KimyMalaya11101075

IwentonstudentexchangelastterminLille,France.ThatswhyImabit
delayedandImanID111inaLBYACC2classfullof112kids.Ifeelsooldand
behind,especiallywithallofmyclassesthatsmostlyfullof112childrenwhoareall
smarterandbetterthanme.Itsprettydiscouraging.ButwhenIthinkofthereasonwhyI
amdelayed,Iamcomforted.Itwasworthitintheend.IfIhadachoice,Iwoulddoitall
overagain.
Forthisessay,ImgoingtowriteaboutmyfavoriteplaceinEuropeBruges.Its
notthemostfamouscityintheequallynotsoverypopularEuropeancountryof
Belgium,butitjusthasaspecialcharmtome.
MyfellowLasallianexchangestudentsweretheoneswhoinvitedmetogoto
Bruges.Therewere6ofusthatterm,andthefiveofthemlivedinoneapartmentwhileI
wasrentingtheatticofthisFrenchfamily.GoingtoBelgiumfromLilleischeaperthan
goingtoParis,soIdecidedwhynot?!Infact,IcandrivetotheBelgianborderinless
thananhour.
Westayedatahostel(myfirsttimeatahostel,interestingexperience),andwe
arrivedwaybeforecheckintime,sowedecidedtodothewalkingtourthatwas
advertisedbythehostel.OurguidewasaBelgian(duh)withacoolScottishaccent.
Belgianshavethreeofficiallanguages:Dutch,French,andGerman.Mostofthemspeak
reallygoodEnglish,too,thoughsomemightspeakwithaBorataccent.
ItwasanInBruges'citytour(fortheawesomemovie,ofcourse),butonlytwo
ofusinthegroupactuallysawthemovie.Ourguidepointedoutthestreetswheresome
sceneswereshotandwhatnot.Hetolduswhichbuildingswerepaintedwithgold,ledus
tothebuildinghadthebloodofJesus(BasilicaoftheHolyBlood,whichisthehomeof
thevialthatholdsthebloodofChrist,broughtbackfromtheCrusades).Healsoshowed
usthefirststockexchangeintheworld,whichwasopenedin1300s.Ourguidewas
reallyfunnyandgaveussometipsabouttouringBruges:onlytouristseatBelgian
waffles,therearetwoFrenchfriesstallsinfrontoftheBelfrytowerandtheoneonthe
lefthasgoodfrieswhiletheoneontherighthasbadfries,don'tbuytheexpensive
PralinechocolatesandjustbuyCted'Orbarsfromthesupermarket.
Thewalkingtouronlylastedabouttwohours,sogoodthingwepickedupthese
reallycoolmapsatthehostelwhichtoldyounotonlywherethesightseeingspotswere,
butalsowheretogetfries(veryimportant),wherethegrocerystores,bars,hostelswere,
etc.TheyhadfunnyandhelpfulcommentsabouteveryspotandrandomDutchphrases.
ThenextdayIwokeupreallyearly,soIdecidedtotakeamorningstrollby
myselfandwenttoMinnewaterParkandtooksomepictures.Theswansandthescenery
wereverychilltosee.
Belgianfries.IcanwriteawholeessayaboutBelgianfries.Theyreallyarereally
good!!Apparently"Frenchfries"originatedfromBelgium.WhenAmericansoldiers
cametoBelgiuminWWI,theythoughtthefriestheytastedwereFrenchbecausethe
officiallanguageoftheBelgianArmyatthattimewasFrench.Ourguidetoldusthatthe
reasonwhythefriesinBelgiumaresogoodisbecausethesoilisdifferent.
AnotherreasonwhyIloveBelgiumisbecauseoftheirbeer.Belgianstreattheir
beerveryseriously.Drinkingbeerisbasicallyanartformforthem.MyfavoritesareLa
TrappeQuadrupelandLaChouffe.

KimyMalaya11101075
Belgiumiscriminallyunderrated,andpeopleshoulddefinitelyincludeitfortheir
nextEurotrip.