It was during the summer of 2024 that I decided to start looking for job opportunities outside Finland. I was jobless, and after countless job applications, I started paying close attention to Brussels, the capital of Belgium, where big European politics take the stage in decision-making and overall policies. I consider myself a bit of a news geek and am passionate about integrating international communities, so why not try to land a professional opportunity in the city famous for its beers, waffles and fries?
By the end of July, I was over the moon when I got my placement at a news media company I had always longed for — I said I’m a news geek — called Politico Europe; from September to December, I’d be working as a Product Marketing intern. And off I went from Tampere to the French-Belgian capital.
I had one week’s worth of holiday to settle in and start exploring the city before my first day at work. Wandering through the chaussées and rather chaotic traffic, listening to 99% of people speaking French and contemplating the Aperol season, I gazed at the dominant Dutch architecture — houses built tall and narrow. There are usually no lifts, making it a daily leg workout and a good health check-up, especially when carrying extra-heavy suitcases.
Compared to Finland, summer was longer there. But when the rainy season started with the autumn leaves, it was the craziest and most unstable weather — experiencing the four seasons all together every hour. Hunting down thrift shops, good food and cultural events became part of my spare-time programme. I also bonded with a few housemates, and the fact that I was meeting so many internationals was a highlight for me compared to Finland.
Lastly, I want to highlight that, even though Brussels isn’t a gorgeous city — the city itself isn’t wealthy, and it’s common to see rubbish in the streets because of the collection system — as well as not being student-friendly (forget the discounts we get in Finland), the fact that Belgium is a small country makes it easier to travel around. The cherry on top of the cake is that, on weekends, train fares are half-priced, so I managed to explore Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges with very cheap return tickets. However, certain aspects of Finland, such as quality of life, accessible nature and the best tap water in the world, made me happy when I returned in late December.
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