From languages to waffles: UVA students explore culture in Belgium

Student Experience

From languages to waffles: UVA students explore culture in Belgium

When University of Virginia third-year student Jaime Donatucci signed up for the January term program, she expected to pick up some insights about Belgian culture and maybe eat a few good waffles. What she didn’t expect was how much a two-week trip would reshape her view of the world.

“There is a different depth to learning that comes from being immersed in another culture that goes far beyond anything that can be gained in a classroom, textbook or lecture hall,” she said.

Filip Loncke, a native Belgian and a professor in �鶹�ƽ�� School of Education and Human Development, launched the program in 2010. It represents a longstanding collaboration between UVA and two Belgian partner universities: University College Ghent and University College Léonard de Vinci in Brussels.

Open to all undergraduates, with financial aid available, the program draws students from a range of majors. This year, 25 UVA students boarded a plane to Brussels. For many, it was their first time in Europe.

Learning by doing

The three-credit course explores linguistic and cultural stereotypes, statistics and research methodology, and the complex intersection of language, speech and culture.

Two side by side candid photos of the students in Belgium, left, outside on a tour, right, inside eating waffles

On their first full day in Belgium, students take a guided walking tour of Ghent, a university town and cultural hub. Later, University College Ghent professor Remco Mostert distributes homemade waffles during a gathering of UVA and Belgian students. (Photos by Laura Hoxworth)

Though small, Belgium’s layered political history has produced a rich mix of languages and cultural identities. Most of the program is based in Ghent, located in the Dutch-speaking Flanders region. Two nights are spent in Brussels, the bilingual capital and home to the European Parliament.

Over the years, more than 250 students have taken part in the program. For Loncke, that legacy is a source of pride.

“Each number represents a story,” he said, “a first research project, new friendships, cultural discovery. Watching students return more confident, more curious and proud to carry this experience on their resume has been the greatest reward.”

Throughout the course, students contribute to a long-term research project, analyzing speech patterns across linguistic backgrounds. They collect data and use specialized software to analyze aspects of speech, like frequency and amplitude.

Learning extends beyond lecture halls. In Ghent, students took part in a virtual reality tour of the iconic Ghent Altarpiece. In Brussels, they toured the European Parliament and the House of European History. A day trip to Bruges, one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval cities and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, gave students a chance to wander cobblestone streets alongside horse-drawn carriages.

With several free days, some students ventured even farther, ringing in the New Year in cities like Paris, Amsterdam, Antwerp and London.

For Alex Buddendeck, a double major who usually spends her summers working, the program offered a rare chance to travel abroad while staying on track academically.

“One of the biggest lessons I learned was the importance of pushing myself outside of my comfort zone,” she said. “I entered this program not knowing anyone else or any of the professors, but by being open and putting myself out there, I was able to build meaningful friendships and fully engage in the experience.”

Connecting across cultures

A big part of the program’s impact comes from direct interaction with Belgian students, faculty and community members. Through lectures and activities at the partner universities, students begin to see how small differences – an accent, a gesture, an unspoken expectation – can influence communication and relationships. UVA students also interviewed Belgian citizens about their perceptions of Americans and the cultural differences between the two countries.

La Grand-Place, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the central square of Brussels that dates back to the 1600s and earlier, shines at night. (Photo by Laura Hoxworth)

At the university in Ghent, students toured a simulation lab and participated in a team-building exercise, sparking conversations about leadership, collaboration and how groups function best.

Another hands-on exercise challenged students to learn the rules of a card game without speaking, highlighting the role of nonverbal communication and the frustration that can arise from navigating “unwritten” rules.

“Everybody has a different identity and culture, so it’s important that you recognize the barriers between them and work to understand their values and beliefs,” said second-year student Adreanna Bibb, who wants to become a pediatric psychologist.

The exchange doesn’t end when students return home. In April, a group of Belgian students will travel to Charlottesville. UVA students are looking forward to welcoming their new friends – and sharing a bit of their own culture.