Life In BRUSSELS - 4 Things I Wish I'd Known (An American Perspective 2024)

[@flitsertheo]

Belgium has rain, the USA has typhoons, blizzards, tornados, etc ...

[@caden-reynolds]

u talk shit till ur 7 months in of gray skies and drizzle and need VitD prescription

[@SH3V3K_14]

Unlike tropical countries, which have four seasons, Belgium has only two : the small wet season, which lasts 3 months and the BIG wet season, which lasts 9 months. The trick is to learn to know the rain and to appreciate it. One has to be able to recognise the thin and light rain, which is our sunny weather from the hard, heavy and cold rain, which is when you should probably stay inside if you can...

[@AlexandraTempleton]

That’s a very good approach, learning to appreciate the rain in all its intensities- kudos to you for your optimistic spin 👌🏼

[@SH3V3K_14]

@@AlexandraTempleton Thank you, but that's really just memories from my childhood or my youth. And we actually do that. We have different names for different types of rain, a little like the inuits have 17 words for snow 😉.

[@wanneske1969]

I don't know where you used to live but the weather in Brussels is better on average than the Uk and Northern Germany for instance. Great videos btw

[@HM-mw7cg]

I’m from the UK but have lived in Brussels for almost a decade, and bxl is for sure more grey. Has the most cloud cover of any major Western European city. It’s fucking depressing. But yeah we’ve had a few banging summers recently. This one has been shit so far. But yeah the fact she spends so many minutes on the weather is dumb. It’s not extreme. But look who her sponsor is…

[@wanneske1969]

@@HM-mw7cg I visit northern Germany a lot (Bremen, Hamburg). On lots of occasions when I left Brussels by train, it was sunny and warm, and by the time I arrived in Bremen, it was cold, rainy or foggy. A friend of mine has lived in Dublin, Brussels and Bremen and said the weather was the best in Brussels ...

[@HM-mw7cg]

@@wanneske1969 there’s literally data proving that Brussels is among the cloudiest cities in Europe, beaten by Edinburgh and Dublin only. Most of the UK is sunnier

[@wanneske1969]

@@HM-mw7cg I have a friend who lived in Dublin, Amsterdam, Brussels and Bremen. She said the weather in Brussels was the best on average.

[@cromby620]

It's true that in Belgium it often rains and that's what makes it hardest to adapt, but well... not always 😱 and you can't see the counterparts on your video : The country is very green and Brussels has quite a few small parks. A friend from the South of France (much sunnier) told me she missed this green when she was in Marseille. The other side of the coin is that Brussels is a cosmopolitan city (184 nationalities), with only a third of Belgians of Belgian origin, making it the most multicultural city in Europe. This diversity means that it's always possible to build up a close circle of friends and family among expats and Belgians open to the spirit of the "new Belgians". Most expats say they only began to appreciate it after two years. That's about the time it takes to build up a stable network of friends.

[@andrecostermans7109]

If you liked that 'door-entrance', you really should check out in Berchem-Antwerp, nearby the train station the Cogel Osylei and neighbouring streets as the Transvaal straat aso. You won't be disapointed. Much about gorgeous art-deco houses aso, but be aware of ongoing 'street works' .

[@DBarks38]

The 3-6-9 contract commitment engage you to find a new tenant for the landlord if you need to leave before the end of the contract.

[@fplancke3336]

That's not true. You can leave early by paying one to three months penalty during the first 3 years of the contact. After that without penalty. (But always with a few months notice time). Of course if you find another tenant you can arrange otherwise with the landlord.

[@BindingTales]

Hey there! Your video was quite unexpected for me-I thought you might mention how Brussels is often seen as a city many locals aren't fond of! 😄 Also, Uccle isn't usually high on tourists' lists! It's funny, being from Antwerp, I always find it amusing how people often perceive Belgium as primarily French-speaking. It's great to see how much you appreciate Brussels though; it's refreshing to have people like you highlighting its charm. Hope the rain clears up soon and you keep enjoying your time here! By the way, if you're into local sweets, have you tried any Belgian treats yet? Macarons are delicious, but Belgium has its own amazing desserts too! It's really cool to see people enjoying Brussels because it's not typically a tourist hotspot. My husband is from Jordan, and I've only ever shown him the Grand Place on a mini day trip to Brussels-the rest didn't quite convince me. I'm more of an Antwerp city center fan myself, or places like Ghent, Brugge, Leuven and Mechelen have become really awesome to explore lately. And don't go to the beach here, it's booooooringgggg and the water is just flat and everything is grey. of course that's just my opinion :p

[@_filifjonkan4290]

Me and my kids love the beach, all they want is jump the waves, make sand castles, fly a kite, look for sea anemones on the break waters, ride gocarts on the dike, eat a waffle or shrimp croquette and play hide and seek in the dunes. You need to choose the right place of course. And a few kilometers up north there is a totally different beach in the Netherlands, just sand and dunes and a cafe here and there.

