Attempt number six to leave Antwerp is in the works, to Dublin

[bollemanneke 4,332]

It's mostly great. Had a bit of a culture shock which everyone was expecting except me, but that only took two weeks. Meeting people is obviously really difficult (thank you, government), but I do think I'm going to stay here for a long time. About to experience the NHS tomorrow to have a weird headache examined as well. Hosts are wonderful and not into football.

[Naïve Old Fart 13,078]

Your...hosts...don't...like...footie?!

[bollemanneke 4,332]

Well, I did it. I lived in England for three months and two weeks and am going back to Belgium for Christmas on Thursday. Whether I’ll come back or not I don’t know yet since getting a job is equally difficult here, but I’m sure as hell going to miss the language. Financially I’m undoubtedly far better off where I come from, but I still haven’t figured out whether it’s more important to be well-off or happy (I guess well-off if I want to buy more LLL stuff). It’s been a really rewarding experience, though, involving a lot of self-discovery, and if I do come back to the UK, it won’t be to Manchester because the accent kind of gets annoying after a while (could someone teach those people to say ‘community’ instead of ‘communi’è’ (massive exhale?)

 

[Jurassic Shark 16,456]

Come to Norway!

[Thor 9,363]

31 minutes ago, bollemanneke said:

Financially I’m undoubtedly far better off where I come from, but I still haven’t figured out whether it’s more important to be well-off or happy

 

Can't you be happy in Belgium? I certainly am, every time I go there. Great, beautiful cities. Fantastic beer. What's not to like?

[Jurassic Shark 16,456]

And you can hang out with Thor when he's there!

[bollemanneke 4,332]

17 minutes ago, Thor said:

 

Can't you be happy in Belgium? I certainly am, every time I go there. Great, beautiful cities. Fantastic beer. What's not to like?

The people. And the fact that they don't speak English.

[Jay 46,476]

Try the Cambridge area instead of Manchester

[Jurassic Shark 16,456]

Just hang around The Albert to meet interesting people.

[A24 5,176]

10 hours ago, bollemanneke said:

The people. 

 

That's pretty xenophobic of you. Why do you dislike the people of Belgium? 

[bruce marshall 1,989]

11 hours ago, Thor said:

 

Can't you be happy in Belgium? I certainly am, every time I go there. Great, beautiful cities. Fantastic beer.

And, best of alllllll......

 

The waffles! Yummmmmmy😊

11 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Come to Norway!

Where folks know how to laugh at themselves!

😍

[bollemanneke 4,332]

1 hour ago, AC1 said:

 

That's pretty xenophobic of you. Why do you dislike the people of Belgium? 

It's not xenophobic because I am Belgian myself. Trust me, I grew up there, I have plenty of reasons.

[Jurassic Shark 16,456]

Well, there's the EU thing.

[bollemanneke 4,332]

13 hours ago, Jay said:

Try the Cambridge area instead of Manchester

Thanks. I'm also considering Ireland, for EU reasons too.

[bruce marshall 1,989]

19 minutes ago, bollemanneke said:

It's not xenophobic because I am Belgian myself. Trust me, I grew up there, I have plenty of reasons.

Well, there was that nasty business in the Congo...

And Hercule Poirot, Mon Dieu!

[Jurassic Shark 16,456]

4 minutes ago, bollemanneke said:

Thanks. I'm also considering Ireland, for EU reasons too.

 

Beware of @Bilbo and his mother's tablecloth!

[Naïve Old Fart 13,078]

Don't. Diss. The cloth!!!

[Jurassic Shark 16,456]

Frankly, it looks like something HanZ could have on his table.

[Bilbo 4,294]

4 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Frankly, it looks like something HanZ could have on his table.

 

What can I say. As the world's greatest living composer you know the guy has taste. 

[Jurassic Shark 16,456]

You're flattering!

[Naïve Old Fart 13,078]

6 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Frankly, it looks like something HanZ could have on his table.

Don't you EVER  say his name!

[Jurassic Shark 16,456]

2 hours ago, Bilbo said:

 

What can I say. As the world's greatest living composer you know the guy has taste. 

 

I can't tell whether you're joking or not.

[Naïve Old Fart 13,078]

Judging by popularity, and sales, HZ is the world's greatest living composer. Judging by talent is another point, entirely.

