Liège Shooting

Last Tuesday, tragedy struck the town of Liège, Belgium when a man dropped two grenades on a bus stop at the place de Saint-Lambert before pulling out a gun to shoot the people in the surrounding area. This act was followed by the man taking his own life. Within two hours of this truly tragic event, news cameras were on the scene, and media coverage on the event flooded the televisions and radios of almost every citizen. It was a shock to all. It was strange to think that a place where I go almost every week, had suffered such an event. The rest of the week was followed by candle vigils and tributes to pay respect to the numerous deaths and wounded citizens. Perhaps the most frightening element was the young age of many of the deaths. Two young people aged 15 and 17 were coming home from exam week and never made it back to their parents. That is an unsettling truth.

In a country like Belgium, it is easy to understand how shaken the population was by this attack. With a crime rate of 10 violent deaths to every 100,000 citizens and mild illegal activities passing on an infrequent basis, an extreme case of violent crime moved the people to great fear, sorrow, a compassion. As exchange students it was strange to be witness to how it effected the atmosphere of daily activities. It was also very telling about the cultures that the students have come from the level of surprise and lasting effect that it has had.

For example, as an American, I find that I am more desensitized to the violence of the crime than say the students who come from smaller towns in Australia. The crime rate in America is much higher than that of Belgium and therefore, the thought of this crime is not one that would keep me from going back to Liège in the near future. However, that is not to say that I had no compassion and understanding of the devastation it caused many families. One of the girls here who is also from Pennsylvainia hails from the town of Pittsburgh. She said to me after the event that it was not uncommon for her to be witness to those kinds of tragedies. Her neighborhood is located near one of a less favorable reputation. In the evening she can hear the sounds of gangs and gunfire through the night. She was effected and understood the tragedy, but it had a less profound effect on her.

The day after the attack was a day that all of the students usually get together and do something. We were unsure if we should get together and party in light of the recent events. However, many of the students from Latin America seemed unaffected by the tragedy and went out anyway. I thought that this was something that seemed to be rather telling of the culture that they have grown up in. In many Latin American countries there is an enormous amount of crime. One of the young boys here on exchange is from Mexico and has just turned 17 in November of this year. He has been in numerous and separate instances of shoot outs over drug disputes and acts of violence. In one particular case he found himself in a restaurant in his town and when the gun fire began, he had to hide under the table to avoid his own death. After having a life where this is a regular occurrence, it seems to be impossible to blame him for a desensitized attitude towards violence. In a world where that is so common, what is one more shoot out?

It becomes more and more evident the more I am in Belgium the role that our cultural identity plays in the way we interact with the world around us. When we take a close look at the factors of the places where people are from, it is more clear as to why they make the decisions that they do.

Joyeux l'Action de Grâce

This year was my first year away from home for Thanksgiving. I decided that it would be a great idea to bring this American tradition into the Belgian culture. After all, the point of exchange is to share cultures to promote understanding. After two days of carefully organized recipes and food preparation, my two best friends in Belgium and our families sat around a table and enjoyed my home cooked meal. Explaining to my family and my Rotary counselor why the holiday was so important to me and my friends. They understood the history, however the sentiment was something that an explanation couldn't arrive at.

I explained to our group how in 1620 the Europeans arrived in America where they encountered the first nation inhabitants. There was a lot of sharing of different ways and cultures as the indians helped the Europeans adjust to their new and unfamiliar environment. It was from there that they were able to create a sturdy foundation for the years to follow. In reconciliation for their kindness and for their lessons the Pilgrims and the Indians shared a feast on the fourth Thursday of November. Nowadays we continue with the same tradition. On the same crisp fall November day, families gather around feasts of turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy and share in what they are thankful for. I also added that the food eaten and shared at Thanksgiving is always the same because it is thought to pertain elements of the meal enjoyed at the first celebration. Admittedly, there were things about this holiday that I was not sure of. After years of celebrating a tradition, often times we forget exactly how it came around and why we do the things that we do.

For example, I uncovered that the history of the Turkey stems from a fable of Queen Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth the first was eating a roast goose during a festival in autumn. It was at this time that she became aware that a Spanish ship, which was going to attack England, had mysteriously sunk on the way. She then ordered that another roast goose be prepared to celebrate England’s good fortune. Roast goose quickly  became a popular meal at harvest time. The story goes that when pilgrims first arrived in America from England they found few geese but many turkeys. Therefore, they started roasting turkey instead as they were found in greater numbers.

We, the three exchange students, followed this history with what it was that we were thankful for. I said that I was thankful for my two best friends in Belgium, my couselor and his wife who were gracious enough to let us use their kitchen, Rotary international for sending me to such a lovely country, and my wonderful host family who have brought me into their home and made me feel so unbelievably loved and welcomed. We brought tears to everyone's eyes.

