 Aaaaah Venice! What an astoundingly beautiful gem of a city! My experience in Venice was like a breath of fresh air, so utterly refreshing.
On our first morning, we ventured into the small town near Treviso where our hotel was located. Upon entering a small produce shop in search of fresh fruit, we received a warm greeting from the woman behind the counter. She excitedly greeted us with, "Bonjourno!" She called us beautiful girls, and proceeded to tell us that the apples we selected were gifts, insisting that we take them free of charge. Her motherly and sweet temperament was heartwarming - she embodied a personality I haven't really encountered in Brussels.
In a small coffee shop down the road, we ordered our first Italian cappuccinos. The barista dusted the foamy treats with cinnamon in the shape of a heart. It truly tasted as if it had been meticulously concocted by the coffee gods.
We took the short train into Venice early in the afternoon. As we stepped out of the train station in Venice, we were greeted by the breathtaking view of a beautiful bridge that crossed over the water and into the city. The pearly white stone of the bridge was majestic and fairytale-esque. From that point, there were only small boats and gondolas gliding through the maze of canals that run through the city streets. The residential buildings towered over us with beautiful flowers and gardens peaking out of the windows and balconies. As cliche as it sounds, it looked like a charming painting that one might find in a painting on the walls of a small restaurant in Little Italy to "set the mood." I will forever look at such paintings in a new light having been to Venice. I will never forget biting into the most savory panini I have ever tasted with the most juicy tomatoes, and being in my very own Italian painting in the middle of the Venetian streets.
We spent the first day wandering about in awe of the beautiful houses, popping into different stores to admire the craftsmanship of the classic glass jewelry and the handmade masks. It was wonderful to just explore with no agenda, just immersing ourselves in the new environment. Of course, we indulged in gelato...twice. Of course its taste defied verbal description.
On our second day, we toured the beautiful Doge's Palace in the middle of the grand St. Mark's square just off of the main canal. The rooms were adorned with gold and oil paintings that were perfected with incredible detail. I still cannot fathom how each column in the palace courtyard was so intricately designed with masterful sculptures and distinctive detail.
 Later in the afternoon, we simply had to take a gondola ride. Fortunately, the gondola driver, Franco, was especially fond of one of my travel buddies, so we were able to get an extra special tour. He allowed each of us to steer the gondola through the canals...a very tricky task! I think it's safe to say that each of us managed to steer it into the walls of the buildings. He was extremely lighthearted and fun. He had some memorable lines, such as, "People are like food. You have lots of good food, you are happy and energetic. But you have bad food, and it is like poison. It doesn't make you feel good." He also explained that, "Driving a gondola is like making love...you must put your body into it!" We passed Marco Polo's birthplace, and Casanova's house along the way, as well. It was quite a memorable adventure, gliding along the Venetian canal with Franco.
We ended the day with a delicious dinner by one of the canals. The waiter was extremely playful and sweet, clearly loving life and happy to share this happy spirit. Again, the positive Italian energy was comforting, and it even made me a bit homesick as I longed for the warmth of my family and friends at home.
While we only spent two days in Venice, we were able to see and do so much. It was fascinating to see a European city so different from Brussels. I without a doubt hope to return to Italy again.
Back to the grindstone! A work-filled week ahead in both class and the internship, and then off to Normandy for the weekend!
Yesterday, we had a visitor at work. After I was introduced as the new IDF Europe intern, he immediately asked me if I was from the United Kingdom. I told him that I am from the United States, and he looked at me with a puzzled look. A few minutes later, he said,
"You're really from America?" I nodded. "Why are you not so big and fat?" he said, motioning to his sides in an imaginative expansion of his own stomach. I was at a loss for words. "Uuuuuhh...that's just a stereotype. We're not all fat in the US," I replied defensively. But then I added, "Although I have noticed that there really aren't as many overweight people over here. It's a very different lifestyle."
My roommates and I recently lamented about how difficult it is to live day to day in Brussels sometimes. People stare at you quizzically and sternly, and they have no qualms about pushing you aside, or whispering judgmentally in front of your face. We long for the day when we will finally fit in again on US soil. In Bruges, I felt slightly more welcomed than I do here. But I will have a whole new appreciation for American living upon my return.
