The View Out My Front Window

The View Out My Front Window

Originally uploaded by pdguymikeg

This was taken through the glass door that separates our "dining room" from our "deck." Another bright and sunny day in Brussels…

Bonjour de Bruxelles / Dag van Brussel / Hello from Brussels!

Hello everyone,

If the above title seems a bit strange, you’re definitely not living in Brussels, which is, in addition to serving as the capital of Europe and home of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the meeting point between the French and Dutch (Flemish) languages (and cultures)!

And with that little lesson out of the way, dear readers, I can confirm that I have arrived in Brussels… this won’t come as a suprise to many of you since I’ve been here for well over a month… But then again, I’m only just now getting used to this whole blogging concept, so I hope you’ll bear with me.

I landed on 11 September and thankfully my plane did not, as my friend SamSam joked, écrase (“crash into”) le Manneken Piss, which he called “la fierté de bruxelles” (“the pride of Brussels.” I am living with my friend Mike Klein, whom I met in Washington, and we’re getting along swimmingly, that is when he shows his face in Brussels in between his many extended work trips to such unglamorous places as Geneva, London, Minneapolis, Paris, and the north of England (Okay, okay, maybe the north of England isn’t so glamorous…).

Soon after arriving here, I had the opportunity to go to Oktoberfest in Munchen (Munich), Germany with several of my new colleagues and friends from BSIS. I would tell you that it was a horrible experience, but the photos below might lead you to believe otherwise. Suffice it to say that folks in Bavaria do definitely know how to have a good time.

The day after I returned, I began orientation week at BSIS, meeting even more new and interesting colleagues and soon to be friends from all over the world… And after that week passed like a flash, I began classes the following Tuesday. The classes I’m taking this semester are

• Political Communication and Lobbying, which is team taught by two highly respected British lobbyists in Brussels, Russell Patten of Grayling Political Strategy and John Robinson of BKSH, as well Jamie Shea, Director of Policy Planning in the Private Office of the Secretary General of NATO and former NATO spokesman during the Kosovo Conflict;
• European Union Public Policy, which is exposing me to the ins and outs of the European Union’s ever changing political system;
• Negotiation and Mediation, which is being taught by a Cuban-American professional mediator based in Berlin and which is supposed to help us become more adept negotiators, whether in everyday life or as representatives of companies, governments, international organizations or nonprofits.

I have also accepted a part-time position assisting a senior British member of the European Parliament and his staff with press and web outreach as he prepares to campaign for reelection in next year’s European parliamentary elections. I’ve only worked a few days so far, but it has already helped me gain a much better understanding of how the European Parliament and the other EU institutions function. He is also heavily involved in attempts to harmonize and strengthen European and international financial regulations, so I’m hoping to gain more knowledge in that arena as well, especially with the world financial markets doing so poorly at the moment.

But I’ve probably dithered on too long, so I’ll leave you with a few photos of me, my friends, my neighborhood and all the amazing things you’re missing out on by not coming to visit me…

Upon Arrival… Gee, I look excited, don’t I?

Oktoberfest in Munich… This photo is a bit deceiving, though, as the tent we were at was packed!

Me with a beer that seemingly looks as big as my head…

A view of “les Arcades du Cinquantenaire” (“the Cinquantenaire Archway”) which is located in the middle of the “Parc du Cinquantenaire” (“Cinquantenaire Park”). I walk through the park and under the arch every time I walk to and from work. The park, the arch and other magnificent looking builtings on the property were supposedly created using money and resources stripped from the former Belgian Congo.

With my good friend, Rachelle, whom I first met in Bordeaux four whole years ago. This was at “le Pot au Lait,” her favorite bar in her hometown of Liège, Belgium. Photo courtesy of Rachelle Vafidis.

Taking a breather from climbing the 373 steps of the “Bueren Mountain” in Liège. Photo Courtesy of Rachelle Vafidis.

Eating a “lacquement” (basically a crispy waffle-esque wafer dipped in syrup) at the “Foire de Liège” (“Liège Fair”). Photo courtesy of Rachelle Vafidis.

A slightly blurry photo of me and some of my fellow BSISers at our first get together. The photo was taken at a very cool student bar called “Le Tavernier” (“The Innkeeper”). Photo courtesy of Swati Pujari.

Hello from Greenberry’s Coffee & Tea Company in Rosslyn, People’s Republic of Northern Virginia

Hello everyone,

I’m still on the U.S. side of the pond, but a lot has happened since I last wrote. I was relieved to finally receive my visa from the Belgian Embassy on 21 August after about five weeks of waiting.

My last day of actual work at ACYPL was 29 August, then I moved out of my apartment at about 9:30pm on 31 August and started what ended up being a two and a half day drive back to Oklahoma. Sadly, I didn’t have time to take in live music on Nashville’s Music Row, visit Graceland or eat any amazing Memphis and Little Rock BBQ. I did all of those things when I drove home for Christmas last year, but this trip was much less recreational. My only goals were to get back to Oklahoma as quickly as I could and to not allow my feet to be nailed to the ground upon arrival (kudos to those who caught the song reference).

I spent a little under a week in the Sooner State, finding places to stash my stuff at my mom’s house, visiting friends and family and accumulating Sooners and Thunder (really, what were they thinking when they chose that name?) gear to give as gifts in Belgium. I had a good time, but after a few years away from home, it’s always a bit of a culture shock to hear my family members and friends’ takes on politics and current events.

I flew back to DC last night (oh, BWI, how I love thee…) for a whirlwind day and a half stay here before I begin the big trip across the Atlantic. I’m staying with my friend Beth (who gets major props for taking me in); trying to meet up with a former professor and a few colleagues and friends; and using every tactic known to God and man to keep all of my suitcases from exceeding American Airlines’ seventy pound weight limit for checked bags… Ideally I’d like them to close as well, but we’ll have to see about that…

I start the big journey across the pond at 1:50pm EDT tomorrow, 10 September with a quick jaunt up to New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and then I’ll take a much longer flight from JFK to Brussels National Airport in Zaventem, a Brussels suburb in Flemish Brabant. I’m scheduled to get in at 7:30am CET on 11 September and I’m very excited that my good friend Rachelle is driving in from Liège to meet me at the airport and transport me and my fifty gazillion bags to my new flat in Etterbeek. I just hope that her poor car can handle all the abuse…

Anyway, that’s all for now… stay tuned for an update in the next couple of days with photos of my new flat and my first thoughts about everything that awaits in Belgium!

Moving back to Europe!

Hi all,

I’ve had this blog for quite a while, but I haven’t really made much use of it.

So, why not start it off in style with a big announcement?

I’m moving back to Europe in six short weeks to begin working towards a M.A. in Political Strategy and Communication at the University of Kent’s Brussels School of International Studies!

I’m stil working out all of the logistical details of the move (no small feat, I assure you), but I know that I will be living on Rue D’Oultremont (D’Oultremontstraat) in Etterbeek, which is one of nineteen municipalities that make up Belgium’s Brussels-Capital Region. I will be sharing a flat for the first year or so with Mike Klein, whom I met through Young PR Pros, a great list-serve for public relations professionals in the first ten years of their careers. I don’t know much about the Etterbeek area yet, but a couple of nearby attractions include the Parc du Cinquantenaire (Jubelpark) and Avenue de Tervueren (Tervurenlaan),  one of the oldest avenues in Brussels.

In any event, I’m really excited about the move, and I look forward to sharing my experiences with you, so please stay tuned!

Welcome to My Blog!

Hello and welcome to my blog! As you can see, it’s still a work in progress, but I hope you’ll come back soon to check on my progress!