Thank you! I'm moving to Brussels for 6 months in a few weeks and hearing another expat's perspective is super useful, especially when it's exposed in such a clear way. Now going to check out the first video on Brussels positives and negatives
While most shops are closed on Sundays, you can still easily find middle-sized supermarkets open on Sundays or Sunday mornings, I have 3 within a 10min walk of my home. And of course night-shops and small supermarkets. This is not Luxemburg where only the shops associated to gas stations can be open late.
I live in Brussels and i agree the trash collection is garbage (lol), I wish rules were stricter at least make the collection bin mandatory. The streets would be cleaner and it would make the collection people jobs a little easier.
I fully agree with the trash issue. I used to live in a building where household refuse was taken care of in the same way you're used to in the US. It's much better. I have noticed that the situation with the state of the pavements very much depends on the mentality of a particular street. When everyone is neat and tidy, that trend will be maintained. If stinking stuff is tolerated, everyone joins in being sloppy. You have to be careful of birds too actually. Some birds tear the bags open in search of food. The Brussels authorities have really tried to tackle the issue of trash bags lying around for too long by restricting the amount of time the bags stay out. There's a two hour window now, and not more. It doesn't work where I live. You can complain to your syndic. If they do their job well, they will reinforce discipline. I find that Brussels is a very green place. 💚 There are many parks and woods. Or woods in parks. I moved out but came back a few years later. Brussels gave me work, love, children and Islam ☪️ 🌿🌷⚘️ Alhamdulilah
So glad to hear you've had a positive experience overall living in Brussels. Of course every city has its quirks, but we have to take the good with the bad, right? Thanks for watching, I'm wishing you a great day!
As a Belgian guy that just came back from a 5 years trip in Ireland and planning to move to Brussels in the coming month. It is really nice to follow your videos ! Gonna open a nice tripel karmeliet now. Good work and I hope you enjoy little Belgium 👍🏻
Hi thanks for the video, it is wonderful and informative, especially those websites shared. My family is planning to move to Brussels this year and it will be great if you're interested to share some house hunting tips!
Thanks for watching, @yehonglin4442! I'm so glad to hear that you found the video helpful :) I'm not too familiar with the housing market here, but you can check out this website which should point you in the right direction: www.expatica.com/be/housing/housing-basics/belgium-housing-106777/
@@AlexandraTempleton Hi Alexandra, so we had our weekly business chat with my American friend Mike Byrnes this morning, and though he’s lived in Belgium for 20 years with Tamara, Mike found the trash pickup protocols interesting. Basel, Switzerland is different, where our company HQ is. Many different protocols. Keep up the good work, best David
hey! can you also make a video related to clothing like essential clothing items to pack for brussels or like what to bring and what not, I am moving to brussels in mid September, that sorta video would be really really helpful
Hey @Maitrigoswmi2990! Thanks for watching :) For the clothing I'd recommend you bring lots of layers. The weather here can change quite a lot day to day, so I'd suggest you bring warm clothes (Northern Europe) and water resistant shoes. Other than that I think you'll just need a good sense of humor as the moving transition can be a little rocky. Wishing you the best of luck though!
agree that Brussels trash collection is a shambles, but I don't think that the sorting is particularly unique at this point. I've lived in lots of cities and they all have some sort of recycling + organic waste separation. But yeah, they really need to work on a better system.
Thank you very much for your video I learned a lot abput life in Belgium! Life here in America is going downhill big time and many people want to leave this country. Is Brussels very expensive?
I'm so glad to hear you found the video helpful :) Life here can be expensive, it depends on a lot of factors, but coming from the US myself, many things here like travel and health insurance are much more afforable.
@@AlexandraTempleton a family they are friends of my parents they moved to Milan Italy 2 years ago and they said that their lives are much better there than in America. A lot of Caucasians have left America now. Do you see yourself living in Brussels for the rest of your life or do you want to move back to America one day?
@@AlexandraTempleton I don't think it can be more expensive than Silicon Valley but Icould be wrong. An average 4 bedroom house here is around 3 million usd!
Hi Alexandra, as always a great video which I found very informative and entertaining! 🎉 I’ve got a few questions: 1. How much do you spend for Internet there both for your home network and your mobile data? 2. When you said that 90% are closed on Sundays what types of establishments are in the 10% that are still open? 3. What’s your experience with people and their interactions on the street? Like are they more the type who minds their own business or are they the type who is more willing to help other people in public places? Thank you!
