About the Belgians: you are right, but let me explain. Those that speak to you in French when you talk to them in English, most probably are from Wallonia, where everyone speaks French and few people actually know English. (No offense meant). Those who respond in Dutch when you speak to them in French, are very likely to be Flemish and the Flemish (me being one of them I kinda know) have a past of being oppressed by the once-rich industrial-French-speaking-south (19th Century and untill well into the '50's: my grandmother was told off at school in Flanders for speaking her mother tongue instead of French) and by French speaking nobility for a few centuries. It has made them less than enthusiastic when visitors to Flanders assume that everybody in Belgium speaks French, which actually they do but as a second language. They would much rather you speak to them in English, believe me. I think the closest comparison would be if a flemish person came to England a few centuries ago and spoke French with the population. Or something like that. In any case, my apologies for my fellw country men who fail to see that actually you are trying to be friendly and accommodating by speaking French rather than English. To sum it up, I think the best you can do when going to Belgium is: check whether you are in Flanders, Brussels, or Wallonia. In Flanders, speak English. In Brussels, speak English, but when you realise the person in front of you is French, speak french. In Wallonia speak French. The best way to charm any flemish person is by speaking a few words in Dutch. They will love you for it. If this all sounds too complicated, just read it over again until it makes sense. Belgium is a great place and there is a lot of fun to be had. Worth the tiny bit of homework. With love to you all, An