In the past week, I also started taking an intensive course in Dutch, which I find difficult. However, I find all languages hard to learn. I have my midterm exam on Monday so I guess that means studying will consume the majority of my time these next two days. It sure has been great to practice in the public square because unlike in high school and my Spanish courses at Loyola, I am no longer restricted to just learning a foreign language in a classroom. This entire country, specifically Leuven is my new classroom. The Belgians are different than Americans but yet, they are so similar. It is something of a paradox for me: how we can be so different but yet, it becomes more obvious that both American and Belgians share much in common. This past week has also been a big adjustment for me in a number of ways in terms of the ordinary day-to-day.
In Belgium, people bike or walk everywhere. There is no such thing as the subway in Leuven and most people do not drive. I decided to get a bike and now, I ride it everywhere, whether that be the supermarket, class, or the old market. It has certainly been interesting for me, that is, the biking across town. There have been times where I almost crashed into a mother and her child, almost got hit by a car, practically fell off my bike, and rode on the wrong part of the road. Thank God things are getting better for me as I learn to ride on these cobblestone streets and share roads with cars and trucks.
