Yesterday I had my first politics class here in Brussels. I'm taking a module which explains the origins and role of the European Union, it seemed daft for me to live in what is often called 'the capital of Europe' and not at least try to educate myself further on the EU.
I sat in the lecture theatre surrounded by students from across the world, many from countries I've never set foot in, listening to our lecturer explain to us the origins of the EU and how it was created to symbolise and maintain peace and stability across our continent. We discussed how it helped European citizens economically and socially and how European involvement has improved lives and helped to rebuild Eastern Europe after the fall of the iron curtain. Every single student in that room had travelled to Brussels as part of a study abroad programme, most of us were there with Erasmus funding and support. We all spoke French, because we had all taken the time to study a different language and culture, I can almost guarantee that every student in that room also spoke English. Next week we're visiting the European Parliament to see the EU in action. In the coming weeks, rather than learning about what the EU can do for us and what it's achieved, we're learning about Brexit. About how Britain thought it was too good for the EU, how we thought we did not need to be part of one of the largest and most successful peacekeeping organisations. How, even though European history is British history and even though the most commonly spoken language in Europe is (allegedly) English- spoken between non-native speakers, we thought the best thing to do in 2016 was turn our backs on our neighbours, shun foreigners and become an insular little island.
Later in the day yesterday I spent time with my new Finnish friend, who speaks near perfect English and French. She's introduced me to her Ukrainian-born Czech friend and we've had pre-drinks with her German friend. I then came home to my 'kot' (student housing here in Brussels) for an evening of drinks and socialising with my flatmates and their friends who were from: France, Switzerland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Portgual and America. We're truly an international bunch and guess what, every singly person in that room spoke to each other in near perfect English. I had such a fun evening, playing drinking games and dancing with my new friends as we laughed and fumbled our way through dodgy Spanish to English to French translations.
So today, to wake up to the news that the Tory Party want British businesses to publish their number of foreign staff, to see that (despite the high rate of employment) the Tories are still blaming foreign workers for unemployment in Britain, to see Theresa May imply that foreign NHS workers- those who have held up the NHS amid Tory cuts and austerity- are only here temporarily; is nothing short of heartbreaking.
Being in the capital of Europe surrounded by such interesting, diverse people and seeing my own country turn its back on multiculturalism is simply crushing.
