The tricky question

One of the first questions everyone you meet abroad will ask you is, of course, where are you from. It seems like an obvious one, but for people who have been moving around a bit in their 25 years of existence (me!), it may actually be a tricky one.

The first answer I give is, obviously, Portugal. But then some people don't seem to be satisfied enough with the country reference and get more detailed by asking oh yeah, but from which city? And that's when I feel like no one-word answer I can give them will be true enough. Here's why:

• I was born in Braga (north of the country)
• When I was 8 I moved with my parents to Coimbra (center of the country)
• Where I lived until the age of 21, then I moved to Barcelona for Erasmus
• After one year there, I returned to Coimbra and lived there for one more year
• Then I moved to Oporto, where I lived for another year
• After which I moved to Lisbon, where I lived for 1 year and a half
• And then I came to Brussels

So, the final balance is: 6 cities, 3 countries. And in all of them I felt at home. So it is a bit difficult for me to define where I am from, as the sense of belonging is present in all of them.

As telling this whole story would be a bit too much for people you have just met and are expecting a simple answer to their (apparently) simple question, I usually answer Coimbra (as it was the city where I lived most of my life and where my parents still live). But I always get this feeling like I am hiding something from the person with my so blatant answer. I like it, though, that adaptation was so easy everywhere I have been to (in short and long travelings through Europe as well) and that there is more than one place that I can call home.

Les Petits Riens

Les Petits Riens is a company of social economy. They collect goods donated by people and distribute them to others in need, or sell them to use the money for social projects. I casually came across their shop last Saturday in Chatelain, saw the movement of people coming and going and decided to go in to take a look (this is their central shop, but they have many others).

This is a three stores high big shop that sells second hand goods of everything you can imagine: furniture, kitchenware, sports accessories, books, cds, dvds, hi-fi equipment, toys, clothes, you name it. I thought it was particularly interesting for people moving to Brussels, because you can find lots of furniture and things for the house for really low prices. And I believe I saw a poster saying that for large items they can carry them to your house!

Next to it they also have a shop called Bike Paradise, where they sell second hand bikes and have a poster saying "buy a bike when you arrive and we'll buy it back from you when you leave" and then the reference to ask inside for the conditions and info on this. It may be useful for those considering buying a bike here just for a short period of time!

My first interview in Brussels!

This weekend I was interviewed by Fraternité 2020, which is Europe’s first citizens’ initiative whose goal is to enable more people to spend time in a foreign EU country, because for them mobility lies at the heart of the European project. Check it out their blog to find out more about the person behind A Trainee in Brussels!

IKEA

When you're moving to a new city, it's always a must do to locate the closest IKEA store to your new place. Even if you're going to live somewhere "fully furnished and equipped" (like my studio is), there's always little things that may be missing and that you want to buy. Or you just want to give your new space in Brussels a more personal look, without spending lots of money.

In order to do so, you can go to IKEA Anderlecht, which is the closest to central Brussels to go on public transportation. Just take the STIB metro line 5 and the stop is CERIA / CEVIA. Then you just have to walk 10 minutes along the road (there are signs pointing the direction), et voilá.

If you have one, you can bring your IKEA Family card from your country because it will work there too and in the cafeteria you have gaufres for just 1€!

First impressions

Having arrived to the city just 2 days ago, all I can say is that so far, so good. The neighbourhood where I live is really nice and calm and on my first stroll around I found this pile of "trash" from where you could take something if you needed.

Afterwards I went to the supermarket and filled my place with all necessary goodies. I saw some Portuguese products, like this sardines and olive oil.

Afterwards I headed towards Madou for the first Commission event for the trainees and saw some nice things on my way.

I passed by Place Marie-Louise and took this photo. The weather was so nice yesterday, bright and sunny all day long and not too cold, no differences at all from Lisbon.

In the afternoon I also passed by the Arts-Loi, Botanique and Rogier areas. I am really liking the city and, even though I had been here 3 times before, as a tourist I hadn't been to the areas where I am going now, so I'm getting a different perspective of the city. I like the wide streets with lots of space for people and cars (not too much for bikes, though) and the buildings. I like the people walking their dogs or just doing their shopping and often smiling when they pass by you. I like that I have everything close to my place (supermarkets, pharmacies, laundromats, etc). I like that most of the city is walkable and that the buses pass quite often (didn't get too fond of the metro, though, but maybe it was just the stations where I entered). I like that you can be walking in a regular street and a big European-related building may pop in front of you. And what I specially like is that in this city you really have a mix of everything: people from all nationalities walking around, the calm neighbourhood life vs. the business men and women from the European institutions moving around in a hurry, turkish kebab restaurants next to cafes advertising moules frites with patates frites, all sorts of languages being spoken around you, so you never feel like a foreign (as everyone is a foreign here, but, at the same time, can feel strangely at home).

