-Where were you born?

Chile, in Santiago

-In which country and city are you living now?

Belgium, Leuven 

-Are you living alone or with your family?

My husband

-How long have you been living in Belgium?

5 years

-What is your age?

39 

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Belgium?

I was transferred from my job in Chile to the headquarters of a large pharmaceutical company. I accepted because I wanted to live and work in an international setting.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a work permit?

It took me more or less 3 months from the moment I had the interview till I was able to travel. Many documents needed to be translated and for the work permit - even medical permission - was requested including chest X-ray and lab samples.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

No, my company was in charge of this.

-How do you make your living there? Do you have any type of income generated?

The job was the reason of why I am here, so I just accepted the offer of transfer from my country and continued in the same company. 

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language?

English and French have  been helpful for my job and my daily activities. I know that if I wanted to get another job I would need to learn Flemish which is very challenging. In almost all Flemish areas and Brussels  there is no need to speak any other language than English. In Wallonia French is a must, even if you go as a tourist: Namur and  Liege for example. They accept well the effort to speak French there. Flemish people would not like to speak French with you unless you are a French speaker. It is very impressive that many Flemish speak also Spanish and German.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes? Describe your favorite recreational activities there or those that are available.

I miss the Chilean food, there are things that are not available here (pisco, quesillo, manjar, dulce de membrillo) including seafood. I discovered one Chilean restaurant and one small Colombian shop in Brussels that have some Chilean items. Family and friends visit us every year and we talk through Skype. The best about Belgium is the amount of holidays to spend in other activities that there is normally no time to do it: sports, reading, traveling and studying or participating in group lessons. There are a lot of groups to learn wine degustation, cooking, art history, painting,etc. I am currently doing a master in the university because I can combine work and studies.

-Do you have other plans for the future?

My husband and I would like to move to another country; we are seeking opportunities in Asia and Latinoamerica.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

My husband bought the house before to meet me. The prices are high compared to my country. The monthly costs are around 1800 euros.  

-What is the cost of living in Belgium?

Supermarket stuff per week is around 120 euros. Most expensive are meat and vegetables. The cheapest are beer and chocolate.

-What do you think about the locals?

In Brussels it is very clear there are neighborhoods of expats. Here in Leuven most of the people are from Belgium or students/workers  from University. Most of my neighbors are young couples with children and almost all of them speak English with me. In general they are very gentle but they do not like direct conversation. If there is a problem they prefer to send an anonymous letter than to ring the bell and talk about the issue. They are very passive and normally they do not complain about things that sometimes I consider as unfair. They make a distinction between foreigners that are coming as expats and those other that are coming as immigrants specially from countries like Morocco, Turkey and Muslim nations. They admire my style and freedom to express myself as a Latina.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Belgium?

Positive are the woods, so well conserved and organized. The food is great; there are many good restaurants  to go and discover. As many people have mentioned, the chocolates are the best in the world as well the frites.

Negative is the weather especially in summer, because it cannot be predicted that there will be sunshine. No customer service in the shops and they are always closed when you need them (after 1900 hours or on Sunday). The building concepts are very rigid and the houses are in general very dark with small windows and garden. The garbage management is very bad in my commune, besides we need to pay for each bag so they just pick it up every 2 weeks (it's a nightmare in summer). 

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Belgium?

Do not expect the international kind of city that you would expect. Brussels is not Paris, London or Madrid. Things work here differently, so you need to be very self-sufficient and independent to survive. If there is a leak, or any other house problem you must wait at least 3 weeks to have someone at home to arrange it.

I was lucky to have a job before I arrived, it gave me all the things I needed including friends and colleagues that are also part of the expat community. I know from many other friends that to find a job for the partner is very difficult. If you have children there is not a lot of help , so you need to find a creche/school in advance.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Belgium?

www.leuven.be and www.visitbelgium.com: these are web sites to know about activities in Brussels and Leuven.

www.sportoase.be: this site is for those who are in Leuven or antwerp to do sports, they have a fitness club, swimming pool, squash, yoga and dance classes.

www.visitgent.be: these are the cities that should be visited as they are great for shopping and culture.

-Where were you born?

Saint Louis, Missouri, smack in the middle of the USA.   But I've lived in San Francisco, Columbus (Ohio), and Philadelphia, as well.

-In which country and city are you living now?  

I'm currently living in Brussels, Belgium, but I've just taken a job in Paris so I'll be splitting my time between the two come the new year.   

