Moving to Brussels - Revision history

WikiSysop at 17:22, 8 August 2015

2015-08-08T17:22:52Z

Arne: /* Short-term accommodation */

2013-01-21T13:47:01Z

Short-term accommodation

MLÃ³pez-IbÃ¡Ã±ez: fixes

2012-02-26T19:36:30Z

fixes

Jeremie.DL: Remove broken link

2012-02-16T14:03:00Z

Remove broken link

MLÃ³pez-IbÃ¡Ã±ez: /* Long-term accommodation */ fix expats link

2012-01-18T18:01:51Z

Long-term accommodation: fix expats link

Giampierof at 10:12, 20 December 2011

2011-12-20T10:12:24Z

Stuetzle at 06:59, 28 September 2011

2011-09-28T06:59:32Z

Stuetzle at 06:59, 28 September 2011

2011-09-28T06:59:02Z

Mascia: /* Italians: registering at the AIRE */

2011-04-11T08:40:58Z

Italians: registering at the AIRE

MLÃ³pez-IbÃ¡Ã±ez: /* The Belgian healtcare system */

2011-02-27T13:18:40Z

The Belgian healtcare system

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 For short-term accommodation (that is a place to sleep for the first couple of weeks you are in Brussels) a bed and breakfast is a convenient option. Depending on your budget and confidence in finding more long-term accommodation quickly there is a number of different options to choose from:
 * [http://www.sophiesrooms.be/  Sophieâ€™s Rooms] is a Bed &amp; Breakfast with very nice rooms. They are more in the upper price range (see website). Close to Diamant, basically between the airport and IRIDIA, it's perfectly situated for short-term visitors that arrive by plane. Disclaimer: the couple that runs the B&amp;B are friends of Arne.
 * [http://www.csfds.be  Centre Sportif de la Foret de Soignes] is a sports facility in the outskirts of Brussels. It is quite cheap for longer stays at ~230 euro/month or ~16 euros/day for shorter stays. There is easy access to the university: [http://www.stib.irisnet.be/FR/40000Fre/B/40072F.htm   Bus number 72] runs directly between ULB and the center (also known as A.D.E.P.S.) and the ride is 15 to 20 mins. And that is about all the good things that there are to say about the place. Breakfast is not included, the rooms are very basic, the reception closes at 23h00 on weekdays, 22h00 on Saturdays and at 20h00 on Sundays. You either have to be there before closing time or you'll have to arranged with the Security staff or the reception, that you will come at a later hour. Being so far out is by no means an ideal way to get acquainted with the city. However, if you intend to stay in short-term for a whole month [http://www.csfds.be  Centre Sportif de la Foret de Soignes] might be the least expensive option. If you want to book a room there you have to do it through IRIDIA.

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 For short-term accommodation (that is a place to sleep for the first couple of weeks you are in Brussels) a bed and breakfast is a convenient option. Depending on your budget and confidence in finding more long-term accommodation quickly there is a number of different options to choose from:
 * [http://www.csfds.be  Centre Sportif de la Foret de Soignes] is a sports facility in the outskirts of Brussels. It is quite cheap for longer stays at ~230 euro/month or ~16 euros/day for shorter stays. There is easy access to the university: [http://www.stib.irisnet.be/FR/40000Fre/B/40072F.htm   Bus number 72] runs directly between ULB and the center (also known as A.D.E.P.S.) and the ride is 15 to 20 mins. And that is about all the good things that there are to say about the place. Breakfast is not included, the rooms are very basic, the reception closes at 23h00 on weekdays, 22h00 on Saturdays and at 20h00 on Sundays. You either have to be there before closing time or you'll have to arranged with the Security staff or the reception, that you will come at a later hour. Being so far out is by no means an ideal way to get acquainted with the city. However, if you intend to stay in short-term for a whole month [http://www.csfds.be  Centre Sportif de la Foret de Soignes] might be the least expensive option. If you want to book a room there you have to do it through IRIDIA.
 * [http://www.bnb-brussels.be  Bed &amp; Brussels] manages rooms in more than 100 guesthouses. Have a look and contact them if you are interested. If you book a room make sure that it is close to the university (Ixelles 1050 or Uccle 1180). '''Hint:''' Go to [http://www.maporama.com   Maporama] and punch in the address of the guest house to see how far it is from ULB.
 * [http://rycx.be/bedbreakfast/en/ Rycx's family house] The guest house at Square Robert Goldschmidt, 50 - B-1050 Brussels, Belgium] should be quite good, inexpensive and very close to the university. They only have few rooms.
 * [http://www.brusselsdestination.be/en/index.html Brussels Destination] offers rooms, flats, and studios for stays of 4 weeks or longer. At the moment of writing this, the map offered by the site is often incorrect, so be sure to check the address given using a different map.
 == Long-term accommodation ==

