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Hello! - advice needed from anyone who has left good ol' Blighty to live/work in Europe (Brussel • Page 3

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  • Deleted user 14 July 2011 20:24:28
    Derblington wrote:
    Go with 2. If you don't you'll wish you had, at least for a little while, and you can always look for something when you're there if you want something else.

    edit: why is it 230 extra, it says 170?

    There are meters for elec and gas, which he says average about 60 euros a month.

    I think I will go with 2 - moving abroad will be a big enough shock to the system as it is. Having a nice gaff will make a big difference to settling in I'm sure. And that terrace and view and proper kitchen are surely worth an extra 50 euro a week. He also said he'll do me a two month contact to start, as I won't actually see it beforehand, which seems decent of him.
  • Salaman 15 Jul 2011 08:10:44 24,162 posts
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    Do 2! You'll come over lightly packed. If you feel it's silly money, move on in 2 month's time.


    Right ... when do we schedule in this Geekmeet.


    p.s.: top tip, if you're coming over REAL soon. Come to Ghent before July 25th.
  • Deleted user 15 July 2011 12:46:05
    Well, as the landlord for the 2nd one seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth, I may have to choose the first one after all!
  • Deleted user 15 July 2011 15:19:42
    And it's still not definite I'll go. Payroll confirmed today that from a 55K salary, 30K will be deducted! After paying rent I won't be much better off than my last job in England, and I'll be living in a much smaller gaff without half my stuff too!

    Have some thinking to do this weekend.
  • pinebear 15 Jul 2011 15:47:31 8,571 posts
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    Maybe see how much of that an accountant can salvage for you.
  • Deleted user 15 July 2011 16:35:11
    None, it's a salary. It'll be gone immediately.
  • Articulate-Troll 15 Jul 2011 16:46:57 3,098 posts
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    Personally, I would say it's worth it just for the experience of living in another country. That's not something you can put a price on, and even if it doesn't work out you're unlikely to regret doing something interesting with your life.
  • Fake_Blood 15 Jul 2011 17:08:50 11,093 posts
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    About the cable in Brussels, there is a 90% chance that you will get numericable.be
    They provide 9 english and 13 arabic channels.
    The internet will either be 30 or 100mbit/s.
  • Fake_Blood 15 Jul 2011 17:15:21 11,093 posts
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    And yes we have the highest taxes evar, it's a side effect of having 6 governments in a tiny country.
  • speedofthepuma 15 Jul 2011 17:18:20 13,428 posts
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    JuanKerr wrote:
    I feel it is my duty to defend the fine county of Essex :) Most of it is really nice, but it'll never ever get over its shit image.

    That's only because of the people there, not the actual land.

    I love how you are the antithesis of Essex embodied in one man.
  • Deleted user 15 July 2011 17:44:52
    Well I just found out I'll be able to store all my stuff for £250 for 6 months, so that's made my mind up (I got a house full, 20 years worth). Knowing all my stuff will be safe and sound just in case makes a big difference. Having to sell/get rid of most of it was worrying me somewhat. And if I don't like it/something goes wrong, etc, I guess I can be back home within 3 hours. It's hardly Australia, after all.

    So I'm sure I should do it now, is what I'm saying. :)

    Re cable, I got a welcome pack from the site that Salaman linked to on page one. There's an expat cable service in there that lets you customize and choose all the British channels if you like. Not that sitting on my arse all the time watching telly is particularly high on my to-do list :)

    Was looking on google maps earlier. My saturday morning run could be 10 miles south down to Waterloo, to have a look round there. You don't really get that options like that in Bolton...
  • Salaman 15 Jul 2011 19:21:48 24,162 posts
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    \0/ Good choice that man.

    Even if our taxman shafts you, it'll look good on your CV and 6 months of proper food and beer will open your eyes to what the world beyond your island has to offer.
    ;-)

    So when is this Brussels Geekmeet then?
  • Red-Moose 15 Jul 2011 19:37:32 5,344 posts
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    Greggywocky... wrote:
    And it's still not definite I'll go. Payroll confirmed today that from a 55K salary, 30K will be deducted! After paying rent I won't be much better off than my last job in England, and I'll be living in a much smaller gaff without half my stuff too!

    Have some thinking to do this weekend.

    Jesus that's harsh. Netherlands at least has a 30% tax-free income band for expats, which in turn becomes recycled into the economy through beer and other things.

    However, you will probably have a much more interesting life there, and meet more interesting people including far more exotic women. The paycheck is not the be all and end all. Think about it: rich and no hot beaches, or middleish income and loads of hot Belgian girls who according to otto I believe are easy. Watch In Bruges and then make up your mind, perhaps while smoking some sort of drugs purchased on the dutch border.

    All of these are just suggestions.
  • Razer 15 Jul 2011 21:03:51 1,116 posts
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    Go for that second apartment Greg - I haven't seen you in a while so fuck it, might as well do it in style and pop over to Brussels for a weekend. That terrace looks like a great place to get wasted :D
  • Deleted user 15 July 2011 21:51:37
    Post deleted
  • Deleted user 16 July 2011 18:12:43
    Went for neither un or deux in the end.

