Exchange Report:
Getting Prepared:
Getting prepared for a semester at the University of Ghent was arguably the most time consuming
process I have been through so far. It involves an application to enrol at the University of Ghent,
arranging a visa, travel and student loan. The visa application process is especially complicated and
time consuming. This is mainly due to the medical check-up, which must be conducted by a doctor
approved of by Belgian authorities, and correspondence with staff at the Embassy in Canberra (there
is no Belgian Embassy in New Zealand). It really pays to start the visa application process as soon as
possible.
The student loan process is a little more complicated because there is a special form that needs to
be filled out by the Waikato University exchange coordinator. It is highly recommended to book
flights a few months in advance since the prices tend to rise as the departure date nears. Getting
travel insurance is also recommended at least until obtaining health insurance coverage in Belgium.
On Arrival:
The train station is conveniently located beneath Brussels Airport so just take the escalators or
elevator down. The 10-trip go pass is highly recommended and allows travel between almost any
two points in Belgium. There are direct trains to Ghent but, if there is a long wait, you can also take a
train to one of the main Brussels stations and transfer there. Getting from the station in Ghent to
the University residences is certainly much easier by taxi but if you’re on a tight budget there’s a
tram followed by a further 15 minute walk to the residence.
Make sure you register in person with the faculty because it is an administrative nightmare if you are
not officially registered for your courses! The convenience of a bike cannot be overstated so hire one
as soon as possible. Most students in Ghent use bikes and it appears safer to do so than in New
Zealand.
Settling In:
Joining the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) is a fantastic way to meet people and they organise a
variety of events including trips to cities such as Paris and Amsterdam as well as parties and cheap
drinks nights. I found the trips a fun and affordable way to see some of Europe.
If you’re looking for home ware, IKEA is the place to go. It offers a huge selection of products and
those large blue bags are really handy for transporting laundry. Eating out in Ghent is generally
expensive but the student restaurants offer a variety of meals at an affordable price. Otherwise, I
found the prices similar to New Zealand with some things cheaper and others more expensive.
However, I was pleased to note that the price of alcohol was much more affordable!
The lectures at Ghent were a bit longer than at Waikato so it took some getting used to. The
lecturers were generally enthusiastic about what they taught and encouraged participation. The
overall workload was similar to Waikato but because most of my internal assessments were due in
the second semester I did get a little swamped with work. Keeping up to date was even more
important due to the general lack of familiarity with the European legal system.
My Experience:
My first week in Ghent was spent recovering from jet lag, getting used to sub-zero temperatures and
of course getting established. The city of Ghent is old but pretty and remains reminiscent of its
medieval heritage. There is a castle, numerous historic buildings, and the Graslei is a great place to
relax on a nice day with one of the many great Belgian beers.
The first ESN event I attended was the “speed dating” and whether you’re looking for a partner or
not it’s a great way to meet other international students. Since many people arrive knowing no one,
there are plenty of opportunities to make friends. I met a number of people there who remained
part of our tight-knit group throughout the exchange.
My assigned buddy, Charlotte, is one of the ESN board members and through her I got to know a
number of other Belgians. The culture in Belgium is quite different from New Zealand and I
experienced this first hand when greeting her on one occasion. I went in for a hug and she went to
kiss me on the cheek which resulted in a slightly awkward experience for both of us and a couple of
quite confused onlookers. I am used to greeting someone with a kiss on the cheek only if I have a
very close personal relationship with them. Conversely, in Belgium, a hug is reserved for those in a
very close personal relationship.
In the first couple of months I travelled to a couple of Belgian towns and went on the ESN trip to
Paris. The time in Paris was great; the tour guide brought us to see all the highlights of the city and in
the evening we went on a pub crawl. If you’re planning on drinking a lot on in Paris bars and
nightclubs my advice is don’t unless you have a sack of money. However, the shops sold liquor much
more affordably.
My favourite ESN event was the trip to the Ardennes; a nice region on the border with France and
Luxembourg. We arrived by bus on the Friday evening to what is essentially a weekend long party
including a bad taste dress up. We overindulged in unlimited beer and wine and on the Sunday we
took an agonising bus ride to Dinant. It was a beautiful town and worth the journey, almost.
One spring evening I had the pleasure of another first-hand experience of different social conduct. I
was out with a few friends to a bar in the centre city and a stranger walked up to our table and
dropped a piece of paper in front of one of the exchange girls. Before anyone could even get a good
look at him he hurried off. Perplexed, she opened the note and found a phone number inside. Once
we had stopped laughing one of the now equally perplexed Belgian students pointed out that this is
the normal way to ask someone out on a date in Belgium.
During the mid-semester break I took a trip to Germany. I managed to find a cheap Easyjet flight and
I definitely recommend looking into those budget airlines because it saved me a lot of money. Some
flights cost as little as 6 euros! I travelled to Berlin first and saw some of the most exceptional
museums filled with plunder from other nations. The sheer amount of history is quite overwhelming
and it would have been easy to spend a week there. Afterwards I visited a friend in Potsdam for a
couple of days. It’s a small, pretty city near Berlin and definitely worth a visit.
Unfortunately I contracted the mumps at the beginning of the second semester. Apparently the
vaccine isn’t very effective and I spent a number of days in significant discomfort as a result. Now I
also know what my face would look like if I ever became heavily overweight.
Midway through the semester my dad came to visit me in Ghent and we travelled to Vienna and
Prague. Both cities are amazing and absolutely worth visiting. Vienna had very impressive museums
and Prague is perhaps the most beautiful city I have seen in Europe so far.
Upon returning to Ghent it was time to knuckle down and get my final assessments out of the way.
The examination period soon followed and included a couple of verbal exams. I preferred the verbal
exams overall because they give a better opportunity to demonstrate understanding of the topic or
lack thereof.
With exams out of the way I travelled with a group of friends to Croatia for a couple of weeks to get
some much appreciated sun. We went to a coastal town called Pula then a music festival in Zagreb.
Later, we took the bus down the coast to a number of other towns. The landscape was definitely the
most spectacular I had seen in Europe so far and it’s perfect for a relaxing vacation.
Upon my return I began getting ready to leave Europe. I detoured to my Uncle’s place in England
and spent a couple of days in London before making the 36 hour journey home. The pre-Olympic
atmosphere was a highlight but the city itself was worth the visit. The amount of history there was
overwhelming; I visited the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, St Paul’s
Cathedral, the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge just to name a few.
The five months I spent in Europe had flown by and I had experienced a lot. I met a lot of people
who I will miss greatly but I had also missed New Zealand and my friends here. Whilst I would
unquestionably do this again, I do appreciate life in New Zealand more as a result of my experience. I
absolutely recommend this experience to anyone who has the opportunity to do it.