Die Entscheidigung

The job hunt is on.

Next week marks my personal count down.

My contract for my current employer expires on 31.7. Four months.

I've decided that I want to stay in Germany. However, I've also applied for a job in Brussels.

The Foreign Service Exam is in June and I plan to register for the exam and take the exam. However, I'm currently in the process studying for my German exam in May so that will take the majority of my gray matter the next few weeks.

Goal: Berlin-job in research/writing/etc foreign affairs.

Some variations from this goal would be acceptable but I'm really shooting for Berlin. As a last resort I'll extend my contract an additional four months until the end of the year here, better a job I don't like than a job I don't have. I'm also looking for jobs Stateside, but mostly here.

Brussels...

Last weekend I had the opportunity to visit the capital of Europe...Brussels.

Brussels is a mere 90 minute train ride away from my home in Aachen. Thanks to the high speed Thalys (affordable, convenient and almost luxurious) one can take the train from Hauptbahnhof here directly to Gare du Midi/Zuid (south station) in Brussels. I met a nice girl from New Zealand who lives in London but was returning from three weeks of traveling through different parts of the continent. Always nice to chit chat with people on the train.

I was on my way to Brussels because a friend of mine from college was touring different cities in Europe and Brussels happened to be on her list. Well I figured it was as good of a time as any to force myself to see the city thats so close (yet so far away). I took the train after work and by eight o'clock had checked into my accomodations at my hostel. The hostel was quite clean and comfortable and would recommend it to many travelers (not just backpacker but also family friend and affordable).

Manneqin Pis...not as impressive as you think.

Brussels of course doubles as the capital of Belgium. And Belgium is listed on several indicies as a failing state. I can point you to Monocle's September 2008 issue where Bruno Wasterfield goes into detail about the difficulty of living in a bilingual state. Belgium sufferes from a national identity crisis and much like its European relative, Austria, can't seem to form a government to save its life. Belgium operates on a deficit which racks up to a mind boggling 9.5% of its GDP (1% of its GNP). With that being said, its got quite a few stereotypes. The bilingual debate continues to tear the country apart. The relatively affluent Flanders (Dutch speaking) want nothing to do with the suffering Wallonia. Cities like Liege (thirty minutes from Aachen) suffer from high unemployment, inadequate social and public services and a corrupt civil service.


But returning to Brussels. Brussels is a diverse and vibrant city which doesn't seem to sleep at night. Daytime acitivites may be limited (by comparison there are relatively few museums there) but in the evening things heat up in Brussels. The market area (Grand Place) is qutie beautiful and worthy of its touristic pull. Its said that the only thing to do in Belgium is eat and drink. The waffles were divine. Sadly, I didn't get the chance to try the escargot. However, the flemish steak and my beer were also delicious. Brussels has grit to it. You can tell that the people that live and work there struggle a bit. Perhaps its the weather but this is no glamorous European city. I found the people to be mostly friendly and transact quickly and seemingly effortlessly between Dutch, French and English.

Despite its faults, Brussels maintains a certain charm to it. Because of its diversity there is a mixture of French flair with Germanic pragmatism. Speaking a bit of the Francais will help you as well. Brussels is an ugly city but its residents seems to embrace that. After all, as home to the EU, Nato and a host of other international organizations, there has to be some kind of charm to the city. And, I think I found it somewhere between the neoclassical buildings and the smell of waffles.

Grande Place under a beautiful blue sky.

Part of the National Palace.

Street signs in French and Dutch.

The National Congress in Brussels.

Oh Football Gods?!? Why?

Dear NCAA-

Why are you making our lives as a Florida State fans and alumni miserable?

I know what the players did was inexcusable and they should be punished appropriately. But stripping away scholarships for future players and making Coach Bowden forfeit 14 games? Isn't that slightly excessive?

Don't let us be the "must set an example" situation!

Regards,

Globalnole

Its All in the Family

Its rather quaint.

My extended family never calls, emails or sends letters except for when they read my blog.

And then its never to say hello-but rather to express 'concern' for me and my crazy liberal ideas.

Nice.

I'm ashamed

I'm ashamed of myself.

I've lived in this corner of Europe for 16 months now and have failed to visit cities just a few hours away.

Belgium:
Brussels
Brugges
Antwerp

To be fair to myself, I am going to Brussels this weekend.

The Netherlands:
Amsterdam
Den Haag
Rotterdam

Luxembourg

Germany:
Heidelberg (I'm thinking next FSU Colony Meeting)
Mainz
And actually way too many cities to list.

Shame on my head for my lack luster performance in traveling.

Dear Spring

Dear Spring,

I can feel you in the air. You are just around the corner so quit being shy and say hello.

The trees are beginning to form their flower buds, the temperature is slightly warmer and there is fresh excitement about the coming year. Yes, dear Spring...you are almost here.

I need you. Its been a cold, harsh northern European winter and I miss the Sun. My Florida blood isn't used to such Vitamin D and K deficiencies. The calendar says we are only a few days away from our astronomical Spring. So feel free to put Old Man Winter back in his place and feel free to come out proud!

See you soon.

Cheers,
Christopher

I think its just a game to you

My internet homepage is set to the Washington Post. I don't always read it past the main headlines but it serves as my daily good morning website. I reserve the heavier reading for the New York Times. Perhaps you can understand then my disappointment at the WP for not posting a major story of huge international importance. And the New York Times only had one of those video posts about the situation.

The International Criminal Court has finally issued an arrest warrant for the murderer (leader of Sudan) Bashir. Bashir who is primarily responsible for the organization of the genocide in Sudan and Chad has gotten off without any serious threats from the international community. The implications are serious though. The ICC has now demonstrated that they are willing to go after a sitting country leader. I hope this means the end of an era of impunity .

Also-why aren't more people up in arms about what is happening in congress right now? I don't mean the spending of billions of dollars and increasing the spiral of debt already there...I'm talking about the actual discussion of not giving the residents (about 600,000) people the right to a voice in Conress. They can vote for President but their representative in the House (none in the Senate) has no voting right.

Undemocratic? Yes. Unconstitutional? You bet.

Ridiculous. Wyoming with about 250,000 citizens has two senators and the appropriate amount of house members. Why is this any different? This shouldn't even be up for debate.