The advantages and disadvantages of being a cross-border worker between Belgium and Luxembourg

I have to say that five years ago the people I knew who would even understand what a cross-border worker between two countries is, let alone be one, was limited to the fingers of one hand. Even now I have friends in Luxembourg, no less, who can't get around their head how it is possible to cross the border daily. It was funny when my friends, recently relocated to Luxembourg, were "afraid" to go to IKEA in Belgium, but at the border with Luxembourg, afraid they would have to import stuff and be buried in paperwork :)

Things are way easier here and for people like me it's become a common thing. I don't think Luxembourg's situation is singular and without going into too many details, the phenomenon of cross-border workers in this area is due to the fact that Luxembourg is a small and expensive country and living across the border in any direction is more affordable and commonsensical in my view. I do have a subjective opinion and this will be a subjective post, but as this isn't a scientific paper I am allowed to be subjective. It is my blog, after wall. Another thing I have to say, I am not talking about the situation between Germany and Luxembourg or France and Luxembourg. I'm not even talking about coming from Liege or Bastogne or other towns in between. I'm only talking about commuting from Arlon to Luxembourg City.

The advantages:

1. Cheaper rent

I think that if you ask a cross-border worker why he or she lives in Arlon the main reason would be cheaper rent. I have to point out that is way cheaper then in Luxembourg, anywhere in Luxembourg. I don't have exact numbers so I'm only relying on what I know from my friends. Based on that, a flat with two bedrooms in Luxembourg City, but not exactly in the centre, but with good connections, nonetheless, is around 1700-1800 euros. It could be even more expensive depending on the facilities, such as garage or a small garden. The same apartment in Luxembourg Centre is more than 2000 euros. In the country you can rent the same two bedroom apartment with 1300-1500 euros. In Arlon a two bedroom apartment can be rented with 700 to 1000 euros.

2. Bigger houses with gardens

At these prices it makes sense to rent a house in Arlon and the renting prices for houses (so from three bedrooms up) are between 900 and 1500 euros depending on how new is the house and how many facilities does it have. I forgot to mention that in this area (Arlon and Luxembourg) houses or flats are rented empty without even a freezer or washing machine. For me, coming from Dublin this was a big shock as in Dublin you rent the apartment fully equipped with everything you could possibly need, including cutlery and plates.  

3. Clean air

I don't know if you reading thing have the same thing, but for me living in the country means cleaner and fresher air. Of course Arlon is also a city and it has traffic and on the other hand Luxembourg is not as polluted as other major cities around Europe, but in my head living in a smaller city equals less pollution. Although there is a factory somewhere near Arlon and sometimes I would prefer a little traffic fumes to the smell of paint or something similar. And then again, living in the country means another sort of smells. Wasn't there a study somewhere saying that cows pollute more then cars?

4. Country life

What I mean by that is easy access to producer shops. There is one on Autelhaut which sells fresh eggs and cheese and bread made by the owner of the shop. In Arlon there are Bakeries which sell fresh bread and pastry and are open even on Sundays. Beside that, having a garden (and some gardening skills) means you can plant whatever your heart desires. We only started two years ago, but now we have the best tomatoes I've ever tasted, we have salad, onions, basil and another thing which we Romanians know and love, but is unheard of in this region, we have dill.

5. Store proximity

At some point the Arlon authorities have noticed that Arlon is populated by commuters and they accepted for all the major supermarket chains to have stores here. So a short walk away we have Aldi, Cloruyt, Lidl, Carrefour, Delhaise and I'm forgetting something, I just don't know what. We also have outlets with all the major brands, we have IKEA and some sort of a mall, called Hydrion. You have to drive to the last ones, but they are closer to Arlon than Luxembourg and they all are in Belgium. I have not mention it but we do have all the mass stores such as H&M, C&A and others.

Disadvantages:

1. Lack of public transport

This is a big no and the only reason we might move to Luxembourg. Basically if you drive and have a car, Arlon has only advantages. If you don't drive, like me, the public transport between Arlon and Luxembourg sucks. The only public transport linking the two countries is the train. If you are a regular commuter by train you might not be as bothered by their delays as I am. But as I do go to Luxembourg away from rush hours for me is a nightmare to get out or in Arlon. I do have to say that they try to make the trains between 6.30 am and 8.00 am as on time as possible and in that interval you have around 6 trains back and forth. The same goes for between 4.00 pm and 6.30 pm. If you want to go to Luxembourg but not between those hours you have one maybe two trains per hour. But you also have delays and cancelled trains or trains replaced by busses which do not have the same timetable as the trains. So it's like Russian roulette every time you go to the trains station. 

