u/Icy-Key-636

Hi all! I'm looking for some honest advice, not sympathy.

A bit about me: I'm 36 live in Brussels, I have a career I'm proud of, I own my place, I've lived abroad and traveled a lot, and I speak multiple languages. On paper things are good and I'm genuinely happy with my life. Dating is the one area that's consistently been hard. I've had connections that felt real and mutual, but they haven't turned into anything lasting. I'm not looking for a masterclass in what I'm doing wrong; I'm mainly wondering where people are actually meeting partners these days, especially past their early 30s.

A few questions for anyone willing to share their experience:

• If you met your partner in your mid-to-late 30s, where/how did it happen?
• Did apps work for you, or did you find more luck through in-person things (hobbies, classes, events)?
• For anyone who's also navigated dating as a woman of color did you find certain spaces or approaches worked better for you specifically?

Open to any city/context-specific advice too. Thanks in advance.