Jimmy Barge began his career at Ahold Delhaize as an international finance trainee. The idea of working for a multinational with so many opportunities appealed to him, and after a few years that translated into a move to the US. In 2019, Jimmy relocated to Boston to become Sales Finance Manager at Stop & Shop, one of Ahold Delhaize’s US brands. Four years later, another international chapter followed, this time at Delhaize in Brussels. Now back in the Netherlands, he reflects on his 2-2-2 experience.
cultural differences
Saying yes to the US During my studies, working abroad wasn’t really on my radar. That changed in my first years at the corporate HQ of Ahold Delhaize. I worked closely with colleagues from different international brands, and gradually I started to see the bigger picture. The idea of spending time abroad with one of those brands started to appeal more and more. So I raised my hand and said: I want to go to the US – several times. What really helped was having internal sponsors – people in Boston who were interested in my coming. I wasn’t literally calling them every week to see if a spot was open, but I stayed engaged and patient, trusting the opportunity would eventually come. And it did.
Same same, but different From a work perspective, I got up to speed fairly quickly. After all, every brand in finance follows the same planning cycles. While the financial systems differ, the processes are largely the same. On a deeper level, however, there are other interesting differences. For instance, the American business is heavily affected by snowstorms, which are hard to predict. What really stood out to me – both in the US and later in Belgium – was the strategic role of finance within the organization. That level of maturity varies, and it definitely shaped the nature of my positions, which have always been unique. Over the years, I’ve held several roles not just at Stop & Shop, but also at Albert Heijn, Ahold Delhaize, and Delhaize. It doesn’t feel like I’ve been at the same company for ten years; it feels like I’ve gained experience across four distinct organizations.
Bridging cultures with curiosity I sometimes hear people talk about “Dutch directness” and how it can lead to cultural clashes. In my experience, I was struck by how Americans manage to persuade one another while staying polite; there’s a lot the Dutch can learn from that. For me, the key to navigating cultural nuances lies in building relationships and earning each other’s trust. People are often convinced that their own way of working is the best, while in reality there’s so much to learn from one another. Also, a lot of it comes down to how you say things. If I had the sense something wasn’t quite right, I’d say to my American colleagues, “I’m not sure I understand this – can you walk me through it?” instead of bluntly saying, “This isn’t right.” One moment that stayed with me was when I admitted to a colleague that I sometimes felt insecure about my English proficiency and pronunciation. He replied, “But you speak two languages; we can only speak one,” and they were genuinely impressed by that.
private life
Mini vacations every weekend We arrived in Boston in September 2019. In those first few months, quite a few friends and family members came to visit us. Every weekend offered a chance to do something fun and explore the city and its surroundings. That only increased when COVID hit and the borders closed. From that point on, it was just the two of us. Looking back, that turned out to be amazing– we did so many fun things, and every weekend felt like a mini vacation.
Nelly the conversation starter Boston is a very international city, where people are constantly coming and going, so everyone is very open to meeting new people. We met a few people we clicked with, both through work and through our dog, Nelly. We had just arrived in the US when we got her – she was a farewell gift from our friends in the Netherlands. Our going-away party had been at Café Nel in Amsterdam, which is where she got her name. Boston is a true dog city: people love dogs, and Nelly quickly became the perfect icebreaker for starting conversations.
A new chapter (two, really) In 2021, our daughter Thysa was born. We were still in the midst of COVID, which made everything feel a bit surreal. Obviously, we wanted her to meet her family in the Netherlands. No one was allowed into the US, but we were able to travel because Thysa has an American passport. A four-week parental leave policy had just been introduced, but hardly anyone had used it yet. I handed over my responsibilities and took six weeks off, which raised a few eyebrows. Coincidentally a new role at Stop & Shop opened up while I was on leave, and I moved into that position when I returned.
From Boston to Brussel In 2023, we moved from Boston to Brussels. We were ready for a new step, and Delhaize in Belgium provided multiple opportunities. Being closer to family and friends felt important, especially now that Thysa was with us. When you’re used to living in the US, a two-and-a-half-hour trip to Brussels suddenly feels like it’s just around the corner. It felt like a new international adventure – just much closer to home.
biggest challenge(s)
Culture shock, Belgian edition We quickly realized we had underestimated things. Moving as a couple is one thing; moving with a family is another. Suddenly, there’s a school to arrange, childcare to sort out, and, of course, Nelly had to come along too, which meant its own paperwork and logistics. The move was further complicated when, in our final days in the US, we learned that my father-in-law was seriously ill. I ended up moving to Brussels first, and we were back in the Netherlands almost every weekend. In the midst of it all, our son Jimmy was born. It made it difficult to really settle into life in Brussels. Not speaking French didn’t make things any easier, and in many ways, I found the culture shock in Belgium bigger than in the US.
Lost in translation It wasn’t until Brussels that I truly felt the difference language makes. In the US, joining a conversation was easy, but not speaking French in Brussels quickly felt like a barrier. Within my team, I was the only non-French speaker, so meetings often had to switch to English just for me. It could feel a bit awkward and inconvenient at times, but it was also incredibly welcoming that everyone was so willing to adapt.
A broader perspective, a stronger network In April 2025, we returned to the Netherlands. After all those years abroad, it was wonderful to see friends and family more often and reconnect with them. My time in the US and Belgium gave me a much broader view of the organization – across brands and countries – and I learned an incredible amount from those insights. I still stay in touch with the people I met; every quarter we catch up to share what’s going on in our work and see what we can learn from one another.
words of wisdom
Like I said before, building relationships and earning trust is key. It takes time and some flexibility, but when you’re working toward the same goal, that’s where the best ideas and strongest connections come from. Plus, work is way more enjoyable – especially in a new country – when you genuinely get along with the people you see most days. I hope that in the places I’ve lived and eventually left, people were genuinely sorry to see me go.
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