A Brussels Experience
An interesting thing happened to me on the way to Brussels ...
Actually, I'm very lucky that Americans themselves are not hated in Europe. When I got to Brussels, who else should be there but, lo and behold!, Dubya himself. That made things a little more interesting to say the least, but it was mostly irritating because of security delays.
The most interesting aspect was the location of my hotel. It was in the Middle Eastern section of the city, so you can imagine that there were posters everywhere saying "Bush Go Home" and "We Don't Want Bush Here". They were all over the city, though, not just in that particular part. I figured that no matter where I went in Brussels, as long as I kept my mouth shut and my accent hidden, I should get away without having to go into my personal politics.
However, that wasn't as easy as it sounds, particularly when everyone else in my group knew I was American. When we were asked, "Are you from England?", the answer was usually, "All of us except Melinda. She's American!" I got the evil eye from an elderly Belgian man, though a few minutes later he came back and kissed me three times on my cheeks and told me I was a beautiful American. (Unless my French was rustier than I thought.)
One of my lecturers and his friend even tried to sell me to a taxi driver. "She's American, you can have her for ten Euros". Nice of them, wasn't it? Fortunately the taxi driver was a lovely man and told them that ten Euros was too little for such a beautiful and intelligent American woman. They raised the price to 80 Euros, but still the taxi driver said that was too little. What a sweetie!
So I can stand by my belief that Europeans and those of Middle Eastern descent (such as the taxi driver) do not hate all Americans, especially Americans as individuals. There were plenty of opportunities for me to be insulted, and it didn't happen a single time. I never even had to tell them I don't like Dubya.
Actually, I'm very lucky that Americans themselves are not hated in Europe. When I got to Brussels, who else should be there but, lo and behold!, Dubya himself. That made things a little more interesting to say the least, but it was mostly irritating because of security delays.
The most interesting aspect was the location of my hotel. It was in the Middle Eastern section of the city, so you can imagine that there were posters everywhere saying "Bush Go Home" and "We Don't Want Bush Here". They were all over the city, though, not just in that particular part. I figured that no matter where I went in Brussels, as long as I kept my mouth shut and my accent hidden, I should get away without having to go into my personal politics.
However, that wasn't as easy as it sounds, particularly when everyone else in my group knew I was American. When we were asked, "Are you from England?", the answer was usually, "All of us except Melinda. She's American!" I got the evil eye from an elderly Belgian man, though a few minutes later he came back and kissed me three times on my cheeks and told me I was a beautiful American. (Unless my French was rustier than I thought.)
One of my lecturers and his friend even tried to sell me to a taxi driver. "She's American, you can have her for ten Euros". Nice of them, wasn't it? Fortunately the taxi driver was a lovely man and told them that ten Euros was too little for such a beautiful and intelligent American woman. They raised the price to 80 Euros, but still the taxi driver said that was too little. What a sweetie!
So I can stand by my belief that Europeans and those of Middle Eastern descent (such as the taxi driver) do not hate all Americans, especially Americans as individuals. There were plenty of opportunities for me to be insulted, and it didn't happen a single time. I never even had to tell them I don't like Dubya.
posted by Melinda at 3/02/2005 12:08:00 am
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