-Are you living alone or with your family?

I live with my boyfriend and my cat, who is quite well-traveled herself. 

-How long have you been living in Belgium?

I have been here since May, but I had a 90-day visit (or "exile" as I call it when I'm feeling dramatic) to the States this fall since I didn't have a visa yet.  

-What is your age?

I am 35. 

 -When did you come up with the idea of living in Belgium?

I've traveled extensively for work (I do fabric r&d/sourcing for fashion retailers) and my boyfriend likes to travel, as well, so we've always had a deal that if either of us got a job in another country, the other would go along.  I thought I was going to be the one to land a job in Asia... and then he popped up with an offer in Belgium!  We were really excited to immerse ourselves in another country and culture.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a work permit?

Oh!  What a frustration the visa has been!  Luckily for me, Belgium is quite progressive in that they give visas on a partnership basis (without marriage), and we've been together for 5 years so there was no problem in proving the durability of the relationship.... BUT all of the rigmarole of getting background checks and medical certificates and new copies of birth certificates (not to mention all of the emails/photos/etc. of "proof" that our relationship didn't pop up yesterday) then getting them all apostilled and then getting the originals *and* the apostilles translated by a certified translator and then getting all of my boyfriend's proof of residency and financial support documents and the lease and then having it copied and collated in triplicate and bringing it to the Belgian Consulate in NYC (who I'd been emailing with to make sure all of my documents were in order) only to be told that they no longer give partnership/"concubinage" visa to Americans in the US but only in Belgium and that the person I'd emailed with had misinformed me.  UGH.

But I didn't let it stop me.  I waited out my 90 days back in the States (since you only have 90 days in country and then must spend 90 days out without a visa) and came back to Belgium to turn in all of my papers at our local commune.  

The funny thing is, I've now gotten a job in France that will sponsor my visa, so it all ended up being for naught anyway.  But I don't think I'd have had the true moving-to-Belgium-as-an-American-expat experience if I hadn't had to struggle with the visa. 

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

Based off of the partnership visa, I am covered by my boyfriend's health insurance.  Quite progressive!  But I had to take out a travel health insurance policy for 3 months as part of my visa requirements to show that I wouldn't be a burden on the system upon arrival.

-How do you make your living in Belgium? Do you have any type of income generated?

 I just got a job... after about 7 months of looking.  I think I was overly optimistic that I would find a job relatively quickly upon arrival because I reached out to many recruiters and fashion retailers in Belgium (as well as Amsterdam and London since they are commute-able) before I left the States and got many positive responses and Skype interviews.  The tricky thing is, what I do is quite specific within my industry (i.e., not all fashion companies have a specialized fabric r&d or sourcing team), so many of the companies I spoke with were interested in creating the role or some didn't understand how it was different from other roles they already had in place.  And I really like what I do!  I didn't want to scrap my years of experience to come here and move down some rungs in the corporate ladder, either.  

As far as finding jobs, there are many fashion recruiting agencies in the EU that I worked with.  I also had good luck using www.indeed.com and putting in the country/place I was interested in and then letting the site transfer me to that country's specific site.  It's actually how I found my new job.  I was on the Spain site for indeed.com and found a recruiter looking for fabric help in Paris... and that was that.  I will start work in Paris in the new year. I am still kinda beside myself about it! 

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language?

I have about 15 years of French language study under my belt (I started learning it in school when I was 3) and when I think about that, it is shameful that I am not better.  I have a knack for vocabulary and can understand better than I can speak.  But that said, I don't do too terribly.  I am unafraid and always try to start off a conversation with some French.  I really wish my accent were better, though.  But I don't mind it when locals correct my accent, in fact I appreciate it.  It helps me to learn.  Already I can tell my French is getting better, just by using it.  

I think it's of the ULTIMATE importance to make an attempt with the language here.  I read so much before I moved here that Belgians are rude or unhelpful or whatnot.  Now that I'm here, I've found that *nothing* could be further from the truth.  From the train manager who helped me when I missed my stop and had to accidentally go to Paris (true story) to the pharmacien who advised me on cold medicine to the man at the glasses shop who put a new screw in my "lunettes" for free to myriad other locals I encounter on a daily basis, I have had nothing but positive interactions with people in Brussels.  In fact, I am getting warm and fuzzy just thinking about it!  Try the language, be polite, and people will be kind to you!

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?

