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I faced this decision about 2.5 years ago; I had a remote job for which I could work anywhere, and I had just separated from my wife so I needed to move. I chos

I faced this decision about 2.5 years ago; I had a remote job for which I could work anywhere, and I had just separated from my wife so I needed to move. I chose Gent, Belgium, and I haven't regretted that decision for a moment. The city itself is beautiful and an absolute joy to walk or bike around in, the people are all very friendly and welcoming, and, being a university city, most people you meet are intelligent and well-educated. I strongly recommend it to anybody who's looking to escape from the madhouse that is the United States these days.

sxldier 6y ago
Did you already speak one of the primary languages before making the move?
- jaggederest 6y ago
  My experience in Gent in 2006 was that it was impossible to get anyone to even attempt Flemish once they heard me say a word, be it English or Dutch. I imagine now it's even more that way. Nearly everyone was at least quad-lingual in English, Flemish, French, and another language, with many also having 5th or 6th languages in Spanish / Italian or German. Would not recommend for Francophones to end up in the Flemish side of the country unless they also speak English or Flemish - there's some cultural stigma, or was at the time.
CloudYeller 6y ago
Gent is an awesome city! Beautiful cathedrals and castles, a nice downtown riverside area, good art museums, lots of terraced pubs/cafes with excellent beer selections, plenty of smart people doing PhD work at UGent. And while people speak Dutch most of the time, 99% of people are fluent in English.
not_a_moth 6y ago
That seems unusual for a company to sponsor work visas for the country of your choosing. Care to elaborate on your situation or your suggestion for Americans to follow?