Study Abroad Tips [ General ]
What to Pack: Tech-wise
-Outlet Adapters (this is what I mainly used and it was super helpful because you can charge multiple things at once! Plus it has both the EU adaptor and UK adaptor, which was super helpful if you're living in or traveling from one to the other)
-Extra memory cards for camera
-Portable charger​
-Some kind of international phone plan (SIM card) -- you'll have to do this when you arrive
-Download WhatsApp to text, call, and videochat with family and friends back home without using data (and tell them to also get the app!)
-A camera!!! It doesn't have to be the most expensive camera out there (seriously, a point-and-shoot is cheap and works wonders too!!), but you're going to want to capture this once-in-a-lifetime semester with more than just your phone camera
What to Pack: Clothing
-Look at where you'll be moving to and see where it lines up on the map to get a guess at what the weather will be like (for example, Belgium lines up with Canada)
-Pack clothes with no graphics or words; you kinda stand out as a tourist if you do
-Heavy coat
-Lighter jacket (jean jackets are quite popular in Europe right now!)
-Sweaters and scarves
-Umbrella or a raincoat
-Fanny pack (they're actually super fashionable in Europe right now, and are perfect to protect yourself from pick-pocketers!)
-Whatever you do, DO NOT overpack!!! (lol as if I didn't..) You know you will end up wearing the same 4-5 things, so bring more accessories (scarves/jewelry/ scrunchies/etc.) to change up an outfit rather than bringing like 20 shirts and wearing the same 5.
-A canvas bag or 2 because it typically cost money (like an extra 10 or 20 cents) to get a plastic or paper bag from the store (grocery store or a clothing store!). It saves you money in the long run, plus you're saving the environment
Public Transportation
You'll most likely have to rely on public transportation. See if there is a student discount for a few months/year subscription or if your school offers a cheap option so you can take the tram/metro/bus in your city.
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Also Uber isn't available in every country in Europe, so don't always plan on relying on it when you travel!!
Traveling: Finding Tickets
GoEuro/Omimo - gives you cheap train ticket, bus ticket, and plane ticket options to cities so you can choose the cheapest way to travel. I used this the most when booking trips!!!
Momondo - a website that finds cheap flights AND will even give you the option to set a budget and find a plane ticket for anywhere that fits into your budget (super cool opportunity to fly somewhere you might not normally visit)
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Ryanair - website for cheap flights in Europe. Just make sure to print out that boarding pass beforehand to avoid that 55 euro fee!!
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Train Stations - traveling by train is really inexpensive and easy to do if you're traveling within a country. I couldn't really say that traveling by train to another country is though.
Traveling: Finding a Place to Stay
Hostels - usually a pretty cheap way to find a place to stay. There's options to stay in a dorm (where you might sleep in the same room with strangers and/or members of the opposite sex...you've been warned. Although there's sometimes an option to sleep in a woman-only room), a private room for you and your friends, or a single private room for just yourself. Most hostels give you the sheets and rent out towels and sometimes a lock. But bring a lock to lock up your things just in case!!
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Airbnb - another cheap option to stay in, usually a more traditional apartment/neighborhood setting for that country.
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Traveling: What to Pack
This always depends on how long your trip will be, and what time of year you'll be traveling in and where you're going!
If you're going on a weekend trip, I typically just brought a backpack so it would be easy to carry if we couldn't check into our room until later or if we were leaving the city later in the day and had to be checked out by the morning. Plus some airlines make you pay for a bag if it has to go in the overhead compartment, so a backpack is easiest if that's the case. But I used a duffle bag on longer trips!
But some essentials that you should have for every trip are:
-Your bus/plane/train tickets!!! Whether printed out or downloaded on your phone
-Passport
-The address of where you're staying (should save in the 'notes' app on your phone!)
-Outlet adaptor
-Chargers for your phone and camera + a portable charger
-Fanny pack/a small bag to carry your stuff around when you don't need to carry your heavy backpack around
-The obvious, clothes. Look up the weather beforehand. For a weekend trip, I recommend bringing 1 pair of pants and 2 shirts/sweaters. Maybe a jacket and/or scarf. Figure out whatever's best for you, but you definitely don't want to overpack if you'll be carrying your bag around all day when you arrive!!
Study Abroad Tips [ Brussels ]
What to Pack: Tech-wise
When buying a SIM card, the most popular phone companies are Orange and Proximus. I used Orange and had almost no problems!!
What to Pack: Clothing
Honestly, the weather is pretty rainy and gray here in Brussels (at least in the winter and most of spring). Or it's pretty normal for the weather to be rainy one hour and sunny the next hour. Pack scarves, some sweaters, a raincoat and/or umbrella, and a winter jacket to stay stylish while also warm and dry.
