Traveling to Luxembourg is no easy feat. Despite being nestled between France, Germany and Belgium, Luxembourg is merely a dot on the map. Many people have never even heard of the country – or they think that it's a city in Germany.
However, anyone who steps foot on Miami University’s campus knows of the 998-square-mile nation. Students like me, who choose to spend a semester with Miami’s Dolibois European Center (MUDEC), come to know it as well as we know Oxford.
So, off I went on a 24-hour travel journey from my hometown of Chicago, to Differdange, Luxembourg. After two planes, a one-night layover in Luxembourg City, a shuttle to the Chateau for lunch and one long, uphill walk with two suitcases, I was finally settled into my first real apartment.
Views from Luxembourg City, featuring the Adolphe Bridge, which used to be the world’s largest stone arch when it was built in 1900.
After arriving in Luxembourg, the first task on everyone’s list is to get over the dreaded jetlag. Although Luxembourg is six hours ahead of Ohio, the jetlag didn't bother me. Although, there was about a 24-hour stint when I was awake because I could not sleep on the plane. A word of advice you’ve probably heard before: stay awake until it’s “bedtime” in the country you are now living in.
Some of the hardest parts of the first week were navigating how to set up an apartment for the first time, cooking my own meals, traveling around a new city and attending all-day orientation sessions from MUDEC. These tasks and activities filled my Thursday and Friday before classes started the following Monday.
While there were the expected lecture presentations we had to sit through, the staff also took us on a tour of Luxembourg City, which simultaneously taught us how to use the public transportation system consisting of trains, buses and a tram through the city.
The first cooked meal my friend and I made was a caprese flatbread and pasta
I found it to be highly accessible and easy to navigate – it’s also entirely free. Another tip: Apple Maps’ “transit mode” is a big help when navigating public transportation in another language.
Luxembourg has one of the highest GDP per capita in the world. In other words, it’s an expensive place to live, which is also why Luxembourg has a high commuter population in its workforce, mainly from France and Germany, which have lower costs of living.
However, being from Chicago, I find Luxembourg to be similarly priced, if not cheaper. In particular, I have found groceries are much more affordable, and I can get more food for a lower cost than in the States.
As my first weekend began, Differdange lit up with the true activity of a Miami student: “going out.” I’m not sure how, but MUDEC students all find their way to the same local pubs and transform the place to feel like an Oxford bar.
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As expected with a drinking age of 16, alcohol is more accessible in Luxembourg than in the States, and drink prices are comparable to Oxford. But, I’d be remiss to not emphasize the importance of safety when drinking in a foreign country.
For some, consuming less than they typically would in Oxford may be the best decision, and the “buddy system” very much exists among MUDEC students. The camaraderie of a bunch of Ohio kids looking out for each other across the Atlantic Ocean is rather comforting.
It’s also important to note that Ubers are incredibly expensive here. So after a night out, you’ll find yourself walking home if you live close or taking late-night public transportation. I wouldn’t recommend doing this alone after dark.
The view from my apartment in downtown Differdange.
On Monday, Aug. 26, classes started with the rest of Miami’s campuses. Classes here feel similar and are taught in English. All of my professors are from Luxembourg or neighboring countries, so I can interact with and learn from local Europeans. Two key differences I’ve noticed are a stricter attendance policy and more class presentations than my usual political science and journalism course load.
However, there is something very different that I miss: air conditioning. It simply does not exist here, so I am quite literally always hot. Sure, there are other American staples that I am deprived of, like my beloved ranch dressing and ice water, but Europe has a (somewhat sad) attempt at ranch, and there are ice trays in my freezer.
Air conditioning, on the other hand, cannot be replicated. The sweet relief I find at bedtime when setting the thermostat to a precise 70 degrees has been left behind in the States and replaced with a mediocre desk fan that barely gets the job done.
I don’t anticipate finding a room that isn’t incredibly stuffy while on the continent, though I have hope. If I do stumble upon a miraculous room that feels below 80 degrees, it might make headlines. For now, I’ll have to withstand the heat of European culture and new experiences.
Raquel is a junior political science and journalism student. She has written and now edits for The Student since her first year in the Campus & Community section and especially enjoys political reporting. This semester, she will be writing several columns about her time in Luxembourg.
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