But my lunch at office is a problem. Mostly I imagine as if I am having Veg:Biriyani or aviyal, and eat up the only vegetable salad available, which tastes almost grass. But there also I opt some bread, butter and banana with some chocolates, which keeps me happy at the end of the meal.
Night again, we will have cooked food with the limited varieties available. I have not fully explored the Indian stores, but have heard that nothing much is available here – like our pickles, or powders etc. So it is mostly rationing with what is been brought from India. I repent on the pickles I lost to security in Frankfurt airport :(. I couldn’t find pizza bases here; they have only ready to make pizzas, done with cheese and toppings! It irritates, really!
I am so much explaining it because I use to have a better food available in Sydney. I was feeling there, it is not as good as London. Now I am in a place, which is hardly a three hours journey from London, and it is all a different story here! Funny World!
Now, about the Traveller’s cheques: They are changed on a commission in most parts of the World, but you will have at least one option to convert them without commission. It may either crediting to your bank account or crediting at the counter belonging to the issuing company.
Here nothing works out! It varies from 5% at the airport to 1.75% at a place, which opens Mon-Fri 10-4:30 :). The normal other places charges from 3 to 4.5%. I at last made up my mind to pay 3% for converting some of my TCs with minimal loss of time at office.
Commune reporting is another drama I had to go through if I come here with a work permit (to be done in 8 days of landing in Belgium). I reported to the local commune (like a panchayat office, gave my details of residence, got my work permit verified. Then, they initiated a process charging me around € 23,00 (it varies from place to place in Belgium – from €5 to €40). That process includes police verification and will issue a white card in 3-4 weeks if all goes fine. There were some rumours that I need a permanent address to register here (that is I have to be part of the housing lease; or the lease should be in my name). As the lease is minimum for 6 months, I have look for costly options like Business apartments which signs lease for a month at a higher rent. My application was accepted with no question on whether I am in the lease agreement, it depends on the person sitting there. Till I have a white card, I have to carry my passport always as my ID. The fun part of my particular case is, I will have to cancel it by the time it is issued :D, as I will be here.
Commune has more powers than I thought, when I realised many things later. All work permits are issued in the Schengen Visa stamped will be for 3 months. The white card issued for an extended period serves as a Visa after that! So local commune can decide on whether a person can stay in their country or not!
Tailpiece1:- Tap water is not suitable for drinking – calcium contents they say. So we have to buy water bottles for drinking, though we use tap water for cooking. The bad part is, water is available only in bottle (max 1.5 litres) and no cans! We have a big box in each floor of our office to collect the bottle caps (I don’t know why not bottles). That is sold to raise money, which the firm donates to an orphanage!
Tailpiece2:-
Astrix: It is only afternoon and you are taking supper now ? Then when will you take lunch ?
Belgian: Immediately after the breakfast !!!
(taken from Astrix in Belgium)
