Once you've lived abroad for a while and return to where you came from, you find that your own personal river has flowed in one direction, while the one you first stepped in has gone in another.

Lots of Flemings go abroad, and some of them come home. And it's their problems that are the issue for a new service run by Flemings in the World, an organisation that provides a network for the children of Flanders, wherever they may be.

The new service is called Expert/Expats, and its aim is to make it easier to come home. Their service takes three forms:

• > Publication of a handbook for anyone who has plans in the near (or distant) future to return to Flanders from a life abroad
  > Provision of expert help from people who have already been through the experience to help expats and families re-insert themselves into Flemish society
  > Organisation of a twice-yearly meeting place, where returnees and experts can get together to talk about their experiences. The first of those will take place on 15 October

www.viw.be