reach for the Radler, but that's about it :D. Here in Belgium, I discovered "cherry beer" for myself. A good alternative to the Radler, but with up to 8% alcohol. Does cherry beer sound good to you? Then order Kasteel Rouge, Kwak Rouge or Cherry Chouffe from the wait staff.

Liège Waffles

Mhhh... sweet greetings from Belgium with its delicious waffles. I already knew that waffles are an emblem of Belgium before my semester abroad. However, I only found out here that there are two special types of waffles. Wherever you buy waffles, you can choose between Liege waffles and Brussels waffles. The two types vary in shape, batter and flavour. Liege waffles have a roundish, irregular shape. The dough is firm and contains hail sugar. Therefore, they taste very sweet, due to the caramelized sugar. Brussels waffles, on the other hand, have a rectangular shape and are made from a soft sponge dough. They are light and crispy and taste rather neutral, unlike the sweet Liège waffle. Relatively quickly I discovered my waffle type for me. I belong to the Liège waffle fan club.

Myrte

One of the typical girls names here in Belgium. I personally haven't picked up this name anywhere before, but I find it very beautiful and unusual. Here in my dorm I live together with two Myrte. But in this case Mirte. Besides Myrte and Mirte there is also the spelling with h - Mirthe.

Home

For me actually one of the craziest things I could experience right at the beginning of my stay: All Belgian students, at least around Leuven, go home every weekend. That means it's completely common that everyone packs their bags on Fridays and around noon you can hear the trolleys rattling through the hallways and over the cobblestones. The reason for this is that Belgium is much smaller than Germany, so students don't have to travel as far to their hometowns. But habit and tradition also play a role. When I once asked my roommates why this is so natural for everyone, they answered: "I don't know, it's just always been that way and everyone does it that way...". In addition, many still hold on to hobbies at home, for example. Now one or the other thinks perhaps for one weekend one does not have to go off directly with suitcases. But the Belgian students are making themselves quite comfortable. In the suitcases is nothing less than the laundry, which mom can then wash on the weekend... What a service, isn't it! This also answers the question of why people only party here during the week and why the corks pop on Thursdays - on the weekends, the Belgian students simply fly out.

Ostende

Ostende is one of the most famous destinations when it comes to getting a breath of sea air in Belgium. The port city is located directly on the coast and is worth a trip for all beach lovers. Even though it has to be said that the North Sea is notoriously windy. And can we briefly talk about the name. Ostende, how funny is that! :D

Pinocchio

Of course I don't want to make you jealous but we have to come back to the waffles. Just a little tip on the side. In Leuven I always buy my waffles at Pinocchio directly opposite the St. Peter's Church and the Grote Markt. For €2.50 you get the plain waffle and then you can order toppings as needed.

Quinten

Last but not least, the counterpart to Myrte. Quinten is one of the typical guys names here in Belgium. And lo and behold, we have a Quinten in our dorm hallway here as well. It seems like I have definitely been inspired by my roommates for this blog post.

What else has inspired me so far in my semester abroad, there is to read in the next post. Until then, I say again...

... Bye from Leuven.