Belgium

My Erasmus experience is Liège was marked by months of rain and cloudy sky. Nevertheless, I think that at that time I was not yet as meteoropathic as I am now, so I managed to adapt very quickly and was able to enjoy, despite the bad weather, the fantastic experience that Liège gave me. Arriving in September, I found a very variable climate. In fact, the temperature ranged from 10 degrees to peaks of 20-22 during the day, for which sunscreen and short-sleeved t-shirts were necessary. But unfortunately the good season does not last long. In fact, from October onwards I had to deal with rather cloudy and gloomy sky and unpleasant drizzle. So my advice is to always dress like an onion, in layers, especially since the temperatures inside the buildings could make you feel very hot. But at the same time don't forget an umbrella and a rain coat, very practical for weekend trips.

Liège is truly a place to taste! Famous for its gaufres et boulettes à la liègoise, the great city of Wallonia managed to sweep me off my feet and even make me fall in love with its beer. I spent the best evenings of my Erasmus at the famous Pot au lait bar, a unique place to meet people, relax and discover bizarre and original objects and furnishings. Beer was the ever-present companion of our nights. Liège is in fact the city where the Jupiler is brewed, which it can be found in every corner of the city and student party. At the end of the evening, Le Petit Carré was the place to refuel before going to bed. Open until late at night, I was able to taste some really 'out of bounds' fries, accompanied by my favourite sauce, Andalusian salsa. Weekends were punctuated by walks along the Meuse river and binges of gaufres, a typical Liège speciality! Une Gaufrette Saperlipopette, the place of the heart was located right halfway between my house and the main square, therefore an unmissable stop on my weekend strolls. Finally, I cannot fail to mention the famous boulettes à la ligèoise, always and exclusively at La Regence, a rustic but affordable place for students and young people.

As soon as I arrived in Liège for my Erasmus, thanks to my new Italian friend, who was very motivated to do sport, I joined a local gym very convenient for students called Jims. Besides being my very first experience in a gym (I had always done group sports before), I discovered very varied and stimulating activities. Among them I found an exceptional class that could motivate me even to wake up early on Sunday mornings: Body Combat. This high-intensity fitness class, choreographed and based on the movements of martial arts and other combat sports, exercises all the major muscle groups and was a real way for me to let off steam and release any tension accumulated during the day. I didn't think I could create such a systematic routine and feel part of a group in a short time. Thanks to this new discovery, today I continue to practice this activity in other cities and places I go to.