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 Moving to a new country can be both exciting and frustrating. Everything is fascinating and at the same time it can be confusing to find your way around a new city, a culture and possibly a new language. The objective of this page is to provide some information for newcomers to IRIDIA, such as Ph.D. students, and Brussels in general in order to make the initial couple of weeks a bit easier. The information contained in this document has been collected by people who have been through the process. If you have any questions, suggestions, additions or such, please make them.
-NOTE for ITALIANS: for any kind of information or help, there is the Patronato Acli,[http://www.patronatoacli.be/it/le-nostre-sedi-20 link]. They can help for any kind of issues you have (accomodation, health,...) and it's all for free.
+NOTE for ITALIANS: for any kind of information or help, there is the [http://www.patronatoacli.be/it/le-nostre-sedi-20 Patronato Acli]. They can help for any kind of issues you have (accommodation, health,...) and it's all for free.
 == Short-term accommodation ==
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 === Sharing an apartment/Renting a room ===
-Sharing an appartment or renting a room in some bigger building which features common space for every inhabitant has several advantages over living alone:
+Sharing an apartment or renting a room in some bigger building which features common space for every inhabitant has several advantages over living alone:
 * you'll be never be alone
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 * you will most certainly learn french a lot faster (or chinese, or...)
 * it will improve your social life
-* you can rely on the knowlegde of your flatmates about Brussels
+* you can rely on the knowledge of your flatmates about Brussels
 Of course, it has several disadvantages:
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 ''' Options '''
-If you want to share a house/appartment, you should know a few things. You basically have two options when you want to do this:
+If you want to share a house/apartment, you should know a few things. You basically have two options when you want to do this:
 # Rent a room in a bigger building (kind of student-dorm like) In Belgium single rooms to rent is referred to as a ''kot'' or simply ''chambre''. This is usually the cheapest option, as you can get one for less than 300 Euros including charges. The rooms are usually rented individually by the landlord. The major drawback is that you don't know much about the people you're going to share the common rooms with. Sometimes these rooms are simply part of a Belgian family household, so if you're seeking contact to local people this might be a good way. Usually a kot is rented by young people and erasmus students.
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 '''Cash'''
-Cash dispensers are everywhere where there is a bank, and they all take Bancontact cards ï¿½?? issued by local banks. But beware, you might have to wander around to find one that takes your Visa or MasterCard or other major credit and debit cards.
+Cash dispensers are everywhere where there is a bank, and they all take Bancontact cards issued by local banks. But beware, you might have to wander around to find one that takes your Visa or MasterCard or other major credit and debit cards.
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 ===Tickets===
-In busses and trams you can buy a one-trip ticket for 2 euro from the driver. They will allow you to take any means of urban, public transport for one hour. In metro stations you can also by 5 and 10 trip tickets in machines (11 euro for the 10 trips ticket), which work in the exact same way, but are cheaper. The tickets are called "Jump tickets". Once you have a ticket, it needs to be stamped by one of the orange machines located in every tram and bus (just remember to validate the ticket every time you get in, in case it's less than an hour from the previous validation, it will not consume a new ride but will stamp a transfer next to the previous one). If you use the metro, remember to stamp the ticket BEFORE entering the metro train (sometimes they have raids where tickets are checked and the cops doing that do not look friendly!)
+In buses and trams you can buy a one-trip ticket for 2 euro from the driver. They will allow you to take any means of urban, public transport for one hour. In metro stations you can also by 5 and 10 trip tickets in machines (11 euro for the 10 trips ticket), which work in the exact same way, but are cheaper. The tickets are called "Jump tickets". Once you have a ticket, it needs to be stamped by one of the orange machines located in every tram and bus (just remember to validate the ticket every time you get in, in case it's less than an hour from the previous validation, it will not consume a new ride but will stamp a transfer next to the previous one). If you use the metro, remember to stamp the ticket BEFORE entering the metro train (sometimes they have raids where tickets are checked and the cops doing that do not look friendly!)
 ===Importing a car===
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 == Registering at the local commune ==
-At some point you have to register at the city hall to get a residence permit. However, it's better to wait until you have found yourself some long-term accommodation before registering because they want to have your permanent address. So itï¿½??s not possible to register until you have a permanent place to live. Officially you have to do it within 3 months of arrival in case you are from an EU member state.
+At some point you have to register at the city hall to get a residence permit. However, it's better to wait until you have found yourself some long-term accommodation before registering because they want to have your permanent address. So it's not possible to register until you have a permanent place to live. Officially you have to do it within 3 months of arrival in case you are from an EU member state.
-If you live in [http://www.elsene.irisnet.be/ the commune of Ixelles] you have to call the following number: 02.515.66.03, 21, 22 et 23. You can find the office time table to the following direct link of the [http://www.elsene.irisnet.be/site/fr/01officiel/servicescommun/population.htm#etrangers Bureau des ï¿½?trangers]. If you speak basic French and you are an UE citizen, itÂ´s likely that they will schedule an appointment with you in 2-3 months for the registration. All you have to say is your nationality and that you just arrived in Ixelles and you want to register. They will ask you your last name, your first name, your address in Ixelles and your telephone number.
+If you live in [http://www.elsene.irisnet.be/ the commune of Ixelles] you have to call the following number: 02.515.66.03, 21, 22 et 23. You can find the office time table to the following direct link of the [http://www.elsene.irisnet.be/site/fr/01officiel/servicescommun/population.htm#etrangers Bureau des etrangers]. If you speak basic French and you are an UE citizen, itÂ´s likely that they will schedule an appointment with you in 2-3 months for the registration. All you have to say is your nationality and that you just arrived in Ixelles and you want to register. They will ask you your last name, your first name, your address in Ixelles and your telephone number.
 Some days or weeks later and before the appointment, a police man will come and visit you in your apartment to check that you are really living there (and your family members). Usually, if you are not there at that time, you just need to put your name in your mail box.

