Epiphany

Main religion in Belgium is Catholicysm. But celebration of Epiphany in Belgium and Poland are quite different. I don't know if people here go to church to sacrifice chalk, incense and gold, but we do this and after the mass we write K+M+B on our front door. It's a free day since 2010 (again).

But here more people celebrate it with special cake. Inside the cake is something hidden. Everyone eats the cake and the person who finds this THING become a king. I don't know the meaning of this but my friend told me about it. I haven't heard about this custome before. It seems nice but is it rather for children? My friend celebrated it at his work with others employees and he was the lucky one who become the king.

Return to home

I have two observation which can be connected with reentry shock (one of stage of cultural shock). First, when I came back I realized how much I missed Polish food. I'd missed it before but when I've had it within reach, I just couldn't stop eat. I wasn't hungry so much but it was so good that I've spent half of day eating different things. When it was time to come back to Belgium, more than half of my baggage was filled by food.

Second thing were people. It was strange for me to change the environmentafter such long time. I used to people who speak around me in Dutch or English (sometimes French). When I met Polish (except Polish students) in Belgium, my ear heard him in one second. When I was in Poland, suddenly everyone speaks Polish and I didn't know where I should pay my attention. I felt a little separated from them. In each place such as shop or cinema, even church I wanted to speak English. So when there were an opportunity to meet American, my friend's guest, I visited her immediately and I felt more freely. It took me some time to get used to Polish environment and way of being. But finaly I felt at home and I've spent realy great time with my family and friends! :D

Spanish New Year's Eve

Recently I've written more about Spanish. This is also the topic of this post. After Christmas Holidays, Spanish guest has visited us. He spent with us New Year's Eve as well. Before it, I spoke with him how this night looks like at his home. In Poland, young people spend it with friends on home-parties or parties at clubs or somewhere else.

In Spain, a family celebrate it together. They gather at home or restaurant (seldom) and spent time together. They believe that it's special occasion which should be spent with the closest people. At midnight they wish each other "Happy New Year" and drink champagne. After that they split and join their friends on party in some club. So, there are two parts of New Year's Eve: the first one with family, and second with friends. This is common tradiction or custom which is carried out by most of people in Spain.

Spanish attitude to studying

Last two weeks were filled with projects. Two of them I had with group where one of the member was Spanish. Each time I wasn't content about his part of work. Everyone knows that Spanish aren't very good in English. So when the Spanish boy showed us what he had done, we knew that it was copied from one of the Internet page (probably Wikipedia). Different people talked with him that he can't do it and he has to change it. The boy was very patient and corrected his part every time we wanted. But I couldn't understand why this situation is repeated.

Once, he explained me and everything became clear. In Spain, students can copy text when they do projects. This is the reason why he couldn't understan our expectations. There is some kind of permission from professors. It's very strange for me and it's witness of lower level of education in that part of Europe. But I can't criticise it because I don't know more about education system. Since that conversation, I've seen that every Spanish student copied something at least once and other students who have to cooperate with them, have problem with it. But for them it's normal behaviour. It's one of norms which is acceptable for everyone in Spain.

French fries

Last week I had bought freezed french fries. I hadn't eought place in my fridge so I put them to the fridge in common kitchen. After one day when I wanted to prepare them I saw a sheet of paper with information that it's forbidden to do it. I really couldn't find a reason of this so I went to our caretaker and asked her about it. She told me that there is no possibility to prepare fries because in the kitchen there isn't an oven and she can't make her own available to us. I said that it's not a problem because I want to prepare them on a frying pan. As soon as I finished explain it, she looked at me like on crazy person. I saw in her eyes question: "Are you crazy?! Fries on the frying pan!!! Unacceptable!!". But she said nothing and I could do my fries in the easiest way I know.

Later, I told all story to my boyfriend and he also wasn't very convinced in my recipe and culinary skills. He said that fries are usually prepared on the oven or fries machine. For me it's not a big deal to do fries on frying pan but for Belgian people it seems to be very important thing. They pay special attention on quality and taste of fries. I have never thought about specific taste of fries. I haven't felt big difference when they were prepared on the oven, frying pan or fries machine. Fries are one of "symbol" of Belgium so I believe that they are pro in preparing them.

