Oberlin Student Helps Refugees in Belgium for Winter Term Project

European adventures could bring about images of exotic food, beautiful architecture, and a nightlife to die for, but some Oberlin students have managed to explore this side of the “Eurotrip” while simultaneously helping those in need. I sat down with Oberlin student Kelly Roberts for a one-on-one about her trip abroad for winter term studies.

The Oberlin Tritone: What exactly did you do for your winter term project?
KR: I went to Belgium with another five Oberlin students to volunteer at a refugee center called Fedasil.

OT: Why did you decide to do this?
KR: I thought it would be a good world experience for me. I wanted to learn about others’ stories and struggles. Some of the other students wanted to do it to improve their French or because Belgium had the foreign appeal. There was one girl who had worked with refugees before in America and wanted more experience with that.

OT: And where exactly in Belgium did this take place?
KR: A small town called Rixensart, which turns out to be the wealthiest village in Belgium, even though it didn’t exactly feel wealthy in the way we have come to view such things in America.

OT: Was it a fun town?
KR: It actually totally sucked. It was beautiful, with cobblestone streets, but there were only about two things to do outside of the refugee center, where we lived. One was The Chalet – a tiny, crowded bar. The other was The Video Factory, which is a movie rental place where they would sell snacks. The snack food was funny! Cool Ranch Doritos were called “Cool American” and popcorn bags had Uncle Sam on them.

OT: That is funny! What other cultural differences did you detect while you were there?
KR: Well, it seems like the Oberlin fashion is kind of based on that of European style. Music in Belgium was different than the popular music here. On the radio, you’d hear American top 40 from years ago, and if you went out, there was a lot of techno. There’s even a dance style called “techtronique,” which looks like marshal arts and rave dancing combined. It’s interesting that all their popular music is in English.

OT: Did you find your experience to be rewarding?
KR: It was different than I expected. I realized that people are all basically the same. We all want happiness and safety. I felt that our presence was valued, especially since we were new faces in the center. Sometimes it seemed like we were pretty scandalous because we would hang out with the men, playing pool and talking. There were gender divisions we didn’t expect. Also, I wore PJ’s one day, and got asked if America was really that casual!

OT: Would you recommend this to other Oberlin students?
KR: Yes, but with some changes. There needs to be more communication and understanding of what the project is before embarking on it. It was poorly organized. I wouldn’t do it again, because I felt that our roles were not clearly defined and we sometimes felt useless. We would have liked more responsibility than we actually had.