Far right in Belgium

Interesting points. My husband and I definitely felt like immigrants during our time in France. We were accepted well by the local community, but we were always conscious of the fact that we had not been brought up with the same attitudes as the French, nor educated about their culture, politics etc. It isn't easy as an immigrant to enter into a discussion or to understand the views of the inhabitants when one has no in-depth knowledge of the country. We always felt we were visitors only and therefore trod politely and respectfully because we felt that was the way to integrate.

And, as an immigrant/ex-pat whatever the term is, it is difficult to partake fully in discussions on politics, schools etc - in fact anything! because anything slight questioning could be seen as a criticism of your host country.

It would be very interesting to meet her and have a chat. Which K/Canton is she from? I bet she speaks good English, and her children went to local schools and if a Church goer she goes to the local Church. Although there is a large Congration and Swiss Church in London. I only became aware of 'expat' type attitudes when I came back to live here, and never during all my years in England. I know expats here who can't string a basic sentence together and have no local friends or associations after 10 or 20+ years- and who say that English should be made an official language here, as French, German or Italian are no use to anyone!

Jalima- a majority of expats here in Switzerland send their kids to International schools where the main language is English, and often say that that made integration and long-term higher education very difficult, as well as finding jobs, and make friendships, etc. As the education system in Europe is based on a wide curriculum to 19, instead of the very narrow AS, A'Level system (which also has huge advantages for some) - unless a youngster speaks and writes formal German or FRench (or Italian) depending on the area- going on to academic education is just impossible.

Hit a nerve perhaps? Expats who do not integrate, learn the language and then complain the locals are not friendly, etc- whilst complaining about immigrants back home, are totally OTT, whatever nationality they are, Swiss included (who often think they can just arrogantly wave money around and that will be ok!).

Hit a nerve perhaps?
I have no idea what nerve is supposed to have been hit

"u neko vrijeme krokodila"

(Or is that plain gobbledygook??)

Perhaps it would be better to start another thread about awful ex-pats so that this thread could get back to its original OP.

Penstemmon I was pleased, however, to see water cannon being used. These thugs need to be dealt with; their behaviour was truly disgusting.

DH and I said at the time of the atrocities that we wondered if the Belgian security services and the police were on the ball or not. Surely if the threat level was high, which surely it was, then police with sniffer dogs trained to smell out explosives could be used in places such as airports etc.

u neko vrijeme krokodila well, it's Serbian
(I only know a bit of Croatian ), not from being an ex-pat though.

Apologies - it is Croatian, should have asked SIL!

krokodilske okusi Vile

I do actually live here, attend a Scots Kirk which has more than 40 nationalities in the congregation, the services are in English.
DD attended a local French speaking school as does DGS. We also speak Dutch.

The yobs on Sunday were Football Casuals, who met up in the small town of Vilvoorde, the mayor there decided to keep quiet until they were on there way to Brussels, there are many questions being asked about his decision, he said he did not want them to run riot there, then the Brussels police were informed.
Horses mouth here as friends are Police Officers.

The Brussels Police decided as one friend said, 'to flush them away like so much crap'.

I believe the Police in the UK cannot use Water Cannons even if they have them, except in N.I.

You have to be here to understand, you are not speculation and media scaremongering really does not help anyone.

DD and i just spent a nice afternoon with DGS(school holiday) shopping in C&A for their Easter special offers.
Then sat on a nice terrace in the sun and had a drink.

If you are not part of the society how can you possibly comment ?,

See you later alligator?

In a while, crocodile

Thanks for that info, felice. It doesn't surprise me. Apparently quite a few of them had alcohol and/or were drunk, which doesn't sound like they had a serious political agenda.

Football club websites are quite an interesting source of information about the activities of neo-Nazi/right wing groups. It was clear that there were people in the UK who knew what was being planned (the disruption not the bombing), but I don't know if any of them actually went to Brussels to join in.

I was near enough, Alea. 'See you later alligator' is an old saying from a popular song. Just looked it up on the Urban Dictionary website. Apparently saying 'In a while, crocodile' is lame and shiesty. Don't ask me for an explanation! I don't speak urban slang.

www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=in+a+while+crocodile

Both are from the same song, "See you later alligator", sung by Bill Haley and the Comets, of "Rock around the Clock" fame.

In 1952 a friend suggested that Haley call his band the Comets,because of the common alternative pronunciation of the name Halley's Comet to rhyme with Bailey, At the time, most people thought that he just couldn't read/spell very well.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0bidd0Uhvk Dig that kiss curl!

This is just so rude, both of you - throwing insults in a foreign language is just so OTT and I'm sure against forum rules. Unlike you, I won't be running to the mods and cry though, nor change name, nor flounce.

You have to laugh!!
What two?
What insults?
(--Calm down dear--!!)

You know very well why it is totally out of order- in a way which will not be apparent to most others. Vile indeed.

( Trying to keep a straight face)
What exactly is "vile " in giving the traditional response to
"See you later, alligator"
in *whatever language???
"Vile"?????

Shall I say "Pax vobiscum" instead?

So sorry! :-( At least I learned something today.

I seriously don't know what else there is to say. Whatever anybody thinks of immigration, disrupting a peaceful vigil shows lack of respect for the dead and their friends/relatives.

Stop disrupting the thread, alea, you naughty person!

(Peace be with you too!)

You know very well why it is totally out of order- in a way which will not be apparent to most others. Vile indeed

Perhaps you could enlighten us as to what way that would be?.

Apologies daphnedill but I think this thread was derailed long before I ever started reading it from a perfectly valid complaint about far Right Extremists in Brussels, to an ex-pat bashing homily