Literature

**Cinema Galeries : La Plaga** 12/03 @ 19h00 [...] The film is a combination of fiction and reality, which deals with the impact of the economic crisis. ‘La Plaga’ tells the story of five different characters living in the suburban area of Barcelona that are all hit by the consequences of the economic crisis. For more than four years Ballús worked together with these characters with the aim of showing their fight for survival in times of economic depression. For that reason, she has painted a portrait of the lives of five people living on the outskirts of a city, fields, streets or industrial parks. The movie tells the story of five apparently independent people, who end up connected to each other. Iurie, a Moldavian wrestler, works for the farmer Raül, who has big crop failures because of a plague of insects. The third is his neighbour Maria, who has to move to a retirement home, because of health problems. There she gets to know the Filipino elderly care nurse Rosemarie, who walks a cart-track every day to come to work where she always passes Maribel on a beach chair. Maribel tries to earn her living as a prostitute so she and her unemployed son can get by. Ballús explains that the film is based on true life stories, real emotions, situations and genuine characters. However nevertheless the director points out that “La Plaga is more of a composition than truth. The word documentary has high brow connotations, but it means not being manipulated or constructed. But for me everything in a film is constructed and manipulated, so it is more a film than a documentary.” Ballús’ movie wants to reflect the current critical situation in Catalonia, Spain and Europe. “We are all living in a situation of uncertainty about the future, a feeling of being lost in the system and excluded by politicians.” The film shows the difficult and unfortunate situation of five different people, but despite life’s hardships how they can handle their daily life and this is a big strength. That’s why Ballús wanted to present her story in this film, because these characters are real heroes of everyday life. [...] [Cinema Galeries](https://galeries.be/fr/lheure-dhiver-2026-la-plaga/) [Karina Reinhard, for the Agència Catalana de Notícies](https://www.catalannews.com/culture/item/catalan-film-director-neus-ballus-presents-la-plaga-at-the-berlin-international-film-festival) **For Dreamers, Coffee shots, Orezza, eau de Saint-Georges !**

Socializing and Networking 🛜🆕 at PLUX on Thursday. Making new friends and drinking 🚰🎈🎉🚿🌊. Everybody Welocme, locals, expats or new 🆕 in town.

We are back!!! Let's meet again on the 12th March for our European Data Meet Up at Brussels! Our meet up event is the perfect opportunity to stay ahead of the latest technology trends in Data. Join us, grab a beer during our open bar & let's talk! **When**: Thursday 12th March From 19:00 to 22:00 **Where:** Au Bassin (Le Hall!) Quai aux Briques 54 1000 Bruxelles **Agenda:** \- How Carrefour Belgium orchestrates data flows using BigQuery\, Pub/Sub\, Cloud Run Functions and MongoDB Atlas presented by Olivier Orban \- Data Platform Team Lead & Guillaume Hellin \- Data Engineer \- LLMs Talk\. Knowledge Graphs Remember\. An intuitive look at how LLMs and knowledge graphs complement each other to build more reliable AI systems\. presented by Michael Tandecki\, AI Engineer at Collibra \- Team management x AI: the good\, the bad\, and the ugly\, presented by\- Thibault Martin & Olivier Colot\, co\-founders at Diapason AI

