Beroepsmisvorming...

Beroepsmisvorming.... This is a Flemmish phrase, of which there is no English equivalent, for someone who has a lot of experience in something and notices things without really thinking about them. Imagine walking into a book shop and seeing a childrens book and it reminds you of your very normal adult job. It's like your job is you and you are your job. I suppose, it's a bit like the top-down approach as opposed to the bottom up. I used to have this when I worked in Social services in London, I could immediately sense the issues and difficulties a client may have, often before the assessment, just by observing and getting a feel for the environment. I wasn't always right, and in that scenario you cannot replace the importance of a bottom-up, detailed assessment, but you get a feeling for these things the more you experience them. I have been at the receiving end of this phrase in recent months in my current job. My boss, and many of the clients who come into the bar have a keen interest in how the bar is run. This is understandable considering my boss, is my boss, and many of the locals are known as vaste klanten or "regulars". Many of whom have been drinking at the cafe for longer than I have been alive. It does, however, go a bit deeper than that. There is one thing that I am always being watched doing. One thing that clients and my boss always have an opinion of, and this is the one thing that I always get wrong, especially when the "observer effect" comes into play. You may think pouring a beer is a relatively simple task, but here in the land of beer, its a way of life. Belgium is famous for their Trappist beers, or beer produced by monks. They are famous for their (literally) hundreds of strong flavoursome beers and the myriad of different shaped glasses needed to serve them. However, there is one beer that is very close to the heart of most Belgians. The Pintje. Literally meaning "little pint" (its 250cl), the Pintje is by far the most widely drunk of beers in Belgium. Every bar has its own Pintje. You will see this on the (normally neon) sign on the front of a Cafe. The most popular tend to be Primus, Maes, Jupiler or Stella Artois (There are many many more). But when you ask for one of these beers you don't need to say the name of the beer, you need only say "Een Pintje Alstublift". Once you have said this, a process is triggered which has barmen and women scrutinised from the Netherlands to the WestHoek. This is no exaggeration, as I mentioned before, it is this that has people commenting from the bar. It is this that has my boss looking over his glasses at the way I pour his pint. Being English puts you at a distinct disadvantage I should add. We are famous for our beer without any foam at all. The process known as "Pintje Tappen" is ALL about the quality of your head.

Recently a Flemmish guy called Jan Van Dessel won Belgium's national competition for pouring beer. It's no mean feat and he will now be on his way to Argentina for the world championships. Van Dessel was praised for his adherence to what the adjudicators called "The pouring ritual". There are around 8 steps to this process (depending on what you read), all as important as eachother:

-The first is The Cleansing, where the glass is rinsed in cold water.

-Second is The Sacrifice, this allows the first few drops of beer to fall outside the glass.

-The third step is known as The Alchemy as the beer fills the glass.

-The Collar is the fourth and is when the head is allowed to form.

-Fifth is known as The Removal. The glass should be removed from the flow at just the right time.

-The sixth is The Beheading. This is when the head is scraped off to the level of the rim of the glass.

-Seventh is The Judgement where the thickness of the head maybe no more than 3cm.

-Lastly the aptly named Final Cleansing, where the glass is dipped in cold clean water to remove any beer from the outside of the glass before being served.

So as you can see its serious stuff. Next time you are sat in a cafe and someone brings you a big bowl shaped glass full of dark, strong Belgian beer. Spare a thought for the relatively normal looking Pintje and the painstaking work that has gone into producing the perfect glass of beer.

See this video for a Dutch example of the above process.. this time in 7 steps.

Good for the soul...

Today I signed up to do some voluntary work. I have a bit of time in the week, especially during the day so I will be driving people, predominantly older people, to and from appointments at hospitals or clinics. I think this sort of thing is so important as it not only enriches your life but gives something back to the community. I'd recommend doing a bit of voluntary work to anyone. Its good to do something for no financial reward as it shows you the value of things in different ways. It will also be good for my Dutch! Speaking of which I have signed up for a one month intensive dutch course from the middle of October. I think it will be very difficult but ultimately rewarding (hopefully).

The weather has been quiet bizarre recently. Lots of thunder storms and rain. One storm caused a disaster at one of Belgiums biggest music festivals, Pukkelpop. 5 people died in what must have been like hell arriving all of a sudden. The videos you can see on youtube etc clearly show it was sunny 5 minutes prior to the storm then it went pitch black in a matter of seconds with huge winds destroying tents and felling trees. Awful. We had a few friends and family members there but thankfully they are all OK.

