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
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📧 Get in touch with us: themiddleground.bxl@gmail.com
🔗 Connect with the producers and hosts:
Valeriya Izhyk → Instagram | LinkedIn
Viktorya Muradyan → Instagram | LinkedIn