Visiting Martina, our [rezidentz] member.

Martina, 24, was born in Italy, grew up in Ukraine, did her bachelor's degree in the US, and completed a master's in Belgium. She's now a growth consultant at a Flemish startup, and lives at Rezidentz Sainte Catherine — one of our first buildings.

On choosing Rezidentz

'I did a virtual visit before I arrived,' she says. 'The apartment looked good. But what I really remember is that when I moved in, it already felt like home — not a hotel room, not a furnished box. I just had to add my candles and my books.'

For someone who has moved countries multiple times, the ability to arrive and immediately feel settled is not a small thing. 'You spend so much energy navigating a new city, a new job, a new everything. The apartment should be the easy part.'

On daily life in Brussels

Martina starts mornings with yoga and matcha tea. Weekends are for coffee shops — My Little Cup and Wide Awake Coffee are favourites — followed by long conversations with close friends. She's been to ceramics classes organized by Rezidentz and values the connections those events create across buildings.

'Brussels has this quality where you meet interesting people from everywhere. At a Rezidentz event, you'll find someone from Japan next to someone from Colombia. That exposure to different perspectives is something I genuinely value.'

On travel and what comes next

Travel is central to Martina's identity — whether spontaneous weekend road trips or longer planned journeys. She's not sure how long she'll stay in Brussels. 'Probably another year, maybe two. I like the city. And I like knowing I can extend my lease or move within the Rezidentz network if something changes.'