Reading is a wonderful way to practice your English.
Read With Me! An Intermediate English Travel Story – Almost Robbed in Belgium
Welcome back, everyone! I’m so glad you’re here. Whether you’re sipping coffee, tea, or maybe a matcha latte—get comfy, pull on your favorite hoodie, and let’s read together. Today, I have a special story for you, straight from my big blue travel journal: “Almost Robbed in Belgium.” This story is from my very first book, Short Travel Stories for English Learners. If you love learning English through fun and real stories, you’re in the right place.
Buy my Short Travel Stories book: https://learnenglishwithcamille.com/learn-english-books/#shorttravelbook
“You can take just 5 or 10 minutes out of your day and go through a short story, feel accomplished, and learn some English.”
Why learn English with short stories?
I want to start today by sharing just how powerful stories can be for language learning especially at the intermediate English level. When you read a story, especially a short one, you don’t just see random words and grammar—you see language in context. You also get a sense of accomplishment. I know you’re busy and you probably have a million things on your plate. That’s why I love short stories: you can enjoy one start to finish in the time it takes to drink your coffee.
Fun Fact: The story today is from my very first English learning book. Since then, I’ve written tons more—beginner, intermediate, and advanced stories, plus dialogue books. Shop here.
Today’s Story: Almost Robbed in Belgium
Today, I’m sharing a story about a real travel experience in Belgium. This one’s called “Almost Robbed in Belgium.” (Yes, this really happened!)
I’ll read the story all the way through, and then we’ll break it down. I’ll explain new or tricky words, discuss the travel experience, and finish up with some comprehension questions. Feel free to pause, re-read, or just enjoy as many times as you like.
Reading the Story
Almost Robbed in Belgium
We, Calvin, three friends and I, were tired when we arrived by bus to Brussels, Belgium and night was quickly approaching. We didn’t have a place to stay, so we were searching for a hostel.
None of us had a smartphone, so we had to rely on a good old-fashioned map and the people on the street. A guy told us a name for a great hostel and even circled it on our map. The problem was, we couldn’t find it. We ended up chatting with a guy named Daniel on the way, and he told us we could go to his apartment to use his Internet. The two guys went up while us three girls waited in the mail room, which was next to the apartment entrance, but you needed a key to get into the apartment area.
We saw two guys peering through the windows but assumed they lived there. When they entered and began to check their mailbox, things quickly got strange. It turns out they didn’t live there. We had all of our hiking backpacks in a pile on the floor. And one of the guys pretended to faint on top of our backpacks and was gasping the word “water.”
But it was a setup to distract us so the other guy could steal some of our stuff. We panicked, of course, as it was now dark and we were just three girls alone there. But then we saw two more guys peering in the window, and we yelled, “Help! They’re trying to rob us!” The guys came to our rescue, and the two thieves quickly fled the scene.
“Wow. We thought they were with you girls—a part of your group,” our rescuer said. “No, no,” we said. “Thank you for rescuing us.” They used the key to get us into the apartment area.
I’m still so thankful for them. What a strange experience.
Story Vocabulary Explained
Let’s Break Down Some Words (and Give You More Examples!)
Reading stories is amazing for learning new words in context. Now that you’ve read “Almost Robbed in Belgium,” let’s take a closer look at some useful vocabulary and phrases from the story.
Approaching
- Sentence in the story: “Night was quickly approaching.”
- What does it mean? “Approaching” means something is coming closer or getting near.
- More examples:
- “The train is approaching the station.”
- “As my birthday was approaching, I got really excited.”
Hostel
- Sentence in the story: “We were searching for a hostel.”
- Definition: A hostel is a cheaper place (often with shared rooms) where travelers can stay. You might find bunk beds—one bed on top of another. You can sometimes get a private room, but usually it’s many people together.
- More examples:
- “During my backpacking trip in Europe, I stayed in lots of hostels.”
- “Hostels were $20 a night back then! Now, they’re a little more expensive.”
Good Old-Fashioned
- Sentence in the story: “We had to rely on a good old-fashioned map.”
