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Anyone in Belgium care to chat?

10 replies

Jourdain11 · 22/04/2023 13:58

Inspiration shamelessly taken from the Germany thread - but reasons behind it are different. We will be moving to Belgium in the summer because my husband has got a job in Brussels and I'm really looking forward to it. Our children are 10 (year 6), 9 (year 5) and 7 (year 3). We'll get a lot of practical assistance from my husband's new work, but I'm particularly keen to know anything about schools and schooling, medical care, which activities and areas are good for kids, and so on. Husband's job is in Ixelles/Elsene, and because of the nature of it, we wouldn't want to be living too long a distance away.

DD1 has some complex medical needs, so it will be really vital to get things in order before we move.

DD2 loves hockey and is getting quite serious about it and was basically happy to move once I reassured her that field hockey is played in Belgium, so I need to ensure there's a club she can join somewhere not too far away! 😀 I'm also quite keen to look at other activities so they can make friends and integrate.

Would love to live somewhere with green space or a park, garden we can take or leave (since we don't have one at the moment and therefore wouldn't miss it!).

OP posts:
DorisParchment · 22/04/2023 14:00

I’m so envious! We spent five happy years in Belgium and didn’t want to leave.

AbsoIutelyLovely · 22/04/2023 14:04

I went to school at BSB in Tervuren, it’s 3-18 and has loads of space!

I think the main thing is to live at least near a tram/metro. Uccle and Rhodes St Genese are also nice. Schlepping about on the bus used to take forever but this was 30 years ago 😳

Jourdain11 · 22/04/2023 14:06

Forgot to say, I am French and the kids speak it decently well, although reading/writing isn't up to scratch.

OP posts:
Jourdain11 · 22/04/2023 14:08

So, although we'll definitely look at BSB, I don't want to write off the possibility of French-language education either.

OP posts:
AbsoIutelyLovely · 22/04/2023 14:18

Oh god no question then! Should have realised that from your username. 😂😂

LlynTegid · 22/04/2023 14:24

I have never lived in Belgium but have visited a lot for events and when a friend worked for the commission.

When looking for somewhere to live and education, you need to be very alert to the language divide. Some places where speaking French is very frowned upon are just outside Brussels.

JuneSun · 24/01/2024 08:09

also plan to work in Belgium, but kids are studying in UK, I wonder if we are still entitled to kids benefit and tax allowance?

Member278307 · 24/01/2024 11:31

Do not go. Horrible horrible place. Nasty people. Lived in St. Nicholas . Would not go there again even if I was paid.

JuneSun · 24/01/2024 15:30

sorry to hear that. What's your experience? @Member278307

StandardLFinegan · 24/01/2024 15:50

Member278307 · 24/01/2024 11:31

Do not go. Horrible horrible place. Nasty people. Lived in St. Nicholas . Would not go there again even if I was paid.

It’s surely impossible for all Belgians to
be nasty?

It’s perhaps true that some of the Flemish communes are a little insular and Belgium is quite a traditional country but most people are perfectly friendly if you are friendly to them and make an effort to integrate.

What happened Member278307

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