The new job starts in an hour and a half. Excited and happy, and very very happy to be in Brussels. We spent the weekend looking at apartments and pounding the pavement to see For Rent signs in appropriate neighborhoods, and holy FUCK, people here are nice. In the south I thought people were so nice (outside of the cockhead administrators of my ex-school, but more on that later) because they were country folk, but so many absolute strangers have volunteered their help here, so many absolute strangers have put themselves out of their way to advise or direct us, without us even asking . . .
In France, Belgians had a reputation for being dumb - like people from Newfoundland in Canada. I think that's because they're about ten times nicer than the French, pound for pound, even with the huge influx of expats in Brussels matching up to the huge influx of tourists in Paris. This niceness must baffle the French so much that they assume they're stupid. Even though childcare, the health service, and pensions here continue to work after a fashion, and even though half of France's cultural icons from the last century (weak though some, like Johnny Hallyday, appear to my critical faculties) are of Belgian descent.
Anyways. Time to memorize industry jargon.
6 commenti:
yay new job!
yay brussels!!
That's great to hear. Looks like you two will fit in just fine.
By the way - found a place and rented it. It will be literally a 5 minute walk from your old place. If only it were a few months earlier...
Yeah, I'm pretty unabashedly proud of my Flemish heritage. It's only in the last few generations that my family made a hop, skip, and a jump to southern Holland. Let me know when you get a place - I'm excitedly waiting to mail you something!
New beginnings, new jargon, it's all so....new!
Ta for the yays, Lady!
That's a pisser, Sugar, but I'll see you at your wedding. Is there a rehearsal dinner or anything? I'll only be home for four days or something but I'll try to turn up for that.
I thought there was a reason you're so nice, Mel. I wonder why the Vermeer lady and her sister are too?
Newness abounds, Dale, and yesterday I got a new apartment. New new new. Now if only we could have some new weather. This sun has been good but I need the rain to put down all the allergens.
Yeah, just don't tell my Dutch relatives I think their neighbours to the south are just as nice as they are. They have a funny relationship/attitude towards them, like most neighbours I guess...
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