 This weekend, my friend Jennie from Furman came to visit us in Brussels! She is spending the fall semester studying in Groningen, a town in the Netherlands. She hopped a train and arrived on Friday night. We promptly took her downtown to meet up with some people from Vesalius and show her around.The Vesalius Student Government sponsored "Pub Golf" - a tour of the pubs in downtown Brussels. Some people were very into it, dressed up as golfers and gallivanting about. It was really entertaining. We separated from the group at one point in search of somewhere to dance. We ended up at a bar called Celtica. Downstairs, a man was jamming on his guitar to sweet tunes like "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz. Upstairs, the lights were flashing and MTV videos were playing and music was thumpin. So, in a group of 5 Furman girls, we just danced. It was really entertaining and fun, and even more so when funny European boys approached us and we laughed at them. One asked where I was from, I replied, "The US." Apparently, this made him very pleased. He excitedly shouted at me, "I'm from Ireland!" It was very comical. What's funny about the dancing here is that it really is not nearly as provocative as some of the dancing that I've seen back in the States. Here, people just kind of bop around in their own little area, occasionally moving closer to a dance partner. But there really isn't as much "grinding," which is rather refreshing. It's funny to me that the advertisements are much more sexual and PDA's are much more prevalent when compared to the US, but the dancing etiquette is a bit more conservative. My friends and I agreed on this, and found this to be an interesting observation. After dancing for a bit, we stopped to get Jennie some Belgian frites with mayonnaise - a delightful treat. All in all, it was a pretty fun night.On Saturday, we decided to show Jennie some of the sights near our apartment. It was a beautiful day weather wise - warm and mid-70s, so we thought we would take advantage. We took her to the European Parliament buildings, and walked her through Parc Leopold, and then on to Cinquantenaire (the park with the giant archway). For dinner, we ordered some authentic Belgian Chinese food and had it delivered. It was surprisingly delicious! Later on, we took her to Grand Place to see all of the beautiful buildings lit up at night. We set her up with a true Belgian waffle and a Duvel beer so that she could get the full experience. We also took her to Delirium, an international style bar with over 2000 types of beer. There were lots of Americans and international visitors there, so it was a fun atmosphere.Today is a day for getting work done, unfortunately. We leave for Venice on Thursday, so I'm trying to get as much done as I can before then. It's funny because Jennie says that her classes are relatively easy (in one of them, 80% of the grade is based on attendance), and most of them are cancelled. In comparison, we have barely had any free time between internships and Vesalius classes. It puts into perspective for me just how much I am pushing myself on the trip, and I really appreciate how much I am learning - not just in my classes, but in daily living and working in a foreign city.Brussels has designated today "car free" day in the city. There are hoards of people just walking in the middle of the streets, and riding their bikes, and playing music, and being very loud outside of our building. It is certainly entertaining. Let's hope I can actually muster up the strength to be somewhat productive!
Since arriving in Brussels, I have noticed that the Europeans like their risque advertisements. It is not uncommon to be sitting in a bus stop, glance up, and see a large photo ad of a man in his skivvies modeling a cell phone or bottled water. Nudity is just not weird here (at least in the minds of Europeans). A girl in one of my classes offered me her gossip mag once she was finished with it, and I excitedly accepted. As I flipped through the pages, I noticed that this little gem was not quite the same as my American favorite, People - and not just because it was in French. While this magazine featured a similar section of celebrity photos, the actual content was very foreign to me. There were photographs of topless women that would never have made it on to American newsstands. This cultural discrepancy has inspired me to research the advertising gap between the US and Europe for an assignment in my Intercultural Communication class. I have already found some really interesting websites that highlight this stark contrast, including AdsOfTheWorld.com.
