hello from belgium
I'm Sabrine.
As belgian, a feel really sorry for my american friends and all americans undergoing this mascarade.
I'd like to point something I've been countlessly reading since january : it is that USA became a laughting stock to the rest of the world.
Speaking in my own name but I'm sure I'm not the only one, I would say no. No, you are not. The weird thing nowdays called president, yes. But him and only him.
You really did not deserved that mess and hope you will go through as soon as possible. I still looking to the US as a great nation with strong democratic and moral values (even if I don't always agree with some foreign policies, but that's another point).
I'd like to apologize for my poor english and all the mistakes I've certainly done but, alas, I'm not fluent enough in your language to make more elaborate sentences that express my feelings and opinions.
I'm probably looking as childish as Trump . I just hope not as incoherent or unhinged as him .
Please feel free to correct me. I will be proud to improve myself.
= new reply since forum marked as read
I think each word I wrote.
It is really disheartening to see your great country ruled by a rude, ignorant imbecile without any sens of honor.
But as sunspots can't tarnish the bright of the sun, that awful stain will not tarnish America.
As european, I will never forget that you rescued us twice in the past. Without you, we will probably not have the safe and pleasant countries we live in here in Europe.
By the way, as humans never really satisfied we still complain for whatever comes to our minds 
Plus you guys have better food.
Why, I remember a delicious eel soup in Brussels. Plus Trappistenbier !!
And you live in a civilized country.
The best chocolate in the world 
Even better than the swiss one. I'm a bit chauvinist
Better food, I don't know. You probably too have some good food. But in fact, yes we do have some nice culinary tradition
I'm ashamed to say it 
as we have a huge variety of beers, but i not very fond of beer. I barely drink one once in 2 or 3 years. A fruity one like Kriek with a cherry or raspberry flavor.
Do you remember the small grey shrimps? It is a national dish, we often eat them with mayonaise filled in tomatoes or as croquettes. It is really my favourite seafood
I do not think I had those shrimp...
But I can remember mussels, 'Waterzooi' maybe in Ghent? or Zeebrugge?
Beautiful places...
It has been a long time.. The closest I have been recently is Nederland in March... :>
)The famous Gueuze
Waterzooi is a traditional dish. A kind of very thick soup with chicken, patatoes and vegetables in a creamy sauce.
Of course, mussels. I forgot to mention them. Another national dish 
In Netherlands, they too have the small grey shrimps.
One of my favorite Belgian meals! You have the best frites over there!
By the way, your English is better than Trumps!
And waffles too
I gave the recipe of the frites. Reply30. I you want, I can give you mossels recipes
2 nices cities especially Bruges wich is also known as The Venice of the North. A historic city where was opened the first stock exchange in the world or most likely, its ancestor It was in the 14th century.
You are close enough
In fact, I do speak fluently french of course, arabic litterary one and a few dialects. I used to be as fluent in flemish as in french but since I haven't practiced, I just kept a good passive understanding and very simple talking and writing.
For english, you see by yourself my level 
Do not be ashamed dear
The only one who should be, probably have no clue about what means the word or even know that it exists... 
Well, not sure the frites better known as french fries however it is a typical belgian dish, will survive the travel
But i you are interested, I'll give the recipe. It is very simple.
I don't eat frites very often (about 2 or 3 times in a year) because I like them prepared the very traditional way wich is not the healthiest.
Potatoes are cooked fried twice in beef fat. This is what give the unique taste I love. You can probably find that kind of fat in the USA. The first cook is at a low temp (160° Celsius) and meant to tenderize the frites but without coloring them nor make them crispy. Let them cool a bit then plunge them again in a very hot fat (180° - 190° Celsius) for a minute or so. Not much more. The result will be nices frites crispy and golden outside and nearly melting inside. The variety of potatoes if important too. Here we use a variaty called "bintje" but you can easily replace it by russet potatoes.
I share your hopes
I see what you mean.
