Welcome to the thirteenth episode of The Middle Ground, a talk show and podcast not about politics, but about the people of Brussels.
When Slovenian-born Petra Petan shared on LinkedIn that she was leaving her role in the Cabinet of European Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni to become a full-time mother, the reaction was overwhelming. Friends and colleagues were stunned. Who, at the height of a successful career, chooses to step away for motherhood?
With that single post, Petra sparked a wider conversation in Brussels about ambition, success, and what motherhood means in a modern career. Throughout it all, she continued to express her deep affection for Brussels — a city that, as she puts it, “gives her wings.”
🎧 In this episode, Petra opens up about her journey from Slovenia to Brussels and the many lives she has lived along the way. She reflects on why motherhood is often framed as a penalty for women, what it feels like to find a new rhythm and discover new passions, and her refreshingly unconventional way of finding balance. She also shares why she keeps falling in love with Brussels, her favourite things about the city, and why, for her, the “middle ground” isn’t about slowing down, it’s about accelerating.
The episode is hosted by Viktorya Muradyan.
Follow Petra on:
Caution: After this episode, you might want to take a break from your Commission job.
🔵 About The Middle Ground
We’re Valeriya and Viktorya, two immigrant best friends who came to Brussels from Ukraine and Armenia. We bonded over war, visas, jobs, and endless receptions, and eventually built a home together – with a blue couch overlooking the Belgian capital and the heart of the EU. That couch has become the place where we laugh, vent, and try to make sense of this city we’ve learned to love. One night, we realised Brussels was missing exactly that: a cosy, human space for honest conversations.
That’s how The Middle Ground was born: a mix between a talk show and a podcast for all the people of Brussels – not just those with titles and badges, but also those who keep the city alive with their work, love, stories, frustrations, victories, and humour. We want to show a Brussels where everyone belongs, and where you can build a beautiful, happy life even before you’ve “made it.”
Every week, we invite someone onto the couch to talk about their journey, their lessons, and the truths we usually only share over coffee or beers. It’s funny, warm, sometimes cheeky, and always real.
👉 Join our community: We need you to make this project work. You are the soul of Brussels, your life and your stories keep this city alive.
Subscribe, comment, share your thoughts, and let’s find our middle ground together.If you are interested in being a guest, please fill out this form, and we will get back to you: https://forms.gle/bNy9K7iFajXjx9qEA
🌍 Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok
📧 Get in touch with us: themiddleground.bxl@gmail.com
🔗 Connect with the producers and hosts:
Valeriya Izhyk → Instagram | LinkedIn
Viktorya Muradyan → Instagram | LinkedIn
Welcome to the twelfth episode of The Middle Ground, a talk show and podcast not about politics, but about the people of Brussels.
Brussels' cultural mix made Teun Janssen, the Parliamentary assistant, feel less Dutch and embrace the work-related chaos as a canvas for building up his peace. Focusing on defence and Ukraine files, Teun shares that one needs to be the first in the room, the smartest and the nicest, if the goal is to have your thoughts to be taken up in the higher discussions, despite our very small role. This frequently comes at the price of the ownership for your own ideas, and eventually “ego death”.
In this episode, Teun explores common misconceptions about working in the European Parliament and offers his own “no-go” arguments to help avoid the disappointment that can come from choosing it as a career. He compares the popular TV show The Parliament with real-life politics and reveals what the series fails to capture. Drawing inspiration from Pieter Bruegel’s paintings, Teun also reflects on what doesn’t sit well in Europeans’ perception of security threats.
Teun also speaks of self-deprecation as a way to not become arrogant in Brussels, choice of hobbies that helps to compensate for the lack of progress in work, and avoiding a risk of being doomed to date people from 'work' or from your bubble cause it's easier
The episode is hosted by Valeriya Izhyk.