    This popped up an hour ago, and I've snapped it up already. :)
  • Derblington 16 Jul 2011 19:08:32 35,161 posts
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    Communal washing machine/dryer?
  • Salaman 16 Jul 2011 19:41:07 24,162 posts
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    Damn you, we were going to hold the Brussels Geekmeet on your terrace too you know.

    /shuns
  • Deleted user 16 July 2011 20:26:54
    Nope, my own washer.

    The terrace landlord, after initially replying and sending a pic of the bathroom, has since blanked me for three whole days. He even reposted the ad today, ignorant wanker. Anyway, that was 330 more than the one I've picked, which also has 2 bedrooms. :-)
  • Deleted user 17 July 2011 02:26:07
    Right. The flat I'm about to accept is on Rue de Dublin, at the top end of Matonge. (just outside the 'triangle', I think)

    Been doing my research, and the countless pages I've read (pretty much the first 25 pages of google results) are varied to say the least, ranging from: "This is one of the coolest places to live" to "This is one of the worst." I suspect the truth is somewhere in between, though my impression is that it's ok.

    Opinions anyone?
  • Salaman 17 Jul 2011 10:45:13 24,162 posts
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    I don't know the area too well. Actually I don't know much about Brussels but I've been in the area.

    The Matonge area is an area where people from the Ex Colony Congo have congregated.
    Compared to the are right by the European institutions, this will be a bit more rough I think.
    Rather than expats and Eurocrats, you'll be down with more "common" people.

    The area has lots of little shops and restaurants. It's very lively in the summer. Good place to go for drinks and some food. Not sure how it is to live. It would depend what the exact area of Rue de Dublin is like.
  • Red-Moose 17 Jul 2011 11:03:15 5,344 posts
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    if the fucking eurocrats lived with common people and didn't get free accomodation and tax-free incomes, it would be one giant motherfucking step in the right direction.
  • Salaman 17 Jul 2011 11:05:45 24,162 posts
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    Had a bit of a google. No English wiki page for it but the Dutch one mentions it's a mix of rich (African) students and poor refugees.

    I suspect you can find nicer places for that kind of money in Brussels.

    It's a tough trying to decide on a flat without being able to walk through the neighbourhood and get a feel for it. Unlucky that we don't have google streetview. That'd help you out as well.

    Is there any chance work will put you up for 2 weeks somewhere or you do a short lease yourself? It's easy enough to find a place in Brussels.
    You could get something sorted in 1, 2 or 3 weeks. You'd also get to go view these places.

    Have you tried looking on a Belgian site as well besides the expat site?
    Immoweb is the biggest but the problem could be that most places are let unfurnished in Belgium and on longer contracts.
    :-/
  • Salaman 17 Jul 2011 11:06:17 24,162 posts
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    Red Moose wrote:
    if the fucking eurocrats lived with common people and didn't get free accomodation and tax-free incomes, it would be one giant motherfucking step in the right direction.


    True enough. :-)
  • lost_soul 17 Jul 2011 12:17:13 9,372 posts
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    A bit late to this, but I've been in Germany for 5 years now and would really prefer not to go back to the UK. It was a bit difficult at the start (this wasn't my first time living abroad either - I'd previously lived in Australia and South Germany), but after the first year, I've not had any thoughts of moving back.
  • Deleted user 17 July 2011 12:42:08
    So hard to know what to do. The landlord claims the building is quiet with no noisy neighbours (he and his Mum live on the top floor).

    Guess I'll have to keep looking. Don't want to blindly sign a 6 month contract for somewhere that ends up to be awful. Everything keeps leading back to flat 'un'. Maybe I'm fated to get that one. The guy said he'd do me a two month contract initially too. That place is neat enough but seems small for a 1000 euro though.

    So hard looking for a place using the internet alone! Moving somewhere short term is probably the best idea...

    Yeh, I've been in immoweb but didn't get on with it for the reasons you said.
  • Fake_Blood 17 Jul 2011 12:47:43 11,093 posts
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    Dude you can get better than matonge for €900.
    Do you have to be in the city centre?
  • Deleted user 17 July 2011 13:13:23
    Initially I'd like to be whilst I settle in, though may consider moving further out at a later date. (I'm here for 6 months, but could become permanent).

    I have to pay a 200 retainer on flat un by tomorrow, or forget about it, so that's looking like the favourite at the moment. As I said, 1000 seems expensive for that (it's the area I guess), but all charges are included and would be a two month contract initially.
  • Fake_Blood 17 Jul 2011 13:18:38 11,093 posts
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    Ow that one seems alright.
    It's just looking on immoweb at that price range I'm seeing lofts and places with huge terraces for geekmeets.
  • Deleted user 17 July 2011 13:24:34
    I guess I can look at properties on here later. As Salaman said, the contracts are a bit long for me at the moment!
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