Study trip to Leuven 2023
From 13th - 15th March 20 language students travelled to Leuven. Below are their reflections on the trip.
Leuven & Brussels Reflection Piece 2023
By: Craig Holbrook
As a final year student studying Modern Languages (French & German) this trip was undoubtedly a very unique and invaluable learning experience for several reasons. Firstly, it provided me with an excellent opportunity to engage with and learn from experts in my field of interest. By attending lectures by interpreters, EU officials, and professors from around Belgium I was able to gain an understanding of the work they do and the pathways to their careers. Additionally, being able to ask questions allowed me to clarify any doubts or misconceptions I may have had.
Secondly, this trip provided me with an opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of the European Union's inner workings. Visiting the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Flemish parliament, and the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the European Union in Brussels gave me a sense of how these different institutions work together and how they relate to one another. As someone who is interested in working for the Department of Foreign Affairs after graduating, and later on the European Union, this experience was invaluable in helping me gain an intimate insight into these organizations.
Thirdly, this trip was an opportunity to immerse myself further into a new culture and into one of my target languages. By visiting Belgium, I was able to learn more about Belgian history, culture, and society. Additionally, being in a country where French and German are spoken exposed me to these languages and allowed me to practice my language skills in a real life setting, which is always a bonus!
The lectures included in this trip were outstanding and I felt were very tailored to my degree as we learnt about Language and Identity in Belgium, The Growing Impact of Multilingualism in European Society, and Multilingualism and Communication. In between lectures and visiting these institutions we were given a guided tour through the medieval city of Leuven which was very interesting and we had each evening to ourselves to explore and sample the local food and famous Belgian beer!
My favourite part of the trip was learning about the history of the Irish College in Leuven, which is where we stayed. The Programme Liaison Officer Ryan McGuinness gave us a fantastic overview and history of the Irish College, which developed the Leuven Typeface that set the standard for the reproduction of the Irish Language for more than 350 years! We were very well looked after by all the staff at the Irish College, especially the two interns Orlaith Curtin and Michael Hally who brought us around Leuven and Brussels. Additionally our teachers Janée Allsman and Helga Muellneritsch were very supportive and engaging throughout the entire trip who also looked after us very well. I would definitely recommend the Irish College in Leuven to anybody interested in visiting it in the future.
Overall, this trip was an excellent learning experience and investment in my future. It provided me with a unique learning experience that would be difficult to replicate in a classroom setting. The opportunity to engage with experts in my field, gain first-hand knowledge of the European Union's workings, and immerse myself further into the culture and languages surrounding the EU institutions has undoubtedly helped me in my pursuit of my future career goals. For future students, I would highly recommend taking advantage of this opportunity to gain valuable insights and experiences that could help shape your career aspirations and open your eyes to what’s out there.
Reflection on Leuven 2023
By: Elena O’Sullivan
The Belgium trip was a wonderful three-day experience, jam-packed with interesting talks and visits, with some shenanigans on the side. I came on the trip as a second year Modern Languages student (studying French, Spanish, and Japanese) to get some insight into future career opportunities and how to get started in them, and also to get to see a bit of Belgium and have fun. I managed to do all these things, and afterwards in Dublin I bribed my family with Belgian chocolate to sit patiently while I gushed endlessly about all the things I did, saw, and learned.
We learned a ton about Belgium itself, and its linguistic and political situation, through various talks and just interacting with Belgians. If you’re studying languages, you’ll find the unique linguistic situation in Belgium really interesting. It’s a very multilingual country and there’s a lot of strong opinions and feelings about particular languages, which vary by region. The political situation is very interesting too – Belgium actually has six governments, for example. Want to know why and how? Go on the trip.
We had the opportunity to go to various EU institutions, such as the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU. In these places, we were able to learn about how the EU functions, the roles of its various institutions, and the variety of career paths available in these places. What I really loved was that we were told not only about these career paths, but how to get started in them and what is required of you, from people who were in these careers and who were happy to field questions about them. My absolute favourite part of the trip was meeting a woman who had done Modern Languages like me in college, and she was now doing an internship in the European Commission. It was amazing to hear the details of her career path so far, and to hear all the ups and downs she’s experienced. I cannot overstate enough how important this trip has been in opening my eyes to future career possibilities and, most importantly, in giving me a clear guideline to enter these careers.
Aside from all this, we had the opportunity to visit other interesting places, among them the Parlamentarium, the Flemish Parliament, and more. We were very busy during the day but we were free for lunch and usually after 5pm in the evening. It was lovely to explore Leuven and Brussels and, for us students of French, to be able to inflict our broken French on the poor Bruxellois. We had some fun misadventures – Louvain and Louvain-la-Neuve are two very different places, it turns out – and we had really nice accommodation in the Irish College. We all felt like we had gotten an AirBnB.
It was a very busy trip, so we were all wrecked by the end of it, but it was a wonderful experience, and I highly recommend it. If I have the chance to in fourth year, I’m definitely going again. For people who are considering going, I’d suggest coming prepared with questions, so you can make the most of the talks and tours.
