12:

            First of all, the most important number is 12. Once you understand that concept, the idea of the European Union is perfectly simple. There are precisely a zillion institutions that associate themselves with the European Union, and thus far, one of the most outstanding buildings houses the European Parliament. I stepped off the tram, saw flags waving, a behemoth building and nothing else (except the sketchy parking lot full of white vans to the side of the institution). This massive building, however, soon dominated my vision entirely.

            Apparently, before economic troubles in Europe, the EU didn’t think twice about spending millions of dollars on this building, so no expense was spared. According to our remarkably animated and uncontrollably enthusiastic guide, each square centimeter of the building itself is symbolic. The building is not officially complete, just as Europe herself is always under construction. There is a “very special” staircase which symbolizes Louise Weiss somehow, and the number 12 seems to play a major role here as well. Our guide made this abundantly clear.

            This guide, this is the director of communications at one of the world’s most important institutions, who so creepily urged us to love his tulip benches and take as many photos as our cameras could hold. Who is this man? How should I feel about the European Parliament? With this experience, and the memories of the tours of the Council of Europe and that of the Court of Human Rights, I have to assume that the European Parliament is filled with stress, responsibility and the obligation to uphold the law of the perfection of the number 12, and also serve to integrate 27 (soon to be 28) very different countries.

Furthermore, as honestly absurd as that man was, his fervent behavior led me to feel that I had no choice other than complete obsession with the European Parliament, right along with him. I must know everything about the EU, and about the concept of European Integration. It’s pretty convenient that most of my courses this semester will focus on that idea.