Ten Unexpected Perks of Living in Belgium
September 7, 2006 at 14:07 There were many things we eagerly anticipated when we were preparing to move to Belgium. A slower paced life, the opportunity to travel across Europe, proximity to a large city with a bustling international community, beautiful architecture, medieval ruins, and of course, beer, frites, waffles, and chocolate. Certainly we’ve enjoyed these things, however some of the best perks of expat life are small ones that are easily overlooked or taken for granted. For that reason, I offer this list.
Ten Unexpected Perks of Living in Belgium
1. Flowers everywhere, not just in people’s gardens but in public parks, in window boxes, in hanging planters lining the streets, in climbing arrangements at bus stops, and in carefully tended corner beds and traffic circles.
2. Very little trash. The absence of “convenience stores,” limited fast food franchises and Belgian’s reverence for sit down meals mean people don’t eat on the run—and this national habit translates into less litter on the streets.
3. A shortage of outages. At home in Virginia, the spring and summer were a prime time for severe weather and thunderstorms which frequently led to power and water outages and fried electronics and appliances. After 18 months in Belgium, I haven’t experienced even one power outage and not a lot of severe weather.
4. Thank you for not calling. Telemarketing calls, the bane of U.S. households, are almost non-existent here. I think I’ve only received two.
5. Bright spots in dark days. The skies may often be gray, but the red brick and tile architecture is always bright, and the street and highway lights make walking and driving at night so much easier.
6 The staff of life. Every village has at least one bakery, more often they have several, and it’s a pleasure to walk to the bakery in the morning and see familiar faces. The pastries are a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach, and the wide variety of fresh breads adds substance and flavor to every meal.
7. Walk this way. There’s an abundance of parks and green spaces to amble through, sidewalks that make life easy for pedestrians, and bike paths that encourage cycling. It’s a pleasure to walk here whether you’re in the city or your village.
8. Life with the dogs. At any given moment, there is always someone walking their dog through the neighborhood. Belgians seem to enjoy their time on their end of the leash as much as their dogs like being on the other end. While there doesn’t seem to be a common standard for cleaning up dog messes, there does seem to universal agreement on the value of a well behaved pup. The dogs here are better behaved than most American children.
9. Fresh eggs. It’s not uncommon for people to have chickens, even in densely populated areas, and that means if you're lucky, your neighbor will share his fresh eggs.
10. Church bells and clock towers. In my little village, I love hearing the bells toll the hour as the day rolls along. It soothes me and makes me feel part of something larger than myself. It’s a paradox that the chimes that mark time feel timeless to me.
September 7, 2006
Reader Comments (14)
Did you know you shoul add three more? I didn't do one today, but it is "thursday thirteen". I envite you to play!
:)
And, Michael, thanks for adding the beer! I miss that too.
I cannot tell you how envious I am of your situation. Maaaaany moons ago (1976-76) I was blessed to live in Belgium. Since that time I have only been back once 1993 for a honeymoon.
Everything you mention brought back great memories!
I wish I could find a way to return as you and your family have.
I live in New Orleans now b/c it is the closest I could find to living in a Euro city. It's just not the same post Katrina.
Looking forward to your next post
Teri