That question...

Sometimes someone will ask you a question that will ultimately make you think for days. I was at this fancy work related dinner. As I was already saying good bye, someone said that it was good to live in Belgium or something like that. I answered that besides Mexican, I was also Belgian. Someone in the corner of my table asked "married to a Belgian?" (someone that had mentioned that she was married to a diplomat). I answered that I had gotten the citizenship thanks to the many years I've lived here.

I went home and for some reason that short exchange of words made me think about how I managed to get BE citizenship. It made me think about the 7 years it took to apply for it and the 9 years that have passed by since I first took that taxi from Zaventem that drove me through main avenues, including Louise and took me to that small studio in Uccle where as I was opening the door, fireworks for 2009 had started. None "gave me" that second passport. If there is credit to be given, it is to myself.

It's been a long time in Belgium. It's been an important part of my adult life. It's been different, it's been a lonely time. It has also been years to get to know myself better, to get older, get ill, understand that at the end of the day it's me the one that should never leave and that I will never leave myself.

A friend of mine said that according to oriental traditions, I should get a gold object as "welcome gold" now that I've moved house. I thought about it for days and even a couple of weeks and at the end I bought my first ever diamond. From me to myself. I put a ring on it.