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 * [http://rycx.be/bedbreakfast/en/ Rycx's family house] The guest house at Square Robert Goldschmidt, 50 - B-1050 Brussels, Belgium] should be quite good, inexpensive and very close to the university. They only have few rooms.
 * [http://www.brusselsdestination.be/en/index.html Brussels Destination] offers rooms, flats, and studios for stays of 4 weeks or longer. At the moment of writing this, the map offered by the site is often incorrect, so be sure to check the address given using a different map.
 == Long-term accommodation ==

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 == Long-term accommodation ==
-In case you do not already live in Brussels, one of the first and most important things to do obviously is to find an apartment. One option is to buy the magazine "Vlan" where you have lots of ads for flats and etc. You can as well visit the [http://www.vlan.be  Vlan website], which is very good and publishes the announcements shortly after they are published in the magazine. You can try out [http://www.immoweb.be   IMMOWEB.be] on which apartments are also advertised. Another great website full of ads for apartments and furniture is [http://www.expatsinbrussels.com/ Expats in Brussel].
+In case you do not already live in Brussels, one of the first and most important things to do obviously is to find an apartment. One option is to buy the magazine "Vlan" where you have lots of ads for flats and etc. You can as well visit the [http://www.vlan.be  Vlan website], which is very good and publishes the announcements shortly after they are published in the magazine. You can try out [http://www.immoweb.be   IMMOWEB.be] on which apartments are also advertised. Another great website full of ads for apartments and furniture is [http://www.expatriates.com/classifieds/bru/ Expats in Brussel].
 An alternative method is to simply walk around in the neighborhood you are interested in living in as the landlords hang out easy identifiable announcements. As this might not be a usual way to find accommodation in other countries it works in Belgium. There are a lot of signs put up and sometimes this is the only way in which apartments are advertised. Walking around is probably a bit more time consuming than finding a flat through the Vlan, but on the other side you get to know the area, and you are likely to find one of the apartments close to the University not advertised on the web. The signs read "A Louer" or "Te Huur", which translates to "for rent". There are lots of rooms and apartments for rent. They vary a lot in terms of quality and price, so you might have to spend some time to find something that suites your budget and your style.
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 If you move into an unfurnished apartment, [http://www.ikea.be IKEA] is a good option. They have two branches in Brussels, the one in Zaventem is close to the airport. You can even rent a truck there to take your new furniture to your place (and it is not expensive).
 Another option is second-hand furniture. Brussels houses lots of expats coming and going, so often you can find good deals for second-hand items ranging from apartments, furniture and cars. [http://www.xpats.com   XPATS.com] - a site for expatriates in Brussels and the surrounding area. Go to the [http://www.xpats.com/classifieds_main.shtml   Classified]  section and choose the http://www.xpats.com/clads/clads_display.php?Action=view&categorie=12   For sale section]. There is usually heaps of stuff for sale and many new ads are added daily.
 == Currency ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:12, 20 December 2011
Line 1:		Line 1:
	Moving to a new country can be both exciting and frustrating. Everything is fascinating and at the same time it can be confusing to find your way around a new city, a culture and possibly a new language. The objective of this page is to provide some information for newcomers to IRIDIA, such as Ph.D. students, and Brussels in general in order to make the initial couple of weeks a bit easier. The information contained in this document has been collected by people who have been through the process. If you have any questions, suggestions, additions or such, please make them.		Moving to a new country can be both exciting and frustrating. Everything is fascinating and at the same time it can be confusing to find your way around a new city, a culture and possibly a new language. The objective of this page is to provide some information for newcomers to IRIDIA, such as Ph.D. students, and Brussels in general in order to make the initial couple of weeks a bit easier. The information contained in this document has been collected by people who have been through the process. If you have any questions, suggestions, additions or such, please make them.

