Are you someone who has left their country of birth to move and settle somewhere else, or who is thinking of doing so in the future? What led you to take that decision, or what is making you consider it? What have your experiences been until now, and what do you expect and hope for in the future?
I am. I moved from The Netherlands to Belgium. I did so because of insane housing prices in The Netherlands and also because my girlfriend was studying here.
So far it has been a mixed experience. Belgium has a better leftist base to build on and I’m glad I was able to join our marxist party. I like the little more laid back approach to life over here and the cost of living is somewhat better too.
However, I do get treated like an immigrant. Sure, I’m white and from another (similar) European country, but I’m still a foreigner. I don’t experience over the top racism or anything, but I get the occasional racist remarks. I also struggle to connect with Belgian people. The majority of my friends over here are Dutch migrants as well. I have some Belgian friends but they are considered very extravert by other Belgian people. The average Belgian person is very reserved and if you’re not part of their friend group from kindergarten you have a hard time getting into groups. Making friends or even talking to people is easier in The Netherlands and I miss it sometimes.
Party work made it easier for me to meet new, like minded people. I think the one thing holding me here is the party lol. Eventually I’ll move on to either France or back to The Netherlands. In the meantime I hope to build a better society with our marxist party.
I would do it again, though. It has been a great life experience to start a new life in another country with another culture, and to be treated as a foreigner. It really made me able to put things into perspective and it made me grow as a person.
If you move to France, pick Nantes. It’s as hot as Paris in regards to protests, and they have a Stalingrad Street and Boulevard Allende lol.
Brussels has a Stalingrad district as well. Our party HQ is located there.
I was told to consider The Netherlands as a destination for an easier life. Guess it won’t be the top on my list if housing prices are so bad, haha.
Has anyone in your current party told you if there’s a way you can keep doing useful work while living abroad? I imagine a marxist party could find it useful to keep correspondents abroad.
The biggest madness is gone now due to some lukewarm protective measures taken by the government. But it’s still very pricey to rent.
I guess there would be ways to still be active for the party but what I like about being active righ now is that I’m out on the street a lot. Talking to the people, joining the protests and strikes, making plans for local initiatives etc. There’s some marxist orgs gaining popularity in The Netherlands, though. I hope they will be bigger once I return.
Edit: I read in another comment that you are going to work in healthcare. There’s huge shortages in The Netherlands in this field (thanks, neoliberalism!) so work should be fine if you come here.
I was also considering the Netherlands, or Ireland.