You can find Teun on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janssenteun/
🔵 About The Middle Ground
We’re Valeriya and Viktorya, two immigrant best friends who came to Brussels from Ukraine and Armenia. We bonded over war, visas, jobs, and endless receptions, and eventually built a home together – with a blue couch overlooking the Belgian capital and the heart of the EU. That couch has become the place where we laugh, vent, and try to make sense of this city we’ve learned to love. One night, we realised Brussels was missing exactly that: a cosy, human space for honest conversations.
That’s how The Middle Ground was born: a mix between a talk show and a podcast for all the people of Brussels – not just those with titles and badges, but also those who keep the city alive with their work, love, stories, frustrations, victories, and humour. We want to show a Brussels where everyone belongs, and where you can build a beautiful, happy life even before you’ve “made it.”
Every week, we invite someone onto the couch to talk about their journey, their lessons, and the truths we usually only share over coffee or beers. It’s funny, warm, sometimes cheeky, and always real.
👉 Join our community: We need you to make this project work. You are the soul of Brussels, your life and your stories keep this city alive.
Subscribe, comment, share your thoughts, and let’s find our middle ground together.If you are interested in being a guest, please fill out this form, and we will get back to you: https://forms.gle/bNy9K7iFajXjx9qEA
🌍 Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok
📧 Get in touch with us: themiddleground.bxl@gmail.com
🔗 Connect with the producers and hosts:
Valeriya Izhyk → Instagram | LinkedIn
Viktorya Muradyan → Instagram | LinkedIn
Welcome to the eleventh episode of The Middle Ground, a talk show and podcast not about politics, but about the people of Brussels.
Against all odds, Saim Saeed found himself in the Belgian capital. A newly naturalised Belgian–Pakistani, Saim is a tax journalist walking for Bloomberg and the founder of Walking History Brussels, a guided tour that explores Belgium’s colonial past through the monuments and public spaces we pass by every day (often without noticing their stories).
🎧 In this episode, Saim shares the unexpected journey that led him from Pakistan to Brussels, how searching for belonging pushed him to understand Belgium’s own history, and why a “brown man giving colonial tours” is far less strange than it sounds. We talk about the process of naturalisation, the cultural negotiations migrants quietly make, and the surprising gaps in how Brussels remembers its past.
He also speaks about shame, guilt, success, and the invisible rules of integration; dating in Brussels; being a self-made migrant in a place that often has trouble imagining such stories; and what it means to “integrate so well that you might need to disintegrate a little.”
The episode is hosted by Viktorya Muradyan.
Caution: After this episode, you might want to take one of Saim’s walking tours.
You can find Saim on LinkedIn.🔵 About The Middle Ground
We’re Valeriya and Viktorya, two immigrant best friends who came to Brussels from Ukraine and Armenia. We bonded over war, visas, jobs, and endless receptions, and eventually built a home together – with a blue couch overlooking the Belgian capital and the heart of the EU. That couch has become the place where we laugh, vent, and try to make sense of this city we’ve learned to love. One night, we realised Brussels was missing exactly that: a cosy, human space for honest conversations.
That’s how The Middle Ground was born: a mix between a talk show and a podcast for all the people of Brussels – not just those with titles and badges, but also those who keep the city alive with their work, love, stories, frustrations, victories, and humour. We want to show a Brussels where everyone belongs, and where you can build a beautiful, happy life even before you’ve “made it.”
Every week, we invite someone onto the couch to talk about their journey, their lessons, and the truths we usually only share over coffee or beers. It’s funny, warm, sometimes cheeky, and always real.
👉 Join our community: We need you to make this project work. You are the soul of Brussels, your life and your stories keep this city alive.