A good thing though, now they introduced ticket machines that give tickets for Luxembourg as well. They had them even five years ago, but only recently they added the Luxembourg option and not to both (the one in the train station and the one outside), just to the one inside the railway station. It's an improvement, believe me as the workers there are never in a hurry and always willing to chat. I've lost countless trains because of them or I've payed extra for a ticket purchased in the train.

2. Nightlife

Recently I've noticed that even in Arlon there is some sort of an evening life. There are new takeaways, new restaurants, new terraces, small events, so little by little Arlon is waking up to life. Problem is if you work in Luxembourg and all if not most of your friends and coworkers live in Luxembourg. They will never be willing to come to Arlon for a drink and it doesn't make sense anyways. So if you are a cross-border worker in Luxembourg you are somehow forced to socialise in Luxembourg. If you have a car, I guess it could be alright, but in this case you are BOB (the designated driver) so no alcoholic drinks for you. If you rely on public transport you can say farewell to evening or nightlife in Luxembourg as the last train is at 11.00 pm and even the Luxembourg railway station closes around 10.00 pm.

3. Commuting times

Many people asked about the disadvantages of commuting between Arlon and Luxembourg would say the commuting times. I tend to disagree and let me tell you why. Indeed in the morning the motorway is pretty much on a stand still, but there are another two or even three alternative routes that link Arlon to Luxembourg. Another thing if you don't have fixed working hours, you have no traffic. I know for a fact that after 8.45 am the motorway clears out. And there is always the train, as I've said during the rush hours they try to have the trains on time.

As actual commuting times go, on a busy day, I could make from Arlon to Kirschberg in Luxembourg around 45 minutes. If there is no traffic I've made from my house to Esprit parking in the centre 20 minutes. By train you can make between 25 to 35 minutes depending on the type of train you catch. If you catch a direct one from Arlon to Luxembourg the journey is around 25 minutes, if the trains stops on the way, the journey is around 35 minutes. But, if you take the train you have to take also the bus in Luxembourg City and in the morning it can be a challenge. So even if you make 25 minutes by train, you can spent another 25 or even more in a bus. So in total if, for example, you work around the Airport in Luxembourg and you live in Arlon (although it makes more sense to live in Germany if you work around the airport) I would estimate your commuting times would be between 25 minutes (if you work close to the railway station in Luxembourg) to 45 minutes to an hour and 30 minutes.

Which is not that bad. I've lived in Bucharest and in Dublin and my commuting times were way bigger, with 45 minutes for 12 km in Bucharest and with one hour in Dublin. So if you come from London or another big city, to commute for an hour is something ordinary and that happens here only if there is traffic.

I think this will be a TLDR post, but if you made it this far, I thank you! I will try to insert a picture here and there and bold some information so it would be easier to read, but yes it is a kilometric post.

If you read the whole post and find it interesting please share it on social media. You can find me at my fb. page: Dichisuri.ro if you have something to add or if you have any questions.

Raluca

Belgium - On top of Saint-Donat Church in Arlon

If you live in Luxembourg you have a lot of reasons to pop in Arlon from time to time. It's only a 20 minute drive if the motorway is busy and you are already surrounded by another type of people, another culture, another way of doing events and another landscape. Living in Arlon I've discovered that if you keep a close eye on billboards or posters you find out that there are a lot of events going on, besides the Carnival or Maitrank. This summer the highlight has to be to climb on top of the bell tower of the old Saint-Donat Church. There are 120 steps and it costs 3 euro per person, but they allow dogs inside and on your climb you can marvel at the old bells.

What I don't know though is if they have a timetable, because I walk Luna there almost every day and I've saw the tower open maybe twice? They have a phone number: 063600893 and an email: belvedere@arlon.be so if you are really interested give them a sigh. 

But if you do come to Arlon and if you find the bell tower open the views are amazing. They say that on a clear day you can even see Trier's Cathedral. I could have stayed for hours looking for every corner of Arlon and beyond towards Luxembourg, but there were a lot of visitors and two families of Belgians who met after their holidays on top of the tower and had to share their experiences then and there. If I hate something about Belgians is their lack of empathy towards the others when they meet. It was actually a narrow path around the tower so imagine two families with two children each chatting on that narrow path :( The thing was they didn't care and I have a limited amount of pardons in my vocabulary so at one point after participating involuntary at their memory sharing, I had to be the bigger person and give up, climbing down the 120 stairs.

Nevertheless I do recommend this attraction in Arlon. I was there at sunset and the views were even better.

If you liked my post please do share it on social media and if you like to keep in touch check my FB. page: Dichisuri.ro 

Raluca

Belgium - Braderie in Arlon

Please do not stumble on the word "braderie". It comes from French and it is a "flea market" or a "yard sale". The one in Arlon is actually huge and if you are interested in this sort of thing come with me to find out what you can buy from Arlon Braderie which takes place every first Sunday of the summer months till November.