[@stonecrazy]

People tend to perceive Belgium as (primarily) French-speaking they don't even know flemish is a thing.

[@BindingTales]

@@stonecrazy craaaaazy… but I thought so when my Apple Store bought movie pride and prejudice was suddenly dubbed.. in French.. just because of my Belgium region. this happened four years ago and I’m still annoyed.

[@fabienh3943]

​@stonecrazy Yep. And that thing only matters to some Flemish.

[@BindingTales]

@@fabienh3943 strange, even though the majority of Belgians speak Dutch :)

[@fakiyafemi4101]

Thanks for the information I am interested in Belgium Pls how can you help me move to Belgium Thank you

[@brucetempleton9608]

Very informative. We love visiting Brussels 🎉

[@AlexandraTempleton]

You're welcome to visit anytime

[@yagi3925]

Of course Spanish and Portuguese are useful for living in Brussels. First they’re pretty close to French, which will help you a lot, second the Belgian capital is home to sizable Portuguese and Spanish speaking communities. You can virtually get by in Brussels with no Dutch or French and just Spanish and Polish.

[@BrusselsDude]

Be careful with the seafood in Picard. My wife got serious food poisoning from a frozen lobster from Picard a few years ago.

[@AlexandraTempleton]

Thanks for the heads up! I had no idea. Thanks for watching, BrusselsDude!

[@_PJW_]

Regarding food you best visit the small restaurants off the main streets. Superb food, and not at all expensive.

[@liliariz9045]

Beautiful city, just alote much rain ☔ 😅.

[@AlexandraTempleton]

Agreed 😅

[@estanda13]

This is awesome video! I'm excited to see the others. You are such an example of a perfect person. (Woman :) And I have never been to Brussels. Now I want to go there, in hope to meet you somewhere on the rainy street and eat some chocolate to get her😊

[@AlexandraTempleton]

Thanks so much, Standičko! You know you are welcome to come visit Brussels anytime :) We can eat all the chocolate your heart desires!

[@howardtreesong4860]

Why am I not surprised there's not a hint of a mention of Flemish in Brussels. hooi strooi hooi strooi hooi strooi It never fucking changes...

[@cromby620]

It's on all the official signs and in all the administrations. 🤷 Sorry but there are only 5% Flemings living in Brussels. It's like Monaco: Everything is officially bilingual (French and Provencal) but the Provencal language is no longer widely practiced there. To find real Flemings, you have to go to Flanders: Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Leuven, etc.

[@GamingDad]

Oh yes, the rough Belgian weather.

[@DanteGabryellMonson]

That's why we call a certain type of rain you seem to describe in the video "crachin" ( "spitting" ) : fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crachin

[@Chiquitab4]

Very informative! I just moved here so thank you!

[@AlexandraTempleton]

I'm so glad to hear that it helped you out :) Best of luck on your transition here!

[@tomlucas4269]

almost everyday.. stay happy

[@aureliedubois2605]

I’m looking to transfer with my US company to Brussels but live in Ghent. Speaking of languages…not all roles require French but I thought it be smart to take French again. I’ve only taken beginners 101 and 102 here. I need structure and do not trust myself to learn enough French in my own. I know you taught with Lingoda, however for certification and efficiency and pricing, would Lingoda still be best or should I try online zoom courses with Alliance Française?

[@AlexandraTempleton]

Hello Aurelie! How exciting that you'll be moving to Belgium :) Regarding your question on French, I'd say that Lingoda is a great option to start studying French remotely until you make the move here. Once you're in Belgium, you can always switch to in-person classes with Alliance Française. Also, if you sign up with this link (try.lingoda.com/Ally25 ), you get a discount on your first set of classes with Lingoda ;)

[@aureliedubois2605]

@@AlexandraTempleton great, thank you! I don’t mind doing some things on my own like reading and watching movies but I feel like I’m not really getting anywhere.

[@AlexandraTempleton]

@@aureliedubois2605 Yes I completely understand. It's important to have someone there to correct mistakes and provide a learning structure.