As I write this entry, I can't help but be distracted from my thoughts by the noisy street below our apartment. There is always an ample amount of honking going on. The drivers here are really rather aggressive. More than once, when I've been Skyping with someone back home, they overhear a car engine as it roars through the streets and ask, "What is that???" But it's just the sound of European road rage. No big deal. People like to stop very suddenly, and accelerate just as quickly, and scrape past one another with tricky maneuvers that would make me cringe were I driving on the road with them. They truly love zipping about in their little green cars.
Overall, this week has been pretty uneventful and low key. I think that I am finally getting used to the work and class schedule. I've definitely gotten the whole bus thing down, so I can just tune into my iPod on the way to work and not really pay attention. I haven't quite gotten used to the abrupt stops and holding my balance while standing on the bus, but I somehow feel that my clumsiness will prevent me from ever mastering such tricks.Last night at our weekly Furman meeting, we had a guest speaker. His name is Jonathan Addleton, and he is the new Ambassador to Mongolia. He has worked in Brussels for the past few years, focusing on aid and development in the EU, and he has worked in a number of different places including Cambodia, Yemen, and Jordan just to name a few. One of the points that he made that really struck me in light of our trip to Ypres was that the devastation of the world wars is apparent as you travel through Europe. While I have learned about these wars in history, it is quite another thing to actually encounter these "foreign" territories and witness the tension that still lingers below the surface.
 What a weekend we had! On Friday afternoon, we made the bus ride to Bruges. We got in around 8:00pm and ventured through the streets. It was absolutely beautiful! The buildings were old and majestic, built in a gothic style. Even at night, people leisurely rode their bikes through the winding streets. Although many of the stores were closed, we enjoyed taking in the sites as we wandered. It was strange to see a part of Belgium so different from Brussels. The streets were not nearly as dense and noisy. It was a much more peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. We felt much safer roaming about at night in Bruges than we do in our own neighborhood in Brussels. We stopped at a restaurant just outside of the main square. Next door, there was a lively little bar where some older folks were bopping to the rhythms of such sweet tunes as ABBA's "Dancing Queen" - we got a good chuckle out of that.
I especially enjoyed laying eyes on the famous Belfry Tower of Bruges that is featured in the film "In Bruges" starring Colin Farrell. My father and I watched the movie in preparation for my travels, and we were quite amused by the action-packed adventure through the beautiful Belgian town that is hailed as "the Venice of the North." The canals that run through the city were certainly gorgeous, but I will have to wait until my trip to the real Venice in a few weeks before I make the real comparison. We got lost on our way back from dinner, but it was more funny than frightening. We stopped in a snack shop for some guidance. Upon inquiring in French whether the man at a snack shop whether the man spoke English, he replied, "What?" It is hard to keep track of which parts of Belgium speak Dutch or French...Flanders is a Dutch area. Whoops!
Bright and early on Saturday morning, we headed out to Ypres to tour the historic sites of World War I. Our guide, Raoul, did a fantastic job of explaining the historical significance of the different sites along the way. After reading Winston Groom's "A Storm in Flanders," it was fascinating to see the places mentioned over and over on the pages as significant battle locations. Although the town looked as though it dated back to the medieval period, it was actually rebuilt in the 1920's after it was reduced to ruins in the warfare.
Moving on to the Menin Gate beyond the town center, the tribute to the soldiers put into perspective for me the staggering losses that accumulated in the brutal battles of World War I. It was eerie to think that less than 100 years ago, Haig was under attack on the very road on which the memorial stands, and that Plumer himself came to unveil the Memorial. The images of poppies and the list of names made these monumental sacrifices real in my eyes.The “In Flanders Fields” museum in the restored Cloth Hall provided a more interactive perspective of the World War I events in Flanders. Upon entering the museum, each of us received a card with the identity of a different person affected by the war as a soldier, nurse, etc. This was a unique way for all of us to feel personal investment in the war events. My historical figure, for instance, was a young French soldier who died in combat. The museum had an array of exhibits on topics ranging from weaponry to the Christmas truce that we read about in Groom’s book. One of the rooms focused on trench life, combining smoke and images to make the audience feel the panic and chaos of the situation. Raoul informed me that the museum has won numerous awards for its historical presentations, and I could clearly see why.
