I've tried for quite awhile now to get myself employed a (legally) as a gardener here in Belgium. Ha! Because I don't speak pretty close to fluent Dutch I'm told I don't have a chance....although I've 'spoken' to many people employed as gardeners who don't speak Dutch at all...! These people work illegally and quite a lot of what I've seen is of a high standard. After presenting my credentials and past history of work carried out in the UK...ie; Yorkshire Dales N.P. and Forestry Commission work, had a garden/allotment since 1960, built gardens from scratch and put in my head 50+ years of experience, etc, etc... the local government office actually allowed me 6 months ago to work for disabled people for the princely sum of £2.60 an hour. They won't employ me because of the language 'problem'...rather strange that disabled people don't mind the 'problem' and in fact now those people insist that 'The Englishman must come, no-one else...' so while I'm quite busy in that direction I'm not fully employed for the fist time in my 47 year work history.
So, me thinks I'll put up for a government course in 'Groentuineren' which is, so I'm told, run to a very high standard. It means getting up at 5.30 and getting back at 7pm and travelling 4 hours a day, but I thought, 'This must be worthwhile'....Well, just finished day 2 today.....and I'm going to keep a diary! I get the feeling, even at this early stage, that all is not what it seems.....
Watch this space!
