NEW PASSPORT
Most of you are not aware of this but I will become a Belgian citizen this summer. I got to thinking about some things. When I become Belgian will I have to go buy a bike and the biking outfit? Will I put chocolate paste on my bread? Will I have to watch the Pfaffs, Blokken, Louis/Louise and Mijn Restaurant? Will I have to put mayonnaise on my fries? Will I have to stop eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Will I have to stop eating hamburgers with chips? Will I have to stop with putting pancake syrup on my eggs, grits and toast? I guess since it will be a dual citizenship I can just take the best of both worlds. Because even though I love arguing with my wife and any other Belgians that Belgium can’t top the States, there are a lot of things I love about Belgium. I love the bakeries, I really mean that. I go way too much and I can never decide what to get : a worstebroodje, croissant or the strawberry pie and it’s fresh everyday. Also, Belgium’s health care system. Where else in the world can you go get an x-ray or a cat scan for 10 euros ? I am never giving back my siscard (insurance card). Now that we are real close to having a baby, here in Belgium a kid at 2 1/2 can go to school ,not pre-school ran by a church or a separate school, I mean a 2 1/2 year old goes to school with other elementary school kids. The restaurants here are better too, I don’t mean the food is better (because I still like burgers and ribs – but that’s the American in me and that will never change), I mean the overall quality of the food is just better in Belgium. The restaurants look nicer, they are more upscale and are less expensive for the quality of food you get. Belgium is a great place to live and America is a great place to grow up.