expat Archives - Dr. Nicole Basaraba

By - Nicole Basaraba
Posted on October 20, 2014October 19, 2014
Posted in Belgium, Culture

5 ways Belgium changed me permanently

Talking to my close girlfriends about dating I realized that I have put Edmonton men at a slight disadvantage because I lived in Belgium for over two years. Europe changed me and I’d like to think for the better, but it can make me feel like a bit of a snob. 5 ways Belgium has

By - Nicole Basaraba
Posted on January 4, 2013May 29, 2015
Posted in Belgium, Lifestyle, Living in Brussels, Travel

21 Things I Miss About Brussels, Belgium

Now that I’ve moved back to my home country in Canada, there are several things I miss about living in Brussels. I came up with a list of 21 things. I stopped because I probably could have kept going for a while. The funny thing is that some of the items on this list were

By - Nicole Basaraba
Posted on April 6, 2012March 21, 2013
Posted in Belgium, Culture, Living in Brussels, Travel

European desire for closeness – Living in Brussels

Living as a Canadian expat in Brussels, there are a lot of cultural and social rules that one needs to learn and adjust too. One social quirk that I just cannot get accustomed to is the Europeans’ desire to be close to other people. In Canada, or at least in the Western part where I’m

By - Nicole Basaraba
Posted on March 26, 2012
Posted in Lifestyle, Travel

The Fine Art of Italian Rule Bending – Guest Post by Sarah Mastroianni

Today I’m welcoming guest Sarah Mastroianni who is going to share a story from the perspective of a Canadian expat living in Italy. My first ever glimpses of the Italian countryside were enjoyed from the back seat of a speeding Mercedes convertible on a steamy summer afternoon. It was from the same back seat of the same

By - Nicole Basaraba
Posted on May 31, 2011
Posted in Living in Brussels

Proof that Brussels is a mixed bag

Brussels is the capital city of Europe, home to the European Commission, the European Parliament, NATO and many many more worldly organizations and agencies. Its seen more as a city of transit than a permanent home. I feel bad for the people who were/are born in Brussels because they always get: “you’re actually from Brussels”