Second time around....

I've been thinking about the things I'd do differently given my previous experience living in Leuven.

First off, there is no need for snow boots. It doesn't snow. So I could've saved myself the hassle of them not fitting in my lugagge and wearing them on a transatlantic flight with a 7 hour layover.

In close relation to that, you don't need 10 sweaters. Really. The key to surviving Leuven is layers. Cause inevitably, you will find yourself in a bar. If you get there early, it'll be cold, or you might want to drink a beer outside. But later, the bar will be full and you will be drunk and very, very hot. You can't dance salsa in thermal pants. I learned that the hard way. But if you're not gonna dance salsa and are cold, thermal pants are still ridiculous...so how do you get rid of them? Embrace the power of thights and leggings.

A raincoat or waterproof jacket is essential. Make sure it falls below the waistline of your pants and you will be safe from drafts.

Pack your bags, remove half the clothes you packed originally, replace with food from home. For me, that means powdered chili for snacking on fruit, dried beef for machacado, green salsa (cause I can always make the red one but you can be sure you'll never find tomatillos in Belgium), gum, snacks, cigarrettes, etc. Packing or finding the right spices means you can cook anything you did before. I once cooked picadillo, Mexican red rice, frijoles charros, guacamole with pico de gallo, and quesadillas for 10 people. The hardest part about organizing this dinner was estimating how many days before I'd have to buy the avocados for them to be perfectly ripe. There are several Asian grocery stores that carry fresh fruits and vegetables you'd otherwise never find.

Choose a GREAT backpack and buy foldable, reusable bags for those unexpected trips to the grocery store.

Wake up early on a weekday and explore the town. There is a great Target-style (HEMA) store that I found probably halfway through the semester. If I had found this earlier, I probably would have invested in good cooking pans and utensils.

Don't settle for the first (or second) kot/studio you visit. I was pretty satisfied with the location and cost of my kot, but later, as I met new people, I realized I could've had a roomier...err....room.

Changes in On-line Application from December 1, 2009

I've had most of my application filled out for a while now. I am pretty much just waiting for December to roll around so I can print out my application and mail it to the Office of International Admissions, as the aplication period starts on Dec. 1 and ends March 1 for non-EU students.

Today, I decided to re-check the list of what KUL calls the "core documents" of your application (transcripts, university diploma, TOEFL, passport + photo). The following notice was posted on the Application Form page:

"Applications for the 2010-2011 academic year start in December 2009. Starting from December 1, 2009 a new version of the online application form will be available on the K.U.Leuven website, so kindly check our website by then for the correct link."

I guess filling out the new format won't be too much of a hassle, but I'll be pretty pissed if the new format includes new requirements. If so, the changes should be announced at least a month before the application period begins. Oh well, guess I'll have to wait for December to find out.

Fortunately, I've cleared up some other stuff that was making me extremely nervous. In Mexico, university diplomas are sent to Mexico City to be approved and signed by the Department of Education, and this causes a 15-18 month delay between graduation and delivery of said diploma. KUL's requirements included sending a certified copy of my university diploma with my aplication, as well as showing the original upon enrollment in September of 2010. I highly doubt I'll be able to fulfill either of these requirements. Fortunately, my contact at the International Office told me that the "Certificate of Diploma in Progress" will suffice.

I guess Belgians understand bureaucracy. It is just as bad or perhaps even worse than in Mexico. Fingers crossed, upon my arrival next year I'll be able to describe that. :D