Yesterday I returned from Brussels, where I’ve been last days. The reason of the trip was attending the pre-departure briefing of the Vulcanus programme, I was selected for two months ago.
I took a flight on Sunday, after sleeping less than 3 hours and packing everything in ten minutes. After 2 hours sleeping in the plane, I arrived Brussels and went to the central station by train. It got lost looking for the hotel, but after 5 minutes walking in the wrong direction, I found the right way.
Once in the hotel, i left my luggage in my room and went visiting the city (it was my first time in Brussels). When I returned to my room i met Jan, from Czech Republic, who was my room partner. We introduced ourselves and talked some time, before going to the hall, where we were supposed to meet all the other Vulcanus people.
They came after little time, and we had a beer together in the hotel bar. Once all have arrived, we went to have dinner to a restaurant. It was very funny meeting all that people, from so different places, and realizing that we are going to spend one year together in Japan. After dinner, some of us (Darek from Poland and Fer, Juane and I from Spain) went to have a beer in an Irish pub.
Juane, Rebeca and Juan (ES)
Next day, after sleeping around 4 hours, we met in the hotel hall, and went together to briefing. The briefing itself was very interesting, and we were given a lot of information about everything related to the programme: life in Japan, things to bring with, the schedule for the first 4 months (the language course), etc. Some of us also signed the contract, and I got some more information about where i’m going to live (a little apartment in Tokyo), and about what’s going to be my trainee in the NTT Data Corp :)
We had lunch in an Italian restaurant, and after that Anne, a German girl who were in the programme two years ago, told us about her experiences and answered our questions. It was not until then, that i really realized that I’m going to be one whole year in Japan… it was a strange feeling, like vertigo. :P
Juan (ES), Pedro (ES), Rasa (LT), Rebeca (ES) and Fer (ES)
After the briefing we did some group pics, and some of us went to the building’s roof where we enjoyed a fantastic sight of Brussels. Back in the hotel we rested a little bit in our rooms. I talked a while with Jan, and afterwards I met Fer and Cris (IT) in their room, and we had a beer together. Then we went to the hotel bar, and waited for Anne (the German ex-Vulcanus) and were talking some time with her and Christian (DE).
Then we went to eat a kebap, and met the remaining people, but most of them were already leaving. Anyway, some of us stayed: Cris and Enrico (IT), David (FR), Hannu (FI), Anne (DE), and Fer, Rebeca and me (ES). We had some beers and talked a lot about the programme and Japan. We also asked a lot of questions to Anne (thanks for your patience and for staying ‘til the end “remolona” :p).
We went to bed late, and I almost lost the flight back to Spain. Thanks Jan for waking me up ;) And that’s almost all. Jan and I went together to the airport, and I arrived to Madrid after two hours sleeping in the plane.
Now I must study all the documentation they gave me, learn Japanese (hiragana and katakana at least), and prepare everything for a year in Japan. I still can’t believe it :D
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