• Demona .

    Belgian "way of life"

    posted by  Demona . in Belgium forum 

    Belgium is very inconvenient for anyone that works. Most sectors have based their working hours, more or less, around the 9-5 theory. A large number of store close at 6pm, grocery stores close at 8 pm and cafe's will close much later into the evenings. However, many banks, communes and other establishments will close their doors at 5pm, sometimes earlier. Therefore, not enabling the working person to actually get anything done, seeing how most people get off work around 5 and still have a long commute back home! If you are to get anything done, most of the time you have to take half a vacation day to do so. However, if you are married or have a partner that stays at home...most of the time, this person can do these tasks for you.
    Oh, I almost forgot, this country is a dead zone for things to do on Sundays! The Belgian’s that I know, student or not, go back home to visit their parents.

    As for Brussels, there is a sort of language war going on between the French speakers and the Dutch speakers. If you are caught by either side speaking the "wrong language" they will go out of their way to make life for difficult. If anyone must speak to someone from "the other team" then they usually prefer to speak English. However, I have seen Dutch speakers talking in French, but not the other way around.

    As for food, they are really big on potatoes. Whether it comes in the form of fries, mashed potatoes or cooked whole, I don't think a Belgian would be able to survive a few days with eating one! ^_^
    They do have a rather strange concept of 'cold' & 'warm' eating habits. For example, they prefer to have only 1 warm meal a day. Warm, as in cooked meals are pastas, meat & veggies, oven dishes, etc… A cold meal being salads, sandwiches, lunch boxes, etc...

    I hope that helps a bit. ^_^

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