How a trip to Italy lead this Indian expat to Belgium

Can you please introduce yourself and tell us about your background?

I'm from the southern part of India (Kerala). I grew up in a small village in the middle of paddy fields. I am now together with my wife and 2-year-old daughter. I am an engineer by profession and working in the telecommunication industry. My wife takes care of our beautiful little heaven.

What made you want to leave India?

Few years of jobs in different companies brought me to Bangalore in India for a new job. That leads to visiting Italy in 2011 for a three months project. Time flies, the project extended for many years. I was enjoying the nice weather and pizza in a small town near Milan, Italy.

Where are you based currently, and since when?

I flew from Milan to Brussels in the early morning for an interview. Somehow grabbing the opportunity and signing the contract in the late evening the same day and sleeping on one of the tables in a closed restaurant in Zaventem airport was an eventful day in my life. That was the beginning of my life in Antwerpen since 2015. My life has changed after landing in Belgium. In few months, I found my better half. We got married in 2016, and now we have a 2-year-old lovely daughter.

Did you find it hard to adapt to Belgium?

I was lucky to have a wonderful family, Sonia and Peter renting me their small apartment. When Sonia came to pick me at the Brussels airport, it looked the same as my parents coming to pick me at Cochin airport. Living in a small town in Italy was difficult when not speaking Italian. In Antwerpen, English is spoken and used everywhere, and I did not have any issues setting up things. When I talk about the ‘Beer & Bike' culture, I could easily take part in the beer culture. I had never cycled for the past 15 years when I went to a team-building activity in Ghent, but I cycled 28Km that day. I could feel every stone in the path after few kilometres. So it's not very easy to adapt to some aspects of the culture.

What are your views on the quality of life in Belgium, especially in your city?

Quality of life is something that we choose, and of course, nothing comes for free. Now I live a bit far from the city centre in a peaceful neighbourhood. I'm very happy with what I get to experience, and I'm enjoying every bit of it. There are rare occasions when I felt what we go through is not matching the relatively high tax we pay from our hard-earned salary. Most of the time, we are responsible for what we see and experience. Antwerp is a beautiful city with all its flavours, which makes it vibrant and charming. 

How is life in Belgium now that restrictions are being lifted?

It is a big relief to get rid of the restrictions. I had to go almost every day to the office during the pandemic to access the laboratory equipment. Now I can see few more faces showing up in the office after a year. Normal life is coming back slowly. I never knew what freedom felt like when I used to take it for granted. The pandemic taught me(us) many lessons. 

What are your views on the way Belgium dealt with the pandemic?

I recall those days, apart from few restrictions. We survived with our daughter the entire period. Even though I had to go to work on the weekdays, I managed to stay away from the virus so far. I think it was unavoidable to have restrictions until we have vaccines. I would like to comment on how the authorities are conducting the vaccination. When I went to the vaccination centre, there were people every 10 meters to guide me through the process. It was very well organised, and there was no delay, even for a few minutes. It was a very good experience. 

Did the pandemic have an impact on your job?

When most businesses were impacted during the pandemic, it was favourable for the telecom industry. Additional responsibilities in the absence of many colleagues in the office were hectic in the beginning. But eventually, the office felt like home with very few people, 50 instead of 2200.

How is the Belgian labour market currently? Are there still career prospects for foreigners?

The job market is getting busy these days; at least I get 1 to 2 calls in a week. But the pandemic also brought a very strange choice to the job market. Many job openings come with remote working option. Another lesson learned from the pandemic by organisations when employees never had to go to the office to complete the tasks. The remote working option has both positive and negative aspects for foreigners. It is too early to assess what this trend could bring to the labour market. 

What would you advise anyone who would like to relocate to Belgium during or after the pandemic?

Belgium is a very good place with an excellent work-life balance. Most companies/authorities are well aware of the procedures, and it is common to employ foreigners. Anticipate some delay in the process(visa/residence card) and keep in touch with the employer for a smooth transition. If you need a quarantine, please discuss with the employer to arrange the hotel booking for the entire period and few extra weeks till you find accommodation. 

What do you miss the most from your home country?

There is no doubt that we miss our parents and relatives first. We missed some of the beautiful moments of our close ones due to the travel bans. Besides, we were far away when our close ones needed us and struggled in the lockdowns.

If you could go through your move all over again, is there anything you would have done differently?

From Italy to Belgium with two suitcases, I cannot consider it as a real relocation. Sometimes things fall at the right place. Moving to Belgium was an occasion where things fell in place, so there are very few things I would have done differently. There is one thing that I could have done better; it was the relocation support from my employer. I did not negotiate for relocation and other logistic support from the employer. But I was able to arrange many things myself.