Similarities Abound

So today I got up, booked my trip to Zurich, waited for Kristen to wake up, took a shower and went out.

As in, I went shopping in downtown Brussels, by myself. Grand Plac was an awesome place to be today. I left about noon, or a little after, and there were people everywhere.  I have a promise to go try this awesome little pita place - with amazing, fresh gyro meat twirling inside.  I got nearly everyone's presents - it's now just a question of sending them now or carrying stuff home.  I got hit on by several shop owners, and then they gave me huge discounts, as well as a personal tour of some street - learning where the best bars were and what restaurants were good and cheap.  It was "warm" (2 Celsius) and I enjoyed walking around.  I got a little bit more oriented with the metro and learned (hopefully for the last time) that you can't go into Bourse station to get home. (Or at least I still can't figure out how.)  It was a fun day.  I saw lots of people. And I kept thinking the same thing...

"They remind me of....."

It was remarkable.  People from high school, people from Chile, people from temple, people that I've only ever seen but not ever spoken to (that guy in Marion square with the bikes - a couple of you know who I'm talking about), and people from Clemson apparently have unknown twins here.  I could have sworn Ms. Heidi's twin was on the metro with me the other day. It's incredible.  I think about Charleston, and how much diversity I've encountered there, and it's staggering to think that this is an even bigger conglomeration of different nationalities and languages.  I think I've talked about the language thing here - everyone knows at least three, more like four, five or six.  But it's not even just that.  I was walking through this mall-like store today, and I saw every possible culture represented.  Like, EVERY culture.  In Charleston, you can walk into a jewelry store and see crosses, stars, and occasionally Muslim or Hindu symbols.  Here, I didn't have to look hard for symbols for Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, tribal religions, Atheism (don't ask me - it was a sciencey looking thing and that was it's "category") and at least five or six others.  It was a board with all of these pins and pendents and earring categorized for each of the preceding religions.  I think my jaw literally dropped when I saw it.

I was warned when I came here not to wear my Star of David, so I didn't even bring it.  And I still think it's not a bright idea, but it's the fact that it's available.  In all actuality, I've had more negative comments from people participating in CUBC about being Jewish than from any local I've met that it's come up.  Granted, that's only been a couple, but I've been invited to the Chabad temple and others have been genuinely interested in talking religion, but not in a negative way.

Another super cool thing that I found today was this shop (actually two - right next to each other) that was basically ThinkGeek in real life.  I mean, there were other things, and it wasn't specifically "geek" but it was similar.  (For those of you who don't know, ThinkGeek is where I do 33% of my online shopping.  The other 66% is eBay.  It's incredible.)  It was a ton of fun, and it's on my list of places to go back to when I know how much money I have left at the end of my trip.  (It's not the only place, either.)

Uhm. Then I had my first speech for communications, ate dinner, and am now researching places to stay while in Venice in two weeks.  =] I'm excited.  Going to join Youth Hostel Association because it saves me a whole lot, I think.

Goodnight world.