Dallin Van Leuven, US Study Abroad Student at Vesalius College
In front of Eiffel Tower on Vesalius trip to Paris
For me, coming to Belgium was a fantastic decision! The country also has a unique dynamic itself, both culturally and politically. Brussels is the de facto capital of Europe, serving as the headquarters of the European Union and NATO and delivers a great perspective on international affairs. This international presence in Brussels has broadened my horizons more than I could ever believe one city could.
Vesalius College is a perfect complement to the Belgian experience. Like Brussels, Vesalius is truly an international center, with students from over 80 nations. So the more I interact with students, the more diverse my experience becomes! I truly believe that the students of Vesalius are its greatest resource. Vesalius staff and professors are also great resources, who are very helpful and incredibly generous. I was invited to by one such professor to accompany her arts class to trips to Amsterdam and Paris. Madame Delsemme was able to show us a lot in both cities, and is very knowledgeable about history and its influence on art. The trips were great highlights for my semester.
But one trip which completely caught me by surprise was the opportunity that arose through Vesalius College to attend the 2009 World Civic Youth Forum in South Korea. Thanks to some encouragement from Virginie Goffaux in the Study Abroad Office, I submitted a proposal to present a paper on policing practices that prevent the factors that encourage terrorism. It was accepted, and I was sponsored to fly to Korea to present it there at the conference. Like Vesalius, WCYF was truly an international event, with college students from every continent coming together to discuss major world issues such as human rights, peace, gender equality, and development.
In retrospect, I could not have been happier with my choice to study abroad in Brussels, Belgium. I am grateful to a wonderful host family who taught me French, supported me, and kept me well-fed, as well as the staff and students of Vesalius College for making this experience so worthwhile!
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Me and a couple of friends at the WCYF |