Belgium section ?
Apr 9th 2009, 1:25 pm
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: Brussels
Posts: 30
Belgium section ?
Any chance we can have a Belgium section - after all there are loads of expats in Brussels working for NATO, the EU and countless other institutions. There are in fact 2 British Embassies in Brussels - bet you didn't know that 
One for Belgium and one for the EU.
I'd like to start the first thread in this section about 'Belgian customer service' or rather the complete lack of it
One for Belgium and one for the EU. I'd like to start the first thread in this section about 'Belgian customer service' or rather the complete lack of it
Apr 9th 2009, 8:15 pm
#2
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Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Benalmadena Pueblo,Spain
Posts: 20,156
Re: Belgium section ?
Any chance we can have a Belgium section - after all there are loads of expats in Brussels working for NATO, the EU and countless other institutions. There are in fact 2 British Embassies in Brussels - bet you didn't know that One for Belgium and one for the EU.
I'd like to start the first thread in this section about 'Belgian customer service' or rather the complete lack of it
One for Belgium and one for the EU. I'd like to start the first thread in this section about 'Belgian customer service' or rather the complete lack of it
3 posts from expats in Belgium since last October sort of answers the question. ;-))
Apr 9th 2009, 11:25 pm
#3
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Joined: Mar 2006
Location: Brussels
Posts: 887
Re: Belgium section ?
True , there are tens of thousands of expats in Bru ...
not many care to get involved on forae , for one reason or another ,
could it be Jupiler , Leffe , Duvel , Hoegarden , I wonder ?
( Or some other , even more sinister pleasures , who's to judge ? )
not many care to get involved on forae , for one reason or another ,
could it be Jupiler , Leffe , Duvel , Hoegarden , I wonder ?
( Or some other , even more sinister pleasures , who's to judge ? )
Apr 11th 2009, 5:31 pm
#4
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Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Belgium
Posts: 247
Re: Belgium section ?
There actually is a very active forum for expats in Belgium at xpats.com (under Q&A). It's a terrible format for a forum, but everyone goes there, so we're stuck with it. If xpats.com didn't exist, no doubt this forum would be flooded w/ Belgian posts.
Apr 12th 2009, 11:53 am
#5
Joined: May 2006
Location: Galicia
Posts: 3,140
Re: Belgium section ?
Having seen the so called forum I cannot believe some of the chatter that is going on.
Apr 12th 2009, 12:03 pm
#6
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Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Belgium
Posts: 247
Re: Belgium section ?
If there were a decent collection of belgian posts here, one could weave references to britishexpats in responses to xpats.com questions, and it could then take off. Although non-British expats in Belgium (like myself) could be deterred by the site name.
One aspect that I like about xpats.com is the ability to post anonymously; and in fact it's encouraged.
Last edited by jgombos; Apr 12th 2009 at 12:05 pm.
Apr 12th 2009, 3:34 pm
#7
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Re: Belgium section ?
I'm not sure that many folks in Belgium find britishexpats. xpats.com does some aggressive advertising to the belgian community. That site is in bed with The Bulletin (a magazine for Belgian expats). And literature that is distributed to expats in apart-hotels in Brussels also advertises xpats.com, so I suspect people start off in xpats.com.
If there were a decent collection of belgian posts here, one could weave references to britishexpats in responses to xpats.com questions, and it could then take off. Although non-British expats in Belgium (like myself) could be deterred by the site name.
One aspect that I like about xpats.com is the ability to post anonymously; and in fact it's encouraged.
If there were a decent collection of belgian posts here, one could weave references to britishexpats in responses to xpats.com questions, and it could then take off. Although non-British expats in Belgium (like myself) could be deterred by the site name.
One aspect that I like about xpats.com is the ability to post anonymously; and in fact it's encouraged.
You must need plenty of this.
Apr 12th 2009, 3:50 pm
#8
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Belgium
Posts: 247
Re: Belgium section ?
I agree.
Although anonymous posting encourages more sincere and genuine posts on any kind of sensitive topic (Eg. the English speaking guy on xpats.com who sliced his nutsack with an electric shaver and needed to know what creme to buy in a French speaking pharmacy) -- at the same time it also encourages low quality (shots from the sidelines) posts.