I do!  I was lucky to spend my 90 days at home with my parents, though, which meant lots to me as I haven't lived with them in some 15+ years.  I keep up with family and friends via Skype and emails.  And I keep my blog updated so they know what's going on over here.  

-Do you have other plans for the future?

I'll be traveling to Asia for my job, but I want to explore Europe to the fullest while I'm here, as well.  There are so many countries I haven't been to yet. 

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

-What is the cost of living in Belgium?

-What do you think about the Belgians?

It's like I said above, I have had nothing but positive experiences with locals.  Locals have introduced me to other locals, I've exchanged emails with locals, that sort of thing.  I definitely think that if you try the language and have a positive attitude, people will befriend you.  I'm not saying that I hang out with locals all the time because my boyfriend and I end up doing lots of things with his expat coworkers, but I am definitely friendly with a few people in my neighborhood. 

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Belgium?

Positives:  the old-world European culture, the food, the architecture, the pro-dog mentality (I <3 dogs!), the beer, the way it's improving my French skills.  

Negatives:  the weather (this wet gloom of a winter seems interminable!), not as many touring bands play here as in Paris, the dog detritus riddling the sidewalks, the weather (yeah, it's worth mentioning twice). 

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Belgium?

Be open-minded and be ready for a new experience!  Again, try the local language... even if you stumble, you won't regret it.  And soak up the culture--try all the foods, see all the sites.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs Belgium?

I have been blogging for a few years now and since I've moved my blog has definitely has more of a life-in-Brussels bent than the outfit posts it originally had.  Still, I think it's a good expression of my quirky self and my interest in clothing, cats, food, art, and life in Europe.  

www.clothesponey.blogspot.com

I also like to check the Q&A on the xpats website as well.  Lots of helpful information there!

www.xpats.com 

-Where were you born?

Just outside London in the UK

-In which country and city are you living now?

Belgium, Arlon (a tiny little place down south on the border to Luxembourg)

-Are you living alone or with your family?

Living with The Boy, a fish and two turtles

-How long have you been living in Belgium?

Too long! Actually only about six months (in Arlon); previous to that we were in Brussels.

-What is your age?

Just about clinging on to my twenties, very very tightly.

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Belgium?

Good question! We were living in London watching everyone we knew settle and get married so thought it was about time to get the hell out before hitting the big 3-0. Belgium wasn't quite what we had in mind, but The Boy got offered a job here, so here we are.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a work permit?

Not as a Brit, finding work is the challenge.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

That came with The Boy's work, luckily for us.

-How do you make your living in Belgium? Do you have any type of income generated?

Getting work in Brussels was easy, everyone speaks English so working in it is easy. Xpats.com always has the international jobs advertised.

Trying to get work in French with limited language skills is of course a challenge that I have yet to overcome. In the meantime people are always after English teachers/speakers to practice with.

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language?

I speak bad French! I have been learning and learning but not improving a huge deal! Turns out I'm just a rubbish student!

Being in Arlon helps though, as they only speak French. Practicing in Brussels was almost impossible - everyone spoke fluent English!

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?

Of course, but with the wonders of Skype, the web and bi-monthly food shopping trips (they have no spice here) it's not too challenging!

-Do you have other plans for the future?

Oh yes, to travel the world on bike before deciding which country to become an expat in next - I'm thinking next time possibly somewhere it doesn't rain 24/7!

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

We looked at buying, and very almost did, but thank goodness we didn't. The market is not what it is in the UK - we'd have been in well over our heads, and stuck here! We rent a lovely little flat now at the same price as we were paying in London.

-What is the cost of living in Belgium?

Food shopping is surprisingly expensive, they don't do bargains or value like the UK, and the clothes shops leave a lot to be desired.

-What do you think about the Belgians?

I was told Belgians were unfriendly, but I have only had positive experiences with lovely people, but you have to be ready to put in the effort to find ways to get chatting.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Belgium?

Positives: It's great for cycling, beer, and just being out of your comfort zone.

Negatives: The cuisine is basically a bad attempt at French food, takeaways are practically unheard of and they still smoke in pubs.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Belgium?

Learn French and/or Flemish (depending on which half you intend to live in).

Stay away from the expat communities or you'll never get involved in the real Belgian lifestyle.

Explore everything and everywhere.

And lastly join as much as possible - making friends isn't easy, but worth it in the end.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Belgium?

My lovely blog of course:

http://spoontravel.blogspot.com

But for jobs, etc., go to www.xpats.com, they have info on practically everything.

-Where were you born?

Washington, DC, USA

-In which country and city are you living now?