		+	NOTE for ITALIANS: for any kind of information or help, there is the Patronato Acli,[http://www.patronatoacli.be/it/le-nostre-sedi-20 link]. They can help for any kind of issues you have (accomodation, health,...) and it's all for free.
−
	== Short-term accommodation ==		== Short-term accommodation ==

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 * [http://www.bnb-brussels.be  Bed &amp; Brussels] manages rooms in more than 100 guesthouses. Have a look and contact them if you are interested. If you book a room make sure that it is close to the university (Ixelles 1050 or Uccle 1180). '''Hint:''' Go to [http://www.maporama.com   Maporama] and punch in the address of the guest house to see how far it is from ULB.
 * [http://rycx.be/bedbreakfast/en/ Rycx's family house] The guest house at Square Robert Goldschmidt, 50 - B-1050 Brussels, Belgium] should be quite good, inexpensive and very close to the university. They only have few rooms.
-* [http://www.traineesinbrussels.be/guest.asp?LG=uk Trainees In Brussels] offers rooms, flats, and studios for stays of 4 weeks or longer. At the moment of writing this, the map offered by the site is often incorrect, so be sure to check the address given using a different map.
+* [http://www.brusselsdestination.be/en/index.html Destination Brussels] offers rooms, flats, and studios for stays of 4 weeks or longer. At the moment of writing this, the map offered by the site is often incorrect, so be sure to check the address given using a different map.
 * [http://www.myapartmentinbrussels.com/index.html MyAppartmentInBrussels] offers appartments (from 1 to 3 bedrooms), houses and studios completly furnished in different parts of the city. They permit stays from lest than 1 month to more than 1 year.

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 === Italians: registering at the AIRE ===
-Italians that are staying in Belgium more than 12 months must register at the AIRE (Associazione Italiani Residenti all'Estero). Officialy you have to register before the 12th month, and in orderd to do that you have to go to the [http://sedi.esteri.it/consbruxelles/ Consolato d'Italia] in Rue de Livourne, 38. You can phone to the number 02/5431550 to schedule an appointment.
+Italians that are staying in Belgium more than 12 months must register at the [http://www.consbruxelles.esteri.it/Consolato_Bruxelles/Menu/I_Servizi/Per_i_cittadini/Anagrafe/ AIRE (Anagrafe degli Italiani Residenti all'Estero)]. You have to register within 90 days after your arrival, and in order to do that you have to go to the [http://www.consbruxelles.esteri.it/Consolato_Bruxelles/ Consolato d'Italia] in Rue de Livourne, 38. You can schedule an appointment online by clicking on [http://www.consbruxelles.esteri.it/Consolato_Bruxelles/Menu/In_linea_con_utente/Prenota_OnLine/ sportello unico -> prendere appuntamento]. You will need an Italian identity card and a Belgian document like the residence permit.
 == Health-care ==

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 General practitioners can be found in private practices or attached to clinics and hospitals. You are free to consult or register with any you like; similarly with specialist consultants. It may be a decision based on location, language or recommendation.
-It's always worth speaking to neighbours or colleagues when you first arrive; everyone knows of a doctor, or has heard of one with a good reputation. Embassies usually keep lists of doctors who can work in your language, though it has to be said that most doctors have a good understanding of English.
+It's always worth speaking to neighbours or colleagues when you first arrive; everyone knows of a doctor, or has heard of one with a good reputation. Embassies usually keep lists of doctors who can work in your language, though it has to be said that most doctors have a good understanding of English. See for example the webpage "[http://ukinbelgium.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/when-things-go-wrong/if-you-need-doctor if you need a doctor]" of the UK Embassy.
 When you first phone a doctor, check whether they are registered as national health service or private. Some are both, perhaps working at a hospital and also in their own private practice.
-One thing to remember when you go to a doctor ï¿½?? take cash with you. Consultations usually end with a handing over of money and very few doctors offer payment by card of any type. If you have state social security, reimbursement rates are calculated and you pay the difference; if you are on a private scheme, or are uninsured, you pay the whole lot there and then. It's always worth checking fees before you book an appointment.
+One thing to remember when you go to a doctor '''take cash with you'''. Consultations usually end with a handing over of money and very few doctors offer payment by card of any type. If you have state social security, reimbursement rates are calculated and you pay the difference; if you are on a private scheme, or are uninsured, you pay the whole lot there and then. It's always worth checking fees before you book an appointment.