I have to say that as an Arlonais (I do hope that means people living in Arlon and not people born in Arlon) I was unaware of this event that takes place in my town. I saw on Sunday that the most important vlogers of Luxembourg were heading towards Arlon posting at the same time on Insta Stories what they found and I had to check it out.

Just to give you a head's up, if you plan to come by car to a Braderie in Arlon, leave your car at the railway station or in one of the supermarket's parkings, because the whole city centre is closed and on the streets near the centre you have to have a ton of luck to find a spot. 

Here is the poster I see literally every day when I walk Luna, you'd think I'd pay more attention. Well, no :(

This is a tea/coffee set I've noticed in Villeroy and Boch store in Luxembourg. Expensive at first hand, expensive at second-hand, unfortunately.

A functional and beautiful gramophone

If you know me, you know I'm passionate about Romanian blouses and to some extent about all embroidery. This is a Belgian nightgown, an old one.

At Braderie Arlon one could find even an old gynecologists's table. In the background, not this first thing, whatever it is.

What can be more at place than chocolate moulds at a Belgian flea market?

Different tiny radios. 

I felt like someone was selling their collection, cause this particular seller had this white trays with cooking instruments, toys and even small radios.

Again a whole collection of pepper grinders.

Not even the traffic signs were left undecorated.

Photo cameras

Old thread coil with still nice colours

Nice chair

Old signboards from Brussels

A furry seller :)

So if you are interested in this sort of stuff you still have two or three Braderies in Arlon until the season is over.

If you liked my post please do share it on social media and if you like to keep in touch check my FB. page: Dichisuri.ro 

Raluca

Publicistica lui Eminescu

Dragilor,

e un subiect nu foarte prezent pe blogul meu, dar totuși un subiect drag mie, jurnalismul. Pentru ca dacă știați sau nu eu sunt jurnalist și am reușit să rămân jurnalist și în Irlanda și acum în Luxemburg și nu e putin lucru.

Revenind, toată viața l-am urât pe Eminescu, da urât. Îmi displăceau vizitele la ”Teiul lui Eminescu din Copou” cam de doua ori pe an școlar, mă enerva ca Ipoteștiul era tot timpul pe itinerarul oricărei excursii, îmi era rău fizic la începutul fiecărui an școlar când auzeam iar de Eminescu, ba prin liceu dezvoltasem și niște teorii cum că Bacovia ar fi mult mai poet decât ”poetul nepereche” și uram din toți rărunchii toate comentariile siropoase și de câcat pe care trebuia să le recităm ca pe poezii, cu caietul în mână, în fața clasei.

Dacă nu ați ghicit, eu sunt produsul unui sistem de învățământ învechit și prost, dar asta era atunci, nădăjduiesc că acum e mai bine. Și termin eu 12 clase, dau BAC-ul (nu îmi mai amintesc dacă am avut Eminescu la BAC, dar posibil să fi avut) și intru la facultate. Și ce să vezi, cu ce credeți că începem? Cu Eminescu.

Aproape că am vomitat de nervi, tot Eminescu? Nu știu cum se mai face jurnalism acum, dar atunci, în lipsa unei tradiții a școlii de jurnaliști o luam și noi de la ”clasici”. Și clasicii erau Eminescu și Caragiale.

Și uite așa după o tona de poezii memorate și recitate cu aplomb în grădiniță, după comentarii siropoase și fără noimă în școală, la facultate l-am descoperit pe Eminescu, pe adevăratul Eminescu. I-am citit articolele fără să respir, mi-a plăcut iuțimea lui, mi-a plăcut că avea libertatea de a spune lucrurile pe nume și mi-a plăcut că și în ”opera publicistică” Eminescu a reușit să rămână poet. Și după ce am terminat cu publicistica m-am întors la poezii și poate pentru prima dată am putut vedea metaforele alea blestemate pe care le învățam papagalicește în liceu. Și mi-a plăcut.

Eu sunt un caz fericit pentru că în al 12-lea, da ce zic eu 12, în al 13-lea ceas am reușit să înțeleg ”ce a vrut să zică poetul”, dar sunt sute, dacă nu mii de elevi care termină școala fără să îl descopere pe adevăratul Eminescu și nu pe căcătorul de metafore propagat fără noimă de cei din sistemul de învățământ.

Știu că e greu de găsit. Vedeți voi mie încă îmi plac cărțile, să le miros, să le dau paginile, să le îndoi câte un colt și să le lipesc de pagini stickere colorate acolo unde cred eu că e ceva ce e musai de memorat. De aia zic că e greu de găsit sub formă de carte. Publicistica lui Eminescu nu știu de ce nu a prins la casele de editură și de aceea a fost tipărită o dată sau de două ori și se găsește greu. Însă dacă nu mă înșel există pe net sau există pasaje pe net.