Belgium has been a interesting place of late. It appears that most of the country is on holiday in August. Many of the cafes and restaurants are only beginning to open now after a few weeks being closed. I have quite enjoyed it, nice and quiet. However, this being a big student town you can see the life coming back to the streets and the bars now. It seemed like the Gentse Feesten was a big blow-out before everyone tootled off to France or wherever for a break and now they are slowly coming back home and to work. So not long and Gent will be its usual vibrant self. I for one will also be looking forward to next year when the town hibernates for a few weeks again. That's good for the soul too.

Out of the the frying pan.....

We always knew this would be tough, but I have also always (I think) been good at viewing the big picture. It seems not focusing on the details and really thinking about how they will/might be causes some surprises and difficulties. Looking at the bigger picture, all is well. In fact, all is very well. The big picture of moving to Belgium, having a family and living a slower quieter life is well and truly on track.

The details are a whole different story. Things like realising what you have left behind for example. I never thought about that. Why would I? I mean I always thought this adventure would be a positive thing full of amazing experiences and learning opportunities. The latter is certainly true, but maybe not always in a positive way.

Since we arrived, we have had to start again. Literally, from the beginning. It has forced me to reconsider many of the things I thought about when we planned "Project Belgium". The slightly unknowing and naive title I gave to this period in our lives. Many people I talk to (mainly in the bar where I work) look at me in a bemused way when I tell them where we came from in London -from a comfortable life earning good money with friends all around us, a company which we had built up, living in a great place in a city which we adored. Why would you give up that to come to Belgium?! I can understand their thoughts now. Not because (for a second) that Belgium is a bad place but why give yourself so much stress and work to do?

There has been ALOT of work to do. Imagine; Everything you have slowly built up over many years having to be sorted in a manner of weeks. I was a persona non grata when I arrived and making your self acceptable to the authorities is something that is your responsibility, no one elses. Things like tax issues, insurance, rent, work, where you're gonna live, bills, car, moving in and out, identity card etc etc. All of which have many separate applications, photocopies, letters and other paperwork that need to be done. All of this has been in another language. OK, I know I'm married to a Belgian but to someone who has been used to dealing with these things without a problem it's been a HUGE education in what it means to be out of control. I have spent many a moment thinking about what it must be like for an immigrant from a developing country who with nothing, often literally nothing, comes to Europe and has to deal with all the bureaucracy that needs to be sorted out. I can't say I would recommend it to anybody. It has, at times, left me on the cusp of ill-health in a way that I only thought was for other people. People who can't deal with change or new challenges. It has taught me the reality of the theory I have been preaching for many a year. The relationship between occupation and health. To have a meaningful and structured life is one that gives you the chance of progression. Otherwise you are left floundering. It has been mind blowing.

I have had an experience in last few months like nothing I will ever be able to describe fully. It's been a journey which has, I am sure, taught me things which I will benefit from greatly in the future. I am positive I am a better person for it, but at the same time I (we) have had massive doubts about whether we have done the right thing. Only time will tell and life, in the big picture, is rosey. On a personal level things are hard, because I never thought about those details which one must deal with when reinventing oneself in another country. I am blessed because I have people around me who support me, on both sides of the channel and beyond. I appreciate them more than I can say. However, those times when I am alone in my thoughts only one person can pull me out into the positive place I hope to be in the future and that is me.

A new purpose in life begins to surface for me now, that of being a father. Out of my self interested musings I realise that soon I will be responsible for another. Something that is slowly creeping up on me. Daily, I start to realise that in 4 months my life will be turned upside down again, but this time in a different way. A way which will be, I am sure, a most satisfying experience. I won't mind ensuring this little person is legitimate in the eyes of the authorities. I won't mind making sure this little person is safe and well in this land of which she knows not.

What about marketing?

Since we moved to Belgium, one of the first things many people ask me, whether it's Belgians or otherwise, is "How's your Dutch going?" I've developed a standard response nowadays, in English I say "Yeah, not bad, it gets better all the time!" In Dutch my reply for a long time has been something along the lines of "Niet zo slechte, bieter en bieter elke dag!" (Not so bad, better and better everyday!). The reality is it's a very slow process and one which will take longer than I envisaged. There is a few different reasons for this, one of which may sound like a cop-out but it really effects things. The fact that everybody speaks English has been a blessing and a real hindrance. It is, without a doubt, the main reason learning Dutch will take longer than I first thought. This is coupled with the fact that at times, you just want to be understood and the easiest way to do this is in English. At work I am improving, no doubt, but when I really need to know something or if I just don't understand what is being said, English is the way. I have had many a discussion at the bar with Flemish people, often in depth chats about life or some other issue effecting their day. I often slip in a few Dutch sentences here and there and it is often recognised and appreciated. One sentence I use quite a bit in the bar is "Wat mag het zijn?". This literally means "what will it be?". A very useful phrase when working in a bar and one which provokes a reply which I almost always understand.

