Today is the last day in the lab, though I predict that either I'll be traveling here again in some months time, or they will go to Barcelona to keep on working closely together. With this "they" I'm referring to Wei and Thomas, the two guys whom I'm working with in Liège. Both of them have kindly welcome me, specially Thomas, who has friendly introduced me to his friends and sister, with whom we have had lunch most of the days.
Wei is a more reserved Chinese guy, from Manchu area. He's been here for five years and, currently, is living with his wife, also Chinese, who is pursuing her PhD in the same department. Yesterday afternoon we had a pretty long conversation about Asia, in general, and China, in particular. We talked about Japanese occupation of Manchu region and the way Japanese are still perceived there or in Korea. He has a pretty interesting theory about why Europe is not as united as China but just a bunch of similar independent nations, fighting each other most of times.
We need a powerful Emperor, in the Chinese way, that merciless and ruthless remove differences. According to him, China became a single nation due to the tyrannic rule of her emperors, who did not hesitate sacrificing enormous portions of the population on behalf of the construction of the country. He, though, agreed with me that in Europe, where the individual is more important than the group, this is pretty impossible. I told him that I had had such an impression in Japan, and he mentioned the Taoism and its influence also in Japan, since she had taken most of her culture from China.
Thomas, on the other hand, a tall blond blue-eyed handsome Belgian guy, still a bit ingenuous and shy due to his countrysideness, but terribly good-natured and friendly. He explained me how successful he was with girls in Spain. He was astonished when girls came straight to him in the club. "Of course! You are the blue prince stereotype guy for them!". Never happened to him in Belgium. Girls, always prefer the "foreigner" to the local, and I know what I'm talking about.
His sister is also a real beauty. A biologist, finishing her PhD in deep sea crustaceans, she was trying to explain me why these animals are that interesting so as to have had a radio interview from Australia about her work. Her skin is so pale, it turned red anytime she couldn't find the right word in English and asked help from his brother. Her friend was also an interesting type.
A heavy smoker, angry with the world girl, she tests the effects of cocaine and amphetamines on rats. I asked her if she had open access to such substances. "Yes", she had, though they have a protocol. As much "pure white and sticky cocaine" as she wanted, she kiddingly told me, "better than that in Las Ramblas". She should go and extend her tests there, plenty of drugs and rats!!
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