EN (FR en bas): We're still accepting people in our classes. Join us!​ -step 1: Book here! -> [https://www.danceproject.be/reservations.html](https://www.danceproject.be/reservations.html) -step 2: Show up! Schedule: [Monday to Thursday](https://www.danceproject.be/classes.html#schedule) Fees : [All info on trials, packs, subscriptions here](https://www.danceproject.be/classes.html#fees) Locations: -Rue Brialmont 7, Brussels Metro/Tram: Botanique Salsa, Bachata, Lindy Hop, Forró Intro - 1: From base to the dancefloor! When you come for the first time we go over the base & rhythm with you. Then you are included in the group and everybody learns the same new steps for which you just need the base. Practice makes perfect: just relax and enjoy Salsa, Bachata, Lindy Hop and/or Forró! Our group is very welcoming and looking forward to meet new dancers! Salsa, Bachata, Lindy Hop, Forró Roots I - 2: Ready to go deeper on Salsa, Bachata, Lindy Hop &/or Forró? Let's go! [https://www.danceproject.be/classes.html#improvers](https://www.danceproject.be/classes.html#improvers) Salsa, Forró Roots II - 3: Looking for #SalsaChallenge? Already familiar with Forró Root? We've got your back! [https://www.danceproject.be/classes.html#intermediates](https://www.danceproject.be/classes.html#intermediates) More info: -Web: [https://www.danceproject.be](https://www.danceproject.be) -Whatsapp: +32 493 16 41 10 -Mail: brussels.salsa.project@gmail.com -[Facebook](https://facebook.com/brussels.salsa.project) -[Instagram](https://instagram.com/brussels.salsa.project) \-\-\-\-\- FR: Nous acceptons encore de nouvelles personnes dans nos cours. Rejoins-nous ! -1ère pas : Fait ta réservation ! -> [https://www.danceproject.be/reservation.html](https://www.danceproject.be/reservation.html) -2ème pas : Vient danser ! Horaire : [lundi à jeudi](https://www.danceproject.be/cours.html#horaire) Les prix : [Toutes les infos sur les essais, packs, abonnements ici](https://www.danceproject.be/cours.html#prix) Endroits : -Rue Brialmont 7, Bruxelles Metro/Tram: Botanique Salsa, Bachata, Lindy Hop, Forró Intro - 1 : De la base à la piste de danse ! Lorsque tu nous rejoins on voit la base et le rythme avec toi. Ensuite, tu es inclus dans le groupe et tout le monde apprend les mêmes pas pour lesquelles tu as juste besoin de la base. C'est en forgeant qu'on devient forgeron : détend-toi et profite la Salsa, de la Bachata, du Lindy Hop et/ou du Forró ! Notre groupe est très accueillant et a hâte de rencontrer de nouveaux danseurs ! Salsa, Bachata, Lindy Hop, Forró Roots I - 2 : Prêt à approfondir la Salsa, la Bachata, le Lindy Hop &/ou le Forró ? Allons-y! [https://www.danceproject.be/cours.html#inities](https://www.danceproject.be/cours.html#inities) Salsa, Forró Roots II - 3 : Tu cherches #DefiSalsa ? Tu connais déjà Forró Roots ? Nous sommes là pour toi ! [https://www.danceproject.be/cours.html#intermediaires](https://www.danceproject.be/cours.html#intermediaires) Plus d’info: -Web: [https://www.danceproject.be/fr.html](https://www.danceproject.be/fr.html) -Whatsapp: +32 493 16 41 10 -Mail: brussels.salsa.project@gmail.com -[Facebook](https://facebook.com/brussels.salsa.project) -[Instagram](https://instagram.com/brussels.salsa.project)

**Vous souhaitez améliorer votre prise de parole en public et développer vos compétences en communication et en leadership ?** 🎤✨ Le **Club des Orateurs**, club francophone de Toastmasters à **Bruxelles**, vous invite à une soirée d’apprentissage dans une ambiance conviviale et bienveillante. **Prochaine réunion** : 📅 **Deuxième jeudi du mois** 🕢 **19h30 – 21h30** 📍 **Villa François Gay (salle au 1er étage)** 📍 **326 Rue François Gay, 1150 Bruxelles** 🏡 Le bâtiment est situé dans un petit parc. 🚀 **Pourquoi participer ?** ✔️ **Améliorez votre aisance à l’oral** grâce à des discours préparés et des interventions improvisées. ✔️ **Développez votre leadership** en prenant des rôles lors des réunions. ✔️ **Rejoignez une communauté dynamique** qui vous aidera à progresser à votre rythme. ✔️ **Une expérience immersive** avec des retours bienveillants pour évoluer rapidement. 🔹 **Déroulement d’une réunion Toastmasters** : Nos réunions incluent des discours préparés, des exercices d’improvisation et des évaluations constructives pour vous aider à progresser. 👥 **Qui peut participer ?** Tout le monde est bienvenu, que vous soyez débutant ou expérimenté ! **L’entrée est gratuite pour les invités.** 📩 **Intéressé•e ?** Inscrivez-vous dès maintenant sur Meetup et rejoignez-nous pour une soirée enrichissante !