I was recently having a chat with one of our locals, the discussion was almost entirely in English. It was quite an in depth, political, or such like subject. I realised, during the conversation, he had nothing to drink and asked "Wat mag het zijn?", his reply was "It's nothing to do with marketing!".

Says it all really.

Gent, Ghent, Gand......

We live in a town with three names. Ghent is the English spelling of the name, Gent the Flemish and Gand the French. It also used to be known "Gaunt" in English. The name Gent comes from the latin or celtic word "Candia" or "Gandia" which according to Wikipedia means "landlocked by the confluence of rivers". Gent is indeed that, and the river Schelde and Lys both converge in the city and provide, along with the canals, a network of waterways which Gentenaars (people who hail from Gent) have enjoyed and relied on for hundreds of years. Depending on where you read it, the population is around 240000 people, but the municipality of Gent stretches out to include around 600000, making it the 4th largest municipality in Belgium (The latest estimate of the population of Belgium is 11 million).

Gent is a city with a long history and one which is also at the forefront of contemporary culture in Belgium today. Due to the rivers there is evidence of human activity from the iron and stone ages, and the city was plundered by the Vikings on more than one occasion. However, due to the thriving wool and cloth industries in Gent the city blossomed from the beginning of the first millennium and, for a while anyway, was the 2nd biggest and most important city in Europe (after Paris). Wool used to be imported in from England and Scotland too and relations between these countries was strong. A statue in the Vrijdagsmarkt (Friday market square), of a man called Jacob Van Artevelde, shows him pointing towards England. This symbolises the political alliance between Gent and England during the hundreds years war, credited with ensuring the economic stability of the region. Gentenaars are still prone to calling Gent "Artevelde city".

It's worth noting that Belgium is a relatively young country. Independence from The Netherlands was declared in 1830 and officially recognised in 1839. This means the identity of being Flemmish, to many, is in fact as strong or stronger than that of being Belgian. Many families here have centuries of Flemmish history, as opposed to only 4 or 5 generations of Belgian history. This leads me back to the three names of our city. Two of which are Flemmish and French (its worth pointing out that Flemmish is in fact Dutch). The symbolism of the difference is never lost on me, and the deep divisions between the Flemmish north and Walloon (french speaking) south is as pronounced today as it has ever been. I will blog more about it as it is very complicated but next time you see a sign in Belgium which is in two languages, just remember there is more to it than two parts of the same country ensuring one can understand the other.

Much of the more recent history of Gent is influenced by Religion and War, one interesting point is that it was here that The Treaty of Ghent was signed which officially brought to an end the 1812 war between Britain and the United States. Towards the end of the 19th century the textile industry was thriving in Gent, this is said to be due to a man called Lieven Bauwens who smuggled a weaving machine out of England and started the first mechanised weaving on the continent. There is a fantastic museum here (Museum Industriele Archeologie en Textiel- MIAT) which exhibits from this, one of the most important eras in the history of Gent.

The castle, called Gravensteen, in the picture above was built by a count in the 1100's. One of the many characters that has a place in the history of this city. One of the most memorable must be the Roman Emperor Charles V, who was born in Gent in 1500. He has a beer named after him due to his reputation as a verocious beer drinker. He was also a famous womaniser, many of them relatives, and it is said he fathered 39 children. He apparently suffered from an enlarged jaw which historians believed was a result of inbreeding, this stopped him being able to eat properly. He had epilespy and suffered from terrible Gout. He died from Malaria but not before he had left an indelible mark on the area. His palace has been destroyed now but most people can tell you about him and his reputation.

