1.Who are Belgium's heroes and heroines? 2.What is the typical attitude of a Belgian toward trash and litter in public? Are cities usually very clean? 3.Are many Belgians religious? How important is religion in public life in Belgium? How important are religious holidays, and do people in Belgium generally observe them? 4.What is the typical attitude towards gambling, drinking, and drugs in Belgium? 5.What times during the day are meals usually eaten? Which meal is the most important? Do families eat together? 6.What is the usual dress for someone going to school or work in Belgium? 7.If you are invited for dinner, would you be expected to arrive early, exactly on time, or a bit late? 8.To what events is one expected to bring gifts? What types of gifts are appropriate? 9.How do people greet and say goodbye to one another? 10.What things do children, teenagers, and adults do for fun? 11.What are the most important holidays? How does the typical person in Belgium celebrate these holidays? 12.What is the general attitude towards beggars and the homeless? Are there many homeless people in the cities? 13.What are the most popular television shows for children, teenagers, and adults? 14.How are children usually disciplined? Do parents typically use physical punishments? 15.What things are taboo in Belgium? 16.What types of rules are there in schools and universities in Belgium? 17.How is a Belgian student expected to behave in class? How does he or she address the professor? 18.How are classes taught? How large are university classes? 19.What types of assignments are given in universities?
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Right. First my background so you know where I am coming from. I was born and raised in Belgium and have now lived in England for a couple of years. So, as I don't know your background, I shall use English culture to compare Belgian culture with, though i must say that in many of the aspects you are asking about, Britain is pretty bad, so Belgium is automatically going to be better. 1. The most revered Belgian would be Father Damien. He topped the list of Greatest Belgian ever. This is a reliable poll. The complete list you can find on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Grootste_Belg . I would point you in the direction of these people in the list that are very revered, as opposed to just famous Belgians: number 1, 3, 5 and 16, the previous Belgian monarch. Read up on their lives on wikipedia too, especially Father Damien is worthwhile. (I want to keep it as short as possible here) 2. I would say Belgian has more of a greener attitude than Britain, definitely. There are always a few seats in parliament taken up by the Green party, they have even made it into the government coalition a few times. Recycling is encouraged and done by many. Most cities are very clean and attract many tourists for their medieval buildings. 3. The national religion as it were, is catholicism. Just like in all countries, the amount of devout religious people has declined since the sixties, but most people would still classify themselves as catholic if you'd ask them, even that means that they just go for marriages, baptism, funerals, first holy communions and confirmations. Especially the over-70s are still very devout catholicists, attending church regularly. There are nationally observed religious holidays apart from the Easter and Christmas related ones, such as 1 November, All Saints Day, when traditionally people remember those who have passed away. 4. Pretty much the same like other countries: some abhor it, some do it. I would say it's not as bad as England, but it's not very good in England. There is definitely less youths binge-drinking, but drugs might be more prominent than in England. I don't know, i've never been in those environments. 5. Three times a day, like other countries. I would say families do eat together much more than in England, where so many people eat separately or ready-made-meals in front of television. I think the art of cooking is still actively being passed on mother-to-daughter in Belgium. 6. Whatever the fashion. Pretty much the same as everywhere else in the world. Belgium may be small, but it ain't like Borat's version of Kazachstan. Ha. Ha. 7. A bit late. The polite late. 8. Gifts are always appropriate. A bottle of wine is never out of place. Don't buy embarrisingly expensive gifts! 9. Ah now the greetings and farewells. Three, yes, three kisses on the cheeks. I think it's left right left or whatever. Guy to guy: handshakes of course, not kisses, not like in Italy. Let them lean in first was always my approach. 10. Whatever they feel like. pff. The same like any western European country. Oh, Belgians, like the Dutch, do like a good cycling trip for recreation though. 11. You have Christmas and Easter and then there is Saint Nicholas (6 December). This is very popular among children. Saint Nicholas on the night of 5 to 6/12 brings gifts for the children that have been good. In reality of course, the gifts are put in the living room by their parents as the children sleep. I'd say this lasts upto maximum when they are 12 years of age, and they may have worked it out by then. If you want to read more about this, visit wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinterklaas. Some corners of Belgium celebrate St Martin (11 November) in stead, as he is the local patron saint. As a consequence, he (st martin or nicholas) takes the role of what Santa Clause is in America and the UK on Christmas day. Belgians do give presents on Christmas, but there is less emphasis on the Santa Clause idea, though he does "come". Easter- the usual, chocolate bunnies and eggs. 12. They are generally kept of the streets from what i have seen. Belgium seems a pretty wealthy country relatively, thinking about it. The attitude? Depends on the people. I'd say compassionate, but also prudent (if you give money to them, what are they gonna spend it on? Drink?) 13. I have been away too long to know what's currently popular on television, though the tour de France and other cycling competitions are always nationally televised and are relatively popular, to name but one difference with England, where road cycling is not popular at all. 14. However they feel like disciplining. It depends on the parents, but as in many rich countries, there is an increasing number of parents that do not want to physically strike their children and some people never say no to their children and spoil them to bits, to their own detriment. Social services are quite active as well - you need to be careful if you smack your children a