Subscribe, comment, share your thoughts, and let’s find our middle ground together.If you are interested in being a guest, please fill out this form, and we will get back to you: https://forms.gle/bNy9K7iFajXjx9qEA
🌍 Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok
📧 Get in touch with us: themiddleground.bxl@gmail.com
🔗 Connect with the producers and hosts:
Valeriya Izhyk → Instagram | LinkedIn
Viktorya Muradyan → Instagram | LinkedIn
Welcome to the tenth episode of The Middle Ground, a new talk show and podcast, not on politics, but on the people of Brussels.Andrea Bittnerová is one of Brussels’ most generous LinkedIn voices, known for sharing top locations and weekend gems around the city. A Czech migrant (and proudly so!), event-management expert, and an honest broker of difficult topics, she has spent six years building her reputation as the trusted coordinator of one of Brussels’ most high-profile annual events on EU policy.Drawing on her natural inclination to give and share knowledge, nurtured during her years in the non-profit sector, Andrea transitioned into Brussels-bubble affairs without losing her true self: someone who simply cannot keep insights and tips to herself when she knows they might help others.🎧 Andrea shares her thoughts on sensitive and nerve-tickling topics such as the difference between expats and migrants, insiders and outsiders of the “EU bubble,” and what it feels like to be an outlier among people who moved to Brussels for a partner, a Blue Book traineeship, or a College of Europe scholarship.The episode is hosted by Valeriya Izhyk.Caution: After this episode, you might want to join Living Brussels: https://livingbrussels.beehiiv.com/?u...You can find Andrea on LinkedIn: / andrea-bittnerova .
🔵 About The Middle GroundWe’re Valeriya and Viktorya, two immigrant best friends who came to Brussels from Ukraine and Armenia. We bonded over war, visas, jobs, and endless receptions, and eventually built a home together – with a blue couch overlooking the Belgian capital and the heart of the EU. That couch has become the place where we laugh, vent, and try to make sense of this city we’ve learned to love. One night, we realised Brussels was missing exactly that: a cosy, human space for honest conversations.That’s how The Middle Ground was born: a mix between a talk show and a podcast for all the people of Brussels – not just those with titles and badges, but also those who keep the city alive with their work, love, stories, frustrations, victories, and humour. We want to show a Brussels where everyone belongs, and where you can build a beautiful, happy life even before you’ve “made it.”Every week, we invite someone onto the couch to talk about their journey, their lessons, and the truths we usually only share over coffee or beers. It’s funny, warm, sometimes cheeky, and always real.👉 Join our community: We need you to make this project work. You are the soul of Brussels, your life and your stories keep this city alive. Subscribe, comment, share your thoughts, and let’s find our middle ground together.If you are interested in being a guest, please fill out this form, and we will get back to you: https://forms.gle/bNy9K7iFajXjx9qEA🌍 Follow us:Instagram, LinkedIn & TikTok: @themiddleground.bxlEmail: themiddleground.bxl@gmail.com🔗 Connect with us personally:Valeriya Izhyk → Instagram | LinkedInViktorya Muradyan → Instagram | LinkedIn
Welcome to the ninth episode of The Middle Ground, a new talk show and podcast, not on politics, but on the people of Brussels.
Tom Moylan is one of Brussels’ most familiar voices when it comes to communication, storytelling, and everything in between. An Irishman, strategist, dad of two, and serial multitasker, he’s spent years helping to bridge the gap between locals and expats and pushing for a more connected, participatory city that represents everyone who calls Brussels home.
From his early days at the European Commission to running his own agency, Moylan Communications, Tom’s career is a masterclass in balancing impact with meaning. In this episode, we dive into what it means to build something of your own, why civic engagement matters more than ever, and how to find your middle ground in a city that’s always in motion.
🎧 Tom also shares his takes on why expats hesitate to engage on local life in Brussels, how flexible workplaces need to be to accommodate parents, and why Brussels will always keep him restless (in the best possible way).
The episode is hosted by Viktorya Muradyan.
Caution: After this episode, you might want to join Restless Brussels:.https://restless.brussels/You can find Tom on LinkedIn: https://be.linkedin.com/in/moylato. Alternatively, subscribe to his Substack, Speaking Moylanguage here: https://tommoylan.substack.com/
🔵 About The Middle Ground
We’re Valeriya and Viktorya, two immigrant best friends who came to Brussels from Ukraine and Armenia. We bonded over war, visas, jobs, and endless receptions, and eventually built a home together – with a blue couch overlooking the Belgian capital and the heart of the EU. That couch has become the place where we laugh, vent, and try to make sense of this city we’ve learned to love. One night, we realised Brussels was missing exactly that: a cosy, human space for honest conversations.
