13/11/2024
Expats of Brussels - #49
Rachelle (45), from the Philippines, in Brussels since 2005
“When I was in my twenties, I embarked on the biggest adventure of my life and left Manila to study in the Netherlands. My plan was to complete my master’s degree and to travel around Europe during the school breaks before coming back to the Philippines. Little did I know that those two years away from my home country would stretch to almost 20 years.
I moved to Brussels after finishing my studies in the Netherlands, since I was fortunate enough to find a job here. I thought it would be relatively easy for me to adjust to Brussels after having lived in the Netherlands for almost 2 years. Two neighbouring countries, sharing the same language – how different could they really be? I must admit I was quite naïve in making this assumption, since the difference between those two countries is like night and day. In Belgium, I find that things are generally not so straightforward. I cannot count how often I got lost using public transport.
Looking back, I realised that Belgium has more similarities to the Philippines than the Netherlands, because of the shared Catholic tradition. I also find that the Belgians tend to enjoy life more and generally want to have a good time. There is good food, excellent b**r and numerous music festivals to choose from. It is no wonder I fell in love with a Belgian and to the charms of my adoptive country.”
📸 Cem Pictures - Photographie
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