A gap year in Belgium
Gap years in Belgium
In the last few years Belgium has been busy sexing-up its reputation. Once suited and booted, it’s now going more for swimsuit glam. The quiet charms of this small country will grow on you slowly. Taste some rich Belgian chocolate or traditional Trappist beer and you’ll discover that – beneath the political chatter and commuter shoes – these people are passionate about good taste. In fact, under the covers Belgians are a lot more fun than they first appear... So why not add Belgium to your gap year itinerary, and ski, drink, and sunbathe your way to a train ticket through Europe?
Gap Year Opportunities
What can you do on a gap year in Belgium? One of the most popular options is training as a ski or snowboard instructor. It’s like a holiday... with a useful qualification at the end. If you’re going to take the plunge (and a few more on the slopes), make sure that
your travel insurance covers your equipment and your wellbeing. Get an EHIC card before you go, too – it gives EU residents access to free healthcare in the country.
Other options include working on a voluntary programme with a social or environmental angle; teaching English; or taking temporary work (no visa required for British backpackers).
Getting Around
One of the great things about Belgium is that you can get there from the UK in just 2 hours by train. For the environmentally-friendly backpacker,
an InterRail ticket is hard to beat – allowing you to traipse all over Europe without bothering about carbon offsetting. Belgium’s transportation systems are slick and efficient: you’ll have no trouble taking excursions to France and Germany on your weekends, or heading onwards for the next leg of your European gap year.
About Belgium
Indulgence and pleasure are big business in Belgium. You can snack on fresh frites (good enough to hold their own against fabulous French frites) from a street vendor, take in some opera, and sunbathe on the unique city beach. But, beneath the intoxicating cultural atmosphere, lurks Belgium’s dark underbelly.
You’ll soon discover that Belgian society is marked by division. The Flemish (55%) and the Walloons (30%) are at constant loggerheads, sniping and poking at one another in culture and public. The wealthy Flemish north is resented by the Walloon (French Latin) south, and neither side is shy of expressing their opinions. In 1999, when Prince Philippe married a woman with a mixed Flemish-Walloon background, neutral Belgians viewed it as a sign of a more harmonious future.
Brussels, capital of the EU, has contributed to the country’s economic growth in the last few years. It is a bustling hub of civil servants, most of whom commute in from Flanders, and the city has morphed to suit its new role. High rates of tax, high levels of immigrants, and dozens and dozens of business and service headquarters have done nothing to bring down unemployment in the city. The internal political government is widely criticised.
What to see in Belgium
We may have painted a drab picture of Brussels’ society, but to the socialite it offers one amusement after another. The city is always searching for the next novelty and seems to have endless tricks up its sleeves. This summer the Bruxelles les Bains was unveiled. This artificial ‘beach’, on the banks of the Brussels-Charleroi Canal, was made from imported sand and palm trees. Deckchairs and foreign snack-bars completed the picture, which was an instant hit with young Belgians.
What next? Hire a bike (£1 per week, choose from venues all over the city) and take yourself off to the Grand Place, a gorgeous town square edged with chic boutiques and bistros. Come evening, enjoy cheap cocktails and free jazz with the pretty young things. Brussels, like the rest of free-thinking Belgium, is gay-friendly, and you’ll have a wide choice of kitsch bars and clubs.
When your hangover wears off, beautiful Bruges is another must-see. Just an hour by train from Brussels, this historic city has been authorised as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Cobbled streets, olde-worlde architecture and charming horse-drawn carriages make this as pretty a European city as you’ll ever see.
Of course, conveniently located between France, Germany and the North Sea, Belgium is a great spring-board for exploring Europe. So don’t let those Belgian beers (more than 500 varieties) distract you for too long – pack some in your backpack, and move on with your grand tour.