Hidden Brussels: race to victory!

How do you teach Global Navigators to safely and independently move through a foreign city while seeing the sites, learning a little history, experiencing the culture, and building team communication skills? An Amazing Race-themed scavanger hunt, of course!

Participants began their race at the Gare Centrale train station in Brussels, from which they had to find their way (on foot or by metro) to the Grand Place to reunite at the first checkpoint (Neuhaus Chocolates) with their program leaders. After this initial check in, they were free to pursue the clues in any order. 

Planning an approach, however, was the first task, because not all clues were created equal--some were further away, but offered more points, whereas others were nearby, but only worth one point. Additional points were nearly always awarded for engaging with the locals, such as this selfie taken with an employee of Friteland, a must for French fries in Brussels since 1978.

Students also earned bonus points by searching for historical information such as the date when the town hall was built (1455!) and whose statue sits on its steeple (St. Michel, patron saint of Brussels!).

No visit to Brussels would be complete without seeing the Manneken Pis--comfortably clothed in pyjamas on this day--but did you know he has a sister, the Jeanneke Pis? And a dog, the Zinneke Pis? Now the family is complete!