Intercultural dialog
Yesterday our festive ICA Saturday evening meal became even more festive because Jim and Anna invited us to a traditional American Thanksgiving day. And they draw a crowd: we were about 50 people – two quarters residents and the rest guests of the residents. We were also from all the corners the world, from Lebanon to Egypt and to Canada and, of course, US. I guess it would be hard to find an environment more multicultural than that! 
I was reading the other day about an EU budget line intended to promote the intercultural dialog. Here at ICA they don’t have the EU money and they don’t write fancy projects and still is the most multicultural environment I have ever met, even more than at the Commission, because here you get to socialize together, not to work. In the work life, is mostly the stereotype that comes up, however here are the particularities of each person – his or her own life, tastes and hobbies.
After the wonderful turkey meal, I went to Sanziana’s birthday, somewhere in Ixelles. I arrived there so quick, even though I changed subway and tram, that I didn’t quite realize where I am exactly (the darkness might have something to do with that too).
So from one international environment I switched to another. If you have been living in Brussels for a long time, as she does, you will end up with an international array of friends – well, most of them working in the institutions or for them – at a certain level everything gravitates around EU in Brussels.
Today are the Romanian elections for the European Parliament. So we talked politics for a while, it’s been good as I didn’t give it much thought lately. However, as I am going through at least 2 newspapers each morning, I still have the basics ;-)
Came home late, Dana drove me – it was raining a bit. I am starting to believe it is raining almost every day in Brussels. Driving in Brussels can be a challenge and I am a bit curious how is going to be when I’ll have my Matiz here. Hope I’ll not get lost in the tunnels, the exits are not very well marked and you need to know your way around a priori. Also, the way inhabitants of Brussels drive is quite peculiar – I have no idea how they get a driving licence here, but they don’t seem to master the art of driving very well. Most of the cars are scratched and sometimes they park by closing the car behind of in front of them.
ICA was quiet and dark when I arrived and at the same time familiar and warm. Got a bottle of water, leftover from the Thanksgiving dinner – I will use it to put tea in it later on, so I will not have to go down to the kitchen so often and still not drink the tap water. The water here is drinkable; it is supposed to be checked to comply with about 50 criteria.
So it was a great Saturday, maybe the best since I arrived here. It kinda reminds me why I choose Brussels over Bucharest ;-)
I was reading the other day about an EU budget line intended to promote the intercultural dialog. Here at ICA they don’t have the EU money and they don’t write fancy projects and still is the most multicultural environment I have ever met, even more than at the Commission, because here you get to socialize together, not to work. In the work life, is mostly the stereotype that comes up, however here are the particularities of each person – his or her own life, tastes and hobbies.
After the wonderful turkey meal, I went to Sanziana’s birthday, somewhere in Ixelles. I arrived there so quick, even though I changed subway and tram, that I didn’t quite realize where I am exactly (the darkness might have something to do with that too).
So from one international environment I switched to another. If you have been living in Brussels for a long time, as she does, you will end up with an international array of friends – well, most of them working in the institutions or for them – at a certain level everything gravitates around EU in Brussels.
Today are the Romanian elections for the European Parliament. So we talked politics for a while, it’s been good as I didn’t give it much thought lately. However, as I am going through at least 2 newspapers each morning, I still have the basics ;-)
Came home late, Dana drove me – it was raining a bit. I am starting to believe it is raining almost every day in Brussels. Driving in Brussels can be a challenge and I am a bit curious how is going to be when I’ll have my Matiz here. Hope I’ll not get lost in the tunnels, the exits are not very well marked and you need to know your way around a priori. Also, the way inhabitants of Brussels drive is quite peculiar – I have no idea how they get a driving licence here, but they don’t seem to master the art of driving very well. Most of the cars are scratched and sometimes they park by closing the car behind of in front of them.
ICA was quiet and dark when I arrived and at the same time familiar and warm. Got a bottle of water, leftover from the Thanksgiving dinner – I will use it to put tea in it later on, so I will not have to go down to the kitchen so often and still not drink the tap water. The water here is drinkable; it is supposed to be checked to comply with about 50 criteria.
So it was a great Saturday, maybe the best since I arrived here. It kinda reminds me why I choose Brussels over Bucharest ;-)
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