Wallonia must be part of FRANCE

Corrections :-)

Englisch - English
You'lle - You'll
Problims - Problems

Srry for that , if you find others just say what I've wrong ;-) Everybody makes mistakes I guess !

Lots of people go to Brussels because it is now the administrative capital of the European Union and all the countries of the union have got hundreds (thousands) of citizens over there working as eurocrats and spending the money they earn over there (mainly, over there). I've seen many a eurocrat friend bored of his life in Brussels and expecting to find a great job back home after a few years. They, obviously, get excellent wages and Brussels is a very expensive city indeed. As a trained translator and interpreter I have many friends there and I interpreted once for a Catalan delegation over there.
I can assure you most Eurocrats expect to come back to their countries after a few years. Brussels is a beautiful small city but a bit grey for most southern Europeans and, after a few days, you've seen it all.
On the other hand, lots of Belgians (specially from Flanders and perhaps it's because they are richer, I don't know) buy a house in Southern Europe and decide to retire here.
I've met some very nice Walloons and some very nice Flemish people. As a matter of fact, I'm a lucky man because I've only met nice Flemish and Walloon people. I wouldn't want to be caught amongst them though!
Another problem is when Flemish people travel south and visit tourist offices or hotels in Spain. If you give the information in English to the Dutch (from the Netherlands) they never complain and say "thank you" with a smile. If you give the information in English to the Flemish they ask you why do you have information in French on the shelf and not in Dutch. If you try to speak French to them (they understand you perfectly) they give you a mean look. Look, we're not French, we only learnt French as we learnt other languages.
Normally I tell them we have information in Catalan and Spanish as well and that I know how they feel but we cannot have the information in a dozen languages. We would, of course, if there were enough of them. After all, as we say in Catalan "qui paga, mana!" (he who pays, rules!)
The thing is you cannot export internal problems when you're abroad. I would love to speak Dutch -I feel it's a beautiful language and I don't agree with my Waloon friend- but unfortunately, as a Catalan I speak several languages but not Dutch. When I speak French or English to a Flemish person I don't pretend to worry him I only pretend to help him. It's even worse if you try to speak German to them (after all they are cousin languages).
Regarding the Waloons I would remind them that France doesn't treat its minorities well at all. They only followed France's example when they tried to frenchify Flanders during the 19th and 20th century. Perhaps they should remember that. It's hard to forget when you've been ill-treated. Could the Flemish learn in their language in Brussel schools and universities not so long ago? It's hardly surprising they want to have universities where they can learn the most in the least time (that can only happen in your native tongue).
Well, I would suggest you reached an agreement and if you can't the best thing you could do is split. That would make Brussels, as the capital of Europe, a useless choice but, then again, it's up to you to solve your problems.
Long live Flanders!
Long live Wallonia!

Tiste,

I have already said that I have nothing against the flemish and their culture.
I don't consider myself as a Belgian but as walloon (and so french), I can't see the reason why I should learn flemish since I mainly speak with walloons luxembourgeois or french everyday. Plus, I don't like how the flemish language sounds...(that's a personnal opinion). I understand a lot of flemish words, but I can't speak it fluently, just because I have no opportunity to speak it more often in wallonia.
I don't force you or any flemish person to speak french!!!
If you speak french or english, it's not because you really want to do such a thing. It's only because it's necessary for you to be understood outside flanders... There is the same phenomenon in Scandinavia...

So you said the french culture doesn't exist...hahaha!!! Funny, really funny. Nooooooooo of course french culture doesn't exist. Everyone know that!!!
The DIVERSITY of the french culture is what makes it strong and bright!!!
That's the main difference between us. You consider that anything which is not pure flemish is bad (I don't say that for Tiste but rather for KENNY).

@ Jordi

In many ways you've got it right and yes it's up to us to solve our problems. But haven't you got problems in your country? Everywhere you go they've got problems. Brussels isn't the nicest city of Europe, we know that, but that's because it's the capital of Belgium, if you see Bruges or Ypres your opinion would change! If you see what Belgians (especially the Flemish) had to do during WII your opinion would change ! This is, in my opinion, a stupid /silly topic because Pierre says many things about the Flemish that aren't true. Flanders has fought against the German invader! More than Wallonia, Wallonia was captured in a few days, but the Germans couldn't capture Flanders (not all) , many people died in the battle of Ypres (Westhoek) . But it isn't because 1million people vote for the Vlaams Belang that Flanders is the Fascist part of Belgium . There are 6 million Flemish People where are the other 5 million????? In Wallonia the Extreme-Right parties are growing to !! Just look at your own before talking about somebody else!