This was one of the reasons I feel like we are on exchange. We are here to help construct the bridges connecting people around the world. It is an experience of sharing. The Friday before we learned about the traditions of Saint Nicholas, and Sunday we shared our American tradition. It was a beautiful weekend, that I hope everyone involved realized exactly what it meant to have happen.

Le Saint Nicolas

This past Friday I participated in the Festival of Saint Nicholas. It is a traditional carnival celebration mainly found in Belgium and small parts of the surrounding countries of Germany and France. For all of the students in their final year of high school (rhétos) we wear a shirt for the day as well as a lab coat that classmates write messages on. On the back of these lab coats, kids have different cartoon characters or figures from well known pop culture and media. The purpose of the day is a reversal of roles it is a day when the Rhétos are the teacher and the teachers are the students. As a class we organized a show to perform for the underclassmen with a guest feature of Saint Nicholas himself. At different points throughout the show students were called up to the stage and forced to do embarrassing things or answer embarrassing questions. If they answered incorrectly, performed particularly well, or were just called up, they received a shaving cream pie to the face.

The actual day of Saint Nicolas is December 6th and is a celebration similar to that of the Christmas traditions found in the United States and Europe. Saint Nicholas comes to town and asks the children if they have done their best this past year. He then looks in his rather cumbersome book to verify whether or not they are telling the truth. Good children receive presents from him while the bad ones are beaten or given coal. The tradition is for children to receive foods and candies in their shoes (this can be seen in the American Stocking tradition) This is not to say that Christmas is not equally if not more so celebrated. Saint Nicholas is the celebration of a real saint, a man who lived and preformed good deeds, which is why he is celebrated. At the same time, Christmas is centered around a fictional fantasy fabricated in the light of the real man of Saint Nicholas. At the same time the inversion of power, which can be seen with the Saint Nicholas festivities is directly related to Christmas celebrations.

In the United States, Saint Nicholas was related to the festivities of carnival celebration. When this type of event originated in Europe it was intended to be a complete reversal of roles. The peasants would enter the homes of the rich and demand food and drink and would cause mayhem.  It was the one time a year where they had power over their superiors. This was largely accepted because it was known that the next day the norms would be restored. One of the reasons that this carnival festival was celebrated at this time a year was because it was a time of great plenty. The crops were being collected and stored and the animals were undergoing slaughter because they would not survive through the winter. Therefore there was plenty of resources to share and experience in excess.  However one of the reasons that Saint Nicholas came into play was because when the celebration moved to the United States, the church banned these activities from happening. There were many behaviors considered immoral by the church which took place on this day, which was why it was not allowed to be celebrated. By incorporating this saint, Saint Nicholas, it allowed for the celebration of carnival to continue because he was a good man who preformed good deeds and was not consumed by the mayhem that conducted the day.

It was super cool to be a part of this tradition in Belgium because for me it also created a great feeling of community. All of the rhétos in the area were all together sharing in the fun of the day wearing the same lab coats and having a great time causing mischief in Verviers. It is a holiday that I would love to have come to the United States!

I AMsterdam

This pas weekend I had the pleasure of traveling to Amsterdam. One of my best friends here in Belgium met some kids from Holland on her vacation to Egypt and they invited her and two friends to come and stay with them. So off we went the three musketeers, Riley, Claire and Eliza to Amsterdam for a short jaunt.

When I think about Amsterdam there are certain things that come to my mind and I think the minds of many people I know. For a lot of folks, Amsterdam is the city of prostitutes in the Red Light District and marijuana in the coffee shops. However, the city is so much more than that and was a beautiful place to visit. At the same time it is not as if these perceived elements and ideas are completely false.

Drug laws in Amsterdam, Holland are based on the idea that every human being may decide upon the matters of his or her own health.  This is one of the reasons why euthanasia for terminally ill patients is legal. One of the first steps that Holland took was to split drug use into two sections. Hard drugs which include cocaine, LSD, morphine, and heroin are illegal. Soft drugs which including cannabis in all its forms and hallucinogenic mushrooms are legal under conditions of personal use. The drug code has four main objectives:

1. To prevent recreational drug use and to treat and rehabilitate recreational drug users.
2. To reduce harm to users.
3. To diminish public nuisance by drug users (the disturbance of public order and safety in the neighborhood).
4. To combat the production and trafficking of recreational drugs

According to an article in the New York Times:

The de facto legalization policy in the Netherlands did not, in itself, affect rates of marijuana use among adults or young people. But rates of use among young people increased when the number of coffee shops increased and the age of legal access was 16. Then these rates declined when the numbers of coffee shops was reduced and the age of legal access became 18.

