Hello from Antwerp, Belgium
The next time I hear the name of Belgium, I will think of all those colorful days I spent during my exchange studies. I studied in Antwerp city and I will begin my blog by sharing the story behind the name “Antwerpen”, meaning hand throwing”. There is an interesting story behind this name.
When Roman soldier Brabo set out to cross the Scheldt River, he found his path blocked by the ruthless giant Antigoon. Antigoon was guarding the river and demanding tolls from every traveler who wished to pass. Refusing to bow to the giant’s tyranny, Brabo bravely fought a fierce battle. Steel clashed, the struggle raged, and in the end, Brabo emerged victorious. He cut off Antigoon’s head, then severed the giant’s right hand and hurled it over the Scheldt River. And so, from this legendary act, the city earned the name Antwerpen.
The Antwerp city is full of beautiful statues, monuments, and old churches with interesting background stories. Rainy days are more common in Belgium. Walking on the rainy streets, eating waffles or loaded fries are one of the most fun memories.
The study methods are more theoretical and old-school here. We had a lot of written exams and very few group works, writing reports and presentations. The school did not have any international students except for the erasmus exchange students. So the environment is not as international and diverse as TAMK. most of the staff and teachers do not speak English well, that was quite a challenge for us exchange students.
I enjoyed learning Dutch. We had a free Dutch course for five days even before our orientation took place. The course was more like an ice-break with other exchange students and learning basic phrases seem fun because we all did it together.
Travelling was a big part of my erasmus journey. I travelled a few cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Vienna, Ghent, Yeper, Brugges, Knokke-Heist. There were so many cities from France, Netherlands, and Germany closer to Belgium that its just a one-train away and you will end up in a new city.
I really enjoyed making new friends from various nationalities. It felt like I knew them from ages. The five months of my exchange period felt so short, and when I look back, I just wish I could go back again. The Erasmus exchange trip was totally worth it, and I will recommend this to every student to experience during their student life.
Reference:
https://www.volksverhalen.be/brabo_en_de_reus_antigoon
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