That’s how The Middle Ground was born: a mix between a talk show and a podcast for all the people of Brussels – not just those with titles and badges, but also those who keep the city alive with their work, love, stories, frustrations, victories, and humour. We want to show a Brussels where everyone belongs, and where you can build a beautiful, happy life even before you’ve “made it.”
Every week, we invite someone onto the couch to talk about their journey, their lessons, and the truths we usually only share over coffee or beers. It’s funny, warm, sometimes cheeky, and always real.
👉 Join our community: We need you to make this project work. You are the soul of Brussels, your life and your stories keep this city alive. Subscribe, comment, share your thoughts, and let’s find our middle ground together.
If you are interested in being a guest, please fill out this form, and we will get back to you.
🌍 Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok
📧 Get in touch with us: themiddleground.bxl@gmail.com
🔗 Connect with the producers and hosts:
Valeriya Izhyk → Instagram | LinkedIn
Viktorya Muradyan → Instagram | LinkedIn
Welcome to the eighth episode of The Middle Ground, a new talk show and podcast, not on politics, but on the people of Brussels.Having a difficult childhood and strict French education, our guest, Marjorie Libourel, worked on her trauma, and today, she has an intense and magnetic presence who sees through to people’s true desires and needs.
After five years of study at Sciences Po in France and England, Marjorie arrived in Brussels with a double master’s degree in International Relations and the ambition to “change the world.” But she soon realized that her real power lay in her instinct and intuition, her deep understanding of human nature, and her ability to connect people across cultures and languages.
Fluent in five languages, Marjorie founded her own global matchmaking company, headquartered in Brussels. Since then, she has brought together countless couples, from CEOs to consultants and business owners, helping people around the world find “the one.”
In this episode, we explore how feminism influences the way Brussels women choose their partners, whether loneliness is a hidden cost of “making it” in the city, and when human connection can be a powerful complement to dating apps.
The episode is hosted by Valeriya Izhyk.
Caution: After this episode, you might want to take your dating life to a new level with Marjorie: https://mlintroductions.com/
You can find Marjorie on LinkedIn.
🔵 About The Middle Ground
We’re Valeriya and Viktorya, two immigrant best friends who came to Brussels from Ukraine and Armenia. We bonded over war, visas, jobs, and endless receptions, and eventually built a home together – with a blue couch overlooking the Belgian capital and the heart of the EU. That couch has become the place where we laugh, vent, and try to make sense of this city we’ve learned to love. One night, we realised Brussels was missing exactly that: a cosy, human space for honest conversations.
That’s how The Middle Ground was born: a mix between a talk show and a podcast for all the people of Brussels – not just those with titles and badges, but also those who keep the city alive with their work, love, stories, frustrations, victories, and humour. We want to show a Brussels where everyone belongs, and where you can build a beautiful, happy life even before you’ve “made it.”
Every week, we invite someone onto the couch to talk about their journey, their lessons, and the truths we usually only share over coffee or beers. It’s funny, warm, sometimes cheeky, and always real.
👉 Join our community: We need you to make this project work. You are the soul of Brussels, your life and your stories keep this city alive. Subscribe, comment, share your thoughts, and let’s find our middle ground together.
If you are interested in being a guest, please fill out this form, and we will get back to you.
🌍 Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok
📧 Get in touch with us: themiddleground.bxl@gmail.com
🔗 Connect with the producers and hosts:
Valeriya Izhyk → Instagram | LinkedIn
Viktorya Muradyan → Instagram | LinkedIn
Welcome to the seventh episode of The Middle Ground, a new talk show and podcast, not on politics, but on the people of Brussels.
With a background in women’s rights, our guest, Georgia Mourad Brooks, built her career around creating spaces where women can thrive. In 2021, she founded The Nine, Belgium's first female-focused members' club.
With British and Lebanese roots, and many lives lived between Canada and Egypt, she’s made Brussels her home while balancing business, family, and a community of powerhouse women. She has a sharp eye for Brussels’ challenges, but also a deep appreciation for its hidden treasures.