Hola Ali! I'll try my best to answer your questions: 1. There are many internet providers, I currently use Voo and pay about 85 Euros each month for internet and mobile phone data. 2. The 90% that I cited in the video is a rough estimate, but most important establishments are closed: bank, big grocery shops (the express ones stay open), post office, clothing stores, many restaurants, etc. 3. I would say that on average Belgians tend to mind their own business and will not bother you on the street. That being said, I haven't had any rude interactions with people if I do need help/ if someone comes up to ask for directions. The problem that comes up more often is trying to find a common language :P Hope this helps!
We don't turn away customers but after years of experience with them I do hate last-minute-customers. Their catchphrase is "it isn't X o'clock (closing time) yet ! Knowing very well that the sales procedure takes way more than the few minutes or seconds left. And you can be sure there will be a problem along that procedure, either they aren't able to provide some vital information or there is a payment problem. People behind the counter have a life after working hours too you know.
Hey! I've been checking out your vids and I'm grateful for the info🙌. I'm from Argentina and thinking of moving to Belgium. I'm a 23yo software dev with 1 year of exp in a junior role. I'm curious if you've had any insights from people in the same field about the job market in Belgium? Thanks!
Hey @Di4m0nds! Thanks for stopping by, I'm so glad to hear that the videos have helped you out :) Unfortunately I don't have much experience with your work, but I would definitely recommend you check out this site: www.expatica.com/be/working/finding-a-job/ for any job-related questions. They do a great job of answering the specifics :)
Hello Alexandra, I have enjoyed watching your videos. We're an old couple(Texans) coming to Brussels after a transatlantic cruise to Southampton then Eurostar to Brussels. We are going to be using Brussels as our hub to travel to several cities in the area using the train and also tours from Brussels. I've been looking on AirBnB for a rental during our time in Brussels. I would appreciate your insight into good areas to stay. We have traveled in Europe using public transportation and are comfortable with trains, buses, metros, etc. Thanks for your time and suggestions. Jody
Hi @Jhuff1, thanks for stopping by :) I would say that it depends a lot on what you plan to do/ see while you're here. If you want to be central to the action I would recommend you check out the neighborhood Sablon as it's centrally-located but has some nice residential pockets. For more greenery, I would recommend either Uccle (close to Bois de La Cambre- a big forest), or Woluwe-Saint-Pierre (more residential but well situated on the tram and metro lines. I hope this helps a bit! Safe travels and I hope you enjoy your trip here! Ally
very important for americans coming to brussels. If you hire or buy a car the trams (streetcars) WILL NEVER STOP AND YOU WILL ALWAYS PAY THE BILL so streetcars are most prioritair vehicles you are warned ting! ting kaboom!
each time a major american artist comes to perform in my country they either will do an acoustic concert or a very small size concert cutting all exitement cuz we have no arenas. And you will only be able to buy some items from their shops paying in cash. They don't even take a creditcard in Belgium for Pink, Madona Perry Lady GaGA or SIa OOOOMMMMGGGG
excellent video! just one thing... the sound :/ maybe it was my device, but volume of the spoken parts was really low and muffled, ambient noise distracting. otherwise great content!
Belgium weather is perfect, in the same day if not the same hour, it's possible to have 35°C with strong sun, heavy rain and 12°C winter wind. You can enjoy all the seasons in a single week either you are in January or August, from cold winter to dry hot summer. It's fun, because it's normal, to see at the same time, at the same place, a guy with a t-shirt, tiny short and slippery and another one with a woolen hat, winter jacket and moon-boots.
No disrespect, but it is my observation that Belgium is generally not good at business, and the opening hours are just one sign of this. Shops open late and close early - usually overlapping exactly with their customers' working hours. Not very smart if you want to earn money. And then on Saturday, it's the apocalypse. My remedy has been to drive to either the Netherlands or Germany if I need to do some shopping. Even their bureaucracy when it comes to companies trying to set up business there takes so long that we had clients say - eff it, we're gonna set up shop in the Netherlands.
