From a battlefield to the European capital
During our recent three day excursion, we visited Verdun, France and Brussels, Belgium.
On the first day, we went to Verdun, which was the site of a major battle of the First World War. Our tour guide told us about the battle at the German-French border. We learned that Fort Douaumant, for instance, was the largest fort which protected the city of Verdun. Nevertheless, over nine villages were completely destroyed during the battle and many lives were lost.
In Brussels, the trip was for a different reason. We were there to visit the European Union capital city and learn more about what initiatives are currently in place to strengthen transatlantic relationships.
While in Brussels, we also visited other important institutions, like the U.S. Mission, the Committee of the Regions and the Parlamentarium.
An important part to the entire trip was of course, to also learn more about the culture and city of Brussels. We really enjoyed seeing the sites and noticed a special atmosphere there. Apart from its famous chocolates and beers, we now know that there are many attractions that most visitors cannot begin to imagine. It is the center of European culture and officially nicknamed ‘the European Village’.
During the first evening, we went out and our group came up with a great idea – to create a multi-lingual circle at The Grand Place. It is strange, but the feeling was extraordinary: every student repeated the sentence “I am a potato” in a different language. 8 people, 8 languages and yet we understood each other.
Source: Strasbourg
{$excerpt:n}