[bollemanneke 4,332]

Well, time to try again. Decided to forget about the UK this time, so now the plan is Dublin. Listening to HP1 now, what could go wrong? (At this point, absolutely everything.)

[crocodile 9,769]

On 01/12/2020 at 7:10 PM, bollemanneke said:

Well, I did it. I lived in England for three months and two weeks and am going back to Belgium for Christmas on Thursday. Whether I’ll come back or not I don’t know yet since getting a job is equally difficult here, but I’m sure as hell going to miss the language. Financially I’m undoubtedly far better off where I come from, but I still haven’t figured out whether it’s more important to be well-off or happy (I guess well-off if I want to buy more LLL stuff). It’s been a really rewarding experience, though, involving a lot of self-discovery, and if I do come back to the UK, it won’t be to Manchester because the accent kind of gets annoying after a while (could someone teach those people to say ‘community’ instead of ‘communi’è’ (massive exhale?)

 

Avoid Birmingham at all costs then.

 

Karol

[Bespin Copilot 10,853]

With all that we see in Europe, the energy crisis, war, etc., it's the latest place on earth I would want to live if I were young. With my Canadian eyes, Europe is a powder keg (well, historically it always was), but with recent history, it's never been truer.

 

In my teams at job we welcome ALOT, I mean ALOT of workers with young families coming from Europe and North Africa who have decided to live in Canada.

 

Have you ever considered Canada?

[bollemanneke 4,332]

No, never. I'm kind of attached to the whole free movement thing and have never been in Canada at all.

[Bespin Copilot 10,853]

Good luck with that!

[Naïve Old Fart 13,078]

Now, just a damn minute!

@bollemanneke, what happened to Manchester?

[bollemanneke 4,332]

Had to leave in Dec 2020 because of the dreaded C word. Didn't want to return to same host after aformentioned C had gone away. Then the continued Tory shenanigans made me consider Ireland.

[Bespin Copilot 10,853]

So you called this an experience of "freedom", going from one EU country to another?

[bollemanneke 4,332]

Um, I guess? More specifically, being able to work whever I want without people denying you a visa when it's really none of their business.

[Bespin Copilot 10,853]

In some countries, they are about to tell you not to heat your house at more than 19 °C this winter...

[bollemanneke 4,332]

But that's different because it's regrettable, but sadly necessary. If a company wants me over someone else, however, external powers have no right to interfere.

[Bespin Copilot 10,853]

External powers, are you talking about some occult things? hehe

[bollemanneke 4,332]

Nope, trying to avoid more mod warnings.

[Tallguy 7,393]

Best of luck however it goes.

[bollemanneke 4,332]

At the moment nowhere, but thanks!

[Bilbo 4,294]

Dublin is very expensive and the country is in the grips of both a cost of living and housing crisis. Enjoy 😊 

[bollemanneke 4,332]

Luckily, I don't need a house. I just need a room.

[bollemanneke 4,332]

Well, here we go, attempt number five. To Brussels!

 

Reason number one: Bitch from upstairs refuses to shut her dogs up, which results in sleepless nights and palpitations most of the time.

Reason number two: the expat bubble.

 

Nothing in the works yet, just excitement based on nothing at all. Vague planning starts tomorrow.

 

Listening to Carool of the Bells by Keith Lockhart now. I guess this is what irregular sleep does to you.

[Naïve Old Fart 13,078]

On 06/10/2022 at 12:50 PM, bollemanneke said:

Had to leave in Dec 2020 because of the dreaded C word.

"City"?

[bollemanneke 4,332]

Obviously.

[bollemanneke 4,332]

New house hunt is on. Dublin. Party time just because I'm trying it.

 

[Naïve Old Fart 13,078]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... forget Ireland, and come to Scotland.

[bollemanneke 4,332]

I've also said it before, I'm not leaving the EU

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,463]

Good man!

[Naïve Old Fart 13,078]

9 hours ago, bollemanneke said:

I've also said it before, I'm not leaving the EU

 

The last time I Iooked, Scotland was still in the EU.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,463]

35 minutes ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

 

The last time I Iooked, Scotland was still in the EU.

 

That was 4 British Prime Ministers ago....

[Naïve Old Fart 13,078]

5:

Cameron,

May,

Truss,

Sunak,

Starmer.