Sometimes you have to make a BIG SPALSH

Wow wow wow. I lived in Leuven for 8 entire months with less than 2 left! Where did my junior year go? This week, elections are being held at KU Leuven for each faculty for the equivalent of student government elections. Instead of having the usual debates or posters promoting candidates, KU Leuven has a carnival where everything is free! Only in Europe. To end the election carnival, Wednesday was the Big Splash!

Before the Big Splash 

So what is Big Splash you may ask. Well, it is a giant water balloon fight in the Ladeuzeplein right outside of the KU Leuven library sponsored by Lipton. Each faculty, which is a group of all people in the same major and a few groups for internationals, assembles a team and a president. Each team stands in a gigantic wrestling ring of sorts facing another ring with another team. At the sound of a bell, the teams begin tossing yellow water balloons in the air. The object of the team is to hit the president as many times as possible. Needless to say, everyone, not just the president, gets soaked! Since I had to go to class that afternoon, I was unable to be a part of the water balloon throwing, but I still had a blast!  I watched a handful of my friends from the house participate while I was the resident photographer! It was typical Belgian weather yesterday, meaning cool and overcast, so I didn't mind not getting soaked! It was absolutely incredible to listen to live music coming from the stage and watch hundreds of water balloons soar through the air!

Getting ready to toss balloons with Nuria, Cadgas, Ashley, Indigo, and Adrian

The first balloons being thrown!

Soaked head to toe after the madness! 

Enjoying free fries with Ashley in front of the stage

Part two of the Big Splash--some of my friends participated twice!

After five minutes or so of throwing water balloons, one team is declared victorious, meaning they move along in the competition. At the end, one victor is crowned. ESN Leuven won this year! The event also included free fries, Ben and Jerry's ice cream, and of course, ice tea!

Another water balloon fight that highlights the fact that this event takes place in front of the library!

This event is something that seems so typical Leuven to me. Nothing like this event has ever taken place at Loyola, or any other place I've ever been. Today was truly an amazing day that I will never forget! I absolutely loved making a BIG SPLASH!