- Meaning: “Old-fashioned” means something that was used or common in the past.
- Examples:
- “My grandma’s cookies are made with an old-fashioned recipe.”
- “We learned math the old-fashioned way—with paper and pencil!”
- “Some people still use old-fashioned phones.”
Peering
- Sentence in the story: “We saw two guys peering through the windows.”
- Meaning: “Peering” is a fancier way to say “looking” or “looking carefully.”
- Examples:
- “She peered through the curtains to see who was outside.”
- “I peered into my backpack to find my keys.”
Pretend & Faint
- Pretend: To act like something is true when it’s not. For example, “Let’s pretend we’re pirates!”
- Faint: To lose consciousness for a short time, often falling because of sickness or stress.
- In my story: One guy pretended to faint on our backpacks, gasping, “water.” It was all a trick!
- Extra examples:
- “Kids love to pretend to be superheroes.”
- “It’s scary when someone faints on the bus.”
Gasping
- Sentence in the story: “He was gasping the word ‘water.’”
- Meaning: To breathe in air quickly, usually when you’re tired, sick, or scared.
- Examples:
- “After running, I was gasping for breath.”
- “He gasped when he saw the big surprise!”
Set Up / Distract
- Set up: In this context, to plan a situation to trick someone.
- Distract: To take someone’s attention away from what they should focus on.
- More examples:
- “I set up the room for the party.”
- “My little brother always distracts me when I’m doing homework.”
Traveling Before Smartphones
I know this might sound wild, but in my early travel days, there were no smartphones. That meant:
- No GPS or maps on your phone.
- No quick Google search for a hostel or place to eat.
- No calling for a ride or messaging friends easily.
“It was a little more adventurous—like, more unknown and unfamiliar.”
We used actual paper maps (so old-school!) and asked strangers on the street for directions. Sometimes we got lost, sometimes we found hidden gems, and sometimes, like in Belgium, things went a little sideways.
Understanding Hostels
A quick English lesson:
Hostel (noun)
- Cheap accommodation for travelers, often with shared bunk-bed rooms.
- Great for making friends from all over the world.
- Sometimes a little noisy—but always an adventure.
Bunk Bed (noun)
- One bed stacked on top of another.
- Usually found in hostels, dorms, or sometimes in kids’ rooms.
Back in the day, hostels were just $20 a night! I think they’re a bit more now, but if you want a cheap place to stay, and don’t mind sharing, hostels are a fun option.
Let’s Talk Old-Fashioned
Old-fashioned can describe lots of things. For example:
- Clothes: “He wore an old-fashioned suit like in the 1950s.”
- Teaching: “Some teachers still use old-fashioned chalk and blackboards.”
- Maps: “Paper maps are definitely old-fashioned!”
Sometimes being old-fashioned is fun—like listening to vinyl records or sending postcards. Other times, it just means you have to work a little harder to figure things out!
More Words in the Story: Examples and Explanations
Mail Room
- Where it appears: “We waited in the mail room.”
- What is it? A small room near the entrance of an apartment building. People have mailboxes there, and you might get your letters, bills, or magazines.
- Fun fact: Back then, mailrooms were important. Now so many things are digital—so not every building has one anymore!
Peering
As we already talked about, “peering” means to look carefully or closely, usually because you’re curious or worried. For example, the kids peered into the bakery window at all the cakes.
Pile
- Where it appears: “Our hiking backpacks were in a pile on the floor.”
- What is it? A “pile” is a group of things stacked or collected together, often messily, like a pile of clothes or books.
Panic
- Sentence in the story: “We panicked, of course, as it was now dark and we were just three girls alone there.”
- What does it mean? To feel really scared or lose control because you’re afraid.
- Examples:
- “Don’t panic if you forget your keys.”
- “I panicked when I saw the spider in my bed!”
Thief / Thieves / Rob
- Thief (noun): Someone who steals.
- Thieves (plural noun): More than one thief.
- Rob (verb): To take property that isn’t yours, especially by force.
- Steal (verb): To take something that isn’t yours.
