Monday, October 18, 2010

A Dutchman in Belgium

I am in this coaching and workshop thing. It's a project to start my own business in a safe and cosy environment without the risks involved. It's a way to see if my concept is working or not without falling on my face. I am eager and enthusiastic about what I do. I feel always very vibrant and lively and see many oppertunities. I am curious and want to learn, also from the experiences of others. But I feel that many times somekind of resistance is coming from people. Based on the language I use and the way I speak and communicate. I hear to many times this is typical Dutch, are you sure to do business in Belgium? You are such a typical sales person. Dutch are this and Belgiums are that. The tendency of labeling is sometimes in my opinion stronger then before. I have to admit, I feel really tired of it. It makes me feel I am to smart and the rest is to retarded what of course is total bullshit. I have my weaknesses as well and I am far from best or better human being. Is my enthusiasm also my trap?

Sometimes I feel living in Belgium is almost like living in the dark ages. Painfully people tend to point at the differences and the impossibilities coming from that. I start to walk on eggs and I feel that I better shut up and hold back. From this point of view it looks like nothing is going forward anymore, even worse things go backward. There is no open mind towards refreshing different views. Even though Flemish is close to Dutch there is to much differences in nuance. Maybe I should really focus on the Dutch market and forget about Belgium. To them I am the smooth talker, the salesman. They have difficulties to look beyond that point. I am much more then that. It gives a feeling of complete solitude, something that I sometimes like but not always. I think of burning bridges and ships. But what options do I have? I don't want to go back to Holland, a country that in my opinion drastically changed into a extreme society with extreme views, fear and anxiety rule. Extreme populist politicians rule without taking full responsibility. Jeez what became of this idiot world. I feel really tired.....