An expat who is merely very affluent has learned a hard lesson after finding out that he lacks the capital to be accepted by a group of wealthy expats.
Frederik Bommel, a Big Four tax partner who owns several properties in Utrecht, moved to Luxembourg with his family a few months ago.
He says the lesson was given “loud and clear” while hanging out with a group of other rich guys he met at a private event organised by an exotic car dealership.
“We were drinking thirty-euro cocktails on the terrace of Luxembourg City’s trendiest bar, our shirts unbuttoned at the top, our long legs crossed with our designer shoes bouncing up and down in a manner that can only suggest privilege and ownership,” Bommel said. “That’s when Matteo [Agrenda] asked if we had any plans for the upcoming holidays.”
“I didn’t want to brag,” Bommel continued. “But I told them my family and I were going to spend a week at a seven-star resort in Bora Bora.”
Bommel says he informed the group that there are only a dozen or so seven-star resorts in the world, and you basically have to be from a member of a royal Gulf family or know the owner to even step inside.
“Each suite comes with its own private beach and a dedicated butler and masseuse, and each butler and masseuse have their own private beach, butler, and masseuse to ensure they’re always calm and focused on guests,” Bommel explained nonchalantly.
When Peter Flyss, who only visits Luxembourg once or twice a year to check on his investment structures, asked Bommel if he was going to travel to Bora Bora by sea or air, the Dutchman was barely able to mask his enthusiasm.
“We’re flying Emirates,” he said. “First class.”
The group of men snickered and then broke out into laughter.
“You’re flying – commercial?” asked Oleg Yusupov, barely able to get the words out through the spit and mucous that now covered his face.
“It costs more than twenty-thousand euros per seat,” Bommel said in his defense. “It’s supposed to be the best and most luxurious airline in the world.”
That was the last time the group invited Bommel to have a drink, and soon afterward they kicked him out of their Signal group chat, he later reported.
