Hello Friends!

I have just arrived in the Amsterdam airport. I have a 3-hour layover before a 50-minute flight to Brussels. I can’t believe I am finally here! Everything feels so different. Before we left the states, Anne, a fellow Mizzou student, told me to expect different smells when we arrive in Europe. This is very true-Everything, down to the scent of the new surroundings, confirm that I have entered a whole new world. I am sure I will face a few surprises while I am here, so I have decided to record my expectations for the semester:

I believe my top 5 favorite cities will be:

Paris

London

Rome

Amsterdam

And of course Brussels!

On a scale of 1-10, I rate my French speaking skills at about a 2. I can understand basic conversational phrases, but that’s about it. I hope by the time I leave Brussels that I can rate my skills at a 3 or 4.

My favorite foods will be the notorious Belgian staples: Waffles, Chocolate, and Frites.

I will stay under budget and not buy any unnecessary items ;)

I hope my internship will leave me confident that I have chosen the right career path.

I will lose at least 3 pairs of sunglasses.

I can’t wait to see how this semester will fulfill or redefine these expectations. I have already had encounters just in the airport that have surprised me, so I’m sure I’m in for quite the semester!

Now off to Belgium! This week we will be touring the city and Vesalius College. My internship at European Voice starts Aug 30! Can’t wait!