Life in Antwerp
In the Sint-Anna Tunnel, I saw a quote that said:
"Ik vind het zo leuk om in Antwerpen te zijn.
Het is een mooie stad, en zo vredig."
The quote translates to: "I love being in Antwerp. It is a beautiful city, and so peaceful."
& I couldn't agree more! This city was an amazing place to call home for three months.
When I first arrived in Antwerp, I was terrified of what was to come. I didn't know many people on my program, the sun set early, and I missed my friends from home. However, as I slowly explored more of the city and got more familiar with my surroundings, I quickly grew to love the place I was in.
Every day, I tried to check one thing off my "Antwerp To-Do" list. I visited over a dozen restaurants, countless coffee shops, and shopped at almost every store on the Meir (the main shopping street). Having a list to check off made me more excited to venture out into the city and explore new neighborhoods! Below, you can view a Story Map I created of some of my favorite spots in the city.
By the end of the semester, I did not want to leave! The weather was perfect, the local coffee shop knew my order, and I was completely comfortable with where I was at. The last 24 hours in Antwerp was very bittersweet, and I documented it in the Reel to the right.
Day Trips to Ghent & Bruges
Another great part about Antwerp is how accessible it is to other cities! In January, JMU took us on a one-day excursion to Ghent and Bruges, and I loved both places! I had the best chocolate ever from Dumon Chocolatier in Bruges, and I loved Ghent so much that I did a solo day trip there in April! Both cities have breathtaking architecture and amazing food, I hope I can return one day.