Immigration has been a hot button issue for quite some time, and as I learned last Saturday during my visit to the Africa Museum, Belgium also struggles with "owning" its colonial past. Layers - so many of them! While peeling them back and learning about deeply rooted histories can be exhausting at times, it piques my curiosity and makes me feel so luck to be here and have the opportunity to learn and self-reflect on my own identity amidst the mixed, cosmopolitan culture of Brussels.
When abroad for longer priods of time, should you try to assimilate? Or should one stay true to the culture and mannerisms of their home country, especially in a place like Brussels where so many nationalities are represented? And what if your stereotype is loud, obnoxious American? Do you defy it, own it or blend it? These are the questions that I've raised to myself over the past few weeks, and I realize the choice is very personal.
While there are some mannerisms that I appreciate in Brussels, let's just say that I hesitate less to speak English, especially knowing how common it is. I don't hide the fact that I'm South Asian-American; in fact, it often makes for a good conversation about politics, the weather, places I've lived, cities they've visited, sustainability issues, etc. It's somewhere in those conversations when I'm reminded of how exciting meeting new people can be, and so in that manner, the integration into Brussels continues!
