Traveling in a short time through three different European countries where four or five different languages are spoken is a strange experience. No, I'm not talking about for European people exotic countries, I'm just talking about Portugal, Belgium and the United Kingdom. This is not entirely correct. It rather concerns the inner-land of southern Portugal and the cities Lisbon, Ostend and Leuven and London. To create large groups simplifies the classification in our minds and when communicating with others distorts the information given. And that is what happens as soon as one or two places are generalised into a whole nation, a word used today to refer to all the people living within a certain border established by historical accidents.
Yet it remains a strange experience for a European who did not travel much outside Europe.
In the Portuguese inner-land time still moves very slowly. In Lisbon, Leuven and Ostend time accelerate, where in London it shifts into a higher gear. In the Portuguese interior one moves by car, in Ostend and Leuven one goes on foot or by bike, in Lisbon one can dream of a public transport like that of London. Recycling waste is sorted differently at each location as one rapidly experiences.
In Lisbon people easily hug each other when they meet, even when they are almost stranger to each other. In Ostend and Leuven the embrace depends greatly on who meets. In London often only a nod of the head or a handshake is expected.
What is cultural, what is the individuality of people? I notice differences in greetings with my grandchildren. But is that because they live in different places, different countries, or simply because they are different in nature? How long does it take a community to consider one of the many orientations a kind of standard?
European is a geographical collective noun. Often I think that's it. Living in a different place within Europe makes experiences different even for children with similar family cultures. Theater and film tell different stories, children's books by English authors are not always translated or translatable, children's books by Belgian or Portuguese authors are rarely translated.
Children and adults invite Pépé to watch television programs. I always observe that locally content and choices can differ greatly, despite the attempts of international entertainment groups to flatten everything out. Some penetrate everywhere. Animal heroes seem currently the same for all children, only the names differ. When reading, some authors who have become international assure connections.
But mostly diversity is visible everywhere, luckily. In the long term, it seems to be a good protection against totalitarian outbursts arrogant manipulative, power-hungry leaders provoke.
Yet it remains a strange experience for a European who did not travel much outside Europe.
In the Portuguese inner-land time still moves very slowly. In Lisbon, Leuven and Ostend time accelerate, where in London it shifts into a higher gear. In the Portuguese interior one moves by car, in Ostend and Leuven one goes on foot or by bike, in Lisbon one can dream of a public transport like that of London. Recycling waste is sorted differently at each location as one rapidly experiences.
In Lisbon people easily hug each other when they meet, even when they are almost stranger to each other. In Ostend and Leuven the embrace depends greatly on who meets. In London often only a nod of the head or a handshake is expected.
What is cultural, what is the individuality of people? I notice differences in greetings with my grandchildren. But is that because they live in different places, different countries, or simply because they are different in nature? How long does it take a community to consider one of the many orientations a kind of standard?
European is a geographical collective noun. Often I think that's it. Living in a different place within Europe makes experiences different even for children with similar family cultures. Theater and film tell different stories, children's books by English authors are not always translated or translatable, children's books by Belgian or Portuguese authors are rarely translated.
Children and adults invite Pépé to watch television programs. I always observe that locally content and choices can differ greatly, despite the attempts of international entertainment groups to flatten everything out. Some penetrate everywhere. Animal heroes seem currently the same for all children, only the names differ. When reading, some authors who have become international assure connections.
But mostly diversity is visible everywhere, luckily. In the long term, it seems to be a good protection against totalitarian outbursts arrogant manipulative, power-hungry leaders provoke.