After touring Ypres, Raoul showed us the WWI cemeteries located through the Flanders countryside. We visited the Essex Farm memorial, for instance, where John McCrae wrote the famous poem, "In Flanders Fields." It was astounding to see rows and rows of graves, both marked and unmarked, for soldiers who lost their lives in "the Great War."
We also had the opportunity to explore the trenches that have been preserved out by Hill 62 at the Sanctuary Wood Museum just outside of the town of Ypres. It was insane to think that the soldiers cowered below the ground in those zigzagging tunnels in the freezing cold and rain. There were crater holes all throughout the trenches where huge shells had exploded. It was absolutely crazy to see with my own eyes the devastating effects of the battles I read about.
On Sunday, we had time to explore Bruges on our own. A few of us decided to climb the tower. The winding and narrow staircase was a bit scary, but we survived the climb and were rewarded with an incredible bird's eye view of the red-roofs scattered throughout the town. We then explored the streets and even saw a marching band perform in the main square. After a Haagen Dazs stop, we headed back to the hotel, exhausted from our adventures.
It was a strange feeling to return to Brussels and think, "Ah, it's good to be home." But that is, in fact, what it has become after living here for a month. And another week of my adventure begins...
Cultural Note: The principle of “ladies first” does not apply in Brussels.
When waiting for the bus, gentlemen have no qualms about pushing in front of you and/or taking a seat from you. And when people walk down the street, they make their paths and they stick to it. If you happen to be in the way, you move to the side or you get hit.
But aside from the cultural discrepancies, I had a revelation today during my
Communication Theories class at Vesalius. During our class break (which is much needed since our class is 3 hours long), I struck up a conversation with a Belgian girl who studied at American University in Washington DC for 6 months last year. I asked her about her experience, and she went on to tell me that it was wonderful and she really enjoyed her time in the city. She then told me that she met her boyfriend there. He’s a Texan, and she has been in a long distance relationship with him for a few months now. We commiserated about communication issues and other complications, and another Belgian girl chimed in. Her boyfriend (or maybe fiancée because she had a huge diamond on her left ring finger?) is doing business in China until December. He has only been gone for about two weeks, but already she is struggling with the time difference and the loneliness. While my situation did not seem quite as dramatic as hers (she had an intense photo of her and her boy embracing on the background of her phone), it was interesting to hear her take on the situation. This insignificant little conversation reminded me that, beyond the cultural and political differences, we all have feelings in common. We all have to deal with relationships and love and emotions. This encouraged me to look beyond my recent frustrations and seek human connections without cultural bias.
Today I attended my first meeting in the Parliament as a representative for IDF Europe. This meeting is an component of what the IDF Europe crew classifies as "EU Affairs." We met with a few MEP's and the leaders of National Diabetes Organizations to discuss the future of the Diabetes Working Group in the European Union.
The day started off with a rather smooth commute to work (Public Transportation Tip #1: don’t try to be ladylike and cross your legs on the bus. You will topple over embarrassingly onto the person beside you). I tuned into some James Taylor to chill me out, and then headed into the office where I met Chris Delicata, the VP of IDF Europe, and Anne Marie Felton, the Chair of the Federation of European Nurses in Diabetes (FEND). They were both very charming and friendly. After editing a PowerPoint presentation and receiving an official IDF Europe blue circle pin, we hopped in a taxi to head to Parliament. As we drove through the streets of Brussels, Mrs. Felton pointed out nice restaurants and spots worth checking out.
Upon arriving at Parliament, I had to show my passport and receive a badge certifying that I was an official guest of the UK MEP, Sarah Ludford. We then proceeded to the meeting room which overlooked the city of Brussels with a bird's eye view of the Palais de Justice. Somehow, I managed to turn my focus to the meeting and record important notes and suggestions for the meeting minutes. The major point on the agenda was to discuss the logistics of the upcoming World Diabetes Day that will take place in Brussels in mid-November. It was fascinating to be a part of the brainstorming process in politics. All of the planning and strategizing that occur behind closed doors was happening right there while I was in the room. I learned that many of the people have personal ties to the Diabetes cause (i.e. spouses and children suffering from Diabetes). Between hearing these stories and those of my father who has been working closely with a man suffering from severe complications of Diabetes, the cause seems much more real to me. It is astounding that such an epidemic goes relatively unnoticed when compared to Swine Flu and Cardiovascular Disease. In the meeting today, the attendees discussed how it is important that we research the ways in which Cardiovascular Disease has brought it's cause to the forefront of legislative agenda and medical research in an attempt to apply those same techniques to raising awareness about Diabetes.