You're a translator I see, in Flanders we have to learn Dutch/English/French/German / Spanish(some), In Wallonia , as far as I know, you only have to learn French and a second language you can chose yourself !

If the Walloons would be a bit Democraticer (did I write it correct?) and if they would like to learn Dutch there wouldn't be a lot of problems in Belgium !

@ Pierre

"You consider that anything which is not pure flemish is bad"

Have I ever said something like that????

Kenny,

In this topic you put a link to Vlaams belang website... So I think your ideology is clear.

Then 40% of the flemish vote for the vlaams belang (and it grows up!!). It's the first party in flanders. And if there was not the "cordon sanitaire" (sorry but It's difficult to translate), they will be in the governement!!!

I can see that we don't live in the same country. When I attended school, I learnt english spanish, and...flemish!!!

Kenny,

"If the Walloons would be a bit Democraticer (did I write it correct?) and if they would like to learn Dutch there wouldn't be a lot of problems in Belgium !"

Correction:
"If Walloons would be a bit more Democratic and also learn Dutch there wouldn't be as many problems in Belgium!"

I think that's what you meant at least.

Pierre

It isn't because I placed a link to the Vlaams Belang website I vote for it !!! I could have placed a link to one of the Walloon Parties as well, but for people who don't know our situation I placed the link !

Maybe you learned Flemish , but can you speak it fluently? I don't think so, I don't speak French fluently as well !

May a refer to Austria? You had Haider ,his way past! This would be the same thing in Belgium if the Vlaams Belang would be at the power!!

In my family almost everyone votes for the N-VA, you know what that is I think?

Maybe we aren't as different as we taught !

Thx Tiffany :-)

Yooo

If Wallonia returns to France, I think it would be fair we get Nord pas de Calais back...

=> I know we'd never get it back

Well Kenny, I think we have the same goal: to split.

h!h! i'm reading the whole topic again :-D

KENNY is the typical flemish boy: frustrated, full of hatred, racist...
maybe you ment yourself PIERRE, :-)

NO OFFENCE TO ALL PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD !!!

I won't take my words back because it's my opinion and everyone has his own opinion !

And I don't like it when people give an explination to my name I could have done the same for you PIERRE ! I'm NOT frustrated/full of hatred?? or racist .... etc. at all !

Maybe you would appologize yourself to me !!!!

If a read all this you're filled with hate and you're frustrated !

But I suggest to burry the axe and live further in PEACE with each other !!!!!!

Kenny,
Please don't get me wrong. If you read my posts well, you will see I understand the Flemish. Please remember I'm a Catalan from Barcelona and I know what's it like to be treated as a second class citizen in your own country by people who think they are more civilised than you because more million people speak their language (in your case French, in our case Spanish). Flanders is a beautiful country and I've seen a bit of it. I also love the Walloons. I like countries with good food and there is good food in both your countries that share one same State.
I can assure you that if I had to live in Flanders or Brussels I would go to Dutch courses because I cannot understand people who live in a country without wanting to learn the language of the people of that country. How long would it take me to learn Dutch? Let's say a couple of years. It can be done and the Walloons who don't do it, don't do it on purpose. You've got to love people if you want to be loved.
The problem is when, as a tourist, you travel to a foreign country. I don't expect the people in Brussels to speak Catalan to me although it would make me very happy if somebody did. Why do the Flemish complain because there are French leaflets and not Dutch leaflets. After all, it's a matter of market and nothing else. The Dutch understand this. I don't expect to have leaflets in Catalan in Belgium (10 million people speak Catalan, by the way).
I can understand you not wanting to speak French with the Walloons, specially if most of them feel you have an ugly language. Why on Earth should French sound better than Flemish? I speak French perfectly but I don't think it sounds nicer than Flemish. The only difference is that I speak it and I can't understand Dutch.To love people more you've got to understand them more.
I don't think all Flemish people are from the extreme right. I couldn't possibily believe this. I have the feeling that some Walloons are pretty conservative too. Could you please tell us -foreigners- if the majority of Flemish people vote for an extreme right party? I would love to hear the opinion of Flemish people on Flemish affairs.
I could, of course, do an Internet search, but I would like to have your opinion.

Pierre

Maybe a split would be better, but if we could exchange wallonia for Nord pas de Calais I think it would be fair for the us and you!

This is were our ways cross each other !

Tiste,

I suggest you revise your geography course. Nord-pas-de-Calais is a french region composed of two "départements": Nord and Pas de calais.
Only a little part of Nord département is originally flemish. And I have some doubts as for their will to integrate flanders. I know wery well this part of france. Be sure: they are proud of being french.