Liesbet Van Acker was a Belgian 2022-2023 Fulbright Student to Harvard University. She is a Ph.D. candidate at KU Leuven’s Consumer Competition Market and Research Foundation Flanders (FWO). Liesbet obtained her Master of Laws at KU Leuven (magna cum laude) including an exchange at Queen Mary University London and several internships, including with the European Commission. We sat down with Liesbet to ask her about her time in the United States and how the city of Boston lived up to her expectations of life in America.
Q: “What were you studying in the USA?”
“During the academic year 2022-2023, I pursued an LL.M. (Master of Laws) at Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. During this year, I focused on antitrust law, climate law, and soft skills, such as negotiation.”
Q: “Can you describe a typical day in your life in Boston?”
“A typical day would include one or two two-hour classes and a few hours in the library to prepare for upcoming classes or write papers. I would grab lunch with friends and every single night of the year there was a social event in the evening; ranging from drinks with friends, cooking together, movie nights, or dance parties.”
Q: “Has the United States been what you expected? In what ways has life in the USA surprised you, either for its similarities to or differences from your own culture?”
“The USA has many different faces, but Boston was quite similar to Belgium. While there are small differences (for example, Americans are considered more welcoming), the similarities were plentiful.”
Q: “What advice would you give to someone who is considering applying to the Fulbright Program?”
“Go for it! The Fulbright Program gave me the opportunity to pursue an incredibly interesting degree, meet great friends from all over the world, and grow as a person. Why not just try it?”