My time in Brussels is now ticking away fast, in less than 10 days I will be out of here! Fortunately, I have now begun the difficult process of conducting interviews.
As I probably won’t get another chance to post while I am here, and before the hectic return to England and eventually a new term up in Newcastle, I should talk a bit about the city in which I am staying. I do think Brussels is growing on me. My supervisor says you need to spend a year here to know if it’s really for you. I haven’t spent a year here obviously, and am not likely to any time soon so I am, therefore, unable to pass judgment on the place. However, as much as I do like the place, I don’t really think I could live here and I certainly don’t feel like I could live the life of a Brussels ‘Eurocrat’ either. I have taken lots of nice photos of Brussels, looked in awe at the shiny glass buildings of the EU institutions and enjoyed many a Belgian beer, waffles, mussels and chocolate, but I’m still not in love with the place. It’s a strange vibe and although I am happy enough here and would sure come back here, and definitely to Bruges, I know it’s no Lisbon!
But it was a nice feeling on Friday morning when I walked down Rue de la Loi (where the main Commission and Council buildings are) towards the Portuguese Permanent Representation to conduct my first interviews. Obviously excited for that reason and dressed smartly in my suit and tie. But because it was the European Council the day before, and all the dignitaries were in town, I was walking down Rue de la Loi along a red carpet! That felt good!
While at the Portuguese Permanent Representation I enjoyed a proper Portuguese coffee in the waiting room before I got to talk to two officials who deal with co-ordination, and they will be able to put me contact with other useful people for my research. I still have enough time to get a few more interviews done there before I have to leave.
On Saturday I met up with a Portuguese general who is here in Brussels working at NATO. We went for a coffee and discussed his work and his views on Portuguese foreign policy. This was most illuminating – he is not of the ‘mainstream’ by any means. He gave me lots to think about!!! Although afterwards I was left shaking and not sure of my own name, as he was such a whirlwind! But useful, very useful!
Another aspect of my Brussels stay I am particularly happy with is the place where I am living during my time here. The Centre is very nice and has got a nice friendly atmosphere about it. To mark my leaving (as well as the other residents due to leave at the end of this month) I was presented with a ‘Superior Resident Certificate’ at my first and last residents’ meeting. Apparently these are presented, without exception, to everyone to reward them for not having lost their keys more than five times, amongst other things. Although it was a bit of fun, it was still a touching moment that a brief stay such as mine will be remembered. And I believe, the usual form is that should you return you specifically ask for your old room back! So maybe I shall be sitting in this very room again at some point in the future upon my return to Brussels, albeit on a brief research trip and, as I have eluded to, not as a fully-fledged Brussels resident.
But I’ve enjoyed my short time here and sure I will miss the place. I need to maximise my time here now and also make sure I get to Ghent for a day trip to look around there. Now I need to get these postcards written and sent, otherwise I’ll be writing them on the London Underground!