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However, the weather does cooperate some days and the city is absolutely beautiful when it's sunny and warm!!
Public Transportation
Get a MoBIB transportation card. It's a one-time fee transportation card for the tram, bus, and metro which is SUPER useful and saves you a lot of money in the long run!!
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When you go out at night, make sure to check when the last night bus will leave at. Public transportation is not 24/7, and typically ends anywhere between 12-2am. You do have the option to call an Uber or taxi to take you home if you're out later than the last night bus.
Living in Brussels
It's up to you where you want to live! Obviously it's fun living in the city center, where you have easy access to walking around the city and exploring the city. But it's sometimes cheaper to live in one of the neighborhoods just outside the city center! One of the safest and most popular neighborhoods to live in, especially for university students, is Ixelles.
One of the biggest and more popular tram/bus stops is Flagey, which is right in the heart of Ixelles. From Flagey, you can get to Gare du Midi (the train that goes to/from the airport), take a bus to be dropped off really close to the city center, etc. Near Flagey, there's a grocery store, lots of bars, local shops, lots of coffee shops and restaurants, and a path around a cute fountain. Obviously, there are more tram/bus/metro stops in Ixelles than just Flagey, but it's a really cool spot that I encourage you to check out!
Student Discounts
A student price is offered at a lot of the museums including Mima, the Royal Museum of Fines Arts of Belgium, etc.
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Some bars have a happy hour for students or a discount on drinks for students if you show your student ID. I wrote a whole blog post about my favorite bars in Brussels here.
Sightseeing in Brussels
Some of the main attractions of Brussels (aka what to check out if you're just here for the weekend)
are Grand Place, Manneken Pis/Jeanneke-Pis/Het Zinneke, the Royal Gallery of Saint Herbert, Saint Catherine Church, the Royal Palace of Brussels, the Atomium, Parc du Cinquantaire, etc. etc.
Honestly, part of the experience of visiting Brussels is simply walking around and experiencing the city vibe yourself! It's hard to explain, but just wandering around the city is the absolute best.
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Another big part of Brussels is the food culture. Brussels is most known for their beer, fries, waffles, and chocolate! I highly recommend you check out all four :)
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And there's more to Brussels than just the city center! Check out the surrounding neighborhoods too if you have the time (which is also sometimes cheaper to live in) -- there's Ixelles, Saint-Gilles, Etterbeck, etc.
Traveling Around Belgium
If there's ever a weekend where you're not traveling, I highly recommend taking a day-trip to another city in Belgium! There's tons of beautiful cities to check out:
-Ghent, a 45-minute train ride from Brussels, and located in the Flemish part of the country. If you have a long stay in Brussels (like 3+ days), I recommend checking out Ghent one day because it's beautiful and really close by!! You can read about my trip here and here.
-Brugge, about a 90-minute train ride from Brussels, and located in the Flemish part of the country. You can read about my trip here and here.
-Antwerp, about a 90-minute train ride from Brussels, and located in the Flemish part of the country. You can read about my trip here.
-Leuven, about a 40-minute train ride from Brussels, and located in the Flemish part of the country.
-Liege, an hour and 15-minute train ride from Brussels, and located in the French part of the country.
-Spa, a 2-hour train ride from Brussels, and part of the French part of the country.
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If I could do anything differently, I wish I had checked out both Flemish and French cities (not just Flemish cities). I had friends who went to both, and loved comparing the two sides of the country!
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Belgium Beers
There are hundreds and hundreds types of Belgium beer. With that many options, you really can't say you don't like beer :-) So try at least a few different ones!
Most bars/menus give you a percentage of how much alcohol is in each drink - I've quickly learned that the higher the percentage, the less drinks I need to buy. So use that info however you'd like.
If you're really not a fan of beer, there's also wine and cocktails usually served too (but they're also usually more expensive than the beer).
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Brussels Activities
On the first Sunday of every month, there's a vintage market at Sainte Halles-Grey. There's some really cool stuff to check out there - clothes, bags, jewelry, etc.
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There's a market at Gare de Midi every Sunday. The food there is super cheap, so definitely recommend going there to pick up some groceries.
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Use Facebook to find out about events happening around the city! For the winter/spring, I found out about events like a Light Festival, a Tram Celebration, a Food Truck Festival, etc. all through Facebook!
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Michael Collins bar has a "language emersion" night every Thursday, where you can grab a drink and join a group and practice speaking a language. Definitely recommend coming at least knowing some vocabulary before going, but it's an awesome way to practice speaking French/German/Spanish/etc. and help you improve your skills.