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oliviassummerabroad-blog · 6 years

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Journal Entry #16

July 23 2018

Journal Entry #16

Hello today from Leuven! Throughout our time in Belgium, I had heard a lot about Leuven, mainly because of its strong academic history, so I was eager to see what the town was all about.According to page 125 of the reader, the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, or theKU Leuven, heavily influences the culture of the city and was established in 1425, and is thus, the oldest university in Belgium. From the moment we arrived, I was already in awe that this medieval city could possibly be a youthful college town. It made me laugh thinking about when I toured UC Berkeley for the first time how impressed I was with all the history the school and surrounding city had to offer!

We began our time in Leuven with a lecture from Professor Patrick Pasture on the history of the European Union called “Imagining European Unity.” In this lecture, I was intrigued by just how many attempts for European unity have failed, even if seemingly, many European leaders seemed keen on having a united Europe. I was also interested in the hidden motives behind the EU, meaning it is not just an organization created to generate and maintain economic movement around Europe and preserve European culture, but it is also an organization created as a tool of political control against potentially stronger nations or regions or to potentially suppress weaker ones, including former European colonies.

After lunch, we met at one of the most beautiful city halls I have ever laid my eyes on! Here we began our city walking tour led by Professor Violet Soen. Even if many of the details of the building were added in the 19thcentury (the case in so many Belgian cities). This city hall is similar to Brussels (which I will see tomorrow), but is actually a bit taller and has no belfry. Right across from the city hall, we saw St. Peter’s Church, another intricately decorated church. On top of the church, I was surprised to see a golden figurine hitting a bell! I haven’t seen anything like that in any of the churches in the Low Countries so far. After visiting the church, we saw a statue of philosopher Erasmus and even steps on which he used to walk on!

As we strolled through the city, we got to see different colleges throughout the town. As we learned, the term “colleges” isn’t synonymous with the term “universities,” as it is in the English language. Rather, these colleges are actually dorms that have historically included chapels, common areas, and cafeterias. Some are privately owned and some are owned by the school, but all seem to have the same youthful energy, even in a town where most students are gone due to summer vacation.

Our final visit (and my favorite) was led by bell player Luc Rombouts, who plays the large bells at Leuven’s famous university library bell tower. While the steps to get to the top were steep and narrow, being able to see the Leuven from the top was so rewarding after the treacherous climb. The live music that Luc played us (including Let It Be by the Beatles and Für by Beethoven) was such a sweet way to end our day in Leuven. It really made consider how often I have taken for granted the many bells I’ve heard in the Netherlands and Belgium during my stay here. Each detail of the city has so much history and depth and should never be overlooked.

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