That being said it is obvious that marijuana is a presence in the city, but not an overwhelming aspect and the same is true of the hookers that one finds in the infamous Red Light District. When I asked our host what he thought about this aspect of his culture he said that it was not even something that he thought about. One Saturday evening him and his family (including his grandparents) took an evening stroll down the narrow alleys lined with windows and illuminated with red or blue lights displaying the scantily clad young women and men. As an American, I found this incredibly shocking that he found that to be such a normal thing. When I tried to explain to him why I found it so strange, it was clear that he could not comprehend why I felt the way I did. He understood the words I was saying, but could not wrap his head around the feeling. That was definitely a big difference between our cultures.

Another great difference that I as not anticipating in Holland was the number of people engaged in activities outdoors. As we drove to our home for the weekend, we passed several runners, bikers, hikers, roller skiers, people rowing crew, and people just out walking. This is not something that I have become accustomed to because that is not a normal occurrence where I am living in Belgium. It is rare that I see people out for walks with their friends or family or even out running. In my opinion the people in Holland were much more health conscious than the people I have encountered in Belgium. There was a plethora of people engaged in exercise both for their health and as recreation. Another thing that I noticed was the number of people seen smoking cigarettes was significantly less. It was something that reminded me of the United States because I have found that there are fewer smokers in my area of America than in Belgium (however, more than in Amsterdam)

The most shocking thing that I saw were bikes. When our host (Auke) picked us up from the train station and began driving he mentioned that it's said if you can drive in Amsterdam, you can drive anywhere. I quickly learned why. It is a law in Amsterdam that if a biker is hit by your automobile, it is you who is responsible no matter who is at fault. Bikes were EVERYWHERE. They were in the street, on the sidewalk, in the city squares, everywhere. Note the bikes in the following picture:

I thought this was such a great thing to see. It was clear that bikes were a much easier way to travel through Amsterdam. I think that if I am returning to State College for higher education, I will invest in one. It was inspiringly prevalent in the lives of the Hollandais.

Jambo, A day of Multiculturality

Today was our school's Journée Multiculturel or Diversity Day, as we like to call it in The United States (or on the Office). It was a concept that I was very familiar with, but was given a different feel in a foreign country, and being a "diverse" member of SFX1.

We started the day with by watching the film "Bend it like Beckham" For those who are unfamiliar with the premise of the movie it goes something like this. A girl named Jess lives in England and is a member of a very traditional Indian family. Her passion is playing soccer (futbol) but it is forbidden by her parents. She meets a white girl and joins an all girls team. Conflict arises of course because of a boy and because Jess has dishonored her family by disobeying their wishes and complicating the marriage of her sister. I think that this film could be connected to the theme of the day, because it had two clashing cultures (traditional Indian and contemporary British) which were brought together by athletics (more importantly soccer because it is an international sport)

One of the interesting aspects of our day of multiculturalism was that there was a large focus on the multiculturality, which surrounds us. At Delta when we had diversity day, we looked a many different ways that people can be diverse and in some ways it was not directly connected to us. In Belgium, we talked about people's backgrounds and countries of origin, and there was a representative of the culture there to speak. There was a presentation on the different clothes in different cultures, and all of the clothes belonged to the students that were presenting. We saw outfits from Morocco, Kenya, Japan, France, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was also a very well organized day that was very inclusive to everyone at SFX.

At the same time, there was not as much as an emphasis on different ways that people can be diverse. The emphasis rested only on what kind of background people had. In addition, I thought that they day could have added an aspect to how we can bring diversity together, not to homogenize it, but to learn and share the differences of individuals. In a country where I find there to be a different genre of racism, I am surprised that there is not a stronger push for acceptance of unique qualities. I would think that there is such a strong push for acceptance and equality in the United States, because of our past with silencing this right for different types of individuals. In school the subject of our history of oppression is frequently brought up but we are also opening discussion on how we can man amends for our wrongs and strive for a more socially just community. There are many extremist views in the United States, from the most liberal of democrats, to the Grand Dragon of the KKK, however I have not yet encountered such differences in the views of the Belgian citizens. It is perhaps because of this that there is less of a discussion of different forms of diversity, because of the less extreme differences in views.

Back from Potatoes and Beer

I have just returned from a week long vacation in the beautiful country of Ireland. And that is how I would describe it, beautiful. It was an atmosphere that I had never before experienced different from both my home in Pennsylvania and my home in Belgium.

I parted from the Charleroi airport early Thursday morning, and upon my arrival in Dublin, I was immediately taken aback by the use of English. It had become completely normal for me to overhear causal mumblings in buses and in places of business and understand nothing. Therefore, when I arrived and could understand everyone it was a striking difference. I imagine that this is just a simple preview of what my experience with culture shock will be upon my return from exchange.

