Mart-deBlog

I have been in Leuven for a week and it is about time I report my first impressions. I waited as long as possible with forming a definite opinion because it would not be a good one, but I cannot wait any longer. So, Leuven is a disaster. This week has been a constant tragedy. Leuven is more Dutch than the village I come from, the Dutch culture that I have been trying to get away from has found me and is now punishing me for running away. Leuven has the Dutch pettiness and distance together with a French arrogance, it is really sad. The professors are extremely formal and we have been told serveral times we should never ever address them by their name. The introduction week from the university was a complete failure, being a Dutch speaker, I did not belong in the international erasmus crowd of Spaniards searching for constant fiesta and Chinese being lost in the traffic. I hardly spoke to anyone this whole week, I gave up somewhere in the middle. And then there is my room, for your pleasure: I do not have any heating, I share my shower and toilet with 14 people, this shower by the way is in the kitchen two floors down, and then there is a techno nightclub on the other side of the block so I have to sleep with earplugs almost every night, which also protect me from the bells of the many churches around here. The people of the house act surprised when I introduce myself to them, they silence when I walk past them and continue talking when I am gone. And because I feel so incredibly out of place, other things go wrong. I missed the important information sessions of my faculty where they gave all the important forms and booklets. I got locked in the park where I was reading a book, after which I got scolded at because they thought I climbed over the fences to enter their stupid parkfestival for free. I can go on and on like this, the bureaucracy, the level of my classes, my funding problems. Probably the worst of everything is that Leuven does not inspire me like the other places I have been; give me anything, beautiful nature, a cold city or some cute kind of village life, but Leuven is neither of these, it is confused and my pictures are blurry and boring. Leuven is a shit-hole and I am already desperately working on my applications for next year, to some place far away from here.