We too, do have our share of ignorants, prefering rather than learning and searching informations, just swallow whatever crap served by any right wing brainwasher will serve. Those pretending to solve complex problems with simplistic, unworkable or unrealistic solutions.
I think there is a great lack of education and sad to say, it is getting worse. I strongly advocate the free access to education with solid civics courses and strong lessons to exercice sens of critic and make this sense a reflex.
The knowledge and the ability , the curiosity to search the information and critical skills are power full arms to counteract thoses dumbasses as Trump, Marine Lepen, Wilders et al. All, only care for themselves, would shred in piece any democratic principle that would not fit them. These devious minds are so damaging that they stir my inner murderer instincts at an incredible level 
I have so much more to say, I'd love to be much more skilled in english but I'm really to much limited to go further by now. But, I'll do my best to reach the necessary level to share my thoughs
In one way, I have partly answered you
Just in the post above when I replied to liberalmuse.
You have both, said more or less, the same.
We are fighting as hard as we can to curb this, now more than emerging right wing trend. 
True, this pathetic buffon is nothing else than a perpetual offense to the common sens. Unless beeing deeply masochist or deeply ignorant, no one would choose that ectoplasm to be the representative of an entiere nation.
I send you all my best wishes to have you get rid of him the sooner possible.
I would say that it was a predictible result since money became a target at itself instead of staying a tool as it should has.
Hopefully, resistance is growing. I wish we can create together, people of goodwill, a world where our children and grandchildren can live in safe and peace.
for welcoming and you kind words
I hope you will visit my country someday
It is a small one (you can easily put it in a corner of one of you biggest states and forget it forever 
) but very rich in terms of History. A lot of interesting places to visit, a lot of delicious food too and generaly people are very welcoming
A sweet place where to live
I never been to the USA. I had planned a trip once but I had to cancel. Well to be more precise, it was not me that canceled but the tragic september 2001. My plane was on 09/14 but all travels were canceled that week. Since, I couldn't manage another trip because I want to take the time to visit as much as I can. We were supposed to spend 3 months in 2001. Really not easy to just remove such a trip. Since, I did not have the opportunity but it is again in the air. Kids have grown, living on their own so I'm looking for visiting your country in the next 2 years.
fabulous museums, the Royal Art Museum and the Magritte museum.
It was curious to me that everyone walked around eating Belgian waffles...
Yes, 2 very interesting museum
I do have 3 of my close friends that are art historians. None of them work as historian but they still involved in the field in their spare time 2 of them are specialised in
Roman Empire (-100 JC +100 JC or so) and more specifically in all what is related to locksmith. The 3rd is more involved in painting (his father was a painter and had some notoriety). All what regards to Renaissance, Italian painters but also flemish.
They do often laugh at me because I claim loudly having any artistic sens.
That is, in one way true, some pieces of modern art let me really baffled and sometimes I just feel like it is a joke Really, i cannot understand how some pieces can be considered as art
With non offense to anyone. for example, a few years ago, a dirty tub was exposed and called "art". I have heard about it on TV because the person in charge of cleaning the gallery, had accidently cleaned the tub. Well it has probably some artistic sens but i remain hermetically closed to this kind of art.
Never fear, we misspell everything from sTrumpet to Zinker...............
Welcome to DU.
recorded a tv show about WWI, and it used real footage to tell of what happened...and I watched poor Belgium fighting the Germans with everything they had. When they could not go on any longer, they crashed two of their locomotives into each other on the main bridge, thus rendering it useless to the incoming Germans.
Aw, man, it was so sad - and then they just got run over again at the start of WWII, and there they were again, Belgium people just trying to live their lives, BOOM, destroyed.
So I love you for having the strength to both endure and come back from that!! (Even though you most likely weren't personally present for such horrible events of cataclysmic destruction!?)
And thank you for saying that you know "the weird thing nowadays called president " does not represent our great country! Now some might say, it's our own fault this happened, and so forth, but you and I know that - well, this is a fine, fine, country...and HEY SYRINGIS, so is yours!
Welcome, and it's so great to meet you!
