If I had started my life in Skopje instead of Philadelphia, I would have been born in a republic called Yugoslavia. I would probably have Slavic Macedonian ethnicity, but may also have been of Albanian, Turkish, Roma, or Serbian descent and that would define my culture, education and sense of place. In 1991, if this … Continue reading
Monthly Archives: June 2013
Dipping into the pathos of Salonika
In 1916 a writer for the National Geographic was struck by Salonica’s seeming indifference to the needs of the tourists who came on the trail of its past. “So little indeed has she yet taken in, as the remainder of Europe has so profitably done, the possibilities of a past that I was unable to … Continue reading
Along the sun-drenched roadside
I wanted to name this post “Thessaloniki, I love you but you’re bringing me down,” but then I thought Rosencrans Baldwin could have issues with that and, besides, I’m on a trip to promote transatlantic cooperation so need to focus on the positives. Right? Right. One day in Greece and I’ve already experienced wonder, disgust, … Continue reading
Listen, Germany!
Although many decades have passed since the end of World War II, the last big war fought on Western European soil, it could be argued that memories in Europe run long and deep about the past, particularly as relates to why a totalitarian state should be avoided. Almost to a person, I’ve heard from people … Continue reading
Kinder culture… über alles?
Germany is the birthplace of kindergarten, although the locals here say that the word itself is dated. These days, Kita is the term of art and the term stands for Kindertagesstätte. This name implies that the institution also provides daycare and all-day kindergarten. I visited a Kita in Lübeck run by a huge NGO called … Continue reading
The meaning of marzipan
The northern Germans probably don’t realize they share a food passion in common with the southern Europeans. Long ago and far away, intrepid seafarers discovered new (to them) lands and brought home with them all sorts of goodies (and baddies, really). In Lübeck, a trading port in the Hanseatic League, merchants found good use for … Continue reading
Where the bricks glitter and the hospitality is golden
From the land of inside EU politics to the former seat of the Hanseatic empire… our group of 19 fellows broke into three parts today, with six of us landing in Lübeck while the others went to either Berlin or Copenhagen. I will admit here that I was jealous at first of my colleagues going … Continue reading
Cultivating interest in the European Union
Brussels hit the mid 80’s today and it was heavenly. The sidewalks were swarming with people in summery dresses and shirtsleeves enjoying ice cream or simply time outside. On my way to a meeting, I discovered Jubelpark, a gorgeous and huge park crowned by a triumphal arch that celebrates Belgium’s fiftieth anniversary. At the entrance, … Continue reading
The Brussels Business
This gives a good overview of some of the tensions in play in Brussels around transparency and ethics. You can watch the full film here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Yei29slq0c and more about the film here: http://www.thebrusselsbusiness.eu/. Continue reading
Behind closed doors
Today I went to NATO headquarters, but all I can share with you in the visual sense is this photo from the parking lot outside of the entry gates. We checked our phones and cameras at the door. Last night, I attended a reception at the home of an American diplomat in the tony Uccle … Continue reading
glossy&rowdy 