Brussels in August: A Hot Take
About the author: Donovan Tokuyama ’20 is an FSI The Europe Center Intern at Bruegel in Brussels, Belgium. He is currently a computer science major at Stanford University.
You could say I got to Brussels fashionably late. Arriving in late July, most other interns in the city (Stanford or otherwise) were already gone or just finishing up their respective internships. The month of August in Brussels is characterized by a mass flight of policymakers, analysts, and interns out of the city for their summer vacations on the French Riviera, the Amalfi coast, or the Balkans. Yes, I know, doesn’t that just sound lovely. But I’m here to argue that August is in fact the best month to be in Brussels for an internship.
- The personnel desert means that you’ll be the star of the show.
With the EU Parliament out of session, work slows down and things are a bit more… relaxed. While this might sound like a bad thing, it actually works in an intern’s favor. The point of an internship is to learn under the guidance and mentorship of your host organization. When those in the office have less work and less stress, it’s far easier for them to spend time helping you get the most out of the experience. You’ll also get more say in what work you actually want to be doing. As deadlines are more flexible, you are free to pick a topic of choice to work on rather than being assigned to the project that needs more hands regardless of your interest level.
2. It’s arguably the best weather all year.
It’s important to note that “best” here is a relative term. It’s certainly not sunshine and shorts every day of the month, but the proportion of sunny days to cloudy or rainy days is high enough. If you’re hoping to see Brussels (and, by extension, other parts of Europe), this is the best weather to do it in. An important note for those planning on traveling here: make sure to bring a variety of clothes. Some days will be a bit chillier, some days will be quite warm — prepare for all of it. Bring an umbrella as well!
3. You’ll get to know those who are sticking around.
Perhaps just as important as the work you accomplish during an internship are the relationships you form. These will be useful to you in both personal and professional settings, you’ll have people to go out for drinks with after work and who will be able to write you a recommendation letter. Don’t underestimate the value of a smaller, more intimate setting when it comes to developing these relationships.
If you’re coming to Brussels to work in August, you’ll most likely be surprised by the sheer volume of workers on holiday leave. You might even think to yourself, “This sucks, I should’ve come a month or two earlier.” When that happens, I encourage you to think about the benefits of working in Brussels in August — whether they be the reasons I’ve listed above, or those reasons you come up with on your own.
