Circle of Friends

Making friends in Europe is easy - way more so than in the US. Eating out at home means sitting at a private table generally isolated from those around you - almost the opposite of what is expected in Europe. Anyone who speaks English is a part of the club - an immediate bond, regardless of nationality or patriotic alliance.

So far, Sean and I have had numerous engaging conversations over a meal. There was a young couple from New York that we met on our Best of Tuscany Tour while in Florence - the woman was pregnant and had just found out the day before what gender they were having. We were the first to find out (it was a girl) - not even their families had been told yet. Then we met a very sweet woman from Australia while dining at Il Caminetto whose husband had just passed away. She was traveling around the world for a few months until she could figure out what move to make next. Yesterday in Bruges, we struck up a conversation with a couple after our brewery tour. The man was from England and the woman from Australia - we never did figure out their relationship exactly, but we chatted with them for over an hour, even blowing off our plans for the rest of the evening so we could continue our chat.

Tonight for dinner, Sean and I wanted to try some "mussels from Brussels." Being from the pacific northwest (and therefore spoiled with seafood), they were goood, but nothing special. The American couple sitting next to us kept raving about how delicious they were, far better than anything they could get back home. I immediately guessed that they were from the midwest. Sure enough, as the night progressed, we started talking and found out they were from Ohio. We started dinner at 7:30 pm and didn't leave until after 10 - the longest meal Sean and I have had while in Europe. We really enjoyed getting to know this other couple and having an experience outside of just Sean and me. I will miss this element of dining when we return home - it is one of the things I've come to treasure about Europe. The friendships might not last a lifetime, but for an evening away from home, they are a very special gift.