La rentrée - back and bubbling

It's the most wonderful time of the year to get outside of your bubble!

La rentrée - a wonderful French word for back to school that sings through the streets of Brussels at this time of year. Personally I love September, ever since I invented feminism at the young age of 9 by wearing trousers to primary school instead of a skirt, I’ve always been a weird little kid who gets a kick out of organisation and the prospect of fresh starts. This year, as my summer sabbatical has left me feeling optimistic and energised, I am brimming with ideas, inspiration and hope for the months ahead. However, as la rentrée fills up the city, I am once again reminded of the jarring divide between the EU Brussels (aka the Brussels Bubble) and the real Brussels and how la rentrée here is the perfect example of this disconnect. 

Some Brussels background

For those not familiar with Brussels, it’s a funky little city. Home to the majority of the EU institutions, its population of around 1.2 million people encompasses 184 nationalities which means it is often referred to as a “melting pot”*. The “Brussels Bubble” is the term used for the ecosystem that exists surrounding the EU institutions, spanning across the private sector, consultancies, trade associations, media, civil society organisations and more. It physically manifests as the European Quarter which, despite being surrounded by diverse neighbourhoods, is marked by invisible yet strikingly bold borders. Despite representing the “diversity” of the 27 EU Member States, the Bubble fails to represent the real diversity of Europe, with the majority of “Bubblers” sharing identical demographics. As a subject close to my heart, I have a LOT to say about diversity and the Brussels bubble yet I will give it its deserving screen time in another post. For now, it serves as merely context.

Where are you summer-ing 

Around May/June time, questions about the summer come thick and fast. They are preloaded with an expectation of extensive travel plans and escape plots. As the thousands of EU bubblers safely retreat to their home countries, overseas properties or holiday destinations, it is widely perceived that the city empties out for July and August. It is often said that “nothing happens in Brussels during the summer” - meetings are put on hold, endless tasks and admin bits are put into the doomed procrastination summer pile.

The reality is that the actual city of Brussels thrives during the summer. Whilst the European Quarter may be a desert (even more so than usual), anyone brave enough to venture further away from Place Jourdan or Parc Cinquantenaire will be greeted by a thriving city. Full of outdoor festivals, community events, an influx of tourists - you’ll find a broad range of people enjoying the vibrant Belgian summer across the city and beyond. Personally, between the electric ambiance and a lack of the bubble crew, it’s my favourite time of year in the city.

Inevitably at the end of August and early September, those who eloped for the past two months are reluctantly dragged back to the city they chose to move to. As the countless rooms, apartments and houses that have been left empty slowly become inhabited once again, the tired complaints about Brussels begin. Bouncing between work bubbles and social bubbles, criticism of how boring life in Brussels is, moans about Belgian quirks and lists of everything the city lacks are widespread. 

This attitude towards summer and la rentrée is symbolic of the general divide between the Brussels bubble and the real Brussels and frankly, ça m'énerve. It falls into the lazy trap of limiting Brussels to the figurative Brussels bubble rather than the actual city of Brussels. It also buys into the myth that nobody in their right mind would consciously choose to be in Brussels if other options were available. Due to the vast opportunities available, many international residents are first brought to the city for work. Consequently, many see Brussels as a means to an end, a stepping stone and subsequently treat it like a doormat rather than try to embrace the city and country they have actively decided to live in. This is problematic as it drives pre-existing divisions even further apart and the everyday acceptance of the Brussels bubble and all it entails desensitises many to this issue meaning a blind eye is turned all too often. 

There are many efforts being made to bridge this enormous gap which I applaud - from the European Quarter rebrand campaign to restless.brussels. Still, individual willingness to change and slowly break down these bubbles are crucial steps and can be easily done. There are many simple ways to do this, from community based work, getting to know your neighbourhood to exploring new cultural events. 

So en cette rentrée for those living in the city that some of us are lucky enough to call home, I’m sharing some things that I look forward to in the coming months that you might want to check out. Please feel free to share yours in the comments below!

• 9-14 September - Pianofabriek’s Opening Week - including the return of the monthly SpeakEasy sessions 

• 14-15 September - Heritage Days - various buildings, institutes, museums etc will open their doors and share their stories.

• 18 September - Muntpunt’s Book Club Extravaganza - including a wonderful Skin Mutts session

• 22 September - Car Free Sunday - the best day to explore the city and the many brocantes that pop up everywhere

• 27-29 September - Journées du matrimoine - Bamko’s feminist and decolonial tours (in French) are excellent

• Looking ahead to October - Gent Film Festival and Brussels Museum Night Fever are ones to add to your calendar too!

A more niche recommendation is the Flemish integration service of BON and the various activities they organise. I wish I had discovered this when I arrived 6 years ago! I could write a long list of all of the other wonderful discoveries I’ve made over the years but I’m not sharing all my secrets just yet, it will have to wait for another time so stay tuned.

Finally, a few points to mention:

1. I do not take issue with the holiday period as a whole. I love that rest/holidays are prioritised and only wish this were taken as seriously around the world. 

2. I’m not denying the permeating smell of piss, the inaccessible pavements and other issues in the city, Brussels is certainly not perfect but it’s more than a doormat and should be treated better.

3. I understand that many of the immigrants living in Brussels need to return to their home country and that the summer break allows downtime to do so - I do not mean to criticise this.

4. Yes, maybe I’m just jealous that I didn’t spend my entire summer by a pool x 

Until next time!

* https://www.visit.brussels/en/professionals/partners/diversity-equity-inclusion