Erasmus Experience in Brussels, Belgium by uyen

Why did you choose to go to Brussels, Belgium?

Just randomly. I applied for an internship with the UNHCR and luckily their office in Brussels accepted me.

How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive to help you with living costs?

The scholarship is 4 months, 380 euros a month. This is just nearly enough for my renting a room. However, I have the internship for 6 months so, I have to cover all the rest by myself.

What is the student lifestyle like in Brussels?

I have not yet experienced that as I have just arrived for a week.

Would you recommend the city and the University of Brussels to other students?

Yes, I think so. I saw lots of Vietnamese people living here, students as well as citizens.

What is the food like?

It depends. However,I really like the bread here and we also have flee markets open at the weekends so that I can buy lots of ingredients for my Vietnamese cuisine cooking.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Brussels?

Yes, I rent a room 400 euros a month with shared toilet and kitchen, which is about 15 mins walk to my work place.

How much does it cost to live in Brussels?

I don't know yet as I need to spend at least a month here to see how much per month total I would spend.

Is the language easy to get to grips with? Are there language courses available at the University?

People all speaking French but some understand English so there is no problem for my social communication.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Brussels from your city?

I think it is to travel with Eurolines coaches. A return ticket from and to London to Brussels is about 35 euros. However, It is quite tired for an around 7 hour trip and I can't sleep much because the bus stops for custom clearance and moving up and down the ferry every two hours.

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Brussels?

I have not experienced that but will soon.

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Brussels?

I mostly cook by myself but there are many nice Vietnamese restaurants serving Pho with very traditional taste from Vietnam and enough all sorts of required vegetables for it.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

I have not experienced that but will soon.

Is there any other advice that you could give to students going to Brussels in the future?

There are second-hand shops which sell all stuff with good price as charity shops do in the UK so you can find something there.