What are your thoughts of moving to Belgium( not necessarily Brussels) with a family with young children. ( 4 under the age of 7yrs) . Thanks for your videos 😊❤
Hi MaryLou! Thanks for watching :) I would say go for it! Belgium has a lot of great infrastructure for kids, and within Brussels there are resources for language learning, daycare, community groups, and more. I wish you the best of luck on your move, if you decide to take the leap :)
We are moving to Brussels next month to get access to London by Eurostar. My daughter is getting allergy treatment in the UK but we will live in Brussels so I can work. I am a dual Norwegian and American citizen. You remind me of Michelle Alexandra in Oslo, she is your doppelganger blogging about life in Norway LOL. www.youtube.com/@MichelleAlexandra I am wondering, do you have to reserve laundry time like in Scandinavia or is it a free for all like America.
Hi Alex! Best of luck on your move to Brussels :) Regarding your question around laundry, if you are referring to the laundromats you do not need to reserve you can just go in and do your business when it suits you :)
I love Brussels, but there are definitely some parts of town you want to avoid, especially at night. It has the same issues as other big cities : pickpockets, garbage everywhere, drug addicts, vandalism etc ...
Yes thank you for bringing these infos into the light! I heard that the Muslim immigrants have done a lot of damage to Brussels and a lot of native Belgians want them deported.
@@williamMaezawa The main problem are Ethiopian refugees who don't get a permit to live here and hang around at station Brussels North. Living off drug traffic etc
You are quite right about many things. It’s very annoying that shops close on Sundays and that their opening hours coincide with the working hours of employees, making it impossible for someone to find time to shop. I think it’s the nature of Belgium, the socialist nature, where employees are employees. They do not care about making extra money because social security covers everything in the end. In the US, they are more capitalist and pursue every opportunity to make more money. I prefer the American way, of course. I find the Belgian way totally stupid. Now, about Brussels in particular. You are young, and your friends are probably young adults, with or without young children. Mostly, they would have one very young child. But as the family grows and as you grow older, as your children grow older, many people will find Brussels a toxic place. It’s not specifically about Brussels, but because it’s a big city. It’s exciting for youth but horrible for grown-ups, especially those with adolescent children. It’s better to move out to the countryside. Many people do that, and it’s totally understandable.
you could go to a container park. I dont understand the trash isue go to Tokyo and see how you like it there. just do the job... and let poeple work terrible hours for your convince, unions fought for normal working hours so that poeple can be with and care for their families. what you love is a based on your critisism.
Need to? No. Does it help majority especially when dealing in person with any officials, of course. Having some knowledge of Flemish will help one as well but in Brussels French still is way more useful. Imagine that, knowing the local languages being useful, what a concept eh? However, as a tourist you'll do fine with just knowing English, at least, if you are polite about it.
As a Belgian, it's fun to see that those who love Brussels are either foreigners or tourists, Belgians outside of Brussels hate it, people from Brussels are always complaining about it and other Europeans see it as the dark side of the EU where all the bad and often stupid decisions are taken.
I waw born and raised in Brussels. Except for the weather, I’m happy here, and my American husband is happy here too. But to be honest, Belgians are always complaining, and our fellow Belgians outside Brussels hate us.
You are complaining you can not just shift your waste responsibility to another? Out of sight is out of care? Wow... Great mentality.. In the larger part of Belgium there are clear regulations and if people just follow these all waste burden is short and sweet. Unfortunately because of the cultural diversity not every one is aware of these local rules. And yes I give you that Belgium as a country has weird constructions of different rules and laws for different regions. Governement is not that efficient because of the 3 language zones and different country regions and responsibilities that can be at either the city community , province, Flanders or Brussels or Wallonia, country level or..... Complicated!!! But if you compare Belgium to your beloved country USA there are definately some clear improvements... What I can not believe is that in every standard hotel in the USA there are only plastics and carton plates used for breakfast !!! All the styrofoam cups used for "drinks to go"... The enormous mountain of waste material blows my mind. And using cars in Brussels indeed is just plain stupid!! Public transport is convenient enough to get around! And about the opening hours for all different services... All people in Belgian jobs have an ample amount of days off to use to get things done. Plus the possibility to work at home plus most jobs have flexible hours. And child care is available at reasonable charges.
