"A Whole New World"
Recent downpours in Central Illinois didn't prevent the IBIP class of 2009 from departing the ACES Library on time -- at 4:00pm sharp we piled on the U of I bus and took off for O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois. After getting boarding passes we headed through security. ALMOST everyone made it through -- Mr. Anthony Rhodes however was detained for accidentally transporting a steak knife and fork wrapped in a napkin that was left in his backpack from a year ago. Luckily the guards let him through and we ALL boarded the Boeing 747 on time! We sulked passes the first class passengers in their special little bubbles with personal TVs and made way to our "luxury" accomodations in the "student section." Seven hours later we landed at Heathrow in London and jumped our next plane to Brussels, Belgium. After spending 17 hours traveling, we board our charter bus and met our Begian bus driver Hugo.
Thirty minutes later we arrived at the 400 year-old Irish College in the city of Leuven where we were welcomed by the Director of the Irish College and fed a delicious meal. Following dinner, Professor Piet Sercu and Gonda Huybens guided us around the historical and quaint town of Leuven. We journied along winding, coble stone streets lined with bicycles and flowers. Richard Vogen even received a "gift from above" in the form of a bird poo. Numerous buildings we visited were destroyed during both WWI and WWII, but were rebuilt with original architecture and names. Our tour took us to a gorgeous city park where portions of the old city wall still remain. Toward the end of our tour, we saw the intircate Leuven Town Hall. Despite, few funds and a lack of space, this building was constructed to top the gothic architecture of the town hall in Brussels, and succeeded according to our tour guides. Hopefully, our tour will help us find our way around Leuven this week and discover the local culture. After two long days, jet lag and very little sleep, some of us are headling out to explore the night scene (running on pure adrenaline), while others are going to bed. Tomorrow morning we visit a familiar establishment and a little piece of home known as McDonalds!
Posted by Evan Hultine, Alyssa Bane, Reid Thompson, Xiaoying Hou
