Interview with Denzil W - a British expat writer in Belgium
Denzil Walton is a British freelance copywriter and journalist who has lived in Belgium since 1987. He writes about interesting and unusual places to visit in Belgium in his blog www.discoveringbelgium.com. Read about his experiences of expat life in Belgium.Read more about Belgium in the Expat Arrivals Belgium country guide or read more expat experiences in Belgium
About you
Q: Where are you originally from?
A: The UK.
Q: Where are you living now?
A: I live in Belgium, in the small town of Kortenberg, which is halfway between Leuven and Brussels. It’s in Flanders, which is the Dutch-speaking (northern) half of Belgium. The French-speaking (southern) half of Belgium is called Wallonia.
Q: How long you have you lived in Kortenburg?
A: Since 1987. Before that I lived in The Netherlands for four years.
Q: Did you move with a spouse/ children?
A: Yes, I moved to Belgium with my wife and our first child, who was born in The Netherlands. Since then we have had three other children, all born in Belgium.
Q: Why did you move to Belgium; what do you do?
A: I was a technical copywriter working for an advertising agency in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. However, they didn’t have enough work to keep me busy full-time so I was becoming a bit bored and frustrated, so I left and set up as a freelancer in Belgium. That was in 1987 and I’ve been a freelance technical copywriter ever since. I also do a fair bit of freelance journalism and have written four books entitled “Nature Walks Near Brussels”.
About Belgium
Q: What do you enjoy most about Belgium, how’s the quality of life?
A: For me, Belgium stands out for its excellent education and healthcare provision. Education is taken seriously in Belgium; discipline in the classroom is enforced and teachers are respected. That’s not to say it isn’t fun – it is – but school is seen as somewhere to learn.
Another great advantage of the Belgian education system is that higher education is largely free – a huge benefit to me as all four of my children are currently in higher education!
The Belgian healthcare system is also excellent. GPs are generally highly proficient and have their own individual practices. The university hospitals are large, modern and automated. On the down side, medical insurance – particularly for a freelancer like me – is expensive. But it’s worth it.
Q: Any negatives? What do you miss most about home?
A: Having lived outside of the UK since 1983 I stopped missing anything from the UK a long time ago. As to negatives about Belgium, I think the customer service in shops, cafés, restaurants and banks is generally very poor.
Q: Is Belgium safe?
A: Generally it’s a safe and law-abiding country. However, I avoid certain parts of Brussels by day or by night, and would not be happy if my daughters had to travel alone on the Brussels metro in the evenings.
Q: Describe an ideal way to spend a weekend in Belgium?
A: On one of the days my wife and I might go on a long cycle ride, maybe along the towpath of the Leuven-Mechelen canal and then beyond towards Antwerp. For a more challenging ride we might head south into the hills past Tervuren and Overijse. The country has an excellently laid out and well-signposted cycle network. You can plan your route on the internet and then go from junction to junction; you don’t even need a map. Then on the second day we might drive down to the Ardennes and take off for a long walk in the hills and forests. As you can see, I’m very much into exploring the hidden delights of this rich country, rather than the cities.
About living here
Q: Which are the best places/suburbs to live in Belgium as an expat?
A: I will confine my suggestions to expats working in Brussels as that’s where most expats are employed. A lot of them live in the city itself, with the communes in the east, south-east and south of Brussels proving particularly attractive, such as Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, Auderghem, Watermael-Boisfort and Uccle. For those who prefer a bit more space and don’t mind the commute into Brussels, the communes outside Brussels city and to the south-east are great places to live. Wezembeek-Oppem, Tervuren, Overijse, Huldenberg, Waterloo and Ohain have large expat populations. Schooling of children also plays a major role in the decision. The largest British school is in Tervuren; the German school is in Wezembeek-Oppem; there are American schools in Waterloo and Watermael-Boisfort; a Japanese school in Auderghem for instance.
Q: How do you rate the standard of accommodation?
A: Generally very high. There are exceptions of course, but apartments and houses to rent are generally spacious and in good condition, particularly in the suburbs.
Q: What’s the cost of living compared to home? What is cheap or expensive in particular?
A: Cars, fuel, rental prices, property, wine and beer, and public transport are on the whole cheaper than in the UK. Food, clothes, books, CDs are more expensive.
Q: What are the locals like; do you mix mainly with other expats?
A: On the whole, and unless they are “international Belgians” (having lived outside Belgium) then Belgians prefer to keep to themselves, their own families and friends. Most will not take the initiative to welcome you to Belgium, nor get to know you. I have lived here for 24 years and have probably been inside no more than five Belgian’s houses, despite speaking their language, knowing a lot about their country, and having educated all our four children in the Flemish education system. I have also tried to become more integrated by joining local social and sports groups, but always felt an outsider. Consequently, socially I mix mainly with expatriates. And I think many expats have experienced the same kind of problems integrating. So there are huge numbers of expat social groups in Belgium covering sport, arts, drama, music, religion, walking etc.
Q: Was it easy meeting people and making friends in Belgium?
A: It was difficult making Belgian friends as indicated above, but easy enough to make friends in the international community, mainly through my work, friends of my wife, church, social activities etc.
About working in Belgium
Q: Did you have a problem getting a work visa/permit?
A: No.
Q: What’s the economic climate like in Belgium, is there plenty of work?
A: I think there are fewer jobs in Belgium for expats than there used to be, as a number of American companies have relocated elsewhere in Europe or cut back on their European staff. But there always seem to be new companies, organisations, NGOs etc., setting up and recruiting. The economic climate in Belgium now (April 2011) is certainly better than six months ago when the recent crisis was still affecting business.
Q: How does the work culture differ from home?
A: I never worked in the UK so can’t comment.
Q: Did a relocation company help you with your move?
A: No
Family and children
Q: Did your spouse or partner have problems adjusting to their new home?
A: No.
Q: Did your children settle in easily?
A: Our first child was only 18 months old when we arrived in Belgium.
Q: What are the schools like, any particular suggestions?
A: As I mentioned above, we are very positive about Belgian schools. All four of our children have been completely educated in the Flemish education system and are now in higher education here. Two of them are even studying to become teachers themselves. For expats coming to Belgium with young children, I definitely recommend getting their children into the Belgian education system. Obviously with older children, unless they already have a good grasp of French or Dutch, this is not always possible, which is why there are so many international schools in and around Brussels. The larger ones certainly have excellent reputations.
Q: How would you rate the healthcare?
A: As I mentioned above, the Belgian healthcare is excellent. I have nothing but praise for it.
And finally…
Q: Is there any other advice you like to offer new expat arrivals?
A: If you don’t already speak French or Dutch, spend time learning one of these languages. The one you learn depends very closely on which part of Belgium you are going to live in. A specific word of advice is that some of the Flemish-speaking communes – particularly those close to the language divide – can be quite militant regarding the use of languages other than Flemish, for example in the town hall. So you either have to learn Flemish very quickly or take a friend or colleague along with you to register. The language sensitivities of the Flemish are certainly something that expats moving to Belgium need to be fully aware of in advance.
~ interviewed May 2011
