Join a group: You might make a friend for life

Georgina and her husband live in Mamer. They have three children aged 4, 6 and 10, and are expecting baby number four. Both Georgina and her husband are British. Before moving to Luxembourg eight years ago, they lived in Tokyo and London.

How easy did you find it to integrate when you moved to Luxembourg?

"Having lived abroad in Japan, I knew that I wanted to find a group as soon as possible. Within two weeks of arriving in Luxembourg, I came across the British Ladies Club, who organised regular meet ups for parents and children at Zig Zag in Bertrange. So I took along my eldest who was two at the time – and that group was my lifesaver! It's how I met lots of parents that I am still friends with today. After a while, I volunteered to take over the role of Children’s Coordinator, so I became much more involved over the years."

How did you initially navigate the Luxembourgish childcare system? 

"When we first arrived, I found it quite difficult to choose which crêche to send our daughter to. It's very different here compared to the UK, and as a trained teacher I found the lack of structure quite surprising. When she turned three, we sent our daughter to a Luxembourgish précoce, where the staff were unfortunately not very proactive in helping her settle in. She was the only English speaker in the class, and she cried every day for a year.  
 
"We chose to send our son to a French-speaking crêche because he was very happy listening to French and understood it fairly well. He went to précoce at Maria Montessori school in Strassen. Now he is six years old and is fluent enough in French to chat to his friends and give presentations in class. My youngest daughter went to the same crèche as her brother, but she is now in a Luxembourgish précoce and she loves it. She didn't ever mention they were speaking a different language; she just joined in the songs and took it all in her stride."

Each of your children has had their own unique learning journey. What do you think led to this? 

"Yes, all three children have had a different experience and have been immersed in different languages in their formative years! One size doesn't always fit all, hence why I chose three different educational routes for my children. 
 
“I think it's also partly because we were always debating whether to return the UK or not. Our decisions were probably influenced by our situation at the time, and our uncertainty as to how long we would stay in Luxembourg. But we’ve been here for eight years now and have no intention of leaving, so the baby will probably end up going through the Luxembourgish system."

Where do your eldest children go to school now?  

"At aged four, my eldest daughter went to Over The Rainbow in Belair, a bilingual private school, before moving to Michel Lucius when she was six years old. She is thriving in the English section and has all the support she needs. She learns French and a little bit of Luxembourgish but there is less emphasis on languages so she can focus on other subjects. 
 
"My son will join the English section at Michel Lucius in September. We might hire a French-speaking nanny to help at home or sign him up for some extra-curricular clubs to maintain his level of French. As for my youngest – and the baby – we would like them to attend Michel Lucius too in the future. That would make things much easier, if all four of them were in the same place!"

What do you like about living in Luxembourg? 

"The welfare system here is absolutely amazing. We have a lovely doctor and dentist. I can call up the doctor’s surgery and get a same-day appointment. We get a very generous amount per child per month from the state. I have friends in the UK who are on dual incomes and are nevertheless strapped for cash because they pay a fortune in breakfast clubs or after school care. In Luxembourg, we have affordable after school care, and the state school facilities are fantastic. I can be a stay-at-home mum, and I know that’s not everyone’s ideal, but it’s something that I always wanted to do whilst my children are young.

"I'm glad I was living in Tokyo in my 20s, but for raising a family in my 30s, Luxembourg is perfect. It's clean, there are lots of parks and amazing playgrounds. When you drive around, there are so many little towns and villages and they’re all beautiful – just like a postcard!"

What have you found challenging about life here? 

"Language is the main challenge for me. I’ve spent nearly three years trying to learn Luxembourgish. I still haven't passed the speaking test. The rest of my family have Irish passports, so I really want to get Luxembourgish citizenship. But I do find that most people speak English – for medical appointments, school meetings, in the bank or on the phone – I've never had an issue where I couldn’t get something done. 
 
"I felt a little judged by some people that my eldest didn't pick up Luxembourgish straight away. I remember quite a few people telling me that being immersed at précoce meant that she would pick up the language quickly. But this did not happen, and we both really struggled."

Do you have any advice for newcomers who are starting their expat journey?  

"Join a group! Depending on the age of your children, find a playgroup and try it out – you might meet the friend there that you’re going to have for life whilst you're here. If you have older children, try to find out who they are playing with at school so you can organise play dates. You can sometimes connect with other parents at children's birthday parties. 
 
"When we attended the teacher talks at the start of the year, I tried to go round and introduce myself to the other parents. Ask to join the class parents' WhatsApp group if there is one already or start one up yourself.

"It’s a good idea to join a club. I met a few people through Zumba and Luxembourgish classes in my local commune. Maybe they won't become super close friends but sharing a smile or having a chat with a familiar face gives you a feeling of connection."