My name is Kim Esselaar and my family just moved from Ottawa to Mons, Belgium in July. This is not my first move to a new continent since I emigrated from South Africa in my teens. This is our first OUTCAN and the buildup was intense. Yes, moving to another country (or even continent) is a stressful endeavour but our family was so excited for this amazing opportunity. The screening paperwork to “DAG Green” was daunting but our family took it in stride and supported each other along the way. When the move finally happened we were a well-oiled machine.
The MFS community has been a saviour. I have participated in many of the MFS activities, including my favourite one so far...household supplies you need for European machines. I was clueless before but feel so much more confident that I won’t destroy the machines and property.
There are SO many outstanding activities to be enjoyed. We have savoured international tastes at SHAPEFEST, as well as Oktoberfest, brewery tours and other community events. We got to experience the Tour de France. As a family we just marched in the 75th Anniversary of Operation SWITCHBACK, including visiting historic battlefields. We have also taken advantage where we are in the world and have traveled to the Netherlands, Tunisia and throughout Belgium. We’ve also had quite a number of family and friends come visit already!
There is a strong network of information sharing, and we found out that there are some job opportunities for spouses that can be applied for. I applied and was selected as the new Bar Supervisor at the Maple Leaf Room (MLR). I love meeting everyone in the community for weekly TGIFs. The food TGIFs are a great party for the whole community, of all ages! My family also enjoys the time we get to know members of the community. We have felt so welcomed by all of the Canadians.
Our twin teenagers are going to the SHAPE American High School, and they have integrated well into the school’s environment, including extracurricular activities. They have joined sports teams as well as the US Air Force Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (JROTC), which is a phenomenal opportunity for them to learn leadership, teamwork and military skills while also gaining U.S. High School credits for the program. Their favourite activity so far is ceremonial drill where they get to do synchronized rifle-flipping.
The neighbourhood we moved to is quiet, quaint and filled with people from all over the world. There are Americans, Belgians, British, Canadians, French, Germans, and Norwegians. We feel like we are living in a dream location. The neighbours have gotten together and are very welcoming. In the area we have been able to find almost everything that we needed through the amazing Canada community network. What we couldn’t find readily available we could find at the Commissary or on Amazon.de.
We are looking forward to more of the amazing activities in the coming year, including TGIFs, sponsored events, and the Chalet Program.
Looking back at the experience thus far, here are my Top 6 Tips for those moving or integrating into OUTCAN life:
Use the community
Lean on your family for support
Be active and take advantage of as many activities as you can manage
Travel
Set up your house as soon as possible so you can enjoy it to the fullest
Always maintain your sense of humour, through the chaos
