Too long, way too long.. in Belgium

There are numerous lists of “you’ve been too long in Belgium, when..” so I thought to write my own. ;)

1.     You don’t mind that it takes forever to queue to a cashier in a grocery store.

(I’ve started to examine what my co-shoppers are buying and “judge” them based on their purchases)

2.     Don’t get annoyed when the customer front of you in the queue chats with the cashier, pays with coins and once made the payments start to pack their purchases … really taking their time.

(Thank God for iPhone and all the apps in it.. )

3.     You consider a square km of planted trees a forest.

(I don’t really do so.. but Belgians DOES)

4.     You started to miss nature.

(I really have started to miss the real nature and fresh air..)

5.     Consider anyone using public transportation a lower class person.

(I haven’t start to think this way myself as I use bus + train; but it seems like that the only way of transportation for Belgians is either their own car or bicycle.)

6.     You think it is normal behaviour in an intersection that you drive long as you can move which means that the cars who would cross it from other direction will get blocked.

(I just cant put it into words.. hope you get my point.. it happens every bloody day here.)

7.     All public places such as busses and airports are very warm during winter, but houses so cold that you need to wear a down jacket when visiting Belgians.

(Never put your jacket on during the winter when getting out of the plane, it’s very warm at Brussels airport; in addition you have to walk about 10 km to get out of the airport. Oh, and I’ve once caught a cold when visiting a Belgian home!)

8.     You consider egg as a vegetable.

(If you order a sandwich with all the vegetables you get a slice egg in there as well.)

9.     You consider big sandwich made from white bread as a healthy lunch choice.

(They’ve been educated bit differently when it comes to healthy and nutritious food here than compared to Nordic countries..)

10.  You think it is totally normal that people of same nation speak English to each other as they don’t know or don’t want to use the other one’s native language.

(Noticed on a course that French and Flemish speaking Belgians do speak English together, even though no-one else on the course said that they do not speak French except me.)

Well, in December I am less than a half month in Belgium, yay!