Being an expat in Belgium

An expatriate (abbreviated to expat) is someone who resides outside their native country. As the capital of the European Union, Brussels attracts expats from all over the world. In fact, about 13% of the population in Belgium are expats. The idea of living abroad is a dream for many, but it’s important to keep in mind that expat life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. So what’s expat life really been like for us?

How we’re adjusting & settling in

Today marks 6 weeks of living in Brussels! We are official Belgian residents now, according to the paper work. We are settled into our apartment, but still waiting for the rest of our belongings. The shipment from home was in two phases: one air shipment and one sea shipment. We received the air shipment which had some of our clothes, shoes, kitchen essentials, and Mallow’s belongings of course. We still have yet to receive our sea shipment which contains all the rest of our belongings. I cannot wait to have our Peloton and workout equipment! Although we walk sooo much here, this is the first time in my life I have not had a gym membership. Also in the sea shipment is the rest of our clothes, shoes, decorations, household essentials, beauty products…all items that will make us feel more at home. The sea shipment is over 3,000 lbs and to be honest I can’t really remember what else is in it. Safe to say I probably over packed 😉 The estimated delivery is March 15!

What we have been up to

We have been working hard to find the best places to bring our visitors. I can confidently say that I know the best waffle and fry stand in the city center (and seriously I need to stop going here but they are so dang good!). We have already taken 1 weekend trip to Amsterdam, a day trip to Antwerp, and a day trip to Bruges. All of these places were unique in their own way, and I can’t wait to go back when the weather gets warmer. We’ve also had visitors already! Ben played junior hockey with Roni who lives in Sweden. My cousin Myriam was visiting Europe and stayed with us for a few days. My sister is an au pair in Italy through May so she also came for a weekend! Safe to say we have been busy.

What are the best things about living in Brussels?

• Quality of life – the mentality here is about working to live rather than living to work
• Delicious food and hundreds of beers – No matter what type of food you’re in the mood for – Belgian, French, Thai, Italian, Greek, etc. – you can find it in Brussels. I will say that the Mexican food options are lacking, but we make do with cooking at Mexican food at home
• Centrally located – we are just a short train or plane ride away from Paris, Amsterdam, London, Germany, etc.

Other Pros:

• Diversity – with over 184 different nationalities and 104 languages spoken, Brussels is the second most cosmopolitan city in the world after Dubai
• Cultural scenes
• Low crime rates
• Public transit is everywhere. The only reason I have/need a car is because I work outside of the city

What are the worst things about living in Brussels?

• Traffic
• Weather (190 rainy days a year and little sunshine)
• Extremely high tax rates, more that 50% for some. However, Belgians are entitled to a pension starting at the age of 65 (it works differently for expats but this is still something that could effect some expats)

The hardest part over all?
Missing family and friends is without a doubt the hardest part. Ben and I are very intentional in our relationships and are use to hosting people at our home nearly every weekend. I know that moving away doesn’t mean we are going to lose that, but the truth is that sometimes it just sucks. We knew this would be something we have to navigate, but it doesn’t mean it’s easy. We are so lucky for the support and encouragement leading up to this point. Every time I feel lonely, I picture the 80+ people who showed up at our going away party!

What you can do to support us!

• Come visit 😉
• We love to receive mail! Both of our parents have our mailing address, or you can ask us. We can’t receive packages (otherwise we have to pay a hefty fee for customs), but letters or postcards are welcomed
• Check in with us. Sometimes we feel lonely!