Vă rog să le căutați, să le citiți și să vedeți cât de actuale sunt. Cumva poporul meu e condamnat să trăiască într-o continuă buclă și să își repete greșelile. Nu suntem noi acești savanți ai secolului 21, nu inventăm noi roata cu fiecare președinte ales, dar putem ieși din buclă dacă ne străduim nițel. Sunt convinsă de asta!

Poza e din 2015, iar în poză e fosta redacție Timpul, acum acolo e un bar. Mi se pare firesc.

Mă găsiți pe Facebook, la Dichisuri.ro

Raluca

Sky high with sky liner in Luxembourg

As much as it changed, and it did, Luxembourg still doesn't offer enough things to do for people like me. After, I've checked all the museums, some more than once, I've eaten in all the good restaurants and had coffee in all the hip cafes, I am left with wondering the streets, meeting friends in Grund or Old Town and an occasional concert or street fair. But there are weekends when there is still nothing to do in Luxembourg. For those weekends, I recommend the Sky Liner present in Luxembourg until August 22nd, if I'm not mistaken. 

My only advice is to try it on a sunny day, because even if you can experience it just fine on a rainy day, your pictures will look like mines, not clear.

Still, I got an unique chance to remind myself just how small Luxembourg City really is and how green at the same time. A pretty little town which handles us all!

Green as long as the eye can see 

See how close Kirschberg really is from city centre? 

Green again :) 

About at the same level as Gelle Fra/The golden lady 

Extraterrestrials are in town

You can find me on my Facebook page, Dichisuri.ro 

Raluca

P.S. The trip is just 7 euros and it lasts about 7 minutes

14th of July in Luxembourg

Of course you know what is on July 14th, so I won't go into detail, but I have to say that Luxembourg has gone a long way forward. I remember that 4 years ago July 14th was celebrated only at the French embassy so no fireworks, no public celebration, but now even with the rain they organised something in Place Knuedler. There was live music, drinks and food and overall a great atmosphere, ideal for a Friday evening.

There was also a stand of the weekly "Le Jeudi" which apparently celebrated 20 years in Luxembourg and had a photograph who was taking pictures of the people using little props such as the hats and the moustaches, also a little funny.

I have to say that the coat I'm wearing is not mine. Luxembourg turned into Ireland or something and when I left home was sunny and warm and in about one hour it was raining and the temperatures dropped. I usually have a jacket in the car, but this time I knew I've left it at home. So a big thank you to our friends who brought us the jackets so we could enjoy the July 14th celebrations and another thing which I will tell you about next. So stay tuned!

You can find me on my Facebook page, Dichisuri.ro 

Raluca

Italian holiday from Luxembourg

It takes about 6 to 7 hours, by car, to reach Northern Italy from Luxembourg or you could fly to one of the many airports in that region and start your Italian Holiday at the lakes. If you are flying there I would recommend to rent a car cause there are so many small towns to enjoy and why not Instagram. I do have to tell you though  that the roads are a little bit narrow and dangerous sometimes, but drive as slow as you need, cause everyone is in the same place and no one will rush you.
That being said, I've spent a week travelling around the lakes in Northern Italy and I really liked it. I went first to Lake Maggiore and then to Lake Como and in between I've managed to visit Turin and Milan and Bergamo.
Italy is one country everyone should have on their bucket list and going to Northern Italy is possible from Luxembourg, by car. Here are my pictures from the trip:

Lake Maggiore

I loved the balconies with flowers, we had one at the hotel and I spent a lot of time there

Yellow houses in a small town called Orta San Giulio

On one of the three isles on the Maggiore Lake

Duomo di Milano

Isola Bella

A small island on Orta lake

Turin

Last time on Maggiore Lake

Canoeing on Como Lake

Lovely small town on Lake Como

I hoped you liked my photos. You can find me on my Facebook page, Dichisuri.ro 

Raluca

Luxembourg - Belval - Haut Furneaux

I've studied for a year in Belval and I would have passed the furnaces daily, but I was never curious enough to visit them, I don't know why. All it took was a conference which offered a free guided visit to this unusual museum, to mind the courage to climb all those stairs and reach the top. If you are interested in this industrial architecture and the integration of old and derelict structures into contemporary landscape, maybe you should visit Belval. They are not to my taste, but I do admire the Luxembourgish people for their creativity and the desire to make a link with their industrial past.

The visit to the Old Furnaces left me with the question: what would they do with the Kirschberg area once the banking industry would decide Asia is more profitable? I'm mean, I know, but still the question is valid.

Since I'm not even remotely interested in this sort of architecture, I won't say anything about what I think of it, but you can guess. Still, just to confirm some theories (such as "Belval is ugly as hell") you should visit the Old Furnaces, climb to the top and enjoy the view!

If you liked my post you can find me on my Facebook page, Dichisuri.ro 

Raluca