Hey @Darius524! The spots around 3:19 were all shot in the Sablon neighborhood- near the Sablon square, Rue des quatre fils Aymon, and next to the Square du petit Sablon. There's a little park there called Parc Egmont that I chose for the speaking portion at 8:13. Thanks for stopping by!
![[SFM] Risky Recital](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RzNkY1_Nk3o/mqdefault.jpg)
Thank you! I'm moving to Brussels for 6 months in a few weeks and hearing another expat's perspective is super useful, especially when it's exposed in such a clear way. Now going to check out the first video on Brussels positives and negatives
My pleasure Fifi! I wish you the best of luck on your transition to Brussels :)
While most shops are closed on Sundays, you can still easily find middle-sized supermarkets open on Sundays or Sunday mornings, I have 3 within a 10min walk of my home.
And of course night-shops and small supermarkets.
This is not Luxemburg where only the shops associated to gas stations can be open late.
You are right: I was watching your video because I am planning on move to Brussels from Tokyo with wife and son… thanks for the honest feedbacks
Solid and balanced video. You seem like a really nice person. Brussels has its quirks but that is part of its charm. It’s a unique place to live!
Thanks Jarrett, I appreciate that! Indeed, Brussels has it's pros and cons- like every place :)
I live in Brussels and i agree the trash collection is garbage (lol), I wish rules were stricter at least make the collection bin mandatory. The streets would be cleaner and it would make the collection people jobs a little easier.
Wow. What a wonderful video! Awesome ❤
I fully agree with the trash issue. I used to live in a building where household refuse was taken care of in the same way you're used to in the US. It's much better. I have noticed that the situation with the state of the pavements very much depends on the mentality of a particular street. When everyone is neat and tidy, that trend will be maintained. If stinking stuff is tolerated, everyone joins in being sloppy. You have to be careful of birds too actually. Some birds tear the bags open in search of food. The Brussels authorities have really tried to tackle the issue of trash bags lying around for too long by restricting the amount of time the bags stay out. There's a two hour window now, and not more. It doesn't work where I live. You can complain to your syndic. If they do their job well, they will reinforce discipline. I find that Brussels is a very green place. 💚 There are many parks and woods. Or woods in parks. I moved out but came back a few years later. Brussels gave me work, love, children and Islam ☪️ 🌿🌷⚘️ Alhamdulilah
So glad to hear you've had a positive experience overall living in Brussels. Of course every city has its quirks, but we have to take the good with the bad, right?
Thanks for watching, I'm wishing you a great day!
As a Belgian guy that just came back from a 5 years trip in Ireland and planning to move to Brussels in the coming month. It is really nice to follow your videos ! Gonna open a nice tripel karmeliet now. Good work and I hope you enjoy little Belgium 👍🏻
That’s so nice to hear, I’m glad a bona fide Belgian likes the video 😄 Enjoy the Tripel Karmeliet for me as well please 🙏🏼
And good luck on your move!
Hi thanks for the video, it is wonderful and informative, especially those websites shared. My family is planning to move to Brussels this year and it will be great if you're interested to share some house hunting tips!
Thanks for watching, @yehonglin4442! I'm so glad to hear that you found the video helpful :) I'm not too familiar with the housing market here, but you can check out this website which should point you in the right direction: www.expatica.com/be/housing/housing-basics/belgium-housing-106777/
Hi, a very nice and insightful video. Thank you, David
I’m so glad you liked it David! Thanks for stopping by :)
@@AlexandraTempleton Hi Alexandra, so we had our weekly business chat with my American friend Mike Byrnes this morning, and though he’s lived in Belgium for 20 years with Tamara, Mike found the trash pickup protocols interesting. Basel, Switzerland is different, where our company HQ is. Many different protocols. Keep up the good work, best David
hey! can you also make a video related to clothing like essential clothing items to pack for brussels or like what to bring and what not, I am moving to brussels in mid September, that sorta video would be really really helpful
Hey @Maitrigoswmi2990! Thanks for watching :) For the clothing I'd recommend you bring lots of layers. The weather here can change quite a lot day to day, so I'd suggest you bring warm clothes (Northern Europe) and water resistant shoes. Other than that I think you'll just need a good sense of humor as the moving transition can be a little rocky. Wishing you the best of luck though!