One of the most striking things that I noticed about the culture of Ireland, was how openly friendly and genuine everyone was. We entered into a café a couple of hours after we had walked through the town of Dublin for the first time. The man behind the counter greeted our tired American scowls with a grand smile and asked "Now, what can I do to bring a smile to ya lasses?" This was followed by our server giving us a free map of Dublin, and not charging us full price for our coffee and pastry. The rest of the week continued on the same note. Everywhere we went we were greeted with generosity and open hearts. It was a truly inspiring moment in life to be around such continual kindness. I had not noticed before traveling to Ireland the striking difference between the openness of various cultures. In addition they were excited to know more about us as foreigners in their country.

Another difference that I noticed between Ireland and Belgium, was the view of Americans. Never once was I personally victimized in Ireland because of my nationality, however, in some cases people were a little more less impressed with my American culture. In Belgium, it is common for me to hear about how much the Belgians openly admit to loving the American pop culture. For example they enjoy slang and the music of The United States. However in Ireland they would say that America does these things well, and at the same time they have such a strong cultural presence in it of itself that that is not all they see or think of when it comes to my country of origin. I found that Ireland had a really strong diverse blend of culture. There was a lovely blend of tradition, American influence, and Irish underground culture. All of these elements made it a unique place to visit and a place that never once seemed monotonous. One day I will travel back to this beautiful land, and hopefully be able to stay for more than one single week.

This is Halloween!

Perhaps one of the second most popular holiday in the American culture is Halloween. Being my absolute favorite holiday I was concerned when I heard that it was not a particularly celebrated holiday in Belgium. In fact from what many of the other exchange students had told me, it is not a particularly celebrated holiday around the world. I was fortunate enough to travel to Ireland over the holiday and was able to experience Halloween from it's roots.

Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celts, whose 2,000 years old origin can be traced to  Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the natural and spirit world became blurred. On the night of October 31 they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids (Celtic priests,) to make predictions about the future. In order to secure themselves in a pleasant future the Celts would have huge bon fires where the would throw sacrifices of animals and crops to please the Druids. They would also disguise themselves in order to frighten off the evil spirits that would attempt to interfere with the ceremony. Nowadays, Halloween is Celebrated much the same way as it is in The United States, with Trick or Treating, special fall foods, and of course Halloween parties for all ages.

As for America, celebration of Halloween before the second half of the 19th century was extremely limited because of the very strict Protestant belief systems that were found in that area. Then as the beliefs and customs of different European ethnic groups as well as the American Indians began to blend, a distinctly American version of Halloween began to emerge. Some of the first celebrations included public events held to celebrate the harvest, where neighbors would share stories of the dead, tell fortunes, dance and sing. Colonial Halloween festivities frequently featured the sharing of ghost stories and mischief-making of all kinds. It had begun to develop as a very strong community event, which is still a tradition that is upheld today. In the second half of the 19th century, new immigrants, especially the millions of Irish fleeing Ireland's potato famine of 1846, helped to popularize the celebration of Halloween nationally. Stemming from Irish and English traditions, Americans began to dress up in costumes and go house to house asking for food or money, a practice that eventually became today's "trick-or-treat" tradition. As years progressed towns found more and more ways to make the celebration more community friendly and community involved. Halloween parties moved into schools and became a common element in the lives of children across the country.

My Experience with Halloween in Ireland was excellent. I was surprised that not only was there celebration on the date itself, but several days before as well. People could be seen in costume starting on Thursday for the Monday event! At the same time, there was not much of a difference between the way that the event is celebrated back home. This was a great comfort to have something that was so familiar in a world where so much is different.

'Merika, YEAH!

Before my departure into the land of Chocolate and Fries, it was brought to my attention that perhaps I would be greeted in a foreign land with hostility and disdain due to my American heritage. Every county has the stereotypes that come to mind when the name is mentioned. In the minds and hearts of many Americans that I have had the pleasure of knowing, Belgium is equivalent to chocolate, waffles, and beer. Or, on the contrary, rather unknown to the majority. Being an American, I thought that the image of Americans was not one of high quality around the world. As a culture I was not completely aware of its ubiquitous nature and massive presence in the lives of the everyday citizens.

I took it upon myself several nights before I boarded my plane, to explore some American stereotypes. The subject came around after speaking to another exchange student about stereotypes of Australians (kangaroos, BBQ, boomerangs) and lead to us searching for the opinion of Americans. What we discovered was that the Americans are perceived as being fanatically patriotic, lazy, and obsessed with something that was referred to as "peaunutbutterandjelly." Once we recovered from our boisterous laughter we looked further and found copious contradictions to the view of our country. For example, it was said that Americans are lazy, however they are also work-workaholics. Americans are stupid, but the United States provides all of the worlds innovators/inventions. With this in mind, I had not a clue what to expect when I arrived.

