Max during his internship in Brussels

Why does almost no one here speak Dutch? Keep this in mind: just because a certain place or location has multiple languages, it doesn’t mean that the people on the street actually speak all those languages.

Lunch

People here eat quite extensively, which made me feel a bit cheap, awkward, and well, very Dutch when I arrived with a small plastic sandwich bag among the gigantic plates of fries and elaborate salads.

Watching series together

At one point, I got a bit homesick, and Skype helped me with that. If you have a shared Netflix account with a friend or partner, you can watch the same show together and chat simultaneously via Skype. That was really fun, especially if you could hear the other person laughing.
Just know that you need a pretty strong internet connection for this.

The small differences

Things are just a little different in Brussels. Belgium isn’t far from the Netherlands, so it was more about petty little differences than a huge culture shock. For example, the fact that Flemish people can somehow be much more modest but at the same time more pushy.

Making friends

Make friends with your roommates or housemates, but be careful with those who immediately want you to come to a certain thing they’re organizing.

The best cinema

Brussels, the city where I stayed, has hands down the best cinema I have ever been to. And believe me, I’m not exaggerating. Tickets were only 2 euros each, and they literally show celluloid prints of amazing classic films every day. Visiting bookstores in other countries is also really fun.

Belgians in three parts

Almost Dutch, except…