After the meeting, I returned to the office to type up my notes. There I met Lala who was nervously preparing to send her son off to study abroad for a year. I smiled in a sympathetic manner, remembering the high emotions on the day that I departed for Brussels. She expressed to me that, when she had children, she never imagined what all she would have to go through with them - preparation, separation, anxiety. But, she told me, she cannot imagine her life without her children. This woman has a huge heart. I love that she can be all business with me one moment, and the next open up to me with a profound observation or emotion about family, or cultural influences, or past adventures.
I headed home pretty pleased with the way my day turned out. I had started out nervous and uncertain of what to expect, and I ended up rather confident and content. I settled in for the ride home. I quickly realized I wasn’t the only one having a good day – a young couple sitting across from me, about 14 or 15 years old, I’d have to say, were necking and kissing and canoodling without a care in the world. Ah, Europa…there is no holding back over here.
 While some of the other students scattered to places like London and Amsterdam for the weekend, my roommates and I spent the weekend in Brussels, regrouping after a hectic week of classes and work. Yesterday, we ventured into Grand Place downtown to check out the annual Brussels Beer Weekend. It was quite a sight! There were silly hats, and vintage cars, and more beer than I have ever seen in my entire life. We even noticed a visibly pregnant woman holding an empty glass of Duvel - a 10% alcohol content beverage. Very interesting.
We even saw a parade of strange characters in costume along the streets of De Brouckere. An older gentleman was wheeling about a recreation of the "Manneken Pis" - a small sculpture of a peeing boy that is an icon in Brussels. As he approached, I noticed that one of the parade officials muttered something about, "American." Before I knew it, a man was taking a picture of the Manneken "peeing" all over me. It was only water, but it was embarrassing. Thank you, Brussels, for peeing all over me. The ultimate sign that I am not wanted here, perhaps?
I have found that at this point in my adventure, the homesickness is setting in. I almost teared up yesterday when we stopped in a shopping gallery that reminded me of an American shopping mall...pretty pathetic. It doesn't help that the internet connection in our apartment has been rather spotty, making it difficult to connect to people back home (as if the time difference doesn't make this hard enough). I'm also nervous and stressed about my job at IDF. Tomorrow's meeting will be an important task for me, so I am anxious to do well.
I feel like I am at a strange point - between new excitement and comfortably settled in. It is still bizarre to me that I can't just order a water with dinner, or find a normal folder in the store to hold my papers (they are hard to come by, and the ones that you do find have strange flaps that are not very effective at holding papers in). I spoke with Nora today about similar anxieties. While we are thrilled to be here, we are worried about the fact that we are already counting down the weeks until we return. This study abroad trip is unique because, rather than traveling and touring and taking a few classes, we have to adjust to work and school and life in a specific city, and become more than just tourists. This is both stressful and amazing.
I'm just hoping that this stressed out feeling will subside once we begin traveling. Next weekend, we are heading off to Bruges with the Furman group to check out WWI sites and explore the beautiful town that is hailed as "the Venice of the North."
