Off post OCONUS Housing Rentals can be found online

I already posted this on my Twitter page, but I know many of my readers don't use that....so....I have found in the past, that some OCONUS duty locations managed their own housing websites, with rental listings for their area.  Now, I see more and more are putting up their listings on AHRN.  If you are moving to a new overseas location, be sure to stop by and get a jump on what's available for housing off post.  Of course, you won't be able to bid for homes, but at least you know what will be awaiting you:-)

Things that make Belgium "different"

I know before you arrive in Belgium, you're probably telling yourself not to compare it to the US or its citizens....your family and how you do things....as for me....I had in my mind that I wasn't going to compare it to Germany.  Now, seven months later....I have to laugh at these differences, because if I don't....I'm just gonna cry!  Read below and tell me what you think and keep in mind that I am talking about the Wallonian region and not Flanders...which might as well be a different country, but we're all not supposed to NOT talk about it....like the elephant in the room....but a bit of trivia, we are now the European country that holds the record for the MOST DAYS without an elected government!

In no particular order or sense of organization:

• Belgian bureaucrats love the words "possible" and "not possible" and will use them interchangeably!  Customer service Belgian-style is not as customer friendly as American-style.  In fact, I was told by a Belgian that the product or service is supposed to speak for itself, so no customer service is needed (I must say the Germans feel this way too).
• Belgium truly is the land of great French fries (frites), and I have NEVER in my life seen so many different toppings (at least 10 at the last friterie I went to)...the favorite topping still being mayo:-)
• Priority from the right while driving...always, unless specially marked...even if the road coming from the right is a little goatpath.  If it's deemed "a road", it has priority.
• High percentage of windshield dings and other road mishaps.  Lots of turnip trailers and tractors in Wallonia and potholes as big as kingsized beds, especially now that winter has taken hold.  Not sure where all these road taxes are going that everyone must pay (although Shapians are exempt from paying this tax for their first vehicle).
• The customer is NOT king....although, I must say, Wallonians are some of the friendliest Europeans I have ever met.  Go back to my comment on customer service.
• Grown men, not just little boys, peeing along the side of the road.  I've also noticed that public toilets aren't so easy to find and many stores just don't have toilets.
• Some cars so small, they can fit SIDEWAYS into the smallest parking space.
• McDonald's serving beer (all over Europe actually).
• Grown men hugging and kissing each other (ditto in many other areas..mostly down South).
• The hundreds, maybe thousands....of different Belgian beer varieties to choose from.  My DH is continuing his beer label collection here in Belgium.
• That if you buy a hunk of cheese or bottle of beer or whatever food item that says it comes from a monastery, it'll be at least twice as expensive as the normal brands.
• People buy baguettes around here like Americans buy donuts.
• The small serving sizes for anything you'd like to drink....unless you are going to Starbucks, you can forget a big glass or mug of anything (except maybe beer in some cases).  And forget asking for ice.
• The small serving sizes in restaurants and the resistance I have found in Chinese restaurants to refill the darn plain white rice dish!
• Bringing your grocery bags with you shopping, or being prepared to buy some.
• Your vehicle MUST have a fire extinguisher and if it is older than 5 years, you'd better have that rear foglight installed.
• My surprise at how little people speak English language around SHAPE (in Wallonia)....must be a Wallonian thing as NATO Brussels and Brussels in general is mostly bilingual...must be a Flemish thing.
• Almost everything shuts down on a Sunday.
• The slowness of getting anything done.  It took us about seven months to get our day/night electric meter installed...which was part of our home rental contract....it's like work is drawn out, because you don't want to finish everything at once.  You'll see this a lot with your landlord too....again, most are supernice, but you gotta give them time and lots of it.
• Don't mess with a Wallonian's vacation or time off or give him a more efficient way to do his job....work ends promptly at whatever time it is scheduled to end.....vacation time is sacred here....I've heard bureaucrats who have lived and worked in other European countries tell me they had to actually slow down at work or else they'd finish all their work in two days and twiddle their fingers the rest of the week.....pacing yourself apparently is the idea here.
• Relaxed rules.  I had a Dutch farmer in Wallonia tell me that they moved the whole family, cows and everything down here from their family farm in the Netherlands....not to Flanders where they also speak Dutch....but down here, the land of the French-speaking Belgians...here land was cheap when they came and the rules can be interpreted a dozen different ways...which is why in the same day you can get the "possible" and "not possible" answer referring back to the first item on my list.
What Wallonian or Belgian-isms do you have to add?

Who told you about the lightbulbs?

Don't you absolutely hate it when you move somewhere, and everyone else knows some simple little helpful thing, except you?  It's not something you talk about or even discuss...just expected to know.  Here's a tip to know before moving to Europe that can save you from buying new light fixtures and lamps.

