# This weekend I move to Belgium! Aiee! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 11, 2003, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-weekend-i-move-to-belgium-aiee/201028 "2003-09-11T20:02:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-weekend-i-move-to-belgium-aiee/201028/1 "2003-09-11T20:02:43Z")
So on Monday morning I get on a plane from Seattle to Brussels and then off to Ghent to start the next year of archival research, bike riding and beer drinking. I’m not sure how much I’ll be on line-- no idea what internet service at our place will look like. I’ll be in and out of the boards, though, I’m sure. Wish me luck! Any last minute advice and warnings, epsecially from cloggies and belgies? I _think_ I’m pretty well prepared, but I’m sure the vagaries of starting a bank account and registering with the vreemdelingendienst-cops or whatever will be a strange experience. Woo hoo! Agh! Joy! Panic! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-weekend-i-move-to-belgium-aiee/201028/2 "2003-09-11T20:31:00Z")
Wow. Enjoy, and good luck. (Before you leave, PLEASE tell me what capybara means!) ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-weekend-i-move-to-belgium-aiee/201028/3 "2003-09-11T20:55:04Z")
Good Luck and enjoy yourself. I hear that Belgium is nigh but perfect. Just ask **Aldebaran**. Take Care. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-weekend-i-move-to-belgium-aiee/201028/4 "2003-09-11T21:39:35Z")
Woohoo! I’m jealous. Sounds like a blast – have some moules frites for me, and some Belgian chocolates, too. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-weekend-i-move-to-belgium-aiee/201028/5 "2003-09-12T00:01:12Z")
Don’t forget to put mayonnaise on those frites. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-weekend-i-move-to-belgium-aiee/201028/6 "2003-09-12T00:17:56Z")
mmmm…moules provencale…pomme frites with mayo…the cheese, the beer, the _chocolates_…take me with you. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-weekend-i-move-to-belgium-aiee/201028/7 "2003-09-12T02:25:43Z")
Hey, you might just become the 9th. [Famous Belgian, that is!] 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-weekend-i-move-to-belgium-aiee/201028/8 "2003-09-12T10:58:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Marley23 \* > \*\*(Before you leave, PLEASE tell me what capybara means!) \*\* [Capybaras](http://www.rebsig.com/capybara/). The best of luck to you, **capy**. We’ll wave at you as you pass through Seattle. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tusculan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Tusculan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tusculan)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-weekend-i-move-to-belgium-aiee/201028/9 "2003-09-12T17:58:54Z")
Hi **capybara** , welcome to the Benelux. I hope your flight will be okay. Dunno what specific advice to give you. Most 'mericans seem to survive the initiation rituals. Eventually. Otherwise, be aware that Belgium and The Netherlands do have cultural differences. People in The Netherlands will smile when you speak Dutch with a Flemish accent because they think it sounds cute. But I see that you are already aware that you simply must undergo the experience of biking and beer. ---
**Author:** ![Frumious\_Bandersnatch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Frumious\_Bandersnatch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frumious_Bandersnatch)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-weekend-i-move-to-belgium-aiee/201028/10 "2003-09-12T18:26:10Z")
For a beer drinker, Belgium is heaven. ---
**Author:** ![Zenham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a5b964/32.png) [@Zenham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenham)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-weekend-i-move-to-belgium-aiee/201028/11 "2003-09-12T19:10:05Z")
For a Belgian, PBR is beer.