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Living overseas

Whether you're considering emigrating or an expat abroad, you'll find likeminds on this forum.

Luxembourg - we're definitely moving!

9 replies

Weta · 23/02/2009 21:16

Had a job i/v with the EU last week and it looks like we'll be moving to Lux this summer. So can I ask some more questions?

Renting - what's the deal with these 1 year/3 year leases? As I understand it, if you break the lease before the end you have to pay it out unless you can find tenants? Our plan is to buy a place after 12-18 months, so how do people manage this without going bankrupt paying out their lease? If you renew a 1-year lease is it for another full year each time with the same scary conditions attached? And is it hard to persuade a landlord to give you 1 year rather than 3 years?

Location - I had a bit of a look around but it seemed like most of the villages that are a bit out (and cheaper) are very tiny. I think DH might go bonkers at home with children there, so we might need to start off closer in even if it means an apartment, and maybe move out once we have established a life. What is Strassen like?

Creche - any tips on where to start with looking for one? and anything that may be different about creches there than anywhere else? or things to ask about? EU creche is no good to us as DH won't be working to start with so we can't use it - but we'd like a part-time place so he has a bit of time to learn German and then look for a job. I've heard there's a new scheme coming in which should drastically reduce the fees - do you know anything about it? and does it apply to all creches?

Thank you!!!

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broguemum · 25/02/2009 19:24

Just a few answers whilst I'm cooking dinner.

Strassen is great. Lived there for a while ourselves. I would also consider Alzingen, Hesperange and Itzig - all have good bus connections and are villages that have been swallowed by Lux as it grows.

There is a new scheme for reducing fees for creches. I don't know a huge amount about it but when I get back to Lux I will dig out the link to the leaflet or can ask DH to post if he's in tonight.

IMO you need to be careful about some of these multilingual creches as I don't think it helps for a child to be bombarded with so many languages. We went for a creche where all the people working there spoke one language with the children as we thought that on top of two languages at home the little ones should only be exposed to one more. If you are on higher end of the salary scale then don't even bother with the state creches. They will be seriously more expensive than private ones as they are means tested.

HTH - must go and stir the aubergines now.

Weta · 26/02/2009 09:23

Thanks BM, I do appreciate all your help on this.

I have a friend here whose MIL is Luxembourgish, so I had lunch with her when I went for my i/v - she was a bit snooty about Alzingen/Hesperange/Itzig, though I'm not sure why as I didn't actually go and see them. What was great about Strassen? I did have a quick look when I was there but didn't really get past route d'Arlon and a couple of not particularly inspiring residential streets. But I've been having a look on the net and there seems to be a fair bit going on so I figure I must have missed something! It has excellent connections to Kirchberg and is quite close to town too.

We'll go up for a week in late May to see what we can find, unfortunately with DS2 (18m) in tow! I'm trying to decide whether to stay in the youth hostel or a gite 25-30 mins out of town as that's all I seem to be able to find.

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broguemum · 26/02/2009 10:52

Alzingen, Herperange and Itzig are all "new" areas. Lots of new buildings and I think it is regarded as a bit nouveau IYSWIM? It is very international and in the appartment building we lived in there was only one Luxembourgish guy.

Gah! DS stinks - have to go and deal with it. Will get back to you when have a bit more time.

broguemum · 27/02/2009 20:16

Back in Lux now.

Strassen was great as it was v. close to town and there are good bus connections. Have to confess though we did not have kids at the time. We had a lovely appartment in a new block and lived the life of the young and the free!

Just to clarify what I meant about Alzingen etc - they are v. international and some Luxembourgers I have met do not necessarily regard this as a good thing.

The creche subsidy scheme is called cheque service. We're investigating it ourselves at the moment as it could mean 3 hours free childcare a week but no-one seems entirely sure of how it will work yet.

Sorry but I have no experience of the youth hostel or gites. You can get some reasonable rates (I think) from some of the hotels (novotel etc) so that might be worth trying?

WRT leases we never had problems with getting one year leases but we have always been through agents and have never rented privately direct from the landlord. I've heard mixed things about the rental market at the moment but I think that there are quite a lot of properties out there.

Good luck with the search and congrats on the job BTW.

Weta · 27/02/2009 20:41

Thanks yet again! and for the link to the creche subsidy scheme - looks like it will make a fair difference to the prices, which can only be a good thing

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Weta · 27/02/2009 21:05

Another question for you I'm afraid!

I was just looking again at the info on the creche subsidies, and you need a "numéro de matricule national", which apparently appears on your social security card. But if I'm working for the EU I don't think we'll be affiliated to the Lux social security. Do you happen to know how one gets the number? Is it automatically assigned when you register with the commune? Sorry, this is probably a very dumb question but I'm having trouble finding the answer on the net!!

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broguemum · 02/03/2009 19:11

As far as I know, you're right and you won't be affiliated to Lux social security if you are EU. I think when your H starts working he will get one and you can then apply for the cheque service. HTH.

Weta · 02/03/2009 23:02

Thanks... in the end I rang the Ville de Lux today and it turns out I will get a number with some paper from the EU and will be eligible for the creche subsidy, so all good.

BTW, you once said you could recommend your creche very highly - which one is it, out of interest?

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broguemum · 03/03/2009 07:10

It's Mary Poppins in Luxembourg on Rue de Neudorf. It's Luxembourgish speaking, doesn't look anything special but the children are happy. DS is there at the moment and loves it. DD was there for three years and she loved it too. I have had bad experiences with some other creches and if you want to know which ones these were please e mail me on zzkat_ellis at yahoo dot co dot uk.

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