Thu, 24 May 2012
| Index | Last | Var.(%) |
|---|---|---|
| BEL 20 | 2109.42 | 0.95 |
| DAX | 6335.69 | 0.79 |
| IBEX 30 | 6550.2 | 1.70 |
| CAC 40 | 3041.23 | 1.26 |
| FTSE 100 | 5348.23 | 1.55 |
| AEX | 292.51 | 1.16 |
| DJIA | 12496.15 | -0.05 |
| Nasdaq | 2850.12 | 0.39 |
| FTSE MIB | 13058.1 | 0.75 |
| TSX Composite | 11564.8 | 0.99 |
| ASX | 4106.2 | -0.31 |
| Hang seng | 18666.4 | -0.64 |
| Straits Times | 2779.53 | -0.03 |
| ISEQ 20 | 495.31 | 1.06 |
Text size
Writer and blogger Kimberley Lovato finds the quality of life here quite refreshing but wouldn't mind if the the service people speeded up...
What was your first impression of Belgium?
I blog about life as an expat in Brussels, a muse about the differences in cultures, share tidbits of information I gleaned or learned that may be humorous or funny, and generally ramble about my perspective on this adventure. For friends and family, it is a chance to keep up with my travels, but for other expats I hope to help them relate to the excitement (and sometimes frustrations) of living abroad . It is a wonderful experience to be a foreigner, and to see things through eyes that witness things differently than locals.
NIce piece, Kimberley - and a beautiful picture of yourself, if I may say. ;-)
You're in good company on this column, what with me being the first to post...x
I totally agree on the lack of customer service and this applies to every sector. Apparently they are not interested in establishing lasting relationships with their customers. The fast driving is not a problem, what is a major concern is the recklessness of the driving! In the US, even when you have the right of way you are told to look before you go - not here! This is why there are so many accidents on the street in Brussels. My heart goes out to the elderly who are unable to act so quickly when driving.
I spend 3 years in Brussels and enjoyed the mix of people from all over. It seems a very livable and likable city if you take away the insane car drivers and reduce some of the criminal activity in certain areas. (I witnessed a handgun assault in St. Gilles near Place Morichar.)
I now live in Limburg near Hasselt and must say that there is a different mentality in the Flemish zone. There is much more of a work ethic that I am used to that seems to be missing from Brussels and in Wallonia. The cultural divide is about much more than language...and there is a reason why Flanders is more prosperous than Wallonia.. Brussels is saved by the sea of highly (some would say over)paid EU functionaries, despite its high level of unemployment. You want customer service? You'll find more of it the further you get from Brussels!
BTW- I liked your article! What do you think of the winter weather? After coming from California, it must have taken some getting used to...unless you come from northern Calif.! ;-)
NIce piece, Kimberley - and a beautiful picture of yourself, if I may say. ;-)
You're in good company on this column, what with me being the first to post...x
I totally agree on the lack of customer service and this applies to every sector. Apparently they are not interested in establishing lasting relationships with their customers. The fast driving is not a problem, what is a major concern is the recklessness of the driving! In the US, even when you have the right of way you are told to look before you go - not here! This is why there are so many accidents on the street in Brussels. My heart goes out to the elderly who are unable to act so quickly when driving.
I spend 3 years in Brussels and enjoyed the mix of people from all over. It seems a very livable and likable city if you take away the insane car drivers and reduce some of the criminal activity in certain areas. (I witnessed a handgun assault in St. Gilles near Place Morichar.)
I now live in Limburg near Hasselt and must say that there is a different mentality in the Flemish zone. There is much more of a work ethic that I am used to that seems to be missing from Brussels and in Wallonia. The cultural divide is about much more than language...and there is a reason why Flanders is more prosperous than Wallonia.. Brussels is saved by the sea of highly (some would say over)paid EU functionaries, despite its high level of unemployment. You want customer service? You'll find more of it the further you get from Brussels!
BTW- I liked your article! What do you think of the winter weather? After coming from California, it must have taken some getting used to...unless you come from northern Calif.! ;-)
This handy guide from Expertise in Labour Mobility includes how to write a CV, application procedure, interview dos and don'ts, Belgian management culture.
Belgium’s first alternative directory assistance services - available through the shortcode 14-14 - can now be accessed on the internet.
Moving to Belgium presents a host of challenges to expats, not least of all finding the right home.
The psychological effects of global mobility can be physically painful.
Twitter
LinkedIn
Facebook
Google+
3