Most people moving over here, get the information that electricity is different over here than in the US...not just the plugs but also the power with which that stuff shoots thru the walls.  Plug in your 110 volt US appliance and scare yourself as it literally blows smoke (and typically a spark) along with tripping the breakers.....and then kills your appliance....forever!  Even I fried a computer after we arrived....not because I didn't know, but because desktops have a SWITCH in the back that you must switch from 110 volt to 220 volt (unlike the laptops I had been using all summer that switch automatically between the two voltages....ooops).

Anyway, when you go into the PX or commissary over here, they will have TONS of light bulbs that are meant for 110 volts (they say 120 volt on them)....why?  I don't know....not every post in Europe has on post housing with dual voltages where you could actually use these bulbs...and as far as I know, none in Belgium do...go figure.  I never figured out why they would sell all these 110 volt appliances either, especially when I noticed my Chi dryer and straightening iron I bought in the US can be used in EITHER voltage....come on AAFES....sell something USEFUL!  There I go getting off on a tangent again...don't get me started on AAFES overseas..

If you are bringing your nice lamps from the US, all you have to do is purchase a 220 volt lightbulb (they do have some at AAFES and the commissary, just check that it says 240 volt on the box somewhere).  Then use a round European prong adapter so it'll connect in the wall, and you're done.  You are now using your US lamp....in Europe....no need to rewire or do anything else with it...and yes, you can buy those lamps at the PX, even if they say 120 volt.

Can you think of anything else like this, that everyone just expected you to know coming over here?

And here are the goodies we eat

I know each country sometimes makes its mark by what foods are their national dishes....or what everyone likes to eat.  Well, Belgium is no different!  After someone finally convinced me that Belgium and not the French invented the French fries....actually, all it took was me trying a bite with one of the two dozen sauces each "frite" (fry) stand offers.....mmmmm....and then to see Belgians in a frenzied rush to eat mussels and fries two times a year....with signs and posters all over the countryside announcing their arrival, like they were the king and his entourage or something.  Anyway....enjoy the video.

Here are plenty of reasons to come visit!

If you are moving to SHAPE, Belgium...

I just wanted to post a link from another Shapian on how to connect with other folks in the SHAPE, Belgium area.

Thanks Edith!  Follow this link here.  Also be sure to read her other blogposts, as she has many posts on living in Belgium as well as traveling all over Europe:-)

The trash situation over here

Most places you live....at least stateside....you either pay for a trash service from one of the trash companies servicing your area (like we did in Colorado) or your property taxes pay for it (like in Florida) or perhaps something else in between?  The Germans and the Belgians do things a bit differently.....and it takes some getting used to for Americans!

In Germany, if you live off post, your local municipality will run trash collection.  In Germany, you had better have at least a college diploma to figure out how to sort your garbage or risk them not picking it up!  Most German localities will get you to purchase these special stickers, which you stick on each of your trashcans.  You mean there is more than one?  Yes, sometimes.....Germans are avid recyclers, and you will quickly get in the game or be shunned by the neighbors.  And these trashcans are regulation size....you can't just buy ANY trashcan!

I remember living in the Vilseck area and having a HUGE plastic trashcan with a fliptop and wheels where we could ONLY put biodegradables.....that means, your meal leftovers, potato peels, coffee grounds and other organic substances.  I don't need to tell you that this thing smelled riper than the roses after just a few days.  I hated dealing with this thing and you can imagine what the inside looked like...you couldn't put a bag in there, and it was always a race to see how fast you could close the lid after opening it.  So, I looked to see what my neighbors were doing, and other than the urinal my next door neighbor had mounted to the back of his house in full view of our back yard.....I noticed a pile in the far back corner of his garden....hmmmm....it was a compost pile I figured out after I moseyed on over there and poked it with a stick....yes, it was towards our side and not the other side...thanks.  I saw his wife dumping their stuff there.  Of course, I decided right then and there to make one too.  I added our kitchen junk and our grass clippings and all the overripe apples that fell into our yard.  I even started a garden, but I just couldn't bring myself to dig into that pile other than to turn it, as I had read somewhere, which just involved sticking a shovel in there and turning portions of that....yuckness.....over....to keep it fresh?

We also had to sort out paper, glass and plastic.  After doing this for a few years, we moved back stateside and promptly forgot everything, other than the paper sorting for some reason.  Our next big stint in Germany was on post.  We had big dumpsters down the street.  We had three for paper, two for plastic, a funny contraption for glass and the "other" dumpster.  Honestly, I was ashamed to be an American by the filth that my neighbors made at the dumpster.  Don't wing it over the fence and hope your load makes it in...especially if it was doggie-doo...hey, let's at least CLOSE the bag....I guess I should've been happy they even picked it up, another problem for another blogpost perhaps...the trials and tribulations of living on post!

