We all experience our move to Europe differently. For us, a young couple with no children, our move to Belgium went very well and we quickly acquired a taste for the European lifestyle. I’d lie, however, if I said that since our arrival in Belgium everything has been going smoothly. Looking back, now that it has all sunk in, here’s what I learned from our time in Belgium (and what I continue to apply on a daily basis):
Learn to let go what you cannot control. (Namaste ;-) ) As a very organized person, I found it very difficult to get used to this and I still keep telling myself not to compare things to what I was used to before or how it would go if I were in Canada.
Patience is a virtue that I must draw from. (Breathe in, breathe out!)
Whether it’s some kind of administrative matter, paying at the grocery store or an endless lineup (am I the only one who, when traveling, thinks we spend all of our time waiting in line? :-P), I keep telling myself to be patient! There are far more people in Europe than in Canada, we can’t hide from it, so you inevitably have to wait longer! I found it hard to slow down the frenetic North American rhythm of life. Here, people are much less stressed and it shows! I learn more and more about living in the European rhythm.
Benefit from every new experience and adventure and most of all be grateful for what life gives me. ‘’Such an unheard-of chance to live in Europe for a few years!’’ That’s what I try to tell myself every day. Take the time to enjoy every new discovery, whether touristic, culinary or cultural. Forge unbelievable friendships, live moments etched forever in your memory so that you can enjoy telling them to your children and grandchildren one day…and mostly appreciate the life we live instead of complaining (especially about the weather, ha-ha).
Moose milk at the SHAPE Fest, September 2016.
Celebrate my cultural heritage and learn to be proud to be Canadian. Before I came to Europe, I said I was Québécoise and Canadian, without really thinking about what those words meant, without really celebrating one or the other. Now that I live in Belgium, I feel a great pride in being able to say I am Canadian and Québécoise. Our Canadian community in Europe is beautiful and diverse, just like our great country. I have learned to be proud of my roots and through our travels in Europe, I am learning about our history and our impact on Europe and this all helps me to feel even more anchored in our great Canadian identity.
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