Strenght of domicile culture - second biggest shock

From some time I have been searching one book. Unfortunatelly I didn't find it in any library in Gent so when there was an opportunity to go to Brussel again I decided to try one more time. I didn't want to buy this book because it was quite expensive and I just wanted to see what is inside it. My friend showed me the website where I could check if the book is the library. Finally I found it in the library of Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

The campus was quite big so I asked a student where can I find the library. She was very nice and she told me that she show me the way. We talked a little and when she learned about my issue she decided to help me and ask the librarian (in Dutch) if I can borrow the book. Unfortunatelly there was no possibility to borrow anything by me because I wasn't a student of their University.

And then the girl came up with idea that she can take the book and give it to me for one day. I asked her if it's not a problem but she assured me that no. I was shocked because she didn't know me at all. She trusted me so much that I couldn't believe it. I asked her how it's possible and if she isn't afraid that I would steal the book. The girl told me that it's a question of attitude. She trusts people and she believes that if she is so kind to people, they will behave in the same way towards her. So if she did me so big favour, I would feel obligated to turn it back. And I have to admit that she is right, at least in my case. Even when I'm thinking about it now, it seems to be like a scene from a movie for me. She has seen me for the first time in her life, she knew that I live in Gent but even thought she trusted me. All way to my home in Brussel I couldn't believe what had happened.

In my country this situation would have never happened, I think that in most of countries. People rather aren't so trustfull. Polish people could even say that the girl was very naive and they would feel sorry for her. But I'm glad that I had a chance to meet her. She has left a mark somewhere inside me that I would like also trust more other people.

Next day I met her again to bring back the book. We've decided to stay in touch so it was really nice adventure with happy end :)

By the way, the girl wasn't Belgian, but she come from Iraq. It's very good example of how country's culture and parents nurture affect on people's behaviour even if they live in different country.

Luxemburg - the well-being country

On Saturday with friends I was visiting Luxemburg. I hadn’t been really convinced if in this country is something interesting to see. When I was in Bruxelles first time, I visited Mini-Europe and I remember that from Luxemburg they show only one bridge as the most value thing from the country. But after our trip, I change my mind about it. The topography of the capital is very surprising because it is very mountainous. There are a lot of bridges and viaducts and gulfs are very deep. That can impressed. Especially that there is much ruins of defence wall or castle. Strange thing is that in the capital, there wasn’t many cars. Maybe because of the weekend.  

The biggest impression for me was that Luxemburg is very rich country. SOME of the prices for social services are so low that it seems to be joke. For example, in the city they have Velo Service. It’s totally the same as in Bruxelles that you can borrow city bike for money and leave it in special zones. So in Bruxelles the daily cost of borrow the bike is 1,5e. In Luxeburg for one week you pay 1e!!! That shocked me very much and I couldn’t believe it. I tried to find some catch in their system but no success. I’ll mention also that annual cost of Velo is only 15e. The prices of  public transport are also lower – the single fare ticket cost 1,5e and you can use it for 2 hours (in Gent – 1,8e/1h). Most of museums are also free of charge. I’m wondering where they collect money for all this things because I had heard that their taxes are also quite low. I could also compare the prices of products in supermarket and they are similar to the Belgian prices. The biggest difference in prices I found in prices of houses and apartments. In Luxemburg they are very high. 

The second thing I examined were languages. In Luxemburg, there are three official languages: Louxemburgish, French and German. In the capital we found shops with products in French and German, but I didn’t see the third language at all. Most of people that we asked about sth, spoke French. So my conclusion is that French is the main language of Luxemburg. Many people know also English. Communication with local people wasn’t very hard. Although there was one young girl who didn’t know meaning of world fan in English and French language. I liked Luxemburg very much and I’m curious more about their life style and country system.