Informative video about moving to our city, thanks for sharing! ☺
My pleasure! I’m so glad you found it helpful :)
agree that Brussels trash collection is a shambles, but I don't think that the sorting is particularly unique at this point. I've lived in lots of cities and they all have some sort of recycling + organic waste separation. But yeah, they really need to work on a better system.
Thank you very much for your video I learned a lot abput life in Belgium! Life here in America is going downhill big time and many people want to leave this country. Is Brussels very expensive?
I'm so glad to hear you found the video helpful :) Life here can be expensive, it depends on a lot of factors, but coming from the US myself, many things here like travel and health insurance are much more afforable.
@@AlexandraTempleton a family they are friends of my parents they moved to Milan Italy 2 years ago and they said that their lives are much better there than in America. A lot of Caucasians have left America now. Do you see yourself living in Brussels for the rest of your life or do you want to move back to America one day?
@@AlexandraTempleton I don't think it can be more expensive than Silicon Valley but Icould be wrong. An average 4 bedroom house here is around 3 million usd!
Hi Alexandra, as always a great video which I found very informative and entertaining! 🎉
I’ve got a few questions:
1. How much do you spend for Internet there both for your home network and your mobile data?
2. When you said that 90% are closed on Sundays what types of establishments are in the 10% that are still open?
3. What’s your experience with people and their interactions on the street? Like are they more the type who minds their own business or are they the type who is more willing to help other people in public places?
Thank you!
Hola Ali! I'll try my best to answer your questions:
1. There are many internet providers, I currently use Voo and pay about 85 Euros each month for internet and mobile phone data.
2. The 90% that I cited in the video is a rough estimate, but most important establishments are closed: bank, big grocery shops (the express ones stay open), post office, clothing stores, many restaurants, etc.
3. I would say that on average Belgians tend to mind their own business and will not bother you on the street. That being said, I haven't had any rude interactions with people if I do need help/ if someone comes up to ask for directions. The problem that comes up more often is trying to find a common language :P
Hope this helps!
It sure does 😊
I can vouch for the fact that being turned away well before advertised closing time is definitely a thing!!! 🤬
It is perplexing indeed 😅
We don't turn away customers but after years of experience with them I do hate last-minute-customers. Their catchphrase is "it isn't X o'clock (closing time) yet ! Knowing very well that the sales procedure takes way more than the few minutes or seconds left.
And you can be sure there will be a problem along that procedure, either they aren't able to provide some vital information or there is a payment problem. People behind the counter have a life after working hours too you know.
@@flitsertheo easy advertise you close 20 minutes before the real closure time and you will make everybody happy even the last minute customers ;)
I love your video!
Hey! I've been checking out your vids and I'm grateful for the info🙌. I'm from Argentina and thinking of moving to Belgium. I'm a 23yo software dev with 1 year of exp in a junior role. I'm curious if you've had any insights from people in the same field about the job market in Belgium? Thanks!
Hey @Di4m0nds! Thanks for stopping by, I'm so glad to hear that the videos have helped you out :) Unfortunately I don't have much experience with your work, but I would definitely recommend you check out this site: www.expatica.com/be/working/finding-a-job/
for any job-related questions. They do a great job of answering the specifics :)
Hello Alexandra, I have enjoyed watching your videos. We're an old couple(Texans) coming to Brussels after a transatlantic cruise to Southampton then Eurostar to Brussels. We are going to be using Brussels as our hub to travel to several cities in the area using the train and also tours from Brussels. I've been looking on AirBnB for a rental during our time in Brussels. I would appreciate your insight into good areas to stay. We have traveled in Europe using public transportation and are comfortable with trains, buses, metros, etc. Thanks for your time and suggestions. Jody
Hi @Jhuff1, thanks for stopping by :) I would say that it depends a lot on what you plan to do/ see while you're here. If you want to be central to the action I would recommend you check out the neighborhood Sablon as it's centrally-located but has some nice residential pockets.
For more greenery, I would recommend either Uccle (close to Bois de La Cambre- a big forest), or Woluwe-Saint-Pierre (more residential but well situated on the tram and metro lines.
I hope this helps a bit! Safe travels and I hope you enjoy your trip here!