In this episode, we discuss how to unpack and embrace complex identities, how to take ownership of our roots, how to raise a family in Brussels and how the city’s catholic tradition is making it more kid-friendly than you might imagine. Georgia also shares her thoughts on entrepreneurship and business building in Brussels and explains why many tend to fail, at first.
The episode is hosted by Viktorya Muradyan.
Caution: After this episode, you might wanna join Georgia’s club. More info on The Nine here.
You can find Georgia on LinkedIn.
🔵 About The Middle Ground
We’re Valeriya and Viktorya, two immigrant best friends who came to Brussels from Ukraine and Armenia. We bonded over war, visas, jobs, and endless receptions, and eventually built a home together – with a blue couch overlooking the Belgian capital and the heart of the EU. That couch has become the place where we laugh, vent, and try to make sense of this city we’ve learned to love. One night, we realised Brussels was missing exactly that: a cosy, human space for honest conversations.
That’s how The Middle Ground was born: a mix between a talk show and a podcast for all the people of Brussels – not just those with titles and badges, but also those who keep the city alive with their work, love, stories, frustrations, victories, and humour. We want to show a Brussels where everyone belongs, and where you can build a beautiful, happy life even before you’ve “made it.”
Every week, we invite someone onto the couch to talk about their journey, their lessons, and the truths we usually only share over coffee or beers. It’s funny, warm, sometimes cheeky, and always real.
👉 Join our community: We need you to make this project work. You are the soul of Brussels, your life and your stories keep this city alive. Subscribe, comment, share your thoughts, and let’s find our middle ground together.
If you are interested in being a guest, please fill out this form, and we will get back to you.
🌍 Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok
📧 Get in touch with us: themiddleground.bxl@gmail.com
🔗 Connect with the producers and hosts:
Valeriya Izhyk → Instagram | LinkedIn
Viktorya Muradyan → Instagram | LinkedIn
Welcome to the sixth episode of The Middle Ground, a new talk show and podcast, not on politics, but on the people of Brussels.Few people inherit a stock from their grandparents, and even fewer manage to grow that capital over time.Ailbhe Finn did just that. Despite a rough start and graduating during the financial crisis, she learned to embrace risk, not only in her career but also in her financial life.In this episode, Alva shares her journey from being a legal asylum seeker in Cairo to becoming a political visionary in Brussels. She opens up about the unspoken rules that shape professional success, and the right and wrong ways to treat rivals if you hope to win them over.Alva also makes a compelling case for why everyone should start investing, offering her most valuable insights and practical links for beginners.Caution: After this episode, you might find yourself rethinking your Christmas budget and channeling it into investments instead.The episode is hosted by Valeriya Izhyk.Check out Alva's recommended readings:- The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing- The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt- How to FIRE in Belgium (Financial Independence, Retire Early)Don't miss the beautiful café in Forest called Honest Roastery Brussels, owned and run by Alva's wife.🔵 About The Middle Ground
We’re Valeriya and Viktorya, two immigrant best friends who came to Brussels from Ukraine and Armenia. We bonded over war, visas, jobs, and endless receptions, and eventually built a home together – with a blue couch overlooking the Belgian capital and the heart of the EU. That couch has become the place where we laugh, vent, and try to make sense of this city we’ve learned to love. One night, we realised Brussels was missing exactly that: a cosy, human space for honest conversations.
That’s how The Middle Ground was born: a mix between a talk show and a podcast for all the people of Brussels – not just those with titles and badges, but also those who keep the city alive with their work, love, stories, frustrations, victories, and humour. We want to show a Brussels where everyone belongs, and where you can build a beautiful, happy life even before you’ve “made it.”
Every week, we invite someone onto the couch to talk about their journey, their lessons, and the truths we usually only share over coffee or beers. It’s funny, warm, sometimes cheeky, and always real.
👉 Join our community: We need you to make this project work. You are the soul of Brussels, your life and your stories keep this city alive. Subscribe, comment, share your thoughts, and let’s find our middle ground together.