Brussels, Belgium

-Are you living alone or with your family?

With my husband, Miguel and 2 cats, Cleo and Sophie

-How long have you been living in Belgium?

1 year

-What is your age?

24

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Belgium?

I knew from my experience studying abroad in Italy that I wanted to spend more time living in Europe. In order to make that more likely, I took some TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) lessons and got certified. I was undecided on the country I wanted to go to, and I looked up schools all over the place. Soon after I found myself with a European (Irish and Spanish) who was in the US for a while. He had to move back to Ireland, and we decided to carry on long distance for a while while we figured out what the next move was. He soon found himself with a job in Brussels, Belgium, and after a brief visit, I was won over by the chocolate and beer (and general Western European charm!)! I moved there for about a month to get a better taste of the city, and despite my rusty French, it went quite well and I found myself sad to leave! I officially moved in December! (And now am married to that European charmer!)

-Was it hard to get a visa or a work permit?

Well, yes and no. If I had tried before getting married, it would have been VERY difficult. I was able to work in the black, though. I babysat and then started offering private English lessons, and had no trouble at all carrying on and making a living without any work permit. Now, being married to an EU citizen, a work permit is no longer a problem, especially with a residence card to my name!

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

Luckily, the Belgian health care system is very good and even without official insurance you can get basic medical needs taken care of at a very low price. (EUR 30 for a doctor's visit.) To become insured was a different story. As a non-EU citizen, I had to become an official resident, and to do that took SCADS of paperwork as well as a marriage book (in my case). You could also become a resident by enrolling as a student at a local university. Really, it was all about the right paperwork.

-How do you make your living in Belgium? Do you have any type of income generated?

I teach private English lessons and babysit occasionally. I got those jobs by replying to ads and posting ads and fliers around town in appropriate locations. I also made a website for myself and got some business cards printed. Here in Brussels there is always room for another language teacher!

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language? What do you think about the local customs and do you think it's important to observe them?

Belgium is a bilingual country, but French is the language most spoken here in Brussels. I did know some French before moving here, though it wasn't much. Flemish (a dialect of Dutch) is the other language spoken here in Belgium, and I came here knowing absolutely NO Flemish. But here's the deal, while I should really be working on my French (I need to use it quite a lot) I am really tempted to try. Most of the French speakers here (at least those I deal with on a day-to-day basis, shop owners, etc.) are fairly rude, speak no English and refuse to understand my accented French, even when it is grammatically ok! This is extremely frustrating, as I want to make the effort, but I'm losing my will! Now, as for the Flemish speakers, they are, in general, very kind and patient, and I would say at least 90% of them speak very good English. Whenever I need to call for customer support for anything, I call the Flemish line and ask "Spreekt u engels?" Works every time!

As for local customs, I'm afraid I haven't been exposed to many here. There are so many foreigners here (Because of NATO, the European Commission, etc.) I have not met too many Belgians! I also live right near (basically in) the Matonge, the Congolese district, where they have their own special local customs! (Some of them not so savory...) I don't really think that assimilation is the name of the game here in Brussels, but there are some local customs I am happy to take part in! (Sitting on the terrace drinking beer, eating a lot of chocolate, bringing home big fresh baguettes for lunch, going through strolls at the royal park...)

-Do you miss home and family sometimes? Describe your favorite recreational activities there or those that are available.

I do miss home and family. I was here for 5 months before visiting home, and that seemed like a very long time to me. Since then I've had friends visiting and I've gone home a few times. I also have a weekly phone call with my parents, and that really helps. The internet has also helped a lot with separation anxiety. I love to cook and bake (as recreational activities)! I also have made a few friends that I spend a lot of time with. I run in the park for exercise, and I blog a lot. There are plenty of events and clubs for expats, too. There is no lack of things to keep a lonely expat busy!

-Do you have other plans for the future?

I am planning to live here for another couple of years, and in that time I really want to take advantage of living in the middle of Europe! I am traveling to Ireland and Sweden this month, and then in December I'm off to London for a few days! There is ample opportunity for travel, and I'm hoping to spend some time in Eastern Europe as well! I am hoping to continue with my English lessons, and would love to take on a class or 2 of children at a local language school.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

I am renting an apartment with my husband. We pay EUR 650 for 67m2. We have a decent sized bedroom, and a big living room, kitchen and bathroom. The area is very up-and-coming, with loads of trendy restaurants and cafes. The building is quite old, so it has its problems, but it is still a great price for what we have and the area!

