While Thinking about Thinking...

Balzac's Cafe: "Our Coffee Shop"

An interesting thing happened to me recently.  We were reading our books in "our coffee shop" (the one we come to several times a week and Fritz orders "the usual" while I stake out a table for us, and then we pass an hour or two reading or working or blogging or whatever we do), when I became aware of the fact that I had forgotten I was in a foreign country.  For a moment, I stepped out of myself to have a better look at my own thoughts and feelings, and in that moment, I witnessed a transormation of my own perception.  Frankfurt wasn't just a place I was visiting.  I wasn't just an outsider who can't speak the language (even though I really still can't speak the language), and I felt comfortable.  I felt "home".  We have a Place where the employees are familiar, we know where all the outlets are so we can plug in our computers if we need to, and we can come and forget ourselves for a few hours if we want.  The subtle din of people conversing in German as they sip their double espresso is a comfort instead of something that makes me feel different now.  After a month and a half, I'm beginning to feel "settled".  Like I am a part of the scenery instead of merely a tourist who can only see the world around her when she is looking through the lens of her camera.  

I like it.