If you are interested in being a guest, please fill out this form, and we will get back to you.
🌍 Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok
📧 Get in touch with us: themiddleground.bxl@gmail.com
🔗 Connect with the producers and hosts:
Valeriya Izhyk → Instagram | LinkedIn
Viktorya Muradyan → Instagram | LinkedIn
Welcome to the fifth episode of The Middle Ground, a new talk show and podcast, not on politics, but on the people of Brussels.
Few people dig deeper into the corridors of power in Brussels than Lise Witteman. Convinced that democracy cannot exist without transparency, she left The Hague in 2018 to expose the hidden forces shaping European politics. From setting up Follow the Money’s Brussels desk, co-founding the Schuman Show, to writing the book Who’s Watching Brussels?, Lise has made it her mission to uncover what others would rather keep in the shadows.
In this episode, Lise talks about doing investigative journalism in the second biggest lobbying capital in the world. She tells about her journey of moving to Brussels, her process of writing and uncovering stories, and whether Brussels has a culture of accountability.
Lise also shares her thoughts on motherhood, finding a supportive community of women when going back to work after a maternity leave, and how she keeps all the secrets she knows about powerful people in Brussels and beyond.
The episode is hosted by Viktorya Muradyan.
Check out Follow The Money’s EU desk work on their website: www.ftm.eu
You can but Lise’s book ‘Who's Watching Brussels?’ here.
You can also connect with Lise on Instragram with @lise.in.brussels and or on LinkedIn.
🔵 About The Middle Ground
We’re Valeriya and Viktorya, two immigrant best friends who came to Brussels from Ukraine and Armenia. We bonded over war, visas, jobs, and endless receptions, and eventually built a home together – with a blue couch overlooking the Belgian capital and the heart of the EU. That couch has become the place where we laugh, vent, and try to make sense of this city we’ve learned to love. One night, we realised Brussels was missing exactly that: a cosy, human space for honest conversations.
That’s how The Middle Ground was born: a mix between a talk show and a podcast for all the people of Brussels – not just those with titles and badges, but also those who keep the city alive with their work, love, stories, frustrations, victories, and humour. We want to show a Brussels where everyone belongs, and where you can build a beautiful, happy life even before you’ve “made it.”
Every week, we invite someone onto the couch to talk about their journey, their lessons, and the truths we usually only share over coffee or beers. It’s funny, warm, sometimes cheeky, and always real.
👉 Join our community: We need you to make this project work. You are the soul of Brussels, your life and your stories keep this city alive. Subscribe, comment, share your thoughts, and let’s find our middle ground together.
If you are interested in being a guest, please fill out this form, and we will get back to you.
🌍 Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok
📧 Get in touch with us: themiddleground.bxl@gmail.com
🔗 Connect with the producers and hosts:
Valeriya Izhyk → Instagram | LinkedIn
Viktorya Muradyan → Instagram | LinkedIn
Welcome to the fourth episode of The Middle Ground, a new talk show and podcast, not on politics, but on the people of Brussels.This week's guest is Mehdi El Taghdouini, a Brussels-born street photographer of Moroccan origins. He has turned his hometown into his greatest muse: while most of us just complain about the weather and traffic, he has been out capturing the city’s hidden magic through his lens, from quiet streets to bustling nightlife. In this conversation, we discuss the personal journey of taking a risk for self-expression, exploring how identity and belonging between Moroccan and Belgian roots shape an artist’s voice. We also discover the barriers within Brussels’ art world, the role of photography in revealing hidden corners and micro-cultures, and how art can bridge divides across class, immigrant, and local communities. Alongside reflections on the ethics and process of street photography, overlooked neighbourhoods in Brussels, and the dialogue between writing and images, we ask what stories about Brussels’ diversity and future Mehdi hopes to leave behind.The episode is hosted by Valeriya Izhyk.All the photos in the episode belong to Mehdi El Taghdouini. Discover Mehdi’s portfolio and shop for his photos on his website, https://www.mehdi-elt.com/. You can also find him on Instagram (@mehdiel_t) and TikTok (@mehdi_elt).
