Just a Typical Night

Two times in the last week I have found myself walking home from the tram stop thinking, "Well, that was really interesting. You probably wouldn't have had a night like that in the States." So, on this second instance I thought I would do what any good expat does: blog about it.

It is, of course, a mass generalization to presume that these two scenes couldn't happen Stateside, so perhaps it is fairer merely to say that these events were exciting and new to me and are intricately tied to my new life here in Brussels.

Scene Number #1: Last Thursday was my first rehearsal as a bona fide member of the Brussels Choral Society. Somehow, just knowing that I passed the audition made me feel like I belonged, and thus I wanted to get started on the friend-making process immediately. Like magic, one of the young men in the choir approached me as things were wrapping up and asked if I wanted to join their group at a pub after rehearsal. So, I ended up at a table with four classical singers, all of them Europeans of varying ages and nationalities (Zoltan - Hungary; Alan - Scotland; Georges - France; Nora - Hungary) drinking Trappist beer and discussing the comparative genius of Billie Holiday, Freddie Mercury, and Amy Winehouse. It was fantastic.

This night was even more unusual in that we witnessed a fist-fight just outside the café window, which, though oft-glamorized in movies, is in fact quite disturbing to witness in real life. It turns out that this was the first real-life fight that any of my compatriots had witnessed too, so it sparked a thoughtful conversation universally condemning physical violence as an answer to petty disagreements.

Anyways, as I was deep in thought on my tram ride home, we came to a sudden and unexpected halt right at Place Flagey, which was recently refurbished and re-opened after a rather lengthy construction process (to the tune of nearly 6 years, but who's counting?). The Bruxellois have an interesting relationship with the automobile, and it seems that they view it as a super-hero vehicle instead of the Opel/Citroën/Peugeot that it really is. In this instance, two brave/fool-hearty souls had parked their vehicles OVER THE TRAM TRACKS, the result of which was the stopping of the tram, and the calling of central command and tow-trucks. Thankfully for me, though sadly not my fellow tram-riders, we were within two stops of my house, so I took to my feet. It was on the walk home that I contemplated the uniqueness of the evening and thought that I should write about it.

Scene #2: This evening the pleasure of my company was requested by the Ambassador of the United States of America to the Kingdom of Belgium and Mrs. Sam Fox at a reception in honor of the 175th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations Between the United States and Belgium, or so says the invitation. Technically, this invite comes via my membership in the American Women's Club of Brussels, but, really, isn't that splitting hairs?

At any rate, the event was actually a screening of the new film commemorating this auspicious anniversary: From Explorer Ships to Partnerships. Despite the incredibly cheesified name, the film was actually pretty good. And, I can admit to getting verklempt during the scenes depicting the privation and loss during the two world wars. The Belgians suffered deeply and sincerely during the wars, and they honor the sacrifices and service of military personnel of yesteryear as if they were known and cherished friends. I even had the opportunity to meet an elderly Belgian woman, a true heroine really, who daily risked her life to assist downed Allied pilots to safety and transport in Spain. I addressed her in my stilted French, and she responded with a genuine warmth that needed no translation.

So that's it. No real moral or neat summary. Just the banal and yet moving events of a new type of life lived in a new place.