Uniting expats through laughter in Luxembourg

What began for both pages as a light-hearted joke has steadily carved out a place in Luxembourg's digital culture, their humour resonating not only within the local community but also reaching audiences as far away as the United States.

LM, originally from the south of France, moved to Luxembourg five years ago and now works in finance. She saw a rapid rise in her following after creating a niche as one of the first to post Luxembourgish memes in English. Within just ten posts, her page had already attracted more than 1,000 followers, and it has been steadily growing ever since.

NCL, from Ireland, has lived in Luxembourg for nearly six years and works in the private sector. She identified two key moments that helped her page "blow up". The first was switching from static posts to video, something Instagram's algorithm rewards. The second, more memorably, came during the Olympics when she reposted a clip of Snoop Dogg attempting to speak French, captioned "Me trying to speak French after two glasses of wine". The video went viral, racking up more than four million views and earning her around 4,000 new followers – and even a short-lived follow from Snoop Dogg himself. She laughed as she recounted the tale and exclaimed "I nearly had a stroke when I got the notification".

The expat experience

Both LM and NCL draw on their experiences as expats to shape their content, blending humour with cultural perspective. LM reflects on her view of city-centre corporate life: "Most expats live in the city centre and work for big corporates, while Luxembourgers are spread out and have known each other since childhood. So maybe I don't have the experience to understand their vision of things so I post according to my view of Luxembourg and my experiences… I post from my perspective, which isn't always right, but it's the experience of most people I know."

NCL emphasises the importance of connecting with the local audience: "Sometimes Luxembourgers message me and say, 'we never thought about it that way'. Things that feel so normal to them stand out when you come from somewhere else. I make an effort to appeal to locals because there's a perception that content creators just come here to complain, but that’s not the case for me. I’m really grateful to be here."

The two women have used their platforms as assets to facilitate social interactions and mobilise expats. In recent times, LM has organised speed dating, padel dating, and parties. She still has some aces up her sleeve too: "I'm trying, it takes lots of time. I would love to organise more events and bring people together." NCL has used her platform to inform people on how to vote and actively encourages expats to participate. In a country where not everyone speaks the local languages, she helps make the rules and opportunities more accessible, giving newcomers a clearer view of life in Luxembourg.

The cultural power of memes

The second definition of a meme given by Merriam-Webster is "an idea, behaviour, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture". In the digital age, however, this most often takes the form described in the first definition "an amusing or interesting item or genre of items that is spread widely online, especially through social media". Together, these meanings point to the cultural impact such content can have within a society – and both LM and NCL believe that this power is often underestimated.

They see memes as more than just humorous distractions, they view them as a way to communicate ideas quickly and effectively. LM points to the CEO of Astronomer meme as a prime example: "It was the first time I saw something go outside of the internet. Companies used it in adverts, people repeated it in real life. That's when you see how powerful memes can be." NCL echoes this sentiment, speaking of the advantage of short-form content in today's digital age: "People don't have the patience to watch or read long things anymore. A meme can deliver an idea in seconds – and that's why they can spark real conversations, even about politics or social issues." For both creators, these quick pieces of content are a surprisingly potent way to comment on culture and society in Luxembourg and beyond.

To conclude, LM and NCL prove that memes aren't just internet jokes – they're tiny cultural connectors. A single post can make you laugh, start a conversation, and even help someone feel a little less lost in a new country. For expats in Luxembourg, their Instagram feeds can be more than entertainment – they're a way to connect, belong, and see their world reflected with humour and honesty.