Articles by Benjamin Goffin

Spring Break
Posted on 4/17/13

Spring break was even more spectacular than I had even expected. Each day of the entire week visually presented to my brother, whom I had not seen for seven months, and me another portrait of America’s unique and fascinating origin and history.

My only brother, Antoine, arrived on Friday, March 29th. For a few days, he explored the city of Bluefield and nearby areas, where I have lived since last August. We celebrated Easter together. Then we left to take a trip to Washington, D.C. We enjoyed discovering the “Federal City”. I will never forget visiting the Capitol. Seeing the dome, the portraits and the statues all of which gave me, at one glance, a picture of the struggle this country endured to preserve its democracy. Washington’s second plateau of remembrance for young visitors from Belgium was the Holocaust National Museum. Who can enter the museum’s doors without emotionally being stung by the tragedy and suffering the relics of this event portray? Some rooms contained televisions which played over and over the atrocities of this never-to-be-forgotten page of history.

As a postlude, I would like to speak about the joy I had in seeing my brother again. We had planned his visit since Christmas. Even as his departure plane took off yesterday, April 10th, I will remember forever all the memories and the fun of two weeks spent together. When will I see him again? I am going back to my country at least for the summer. I feel more and more a part of America. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to seeing my country again!

Horseplay
Posted on 3/8/13

Sometimes, in American schools students get into physical fights. It is a common thing.
But while parts of America go crazy and violent, I want to have a thought for victims of violence all around the world. All these innocents who are injured and killed. All the victims of war. And all the soldiers. Soldiers who are instruments in the hands of the democracies.
While students engaged horseplay, citizens of the earth die from sickness and hunger.
I know some Belgian soldiers are at the moment fighting in Mali to defend civil populations.
Today, all around the world there are some real wars. Real wars which are not propagated by the media, but real wars that kill real people.

Benjamin's Adventures!
Pictures by Benjamin Goffin

6 Months in America
Posted on 2/25/13

I have already enjoyed six months here. Half of a year abroad...

I remember, I arrived in Washington, D.C., after a non-stop 10 hour flight. I took another plane to Beckley, W.V., and I was here. In West-Virginia. I did not know anything about this place. Or anybody. John Feuchtenberger and two German kids were at the airport, waiting for me.

After a few days, I got to know them. John Feuchtenberger was now my host father, while these two German chaps became my exchange brothers.
It was a new world in front of me. I had many surprises, many comments but also many questions. Conversation was not easy. We often had already gone on talking about something else when I got an English-speaking sentence straight in my French-speaking mind.

With the first days at school, I discovered many unusual rules: security guards in the school, no school bag in the hall, no knife at lunch. Mic in each classroom, video camera in each corner of the building. Almost this feeling of omnipresent government surveillance described by Orwell in 1984.

I also found out about things which were not myths: Americans like fast-food restaurants, donuts and peanut butter. In the same way they enjoyed stores (which are huge) day and night. In them, you can buy yogurt or lettuce and a few shelves further guns, bullets or whatever.

The weeks were flying. Time flies when you are having fun. I went to some school games. (Something we don't have over there, we only play sports after schools, in clubs.) I supported the Beavers. Then, came the Homecoming Dance.

We were closer to the elections. The political campaign was in full swing. Even though coal-mining is now only history in Belgium, here in West-Virginia it was at the center of current debate.

But anyway, who cares about politics? Mountaineers won their five first games. Now that's important!

However, several weeks later, after four years of presidency, Barack Obama was re-elected by a majority of American citizens to head this country for four more years.

I traveled a little bit. In West-Virginia, the mountain state. And in Virginia, the mother of presidents. Once, in the latter, I felt something funny. I was hearing country music, was eating barbecue sandwiches, was looking at the farmland landscape. And I felt like something warm, something wild, something South. Like an old-school America.
Thursday, November 22nd, was my first Thanksgiving. Candles on the table; fire in the fireplace; nice buffet; mouth-watering turkey; great guests. The winter was getting closer and closer and American families were united around this dinner to thank Providence.

I feasted at Christmas far from my motherland, but I wanted to make this celebration of joy special, this celebration of sharing lasting. The English novelist, Charles Dickens, said “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all year.” It was my frame of mind.

“Do you all know Wiz Khalifa, Snoop Dog, Lil Wayne or Biggie Smalls? Over there, in your country? – I guess we do.” But it is here, or more precisely at the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West-Virginia, Charleston, W.V., that I heard Mozart’s Requiem Symphony. No rap. Something radically different. But what are differences? Is it not something scary? Something different? Like something you don’t know. Something you can not anticipate. Traveling taught me one thing. Otherness doesn’t make anything better or worse. Otherness makes one appreciate fine shades of difference. And there is no reason to think about it, you can only enjoy it presently and deeply feel it. And that’s why I like traveling.

I have already enjoyed six months here. Half of my American dream!

Where is Belgium?
Posted on 1/30/13

Some simply asked me where Belgium was. Perhaps most of you thought Belgium was in Germany. I remember a guy interrupting me:"No, don't say anything! I know where Belgium is. In the Middle East, isn't it?”

We could say Belgium is a country between France, Germany and Great Britain. Belgium is a country counting as population eleven million people. Just to have an idea: almost one-thirtieth the size of the United States of America.

In this small country, three languages, three communities, four regions, divided in ten provinces but one capital city: Brussels (also European Union's de facto capital and NATO'S headquarter).

Through centuries, Belgium fought for its identity, its freedom, its democracy.
Belgium is not a nation, it is a kingdom made from a several nations. The kingdom seeks respect and equality among its communities.

In Belgian history, there are also dark ages: the lack of understanding between communities; the colonialist period; and the atrocities and oppressed population during the first and the second world wars.

Belgium can simply be described as the country of Belgian waffles, beers or chocolates;
The land of the famous “Manneken-Pis” (you know, this sculpture of a little boy relieving himself!);
The land of the Brussels World’s Fair Atomium;
A country of industries, of tourism, of humanism and social progress;
A country for which young American soldiers gave their lives in the cold and the snow in the name of liberty against the German occupation armies;
A country welcoming and opened to the world around;
A country of... A country for...
Simply my country.

Vive le Roi, la Loi, la Liberté!
Long live the King, the Law, the Liberty!