Venezuelan-born Rosana Greco, who moved to Luxembourg in October 2024, is President of the American Women's Club of Luxembourg (AWCL), helping newcomers build friendships and find a sense of belonging. Rosana shares her journey, the challenges of settling in a new country, and why making an effort to create connections can make all the difference.
I'm originally from Venezuela, although I've spent most of my adult life internationally. I lived in Miami for many years and then in Berlin, and most of my career has been in B2B hospitality.
I came to Luxembourg in October 2024 for a career opportunity with Villeroy & Boch, and I'm now working for another company in the same industry.
I had actually visited Luxembourg very briefly when I was 15, but I remembered almost nothing about it. When I came for my interview, I barely had time to see anything, so my impression was that Luxembourg was beautiful, safe, and a little bit 'posh'.
I also thought I might be bored here, so I came with an open mind and a little curiosity.
At the time, I was also finding the German job market increasingly difficult as a non-fluent German speaker, and Luxembourg made a lot of sense for me. English is widely spoken, my French is stronger than my German, and professionally it was a good fit.
My first impression was that Luxembourg was incredibly pristine and surprisingly easy to navigate. Even the bureaucracy felt manageable, registering my address took about ten minutes.
In Berlin, getting an appointment at the municipality could be an ordeal, and my driver's license exchange took 14 months. So I quickly thought, 'OK, things seem to work here'.
And I think Luxembourg is one of those places that you give a little bit of yourself to, and it gives back much more. You have to make the effort to participate and become part of the community, but there are so many opportunities to do that.
And then, somehow, less than two years after arriving, I became President of the American Women’s Club. So clearly I didn't get bored.
Luxembourg does a lot well. It is safe, international, relatively easy to navigate, and there are so many people here who have also come from somewhere else. That gives you a huge potential community.
I also think the fact that English is so widely used makes a big difference to international newcomers. You can function here while you are still learning the local languages.
Housing is probably the biggest challenge I would point to. It is difficult and expensive to find somewhere to live, and you have to be persistent. When I was still in Berlin, I was calling agents and doing virtual apartment tours almost every day before I found my place.
And as Luxembourg becomes increasingly international, I think there is an opportunity to keep adapting to that reality. English is already so widely used in business and daily life that I think there is a conversation to be had about making some public-facing processes even more accessible to international residents.
I joined AWCL during my first week in Luxembourg. I didn't know anyone here, so I was looking for ways to meet people, and I was also interested in the language classes and pilates. Pilates was actually the first reason I went to the clubhouse.
I ended up making many friends through AWCL, and most of my close circle today comes from the Club. And they're not all American.
I've made close friends who are French, German, and from many other backgrounds, which is one of the things I really love about AWCL.
I had my first board experience in my mid-20s, when I was involved with NEWH, the Network of Executive Women in Hospitality, in South Florida. I was the events chair, and I realised that I really enjoyed that kind of environment.
When I joined the AWCL board, someone mentioned that I could potentially become president one day, but I didn't really think about it at the time. Then the opportunity came up, I was nominated, and I decided to accept.
My vision is quite simple: I want AWCL to be the go-to community for women of all nationalities arriving in Luxembourg. I want someone who has just moved here to think, 'I should check out AWCL'.
And I want the Club itself to reflect the community we live in. Our board now includes women ranging from their late 20s to their 60s and a variety of nationalities.
We have people with full-time careers, children, and families, and yet they are still finding ways to contribute. I think that is an important message too: you don't have to have endless free time to get involved.
For me, AWCL was part of how I found my feet, so I know personally how valuable it can be.
When you arrive somewhere new, there is so much practical information to figure out, but what you really need is people. AWCL gives you an immediate opportunity to meet people through events, activities, interest groups, volunteering, and just spending time together.
And there's no particular way you have to participate. You can come to a big event, join a hiking trip, volunteer for something, or just show up for coffee. You can be very involved or take your time.
What I love most is that it can grow beyond the club itself. Many of my closest friendships came through AWCL, and those friendships have become part of my wider life in Luxembourg.
I think adult friendship requires effort. Our attention is divided in so many directions: work, children, aging parents, relationships, weddings, divorce, retirement plans.
Friendship can easily become the thing that gets pushed to the bottom of the list. And when you move to a new country, you have to start from zero.
When I moved to Luxembourg, unlike my previous moves, I literally didn't know anyone. I had people in Miami and Berlin, but here I had no existing network.
So I made it a priority to find my tribe.
I'm also very comfortable doing things by myself, which helps. I did a lot of research and I said yes to things.
I went to barre and pilates classes, joined a gym, looked for whiskey tastings, went on tours, joined Internations and LuxExpats, met people through Instagram and, of course, joined AWCL.
My first whiskey tasting was in November 2024, just a month after I arrived. I went to Le Trianon by myself. Tom, the bar manager, greeted me in Luxembourgish with a huge smile, I met the rest of the staff, and it became my favorite bar.
I still go there and hug the bartenders when I walk in. They make me feel comfortable and welcome.
That taught me something quite early on: you don't necessarily make your best friend the first time you walk into a room. Sometimes you just need to become a familiar face.
You keep showing up, people start recognizing you, and eventually you have a little community.
It doesn't help to complain that you don't know anyone and then stay at home. You have to be willing to put in the work.
I think people need to understand that volunteering isn't just about giving something away. You get something back.
I joined AWCL because I wanted to meet people, and volunteering became one of the ways I built relationships, developed new skills, and became more connected to Luxembourg. I also enjoy building things and being part of a team, so for me it has been incredibly rewarding.
The key is making volunteering accessible. Not everyone can commit to being on a board or running a committee. Sometimes someone can give two hours at an event, help with a fundraiser, or contribute a particular skill.
And I think it helps when people can see the impact. With something like Gifts for Kids, for example, you can see exactly where the work goes.
Volunteers are not just organizing an event. They are helping make something happen for children in care centers across Luxembourg.
Say yes and get out of the house. Seriously, I think the biggest thing is not to wait for your new life to happen to you. Research what's out there and try things, even if you have to go alone.
Take a class. Join a club. Go to an event. Volunteer. Find something you're genuinely interested in and start there. You don't have to walk into a room and immediately make 10 friends.
And don't be afraid to do things by yourself. I went to whiskey tastings alone, took tours alone, tried different fitness classes, and met people through social media. Some things went nowhere, and others became part of my life.
I would also say: give yourself time. You are not just moving to a new country. You are rebuilding your social life, your routines, and your sense of belonging. That takes a little while.
I arrived in Luxembourg thinking I might be bored. Instead, I found a community, built friendships, got involved with AWCL, and somehow ended up as its president.
And now I sometimes have the opposite problem. On a Saturday, I can be genuinely conflicted because I want to go see my Cuban dance teacher at the gym, but there's also a reformer pilates class or a barre class with instructors I really like and respect.
I think that says something about how much my life here has changed.
I really believe Luxembourg is a place you give a little to, and it gives back so much. You have to make the effort to participate and put yourself out there, but if you do, there is a lot of community here to discover.
If you would like to share your story of making Luxembourg home, reach out to us at contenttoday@rtl.lu
