I recently spent four days in Belgium and it was an amazing experiences. It’s just mind-blowing how much this country has to offer. The four days I spent there were super busy but I saw a lot, learned so much and met so many incredible people. During my time there, I visited Bruges (Brugge) and Brussels, which is the headquarters of the European Union, too.

Brugge is an incredible place. It looks just like a fairytale city and it is so incredibly well-preserved. It’s a perfect mix of old and new. Everyone there was also so warm and friendly. Brussels on the other hand is a modern, vibrant city but also with amazing architecture, which I found fascinating. It’s called the Heart of Europe and I can totally understand why.

Learning about the history and culture of Belgium was really interesting. I love that about visiting new places. It’s good to see everything, but I also enjoy learning the stories behind everything. Of course, I had all the things Belgium is famous for – waffles (my favorite!!!), fries, and chocolate. I even got the chance to learn the traditional art of lace making.

In Brussels, we were treated like VIPs by the team from Visit Brussels and we got a special tour of the famous landmark of the city, the Atomium and also the Design Museum. It was super interesting, especially given the field I study and my love for Science.

I was totally spoilt in a way I never imagined during my stay in this city. (I actually had to get another luggage.) There were so many gifts. A gown, jewelry, skincare products, accessories, chocolate and even my very own fragrance based on scents that I loved.

The City of Brugge gave me an official welcome and it was such a great honor to get a grand tour of the City Hall. It’s been there for centuries and I was really in awe of what I saw and learned too. You actually realize that each person is just a dot on the timeline in the greater scheme of things.

As a small act of kindness, we could deliver a Easter gift to a local community center that offers meals to those who don’t have the financial means to support themselves. Giving back is an essential part of the work we do.

Making new friends is one of the best benefits of the job. I was delighted to meet Miss Supranational Belgium, Rachel. She is just like me – almost like we are twins. We have the same sense of humor, style and even say the same things at times. And it was great to see my girl, Dhenia (Miss Supranational Belgium 2018) again. Fun fact: Dhenia was the first contestant I met when I arrived. Love her!

I want to say a huge thank you to all the incredible people who welcomed us for dinner, spoiled me with gifts and treated us so well. The hotel was great, the food was amazing, the gifts were all exactly what I love but most of all the warmth and the kindness of the people will stay with me.

To Filip and the team from MissItems as well as Jean and Katia from the Miss Supranational Belgium team: you went out of your way to give me a true Belgian experience. Thank you for everything you did to make me feel like a queen. I can see why people fall in love with Belgium. It might be small country but it has so much to offer.