-What is the cost of living in Belgium?

I would say the cost of living here is about EUR 1,500. That would be including housing, food, transport and entertainment.

-What do you think about the Belgians?

The locals that I know are very nice and friendly. However, I am not impressed with the locals in the service industry. It almost seems like they resent foreigners taking over their city. Many of them seem to be simply indifferent to foreigners.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Belgium?

Positives: The food here is excellent (chocolate, beer, fries, waffles, mussels, etc.), there are loads of other expats to build a community with, great health care system, excellent cheap public transportation,good service for taxes

Negatives: High taxes, crazy bureaucracy, no concept of customer service, internet bandwidth cap, no real choice in utility suppliers

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Belgium?

Patience, patience patience. Do not expect anything to be done quickly.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Belgium?

xpats.com -- A site for English speakers in Belgium. They have everything froma Q and A section where you can post your own questions, to a classifieds section, job postings, local events, local blogs, etc. GREAT site!

brodyinbelgium.blogspot.com -- my blog about my day-to-day life here in Brussels!

-Where were you born? 

Buffalo, New York, USA

-In which country and city are you living now?

Belgium, Hasselt

-Are you living alone or with your family?

With my Belgian wife and 3 terminally adorable Welsh pembroke Corgis, and 3 loud mini parrots

-How long have you been living in Belgium?

7 1/2 years

-What is your age?

57

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Belgium?

If you own real estate as my wife's father did.  The cost for full time care in an old person's home is a staggering 3,500  €uros per month sans medicine. So we pulled stakes after living in southwest Florida for 5 years to look after her ailing father. And at the same time live together as a married couple in Europe.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a work permit? 

No, except they lost our file.  But cheerful persistence won in the long run.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

If you have the geld (money) it's smooth as silk. Our bank AXA had a medical insurance provision.

-How do you make your living in Belgium? Do you have any type of income generated?

I am a cinematographer who had Getty Images represent my stock library footage worldwide. Checks were sent when clients licensed shots.  It so happens the owner of an ultimate pampering resort on Ibiza wanted photos taken. I turned Flanders upside down looking to rent professional Hollywood style lights but succeeded.  This eventually opened the door to  becoming a 'guest speaker' at colleges and schools on the subject of motion picture camera and lighting techniques.  The students were eager and very motivated to learn.

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language?

It is so enriching to speak another language(s). The smile from the locals is a little bit wider when you can pronounce something of their own native mother tongue.

I had spent summers on the Cote d'Azur attending seminars and could identify myself as a Huck Finn speaking 'avec accent tres American' French. However, once in the Flemish side of Belgium the inevitable hit me like a meatball falling out of the sky.  Time to enroll in a school and sink your teeth into learning the difficult Nederlands language. Two years of lessons, 5 times a week finally made it possible for me to answer the phone and barely understand the announcements over the P.A. at the train station.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?

No, not at all... er...except the Mexican food.

-Do you have other plans for the future?

For the past 6 years I've  actively been learning more Dutch because I take Spanish classes.  Now I teach advanced English conversation at an adult school.  Seems everyone here likes to speak English and it's fine by me.

Perhaps take the big plunge and settle someday in South America.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

We inherited my father-in-law's apartment. However, we rent two big treed gardens across the street for 300 €uros a year.

-What is the cost of living in Belgium?

If you ride a bike, although we have a car but never use it, transportation is a bargain like I've never known before.  Buses in Hasselt are free.  My wife and I are really into raw vegetables and fruit juicing, the bi-weekly outdoors farmers market is only footsteps away. I find it much cheaper than when living in California or Florida.  The variety of food here is sensational. It's fresher and actually tastes superior to the supermarket produce stateside.

-What do you think about the Belgians? 

I tend to take a universal approach to my fellow humankind;  if you're warm, accessible, friendly then usually they mirror the same sentiments back to you. Perhaps Belgians are only slightly more reserved at first. Belgians are trustworthy and extremely dependable people. At least that's been my experience in Flanders.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Belgium?

Too, too, many gorgeous women. California ain't got nothing over this place.  Incredible antiques, crystal vases, paintings.  The downside winter months are dull, wet and the audible laughter on the streets dries up.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Belgium?

If you try to taste every Belgian beer then be prepared to have a cork put in your navel and be tethered like a bloated balloon over a kermis (local carnaval).  Learn French. Travel the fabulous world great bike paths in Limburg province with a camera.