[@aureliedubois2605]

@@stoffel880 thank you! I visited Ghent for about 2 weeks last year but didn’t really explore Brussels. I do think staying in Gent/Ghent a bit of Dutch might be helpful too. I did get by with English and the occasional French (very limited conversation with an older woman at a tram stop on the way to breakfast one morning) and that’s when I decided if I make the move, I’ll need more language to try to make the move less stressful. I already speak Spanish and find French comes a bit easier for me than my friends that only speak English but still need way more work. To be honest, Dutch seems very difficult to me. Any tips for learning Dutch or maybe an area of conversation I should start my education? I don’t want to always default to English as I think I really should learn more of the local languages. For work, I’d be looking at commuting from Gent to Brussels.

[@Dutchbelg3]

I wish I learned French before moving to Brussels... and then find out actually that there are also people that talk Flemish 😜 Yes really... even in Brussels !! And a really good number of people do understand English. It helps to be able to talk at least one of the native languages to integrate in the local environment. Your video has good quality and I love your presentation but unfortunately about 50 % is a commercial. There is really much more to talk about on the food culture in Belgium. It is NOT only Waffles, chocolate and fries that are good... The Belgians really appreciate food and good quality ingredients. Frozen food is not one of them. !!!!

[@kenninast]

The very best tip if you want to move to Brussel: move to Antwerpen or Gent instead. Much nicer living quality. And if you're an English speaker: you don't even have to learn that chaos that is French. Virtually everybody in the Dutch speaking part of Belgium speaks English very well. And Dutch is easier to learn for English speakers. And it's way cooler. 😎😎😎

[@TheGabygael]

My favorite in winter is a long trench coat and a fur hat (fake fur that looks like dead possum). Dead rodent x shoulder padded look is particularly glamorous and every looks at the amazing view i'm greatful enough to provide u.u ... But yeah the trench keeps my body and neck dry and the hat prevents the rain from going anywhere near my head i it wont feel like i'm doing arm wrestling with the wind Also, is it me or are they making hoods super shallow these days like where are my assassin's Creed/wizard/death Reaper/little-red-riding hoods that cover your entire future gone?

[@Kimeke_Potferdek]

Where is that Wittamer shop? Doesn't look like the Sablon one... try the macarons at Marcolini too! 😋

[@AlexandraTempleton]

I like the macarons at Marcelino too- a very nice place to get gifts for people :) The Wittamer shop in the video is in Uccle :)

[@Kimeke_Potferdek]

Oh I see, there's a Wittamer store Rue Edith Cavell indeed. Good to know. Thanks for the tip. 😋 As you like good stuff: try the restaurant Epicerie Nomad in Ixelles (close to place Fernand Cocq...

[@brakaponter]

4:03 Está bien aprender francés, pero sinceramente las veces que he estado en Bruselas con el inglés no he tenido problemas, además si la persona que vive en Bruselas quiere ir, estar, "enjoy" la parte del país más dinámica, con ciudades más históricas y bellas, el francés... cuidado, allí hablan flamenco (holandés), no les gusta nada el francés y, o se sabe Flamenco o Inglés, o complicado. Por cierto, barrios fuera de Bruselas centro, ya tienen otra "zona" lingüística.... es psicodélico tomar el tren desde Bruselas (estación central) a Amberes y sin salir del Gran Bruselas, la megafonía cambia varias veces entre francés y flamenco...

[@chrisodebeek787]

Maison Wittamer is in fact au sablon, other interesting part of Brussels. Uccle is a satellite.

[@jme104]

Annual rain in Paris 720 mm, Brussels 807mm. Mean annual temperature Paris 11.7°C , Brussels 10.7 °c . Enough with the Brussels bashing . Avff. The girl should travel .

[@caden-reynolds]

hi we make fun of that too don't be an asshole

[@TheGabygael]

Belgian weather is shite - a Belgian (specially this year, eesh) Also she mentioned it in a "be prepared for the climate" pov which is sensible of any place you want to visit or move to

[@Alexandre-Marius-Jacob]

Your french is very good ! Do you sometimes visit Wallonia ? I feel like you would love Namur and Dinant.

[@AlexandraTempleton]

Thanks so much Alexandre! I'm going to keep studying it :) I have been to both Namur and Dinant and found them very nice :)

[@kurtb369]

spoiler alert : Brussels is not Belgium. do visit the whole country to get a better idea 😎

[@FranklinPiens]

1:30 ... in Antwerp our busstops have a 'roof' that's about 5 cm wide.... ;)) PS : it's easier for Americans to learn Dutch, also spoken in Brussels/Belgium

[@enesfrknyc]

Not cold, not rain but I reallyyyy hate wind it is so annoying :/

[@PeterCroughsTongeren]

French? Yeah in expensive Brussels. But Belgium is more than Brussels. Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent, the coastal areas are in Flanders where they speak Dutch, as in 60% of the country.

