A note about Brussels: “It was not a love at first sight”

WeLoveBrussels is (among other things) an initiative that brings together positive and interesting stories that explain the connection between people and Brussels. We attended a last edition of the ‘Creative Mornings’, which is a a monthly breakfast lecture series for the creative community. We strongly advise those who still didn’t discover them, to check their website and attend some of the upcoming sessions!

In April the speaker was Sébastien Morvan of the ‘Brussels Beer Project,’ who gave an inspiring talk about his path of becoming an entrepreneur and on challenges that he faced during this process. We will not go into details of the entrepreneurial story (you can find a lot of information about the success of ‘Brussels Beer Project’ on the web) but we want to draw your attention to one point that we have heard during Sebastian’s presentation. Sebastian briefly mentioned his relation with Brussels and re-confirmed some of the well-known feelings about our city: ‘Brussels is an amazing place, full of energy, creativity and wonderful people. But it was not the love at first sight. It was not like some other cities where I’ve been before’ (note that Sebastien also lived in London, Bologna, Washington DC, Brazil…). His passion for ‘Brussels Beer Project’ and the commitment for involving the local community in building a strong local brand shows how amazing the relationship between Brussels and its residents can be. However, this only happens once you allow yourself to connect with the positive vibes of the city and dive deep into its soul.

We really loved Sebastien’s talk because it confirmed the uniqueness of Brussels, which (unlike other major global cities) requires a bit more effort to develop a deeper connection to. We are not speaking here about tourists – of course, they fall in love with Brussels at first sight, while visiting all the beautiful places and landmarks, seeing charming cobbled-stone streets and awing the history. But for those of us who live, work, or study in Brussels, complaints and negative connotations pop up in our minds far too often.

We believe that it is absolutely necessary to give Brussels a chance! Our recommendations are: go out of your usual neighborhoods, explore, join various activities and initiatives, meet as many amazing and diverse people as you can. Sooner or later you will love Brussels.

For an even better experience of Brussels, be part of #welovebrussels community!