Kyle’s European Adventure

Well, I’m not one to dwell on this particular anniversary, and I honestly had almost forgotten what today even was. I went to a quiet dinner party at Marcos’ house, where he cooked his famous Brazilian fish dish, which was a huge hit. There were six of us there, and the conversation turned to September 11th. I realized that not only was I the ONLY American in the group, but that ever person there was from a different country. There was a Muslim, a Jew, a Brit, Brazillian, German and a Swede. It was such a diverse group, and I was really surprised to hear the different tone to the conversation (different, at least, from what I’ve grown used to in the US). 

The British guy expressed surprise that ’suddenly’ the world was full of terrorists after 9/11, when he grew up constantly surrounded by the attacks from the IRA. The Muslim recounted a terrifying tale of passing through immigration in both the US and Israel – neither of which would I have been able to handle with the patience and grace that he showed. They all showed total scorn at feeling any fear of attacks within Germany. After all, “feeling any fear is giving terror power, no?”

So, at any rate, it was an enlightening conversation, and if anything, really showed me how differently the rest of the world sees the issue of terror, and most importantly, how much it doesn’t actually shape their lives, the politics of their world, and their overall outlook. It’s something that many of them were living with daily, well before the Trade Center was destroyed. 

The other big point that ever, single one of them made?

“Your country had better not elect ANOTHER war-mongering Republican!”

People here follow our elections almost as closely as Americans do, and not a single one of them is pulling for McCain. Go figure.