Many times I'd go out and also see perfectly good furniture sitting out there.  We had this German guy with a trailer, regularly making the rounds of all the dumpsters, picking out treasures to take home.  Inevitably, he'd come while I was out there, and I'd always avert my eyes....I was embarrassed by the mess!  Over the weekend was obviously the worst!

On a positive note, many of my fellow Americans neighbors did not know that many of the items they buy in their German stores come packaged in returnable bottles, so we would regularly load up a crate and fill it with yogurt glasses, soda plastic bottles and of course beer bottles and the occasional rack of beer.  If the container says "Pfand" on the label somewhere, it is worth something (although you won't find that sticker on beer bottles...it's just assumed those get turned in).  We found so much of that stuff, that my husband was able to support and pay for his beer habit just by turning in these misdirected bottles and jars!  I am totally being serious here! 

The Germans do bottle turn-in so high tech too...you go to your local store and look for a machine where people are putting their bottles in. You put the bottles in one at a time or by the rack, and the machine will scan the bottle and determine how much it is worth.  It keeps adding up the money, and when you are done, push the green button and get a ticket.  This ticket has a euro amount on it, and you can turn it in at check-out to either get the money back or get that amount off your next purchase.  It's very simple, and honestly, I wish more would use it instead of throwing money away.  Just to give you an idea, this group of guys returned 140 CASES of beer!  I included the link to show you what the machine typically looks like and how easy it is.  Look for a sign that says "Pfand Rueckgabe".

Here in Belgium, we have less recycling going on...the Belgians are not as diligent as the Germans unfortunately....but, that does translate into less work.  What makes it so ingenious I think, is that each municipality or area charges you by the BAG.  So the more trash you have, the more you personally will pay for that privilege.  You go to a local grocery store and buy either the white "everything can go in there" bag (you buy a pack which costs over 8 euro) or the blue recyclable bags that take plastic and metal basically.  As you can probably tell, the blue bags are much cheaper.  Of course, that means we try to stuff as much as we can into the blue bags which get picked up every other week.  Paper, doesn't go into any bag but also gets picked up every other week, rotating with the plastic.  You just have to stack it neatly by the curb.  The white bags get picked up once a week, and like I said....anything goes in there, although I like to take non-recyclable bottles (which are almost all bottles except for beer bottles) to the local recycling center...each community has one...you can also take bulk and yard trash there, as there is only one pick up a year for that kind of stuff.  Many also use the recycling center on SHAPE which is open every weekday (closed for lunch).  I've noticed some REALLY cheap people using the "everything" dumpster over there for their regular everyday garbage...I guess the DH goes to work every day with the trash in tow as part of his routine....I've seen people do it in Germany too when they didn't want to buy the stickers for living off-post. I don't know...I do a lot to save money...but that's a bit excessive if you ask me...and probably wrong!

And that about wraps up the garbage!  Funny, how no one ever talks about it....but everybody has it and deals with it on a daily basis.  If there is another place that has an interesting trash collection method, I'd love to hear it....it's been that kind of day!

FREE 24/7 Roadside Assistance in Belgium (& a word on travel cancellation insurance)

Here's a nifty little program I didn't know about when we moved here....glad I do now!  You see, we brought our ADAC Roadside Assistance with us in Germany.  We paid about 200 euro per year, and it covered us while we were there...you know, peace of mind.  Those ADAC yellow cars and tow trucks are angels in Germany should you ever have a breakdown, flat tire or run out of gas.  They'll even send someone to drive your kids home should you not be able to.  So, we moved to Belgium, and I double checked, and yes ADAC does cover you here too, even with a Belgian address, which in this case is our APO address, just like our APO address in Germany was on file.  BUT...and this was a big stickler for me.  ADAC has no offices in Belgium, so you'd have to call their Munich number for assistance.  I didn't get a warm fuzzy about that extra step.  I found out from the guy at the SHAPE gas station that Total Gas in Belgium has a FREE 24/7 roadside assistance program.  If you use Total gas, you can sign up for it.  It is very similar to ADAC and even covers you in many other European countries.  You knew I was going to investigate this, so here goes.


The guy who works at the Total gas station gave me a club card.  All I had to do was activate it online.  It will be tied to you and the license plate of your vehicle.  Both my husband and I got a card for each of our vehicles.

Go to Total's website and use Google Translate in a side window to see what the heck you are reading and doing.  You'll need your address, phone numbers and also the license plate number for your vehicle.  You can even register motorcycles which have different criteria for filling up.