Connect!

Once you arrive in Brussels, you probably will want to have a Belgian phone number, in order to connect with the other trainees and not having to pay ridiculous roaming rates. There are many mobile companies you can choose from, but, as I haven't done a profound marketing research on them and just chose the first which I found interesting, I'll only tell you about that one: Mobile Viking!

This is an online mobile company, the website is all written in English and is quite self explanatory. I chose it because all other trainees were mentioning it and sharing good experiences about this company, so I looked at the rates and they seemed great (you can have internet, free sms and 1h per day on calls to other vikings for just 15€ per month), so I decided to give it a try.

I ordered a SIM card through the website and it arrived within 3 days, along with a letter with instructions on how to proceed next. I then activated it on the website, I "topped up" with 15€ and it is all working fine so far. After one month, my communications will expire and I'll have to top up again. It seems a great option for those who own a smartphone and want to have internet in it... along with the sms offer (1000 free sms for non-vikings and 1000 free sms for vikings) and the 1h per day call limit (just for vikings and limited to the first 200.000 registrations, which are still far from being reached), is a great option and all I'll need during my stay here. I like to have a fixed rate that includes a lot of things so that I'll know for sure how much I'm going to spend on communications each month, so this definitely does that for me.

If you decide to choose Viking as well, you have the opportunity of referencing another viking number during the registration process and that person will be awarded some points (which can then be exchanged for credit), so if you were influenciated by this little piece of information and thought it helped making up your mind, feel free to use my number on this: 486304922. Thanks!

Bye Lisbon, hello Brussels

What to pack

For those starting their traineeship next week, but still waiting to take their flights to Brussels, one thing must be on your mind (standing out from all the 4289472389 others): packing! Indeed, having to fit 5 months of your life in one suitcase is not easy, but we have to be practical and get things done efficiently. Here are some things I am taking into account:

• Take a big suitcase and a smaller one or a backpack with you. The big one you can check-in and the smaller one you can take with you as hand luggage. Then, while the big one can stay untouched under your bed for the whole time you're in Brussels, you'll always have a smaller suitcase/backpack to take with you on the trips or weekend getways you'll certainly do.
• Clothes (and shoes)! They will be 90% of my luggage. I am lucky enough to go living in a studio already fully furnished and equipped, so I basicaly will only have to take my personal stuff with me. As for now it is still cold in Brussels, but it'll get warmer every week (remember we'll finish the traineeship in the end of July), I'll go for the "onion technique": layers! Take light, short-sleeved tops and then on top of them put long-sleeved sweaters, wool cardigans and warm coats. Take skirts and dresses that for now you will wear with tights, but then you can wear them without. Take not only boots, but also shoes that you can wear now already when it's not raining. I am also taking some sportswear for enjoying Brussels' great green areas.
• No beauty products (or at least take just the essentials for the first day). You can easily go to the supermarket upon your arrival and buy them there, rather than filling your luggage with them (as they are heavy and occupy space), with the risk of them getting spilled all over your clothes. All supermarkets in Brussels will have the common hygiene or beauty products that you're used to buy in your country (at least if you're European), so take only with you something that is very special or that you know it's not easy to find everywhere.
• Some other things like a hair dryer, my camera, my computer, my ipod, a big purse, two cellphones (one for the Portuguese number and another for the Belgian one), a notebook and stationary for the French classes, the Moleskine, an umbrella and some photos to decorate a wall will be in my luggage.

Of course that you can always have plans of going back some days to your country and on those trips you can bring/take more things with you, but consider that you may not want to be always carrying things one way and back and that, if you travel low-cost, you'll always have to pay an extra for checked-in luggage, so try to plan things right and take the most of what you need now with you. Visitors may always be helpful to bring you stuff you have forgotten (or to take you that special treat from your country that you have been craving).

 

Another thing (specialy if you're a girl), be prepared for not having so many clothes and shoes with you in Brussels as you have in your home. But, hey, how many of us have a closet full of clothes and end up wearing the same favorites most of the time? This way you'll only take your favorites with you and with the luggage space you have you'll still have plenty of things you can carry along with you.

 

As for other things you may need when you arrive in Brussels, you'll always have the supermarkets and IKEA. The room/studio where you're be living may be lacking some stuff and for little money you can go there and find some things to fill it up or just to get it a more personal look. Some of the things you may even be able to carry with you back home when you return. Just try to think about the essentials for your stay in Brussels and remember you're there for enjoying a new working environment and having fun with the new people you'll meet... if that implies living with less material things than you're used to, just let it be!