Ally
Thank you for your response. I will look at both of your suggestions. Always🙂@@AlexandraTempleton
very important for americans coming to brussels. If you hire or buy a car the trams (streetcars) WILL NEVER STOP AND YOU WILL ALWAYS PAY THE BILL so streetcars are most prioritair vehicles you are warned ting! ting kaboom!
each time a major american artist comes to perform in my country they either will do an acoustic concert or a very small size concert cutting all exitement cuz we have no arenas. And you will only be able to buy some items from their shops paying in cash. They don't even take a creditcard in Belgium for Pink, Madona Perry Lady GaGA or SIa OOOOMMMMGGGG
Thanks for the information
I want to move to Belgium
How can you help me
Thank you
excellent video! just one thing... the sound :/ maybe it was my device, but volume of the spoken parts was really low and muffled, ambient noise distracting. otherwise great content!
Ok noted, thanks for the tip Alex, I'll look into it :) Have a nice day!
If you move commune you just need to register at the new commune and they will handle everything including the previous commune
True I did that recently
whats wrong with the weather??seems perfect to me
Belgium weather is perfect, in the same day if not the same hour, it's possible to have 35°C with strong sun, heavy rain and 12°C winter wind.
You can enjoy all the seasons in a single week either you are in January or August, from cold winter to dry hot summer.
It's fun, because it's normal, to see at the same time, at the same place, a guy with a t-shirt, tiny short and slippery and another one with a woolen hat, winter jacket and moon-boots.
No disrespect, but it is my observation that Belgium is generally not good at business, and the opening hours are just one sign of this.
Shops open late and close early - usually overlapping exactly with their customers' working hours. Not very smart if you want to earn money.
And then on Saturday, it's the apocalypse. My remedy has been to drive to either the Netherlands or Germany if I need to do some shopping.
Even their bureaucracy when it comes to companies trying to set up business there takes so long that we had clients say - eff it, we're gonna set up shop in the Netherlands.
Very interesting! Thank you
Thanks Fedor! I'm glad you found it valuable :)
@@AlexandraTempleton now i live in Brussels too! 🕺🏼
"Customer is always right in matters of taste." --Harry Gordon Selfridge
No need to abbreviate.
What are your thoughts of moving to Belgium( not necessarily Brussels) with a family with young children. ( 4 under the age of 7yrs) .
Thanks for your videos 😊❤
Hi MaryLou! Thanks for watching :) I would say go for it! Belgium has a lot of great infrastructure for kids, and within Brussels there are resources for language learning, daycare, community groups, and more.
I wish you the best of luck on your move, if you decide to take the leap :)
@@AlexandraTempleton Thankyou so much for your feedback ❤️🙏
Why did you move to Belgium from America?
We are moving to Brussels next month to get access to London by Eurostar. My daughter is getting allergy treatment in the UK but we will live in Brussels so I can work. I am a dual Norwegian and American citizen. You remind me of Michelle Alexandra in Oslo, she is your doppelganger blogging about life in Norway LOL. www.youtube.com/@MichelleAlexandra I am wondering, do you have to reserve laundry time like in Scandinavia or is it a free for all like America.
Hi Alex! Best of luck on your move to Brussels :) Regarding your question around laundry, if you are referring to the laundromats you do not need to reserve you can just go in and do your business when it suits you :)
I love Brussels, but there are definitely some parts of town you want to avoid, especially at night. It has the same issues as other big cities : pickpockets, garbage everywhere, drug addicts, vandalism etc ...
Yes thank you for bringing these infos into the light! I heard that the Muslim immigrants have done a lot of damage to Brussels and a lot of native Belgians want them deported.
@@williamMaezawa The main problem are Ethiopian refugees who don't get a permit to live here and hang around at station Brussels North. Living off drug traffic etc
nice squatting, but i suggest putting both heels down, like a G 4:20
I agree, the proper Slav squat is the ideal to strive for 👌🏼
Trying to decide whether I should move to Brussels or Munich for work. Thanks for the insight!
Glad to have helped :) Good luck on your move :)
Thanks! :D@@AlexandraTempleton
In Belgium if you are their costumers it is your fault, not theirs.
The way we handle Trash is the same in nyc…
Plenty of volunteer opportunities in America.
Yup the trash thing is the same in the netherlands, germany and france.
The customer is always right phrase comes from deescalating situations- it’s not literal.
