bizMe

The 9 to 5 workday is what we know in the US. It is what Dolly Parton sings about in her musical and the way we make our living. Though typical in the US, it is not so here in Belgium. The days seem so much longer, even though the standard Belgium workday is supposed to be 10 to 6.

The day starts early in the morning for many as they live far from the office. About half of my co-workers travel from outside Brussels into the city for work and so the day starts much earlier for them. Some have a two-hour commute as they live close to the French or Dutch border. What is different here is the mode of transportation. It is normal for people to use public transportation. People take a combination of trains, buses and the metro to get to work. Many also ride their bikes to work. It is really interesting to see the businessmen on their bikes. They wear bright neon yellow zip-up suits over their business suits. Here in Brussels I walk to work. It is part of living in Europe and being more aware of the surroundings. No one drives to the office. It is very much geared towards being ecologically friendly.

Even though the day does not technically begin until 10 am, most everyone arrives early for the day. When I arrive at 9:30, the office is already full and bustling with activity. The coffee machine is in high gear, usually needing refilling. But even though the work begins early, lunch is eaten late. Lunch is not until 1:00 pm, which is nice because the afternoon goes by much faster after you come back from lunch at 2 pm. Lunch in the office varies. Many people bring in a lunch and make a sandwich or a salad. Others go out, or run to get a sandwich. The workday is supposed to end at 6, but for many it does go later. If I leave the office at 6:15 pm, many people are still hard at work, even though they arrived at work before me. It is a long day at the office.

What makes the long day interesting is that many stores close at 6 or 7 in the evening. Many close before or shortly after the workday is done. This makes grocery shopping even more difficult, which is why it is considered a lunchtime activity. The 24-hour service world does not exist here!

The hours are long, but there is something very fulfilling about working in Brussels. There is a different level of satisfaction knowing that you worked hard and at the end of the day it all comes together. It takes effort, but there is satisfaction when leaving the office late knowing it is a job well done, but that is a feeling that can be found anywhere.