Discovering New Places During the Corona Craziness

When we first heard the news that there was a confirmed case of COVID-19 in Brussels, I immediately started panicking. I remember reading the news at a popular café/workspace called The Office, which is a five-minute walk from Parliament. The energy in the room seemed to change instantaneously for me; everyone around me potentially had the virus. Within the next week, there was a confirmed case within the European Commission which only added to my increasing anxiety. My biggest fear was being sent home early, which we now know was the unfortunate conclusion to our time abroad.

Quickly, coronavirus dominated every conversation. At Vesalius College, discussion was tied back to corona; at work, my policy research quickly pivoted to corona. At a bar with friends? Corona. On the bus to discover a new part of the city? Corona. The corona craziness swept over our group quickly, and soon it was the only thing on mind most days.

Looking back, I wish I would’ve savored every moment instead of letting the virus dictate my life. At the end of the day, I can’t control the virus, so why should I let it control me? After sitting in quarantine for such a long time, I think we all can learn greatly from this experience. My biggest takeaway is to savor every. single. moment.

The weekend before our unfortunate departure I had the pleasure of going to Dinant, Belgium with Max and Marley. Dinant is a beautiful little town on the River Meuse, just a two-hour train ride from Brussels. Although we spent just a day in Dinant, it was most definitely one of the highlights of my time in Belgium.

We had an action-packed day of exploring every nook of the city, which included climbing 408 steps to the top of a medieval citadel, and descending 50 meters below the surface into a cave! At the citadel, we learned about the German occupation of Belgium and the sack of Dinant, which occurred on August 14, 1914 during World War 1. During the battle, the local population took refuge in the caves and stayed in the caves for two whole weeks while waiting for the German troops to move on.

We concluded our day at Le Maison Leffe, the home of the original Belgian Trappist beer. We took a tour and learned about the beer-making process, and was able to sample a few of the Leffe beers! As a person who can’t stand the taste of most beers, I thoroughly enjoyed the Leffe Ruby, which is brewed with cherries and other red fruits. We were able to sit by a warm fireplace and just enjoy each other’s company. (which was welcome after a day of walking) I can’t even remember discussing the virus that day, we were just having too much fun!

That day with Marley and Max taught me that getting bogged down in the negative almost always prevents you from being able to experience life to the fullest. The story of the people of Dinant was so inspiring. If a town can band together and find a way to weather a traumatic battle, then the world can definitely make it through the current pandemic. Every day is a new opportunity to discover or learn something new, even during uncertain times.