Please make sure that when you go through the registration pages, do not go through Google Translate, as the registration won't go through.  Once your registration is complete and after you wait a few minutes, you'll get a confirmation email with your PIN number.  You will then be able to access your account online to see how many points you have added up. 

This is how it works.  Every three weeks, you MUST fill up at least 25 liters to receive free roadside assistance in that period and to be a member.  You should get an email every time you fill up to that amount or you'll get an email telling you when your assistance expires.  It will expire every three weeks, which means you need to put at least 25 liters of fuel into your vehicle every three weeks.  I hope I said that backwards and forwards enough times!

For example, if you fill up on the gas station on SHAPE, you'll probably be paying with your rationed fuel card that you purchased at the rationed items store across the street.  This holds true for any Total, as they are the supplier of our fuel ration cards here (it's Esso in Germany).  These fuel cards are heavily discounted from what the Belgians pay for their fuel.  No matter, you can use these as payment for the 25 liters you are going to put on your Total Card.

After you fuel up, take your receipt in to the cashier.  Hand them your Total Card.  They will then credit your account.  If you go home and check on your computer, you'll see some points added to your account.  There are other things you can do with those points, such a free gas, but I haven't investigated those goodies yet.

If at any time the service counter is closed, and you can't bring your receipts inside, collect them up and take them inside to the cashier and get them credited later.  You can do this at any Total gas station, but I recommend you take your receipts into the one you happen to be using.

Once you join, you'll also get an email of what phone # to call for assistance and other useful info, so use Google Translate if you need to and print it out and keep it in your car.

As a sidenote, there are also other roadside assistance programs out there.  I know that some of the agencies that offer car insurance both on and off post offer inexpensive roadside assistance programs.  Fortis Bank also has a roadside assistance program.

On a similar thread, if you travel a lot by air or do cruises or spend a lot of money on your travels, I would also look into travel cancellation insurance.  We have a cheap policy that covers up to I think it is 3,000 euro worth of travel that costs about 40 euro a year....something along those lines.  Most Europeans carry travel insurance that they renew once a year...it's not like in the States, where people only do it for cruises and weddings and such and pay per event...it's cheaper if you pay per year.  When I used to set up tours for the USO, I was astounded by how many would try to get a refund due to a family emergency or whatever reason, and if we already paid for hotel rooms or other fixed costs, they were SOL.  Very few had travel cancellation insurance.  Please check into it, as it is peace of mind too.  You typically have to file some kind of claim, and then get your money from the back end of the deal from the travel cancellation insurance company and not the original company that booked your travel.  Still, peace of mind that those thousands of Euros won't be lost if someone gets sick or has an emergency!

If anyone has any other similar insurance programs to add, and hey, I even invite the insurance companies overseas to post a link below.  When we moved to Belgium, we had no idea what the other car insurance options were, so stayed with USAA, which is more expensive here in Belgium due to them having to get their insurance through a third party here.  What are your recommendations?

Get 21% off the next time you go shopping!

 

Why 21% off....because we are military people stationed in Belgium, or so my husband is.  This is one privilege for us over here (in Germany it is 19%)....see how high the salex tax is over here in Europe?!  We would croak if that ever happened in the US!  Here's how to get that tax money back.  In Germany, the process was easier...you purchased these VAT (value added tax) forms and handed them out like candy at ANY store where you bought a good or service.  My threshold for doing that was if I spent anything over 50 euro...period....it was then worth my time and the money I spent on my VAT form to get some chump change back (and more if I spent more).  Here in Belgium, not everything is tax-exempt and the process involves jumping through more hoops.

Why is our process so different from Germany?  I always like to joke it is because the guy who negotiated the Belgian part of the SOFA after the war was not as diligent as the guy who negotiated our SOFA in Germany...that's the only way I can explain getting a raw deal over here in Belgium!  Unless you are buying furniture, electronics and whatever items the VAT folks wave their magic wand over, you don't get tax relief and your 21% back.  
Like I said, anything over 50 euro (even here) is worth my while, so here's how to go about getting your money back.

After you make your purchase, take your receipt and head over to the store's customer service desk.  Have at least an idea of what goods are covered by VAT by checking with the SHAPE VAT office.  It is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 0900-1200 and Thursday from 0900-1300.

Step by step (using IKEA as an example):

The customer service desk is located to the right after the cash registers if you go to the Anderlecht IKEA outlet.  You'll see a ticketing machine instead of standing in line.  Push the button that says B - "Fakture".  When your number pops up on the display, head over to that counter.

Hand over your receipt and ask for a "Fakture" and saying "diplomatic forms" helps too (cause tourists can get tax back too once they get home).  I'm not familiar with that process, but there are many websites out there that detail how to get your tax money back.

