Decoding Flanders: Social Connections
Life in Flanders can be exciting, surprising, and sometimes… a little confusing. This workshop helps to make sense of social connections.
About the workshop
After the success of our Decoding Flanders session, we’re diving deeper into a topic many internationals find both fascinating and challenging: connection.
How do you really connect with Flemish coworkers, classmates, or neighbours? What does “friendliness” mean here? And how is it different from friendship? How can you build on those small moments of connection and turn them into something more?
In this interactive 2-hour workshop, we’ll explore a mix of insights and shared experiences in a relaxed, constructive atmosphere. The aim is not about changing who you are, but about understanding the context you’re in. So, connection becomes easier and more natural.
And we won’t stop there. After the workshop, you’re warmly invited to join our informal “Bite of Dutch” session over a drink. It's a chance to continue conversations, meet others, and practice some Dutch in a low-pressure, friendly setting. We will focus specifically on informal Dutch and aspects of "tussentaal" that you hear in everyday life, but don't learn in Dutch class. (Dutch level A2 or above is recommended, but everyone is welcome to join).
Whether you’re new to Flanders or have been here for a while, this session will give you tools, confidence, and fresh perspectives to connect more meaningfully.
Connection is always possible. Let’s explore how.
Who is this workshop for?
This workshop is mainly geared toward internationals in Leuven. Whether you’re fresh off the plane or have been here for years, this is your chance to better understand your (new) environment – and connect with others on the same journey.
Flow of the workshop
| 13:30 | Doors open: please arrive at 13:50 at the latest (yes, these Flems are very much into punctuality!) |
| 14:00 | Workshop Making Social Connections in Flanders |
| 16:00 | Break |
| 16:15 | Casual Dutch Practice Opportunity |
| 17:15 | Event ends |
When & Where
| Saturday, June 13 | 13:30-17:15 | at the International House Leuven | Register here |
About the speakers
Gunilla de Graef
For over 20 years, diversity and inclusion have been the central themes in Gunilla's professional activities. As a staff member of several centers of expertise, she has been able to develop her thinking and working around "difference" in all possible directions. Sometimes with a focus on cultural diversity, other times aimed at diversity in a broad sense. She has supervised dozens of training sessions and workshops, for the most diverse target groups and in very different contexts. Gunilla has coordinated practice-based research, developed methodologies and competence frameworks, supported expertise sharing, and built networks. All assignments from which she drew much inspiration and motivation.
Because Gunilla was active not only as a trainer but also as a consultant and researcher, she has practiced herself in always thinking along two tracks: that of practical implementation and that of the vision, the policy that sets a framework around that concrete implementation. When thinking about methodologies, approaches, and learning tools, she has been inspired by literature, but especially by the skill and commitment of colleagues and people in the field. In addition, regular participation in domestic and foreign study days, conferences, and colloquia helped her to draw out her own action framework for a powerful diversity policy. At the same time, Gunilla has developed a good view of the activities of other actors in the field of diversity, both nationally and internationally.
Sofie Begine
Sofie Begine is a Dutch language teacher from Leuven and has been teaching Dutch to internationals and Belgian French speakers since 2013. She specializes in spoken language as a tool to understand and connect with native speakers.
She is also the founder of Goesting in Taal, the place to be to learn more about informal Belgian Dutch, and the author of books like "Spoken Flemish, a survival guide for parents and partners", "Spoken Flemish, a survival guide for the office", and "Wa zegt ge? Vlaamse spreektaal voor anderstaligen".
You can join her regular Bite of Dutch sessions with the International House: free, informal, online conversation classes to help you feel more confident and comfortable in everyday conversations with your Flemish colleagues
