Exchange Student Program Belgium

One of the Continent's smallest countries, Belgium is nevertheless a significant European constitutional kingdom. With its flat, open landscape and crossroads location, the country has been vulnerable for centuries to invasion by vying European empire builders—Spain, France, Austria, and Germany—and, for better and worse, has thus found itself at the heart of European history.

Although, as headquarters of the European Union (EU), the capital Brussels is the de facto capital of Europe, nonetheless Belgium remains shortchanged in most travel guides. As a result, travelers tend to be inadequately informed and continue to give short shrift to sights worthy of a more lingering look.

While much of the rest of Europe remained in the so-called Dark Ages, Flemish towns experienced remarkable social and economic development from the 12th through the first half of the 15th century. Present-day Belgium boasts an extraordinary array of art and architectural treasures and other attractions in a compact area—and the Belgians, who developed Europe's first train line in 1835, have connected all the sights by rail for the traveler's convenience.

Belgium's trains are terrific, in fact, and because the country's pint-size proportions offer the advantage of short travel distances, it's entirely possible to base yourself in Brussels and head out by day to Bruges, Antwerp, and Ghent. Make sure that as an Two Worlds United student you leave yourself enough time to appreciate the unexpectedly rich rewards that await.