Arrival in Brussels

I finally joined the 21st century trend of blogging, decided it would be the easiest way to share photos and my experiences while creating a record of my trip. The good thing about being on a trip with most undergraduate students, is that they're all tech savvy and up on the latest online networks and opportunities. Special thanks to Keri for showing me this blog site!

Upon arrival in Brussels, Belgium, I met Maria and Jackie (photo on the left) from the University of S. Florida at the airport. We shared a cab to the hotel. Our cab driver spoke all three languages common to Belgium, French, Flemish, and German.

The three of us walked around the Turkish neighborhood where our hotel is located until our rooms were ready. The city is rich in history, beautiful architecture, and cultural diversity.

I was very pleased to see on my first day, that Brussels takes recycling seriously. Check out the photo of the recycling bins! (FYI - I am known to some as the "green lady" these days.)

The welcome reception Saturday evening was an opportunity for all participants in the Know Europe 2009 program to meet. The program is presented by the Business School of Normandy in conjunction with universities in the other three host cities, Amsterdam, LeHavre, and Barcelona. Each university provides a "mentor" or local guide to assist with our needs and social activities in the evenings. The program director, Armel, Clementine, and Lucie, will also travel with our group for the upcoming four weeks. Jamaica, USA, and Honduras are represented in the 25 participating students. All are excited about the experience, full of energy, and eager to learn.


That's about it for arrival day. Got to get to bed and hope my body adjusts to the 6 hour time difference! Thanks for joining me on my Know Europe 2009 journey!