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.

Hi! In the past few days I've been craving some raw salmon (yes, I am a bear).

Jokes aside, can I eat the fresh one I see in supermarkets or do I have to buy some specific kind of salmon (in the US it's sushi grade salmon)?

Thank you so much!

Edit: Delhaize told me that their fresh salmon is not meant to be eaten raw. Pic in the comments.

Does anyone know what is happening?

Hi, I'm from Lille and I paint Warhammer miniatures. In Lille, we have places like Hobby Max for non-Citadel paints and discounted figures, but in Brussels, there's only the official Warhammer store. I also checked the modeling section at Schleiper, but found nothing... Do you have any recommendations? (Please don't suggest Dong Co.)

My wife and I just moved to Belgium and we largely love it. We went to Rock Werchter this weekend and had a blast. One thing I did notice was that lots of people, in the middle of the large crowds, would light cigarettes and smoke in the middle of everything and everybody.

Obviously I know there’s more smoking culture here than our old home in the US, and I understand people smoke outside at cafes and such. But I was surprised that it happened in the middle of such a densely packed crowd.

I’m wondering: is this common? I figure it might be possible that this is more due to the younger, rowdier nature of concert goers. Or perhaps something specific to the event culture we weren’t aware of. It seemed really disrespectful to me - I’ve had to take my asthmatic friends to the ER more than once when they had cigarette smoke blown their way - but I’m a fish out of water and wanted to consult locals.

I’m asking earnestly and without judgment here, so I appreciate any feedback.

Thank you for your input!

I'm talking CRAZY screams and honking
Is this all related to 4th of July ?

Edit : congrats Morocco !!

Hi, as said in the title I am moving to Gent soon and would like to know if anyone here has tips on the best way to move out with all the furnitures.

I am currently on the 3rd floor without a lift and have big furnitures to move so I mainly curious about the normal price for movers as I think this time it might be of use.

Hello,

So I'm a university student and I’m "hypersensitive to external distractions" when I’m studying. So noise, other people around me, or light can easily throw me off.

Unfortunately, I don’t have my own room at home, and asking for five minutes of silence isn’t an option.

I’ve already reached out to various places, such as Brucity and libraries, but they can’t offer me what I need.

I’ve run out of options, so I’m coming here to find out if other students are in the same situation as me or if anyone knows of a solution, please?

(As a student, my budget is the phenomenal amout of 0€)

Hi everyone!

I’m super excited to be heading to Brussels this July for the Bad Bunny concert! 🎉

Since this is my very first time visiting Belgium, I’m trying to plan out my stay. I've come across a few safety warnings online, which have made me a little nervous, so I’d love to get some firsthand advice from people who know the area.

I’m completely open to staying just outside of Brussels if it’s an easier or quieter option. Any tips on great areas to explore, places to avoid at night, or the best way to get to and from King Baudouin Stadium for the show would be amazing!
Thank you so much in advance for your help

Thank you

I’m genuinely curious: is customer service just not a priority here, or am I just having the worst luck?

I went to the ICI Paris XL on Rue Neuve a few days ago at 18:20 to pick up a pre-paid order. They close at 18:30. The doors were already locked. When I knocked to get their attention, the manager didn't just ignore me - she actually called security on me like I was a criminal.

The security guard (who actually had common sense) let me in, and the pickup took literally 30 seconds. I was out before 18:30. Meanwhile, the manager was so obsessed with getting out the door that she had accidentally trapped two other customers inside the shop.

If the staff needs to have "both feet on the street" the second the clock hits 18:30, why doesn't the company just change their official hours to 18:15?

This level of entitlement and total lack of respect for customers seems to be a recurring theme lately. Does anyone else feel like service in Brussels is getting progressively more hostile, or is it just me?

PS: I contacted their customer service via e-mail and received a response stating they would investigate the matter, though I highly doubt they actually will. They did, however, issue a €10 discount voucher, which is better than nothing. For background, this took place at their Rue Neuve 37 store, which is a very busy location. The entire situation was incredibly awkward. While I appreciate that the staff do not want to work late, they should simply announce their closing time 15 or 20 minutes earlier. I was also quite disappointed that the manager immediately called security rather than just asking how they could help. It was genuinely a 30-second collection for me, which is why arriving 10 minutes before closing should have been more than enough time.

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for advice from other non-EU nationals living and working in Belgium, especially those on a single permit (Type A residence card).

A bit about my situation:

- Non-European passport

- Living in Brussels

- Working as an AI engineer

- Indefinite employment contract

- Will soon have almost 3 years with my current employer

- Current residence permit is valid until January 2027

- My long-term goal is to stay in Belgium permanently and eventually apply for permanent residence/citizenship (likely around 2028)

Objectively, I know I have a stable job, but I can't help worrying about what would happen if I were laid off.

From what I understand, if I lose my job, I don't have unlimited time to stay (only 3 months I think). I would need to either:

- find another employer willing to sponsor a single permit,

- or potentially apply for a professional card if I start consulting as a freelancer.

Reading Reddit posts about the current tech market doesn't exactly help my anxiety. 😅 It feels like many people are struggling to find jobs, and I'm not yet fluent in French or Dutch (I'm working on it).

So I'm curious:

- How do you personally deal with the stress of knowing your right to stay depends on your job?

- Do you always keep interviewing, talking to recruiters or search for Belgian university courses as a backup?

- Has anyone here actually lost their job while on a single permit? What happened afterwards?

- Were you able to find another sponsor in time?

- Did anyone successfully switch to a professional card or another residence status?

- Did anyone use family reunification (if you had an EU citizen partner) after losing a job?

- Has anyone unfortunately had to leave Belgium because they couldn't find another job?

- Are there any "backup plans" you've put in place that gave you peace of mind?

I'm not looking for legal advice so much as real-life experiences and how people manage the uncertainty.

Thanks in advance!

OK, Brussels! I need a miracle here.

On June 21st I was on a guided tour to Snæfellsnes Peninsula in Iceland. In my group there were 3 friends from Brussels whom I had great time with, but we didn’t get a chance to exchange contact info at the end of the day. I am planning a BeNeLux trip in August and would like to catch up with them in Brussels.

They are in their early 50s. One Germany, one Poland, and one Colombia born.
Polish one works at EU. He also has a cover band where he plays guitar and is the lead singer while Colombian one is the drummer in the band. German one also plays with them time to time, and his instrument is also guitar. I don’t have a great memory with names but German one may be Richard with nickname Dick.

I know it is a long shot but who knows maybe Brussels is a small world.
If you know who they are and can get one of them reach out to me here, that would be awesome and a miracle!

If yea how much did yall pay? Cuz I don’t know anoyone who’s going tbh

Usually we take train to a different city and then bike from there but train are only getting more expensive and more crowed. What are you favorite places to bike to around Brussels. Thank you 🚲