Somewhere at the
beginning of my last year at the VUB as a prospective commercial engineer, I
began to realize that I missed an opportunity of going abroad. A lot of
students did an Erasmus during their years of studying in Belgium. It's an
opportunity to study abroad in a university where you meet people from all over
the world, somewhere where you really learn to live independently. "A life
time experience", as they say!
I
guess I suddenly realized that this was something I always thought I would do.
I like to be thrown in the unknown and learn how to find my own way with no
direct help from family or friends. I see that as the biggest challenge of all:
trying to adjust to different environments without losing yourself...How far do
you have to go to fit in, how much of your personality, habits and customs may continue
to emerge without causing awkward situations? And which traits do you store in
that little black box in your brain where nobody will notice it even exists? I
think it's a game of weighing up in which you eventually reach a balanced
lifestyle.
It
must have been something that kept me from doing it. I thought a lot about the
cause(s) of my doubt. Maybe I just did not realize how great the experience
actually could be or maybe there was no friend to convince me during those
years. I must say that I had a great time here in Belgium during my five
student years and did not feel the urge of going abroad for that long and
leaving behind everything what I had here...
So
in March, after I finished my trade mission in Istanbul, my mind was made up. I
HAD to go and meet the world, what was out there? In the far East...or
West because - that's me! - I had not decided yet where I wanted to go and with
what organization ....
See u next time!
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