Known for medieval towns and Renaissance architecture, Belgium is a small country in western Europe. Its capital city, Brussels, is home to two major international headquarters: the European Union and NATO. The country has three distinctive monolingual regions, including Dutch-speaking Flanders to the north, French-speaking Wallonia to the south and a German-speaking community to the east. By understanding more about our Belgian exchange students’ lives back home, it will help you gain insight into their culture and background and prepare you for a successful hosting experience.

Communication style

The Belgian communication style is generally characterized by a preference for subtlety, logic and tactfulness. Belgians value respect, honesty, politeness and sincerity. They expect others to be open and honest with them. There are some regional differences in communication. For example, the Dutch-speaking population in the north are known for their matter-of-fact approach, while those who live in the French-speaking region of southern Belgium tend to be more indirect. High levels of emotion are rarely shown in public, however in keeping with their value of honesty and openness, Belgians tend to believe it is good to show emotions so others can understand their true feelings.

Tip From EF: Give your student space to speak directly, and make sure you have open and honest conversations about communication expectations in the home. It would be helpful to explain American norms for expressing concerns, disagreements or interest. Share expectations clearly and directly with your student to ensure they are understood.

Food habits

Belgian food culture is famous for hearty and delicious foods like waffles, chocolates, cheeses and stews – however there’s so much more! Traditional Belgian cuisine relies on cooking with regional and seasonal ingredients. It’s common to see ingredients like potatoes, leeks, asparagus, endive and even horse meat on the menu. Belgian families typically eat four meals a day, with a light breakfast, medium lunch, a snack and a large dinner.

Tip From EF: Invite your student to go to the grocery store with you! While shopping, encourage your student to tell you what they like to eat and discuss what new foods they may be willing to try. When eating together as a family during the first few weeks, discuss differences in table etiquette between your family and their own. Encourage your student to cook some of their traditional or favorite foods.

Home life

Family life is central to Belgian culture. Many Belgians have close family ties and tend to prioritize time together. Belgians tend to be very involved in their communities and government. They can be reserved around new people but once they get to know someone, they are warm and friendly. Belgians tend to be tolerant, flexible, modest and open-minded. They value privacy, are hard workers, enjoy a safe and comfortable life and are typically quite self-disciplined. Public transportation is widely available throughout the country and many teenagers are used to getting around via bus, tram or riding their bike. In Belgian culture, teenagers are used to deferring to their parents. Parental authority is essential.

Tip From EF: Sit down with your student at the beginning of the year and go over all rules, schedules and expectations. Be sure to include simple things such as getting around town, their curfew and the importance of checking in with you about scheduling changes. The lack of public transportation may be a difficult adjustment for your student. Help them to understand the best way to get around and how to communicate with you about this.