¡Viva la consituency!

It turns out that we're starting our internships during a "constituency week", meaning that the MEPs gad about Europe doing their things. For us it means that no one's in their offices, and there's nothing to do. So on my first day I got off at 11.30, and didn't actually meet my man. Tomorrow I go in at two. Its a tough beginning. Unfortunately it sounds as though the workload is relatively heavy during the real work weeks. The cafeteria was pretty good. Similar to a commission style caf, except busier (and this was an off week!). The parliament is really really massive, and looks a bit like a Japanese mall, but with an international bazaar thrown in... 21 official languages will do that. I bought a cell phone, but I don't think its a good idea to phone it from over seas, due to payment issues. (The photo is of the Brussels Marathon which was held on Sunday.)

Living large in Ixelles

We settled into our apartment. Apparently its in the area known as "Ixelles". We've had a pretty low key time since we are temporarily cut off from most of the other interns, as most people don't have phones yet, and don't have apartments yet. So its just been J, A, and myself this weekend. We did actually randomly run into a few people downtown today, but they were mostly headed to the airport after their trip to Amsterdam. Apparently J(N) left for the airport at 1.20, but his flight was at 2.30!!! Cutting it a bit close there... I'm curious if he made it.

I went to the Belgian comic museum. Very interesting to see their stuff about Tintin, Quick et Flupke, the Smurfs, Lucky Luke, Johan et Pirou, and all the various other characters famous amongst graduates of French immersion. Although, as usual they glossed over all the controversial stuff.

Our apartment is really nice as it turns out. Lots of everything that we need is included... like towels and sheets, adn kitchen stuff.

Photos posted at photos

Here's a photo album - Photos from the tour are up.

Back in B

I am now officially set up in my apartment in Brussels. We stayed in a hostel on the last night of the tour. Much better experience this time.. at least for most. Apparently somebody set up a speaker in the square outside at about 3AM, but I was unaware at the time. I think it was a good time to break up the tour. Everyone had fun, but I don't think most people could take many more lectures, or living out of suitcases with their roommates. The end of the tour was excellent though, as the tone of the whole thing relaxed a lot in Luxembourg, and we had lots of free time to explore a surprisingly nice and interesting city. Vladimir Putin was visiting at the same time, which was a fitting end for a tour which had a theme of "EU Russia relations". Unfortunately it meant we got hassled by the police, and even asked to delete some pictures we had taken. Stupid digital cameras. Speaking of which, my digital camera's screen has finally stopped working, and I now feel very quaint peering through the view finder to take pics.

N was extremely sick leaving the hostel. We had to carry out his suitcases for him. I really hope my lingering cough soon leaves me.

Lux

Today was probably the only field trip more boring than a trip to the box factory: the EU statistical agency. It sounds boring and it really was. Fortunately we started in the afternoon, so we had many fewer sleepers than usual.

Yes, we are in Luxumbourg now. We had to leave early from Strasbourg, because the princesses on the tour couldn't handle our hostel. Granted it was a pretty crummy hostel, and we payed a lot for our tour, but it was far from our most glorious moment. So, we had no time to look around the city. But we will have extra time here in Lux. We went out briefly last night, and it looks very much like it lives up to its billing as the EU's richest country.

I can't remember exactly what i wrote about Frankfurt, but we had a fun time there. The bank really has a lot more money than the other institutions. We had excellent refreshments, and constantly refilled sparkling water at our seats. Unfortunately there was a terrorism drill at the end of the day, and we had to walk all the way down from the 36th floor. It also made an already late day, VERY late, since we couldn't get back upstairs until the all clear was called, and as visitors we had the lowest possible priority. The temperature in Frankfurt was also pushing thirty degrees... mixed with suits, it wasn't very nice. We also saw none of Frankfurt. This may all have contributed to the negative reaction to the hostel. That and the glass in the beer, and weird funky smelling Heineken, furnace like rooms, hundreds upon hundreds of 12 year old French kids, and the barracks like sleeping arrangements. The dinner was surprisingly good though. Unfortunately it didn't endear France to anyone, and everyone is pining away for Germany, where everything was cheap (unlike Luxumbourg) the rooms were nice (unlike France) and the service was (relativelY) charming.

I'm here for another couple of days, and the excitement tonight is for the big match btwn. Liverpool and AC Milan.
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PS, I forgot to mention the annoying American tour group at the ECB (European Central Bank)... they asked the most jingoistic, arrogant questions that you can possibly imagine. They were the perfect embodiment of the ugly/gormless/clueless American abroad. It created some animosity. Fortunately for us we met some other Americans at the hotel, who gave us a much better impression.

PPS Milan won, much to the delight of the local pizzarias and scooter drivers. We went into town to watch the game, and I only caught snippets because we went out to take pics at half time. Shows what a hard core fan I am.

Ich bin ein Hachenburger

We've left the familiarity of Brussels to find a much better place: Hachenburg. Its a tiny little town in the west of Germany, and home of the University of the Bundesbank. We had some seminars on Friday, including one that our group presented on NOrth American Monetary Union. Unfortunately the one the Germans gave was a piece of junk. Basicallz she explained what the European Union was, and that it has different member states... WOW. good thing we found that out now that we've been on this tour for two weeks, visiting all the institutions of the union.

Anyway, short of the grouchiness, its a very beautiful place, we're staying in a castle, and the beer is ridiculouslz cheap, so everyone is super happy. We went for a Rhine cruise today, which set a relaxing pace which we reallzy needed after weeks of lectures. We will be very sad to leave for Frankfurt on Monday. The bus trip here was a total gong show, because our driver was extremely surly and we had way too much luggage to fit properly. He redeemed himself though, by saving our skins driving past another bus on a one lane road. HARROWING!!! I am also happy to be out of Brussels so that I will never again have to eat at Sultans of Kebab, which I almost throw up in every time I smell it, but at least its cheap. Here we have super high quality German dorm food. Tonight: Stroganoff.

