Senior Charlotte Timmermans moved from Belgium last year, and she has noticed some differences between living here and living in Belgium. 

Timmermans said students at her former school have seven 50-minute classes every day instead of four 85-minute classes. 

Also in Belgium, students choose a career path in high school, such as language, medicine or science. Students also have less freedom in their course selection. 

When Timmermans was still in Belgium, she took the language pathway and learned how to read and write Latin and Greek, in addition to the languages she already spoke, Dutch and English. 

The biggest difference she has noticed between the two countries is “the way of living.” She said that everyone is really nice in Cedarburg, in a way that people in her former town were not. For example, she said when she walks her dog, someone will always say “hi” or talk about how cute her dog is. 

Timmermans also said that people in America—and in Cedarburg, specifically—always seem to be doing something, whether that be sports, extracurriculars or working. Timmerman is on the golf and ski teams and enjoys hanging out with her friends in her free time. 

Belgium, however, also has many positives. Timmermans said the quality of food “is just a little better in Europe.” She also said the chocolate is fantastic and that there are entire restaurants dedicated to fries, which she loves.