Elretha at KU Leuven, Belgium

Pre-departure:

I did not have to make a video or apply to study abroad as I was chosen based on performance to do a summer school at KU Leuven in Belgium.

This made my preparations for the trip abroad a lot simpler. However, we struggled a bit more when communicating with the university in Belgium as they took long to reply, frustrating all the people involved trying to organize this trip. This makes me so thankful for the great team at the international office at Stellenbosch.

We were six students who were given the opportunity to do this particular course, so we did a lot of pre-departure planning together. We booked flights, train tickets and accommodation together which made the admin and uncertainty a lot less. We also went to the embassy in groups. Three of the students visa applications got turned down due to insufficient funds in their bank accounts and because they did not book plane tickets in advance. One girl also got turned down because she did not have the right medical insurance.

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The consulate of Belgium was probably stricter due to the recent bombings at their Brussels airport. The information session by the international office really helped a lot. Specifically to help you realise what has to be done before departure. They session also gave great tips including: saving a copy of your passport on dropbox, getting the correct travel wallet and how much cash to take.

After the summer school in Belgium we planned our own trip to Amsterdam for four days. We used AirBNB to find relatively cheap accommodation in Amsterdam. We also made a list of all the thing we wanted to see and do in Amsterdam as not to waste time on planning when we are there.

I would recommend students planning to study abroad get to know the other students joining you on your trip as soon as possible as it removes a lot of stress and uncertainty. It also spares you a lot of time with pre-bookings and as they say: two heads is better than one. Furthermore, I suggest that you get your documentation to apply for a visa ASAP as it can be time consuming and you may be unaware of all the documentation needed and the format it needs to be in. Stay calm and take time to acknowledge what you have learned during the pre-departure period by organising so much.

Experience at the University:

Myself and three other girls flew from Cape Town to Amsterdam and then drove by train to Leuven. Everything went smoothly until we arrived in Antwerpen for the stop over – there was a train strike. We waited and prayed patiently that a train would arrive the same day because the next day the summer school started. Everyone told us the chances were slim of another train leaving for Leuven within the next two days. We knew we were in for an adventure. Luckily a train came by and we jumped!

We arrived at Leuven and what a beautiful little city it is! We enrolled in a summer school called Europe inside out: doing business in Europe with a focus on Entrepreneurship and Innovation.  We stayed in the Irish college. It was neat, spacious and centrally located. I would recommend it to anyone visiting Leuven.

The course was very diverse as we learnt more about the European Union, Arts and the politics of Europe. We had lectures in different locations so we got familiar with Leuven quickly. The other students enrolled in the course were all international students and we learnt more about different cultures during this eleven day course and not only the Belgium culture.

Not only did I learn more about other people but also about myself and my fellow Stellenbosch classmates. As South African students we struggled to relate and participate in discussion around immigration and European policies all together as it differs tremendously from South Africa. When questions were asked not one of the six Stellenbosch students would voluntarily answer. The programme included visits to companies like IMEC and lectures by influential people.

Furthermore, the summer school included visits to nearby towns like Antwerpen, Brussels and Den Hague. During these trips we visited museums and had free time to explore the cities. Some days we struggled to see how this course was relevant to the course we study in South Africa.

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What I took away from the summer school was little academic knowledge but a whole lot of life experience! I will forever be thankful to  everyone at the international office for giving me an opportunity to study abroad.

After the summer school we went to Amsterdam by train for the next four days. Belgium is so central and I would recommend prospective students to visit as much surrounding countries as possible as it widens your world so much more. Train tickets are fairly cheap and a quick method of traveling.

Returning to Stellenbosch:

I am back in Stellenbosch with a million memories and my heart is over poring with gratitude. I loved every minute! I feel more grown-up and independent. I would recommend any student to apply to studying abroad to learn more about the world and themselves.

I am privileged to have seen a few countries with my family but every time I am left breathless and this time was no different. This was, however, was my first time studying abroad and I learnt that Stellenbosch University has a great standard and is not necessarily behind first world universities.

I do wish I learned more about topics relevant to my current studies in Stellenbosch and that I could apply the things I learned in the summer school directly to my course or future career. However, I am now more informed about events happening around the world and the issues they face.

This summer school helped improve my general knowledge and helped me develop personally. I am finishing my studies this year, otherwise I would most certainly apply to go and study abroad once more. I cannot say thanks enough to everyone who helped to organise this trip.