Studying and working at Eurocontrol

[EHO]

Hi,

I'm starting ab-initio training with Eurocontrol in February 2004 and I am wondering if some of you already working in Lux and Maastrict could tell me a bit about how everyday life is there.

One of the things I'm interested in is how you felt about moving away from your country (if you're not from the Netherlands, anyway) and living at a completely different place where you might not know anybody? Do you have fun and do you make new friends quickly? Or does studying take up all of your time?

I heard that Eurocontrol does a good job trying to get the students to socialize. Is that right, and what do they do?

I'm really looking forward to start training and I hope you will help me prepare myself for what I can expect.

EHO

[OscarTango]

Congrats on passing the tests... !

I was in ab-initio 28 which started in 1999 in Luxembourg. I don't know where you'll be living in Luxembourg. I stayed in a big house with different appartments, all occupied with people from my group. It was a fun nine months !

You'll get to know eachother pretty fast, 'cause you're all in the same situation. New country, new people, new carrer, etc... normally the ab-initio before you will organise a welcome-drink in one of the pubs in Luxembourg. You will get to know everyone, including the instructors there...they like to party too :D

You'll have plenty of time to do fun stuff with the group, allthough studying might take up more time approaching progress-tests...

You can look forward to an exciting time....enjoy !:ok:

[WX Man]

Can't say much more about the social side, but you WILL find it difficult to find somewhere to live in Luxembourg. The list Eurocontrol send you is useless (unless they've updated it). The most helpful person I found in Lux is the director of WSL (Wunneraum fur Studenten), Monsieur Francois Carbonne. You could probably rent one of their rooms- they have very reasonably priced rooms in 6 houses all over Luxembourg. You're very lucky Eurocontrol are giving you such a decent period of notice!

If you can, get in at Number One in Belair (and try and get Room 3. It's huge, cheap, quiet, and it's got a balcony). Contact Mr Carbonne via http://www.wfs.lu/. You need to apply, write a covering letter and supply proof that you are a student. I found it helped a lot to call in to the offices in person.

If you need any more info, just PM me and I'll send you my email address. Good luck in the course!

Nil Illigitimi Carborundum

[K. Soze]

EHO

Send me a PM with your e-mail. It looks like I'm going to start in Feb 2004 at EC just like you.

K. Soze

[EHO]

Hi,

Thank you very much for your replies. I'm looking forward to start training and it seems that I can expect it to be fun.

WX Man, thanks a lot for the tips on finding a place to live. I have been a bit worried about that part. I heard from several others that it is quite difficult. But I'll contact WFS as soon as possible. Did you go there to see their different houses and rooms or did you just take the room they offered you? I don't expect them to send me a list to pick from. It seems that I should be thankful if they offer me a room at all.

EHO

[WX Man]

That's pretty much the sum of it. With only about 100-150 rooms available to them to rent out, they can afford to be pretty picky about who they let their rooms out to.

That being said, if you do get in with them you are laughing. You'd probably be able to rent the room from January to August. And it's furnished. And you only need one month's rent as deposit. There are just so many advantages to doing it that way. You're in a very good position because (A) you have me to tell you that; and (B) Eurocontrol have told you far enough in advance when you will be starting in order for you to get in with them.

If I could have done, I would have stayed with them for the full 8 months. However, because I only got 3 weeks' notice to start, I could never have got a place with them- even if I had have known that they existed.

[TepidBoy]

When I spoke to Wunneraum fur Studenten about 3 months ago for my start in August, they informed me that Eurocontrol students are quite far down their priority list. I was allowed to have a room till the beginning of October and then I would have to move out for 'proper' students.
Still, gives you enough time to settle down and make an informed decision on where to move on....... However i may have only been offered a room cos 'proper' students were on holiday, that may not be the case in February.
Best ring and ask them!

[elfer]

Hi there, I'm Fernando (24, Spain) and will be starting in Lux next August too.

I haven't tried searching for apartments with the list they send you, although a spanish guy who is working at Maastricht told me he had no problem doing the reservation...

There are some real estate agencies in the internet in Kirchberg and Luxemburg that will also find you a place to stay, some of them might also have pics of the apartments. If you send me an email I'll send you a small list with the agencies I found.

See you all later,

Fernando

[iamtheone]

hi, can you give me some idea what the selection tests include? what type of tests and maybe somewhere i can get examples from?i am sitting the tests and wonder how you all found the tests having done them already??!

thanks in advance IATO

[TepidBoy]

I asked very similar questions before I took the tests, so I suggest you use the search facility to find the old threads.

Good luck