As it turns out, the opinion of Americans has not been as horrible as I had thought it would be. The other day I was engaged in a discussion with members of my Rotary club and their spouses about the competitive nature of sports in America. One of my good friends here in Belgium is a swimmer in Texas. She, like many high school swimmers in the USA, practices every day before and after school and has been participating in said activity for many years now. They people I was sitting with admire the dedication and the excellence that they perceive Americans to have in the field of athletics. High Schools in America practice everyday whereas in Belgium, many activities meet two or three times a week. One of the benefits to this mentality is that anyone can and does play and participate in sports or activities.  A critique of the American way is that if you want to join an activity at a later stage in your life, it can be very difficult to compete with the students who had decided that they wanted to play soccer, for example, at the age of four. If you have not been a participant in soccer from that age, then you cannot be on the team.

I did not know when I arrived that American pop culture would be a prevalent as it is in Belgium. Everyone listens to the newest American songs and watches shows on television that are originally from the United States. Many products from America have made there way to Europe as well. For example Philadelphia Cream cheese is a popular product. As it turns out, I don't have to be quite as embarrassed about being an American as I thought I would have to be.

The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round

One of the most notable differences in my daily life in Belgium is how I get around. Though driving is forbidden by the laws of Rotary, it does not seem to me that being permitted this luxury would change my daily life by much. An aspect of the culture that I am really taking a liking to is the abundance of public transportation. During the day, it is possible to get almost anywhere in Belgium without stepping behind the wheel of a car. In addition, there are far fewer automobiles in this country than America.

For myself, there are several theories as to why this is so. One of them would be that the infrastructure of Belgium, and many other European Nations, is incapable of supporting the vast amount of roadways that the United States is capable of. America is a rather young country and being the age that it is allows it to have grown up in a time of adaptation to newer technology through transportation. Europe is thousands of years old, and when the narrow alleys and cobble stones were put in place, the idea of automobiles was not even a faint glimmer in the distance. Once they were a reality, there was not much done to re-invent every roadway in the country.This would be costly and incredibly time intensive.  In the United States roadways are fairly large with well developed highways systems that can take a person anywhere in the country. At the same time, there seems to be less of a need for that in Belgium because of the highly developed bus and train system that is in place.

The earliest trains were invented in 1550 in Germany. Made of wood, these "trains" were powered by horses and pulled along wooden paths that were created across the county. Years later, during the time of the Industrial Revolution he steam engine was invented and revolutionized the transportation of goods and services. It was through these inventions in Europe that the foundation of European transportation was created. Thanks to this early creation, nowadays one can travel almost anywhere in Europe by railway. I personally find this to be very convenient. For the most part it is much less expensive than the 152 dollars I could be spending to fill my gas tank once a week. Instead that price is reduced to roughly 55 dollars a month to travel through the country! Moreover, the transportation system is rather well organized creating ease in the planning of events. I could definitely get used to never having to drive a car.

Tik Tok On the Clock, But the Party Don't Stop

This past Thursday I celebrated my 18th birthday in Belgium. In this country 18 is a very important age. It is the legal adulthood and maturity, the legal age of responsibility, the age of criminal responsibility, the right and obligation to vote, the right to be elected (except for Senate), the legal age for driving, and the minimum age to stop school. However it is also an age sprinkled with ceremony. My host mother inquired what it was that I wanted to do for my birthday. He own daughter had rented out a hall and payed a DJ to come when she celebrated this special day. This did not seem completely out of place because I am familiar with the coming of age celebrations that are practiced in America. In the United States, for the most part, turning 16 is the biggest party age as opposed to 18. For my birthday I had two friends over for the actual evening, followed by a night out with other friends Friday night. It was brought to my attention that parties in Belgium are very different from the types of parties that I have been able to attend in Pennsylvania.

When someone says the word party, depending on the age of the person, various images come to mind. In the United States we have birthday parties, movie parties, sweater parties, house parties, etc. It seems to me that the same types of parties exist in Belgium, though on a larger scale. Through a conversation with my host sister she explained to me how strange it was when I mentioned having numerous people over for a "party" at my house. She said that parties normally happen outside of the home and with organized events. For example, there are organizations throughout the towns that sponsor youth events, such as Scoot (Girl/Boy Scouts) and la Jeunesse (the young people). These events have a mandatory 5-6 euro entry fee plus anything you buy inside. With the previous statement I refer to the purchase of alcoholic beverages or soft drinks. It is rare to have a large number of people over to a persons house, without also having plans of partaking in another event. What I have noticed that commonly happens is that students will have their friends over for pre-party fun followed by a group departure to the main event. Although this is a behavior that is indeed found in the United States, in my experience, I have found that it is not always the case. House parties are more common place. For example, if a student's parent's leave them alone in the house for a weekend, they have more of a chance of having an event in that location as opposed to searching for an external hot spot.

