First days in Brussels

When I finished my summer internship at the end of August, I packed my bags and fulfilled a dream I've had for long - an interrail trip through Europe meeting my friends I got to know in Tanzania, Croatia and India. During my trip I stopped in Brussels with the purpose to of course eat fries, try waffles and drink a beer but also to walk through the European quarter. I did all of it but didn't have time to eat a waffle because I had to catch my train to Paris. When I arrived there I told my friends that I went to see the buildings of the European Union so that I know, where I need to be when I come to Brussels the next time and work for the EU. Who would've known then that a month later I will actually work as a trainee for the commission and live close to the headquarters of the European Commission, Le Berlaymont?

I applied in January for a Blue Book Traineeship at the Commission. In April, when I had already forgotten about the application, I heard back from them and they asked pre-identified candidates for supporting documents such as proof of language skills and the like. The documents were approved and I was shortlisted in the Blue Book. Together with me 24'000 applicants applied, only 1800 were short listed and 640 were selected to work as trainees now. The Directorate Generals (DGs), the cabinets of Commissioners and Executive Agencies of the European Commission select a trainee from the database based on their needs, but many candidates also lobby. In practice it is means sending emails to Heads of Unit to draw the attention to your application instead of the many others. I did lobby as well and was called by the cabinet of one Commissioner but I was not selected for that one, and in June I received an email that I wasn't selected as a trainee by any other unit either. Then out of the blue, at the end of September I was called on an evening if I am still available and interested to come to Brussels - I said immediately yes, of course!

  

Always when moving to a new place there are many things to arrange, and when moving abroad even more so. The Traineeship Office of the European Commission encouraged to open a bank account at a local bank, so I had an appointment in a bank close by Monday morning. Then I arranged a local SIM card - primarily to have access to 3G and a map in case I get lost in the new city. Finding a place to stay in Brussels while still living in Helsinki was not easy. Finally, I found a house with six rooms, all occupied by people who are staying for a short time in Brussels. Fortunately they are all awesome people - my superhero flat mates surprised me with a welcome dinner when I came home from a walk in the neighborhood on Sunday! The house is located walking distance from the European quarter where all the DGs are located, but my office is in town so I need to take the bus but already after two days I came to the conclusion that the metro is faster and more convenient. Today I got the monthly ticket for public transportation so now I am all set to live and
work here until the end of February.