"It's a huge cliché to hate on Brussels," said Patrick Marquette. The 26-year-old Ohio native is proving the Belgian capital's critics wrong, one video at a time.
Originally from Toledo, Ohio, Marquette decided to relocate to Brussels last year to live with his girlfriend after over four years of being in a long-distance relationship, and has since started documenting his everyday life on social media as a US citizen in the capital of Europe.
Marquette is among the many US citizens looking for new opportunities abroad due to the current political climate under President Donald Trump in his home country. Once it was time for him and his Belgian girlfriend to take the next step in their relationship and move in together, they decided to settle in Brussels.
TikTok time capsule
Since moving to Brussels, Marquette has built a following on TikTok, where he documents his everyday life in the city. "It's almost like a time capsule for myself. I think I did it, for the most part, for myself, because now I can look back and see how much I've grown in just one year," he told The Brussels Times.
"But also, it's such a relatable experience that so many people are going through right now, especially a lot of Americans who are emigrating to other countries because of the current political situation. I want my content to resonate and also help others."
Marquette has a background in marketing and social media content creation from his previous work in the US. However, when moving to Belgium, he seized the opportunity to focus on his own content, and it's paid off: he currently receives an average of 500,000 views monthly across his platforms.
Since arriving in the city, he's noticed some positive cultural differences between here and home. "The lack of societal expectations Belgium imposes was a culture shock, but in a good way. There's not as much pressure to get married, have kids, own a home, or be at a certain level in your career by a specific age. I felt so much less judgment and pressure when I got here," he said.
Through living in Brussels, Marquette has developed quite an itinerary across his social media highlighting different activities, restaurants, cafes, and bars across the city. His all-time favourite spot to visit in Brussels is Bois de la Cambre, one of the largest parks in the Brussels region.
Bois de la Cambre. Credit: Visit Brussels/Jean-Paul Remy
"There are bars, waffle trucks, a place to rent canoes, and there's even an island with a restaurant on it. It's also surrounded by forest, so I love running there," Marquette said.
Healthier and happier
"So much has changed in my life since I moved to Brussels a year ago. My daily step count has pretty much tripled, I'm learning French, I'm healthier, both mentally and physically, and I'm also able to experience a lot more culture than I was able to back home. Overall, I've just been able to diversify my life in general," he said.
"I have no regrets leaving, but there are, of course, things I miss about the US," Marquette said. Something which makes him proud to be from the US is the overall optimism Americans have. "A lot of my Belgian friends say that when they meet Americans, we tend to look at the glass half-full rather than half-empty."
Despite the occasional homesickness and having to adjust to a new culture, Marquette and his partner do not intend to leave Brussels anytime soon.
