Recently moved to Brussels, Belgium

[prosperity66]

Originally Posted by MCovert

Hello! Stumbled across this website while looking around the internet for expat information. I recently moved from the United States to Brussels to work for one year. I don't speak French or Dutch (...yet) only English.

This is my first time living abroad and I am just looking to meet other expats for conversation or to get some advice, tips, etc, about living abroad. I guess I'm finding the whole experience slightly overwhelming and I am just looking for other Americans (or other English speakers) who can tell me about the city and give me some advice on how life works in Brussels. If you have any questions feel free to ask me! Thanks!

Hi and welcome to Belgium

I'm new here. My name is Dom, I live in Belgium, I'm Belgian as well.

First of all, please forgive my English mistakes: I just had an English course and still continue with "conversation tables" in order to keep trained.

It's quite funny! My mother worked for 30 years for JP Morgan bank and was working the last years of her career at Euroclear!

Did you finally found an appartment? Otherwise, as far as I remember (as I left Brussels six years ago) there are many "garnis"; which are furnished rooms, available in Brussels. My grandmother used to rent such rooms to EEC employees. We had a lot of expats in the house and it was GREAT! They became our family and we still have news from a lot of them, 25 years after she stopped renting rooms.

I remember one of them who has been living in my grand parents home for more than 10 years, my grand mother pushed him to get married, in order to get him out of the home as she wanted to stop the rent, sell the house and buy an apartment.

Well, I personally really enjoyed those times of having expats at home.

Some "garnis" are very well managed for an affordable price, by families and the atmosphere is good for any expat as they often feel lost in an unknown country.

As for the best area to live in Brussels for a single expat, it would be, in my opinion, Boondael - Commune of Ixelles, Brussels University as there are many people coming from many different countries; lots of them speaking English, including in the stores, cafes, etc. Otherwise, I would recommend Waterloo as there's a great American community and lot of people speak English in Waterloo as well.

Also, and it's good for any expat, it can be sometimes a good idea to look for an apartment that is located in the same house as the one of the owner (just pay attention to keep your life private). Moreover, if the owner speaks your language, it's perfect.

Hope this helps a bit
Have a great week.
Dom.

[prosperity66]

Originally Posted by dewyn

Thank you Gerrit for all the information. Greatly appreciated.


My grandparents did come from Namur. You see I want a "new start" I don't like life here in canada. Its boring, weather sucks, schools are poor and I love speaking French way more than English and it's lets say not the most tolerated thing here. I'm really unsatisfied here. It's april... we still have 3 feet of snow. It's just depressing. Im from winnipeg, manitoba. Worst palce. I've visited europe and have been through many sites. I know Belgium is hard to get a working/student Visa but I know eventually i'll be able to get it.

Anything about the night life? Lots of people there? Are the people tolerate of someone from a foreign country? Will they accept me?


The political part.. I dont want anything to do with it lol.


Thanks again Garrit

Hi

I'm happy to learn that you would like to come to live in Belgium.

Firstly, if you come in Belgium for the weather, you'll be spoiled! It's raining all year long here, lol. Better than snow maybe? To be honest, it's not raining (yet) today.

If you have family in Namur, I personally would recommend that you go there firstly, just to not get lost in an unknown country and feel alone. Otherwise if you plan to enter an university and study here, you would want to choose to live in the town the university is located, you'll be able to get a lot of friends.

Instead of what gerrit wrote, I don't think Belgians are really racists; they just don't like foreigners who don't adapt - those that break everything, don't work and make a profit out of our social security system. Otherwise I personally think Belgians are open mind people and accept everyone. So I'm am sure you won't have problems to live here and will be accepted and integrated as soon as you'll come!

As I wrote in a previous post, I grew up with EEC expats - some of them still live in Belgium while some other went back to their country - in the house and it was my happiest period!

On the other hand, gerrit is right about places to visit. I would only add some more such as the Villers-la-Ville Abbey, Bouillon, Beersel Castle; which is a splendid and intact castle from the Middle Ages, and many many more!

As for the night life, well, there are a lot of areas where you can have fun. For instance, I live in the countryside (near Nivelles) and if I would be interested in night life (I'm too old now) I have many opportunities: Charleroi, Waterloo, Brussels, and if I'm not afraid of driving on a big distance, I could go to "Le Carré" in Liège; which is a very active area. There are also places in Namur as lots of my friends have children that go to this town on Friday and Saturday nights.

But... don't think night life in Belgium is the same as the one in Paris or London. For instance, lots of cafes, restaurants, etc. close at midnight. There are a few number of public place opened at night; generally nightclubs.

Unfortunately, if you plan to become a Belgian citizen and work in Brussels, you will have to learn to speak Dutch as it is required to get a job. Getting a job in Wallonia will allow you to avoid to learn Dutch - well, sometimes, they also ask for Dutch knowledge.

