As part of a new series, our colleagues from RTL Télé visit Luxembourgish families who have moved across the border. In this episode, Juliana and Len, residents of Gouvy, Belgium, share their journey and explain why they had no choice but to move abroad.
Len Gompelmann and Juliana Da Silva Pinto were just eighteen and twenty when they discovered they would soon become parents. Although unplanned, they decided to take a leap.
For financial reasons, both dropped out of school and rented a small flat in northern Luxembourg for €1,300 a month. However, this didn't last long. The flat was on the top floor of a block of flats, with no lift, just below the roof. This posed a challenge for a woman in the final stages of pregnancy and would certainly continue to be a problem once the young parents began navigating daily life with a pram.
The couple decided to look for another flat. Financially, the small family was unable to find anything suitable within Luxembourg's borders. They both work for a company specialising in photovoltaics, but their combined income is not enough to rent or buy anything decent in the Grand Duchy. As a consequence, they found themselves compelled to move to Gouvy, Belgium, where the family now rents a house with a garden for less than €1,000 a month.
Today, little Melody is almost two years-old, and the couple are planning to expand their family. However, despite feeling very much at home in Belgium, Juliana and Len do not actually want to stay. "We're not far from Luxembourg, but it's different. We'd rather live in our native country," they say.
The couple also have other plans for their child. If she is registered in a Belgian municipality, Melody will need to go to a crèche in Belgium - and the couple prefers that their daughter remain at her crèche in Luxembourg. While they could always enrol her in a private crèche, this option is out of the question from a financial point of view.
As official residents of Belgium, the couple grapples with associated expenses. Registering their vehicles, for instance, incurs a hefty registration tax of nearly €5,000. Residents of Belgium must also watch out for additional costs: electricity and water are expensive, and every piece of furniture needs to be insured.
The family hasn't given up hope and will continue their search. For Len and Juliana, the objective is clear: they want to return to their native country. However, a return to Luxembourg will only be possible if prices normalise.
Full report by RTL Télé (in Luxembourgish)