Waiting for the bus this morning, I turned on my iPod and mentally prepared myself for the day (determined that this time, I would actually notice the bus coming and flag it down before it pulled away as happened on Wednesday morning). The first song that came up was the title track from Needtobreathe's new album "The Outsiders." I smiled to myself as I listened to the lyrics, realizing that some of the concepts were actually quite appropriate for my current situation over here in Brussels:
"On the outside,
You’re free to roam
On the outside
We found it home
On the outside
There’s more to see"
I am, without a doubt, an outsider over here. No matter how I try to fit in, I still stand out. But, as I approach the three week mark of my stay in Brussels, I realize that it's okay. That's not to say that I will not try to adapt to my surroundings and respect this astounding and different culture, but I will be proud of who I am and where I come from. I may come from the outside, but I will explore and learn about and observe this new place. Not only am I learning more about the culture over here, but I am also delving deeper into the values of my American culture as the glaring differences rise to the surface. While my culture is different and doesn't quite fit into the puzzle of life over here, I won't be ashamed of it. When I first arrived, I was embarrassed that little behaviors like smiling at strangers and not knowing how to open the bus door left the natives scowling at my stupid "American" behavior. But now, I just laugh it off and know that I'm learning. I don't know that this is the specific message that Needtobreathe was going for, but I took pieces of it and made it my own.
Beyond this minor revelation, I had an interesting transit to work. Upon hopping on the tram and traveling just one stop in the direction toward work, the driver announced something in French. Then, all of the passengers began to get off the train. I hadn't the slightest idea what was going on, so, like a little lost lamb, I followed the herd of people to a nearby tram. The only problem was, I did not want to board a tram and end up in the middle of a corn field or Lord knows where. And then it began to rain. It was actually more comical than anything. I considered phoning my Furman professor for advice, but I decided to give into adventure and wing it. I approached the traffic director gentleman and inquired, "Parlez vous anglais?" Much to my relief, he replied, "Yes, I do." He then told me that I had to take the tram that everyone herded to for two stops, and then pick up the tram that would take me to work. Thank goodness. I did as he said and made it to the proper stop where I stood in a huge pack of Europeans in the chilly rain for a few moments before my saving grace of a tram finally arrived. I then resumed my "chill state" and settled into a tram swet where I soon noticed some of my IDF comrades were on the very same tram, and we struck up polite conversation about the craziness of the situation. Sweet victory. So the moral of this little tale is this: public transportation is a crazy beast. You never know where you might end up (besides in the lap of the smelly man beside you as the bus/tram/metro comes to a screeching halt without warning). Just go with it.
Today at work, I am compiling information for the meeting at Parliament on Monday. It has been a very informative week here so far, and I am excited to delve into these exciting projects. I am also looking forward to regrouping this weekend and curling up with my newly fixed Macbook.
On a side note, I got electrocuted yesterday when trying to plug in my Macbook to the adapter that was already in the outlet. Not a good decision, I concluded as the heat of the shock burned through my fingertips. You live and you learn.
 When my supervisor's assistant, Lala, introduced me to everyone in the office yesterday, she kept referring to me as the new "Stagiaire." Needless to say, I was very confused. I thought perhaps I was signed up for the wrong position. Clearly I am not up on my French lingo.
Today, Lala explained to me a little bit more about what my duties will be at IDF Europe. She told me that I will serve as a liaison between IDF Europe and the European Parliament by attending meetings at Parliament and coordinating information exchange between the two. Since there has been a recent changeover in MEP's, IDF Europe is focusing on attracting new MEP's to join a working group and promote diabetes awareness. I have to attend my first big meeting at the European Parliament on Monday morning with a few MEP's and some of the leaders for different Diabetes organizations to discuss the events for the upcoming World Diabetes Day which is to take place in November. I have included in this entry a photograph of the building in which I work. It is a "green" building...very popular over here in Europe.
Today I did a lot of research on the different political parties of the EU to learn more about which parties and committies are likely partners for IDF. I particularly enjoyed reading about the Greens, for some reason. They seem sort of Hippy-Chic haha.
During my lunch break, I spoke with my supervisor, Lex, about his newly acquired mobile home. He told me about his plans to take it to Holland, his homeland. What a great way to take advantage of the different cultures and histories that are within driving distance over here in Europe.
Before Lala left for the evening, she informed me that she has "dinner parties" every Wednesday evening, and invited me to join sometime. Unfortunately, I have class every Wednesday evening, but I hope to attend at some point. At the very least, it was a very thoughtful invitation.
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