Subj : Re: 2022 FTSC Standing Member Election -
To : Matthias Hertzog
From : Ward Dossche
Date : Wed Feb 23 2022 12:50 pm
Matthias,
MH> There are a lot more cultural differences over here than in your zone.
Having travelled that other zone extensively, I would like to challenge that.
Let me just take Belgium in North America as an example ... there is an excellent 'creperie' located in Seward (Alaska) named "Le Barn Appetit" operated by a Belgian who emigrated there Yvon Van Driessche and who proudly flies the black/yellow/red all year around. Sells excellent Belgian pastries. (I visited the place. Excellent food. Nothing American) Also in Seward there is an excellent Greek restaurant and when you get in there you feel like you're at the foot of Acropolis....
The "Rik Van Looy Supporters Club" thrives in the Detroit area.
Try Googling "Belgian Church Montana" ... it's a century old settlement and 5th generation descendants still speak the old Flemish dialect. I was there a few weeks ago. They restored the church and have services, the old cemetary is maintained. Wonderful. 30 kilometer west there is a large Hutterite settlement where German is the going language ...
In Wisconsin somewhere there are 2 streets with nothing but descendants from a single Belgian village. Once a year in Belgium there's a fair, in Wisconsin they hold one at the same time.
That's just a few unimportant Belgians. Think about all the other nationalities, especially the Irish celebrating St.Patrick's Day ...
I once took a flight from Calgary to Heathrow ... the main languages spoken on board were Danish and Swedish. And when I flew from Toronto to Amsterdam you needed to know Greek or Swedish if you wanted to converse with your neighbour.
Then you have the wonderful traditions and cultural diversities of the Native Americans .... the descendants of the slaves too ....
I think you are pretty much mistaken making that statement about the lack of cultural differences.
MH> There is no such thing like a "united states of europe".
Unfortunately not, and Nick lives in Canada...
MH> The ZC2 job is probably harder than yours - lucky you.
How would you know that? ... Nick and I consult several times a week on issues we run into and he's got his piece of the cake.
\%/@rd
--- DB4 - 20220222
* Origin: Hou het veilig, hou vol. Het komt allemaal weer goed (2:292/854)
