During a recent , I heard a moving choral rendition of “Ons Heemecht”, sung by Ambassador and his fellow singers. Luxembourg’s national anthem gives me goosebumps each time I hear it, and that occasion was no exception.

Only a day later, I celebrated in Hesperange, where Mi Hee Lentz-Pak, president of the Korean Association of Luxembourg, spoke in beautiful Luxembourgish, and deputy mayor (CSV) revealed that some 130 nationalities were represented in our commune.

I’m ever in awe of how international this tiny grand duchy is, and how--even if we don’t always see eye-to-eye--we generally live peacefully together and can share and explore a wide range of cultures without ever crossing a border.

During the pandemic, I found myself visiting the north of the country more often, doing long hikes and taking my child to see castles. We often took the long drive home, across rolling hills, stopping in surprising locations along the way. It had me asking myself: why hadn’t I explored this area more often?

Recently I spent a few days in Esch-sur-Alzette, a place I don’t regularly visit, and I happened somehow to get accepted into a local “Stammtisch” (an informal, regular group). The south of the country has its own character, and I almost had the impression of being in a US city. It was just the thing I needed at the time.

Then there’s the Moselle region--the place I first called home here, where most of my local relatives still reside. Visiting the vineyard-dotted slopes always has a regenerative effect on me, and I find many of the residents there to be open-minded, with a good sense of humour. Perhaps it’s due to their being close to three different countries… or perhaps it’s that superb Moselle wine.

I may have on rose-tinted glasses, but whenever I stop and reflect on living here as an expat for 13 years, I often think of how good this country has been to us. From free transport to the full support we’ve received here : we’re quite lucky. We may complain about traffic or bureaucratic paperwork but, on the whole, this is a generous country. And a stunning one: from the depths of the Grund, to the heights of the north.

Indeed, I can never claim to be a “real Luxembourger”, but I love this country more every year. I consider it my homeland too.

Starting this week and into the autumn months, Delano will share expat and ambassador stories and tips on a wide range of topics: settling in, daily life, childcare & family, professional life, personal finance and leisure time. To keep up to date, .