Hello, my name is Kelsume and I am an intern at International Horizons in Nantes, France. In this new blog, I’ll explain you the differences between Belgium and France, because I come from the country known for its best fries and its best beer! Let’s go !
Just a hello and no kiss!
In Belgium, we don’t kiss and greet, unless we are relatives or friends. In France, we kiss everyone we see. We Belgians are not used to this. A hug and a hello are more than enough.
Beer is like water!
Belgians, young and old, are known for their beer consumption, whether in the afternoon or in the evening in front of the television, they can’t get enough of it, there are more than 300 known kinds of beer. On weekends, they party until the sun comes up, we recommend you to bring plenty of aspirin on your trip to Belgium.
In Belgium, we speak 3 languages!
The French speak French and the Belgians speak Belgian? No, Belgian does not exist… in Belgium, we speak Dutch, French and German. Belgium is divided in 2 parts: on the top, in Flanders, we speak Dutch and on the bottom, in Wallonia, we speak French, but in Wallonia, on the border with Germany, there is a small part called East Belgium and there, we speak German. This can lead to confusion!
No president for Belgium … we remain loyal to the king!
Belgium is a kingdom and for the past 10 years, King Philippe has been wearing the Belgian crown with the beautiful Queen Mathilde at his side.
Sweet shock guaranteed!
In Belgium, you can find the best waffles, pralines and chocolates on every corner. Belgium is known all over the world for this and, like the French, we love fresh and sweet pastries for breakfast.
We’re waiting for it to turn green!
In Belgium, we wait for the light to turn green or for the streetcar to be out of reach, while the French risk their lives every day by crossing the street blind. As a Belgian, we get a shock when we see this.
If you want to make your own idea, come here!