One thing I found super interesting was the frequent use of AI imagery on large billboards throughout the city. At least half of all advertisements were noticeably AI-generated, which I think is quite different from what I see in the US. It was an observation that I am still quite interested in understanding today and…
Looking Forward
As a young director who was pushing far beyond my previous work, I think the greatest hurdle to overcome was the immense workload, organization, and confidence required to pull our project off. I remember constantly planning our next moves, the next shot, and the next shooting day. Our painter, my assistant director, and the many…
Ditch Google Maps!
One thing I love about exploring new places is memorizing the layout of the city that I am in. I enjoyed ignoring my phone, picking a direction to walk, and walking across the city from memory. By the end of the trip, I could just about get anywhere in Dakar without Google Maps– at one…
Why Senegal?
During my study abroad trip, I filmed a documentary about a boat painter living on the Yoff coast in Dakar. It was for this reason that UI actually chose to study in Senegal, as the Frederick Honors College Research and Culture in Senegal Program was very excited about my proposal when I came to them…
Adjusting to a new experience
Dakar is a modern city. I went to the grocery store, I took Ubers (Yango being the Senegalese equivalent), and I went to the bank; but it’s the little differences that you have to get used to. For one thing, traffic is a big issue and public transit can be intimidating to try, as it…
Do you speak french?
Brussels was a primarily french speaking city, and that made for some pretty funny scenarios. Around 3 or 4 of my peers spoke decent French, some bordered on fluent. But when trying to order or start conversations in French, they were quickly shut down. Ironically enough, I do NOT speak french past the elementary level,…
Academic Success: Are American Students more confrontational?
In my time at Brussels, on of the biggest difference I noticed was how much American students ask questions. I think it’s because we’re taught that raising your hand and challenging the professor is how you show you’re smart and engaged; and it was a room full of Pre-Law or research driven students. We received…
“Aha” Moment
My first real “aha” moment came during a meeting with European Commission officials. Listening to them describe how a single policy gets negotiated across 27 member states, each with different governments, economies, and priorities, completely reframes how I think about governance. Something I found particularly interesting was how every agreement has to be accessible in…
Bye, Bye, Brussels
Looking back on my time in Brussels, and the EU as a whole, I feel grateful for everything a learned. Exploring a country and nation so foreign to me gave me so much perspective on the world and people around me! Learning of the cultural differences between Belgium, Amsterdam, the US, and many surrounding cities…
Why Brussels? Research, Research, Research!
My name is Andrea! I am currently a senior at the Frederick Honors College. I’m pursuing a dual degree in Political Science (Theory & Comparative) and History (Race and Violence). This summer I attended the Governance and Policy in Brussels program. I joined for mainly two reasons: I have a good relationship with one of…