🔵 About The Middle Ground
We’re Valeriya and Viktorya, two immigrant best friends who came to Brussels from Ukraine and Armenia. We bonded over war, visas, jobs, and endless receptions, and eventually built a home together – with a blue couch overlooking the Belgian capital and the heart of the EU. That couch has become the place where we laugh, vent, and try to make sense of this city we’ve learned to love. One night, we realised Brussels was missing exactly that: a cosy, human space for honest conversations.
That’s how The Middle Ground was born: a mix between a talk show and a podcast for all the people of Brussels – not just those with titles and badges, but also those who keep the city alive with their work, love, stories, frustrations, victories, and humour. We want to show a Brussels where everyone belongs, and where you can build a beautiful, happy life even before you’ve “made it.”
Every week, we invite someone onto the couch to talk about their journey, their lessons, and the truths we usually only share over coffee or beers. It’s funny, warm, sometimes cheeky, and always real.
👉 Join our community: We need you to make this project work. You are the soul of Brussels, your life and your stories keep this city alive. Subscribe, comment, share your thoughts, and let’s find our middle ground together.
If you are interested in being a guest, please fill out this form, and we will get back to you.
🌍 Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok
📧 Get in touch with us: themiddleground.bxl@gmail.com
🔗 Connect with the producers and hosts:
Valeriya Izhyk → Instagram | LinkedIn
Viktorya Muradyan → Instagram | LinkedIn
Welcome to the third episode of The Middle Ground, a new talk show and podcast, not on politics, but on the people of Brussels.
This week's guest is Kelly Agathos, the Greek-American performer who founded two standout projects in Brussels: The Schuman Show, an EU-themed info-comedy, and ImproBubble, the city's improvisational theatre club. Kelly lives and breathes performance, comedy, and storytelling.
In this conversation, we discuss what it feels like to trade a promising career in EU institutions for an untraditional, disruptive path in creative arts that actually makes you happy. Kelly shares the founding story of The Schuman Show, why improvisation is useful far beyond the stage, and the perks and challenges of life as a performer in Brussels. We discuss whether Europeans can laugh at themselves, and how she finds her own middle ground in all the busyness. Watch till the end to discover who she thinks has the best gastronomy in Brussels - Greeks or Italians.
The episode is hosted by Viktorya Muradyan.
You can find more about The Schuman Show on https://www.schumanshow.eu/. Discover and join the ImproBubble on https://www.improbubble.com/. And of course, find out more about Kelly Agathos on her website, https://www.kellyagathos.com/.
🔵 About The Middle Ground
We’re Valeriya and Viktorya, two immigrant best friends who came to Brussels from Ukraine and Armenia. We bonded over war, visas, jobs, and endless receptions, and eventually built a home together – with a blue couch overlooking the Belgian capital and the heart of the EU. That couch has become the place where we laugh, vent, and try to make sense of this city we’ve learned to love. One night, we realised Brussels was missing exactly that: a cosy, human space for honest conversations.
That’s how The Middle Ground was born: a mix between a talk show and a podcast for all the people of Brussels – not just those with titles and badges, but also those who keep the city alive with their work, love, stories, frustrations, victories, and humour. We want to show a Brussels where everyone belongs, and where you can build a beautiful, happy life even before you’ve “made it.”
Every week, we invite someone onto the couch to talk about their journey, their lessons, and the truths we usually only share over coffee or beers. It’s funny, warm, sometimes cheeky, and always real.
👉 Join our community: We need you to make this project work. You are the soul of Brussels, your life and your stories keep this city alive. Subscribe, comment, share your thoughts, and let’s find our middle ground together.
If you are interested in being a guest, please fill out this form, and we will get back to you.
🌍 Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok
📧 Get in touch with us: themiddleground.bxl@gmail.com
🔗 Connect with the producers and hosts:
Valeriya Izhyk → Instagram | LinkedIn
Viktorya Muradyan → Instagram | LinkedIn
Welcome to the third episode of The Middle Ground, a new talk show and podcast, not on politics, but on the people of Brussels.
