An expat couple who relocated to the Grand Duchy three years ago have become increasingly territorial and have determined that too many people are being allowed to move here.
“It’s just outrageous how they keep letting more and more people in, making life more difficult for those of us who have grown tiny roots here,” said Camila Harrington, who, with her husband Lance, moved here after he got a job with an investment fund.
“When we first came here, you could easily get a decent two-bedroom flat in Belair for only 2200 euros a month, and now that’s the price just for a one-bedroom flat in Merl,” she continued.
“And because of all these new people flooding in, traffic has become unbearable,” Lance said. “I used to be able to drive to my office in Cloche d’Or in 23 minutes, which is nothing really, but these days it takes me anywhere from 25 to 27 minutes.”
The couple also are frustrated by how the influx of new arrivals is drastically changing the character of the city they once loved.
“When we settled here, the woman at the café up the street would simply growl at me whenever I insisted in terrible French that she give me heated soy milk with my coffee, but these days she hisses at me, and not in a friendly way,” Camila said. “And I don’t blame her, with all these newcomers showing up and barely even making an effort to make demands in terrible French like I do.”
“And the neighbors no longer simply ignore me when I say hello,” Lance said. “Nowadays, they physically turn their heads away, as if I’m just any other expat who’s new to town.”
