h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm working for the European Commission, and living in Luxembourg, if that's any use to you...

nice to meet you.

The European Commission. Wow. How do you like it? How do you get a job working there? Right now I am studying about democracy in the EU. Everyone says there isn't any, but I don't see anyone's opinions on weather or not there should be direct democracy or not.

I don't know. I'm confused and there is an open bottle of red wine on the counter with my name on it.

How is Luxembourg like to live in this time of year? Where about are you from originally?

I LURRRRRV working for the EC - it's such a mixture of cultures, when you think that there are staff here from Finland, Greece, Italy, Ireland etc etc , all with their own cultures and languages, and all managing to work together reasonably efficiently.

The Commission itself is small in numbers - which probably accounts for the greater autonomy compared to , say, a UK civil servant (from where I've been seconded). There are about 16,000 permanent staff, and another 4,000 are "loaned" from the 15 Member States (that's me again) as specialists in certain areas (forestry and accounting in my case). These seconded posts are trawled amongst existing Civil Servants.

Democracy, eh? Hmmmm. Nice theory, but I think every instance of it has to be modified and evolve in some way to fit the circumstances. Take Northern Ireland for instance. Crude democracy would give power to the largest slice of the population, to the detriment of the rest. So a very artifical and over-engineered form of Government has been set up. Sure, you can criticise it for being undemocratic, but for the most part it works!

Luxembourg is lovely about now - all the hedges and trees are coming into blossom, the sky is blue, the sun is shining.....it's a beautiful place and I count myself very lucky to be here.

What red wine are you drinking?

Wine, ohhhhhhh..............

Yesterday was too much wine, beer, more wine then whisky. the good thing is I wasn't paying. Though, I fear I am paying for it now.

My preference is a nice Italian wine, Barolo or even a Cabernet. I'm not as fond of white but to each there own.

What made you want to work for the EU? How do you get a job there?

I've been online too long today trying to make up for the last two days partying. My friends are getting married Tuesday; well two of them are so we are having the pre-pre-wedding parties.

I wanted to work for the EU to:

-get a more European perspective on life, politics (the Universe and Everything?)

-improve my French

-use the opportunity to travel in Europe

-use secondment as a risk-free trial of living away from my home country

I always found the UK approach to all things European ("Brussels" is almost a swear-word!)very cynical and miserable, and I wanted to experience it first hand without the newspapers telling me what to think.

Mmmmm .....Italian red wine