Our guest this week is Francesco Cappelletti. Born and raised on a picturesque farm in Tuscany, he found his second home in Brussels. Trained as a classical violinist, he transitioned to the world of international relations and politics in Brussels.
In this conversation, we dive into what it feels like to teach the younger generation nowadays, and how it took him only 1000 euros to run a campaign for European elections. Francesco opens up about the complicated surgery he underwent and how his dog, Dante, helped me go through it with more optimism and love than ever.
The episode is hosted by Valeriya Izhyk.
🔵 About The Middle Ground
We’re Valeriya and Viktorya, two immigrant best friends who came to Brussels from Ukraine and Armenia. We bonded over war, visas, jobs, and endless receptions, and eventually built a home together – with a blue couch overlooking the Belgian capital and the heart of the EU. That couch has become the place where we laugh, vent, and try to make sense of this city we’ve learned to love. One night, we realised Brussels was missing exactly that: a cosy, human space for honest conversations.
That’s how The Middle Ground was born: a mix between a talk show and a podcast for all the people of Brussels – not just those with titles and badges, but also those who keep the city alive with their work, love, stories, frustrations, victories, and humour. We want to show a Brussels where everyone belongs, and where you can build a beautiful, happy life even before you’ve “made it.”
Every week, we invite someone onto the couch to talk about their journey, their lessons, and the truths we usually only share over coffee or beers. It’s funny, warm, sometimes cheeky, and always real.
👉 Join our community: We need you to make this project work. You are the soul of Brussels, your life and your stories keep this city alive. Subscribe, comment, share your thoughts, and let’s find our middle ground together.
If you are interested in being a guest, please fill out this form, and we will get back to you.
🌍 Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok
📧 Get in touch with us: themiddleground.bxl@gmail.com
🔗 Connect with the producers and hosts:
Valeriya Izhyk → Instagram | LinkedIn
Viktorya Muradyan → Instagram | LinkedIn
Welcome to the very first episode of The Middle Ground, Brussels’ new talk show and podcast, not on politics, but on the people of Brussels.
Our first guest on the blue couch this week is Julius Fintelmann, a 23-year-old journalist and co-founder of The European Correspondent. Once destined to be an opera singer, Julius traded a career in culture to study law and build a truly European journalism with a pan-European newsroom, bold storytelling, and yes… a now-famous collection of turtlenecks.
In this conversation, we dive into what it takes to build a media startup from scratch, the lessons classical music can teach journalism, what it feels like to be labelled a national security threat in Türkiye, and why Brussels, with all its quirks, contradictions, and guilty pleasures, is the perfect place to call home. Julius also opens up about burnout, resilience, and the toll of chasing a dream in your early twenties.
🔵 About The Middle Ground
We’re Valeriya and Viktorya, two immigrant best friends who came to Brussels from Ukraine and Armenia. We bonded over war, visas, jobs, and endless receptions and built a home together, with a blue couch overlooking Brussels. That couch has become the heart of our lives, a place where we laughed, vented, and tried to make sense of this city we learnt to love. One night, we realised Brussels was missing exactly that: a cosy, human space for honest conversations. That’s how The Middle Ground was born: a unique mix of a talk show and podcast for ALL the people of Brussels, not just the ones with titles and badges, but also the ones who keep the city alive with their work, love, stories, frustrations, victories, and humour. We want to show a Brussels where everyone belongs, where you can build a beautiful and happy life, even before achieving your dreams.Every week, we invite someone onto the couch to talk about their journey, their lessons, and the truths we usually only share over coffee or beers. It’s funny, warm, sometimes cheeky, and always real.
👉 Join our community: We need you to make this work. You are the soul of Brussels, your life and your stories keep this city alive. Subscribe, comment, share your thoughts, and let’s find our middle ground together.
🌍 Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok
📧 Get in touch with us: themiddleground.bxl@gmail.com
🔗 Connect with the producers and hosts: