Friends/Amis/Freundes/Vrienden

Summer isn’t summer without amazing friends. This trip, I’ve made some of the best friends I’ve ever had. On the very first day, we were all exhausted and extremely jet-lagged from traveling. Our delirious state meant that we bonded immediately!

Every meal, class, excursion, shopping trip, laundromat visit, and ice cream run is spent with each other. This means that we bond in a way that you can’t at home—we laugh, learn, and talk with each other for nearly fourteen hours every day. Our group was tight from the very beginning.

Our group chats blow up every day; we’re constantly checking in, communicating with the chaperones, and making plans with each other. One thing that surprised me was that everyone feels welcome to go anywhere—you can get ice cream or lunch or go shopping with anyone in our group, regardless of how much you have talked to them individually.

My roommate, Jordan, and I share an extremely clean and modern room on the fifth floor of our hostel. It is extremely spacious—she gets the queen-sized bed in the loft, and I get the twin that is downstairs. Her closet lines the entire wall upstairs, and mine is right next to my bed, which is super convenient. We have a small kitchenette with a fridge, freezer, microwave, kitchen sink, and basic dishes (plates, bowls, utensils, etc.). Our toilet and shower are separated, which is super nice because it means we can have privacy regardless of who is in the shower. It is also very convenient to have two sinks, especially in rushed mornings.

The best part about our room is that off of Jordan’s bedroom on the second floor is a spacious porch with four chairs. Whenever we have a bagged lunch, about a dozen of us go up to our porch and munch on our baguettes and fruit. It’s really nice when it is sunny—we get to have a beautiful meal with a view underneath the summer sun!

Because of all the time we have spent together, we have numerous inside jokes. There are so many things I see every day that remind me of the beautiful people I am lucky enough to live in Belgium with! It’s really nice to not have any pressure to do or be anything socially. I know I’ve made friends that will last my entire life!

- Steph