Brussels and Luxembourg
This is going to take more than one post. Coming off five intensive days in Belgium and Luxembourg has proven to be an experience that requires some reflections. The Fulbright organization does an extraordinarily good job of networking--especially present Fulbrighters and those individuals from past Fulbrights. This was the case in Belgium and Luxembourg. But more on this later.
The preliminaries...Day One--we were to gather as a group in Brussels. Travelling from Amsterdam to Brussels for me was, for the most part, pretty easy (except for the suitcase I had to neogtiate with still, mostly, one shoulder). The first event scheduled was a walking tour of Brussels cheerfully led by Ali, the Fulbright program manager in Brussels. Most of the 50 or so parfticipants were (graduate) students who were working in various Fulbright programs at sites across the EU. The intergenerational composition slant was definitely on the side of the students-- there were only four professors in the group. But their enthusiasm, energy, and level of engagement made it a pleasure to travel with them. The walking tour was-- of course-- not a rain- free event, this being Belgium in February. No umbrellas or raingear for most of us, though. We have officially accepted that it's really not raining just like everyone else who lives here.
We proceeded on to the welcome dinner held at the Hortia Brasserie which is located in the Comic Strip Museum (comic strips have a long tradition in Belgium, Tin Tin as a prominent example) in a very interesting Art Nouveau building designed by architect Victor Horta. Everyone got a chance to introduce themselves and talk about their work a bit. Needless to say, these students were an impressive group (my colleagues during trip referred to them as our 'dream class').
Day Two--we got the first real taste of Brussels as the EU's international capitol. We attended a briefing at the (very impressive) NATO complex (where we experienced the first of very detailed security 'events'--(basically just empty all your pockets and pray), and had a chance to meet some NATO personnel. It was the first real chance for the students, especially, to ask some (penetrating) questions and they did not disappoiint. It was great for me to sit back and let them do the heavy lifting-- which they did admirably. Their knowledge of treaties, articles, and manifestos was pretty astonishing. Because I am, by trade, in the education field, I was defintely in 'terra nova.' Being immersed in this world of diplomacy, discussion (lots of it), and debate was all new and, for the most part, pretty interesting. Which proved to be exactly the case at our afternoon stop at the US mission to the EU.
We ended the day with, which was for me, a highlight of the week- a reception at the residence of the US Ambassador to Belgium. I learned several things here-- first, we have a beautiful embassy in Brussels; second, embassy receptions are very classy events; and third, don't attempt to take any pictures outside the Embassy of the American Seal, and if you do try, make it quick. Which I did not.
The reception, itself, featured some good food and chamber music. I looked around the embassy (some pictures are in the Gallery) and admired the tasteful arrangement of furniture and art. I met and talked with one of the Embassy's personnel who told me aboiut his past postings--It seemed he was in, among other places, Japan and had some stories to tell. He also told me about the school his children attended in Brussels (IB seems to be big here) and how they've adjusted (mostly very well) to growing up and living abroad. I was curious--did they miss the US? Well, mostly no. He was happy that he and the family could return to visit, get their 'American' fix, and come back to their life in the EU. It struck me that living this kind of global life isn't for everyone and I was impressed at how so many of these individuals pretty much have to juggle a few 'cultural lives' but don't seem any worse for the wear.
Day Three to follow.
