My grandfather said ‘Every month you must go to Rome if you want to get what you need for your hometown’.  He was a top civil servant in my hometown Bologna. It was 30s and Mussolini ruled in Italy.

My grandfather wasn’t a fascist but he obeyed… he said. As he went to Rome I regularly go to Brussels. This is not just a habit in my family. Have you ever seen the TV show Rome? So you know since the Roman Empire there have been clientes.

At the time they woke up early in the morning to go to the house of dominus asking for favors and receiving obolo, the daily bread. At least once a month I wake up at dawn to catch up the Eurostar and go to Brussels for meetings with European officials and MEPs.

However, there are many other civil society leaders who don’t travel as much but settled down in the capital and live close to power. Have you ever heard about Brussels civil society?

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The French are not the only to rediscover nationalism in the recession. Even the champions of liberalism have fallen in the trap when another national champion - the chocolate maker Cadbury - has been taken over by foreigners.

The chocolate is not amongst the British exports what we will miss if comparade to the Belgian and Swisse production. However, IO understand the rage of the natives. In Italian you would comment ‘every cockroach has a mother who loves it. On the other hand, I’m wondering if we might see charities overawed by competitors in the future.

Economy recovery is insignificant, spending cuts are sure, donations plummeting and liberalization of social services has already started. Charities have strived in isolation so far but haven’t acquired neither skills nor mindset to compete internationally. Do they risk getting out of business in the next years?

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Despite 3 weeks under the Brazilian sun my new color couldn’t persuade Darren - I call him Black Mamba. He argued I can’t understand the Blacks’ struggle because of the color of my skin.

In all my life I have never allowed anybody to put me in a box and won’t start now with my skin limiting my outreach. If I have to become balck to understand I will do it. Are you ready to follow me?

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We in civil society are good at preaching denouncing misdid of politicians and businessp people but too often are afraid of gettign our hands dirty. What’s civil society is doing beyong circulating appeals, donating money, and leaving the work to NGOs specialised in emergency?

I’m not a specialist in emergency but my president reminded me that we must do something becuase solidarity is our field!

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I´m still not sure I wil be able to make my way back to Europe as the old continent has been punished by gods for the sins of its citizens. I´m not worried about being trapped in the New World… altough I might miss very important meetings in Brussels!

In my last entry I picture a pretty gloomy vion of the future. Was I not negative? someone might call me a rightwing cynical pessimist. Would she be right? perhaps it was just due to the 2 weeks spent with my couple of friends who didn´t allow me recover taking advantage of opportunities offered by this young country…

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