Like gerrit wrote, we have politic problems and the country is divided in three parts: the French-speaking one, the Dutch-speaking one and the German-speaking one. But if you don't pay attention to those stupid arguments and manage your relations between people from the three communities the way 90% of our fellow citizens manage them, you won't bother.

Hope this helps.

Feel free to ask for more information, if I can answer, I'll do it with the most pleasure.

[dewyn]

Thanks Appreciate it. Now if I was to learn Dutch would I have a better time getting a working visa and a Job? Along with perhaps citizenship? I just don't want to go through the hassel to be declined access into the one country I know I would stay for good.

[prosperity66]

Hi

Learning Dutch will just help you to find a job quickly. Nothing related to citizenship nor anything else.

Well, to be honest, I've never applied to live somewhere else and don't know if Belgium still accepts new appliants - everyday illegal immigrants are rejected here. It would be wise to ask the Belgian Embassy or Consulate in Canada before considering leaving. Maybe ask for a student visa to start and, by the way, learn if life in Belgium is good for you.

First of all, it could be helpful to learn what exactly you mean by "citizenship".

If it's the right to live and work in Belgium - the US green card" - well, it's called "a residence permit" and "a work permit" (permis de séjour and permis de travail).

Once you get the famous "residence permit" and "work permit" I think that after 5 years of living in Belgium you can become Belgian. I'm not 100% sure as laws changed a lot those last 30 years.

Indeed, 30 years ago, in order to become Belgian, you had to apply to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and return several times, in addition you also had to complete documents at the police station, pay a certain amount and then go to court and get citizenship. All in all, those steps lasted about a year. If you did a mistake (i.e. criminality), you lose the nationality.

After 1982, children whose mother or father was Belgian became automatically Belgian at 12 years. In the 90's while residing for over five years in Belgium foreigners got the opportunity to become Belgian if they wanted. I think nowadays it's automatically and the State doesn't ask you any more.

However, as you stated your family actually originates from Belgium so you would probably be accepted.

But I strongly advise you to enquire at the Belgian Embassy - I think it's located in Ottawa; or at the Belgian Consulate; which is located in Quebec.

Hope this helps

[dewyn]

See my Grandparents came from Belgium. On my fathers side. My father was born here in Canada. And my grandparents live here too they imigrated to Canada in the early 50s. But I will give them a call and check up on the permits and all Thanks very much i'll let you guys know any updates.

[gerrit]

It could be that having Belgian grandparents makes you eligible for citizenship straight away, I am not sure but it's worth checking that. It would save you the hassle of renewing working permits everytime you want to change employer, renewing residence permits etc. The bureaucracy can be a pain, but maybe you can avoid it because of your Belgian ancestry.


One thing though: you say you don't care about politics but want to know if Belgians are openminded towards foreigners moving to the country.

Unfortunately you cannot answer this question without looking at the political state the country is in. I would say, and I am quite ashamed for it, that Belgium is more racist and xenophobic (especially certain areas of Flanders) than other EU countries generally. Let's just say it like this: I lived in 4 other EU countries and while racism and far right ideologies exist and grow all over Europe, in Belgium the situation is quite worrying. So yes, some people have a negative attitude towards foreigners, although being non-Muslim will help a lot as people are generally more open towards other "westerners", having merely prejudices against immigrants from non-western countries. In big cities like Brussels or Ghent you are likely to experience little problems because they are cosmopolitan as it is. Rural areas and smaller towns can be suffocating however for anyone who doesn't walk the line.

If you want to know details about the worrying far right movement in Belgium, I can explain in detail if you'd be really interested in it. I think as a Canadian you'd be fine, especially when you already mastered French, it is merely expats from "non-western countries" who unfortunately became public scapegoats.

[giza]

Hi Gerrit. Are you still looking to move to the Middle East ? Can you drop me a quick note on giza50 at hotmail dot com? Thanks

[subhuman]

Hi, im planing to come to study in Belgium so can someone tell me hos easy is to find part time work if I speak only english?

thanks..

[Bevdeforges]

Originally Posted by subhuman

Hi, im planing to come to study in Belgium so can someone tell me hos easy is to find part time work if I speak only english?

thanks..

Check the terms of your student visa. Most student visas limit your ability to work. Your school should be able to help you find a part time job - if the school doesn't have any facilities, check with some of the student associations. But speaking only English, your opportunities will be limited. French would be a big plus.
Cheers,
Bev

[subhuman]

Originally Posted by Bevdeforges

Check the terms of your student visa. Most student visas limit your ability to work. Your school should be able to help you find a part time job - if the school doesn't have any facilities, check with some of the student associations. But speaking only English, your opportunities will be limited. French would be a big plus.
Cheers,
Bev

its a " C "visa,work allowed , 20hours per week.
how expensive is the Brussel?
how much would i need for food and housing?