The Erasmus experience comes to an end

I decided to write a series of articles about my Erasmus experience in Wallonia. I have already done three articles about my plans, preparations and arrival. Now, as my exchange is over, I need to write one as a conclusion. 

What have Wallonia and Liège given me? This question needs a detailed answer. I already had an idea about the Region, having worked for AWEX before coming to Wallonia. But I was not aware of the spirit of this country, and that is what has greatly affected me. I have discovered the openness and friendliness of the Walloon people, and in my experience they - together with the Dutch and the Flemish - are one of the calmest, most peaceful people in Europe. It is very admirable! Also commendable are their spirit of organisation and their customer focus, which made all the essential bureaucracy easy for me. 

Wallonia's connectivity with the surrounding area and with the whole of Europe - not just physically but intellectually - is completely honourable. I have seen the existence of an extensive network between my university (University of Liège) and many other universities throughout the continent, and it has never been so easy for me to travel through western countries than from Belgium. It is clear that increasing the country's connectivity and integration will bring Wallonia even greater prosperity. 

The only thing I would reproach Liège and the Region for is their regionalist mentality. Despite having praised Wallonia's integration with its surrounding area in the previous part, I do not think that the people of Liège have a global, cosmopolitan outlook. Their thoughts and focus are very much on their own region and their local interests. A global, or at least national, perspective was absent from the discussions I heard and the Walloon texts I read. So, if you want to follow the advice of an Erasmus student who has spent five months in Wallonia and observed and studied the local culture, you need to open up Walloon minds to the entire world and look a bit further in the Region.