More recently Gent has made a name for itself in the world of Arts and Culture. It is home to some of the most exciting new talents in Belgium, including the group SoulWax. The current head of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge is also a Gentenaar. Perhaps the event which really puts Gent on the map is the music and culture festival known as The Gentse Feesten. A ten day festival based in the centre of the city which dates back to the late 1800's. It always starts on the Saturday after July 21st and the final day, a Monday, is known as De Dag van de Lege Portomonnees (the day of the empty wallets!). The modern era of the Gentse Feesten was started in the late 60's by the people from the Trefpunt cafe. This, ironically, is where I work. Trefpunt means "meeting place" and the area around the cafe, which is dominated by Sint-Jacobs church, is the centre for most of the festival. (It is also about 3 minutes walk from our flat!) As well as music stages there is poetry, street theatre, debating sessions and a ten night dance party called "Ten Days off" which attracts the best DJs and dance acts from around the world. I have been a few times but this time I will be working. I have been told it will be a "Groot adventuur". I'm looking forward to it but with a little bit of anticipation. The line up is still a secret. They wont even tell me! I'll put links below, check it out it you are interested.....

http://www.gentsefeesten.be/

http://www.trefpunt.be/gentsefeesten2011/

Listen to Soulwax here: http://www.soulwax.com/potwnd/loop/

Alles en beetje complex.....

So, since we arrived one thing that has struck me almost instantly is how complicated things are here. Bureaucracy is taken to a new level to be honest and the political situation, which is still far from being resolved (will no doubt blog about this in the future, when I get my head round it properly), is now a world record breaker as far as a country having had an election without forming a government and the time elapsed in between. Only yesterday we received a letter from a company who deals with the utility bills. This company isn't the one that supplies your fuel, it's the company that looks after everything while you choose a company to provide your fuel. When you have chosen one, you have to tell the company that has written the letter and they organise setting it all up. I can't help but wonder of that is really necessary? I think the one thing that has really got out of hand is the football league. One of the things I love about football is its simplicity, as soon as I arrived it would be something I could understand, get my teeth into, although I am yet to choose a Belgian team to support. This was until the end of the season came a week or so ago. Once the final places are completed the league is then divided into 3 groups:

• the top six play one another anew to see, once again, who will emerge the winner, and who plays in Europe next season. In recognition of the table ranking of the eight-month general season, the top six playoff table is pre-stacked with points awarded through a complex coefficient. So Anderlecht, in first place, started the playoffs with 33 points, while Lokeren, in sixth, had 25;
• the next eight clubs play in two four-club groups for a place in the Europa League, with the winners of each group in a final playoff. This playoff winner then plays the fourth-placed team from the top six in a “test match” to claim the Europa League spot;
• The bottom two play each other five times. The loser is relegated, but the winner still has to endure a four-team playoff with the second- to fourth-placed clubs in the Second Division.

Got that? It really says it all..... the usually reserved and accepting Belgians are up in arms about this apparently and I will be surprised if it continues for much longer.

Thanks to Flanderstoday.eu for the explanation of the above, I couldn't have described it that clearly!

I thought I would add something musical to the end of my blogs, some music that I have discovered in Belgium or suchlike... the first group that has taken my eye this time around is a band called Arsenal. Seeing as this is a football related post it seemed apt. I heard about them years ago and their new album, Lokemo, is great. See the links below for more info:

http://www.arsenal-music.com/

http://www.myspace.com/arsenalbe

Belglish times....

So, its been a few months since I blogged. There have been a few reasons for that. One being the lack of internet access we had in New Zealand and the fact we were having far too much fun. But also since we have been back it's been a roller coaster ride of such epic proportions I really haven't known what to write. Also, I have discovered that blogging is a very personal thing and recently I haven't been 100% comfortable with the idea of writing things down for people to read. Maybe its a pride thing, I am not sure, but now I am more settled I thought I would write a few things.

Since our China trip we have been in Thailand, Australia and New Zealand. Thailand was for Christmas and to be honest was one of the highlights of our trip (one of many I admit!). I just love the food there, I could eat it everyday, breakfast lunch and dinner. There is just something so right about curry for breakfast. Unfortunately, we had to spend the first week visiting the dentist as Marianne had to have a root canal. As it turns out if I am needing any expensive dental work done in the future I will be going to Thailand. Very high standard dentistry for very very little money. We missed home a great deal on Christmas day though, its just no the same on a beach in 30 degree heat.

