Port #5: Antwerp

It’s actually called Antwerpen.  For some reason, the ‘en’ is cut off when we transition to English.  I am not impressed with the language situation, but am quite impressed with the city.  Before diving into that, let me share about my travels to Brussels.

I am privileged to have an opportunity to co-teach a leadership course on this voyage.  Each course has a Field Lab with which it is associated.  Ours was an opportunity visit NATO as well as the European Union Parliament.  To view both organizations, one right after the other, through a leadership lens was fascinating.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), based on what I heard in two different briefings, seems to be a reactionary, fear-based, exclusive organization.  The use of the term ‘us and them’ was used repeatedly throughout in several different contexts.  NATO seems to serve the privileged western world at the expense of the rest of the world.  I appreciate the opportunity to visit and learn more about the organization, but a left contemplating if this is the best we can do to advance ‘peace and security’.

The NATO visit was juxtaposed against an amazingly inclusive EU parliament.  It is this body that works to create common laws for the entirety of the EU members.  Much of that has to do with commerce and individual rights.  What I found most fascinating is the dedication to honoring each elected officials national language.  Instead of NATO’s policy of working solely in English the EU operates in over 20 languages.  Before any bill is passed, every word is translated into all languages.   1/3 of the EUs budget goes to translation and transcribing.  Although this policy slows down the system and is quite costly, what an amazing statement of inclusivity!

After leaving Brussels, I returned to Antwerpen.  The ship is docked across the street from the heart of the old city.  We step off the ship, go through security, cross the road, and stand on a cobbled street leading to the massive and impressive Cathedral.  That first night all I could do was walk the narrow paths with a smile on my face.  There was something sacred about being in the heart of the city that first night.

Yesterday, I woke early and headed out on a job to a children’s jungle gym with a pirate theme.  It was very cool and a whole lot of fun swinging on the monkey bars and doing push ups / sit ups in and out of the other equipment.  On the way home, I got lost.  I literally ended up on the other side of the city.  Although the rain was falling from the sky the entire time, it was a blast making way through the city.  After showering and changing, the afternoon was spent reading mentorship literature, before venturing out again.  Another long walk led to meeting with some friends/colleagues for a night out on the town.  More to come from Antwerpen as the days unfold…