Wayne resident, St. Mary’s Presbyterian church member and Main Line college student Missy Pearson has agreed to take AML abroad for not one, but two semesters! Missy will be sending us her travel adventures and pictures as the Loyola University (MD) junior participates in her university’s oldest study abroad program at Katholieke Universitat in Leuven, Belgium. Pearson and her classmates are experiencing the beautiful countries and cultures of Europe for this entire school year. Missy reports she is busy studying diligently with her international classmates in the recently remodeled Loyola University student house. Thanks Missy for taking the time to share with www.aroundmainline.com the experience of a lifetime! Dank u wel!
August 16, 2008
Great Anticipation
Missy on the Rocks
It is hard to believe that in about one week I will leave the comfort of Wayne and Baltimore (where I have gone to school for the past 2 years) to spend a year studying in Belgium, a nation in continental Europe that is about the size of Maryland and whose entire population rivals New York City. When I applied to study at Katholieke Universiteit I didn’t know much more about Belgium than its reputation to being home to some of the world’s finest waffles, chocolate and beer. Since then I have learned not much more and it’s hard to believe that in just a month’s time I will have taken two weeks of intensive Dutch and have spent time in the town of Leuven where K.U is located.
These past couple weeks, when I’m not at my internship in Philadelphia or seeing friends, I have been making trips to many of the shops in Wayne, Bryn Mawr and Ardmore trying to find those early fall pieces that are making their way into the stores. In addition I have purchased a large rucksack to use for traveling and nights spent in hostels across Europe, downloaded Skype so I can stay in touch with my friends and my parents, experienced the fun in using “Space Bags” to suck all the air out of my clothes to take advantage of the lack of space in my suitcase and (most exciting of all) begun to poke around the internet looking for affordable flights, inexpensive hostels and fun tourist attractions.
As the trip approaches I am getting more nervous, the thought of not going back to Loyola with my friends is overwhelming. It is difficult to leave a place where I am so happy but I know the experience I will have in Leuven is truly once in a lifetime. I am going to stay as busy as possible in the upcoming days (I have my 20th birthday and a Rascal Flatts concert to look forward to) but its impossible to overlook the huge life change in front of me. All anxiety aside, I’ve never been more excited for anything in my life. Next stop, Leuven!
Tot volgende tijd,
Missy