One of the contributing factors of this difference in parties is that youth in Belgium is not prohibited from consuming alcohol. Drinking is an act that can, and does, take place in a public domain. It is because of this that I think there are more events for young students that are organized and well attended. In addition, these events last well into the wee hours of the morning, and are not ended by local law enforcement intervention. It is completely acceptable for such parties (soirées) to take place. From my experience through friends and movies, events are more secret. There are tricks used to avoid being reprimanded by the law or even by parents. This kind of secrecy can be seen in the use of red plastic cups for drinking. Because these cups are not clear, the liquid within cannot be seen and therefore remains a "mystery." In Belgium, one can use a clear cup because it is legal to drink.

Big parties and events are more frequent in Belgium than in Pennsylvania and are commonly the entertainment for the weekend. Though I have not yet decided whether or not this is something I prefer or not.

Are you there God? It's me Belgium.

During my academic year at SFX, I am required to participate in a religion class. This is a logical course considering the school's affiliation with Catholicism. Regardless, it has not been at all what I have expected. From what my Belgian friend had told me, her religion teacher talked about the glory of Christ, and promoted strongly the following of his teachings. My experience has not been the same. Instead, I find myself in a class whose purpose is more philosophical. This I found to be very interesting and has prompted me to pay much closer attention in said lessons.

My first text received in this study was entitled "Socrates, Jésus, et Bouddah" I found this to be an interesting topic to be covered. The article summarizes that all of these wise figures possess the same attributes, which should be followed in regards to religion. When people gather to form their groups, they twist the ideas of these three men, but all one has to do is follow their core philosophies to live a good life. To give such an article in a class is not a concept with which I am all that familiar. Due to my attendance at the State College Delta Program, I have witnessed an slight openness to the topic of religion in school. However, in Belgium it is acceptable to not only discuss it, but to offer opinions on the ideas that are presented and personal opinions. For me, I feel as though there is less concern with offending certain religions by making uninformed, or even well informed, statements.

My teacher inquired my opinion on how religion is portrayed in the United States. She is curious if I find it more prevalent in America or in Belgium. Despite my difficulties with the french response, what I hope the students recieved from my statement is that, religion a rather taboo topic in America. Along with politics, it is among the subjects that are generally refrained from mentioning in public spaces. However, it seems to me that religion plays a larger role in a larger number of people's live in the States. After a brief discussion with my teacher after class, she told me that there were a lot of people in Belgium who associate with a religion, however do not attend church regularly and do not follow all of the expectations of a particular faith. For example, not all Belgian Catholics follow lent, like she supposes that most American Catholics do. Her perception of religion in America is that the people who identify with the vast diversity of faith, are very strict practitioners.

When considering from where this perception might stem from, I am drawn to the potential conclusion of a time that people came to America searching religious freedom. One of the things I think America does well is providing a space for it's citizens to practice their religions and express their beliefs how they deem appropriate. This causes a lot of variety in how people choose to follow a faith. It creates people who are very strict and serious about their beliefs and also people who do not find what they are looking for through traditional ideologies.

At the same time, her perception of religion in Belgium would be that there are not a lot of people who take it particularly seriously. I found this surprising because of the number of religiously affiliated public spaces. I attend a catholic school as do most of the exchange students I know. In the United States there are not as many high schools who are religiously affiliated. In fact, almost all scholarly institutions in Belgium have a religious connection. This religion would be Catholic, which is consistent throughout much of Europe.

I find that the presence of religion in Belgium is indeed less than that in Pennsylvania. While there is less variation with denominations, no one mentions their affiliation in Belgium. Whereas in America I know the religion of almost all of my friends.

Religion remains a topic that is difficult to discuss however, it is always interesting to learn of other people's impressions of the interpretation of religion in another country.

Belgium U

This week I had the pleasure of exploring higher education in Belgium. Each class at my school took a trip to sit in on a University class and have a brief tour of the campus. 6B (my class) went to University of Louvain-la-Neuve. It is located about an hour and a half from Verviers it is is a rather small institution.

In Belgium, and I am sure other places, there are two types of higher education. The first is the University. Students enrolled in this form can expect to have four to five years of school with many many courses, but the only exams being the finals. The other type is called "Haut École" translated to High School. These colleges are two to three years and while the work is considered "less difficult" there is a lot more of it. If I correctly understood the conversation, the Haut Écoles have more busy work, and therefore are very time consuming. Both forms of college are acceptable. There is a lot less variety of Universities in the United States however I do not think that this is solely because of the size of the country. In approximately the same distance as Belgium, there is a grand difference between the styles of colleges in Pennsylvania. Juniata College, Penn State, and Lycoming College are vastly different for many reasons. In Belgium there is much less variety and even fewer options for areas of study.