A good form of troll spray is a good rating system (which seems to be broken on xpats.com). I like the idea of automatically folding anonymous posts, and if members give a positive vote the post becomes unfolded. And when a post from a member is low quality, other members should be able to vote it down into a folded state.
Although anonymous posting encourages more sincere and genuine posts on any kind of sensitive topic (Eg. the English speaking guy on xpats.com who sliced his nutsack with an electric shaver and needed to know what creme to buy in a French speaking pharmacy) -- at the same time it also encourages low quality (shots from the sidelines) posts.
A good form of troll spray is a good rating system (which seems to be broken on xpats.com). I like the idea of automatically folding anonymous posts, and if members give a positive vote the post becomes unfolded. And when a post from a member is low quality, other members should be able to vote it down into a folded state.
Apr 12th 2009, 4:01 pm
#9
RETIRED ;-))
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Benalmadena Pueblo,Spain
Posts: 20,156
Re: Belgium section ?
I agree.
Although anonymous posting encourages more sincere and genuine posts on any kind of sensitive topic (Eg. the English speaking guy on xpats.com who sliced his nutsack with an electric shaver and needed to know what creme to buy in a French speaking pharmacy) -- at the same time it also encourages low quality (shots from the sidelines) posts.
A good form of troll spray is a good rating system (which seems to be broken on xpats.com). I like the idea of automatically folding anonymous posts, and if members give a positive vote the post becomes unfolded. And when a post from a member is low quality, other members should be able to vote it down into a folded state.
Although anonymous posting encourages more sincere and genuine posts on any kind of sensitive topic (Eg. the English speaking guy on xpats.com who sliced his nutsack with an electric shaver and needed to know what creme to buy in a French speaking pharmacy) -- at the same time it also encourages low quality (shots from the sidelines) posts.
A good form of troll spray is a good rating system (which seems to be broken on xpats.com). I like the idea of automatically folding anonymous posts, and if members give a positive vote the post becomes unfolded. And when a post from a member is low quality, other members should be able to vote it down into a folded state.
Apr 16th 2009, 11:02 am
#11
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Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: Brussels
Posts: 30
Re: Belgium section ?
Phew.... nice to be back where it's less insane. I went and had a look at xpats.com and asked a question about internet TV in Belgium which was immediately attacked They aren't right friendly over there are they !!
They aren't right friendly over there are they !!
Apr 18th 2009, 7:56 am
#12
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Joined: Jan 2006
Location: On the edge
Posts: 20,460
Re: Belgium section ?
Well maybe then you could all start more discussions here on relative issues to Belgium, and then you may well end up with your own Belgian forum
Apr 18th 2009, 12:58 pm
#13
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Joined: Mar 2006
Location: Brussels
Posts: 887
Re: Belgium section ?
Good Try !
Apr 21st 2009, 3:02 pm
#14
Just Joined
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1
Re: Belgium section ?
Hi guys, apologies if there is a seperate section for stuff like this but this seemed as good a place to go as any for an answer,
Im taking my father to Brussles for the weekend of the 2nd May, unfortunately Ive never been before so I was hoping somebody might be able to tell me, is there any chance of seeing the Ricky Hatton fight on TV somewhere in the city, if not no worries but I had hoped to catch it
Cheers
Brian
Im taking my father to Brussles for the weekend of the 2nd May, unfortunately Ive never been before so I was hoping somebody might be able to tell me, is there any chance of seeing the Ricky Hatton fight on TV somewhere in the city, if not no worries but I had hoped to catch it
Cheers
Brian
Apr 21st 2009, 3:42 pm
#15
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Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Benalmadena Pueblo,Spain
Posts: 20,156
Re: Belgium section ?
Hi guys, apologies if there is a seperate section for stuff like this but this seemed as good a place to go as any for an answer,
Im taking my father to Brussles for the weekend of the 2nd May, unfortunately Ive never been before so I was hoping somebody might be able to tell me, is there any chance of seeing the Ricky Hatton fight on TV somewhere in the city, if not no worries but I had hoped to catch it
Cheers
Brian
Im taking my father to Brussles for the weekend of the 2nd May, unfortunately Ive never been before so I was hoping somebody might be able to tell me, is there any chance of seeing the Ricky Hatton fight on TV somewhere in the city, if not no worries but I had hoped to catch it
Cheers
Brian
It will also add to the number for a Belgium forum. ;-))