They will get on their computer and type in your name and address.  IMPORTANT:  the Fakture MUST be in the sponsor's name (don't give them your name).  If you come to the VAT office with the receipt in your name, they will turn you away, and you'll have to go back to the store and get another receipt.

They will print out a Fakture and hand it to you.

Be sure to ask for the self addressed IKEA envelope with the "Demande de Remboursement" sheet inside (a colorful red form).

 

On the colorful red form, you will fill out your bank information.  Unlike Germany, where you will immediately get your cash back, in Belgium, you will see the tax amount show up on your bank statement one to two months later.  That's how you know you have been reimbursed.  Hang onto this form for now after you fill it out.

Go to the VAT office on SHAPE in the main inprocessing building.  Show them your fakture, and they will check mark which items qualify....like I said, the magic wand gets waved.

If you are American, go to the little white building behind the inprocessing building (where you get your passports renewed, etc), and they will fill out another computer printed form for you and stamp it and note the number of items that qualify for tax-free.  Other country members, go to your own country's processing office on SHAPE.

Take all the papers back to the VAT office.  They will in turn fill out some more information and give you a stack of papers.

Make copies of all the papers for your records in case something gets lost!

Put the originals of all the forms, including your "Demande de Remboursement" into the provided IKEA envelope.

 

Go to the Belgian post office (one in the HQ building and there is another one in the GB Supermarket...also off post obviously).  Mail in your packet and wait....and then wait some more...

Keep checking your bank account statements (or access online) to see if it got deposited.  If three months or so go by, and you get no money, stop by the VAT office to check it out.

Does anyone else want to share their VAT experience (Germany or Belgium or perhaps how they do it in the UK and Italy....if they have it?....also, as a tourist?).

Where to fleamarket close by?

Of course we've got the SHAPE flea markets on base during the summer months and the big flea market in Waterloo everyone recommends, as it is one of the larger ones in the area.  Almost every Sunday, there is a mid-size fleamarket near the mall by the marina in Nimy.  But what if you just want to do something different or visit a specialty flea market, like one that just has childrens' items (yep, there is one of those).

Be sure to visit Brocante.be

Choose "Chercher une brocante" link up top after you enter the site (you have to click French or Flemish on bottom first).

From dropdown menu, choose either of the two "Hainaut" area code regions.

Then choose a theme if you want or keep that blank.

Lastly, either plug in a date or choose today, during the week or weekend.

You'll get the specifics of what kinds of markets, locations and hours for the markets in your area.  I haven't gotten the nerve up to sell items at these  markets, but perhaps another day.  I did a few markets in Germany and sold out of my American products typically within the first few hours!  Plus, it was a lot of fun.

Brain Fodder for Newcomers & Visitors (Germany & Belgium)

So, I've never really been a newcomer in Europe, being born in Germany and all....BUT, I am still an American and feel like I have an inkling of what my friends are going through.  You know when you move to a foreign country, you wish someone had just told you some of these nuggets of information?  Life would be WWAAAY easier I would think.  Here are some quick tricks and tips that are always being mentioned...or what I think of when I try to rack my brain as to what surprises most Americans who come over.  Please be sure to add your own surprises as well!

In no particular order:

Always have grocery bags in your vehicle when you travel; European stores do not hand out free bags.  You must pay for them if you want one of theirs.  We like to carry a variety of cheap plastic throwaway bags and some nicer cloth or synthetic bags with us in our car.  Reisenthel (my favorite) makes some cute little packaged bags (I have two of these in my purse).

Always have change for parking meters.  Parking meters here are not next to your space....but are nearby.  Look for a big automated metal box.  Put in your money, watch the time change on the little monitor, typically 50 Euro cents = 30 minutes.  Then press the green button.  The ticket that comes out needs to be put in your windshield or it's useless.  Keep track of when it expires!

Many restaurants have their rest day on Mondays, so aren't open then.  Some stores, especially out in the country, close at 6 or 7 pm and are closed on Sundays and holidays and early on Saturday...not a problem in the big cities but could be everywhere else.  Restaurants in Belgium (not in big cities) don't serve dinner until 6 or 6:30 pm and many do not serve lunch.  Know before you sit down and order your drinks!  "Durchgehende Kueche" on a German restaurant's sign means they are open thru lunch and dinner and serve at those in-between times.  I haven't seen the equivalent in Belgium except for in the big cities and near NATO/US military bases.

Learn at least a few basic phrases, thank-you and please in whatever country you'll be in.  Americans have a horrible reputation for thinking the world centers around them and English...don't add to the misnomer.

Shopping carts are chained together here...have a 50 cent Euro piece or 1 euro to stick in the slot on the cart, and then return the cart to get your money back.