One of the most popular fields of study is medicine. A surprisingly large portion of my class wishes to pursue careers in the medical field. I found this surprising because, from my limited knowledge of this area in the United States, it is highly difficult and highly competitive. While there are American students who wish to follow this path, I would think that the most popular career choice for American students is engineering or education. Perhaps it is a pursuit of monetary gain for these students, or perhaps it is a desire to help the people of the world. One of the contributing factors to this decision is the course work in schools. There are many language science and math classes, and fewer liberal arts classes, or at least a lesser emphasis on them. For example, a student can choose to have four or six hours of science a week and they can also choose between having math four or six hours. However french class is a mandatory four hours. No more, no less.

Another big difference between the Universities of Belgium and those of the United States is the cost of course. Although school is not free in Belgium, it costs generally between three and five thousand dollars for attendance. Quite a difference from Bucknell University whose tuition alone is 90 thousand. Perhaps this is one of the contributing factors to the sparse use of technology. While sitting in on a Theology class, the professor used the chalkboard and read from a lecture of handwritten notes. The contrary would be the use of Powerpoints and typed handouts.

Overall, I found it to be a very enriching experience and one that confirmed my decision to continue and participate in the higher education system in the United States, despite the higher cost because there are more options for students to choose the kind of learning they would like to participate in. In addition, I think that there is a different work ethic at the universities in America, one that I find works better for myself. I am very glad that I got to experience this day.

A Day to Remember

Last Sunday marked the 10 year anniversary since the destruction of New York City's twin towers and the plane which crashed into the Pentagon. For the United States of America, this is a day of sorrow and also a day in which brought a commemoration of our nations hero's. It was a day, that could make even the most cynical American have empathy for our country. That being said, America is not the only country around the world that was affected by this drastically shocking event. People around the world remember this day, and remember the devastation it brought with it.

One of the most striking things that I noticed about this day in Belgium was how many people talked to me about the events that happened on 9/11. They asked me questions and talked about how the 10 year anniversary of these events was this Sunday. For me it seemed strange that they would be as interested and sympathetic as they were. In honesty, some of the older citizens that I talked to, knew more about the event that I myself do. It is strange to think that this happened 10 years ago. At that point in my life I was 8 years old. I might not have realized then what that event meant, but I can still see the effects of it after all this time.

Students talked about it in school, my host family mentioned it several times, and all day Sunday, September 11th were broadcasts live from New York, interviews with firefighters, and even a re-enactment movie of the events that transpired. From my experience, because that is all I can draw from, it seems that the world respected and empathized with America and still does because of what happened however when it comes to what we chose to do as our solution and counter attack, is less respected.

One of the effects that people have told me that it has had on Belgium is the increased racism to citizens of Middle Eastern countries and practitioners of the Muslim religion. I would say that the events of this date had a similar impact on America as well. However, we chose to act upon it differently. There is a lot of openness when it comes to discrimination after this event. For example, when the Muslim community in New York sought to build an informational center on the religion of Islam within relatively close proximity to Ground Zero, many American citizens were outraged. From my observation, if the same situation was presented in Belgium it would not be openly opposed, however many people would pass their own silent judgment.

Despite the negative impact that this event had, I was surprised with the respect that I was shown as an American in Belgium on the 10 year Anniversary. Thank you Belgium.

School: A Global Institution

This week I began school at the lovely and very old Collège Saint François Xavier 1 (SFX1) Entering the school yard was like being dropped right into the middle of the popular American movie Mean Girls. In addition to the navigation through communication disparities and social groups, school in Europe has proven to be much different that my schooling experience in Centre Pennsylvania.

In Belgium school is divided into two categories, Primary and Secondary (Collège). Each of these schools has six years that must be completed. In the United States I am a senior in high school and that transfers to year 6 (sixième) in Belgium. Everyone also has a class with whom they spend the majority of their time, and for me, it would be with the students in 6B.

One of the biggest differences that I have noticed between the two schooling structures is that instead of the students changing classes, the teachers change and come to the students. This was one of thing aspects that I was most pleased about because it meant that I did not have to wander around my very large school in search of different rooms. At the same time after over 7 hours of school, the same room becomes rather mundane. Another notable difference is before almost every class we meet in the courtyard where we wait for our teacher to come and lead us to class. Every class has an assigned block where they wait for their teacher (6A, 6B, 6C......6E). For me it feels rigid and overly structured compared to the freedom and autonomy which American students are afforded. Regardless it is well organized and students do not have to wonder when class will begin because it does not commence until the teacher arrives in the courtyard.