A delegation from the Chinese central bank was here last night, and the got SUPER drunk, and began singing traditional Chinese songs in the bar, which invited competition from the Canadian delegation. I actually think the Germans were quite overwhelmed. Unfortunatelz thez didn't spill the beans on when they will revalue the Yuan. Unfortunatelz internet access is very verz poor from Hachenburg, despite being an applied science university, so my updates have been and may remain sporadic.

Getting Better

I am feeling a fair bit better now. Still sniffly, but feeling good. I even managed to show up to everything yesterday, including a trip to the whisky soaked tour of "Scotland House". We learned all about the regional representations at the EU level. Today I had to skip the lectures to look for apartments, and we seem to have found one. Knock on wood, since it has yet to be finalized. But it is very convenient to the parliament. Not the world's nicest aparment, but it has character. We're going to go and finalize this evening if all of the potential co-renters are on board with it.

Late addition: We did secure the apartment. Its strenghts are big windows, airy, interesting area, convenient location, seemingly pleasant landlord, and its detractions are construction in the building, a somewhat dingy bathroom, and a bit of a mish mash of kitchen implements.

Sick

I'm pretty sick all of a sudden. I blame my previously sick roommate entirely. I had to miss the afternoon session today, because I just couldn't make it through. Then I slept all afternoon, and I think that has made a difference, though I'm still far from through. Fortunately I didn't miss another one of the highlights of the tour... a trip to the Commission cafeteria. Undoubtedly the best cafeteria I have ever been to. THey subsidize the food for their employees, so its unreasonably cheap. I had a steak dinner today, along with mountains of fruit, juice deserts, and soup for the paltry sum of 8 euros, roughly 12 dollars. The other days I skipped the steak, and the total came to only 5 for pasta + extras. The whole tour has been so impressed by it.

The picture is of the area immediately outside our hotel. They had a giant carnival yesterday, with rappers, marching bands, hot dogs, singers, prizes, and games. Just in time for us to have to hunker down and work on our presentation.

Bruges

Being Saturday, we went to Bruges. Very medievel... Its main feature are its canals and ancient churches... and apparently lace. We didn't visit the lace museum though. Its very cheap to get there from Brussels. Only 5 euros each way. Very nice to have a day off. Went swimming yesterday. I had an interesting experience, being sent up to cut off tour director Berlin - after every presentation one hapless student is sent up to thank the presenter. Usually they wait until after all questions have been asked. However, one of the directors felt that the presentation was dragging on, and sent me to cut off the proceedings. It received much applause.

Parliament

I was assigned to my MEP today... a tory from London... pretty classic no? Well, he seems to be interested in "the environment and health" so, I guess not TOO classic. He actually seems like a really charming guy... has to get elected somehow. I met one of the backroom strategy guys, and he already has this giant master plan for how their grouping will take over the parliament, how the parliament will take over Europe, and how the Conservatives will take over the UK. Should be an interesting couple of months. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bowis

Went to the Commission today ... "DG Relex" in the local jargon, meaning foreign affairs. It was awesomely long winded, but we had such good chairs, and jugs of water, and desks, and got to sit at the little desks that delegations sit at, so I was able to make it through without falling asleep once... unlike the tour director who fell asleep loudly and visibly, about 4 hours in. Ha ha. we got it on video, so we can never lose face on that front again. I don't understand how all of these people who have obviously given many MANY presentation before can be so bad at sticking to a simple deadline of half an hour, and that they don't understand that if you take five minutes to answer six or seven questions, its going to take half an hour to answer them. We have yet to keep to a single schedule.

At the parliament we sat in an extremely hot room that smelled of sulphur, so we were lucky that it was far more interesting.

Current scandals amongst the group - restaurants charge for water.

Antwerp

Antwerp... we visited the International Migration organziation... pretty crummy though, very poor presentations. I had a hard time staying awake. We spent some time in Antwerp though, and it rained. We visited City Hall. Visited a home for smuggled people.

Canada Mission

Trip to the Canadian Mission today. Long, but well organized. Excellent presentation about trade, opening remarks, environmental policy... others not so excellent. We almost had a fight on our hands when the topic of seal hunting came up. The Memorial contingent was happy with the Canadian government position. We went to a reception after that at the ambassador's residence. Not bad digs. Excellent wine and food. Put to rest the grumbling about the generally crummy food we've been catered so far. I actually thought the food was excellent for lunch yesterday, but today's has not been met by favour in any quarter. Tomorrow we're going to Antwerp. Its crazy how much time we spend on these crazy tours. Basically 12 hours a day, at least, is taken up with something or other, and then we go out to eat, and then its basically time to go to bed. Fun though.

study tour

The study tour has started, and we had an exceptionally busy day. We spent a very long time learning about European Neigbourhood Policy at the Centre for European Policy Studies, followed by more at the European Policy Institute. The hotel is nice, no real problems. Lots of people from all over. Mostly Carleton students. They are very inquisitive.

Brussels

So, I'm in Brussels now. Another pleasant flying experience as usual. I got to spend about 7 hours in Gatwick, the first 3 of which were spent in line at customs. (pictured) Other than that, I checked into my hotel at the same time as an Italian school group, so I just about repeated the experience waiting for the pandamonium to subside. I'm currently assembling a group of pictures of Brussels' worst architecture... and my there's a lot of it. It seems to follow a lot of Ottawa's lead in terms of boring institutional government buildings. Not to say there aren't some nice ones to balance them out.