Bring change for public restrooms...no money, no tinkle...this is actually a good thing, because most restrooms are very clean (unfortunately, you won't see this in any of the Southern European countries or even France...you'll see dirty restrooms for the most part...and they are free).  You'll get charged 30 to 50 Euro cents and some automated entrances don't give change for 1 or 2 Euro coins, so always have the little change with you.

Always have some kind of raingear with you...with the Gulfstream...or is it Jet Stream?...European weather can be variable...and all in the same day.  Belgium can have five weather changes in a day.  Germany, not so much except perhaps up in the Northern areas or in the mountains.  Just be prepared.

Europeans are NOT rude for the most part...they just do things differently over here and Americans many times view that as being rude.  They are just honest and forthright and will not beat around the bush and will truly tell you what they think....to your face.  Also, the German language can be very heavy on the consonants, and I've had Americans tell me that just scares them and makes the language sound harsher than it really is.  A German saying "I love you" sounds like they are about to give the other person a whipping I've been told by other Americans!

When you are paying for something in Belgium, do not put money in the cashier's hand...it is considered rude.  Put the money on the space provided in front of you....or the conveyor belt.  They'll hand you back the change the same way.  And instead of saying thank-you (merci), you say please when you fork over your money....so "si'l vous plait"....French do it the opposite!  Those darn French...or Belgiums..however you want to look at it.

When eating out in Germany, it is customary to start eating as soon as your own plate of food arrives (that is considered good manners, as the others don't want YOUR food to get cold).  In Belgium, you should wait for everyone's food to arrive and waitstaff will typically try to time everyone's food arrival at the same time.  Isn't it funny how they can be so opposite?

You'll probably find more pickpockets here than in the US (except maybe for New York City?)....treat your valuables accordingly and keep them close to your body and not in your pockets or purse.  Try not to look like a tourist.  You can peg an American by their tennis shoes and jeans.

A GPS is invaluable here, especially in Belgium.  I have lost count of the number of times I have come to an intersection with NO street markings, especially out in the country.  At least in Germany, streets are labeled fairly regularly.  

Instead of getting on highways and seeing signs that tell you, you are going North or South like in the US, you'll see signs listing the next major city...in whichever direction....all over Europe (and sometimes not in the country you are in, if you are near a border).  So, you need to know which cities are in the direction you want to go in, or else you will go the wrong way!  As soon as I get on the highway near our house, I see the sign that says "Paris"....only 2-1/2 hours away!  It always gets me dreaming...until I have to get off before I actually reach Paris.

You won't see a lot of McDonalds and other fast food places (except maybe near military bases and in the big cities), but you will see many friteries in Belgium!  This fast food kind of place is cheap and EVERYTHING is fried....everything...even dessert if they offer it.  Everything is laid out like at a butcher and since much of it is battered, you won't know what's in that thing unless you can read the sign (so learn the favorites and have a small dictionary with you in your purse, and especially memorize the word for horse in French, "cheval").  The nicest fritterie I ever went to was on the Belgian coast in a wonderful seaside town.  In addition to the fried fish and anything else you wanted fried, they had colorful salads with some of the best tomatoes I've ever tasted....sad to say I haven't found anything like that around here!  McDonalds are a dime a dozen in Germany, and you will see them all over.  There they also have "Imbisses" and what I miss the most as we don't see it everywhere, Donar Kebaps.

Please be sure to share your favorites below!

What's so awesome about being part of the NATO crowd?

I still remember when my husband told me that his next assignment would be a NATO assignment.  I had visions of us going to unit events with everyone laughing, dancing and singing kumbaya or attending embassy-like parties like they used to have in "the old days", pre 1990 (I am REALLY dating myself)!  Now that I've been here a few months, has it really been that way?

Not exactly....but things have certainly been interesting...and aren't too far off from that ideal:

Every month I can go to a spouse's luncheon hosted by a different nationality...this  month....Germany...with authentic food, fun and entertainment.

I can now say basic phrases in five different languages and make gestures in three.

Seeing a soldier with stars on his rank does not mean he is a general.  You should see all the different combinations and colors of uniforms, boots and hats!

The Silver Spoon in the HQ building is a neat place to eat, as there are always dishes being offered from the different NATO countries.

I like that I can take an Italian cooking class, bank at an Italian bank, shop at a Belgian store (or an American one) and check out library books in about eight different languages.

I can have friends from around the world.....right here where I live.

My kids come home and throw out curse words in....four...no...five languages (okay, maybe this...I don't like).

My one son's soccer coach really knows something about soccer...he's Argentinian BTW.

Where else can kids say they will be taking a field trip to the Louvre in Paris?

