Meet Vanessa: host of Written By Women book club

Meet Vanessa, originally from Puerto Rico. She has been living and working in Belgium since 2021. Vanessa enjoys dancing, reading, and making art. She speaks Spanish, English, en een beetje Nederlands.

By
International House Leuven
5 August 2025

Get to know Vanessa

Name: Vanessa
Pronouns: She/her
Country of Origin: Puerto Rico
Time in Belgium: Since 2021
Countries Lived In: 3 (Puerto Rico, USA, Belgium)
Activity: Written by Women Book Club
Languages: Spanish, English, and a bit of Dutch!
Favourite thing from home country: I love the Puerto Rican food! One of my favorite dishes from home is called mofongo which is plantain based. You can watch this great description of the dish by Guy Fieri here. Also, the fact that the beach, forest, and mountains are not that far from one another so you can enjoy beautiful nature!
Fun fact about country of origin: Puerto Rico is the smallest big island in the Caribbean. We are a Spanish speaking country but also an US territory. We are known for many things including having the longest Christmas celebrations. Something I loved as a kid during Christmas was the “parrandas” which our version of caroling. Friends show up unexpectedly late at night with instruments to sing and wake you up for food, music, and fun.
Favourite thing about Belgium/Flemish life: I really enjoy seeing the fields and forest here in Belgium and the fact that it’s possible to move around by biking and taking public transit. I find the people friendly and love being here with my found family and building our life together.
Loves: Art, music, dancing, reading, playing video games, bird watching
Ask me about: Books, art, music, AI, education, places to eat, Zumba/AquaZumba

Vanessa is a proud ADHDer that loves to learn and connect with others. Originally from Puerto Rico, she lived in the U.S. for six years before making Belgium her home. With a background in mathematics and a passion for making a difference, Vanessa helps job seekers find a career in tech as a Data Scientist/AI Coach at BeCode. She is also an ambassador for Clusity.be, a women in tech community. Outside of work, you’ll find her enjoying good books, playing video games, listening to music, making art, and attending Zumba classes. Her pronouns are she/they.

Learn about the Written by Women Book Club

The Written by Women book club was created by Vanessa's cohost Viviana. It has been a wonderful place to share perspectives and trying different books. Even though, Vanessa always been an avid reader this was her first book club she had ever attended. She loves that the group gets to read different genres and topic and that it’s a safe space to share. It has become something she looks forward to every month!

"Feeling connected to others as an international can be challenging. My experience living in Belgium has shown me just how important community is. Through my work and various organizations supporting women and internationals, I've had the privilege of meeting people from all over the world. These connections have made a huge difference, and I'm incredibly grateful to everyone who has impacted my time here in both big and small ways. "

Would you like to join the group?

Keep an eye on our events page to find out when the next gathering will take place.

My advice for internationals is to encourage everyone to find those pockets of community that give you meaning.
July, 2025

Quickfire Quiz

Stoofvlees with fries or vol-au-vent?

Stoofvlees with fries

Favourite thing to do locally?

Aquazumba at the Sportoase

Friday market or Heverlee market?

Heverlee market

What song gets you dancing every time?

La Vida es un Carnaval – Celia Cruz

What motivates you?

Making a difference

One word your friends would use to describe you?

Cheerful!

Would you like to volunteer too? Check out the options!
Something wrong or unclear on this page? Let us know.
This page was last updated on: 5 August 2025