Belgium VS Holland VS Germany

An interesting one this. 3 countries, neighbours in a big world, completely different mentalities. Stronger still, Belgium is two countries in itself, Vlaanderen (the flemish/dutch speaking part) and Wallonie (the french speaking part). The only times all the Belgiums unite is when the King dies or the national football (soccer) team plays in the World Cup. I am a part of all 4 of them.

1. Father Dutch, lived most of my youth in Holland, I have a Dutch passport
2. Mother from the Wallonie Belgium part, french speaking
3. Have lived almost 20 years of my life in Vlaanderen, the Belgium dutch speaking part, I have a Belgium ID card.
4. I have my company in Germany passing two borders every day to get to the office

The funny thing is when I am in Belgium the call me 'de Hollander', the Dutch guy, when I am with my friends in Holland they call me 'Het manneke uit Belgie', the bloke from Belgium. Go figure. I can do all accents like I am a complete native which makes it more confusing for people who don't know me. Since I also have my company in Germany and drive a car with a German license plate. My house is in Belgium 5 kms from the Dutch border, and 50 kms from the German border. You still follow?

If you were to ask me which country and people I prefer, I could honestly not give a straight answer. Which is probably the best answer possible.

The thing is with the Germans they're so accurate, Germans are truly like the cars they build, BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Volkswagen. With a few excpetions (and of Porsche of course), somewhat bulky strong, reliable. No storm's gonna blow a BMW 7 series from the road. Looking bit rigid and grumpy, well serious that's for sure. Just as a comparison, imagine the latest Ferrari you immediately associate it with sun and pretty women in summer dresses. Not that I would want one, a Ferrari that is.

Then the Belgiums, they have been struggling the last 3 months to form a government and they're still at it without a solution. They can talk, drink beer, talk some more, have a (very) good meal and if they don't fancy talkin' some more they'll go to sleep and start the whole routine again in the morning. Belgiums like to solve their problems around a table where there is food and drinks. Belgiums truly love the good life and know how to show it. Dutch and Germans surely love the good life too but are much more clumsy at it. Easily drawn over the top. You will count more Hummers H2 in Amsterdam than in the whole of Belgium.

Then the Dutch. Fearless they still think they live in the Golden Age, they easily overestimate themselves and have a sense of superiority especially over the Belgiums. Said they are very tolerant, you can buy pot on every street corner in town, but beat down homosexuals in the dark. Go figure. Surely the Dutch have a lot going for themselves, (the country is 1/3 under the sealevel !), are called the Chinese of the West because of their excellent trading skills and are excellent speedskaters. Ow you never heard of that sport? Doesn't matter they're excellent speedskaters that's what counts.



So here I am Dutch in my Belgium house, writing this blog on my German company's laptop and I love 'em all.