[@1957PLATO]

Our climate is very moderate and is typical for Western Europe.

[@TheSpiritOfTheTimes]

You've got a great voice, ASMR-level.

[@MV-xu8xv]

Weather in BE is a big minus. Hardly summer time (mei-sept).

[@edmerc92]

While you may not get to use the other two languages you studied in Brussels, having experience with other Romance languages probably helped you acquire French faster than if you hadn’t studied any. The pronunciation of French is certainly different, but the grammatical structure and vocabulary definitely have a lot in common. I imagine you could probably pick up Italian pretty easily at this point, too, as it’s very close to French in grammar while its pronunciation is more like Spanish.

[@AlexandraTempleton]

That's exactly my hope! I"ll be starting an intensive French immersion course in two weeks so wish me luck :) Thanks for watching @edmerc92 and I wish you a nice day!

[@daylightdaylight6612]

In Belgium we have s*it weather. But why you go always to those posh bakeries? Yes those posh bakeries are good but all those other bakeries are also good. And why not make a movie in a less fortunate part of Brussels? (Uccle and Ixelles/Elsene are two of the most fortunate parts of Brussels) It is the same if you see the serie "Emily in Paris" what you see there is also not the real Paris. Every video I see about Brussels or Belgium shows that people in Belgium only speak French, Belgium has 3 official languages: German, Dutch and French. Belgium is divided into two: Wallonia and Flanders, the German enclave is in Wallonia, 4 communities: the German community, the Walloon community, the Flemish community and the Brussels community, each with its own parliament and government and we also have a federal parliament and government. As an added bonus: the Brussels community is located on Flemish territory. Remember that Brussels is a bilingual(Dutch/Flemish and French) community and that all other communities are monolingual. I love to see a video of an American in Dutch/Flemish about Brussels znd Belgium

[@fabienh3943]

Don't mind this whining. Flemish struggle with a huge inferiority complex and have been screaming for some attention for ages. Meanwhile, just ignore them and learn a language you'll use outside of the 100km making the big Flanders 😂😂

[@pateeke]

French? 65% in Belgium speak flemish/dutch

[@SH3V3K_14]

That's not true at all! It's closer to 55%... and, in Brussels, 90% of the population speaks french.

[@FlorencePiers]

🤍🤍🫶

[@AlexandraTempleton]

Your city is really starting to grow on me

[@foebsie7729]

If you struggled learning French, wait until you realise that the big majority of people in Belgium speak Dutch. People just speak French in Brussels because it’s easier to learn for immigrants and that’s where they’ll often be living. But leave the city, and the Flemish will look at you like “Speak English to me, human, I ain’t speaking French!”😂

[@aurorebergen2779]

Huh, it's half of the country, not as big of a majority. Wallonia exists dude.

[@foebsie7729]

@@aurorebergen2779 You’re right that in “space” half of the country is Wallonia, but Flanders is way more densely populated, so actually about 60% of Belgium is Dutch-speaking!

[@PGCguitars]

I can say the main language in Brussels is Arabic language.

[@aurorebergen2779]

@@foebsie7729 Indeed, but it still gives a lot of chances, territory-wise, to meet both either dutch-speaking or french-speaking people. And like 1% chance of meeting german-speaking people, mentioning them because they're always forgotten lol.

[@bantrontww6865]

learn to speak vlaams still 57% of ppl speak that

[@valentinierik]

Brussel is not Belgium.... It's a Hellhole...

[@onlyfoolriding8223]

9 year rental?! Goddamn.

[@AlexandraTempleton]

Haha my thoughts precisely :)

[@flitsertheo]

In general Americans live where they work, Belgians work where they live.

[@EdwinHofstra]

Not immediately. It's in three year steps. If you don't cancel after three years (give notice a few months in advance) the contract is renewed for another three.

[@kenninast]

It is actually mainly to protect the tenants. In Europe you cannot be thrown out of your apartment or even your job without VERY good reasons, and with a really great period of notice. The 3-6-9 are moments tenants can get out of the lease rather easily. Landlords have a way harder time.

[@laurent90210]

@@EdwinHofstra does the price increase each term per the original terms of the contract? if so, what is the rate?