One of the places in the EU 'designed for families'

Join us for 'Making Luxembourg home' as expat families chat with Maeve Ryan of RTL Today about making Luxembourg their home, how they have navigated life in the Grand Duchy, and any valuable advice they'd like to share with newer arrivals starting on their expat journey.

When did you move to Luxembourg and what brought you here? What’s your experience of integrating as an expat family?

I have been living in Luxembourg for 13 years now. I moved here for work from my home country Turkiye. I met my husband in Luxembourg, and we set up our family here therefore it was a little different than moving out as a family than individually.

In terms of schooling, why did you choose the international/ European school system and was it easy to find a suitable school?

My husband and I don’t speak Luxembourgish. (not yet :-) ) Since French is one of the official languages in Luxembourg, in terms of flexibility in our child’s future education, we decided to send him to an international school where he could have both French and English.

There were quite good options and pedagogical approaches and that played a significant role in deciding on our school selection process. It all differs for different sections such as preschool and primary. Finally, we are very happy with the choice we have made.

Any advice for parents wondering whether to send their child to a European/ international school?

If the parents speak local languages, I think they can consider public schools in Luxembourg. Otherwise, I would also recommend international schools in the country. Half of the population is foreigners. Therefore, such a diverse environment has a substantial impact on a child’s development.

Do you feel that Luxembourg is a good place for families to live? Do you find it supportive for parents?

Luxembourg is one of the more suitable places in the EU designed for families. Family support from the State is higher than most of the countries in the EU. Its playgrounds, nature, and making life easier approaches - make it a great place.

What was your experience of navigating the housing sector in Luxembourg? How was the process of finding suitable accommodation?

We were lucky to purchase our home five years ago and it was via a real estate company. Our experience was hassle-free service from an expert. Since then, housing prices as well as interest rates have increased significantly.

Is there anything that has surprised or disappointed you about life in Luxembourg?

I can’t say much about that except the weather :-)

Have you any advice that would be valuable to newer arrivals starting on their expat journey?

Try to get in touch with locals upon their arrival for general information about the country and make a good calculation of their possible net income versus their monthly expenses.