- Examples:
- “The thieves ran away before the police arrived.”
- “She was robbed on vacation, but she learned to be more careful next time.”
Fled the Scene
- Sentence in the story: “The two thieves quickly fled the scene.”
- Meaning: To leave a place quickly, especially to avoid trouble.
- Examples:
- “The bird fled the scene when the cat appeared.”
- “After the accident, the driver fled the scene.”
Why Stories Matter and How You Can Learn From Them
When you read real stories (especially true ones!), you get more than just new vocabulary. You learn about culture, life situations, and you practice reading English that sounds natural. You also learn what to do if you ever end up in a similar situation.
Top benefits of learning English with stories:
- New words stay with you because you remember the story.
- Context shows you how to use words.
- You can pause any time, re-read, and go at your own pace.
- You feel more confident after finishing a story.
Comprehension Check
Let’s see what you remember! Try answering these questions. If you get stuck, just scroll back up to the story for help.
1. What kind of accommodation did we have in Brussels?
A: Hotel
B: Hostel
C: Apartment
D: Airbnb
2. Where were the girls waiting while the boys used the Internet?
A: The apartment
B: On the street
C: In the mail room
D: At the apartment entrance
3. What is the definition of “pile”?
A: A heap of things lying on top of one another
B: A pill
C: Clothing
D: Fall over because of weakness
1. B. Hostel – 2. C. In the mail room 3. A. A heap of things lying on top of one another
Let’s Review: Important Words from the Story
Here’s a quick table with words and their definitions you might still be wondering about:
| Word | Definition | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Hostel | A low-cost place travelers share | “We stayed in a hostel to save money.” |
| Bunk bed | One bed above another | “I always wanted the top bunk.” |
| Peering | Looking carefully | “She was peering out the window.” |
| Pretend | Act like something is true | “He pretended to be a superhero.” |
| Faint | To become unconscious | “I almost fainted in the heat.” |
| Gasp | To breathe quickly | “He was gasping for air.” |
| Distract | To take attention away | “The noise distracted me.” |
| Set up | Plan something (trick or event) | “They set up a surprise party.” |
| Panic | To be very scared and act fast | “Don’t panic—it will be okay.” |
| Thief | Someone who steals | “The thief took my backpack.” |
| Flee | To run away quickly | “He fled the scene.” |
| Scene | The place where something happens | “The scene of the crime was on Main St.” |
| Old-fashioned | Not modern; from the past | “She likes old-fashioned music.” |
| Mail room | Room for letters/packages | “Check the mail room for your box.” |
| Pile | Group of things together | “Put your books in a pile.” |
More About the Book & Learning With Stories
Did you know this story is just one out of almost 30 in my book? Plus, there are 420 vocabulary words for you to learn, all explained in simple English.
Every story comes with:
- A keyword list
- Comprehension quiz
You’ll build your vocabulary, improve reading, and get to have a little adventure—all in one book!
Check it out here: MY ENGLISH BOOKS or find it on Amazon!
My Real Travel Experiences (aka: Why I Love Writing These Stories!)
All my stories in this English Short Travel Story book are true! I’ve been to a lot of places (and sometimes learned lessons the hard way). I’ve had iPods stolen in Barcelona, money “magically disappear” from my wallet in Mallorca, and lots of other exciting stories.
Stories for All Levels!
If you liked today’s intermediate story, I have books for beginners and advanced learners too. Short stories are my favorite way to practice a language—read, have fun, learn, and move on with your day. Whether you’re just getting started or have been learning for years, there’s a story for you.
Why try stories?
- They’re short! (Easier to finish so you feel accomplished.)
- They’re fun!
- They show you everyday English as it’s really used.
I hope you enjoyed this English story and that you learned something new. Remember—use the word list if you feel confused, and don’t be afraid to pause or re-read sections. That’s the power of stories: you’re in charge!
Quick Review Questions for You!
- What would you do if someone tried to distract you while traveling?
- Do you prefer old-fashioned maps or your smartphone for directions?
- Share in the video comments: Have you ever stayed in a hostel? What was your experience?