🇬🇧 EN 🇬🇧 🔥 SALSA CUBANA CLASSES ARE BACK 🔥 We are delighted to see you again for the start of the 2025/26 academic year 👉 Find all the needed information on our website : **[https://danzamania.be/](https://danzamania.be/horaires/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExUjNGU3gzRWdsUFlWMGJMQgEeCHgiKV40mum5hOp5szt0Lxx3U-5DyHO_wR_ZJekcr_m7EFRdpcRthKRV9EU_aem_W6hFXCri8O6Kd9el-RIuIQ)** ✅ PROGRAMME ✅ 👉 TUESDAY 16/09 7:00-8:00 pm - Salsa Level 1A @ Salle Oxygène - Angie, Octavia & Raffa 8:15-9:15 pm - Salsa Niveau 1B\* @ Salle Ste Suzanne - Tine & Sam 8:00-9:00 pm - Salsa Cubana Level 2 @ Salle Oxygène - Angie, Octavia & Raffa \*The Level 1B course is the same as the Level 1A course. It will be taught by Tine & Samuel and starts at 8.15 p.m. It allows those who wish to arrive one hour later and have a group of about 10 people. 👉 WEDNESDAY 17/09 7:00-7:30 pm - Body Expression @ Salle Oxygène - Yusnay, Tine & Raffa 7:30-8:30 pm - Salsa Level 3 @ Salle Oxygène - Yusnay, Tine & Raffa 8:30-9:30 pm - Salsa Level 4 @ Salle Oxygène - Yusnay, Tine & Raffa 👉 THURSDAY 18/09 8:00-9:00 pm - Cuban Salsa Partnerwork - Level 1 + @ Studio Empain - Zoli 9:00-10:00 pm - Cuban Salsa Partnerwork - Level 2 + @ Studio Empain - Zoli 👉 FRIDAY 19/09 8:30-9:30 pm - Rueda de Casino @ Vibrato - Team Danza Mania 9:30-12:30 am - Practica & Entertainment with DJ Joel 💃 Dale Mambo🕺

**🃏 WHAT WE PLAY** We focus on **social interaction games** that are **fun, easy to learn, and engaging**. * **Thursdays** and Saturday nights are for **fun, social games** like Dixit, Coup, Skull, Codenames, Colt Express, Secret Hitler, Exploding Kittens, Bang and more!… Easy to learn, quick to laugh! * **Mondays** are for **deeper strategic games**, for players who love to plan and outthink opponents. Of course, these are just guidelines — you’re always welcome to bring and play whatever game you love! *** **🕖 SCHEDULE** * We meet at **7:00 PM**, with an **intro round at 7:15 PM**. * Arriving later? No problem! Just see a host — we’ll do our best to find you a seat. You might need to wait for a game to finish before joining the next one. **🎉 Good News! BFG is Free Again** As of July 1st, 2025, BFG is once again **free to join**, just like last year! The costs of running the group are now shared by the hosts. If you enjoy the events and want to say thanks, you're very welcome to **offer a drink (or two 😉) to a host** during the evening. A huge thank you to everyone who supported us financially earlier this year — you helped keep the group going, and we truly appreciate it. 🙏 *** **🎒 WHAT TO BRING** * Bring your favorite games and feel free to mention them in the comments. * If we’re meeting in a **park**, bring snacks, drinks, and something comfy to sit on — the grass can be damp even in summer! *** **☕ IF THE VENUE IS A CAFÉ** Please order **at least one drink** to support the venue, and pay directly at the bar. *** **✅ REGISTRATION** Please RSVP to help us plan for space and group sizes. **⌛ WAITLIST ETIQUETTE** * If you can’t make it, cancel **before 7 PM the day before** to give someone else a chance. * If you're **on the waitlist** and your plans change, cancel your RSVP so others aren't left hanging. *** **🤝 WANT TO HOST?** Interested in becoming a host or helping out? Let us know — we’d love to have you on board! *** **💬 FEEDBACK WELCOME** Suggestions or ideas? Drop us a message anytime — we’re always looking to make BFG even better. *** ### **🌟 Let’s have fun, discover great** **games, and build and make new friends** *** ###

