gennaio 31, 2008 UK Flag Italy Flag Spain Flag

Un Nuovo Inizio a Bruxelles A New Beginning in Brussels Un Nuevo Comienzo en Bruselas

Thursday, January 31, 2008 - Brussels, Day 4

It's as if we landed directly from Alicante to this kind of 35-square-meter cloud, almost without really touching the ground. The study is on the twenty-first floor of the only tower that has 25 in a neighborhood of three-story houses. The city is down there. It seems to be sunk at the bottom of a ravine.

We found the small apartment on the internet. They let it for short periods, collecting twice as much as they would with a regular rent, and we have 5 weeks to find a stable accommodation.

So far, so good. The place is very warm. Nothing to do with the winter cold of Spanish apartments. There's internet and satellite TV. There's time to rest and reflect.

There are things about a place that you don't even learn after years of staying, there are others that you will never discover. And there are still others that become clear to you in an afternoon. It was enough for me to descend a few times from the ivory tower to discover some very nice ones.

A brief visit to the supermarket was enough to understand how a decent salary in Alicante becomes just enough here.

An urban legend

Then there's that urban legend that Brussels is a trilingual city. I had an appointment to visit an apartment. The agent was late, so I called the agency. I asked her if she spoke English, and she replied, non. Three letters like the three languages that propaganda attributes to the city. Without emotion and without embarrassment. As if she thought, 'We are in Belgium, why you want me to speak English?' The agent didn't show up, and for a while, I felt like that hunter who ran out of bullets in front of a mad rhinoceros.

I met a friend from Alicante, a guy all about beers and tapas, who has been here for six months. I met him in the fine and cutting rain of Place du Luxembourg. I imagined him pale and suffering, in the grip of poignant existential spasms. I expected to spend the evening trying to convince him not to jump from the fifth ball of the Atomium. But no, he exuded joy from every pore and said he was having a great time.

In short, I have to find a house, and there are 4 and a half weeks left. After finding a house, I have to find a job. After finding a job[*], I'll have to learn the language.

[*] On that note, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the bosses and colleagues in Italy who have been telling me for years how little importance technical-operational knowledge has, that everyone is good at that, and that what matters is 'something else'. However, it's about time they explained to me what this 'something else' consists of that I have to figure out on my own. Because, from what I hear, they are bigger fools here than in Italy, and technical knowledge seems to matter a lot.

For the rest, it's the usual routine. They say Clinton made a mistake attacking that African-American rival in the primaries, and it could cost her the support of African-Americans in the November elections. And speaking of Hitler who came to power 75 years ago, Berlusconi has just brought down the Prodi government thanks to 4 bimbos disguised as senators.

I was too busy with suitcases and boxes to worry about it. And the good thing is that this time, up here at the top of the tower, I can dodge the tsunami of crap that's about to come. Sometimes, it's not bad to have something else to think about.