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"the way of life" in Belgium

Posted in Belgium forum

As part of a research project I'm currently working on, can anyone here describe to me in their own words "the way of living" in Belgium?

Daily routines; stereotypes; beliefs; social etiquette and anything else you'd like to comment on?

The more varied the opinions the better, so get arguing!!! (kidding of course :P)

Thanks

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  • Go to Natacha Ivanov's profile

    posted by  in Belgium forum 

    Honestly, I'm surprised to read all these comments here.
    I speak fluent Dutch, French, English and Russian.
    I live in Belgium since 1991. Of course have Belgian nationality. And the more I live here, the less I like it.
    Sure, when you're a foreigner and when you just moved in here it seems fine. Sure, you take some classes, etc, it seems fun. You have most foreign friends. But I can assure you, unless you came already with a family/partner, if you come as a single - it' really not a good place, unless you try to find another foreigner, you are not likely to marry a guy from here.
    I do not consider myself as a foreigner anymore after 19 years, but I like Belgium less and less.
    Flemish people are quite nationalistic (it' not for nothing that NVA+Vlaams Belang - nationalistic parties - get more than 65% or 70% of the votes in the last federal elections in Flanders). It's not for nothing that there is still no federal goverment formed.
    You're leaving on a cloud in a complete denial if you say it's good here.
    Soon there will even be no federal state.
    You just don't see all the political, structual and social problems that are here, because you're too new.
    Let's talk after several years, and when you are a 34 year-old woman, single, good looking, with excellent diploma, job, etc who can not find a guy her age because the good educated ones are all taken and there are not that many of them anyhow - we're not in Paris, London or New-York.
    Then we'll talk.

    Natacha.

  • Go to Mats Karlsson's profile

    posted by  in Belgium forum 

    Hi i moved to belgium from sweden a month ago and i find it very nice here, not so different from sweden :-)
    i´m used to the potatoes and i also like the people here (vlaams-brabant)
    have not learned to talk netherlands yet but i understand when my friends speak and those who can english usually try to talk in english with me but soon i will start school and learn to talk netherlands too.
    many words are simmilar in swedish so i find it not so difficult, just to bad that the french talking people wont speak english or netherlands....

  • Diantha Booi

    posted by  in Belgium forum 

    Yes I speak Dutch and Spanish English and Portuguese the only one I do not speak is French .
    Thanks for this information

  • Chalks Corriette

    posted by  in Belgium forum 

    My advice would be to move when you have a job. The job market is complex right now, as it is every where. Things are getting better - but better to be safe than sorry. All the Flemish speaking schools in Belgium are good - I have not heard of any bad stories. Where to live is a matter of preference - Antwerp, Leuven and Ghent are great - but if you speak Dutch, then the world of Belgium is open to you. You can check out jobsinbrussels.com or the jobs section of expatica.com.

  • Diantha Booi

    posted by  in Belgium forum 

    Can you give me some tips by mooving to Belgium where is there the most work and what should I do move first to Belgium or seek first for a job ?
    Every where that I have sollicitated they told me come back after I am living in Belgium .
    And about the schools which ones are good for Dutch kids ??
    Hope to get some tips in this isue .

  • Chalks Corriette

    posted by  in Belgium forum 

    Sorry that people may have taken some comments as negative, but that is not the case. Belgium is a fine place to live - I have been here 20 yeras! There are no problems here that you do not experience back in your home countries when it comes to people that are non-native. People are not nasty, and some will not make much effort to connect if you cannot speak a language they can speak. Is that so different to anywhere else in the world? me thinks not. People do tend to hang out with people they can connect with - that is a normal human thing to do. But, I have not experienced big issues with integration into Belgian life, I have so much fun here, I love living in Belgium, my kids love Belgium and so do the rest of my family and international friends.

  • Diantha Booi

    posted by  in Belgium forum 

    Hi to all ,

    I am a Dutch lady who is planning to live in Belgium to and am surprised reading all these negetive things of Belgium I have a friend who has only positive things to say about Belgium .
    So if there are more people with possitive things about the way of living and work in Belgium are welkom for me I need to be encouraged cause I am moving in August , and I need to know if its a good place to raice kids .

  • abd tanrıkulu

    posted by  in Belgium forum 

    I hope to agree with you chalks when I come there, I heard before about belgium that peoples aren't very eager to communicate with foreigners and hearing similar things here made me upset about there. because the most important reason for me to come there is to experience to living in different country, different cultural, languages etc. so if I can communicate, live only with turks then it doesn't mean much to live in belgium, I do this already here.
    any way, I don't think that will be bad living in there, just hearing about communication problems so much is worreing me little. T

  • Chalks Corriette

    posted by  in Belgium forum 

    As I have said a number of time's - Belgium is a fantastic place to live. It is in the top 20 place for quality of life in the world. You wil not have a bad time in Belgium if you make an effort to enjoy the many things that are here.

    I love it here and I have been to many countries around the world for work, including Turkey.

  • abd tanrıkulu

    posted by  in Belgium forum 

    I am coming to belgium for five years, but I am not happy after reading this page. I will be there for teaching turkish childeren.(our goverment sending us) hearing those negative things demoralized me a little.

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