Dear attendees, the chosen book is "The eight mountains" by P. Cognetti. Some rules: 1\. the book discussion takes place in English\. 2\. the number of participants will be limited\, so please keep your RSVP updated\. This is important and respectful for the people that may be on the waiting list\. Participation cost: 1€ to cover Premium membership of the MeetUp platform

Let's meet to write ! Schedule : 11:00 - 11:30 am : Presentation tour. Share briefly with the group about your project and your "goal of the day". 11:30 - 13:30 : Let's write ! 13:30 : Conclusion tour. Did you achieve your goal of the day ? See you soon !

Let's read and discuss non-fiction together. In **March** we will be discussing "Your Inner Fish: a Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body" by Neil Shubin. For more information about the book check out goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1662160.Your_Inner_Fish How it works: - 10-15min Introduction round - 1 - 1,5h Free discussion around the book - 10min selection of the next book. (We will vote between three possible books. I bring two suggestions and we select a third one from the group. So if there is a book you like to discuss feel free to put it forward.) Don't worry if you cannot finish it in time. Just join us for a coffee or tea and a good conversation. :) Happy reading!

[This is a paid event and sign-up via the website is obligatory.](https://www.wordcraft-collective.eu/courses/queer-on-the-page) What makes a character queer? And how do you create a queer character who feels alive, truthful, and real rather than stereotypical or tokenistic? In this workshop we’ll explore what queerness can mean on the page, and how it can shape character, desire, conflict, and point of view. ❓What: fiction writing 📅Date and time: Saturday 14 March; 15:00 to 17:30 📍Venue: Pianofabriek, Rue du Fort 35, 1060 Saint-Gilles 💰Price: €25 Eur (non-member) €20 Eur (member) You’ll leave with practical tools and increased confidence to write queer characters with depth and nuance, and to approach (queer) storytelling with greater care and creative freedom. We’ll combine discussion, short examples, and guided writing exercises that help you challenge assumptions, generate new material, and test ideas quickly on the page. No prior experience or specialist knowledge is needed. Open to (fiction) writers of all backgrounds and levels. You definitely don’t need to identify as queer to take part, but you do need to bring curiosity, openness, and respect. The workshop will be in English.

Welcome to our weekly event in the upstairs room of The Sister Café, rue Chair et Pain 3, one block from the Grand Place. Please get there early enough to order your drink at the bar first. Thank you! After introductions we will collect questions from the group participants, choose one by voting then discuss it for an hour. Then most of us stay for drinks and bizarre conversations. Past questions have been wide and not confined to academic philosophy: What is a genuine friend? Is social media turning us into emotional zombies? Do we lose some of the experience of things by defining them? Are we driven by sex? Is loneliness a personal failure? Is morality relative? **Crucially, be kind and respectful and generous** in your disagreements; remember how much you personally enjoy someone else proving you wrong before celebrating your cutting counterexamples.

