Un accueil chaleureux (A warm welcome)

Welcome to Brussels (or, Bruxelles in French)! We are so excited to be in Belgium and can’t wait to share all of the experiences and excursions with you all!

After a bumpy flight, we all arrived safely at the airport where the students finally got to meet up and get to know each other. We even provided some entertainment for passing security guards at the airport who were intrigued by our (insert adjective) name game!

Day one was a crash course in Brussels 101. Students met the program coordinators Ludovica and Stephanie, as well as the Director Mirona, who went over all of the rules, roles  and expectations for the program such as punctuality, personal responsibility Afterward, in a communal effort to fight the jetlag, we departed for our own personal walking tour of Brussels city center! At the Grand Place, students were given an activity to engage with the locals and ask questions about food, culture and things to see around the city. Quite a few selfies were taken as well.

In the evening, we were given the traditional welcome gift of Brussels: rain as we walked to Le Temps Danse, a restaurant that opens specifically for our CIEE Brussels students for dinner almost every night. The meal was the icing on top of the jetlag cake, and everyone returned to their rooms at the hostel to sleep, tired, but excited for….

Day 2!  After a second day of orientation, where students met their teacher for the program, learned about bystander intervention and went through the details for our two weekend excursions, we left the classroom to go to a chocolate factory (No golden ticket required) !

At the Choco-Story factory, students learned about the process of cacao farming, traveled through history of chocolate’s migration around the world, and got to taste it in its various forms with our very convivial guide, Luke! We also had the chance to make our own chocolate bars and lollipops with things like marshmallows, almonds, hazelnuts and sprinkles.

Our BruCrew (how do you feel about this?) meandered around the city center until dinner time where Simon, our waiter, and Nikolas, owner of Le Temps Danse, greeted us with some warm carrot soup and pizza, just perfect for staying cozy while we watched the rain cover the streets of the city.

Today is sure to be another great day in Brussels, and I look forward to sharing more of our adventures with you!

A bientot! (See you soon!)

Samantha