My stay in Antwerp
My thoughts: As a Dutch student going to Antwerp I didn’t expect too many difficulties in adjusting to the language and the country. Although the language is kind of similar to ours, it will take some time to get adjust to the Antwerp dialect. They use other words than we do, most of the times this can lead to funny misunderstandings.
On the surface it looks as if Belgium and Dutch people have the same values and norms. If you stay in Belgium for a longer period of time you will notice that this is actually completely untruth. I think that the Belgium people look and act much sweeter than the Dutch; this of course doesn’t mean that they are.
While Dutch people are very open and extrovert the Belgium’s are more closed and introvert. In Belgium, especially in Antwerp, they are already kind of used to Dutch people being extrovert and loud (this is because there are a lot of Dutch people living in Antwerp), but this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t consider the fact that your attitude or you being direct could offend the Belgium’s.
Practical matters:
My advice: The cost of living in Belgium is almost similar with the costs in The Netherlands. Normally a room, studio or apartment in Belgium is less expensive than in The Netherlands, but in Belgium you have to rent a place for a minimum of a year. This is for most exchange students a problem, because they only come to Belgium for five months. So there are quite a lot of student rooms in the center of Antwerp that you can rent for a couple of months, but you will pay more each month in comparison with a year contract.
The food, going out, cloths, phoning is all a little bit more expensive in Belgium. Not that much more, but just so you know.
You are able to get a hot meal at the university during the day for a small price, but keep in mind the cafeteria closes at three o’clock. There are also a couple of restaurants where you can get a meal with student discount.
My thoughts: Antwerp is a very nice place for students. There is always something to do and to see. If you want to see some culture, there are a lot of museums, etc. You can visit other cities, like Brussels, Bruges and Gent.
Going out for a drink, a bite to eat or going dancing is also very nice in Antwerp. There are a lot of places where you can go so it’s impossible to get bored. The food is very nice in Belgium, in my opinion a lot better than in The Netherlands. Also the service in restaurants usually much better, in Belgium being a waiter is a real profession. Giving tips is the same as in The Netherlands.
As a girl it’s very nice to go out in Antwerp. Flemish guys are very shy, so you won’t get approached by them that much. If you want to get attention of a Belgium guy you will have to work for it… But keep in mind like in Amsterdam or The Hague Antwerp is also a multicultural city so there are a lot of other nationalities and these guys mostly aren’t that shy.
Making friends
My experience: Especially in the beginning people from the same countries hang out with each other. But nobody goes on Erasmus just for meeting people of your own country. So be open for new people and try to get to know as many people as possible. I didn’t really make new Belgium friends. I do not really know why, but I did make a lot of Erasmus friends.
I think Dutch and Belgium’s are generally different, but don’t really realize that so that makes it hard to understand each other. Belgium people will always be very friendly if they meet a new person.
My tip: A lot of Dutch students who study in Antwerp decide to go back home every weekend. Do not do this; you will miss a lot of experiences with your fellow classmates. And that would be a shame.