My host sister parted for the United States last Thursday and upon arrival was asked to choose her classes. She was amazed with the number of choices that American schools offered. This is something that I feel as though I took for granted. I knew that the Delta Program offered a lot of different choices, at least more than State High, however the course selection here is limited to one period where one can choose Spanish, Theater, or Greek. School here is highly regulated by many different parties and there is not much room for variation in course selection, materials, or to some degree, even thinking. In the United States, thinking and challenging the ideas presented is not only accepted, but something that is encouraged. After my first week at SFX1 it would seem that that is not quite the same case.

One of the things that I think is really strong about the Belgium school system is the work ethic ingrained in the students. There is not a time during the school day that the students are not focused on their work. For example, being an exchange student I am not expected to take on the same workload as the other students. Therefore I have at least one hour a day to do what I please. However, it is not a time for relaxation for other students. It is the first week of school and everyone is already focused on studying and memorizing the material in order to succeed. Impressive.

As a culture, the United States places a high value on the expression of ideas and the things that individuals have to offer. Our democratic system is part of what affords that luxury and I am grateful for it.

Bisous,
Riley

Bienvenue en Belgique

Today begins my first full month in the beautiful country of Belgium. I officially arrived Saturday the 20th of August and have been taking my time familiarizing myself with both the language and the culture of the town. As a foreigner, and as an American, I feared the reactions of those around me due to my nationality. It seemed to me that I would be treated rudely because that is how I thought Americans were precieved. However, upon arrival I found that the majority of people I have come in contact with are in fact very accomadating to Americans.

This intrigued me and led me to inquire more on the subject. In the words of the lovely gentleman in my Rotary club, "C'est parce que les americains ont aidé pendant la guerre et maintenant, les Bèlges sont souvenus ça et ils aiment les americains." For those who are unfamiliar with French, I discovered that during the times of war, the Americans came to the aid of Belgium, and many other countries in Europe. In Belgium, they remember vividly the freedom that the American soldiers brought their country and are grateful for that. Thus, Americans are respected and treated well in this country.

Not only is Belgium accommodating to people from America, but to people of all different backgrounds. Everywhere in Belgium, one can find signs in four languages. The languages of Belgium are French, English, Dutch, and German. Almost all politicians speak very slowly when addressing a crowd so that all can comprehend. This is one of the reasons speeches last as long as they do. Another reason is because they repeat everything they say in three languages. Normally it begins in French, because the people here who have french as a first language rarely know the others. It is followed by Dutch and finished in English. When comparing this to speeches given in the United States it is very different. Our politicians are often found to be eloquent, however despite the vast diversity in the country, discourse is only recited in English. In a way I believe that is a good thing because the majority of people, from around the world, can understand even the most basic English. At the same time, it squanders the individuality, and diminishes respect for the other cultures that make America what it is. By reciting the same speech in a multitude of languages, I feel as though it is a respect for the differences that make Belgium unique. One of the reasons that I chose this country for my Rotary Exchange was because of the three main cultural elements and how they are able to exist together harmoniously. For the most part.

The Countdown has Begun

Hello All,
My name is Riley Sunday and next year I will be spending my entire senior year of high school in Verviers, Belgium. Leaving State College is something that I had always thought would be really easy. It was never a place that I could see living for my whole life or see why someone would want to. Now I have the opportunity of a lifetime. I will be traveling through Rotary International and they have already impressed me and expanded my view of the world. Things changed for me when I learned about the vastness of the organization and the ease by which its member are able to pass through different countries and see the lasting connections they have made with individuals throughout the world. I have people now that I know from across the globe, and at 17 that feels like an amazing accomplishment.
School has just let out in State College and it is strange to think that I will not be returning to the State College Delta Program and will enter in the fall to Collège Saint-François Xavier. (pictured left)

There is so much that people have been telling me that they have gained from their abroad experience and there are things I would like as well. I hope that I can not only learn to live in another culture, but to also appreciate my own.  A lot of times our own culture is invisible to us, but I think that being somewhere new will help me to see what it really means to be an American.
Now I have the great task ahead or me of completing paperwork for visas, passports, schoolwork, and the airline battles all before I can arrive and start the journey. At the same time it is important for me to not forget about all of the people that are still here and the life that I can continue to live prior to my departure. I can't thank enough all of the people who are helping me through the stress and still helping me to continue to have fun.

The countdown is working hard to begin....if only there was a definite date for departure, it would make things a lot easier. I am sure my other exchange friends can agree to this too! Tentative 45 days until take off. Je l'attends avec impatience. (:

Bisous,
Riley