Australia was a brief but very satisfying trip to see my niece Charlotte in Perth, which also turned out to be a visit to an old friend Scot and his family. Scott put us up and even drove us all round the vineyards and breweries of the area for the day! We then flew to Sydney and caught the second day of the 5th Ashes test. Its always been a dream of mine to see an Ashes game in Australia, it was all the more sweet that we were winning hands down and to see Cook score a century was something else. Also caught up with an old work friend there too. From Sydney we flew to Brisbane and met up with an old work friend of Marianne's and then an old friend of mine, Rennie, from when I was in Oz in 2000. I hadn't seen her since then and the moment we arrived she gave us a pair of pyjamas each and said, "right we're off to a pyjama party!" It was never a dull moment there then and it obviously still isn't now! From here we flew to Cairns and spent an amazing 3 days diving the Great Barrier Reef. We stayed on a boat on the reef, it was just stunning. I am very lucky to have dived the reef twice before, but this time we did it in style and all around us fish were jumping, dolphins, turtles, manta rays and other weird and wonderful things. Quite a experience. The plan was then to go back to Brisbane and see some more friends but unfortunately the floods had just happened and we were advised not to go there. Luckily Qantas were rerouting their flights for free so we flew from Brisbane to New Zealand via a quick stop in Melbourne. It was a great shame as it meant we didn't get to see a couple of people we haven't seen for a long time and will not see again for a very long time in all honesty. Did I say Australia was brief? It was so nice to see Charlotte, that was the main thing ;)

So, New Zealand, I really don't know where to start with this place. Its just the most incredible place on the planet. Having spent 6 months here before I knew what to expect, so I was excited to go with there with Marianne. It has the majesty of Nepal and its mountains, the beaches and coastline of Australia. It has multicultural cities, awesome food. Artisan industries, the air is pure, the sea if full of the worlds most beautiful creatures. The people are famously friendly and helpful and often quirky too. And NZ has easily the best Fish and Chips in the world. Oh and the pies, I must not forget the pies, just deelish. We bought a van, called it Derek, and drove around for 2 months. Mainly fishing and sight seeing and sampling the awesome cottage beer industry which has exploded since I was last here. That's the real beauty of this country. If money and material wealth does not interest you and it's lifestyle you are after then New Zealand has it to offer in abundance. Its very isolated from the world geographically but this is also its best point. The South Island for example is the size of England and there are only a million people in it, the north, has 3 million (ish). There are places in Fjordland which humans have never been. there are animals thought to be extinct which are still surviving. There is 14 thousand kilometres of walking tracks, all with huts dotted along them which you can stay in for pennies, its an outdoor wonderland which for anyone with a love of animals, ecology, outdoor pursuits, environmental living and just being close to nature then this is the place for you. While in Wellington we had lunch with Karen Rourke (now Hayward). She is doing well and was about to give birth to her second child, I believe that all went well. Our last couple of weeks were spent with our friends Bec and Calum, they took ten days off work and we spent an amazing time with them exploring the north of the North island with its awesome beaches, sand dunes, dry hot weather, amazing fishing and emptiness. We got to meet some of their family members too which was great. After 10 years in London they seem to be settling in well and Calum has hit the ground running with his cheese exploits and Bec will soon be the premier female brewer in NZ, mark my words. It was also great to catch up with a friend Neil in Auckland, a guy who I met in Indonesia in 1999 and is now living in Auckland, having a great time. Marianne and I agree, we would move to NZ tomorrow if it were not so far away. When you are there, you realise that many of the things above are not as important as family and being close enough to visit is important.

I've really only touched the tip of the iceberg with regards to NZ, like Nepal it has a very special place in our lives and we hope to go back oneday........

So, we spent a week in London/UK catching up with friends and family and now we have arrived in the big reality zone of Belgium. Its been a huge reality check and with the news that we have a baby on the way, it has focussed our minds even more on the future. The last few weeks have been tough, many doubts and second thoughts but we knew it would be hard. We tend not do things that are too easy. And we will look back on these times as ones that made us even stronger.

I will now start to blog bits and bobs about life here (which was the original point of the blog), I just wanted to get the travel updated as a few people have been asking about it and its good to have it recorded it some way. The links below will take you to public folders I have put on Facebook with all the photos of our trip, including Thailand, Oz and NZ,

Tot Ziens.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150167587885918.301788.591555917&l=a324ca3deb

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150167624340918.301847.591555917&l=7d63a4a1a1

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150167714995918.301982.591555917&l=32b218e10e

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150167916355918.302309.591555917&l=5370f29c61

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150168358910918.302936.591555917&l=e28f12be60

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150168432485918.303072.591555917&l=b78f984a55

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150169694065918.303980.591555917&l=9122af508

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150169726950918.303993.591555917&l=f08557dcd