We get to celebrate (and have time off) for all the European holidays, which are typically longer than American holiday breaks...more time to travel.... (yes, Turkey Day is a work day....but imagine all the Americans bringing in their turkeys to grill at work and families joining their military spouses too....sounds like good times to me).

Shopping the international second hand goodies at the Spring and Summer monthly flea markets and community thrift shops. 

The wide selection of crafts, antiques and goodies at our international bazaars.

The lowcost language classes....some are even free!

Tax free shoppping of European products...just like at the airport.

Learning that sometimes things just are the way they are....like the movement of each NATO country's flag in the order of display so that no one flag will be first....or last....every Sunday at midnight like clockwork (wonder who has that duty?).

Ask VMW: Where are the English Speaking Churches near SHAPE?

I recently received this question:

Are there any off base American/English speaking Christian churches outside SHAPE or Chievres? 

Of course!  You've already found the chapels affiliated with SHAPE and Chievres by googling them I hope:-)  They also have a facebook page, so be sure to link up with them there.

There are other ones in the area that many Shapians attend.  My sons are doing a lock-in at a chateau with our church next week....that is something different!

We've got:

International Baptist Church in Jurbise

Calvary Baptist Church

And there is also an English speaking church in Waterloo, about 30-40 minutes away (depending on where you live) that has proved popular, Christian Center.

Please know that wherever you are stationed, the religious center on your post will maintain a list of local churches.  You can always contact them, and they'll send you the list as well.

More Overseas Expat Blogs

If you're like me, you like to read other blogs of Americans or expats living overseas here in Europe.  I've recently been emailed a link of some more blogs...and Life Lessons made the top list, along with some of my favorites (and some I haven't visited yet)...yeah!

Please be sure to stop by and visit Go Overseas!

In the land of the apple pickin'

I honestly thought we were in the middle of nowhere...the road kept getting narrower and narrower, and then our two vehicle caravan entered a forest....and you know us Americans with our minivans and SUVs in Belgium (or Europe for that matter)...it got tighter and tighter....and just when I wondered how I was going to turn around or back up, there it was!  A big apple painted on a tree!...and cars coming in from all directions....we had made it!  Here in Belgium, we are surrounded by farms of all kinds and today, we discovered an apple farm with apples just waiting to be picked and eaten....

The first thing my 11 year old said was....cool....and he meant it.  Rows and rows of different types of apples all neatly labeled.  I am no apple connoisseur, but what in blazes are suntan apples?  Booskop...ahhh, I recognize that one.....I've forgotten all the other names as I had never heard of them before, but one yellow/red apple was half the size of my son's head!  I am using two of those right now to bake a wonderful Pearl's Apple Crisp.  Since I am lazy when it comes to piecrust and the packaged stuff just doesn't taste homemade, I make this crisp instead with its rich and thick buttery crunchy topping...it can't be beat and tastes great with ice cream!

Here's the recipe:

Pearl's Apple Crisp

2 lage apples (enough to cover a pieplate; I use a glass one)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 TBS lemon juice
1 cup flour
sprinkling of cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), partially melted

Preheat oven to 325 deg F.  Clean and cut up the fruit into pieplate.  Stir in white sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon.  Combine flour and brown sugar; cut in butter until it is nice and crumbly.  Place mixture over fruit and pat down.  Bake until golden brown, about 50 minutes.  Serve by itself or with vanilla ice cream!

Back to the farm.  You take your bag or crate (bring your own), and walk (or if you have boys.....RUN)....up and down the rows and start picking and packing it in.  When you are done, go see the nice lady in the barn and put your bag on the scale.  I spent about five Euros for around six kilos of apples....there will be a lot of apple eating in this house the rest of the week!

To find this place, if you are coming from the SHAPE/Casteau area, start heading on the main route towards Braine-le-Comte and Soignes or else your your GPS will take you off on some serious goatpaths!

The farm is called "Culture Fruitiere du Pont du Jour", 7090 Henripont, Belgium. The farm is off Chemin du Servoir to help your GPS find it, but by then, you should see the cars and signs:-)

I'm not sure what their hours are, but we went on a Sunday afternoon, and I do know they are open Saturdays too. Thanks Nicole for taking us there! We enjoyed the afternoon!

Where Can I See Movies in English?

Being overseas, we're allowed to crave our American TV and movies.  Believe it or not, there are quite a handful of theatres, and I bet not too far from your overseas location that play movies...in English.  I still remember watching "Avatar" on one of the largest 3-D screens in Europe, in Berlin....in English.  How did I know which theater and which showing to attend?

Simple....just google the name of your nearest decent-sized city (whether you are in Germany, Belgium or wherever)...and type the name for movies ("kino" in German as an example).  You should see some pop up in your area.  Go to their website (and use Google Translator if you need to navigate around at first and find the actual moving listings, dates and times).