TROC is actually quite expensive
Then you are better off visiting the "kringloopwinkels" all around Flanders. I don't know if they have an equivalent in Wallonia.
@@flitsertheo It exists, it's Oxfam
Waste collection in the US is not that efficient
You are quite right about many things. It’s very annoying that shops close on Sundays and that their opening hours coincide with the working hours of employees, making it impossible for someone to find time to shop. I think it’s the nature of Belgium, the socialist nature, where employees are employees. They do not care about making extra money because social security covers everything in the end. In the US, they are more capitalist and pursue every opportunity to make more money. I prefer the American way, of course. I find the Belgian way totally stupid. Now, about Brussels in particular. You are young, and your friends are probably young adults, with or without young children. Mostly, they would have one very young child. But as the family grows and as you grow older, as your children grow older, many people will find Brussels a toxic place. It’s not specifically about Brussels, but because it’s a big city. It’s exciting for youth but horrible for grown-ups, especially those with adolescent children. It’s better to move out to the countryside. Many people do that, and it’s totally understandable.
you could go to a container park. I dont understand the trash isue go to Tokyo and see how you like it there. just do the job... and let poeple work terrible hours for your convince, unions fought for normal working hours so that poeple can be with and care for their families. what you love is a based on your critisism.
I guess the question I wanted answered is if one needs to know French
Need to? No. Does it help majority especially when dealing in person with any officials, of course.
Having some knowledge of Flemish will help one as well but in Brussels French still is way more useful.
Imagine that, knowing the local languages being useful, what a concept eh?
However, as a tourist you'll do fine with just knowing English, at least, if you are polite about it.
As a Belgian, it's fun to see that those who love Brussels are either foreigners or tourists, Belgians outside of Brussels hate it, people from Brussels are always complaining about it and other Europeans see it as the dark side of the EU where all the bad and often stupid decisions are taken.
Come to America and see how bad it's getting out here
What city in Europe do you like?
I waw born and raised in Brussels. Except for the weather, I’m happy here, and my American husband is happy here too. But to be honest, Belgians are always complaining, and our fellow Belgians outside Brussels hate us.
@@coletteuytterhoeven2086 why do the Belgians outside of Brussels hate the people in Brussels?
@@coletteuytterhoeven2086 how expensive is Brussels?
Move to another city it WILL BE BETTER ;)
You are complaining you can not just shift your waste responsibility to another? Out of sight is out of care? Wow... Great mentality.. In the larger part of Belgium there are clear regulations and if people just follow these all waste burden is short and sweet. Unfortunately because of the cultural diversity not every one is aware of these local rules. And yes I give you that Belgium as a country has weird constructions of different rules and laws for different regions. Governement is not that efficient because of the 3 language zones and different country regions and responsibilities that can be at either the city community , province, Flanders or Brussels or Wallonia, country level or..... Complicated!!!
But if you compare Belgium to your beloved country USA there are definately some clear improvements...
What I can not believe is that in every standard hotel in the USA there are only plastics and carton plates used for breakfast !!! All the styrofoam cups used for "drinks to go"... The enormous mountain of waste material blows my mind. And using cars in Brussels indeed is just plain stupid!! Public transport is convenient enough to get around!
And about the opening hours for all different services... All people in Belgian jobs have an ample amount of days off to use to get things done. Plus the possibility to work at home plus most jobs have flexible hours. And child care is available at reasonable charges.
Too many ninjas in Belgium. In Brussels is like middle east.
Uhh it’s called Antique shopping. There’s nothing unique about it
Thank you for demonstrating that you don't know the difference between antics and second hand.
So, we have cliques and even indoor climbing walls in America. Just because it has a fancy name, doesn’t make it unique
Did anyone say that NO where in the world you can find indoor climbing? Nope. So pipe down mate, you just make yourself ridiculous.
Are you homeless?
where is these places at 8:13 and 3:19 ?
Hey @Darius524! The spots around 3:19 were all shot in the Sablon neighborhood- near the Sablon square, Rue des quatre fils Aymon, and next to the Square du petit Sablon. There's a little park there called Parc Egmont that I chose for the speaking portion at 8:13.
Thanks for stopping by!
@@AlexandraTempleton why do you have to mention all the street names in french? Brussels is still supposed to be bilingual. An offended Fleming.