-Where were you born?
Brasov, Romania (Transylvania for the more exotic sound!)

-In which country and city are you living now?
Brussels, Belgium

-Are you living alone or with your family?
Alone, as in no family. But living together with Mark, an expat himself.

-How long have you been living in Belgium?
Oh … God … probably too long. Almost 10 years now. And every year is the last one.

-What is your age?
Aha, the trick question. Currently 30.

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Belgium?
Oh, there was not a lot of thinking as such involved. I applied to different American colleges around Europe. Some offered me a full scholarship. Others not. Belgium won. Et voila, I arrived in Brussels. Looking back probably not my top choice, but in the meantime it became home. Sort of.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
Visa was a very (very!) long process, but given Romania was not yet part of the European Union, probably not that unusual. Nowadays Romanians do not need a visa anymore for Belgium (or other EU countries). Work permit: again up to this year it was a lengthy and sometimes nerve-wracking process (sort of work permit lottery!) but that has been solved by the EU membership as well. Only drawback? Romanian citizens still need a work permit in Belgium up to the end of 2008.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived? No, as both university and later, my employer applied for my health insurance.

-How do you make your living in Belgium? Do you have any type of income generated?

Working very hard! Well, like everyone. Yes, I do have job. And I got it very much like everyone else: applying to different jobs, registering with head hunters and going through job interviews. It took me a little bit longer than initially planned because of the then work permit process (see above). Jobs in Brussels are plenty. Of course most of them are more or less EU oriented: project management, consultancy, lobbying, etc. All these jobs are advertised in either expat magazines (The Bulletin is a good start) or on Eurobrussels.

Then of course there is the whole European Commission job platform which has its own system, to be found on their website.

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language?

I think no matter the country you live in, local language and customs should be at least taken on board. Sometimes learning a language (Dutch) can be more difficult than learning another (French). But one or the other is probably helpful when settling down in Brussels. I am not saying necessary. My current working and living language is English and I am sure we could go by with just that perfectly well: everyone speaks English (from the butcher, kid you not, to our landlady, or restaurant staff). French and Dutch though open doors otherwise closed, and people are always very responsive to our shy attempts at speaking the local language. Plus if you really want to know what’s happening in Brussels, you simply need to speak (or at least read) one or the other. And French is just sooo sexy!

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?

Moving abroad young and probably unaware of the big bad world, I sort of rebranded Brussels as my second home. After all I am moving fast towards having lived 50/50 in Romania and Belgium.

I miss my family tons and they miss me. But we have worked out an efficient communication based on modern technology (messenger, Skype, sms, Facebook, you name it) and a very European style relationship: my parents spend their holidays here (combined with the Netherlands, France, Germany, etc.) and I spend Christmas and/or Easter home.

-Do you have other plans for the future?

I never lack plans. I always lack time. Travel, yes. Business plans, yes. Both are somehow linked to a lot of back and forth, collecting more and more air miles, with a very relaxing break in Bourgogne and a longer, adventure filled holiday planned in Brazil.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

Renting. On average rents range from 500euro to … well, as much as you can afford.

The real estate market has been going up, up and up till recently. Now that it reached a standstill we will most likely look into buying.

-What is the cost of living in Belgium?
More expensive than Germany. Less expensive than the UK. Does that answer the question? Difficult to say. Cost of living depends on income and that is very different from Brussels to suburbs and then again, from expat to non-expat. You adapt.

-What do you think about the Belgians?
I think the locals are lovely. Really, once you get to know them, great people. Only that it takes a very long time to get to know them. Then again, drawback of being an expat is that most of our friends are expats themselves.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Belgium?
Lots of positives – at the crossroads of major European capitals, absolutely amazing food and drink, very international thus culturally very rich, easy going, etc.

Negatives – well there is the weather! And trust me it can wear you down like nothing else. Then there is the very Belgian administration, where no one seems to know anything. Very confusing. A lot of patience is needed. (And the occasional glass of wine!)

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Belgium?
Enjoy it and take it all with a grain of salt. Learn one of the languages (or both). Get out there and explore the country. Then explore the neighboring countries. Enjoy the many restaurants and bars. Try Belgian beers. Oh, and the chocolate. And the moment the sun shines, take it all in because you don’t know when the next sunny day will come.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Belgium?
I keep (more or less regularly) 3 blogs: Food, general gourmet life (festivals, markets) and restaurant reviews are on Glorious Food and Wine. Another on and about Belgian beers (of course!).