Belgian Problems

I love most things about living here. But some things you don't adapt to even after living here for 2 and 1/2 months. No I'm not stressed out from living here, quite the contrary, but I think that highlighting these differences really allows people to better understand what a European lifestyle really is.

Problems with Belgium:

• Drinking Problems
• There is not a water fountain located in this country. If there is I will find it.
• Beer is cheaper than water, about 90% of the time.  
• Asking for tap water is like telling a man with a gun that you slept with his daughter. This is a European thing, and yes the tap water is perfectly safe. I don't get it. It's 2012. 
• Also, Gatorade doesn't exist here. Neither does Powerade. VitaminWater can be found, but about as often as you see an inside-the-park home run in the majors.
• On that note, I think this is part of the reason why you never see Belgians at the Olympics or on any international stage in sports. Hydration is severely lacking for the beer capital of the world. 
• One thing I think the United States has right in education is athletics. I know cuts have been destroying them as of late, but playing a club sport and learning to be on a team is an invaluable asset. Athletics here are all part of clubs and have much more of a snobbish feeling to them. I've met more than my fare share of Belgians who are envious of the academic-athletic relationship in the United States. 
• Visa Problems
• Belgium owns the record for the longest time without a government. The year and a half they went was longer than Iraq was without a government.
• Getting a visa isn't to much of a problem in the U.S. (because it is in the U.S.), but trying to register when you get here is a mess. Also if you are trying to extend your visa, well you should probably just apply to the Los Angeles office since things don't move quickly here.
• There's probably like 10 places in this country that accepts credit cards. 
• Ok maybe it isn't that bad but Visa and MC and AE need to step up their game. Everywhere I've traveled to (6 countries so far) have all been more than willing to accept my credit card, but not Belgium. The HQ of the EU and Nato are here, but not Visa.  
• Time Problems
• I got back and forth on this one a lot. Most of the time I love it, but sometimes I just can't stand just how laid back everyone is here. 
• If you are supposed to meet someone at a certain time then show up 15 minutes after this time. If you do this, then more likely than not you will be early. Classes generally start about 10 minutes after they are supposed to . 
• The metro trains sometimes decide to take long stops at the metro stations for no apparent reason. Sunday when going to the park is a good instance to illustrate this. I ran for the metro, got on at the last second, went one stop (about 2 blocks) to a transfer station where the driver got out and smoked 4 or 5 cigarettes over the 26 minutes we were there. Of course the screen inside the train said we were "departing immediately", and it did so for all the 26 minutes we were there. 
• Nothing is open on Sunday. Grocery stores, pharmacies, and restaurants are all closed. It's pretty nice most of the time and really allows Sunday to be a day of rest (or in my case homework). But sometimes you get hungry on Sunday and nothing is open. 

Like most problems in life, they happen and then life continues. My time here continues to be amazing.