David Bowie passed away one day before we moved to Belgium, so it is no surprise that radio stations worldwide would be playing his music a lot around that time. I had to laugh, however, when I heard this song.
It may have been day 2 or 3 in Belgium for us, I can’t remember exactly, and I got into the car one evening for my first solo trek outside the house. I was running to a store to get some necessities. I was feeling nervous but proud of myself for getting out and figuring out where I was going, and the nuances of shopping in new stores in a new country. I backed out of our driveway, turned on the radio, and the first thing I hear is, “This is not America”, by Bowie and Pat Metheny.
Coincidence? I don’t know, but I was not familiar with the song before, and haven’t heard it played since. Now, I know that the song meaning may be deeper than a literal interpretation, but I had to laugh. It set a very nice soundtrack for my first trip out alone. Thanks for the reminder, Belgian radio, I get it. This is not America.
RB Abroad 