House showing and differences

This week, I thought it would be fun to share some things I've had to adjust to since moving to Belgium.

We couldn’t bring our American washer and dryer, and I REALLY miss them! Back home, I could wash three sets of sheets, a giant comforter, or even furniture cushions in one load. Here, I can only manage one set of sheets at a time, which makes laundry take so much longer. Plus, where my American washer took about 40 minutes for a cycle, the European one takes anywhere from an hour for a quick light-soil wash to over three hours for an eco-cotton cycle. The dryers are also very different. In the U.S., you don’t see the water, but here, the dryers have a built-in tank that collects condensation, which needs to be emptied after every load. Bigger loads might even need the tank emptied mid-cycle to fully dry the clothes. They often feel damp when you take them out, but once they cool off, they’re actually dry!

I finally got the video of the house now that we’ve furnished it. I’m thinking of wallpapering a few walls and maybe adding some paint. I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas as you take a look around!

One difference, as I mentioned in the video, is that bathroom light switches are located outside the room. I’m not a fan of this setup for two reasons. First, you have to turn on the light before closing the door, which isn’t ideal at night when others are sleeping. Second, someone can play a prank by turning off the light while you’re inside, leaving you in the dark—something I’ve unfortunately experienced!

Unless you’re in the U.S., the U.K., or Canada, you’ll likely be driving using kilometers (km) instead of miles per hour (mph). One of our car’s digital displays converted, but it wasn’t possible for my vehicle's make, model, and year. I was constantly worried about speeding, as the cameras and fines here are no joke. A great solution is a GPS speedometer in kilometers—you just plug it in, and it sits nicely on your dashboard! 

It just goes to show that there's a solution for everything! 

In the U.S., electricity runs on 110-120V, while Europe operates on 220-240V. Instead of getting rid of all our electronics like televisions, computers, and lamps, we kept the ones that were compatible and use adapters in most rooms. 

I expected the move and lifestyle changes to be much harder, but now that we’re here and settling in, I absolutely LOVE Belgium! I’m so grateful every day for this incredible experience and can’t wait to keep learning and growing during our time here.