After you see the title of the movie listed, look for the initials "OV", which means "original version" (or "Version Originale" in French).  So if it's an American or US-made movie, it'll be shown in English, for those showtimes that list "OV" or "VO".  Obviously, if it's a movie made in Spain, it'll be in Spanish.  You get the drill.

Here in Belgium, many of my fellow Shapians go up to the Kinepolis Imagibraine (or even the one up in Brussels if you want to make a day of it at (and visit the Antonium and other sites in that area).  You will also see the movie with subtitles while you are watching your American movie (French or German subtitles respectively), but guess what?  This should help you learn the language...so it's all good in the end!

For a movie that's REALLY popular ala "Edward & Bella, the Movie", and some of the 3D premiere showings, you can even reserve your seats and pay for your tickets online (if you have online banking).  You can do this months ahead of time for peace of mind....so, if you are really itching to see something that is coming up soon....keep your eyes PEELED.  I like to get the daily podcast, New Movie Trailers to keep up on the latest movies coming down the pipeline.  Get them daily on your IPOD or other MP3 player.

Of course, let me also plug AAFES and your local AAFES movie theater.  We don't have to wait as long for new releases as we used to wait, and they do try to keep the prices down for us folks overseas.....not fond of the censorship on which movies they will and will not play here (such as the new Pat Tilman movie which did not make the overseas line-up)....but I guess that's a topic for another day for someone else's blog.

My Drain Just ......Stinks!

I debated whether to even talk about stinking drains...I am such a meticulous housekeeper and cringe at the smell of my kitchen and one of my bathroom drains pretty much every morning when I walk by.  You see, I finally figured out that Belgium doesn't quite have the same plumbing building codes let's say we had in Germany....or the US.  As far as I know, there is no code saying you need to have an S-trap, U-trap or any alphabet trap in your plumbing that traps water and prevents the sewer smell from coming back up into your home....or for that matter, bathroom venting is unheard of mostly, so you open up a lot of windows, even in winter....to air your place out (and to keep the mold and moisture at bay...yes, Belgium is a wet and clammy country)...what is going on?....sigh.  So, here I was...burning candles....motion detector Air Wick sprays (yes, the PX over here has these)...and seriously CLEANING out the sink with bleach and such before we went to bed every night (no, you're not supposed to pour pure bleach down ANY drain)...not something I would normally do, this daily intensive cleaning regimen....but now that I understand it better, barring getting the landlord to redo the plumbing, I've come up with this.

I gathered from some other hausfraus that since bacteria will grow in your drains and collect over time, you have to regularly get some enzymes down there, that eat this bacteria and also regularly have some kind of water flow (so use your sinks daily to keep sewer gases from coming back your way).....once you get the bacteria under control, you'll only have to do this task about once a week.  I had already tried the vinegar (or lemon juice)/baking soda trick, but it only lasted so long.  So, of course I looked for products in our local supermarket...in French....deciphering which ones can be used for this purpose.  It turns out there is a whole slew of them, even some no-name brands....at the GB...and they do work.

My favorite that got rid of all the smells and turned my drains into shiny white pipes....it is called "Destop" OdorStop.  Try two capfuls once a week, and don't run the water for thirty minutes after pouring the gel into your drain...and that's it!

What quirky cleaning things have you found over here?  Anyone want to talk spiders?  I'll save that for another post...

They got my back (and yours too)....

I just watched some mindless drivel action movie...you know the ones where the guys are running through wherever with their guns and the one guy says to the other "I got your back"....and it got me thinking (please continue to follow along here) about a blog I was reading the other day.  It was a blog about a young Christian American family that took a leap of faith to come over here to live in Belgium.  I read about all their trials with their "it's not possible" Belgian bureaucrats and talking to three or four different people and getting a different version of what you are to do next (and even though the wife is an American, her husband is a Belgian citizen...guess that doesn't help him either apparently!).  So, it got me thinking....

As much as we....or speaking for myself, I....complain about things around here and it NOT being like the US and NOT being like Germany or anywhere else I've lived, we have the absolute certainty to know that our military spouse WILL have a job and that we DO have a support system here on SHAPE and Chievres Air Base.  We even have a team of military lawyers who give us "free" advice and translators at ACS and elsewhere that will translate our documents for free....plus all the services available on base.....our support network with our coworkers, not just from the US, but also from other NATO European countries....what is there ever to complain about?  AND we can even buy American products tax-free on base....we are spoiled.

This particular post I read on this blog really hit home for me and made me realize I'd better be thankful for what I have going on here AND to really look up to other Americans, over here on their own and doing their own thing too.