After several walks and activities together, it felt like a good idea to simply **meet and spend some relaxed time together**. So this is a very simple gathering: we meet on the **terrace of the Maison du Prieur at Rouge-Cloître**, have a drink, talk, and get to know each other. No formal activity, no structure — just a moment to connect with other members of the **Happy Body community**. If the weather is nice, Rouge-Cloître is one of the most beautiful natural spots in Brussels, with forests, ponds and quiet paths. Feel free to come for **10 minutes or stay longer**.

It is no secret that throughout the history of the (western) world, the individual has played more and more of a central role. When it comes to morality for example, we rarely talk about virtue, duty or the cosmic order, but mostly about pleasure, pain, human rights, … things that pertain to individual persons. During this meetup we'll discuss what came along for the ride: an idolization of authenticity. Why is “Be yourself” such an attractive slogan and what does it mean? Is being authentic always better or can it be dangerous? Are populists and extremists not the most authentic politicians? If we then consider the rise of synthetic materials, plastic surgery, virtual reality and artificial intelligence, is authenticity doomed? Is the popularity of "Reality TV" and online influencers not a sign that authenticity can be gamed? What is the difference between something/someone seeming authentic and actually being authentic? Or was authenticity an illusion all along? What (in)forms this self we need to be true to? How can we trust our own interpretation of ourselves? Come and join this philosophical conversation as you are - and try to arrive on time so you can get a drink before we start :) Cover photo: Echo and Narcissus by John William Waterhouse

We'll meet at The Capital One Café, 167 Easton Town Center, Space A-103. This is in the main mall where the Microsoft store used to be, on your left if you're standing at the bottom of the AMC Theater escalator. Join us on Sunday for an hour of uninterrupted wordmaking! • What we'll do Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at noon on Sundays. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. SCHEDULE: 12:00 - quick intros. 12:10 - timer starts: write for 1 hour. 1:10 - chat / take off / keep writing. OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 1-1:30ish. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. BEING LATE IS OKAY: just show up and get settled, then check-in with me after the session. If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing and I look forward to seeing you! • What to bring Whatever you need to be able to write! Bring earbuds/earplugs if you want to block noise or the occasional conversation by other patrons. Electrical outlets are limited, so charge your devices before whenever possible. See you at The Café on Sunday!

Join us for our March Book Club gathering where we will come together to discuss *The Manor of Dreams* by Christina Li in a safe and welcoming environment. Make new friends who share your passion for books and connect with fellow LGBTQ book enthusiasts.

Join the CONNECTED Westerville Mastermind Group for a dynamic afternoon of B2B networking! This event is perfect for professionals looking to expand their business connections, share insights, and foster collaboration within the community. Whether you are a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, this event offers a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas, build relationships, and grow your network in a supportive environment. Connect with like-minded individuals, explore potential partnerships, and discover new opportunities for professional growth. Don't miss out on this chance to enhance your business network and take your career to the next level with CONNECTED Westerville Mastermind Group! We meet the 4th Monday of every month from 11am-1pm. Welcome and general networking from 11am - 11:30am with core meeting 11;30 - 12:30 and a final round of networking from 12:30 - 1pm.

**Our March pick is *God of the Woods* by Liz Moore.** **This month’s novel is an award-winning literary mystery that blends family drama with psychological suspense. It explores women’s voices and relationships while delivering an exciting, eerie, and deeply suspenseful story. The book is 576 pages in print or 14 hours and 35 minutes on audiobook.** Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found. As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances. It is Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet.

Let’s meet and discuss this fun but moving collection of wildly creative short stories. (Photo credit: TimesNowNews.com)

So this month's prompt is more general. I think we can all agree that we are living in "unique" times that require coping skills. I think that one role and/or purpose of philosophy is to help us deal with our daily lives and our "unique" times. So, let's share our feelings and thoughts about which philosopher/philosophy we turn to in order to deal with our crazy events. Who/what helps you stay focused in your daily life and helps you sleep at night. I find that Stoicism with a little philosophical pessimism mixed in goes a long way in helping me deal with what I see as very destructive, fearful and mean spirited public policies at both the state and federal levels. Hope to see you on March 28th!