Trui Moerkerke is a Belgian journalist who moved to the US in 2016. She is based in the Detroit area (Michigan) and she now works as a freelance correspondent for Belgian magazines and weekend supplements of newspapers. She mostly covers travel, architecture, design, and trends in society. Before moving to the US Trui worked for more than 20 years at Belgium's leading lifestyle weekly Knack Weekend, as a journalist and later editor in chief. She was also the inaugural editor of "Nest", a country living monthly. In the US, Trui studied photography and became an occasional tour guide in Detroit.

Why did you decide to work as a foreign correspondent in the US?

I didn’t plan it. Until 2016 I lived with my family in Belgium, my home country. We never really thought about leaving Belgium, but when my husband got an interesting job opportunity in Michigan, we moved there. The timing was good. I had worked more than 20 years as a journalist and editor at Knack Weekend and did a communication job after that. At that point, I was reevaluating my career and ready to take a risk. My husband had had job offers abroad before, but he didn’t take these because of my professional career in Belgium. In 2016 we were ready to go. Our kids were 13 and 11 when we uprooted them, that too was the right timing.

I couldn’t work here right away because of my visa status. While waiting for my Green card I went back to school and earned a photography certificate. I always loved photography but never had the time to properly invest in it. When I started working again, I was able to deliver the whole package of text and photos.

What lessons have you learned over the years of working as an American foreign correspondent based in Michigan?

That the United States of America isn’t so united. There are big differences between states and between rural and urban regions. That said, some of the problems in this country are quite universal. I live near Detroit, and I like to say that if you know Detroit, you’ll understand America. For me, the rise, fall, and resurrection of this beautiful but complicated city is an American story. It happens elsewhere in the US too.

Which is the most important part of your work as a US-based foreign journalist for the Belgian audience?

I mostly work for magazines or for weekend supplements of newspapers. I write about architecture, lifestyle, travel, and trends in society. It’s not difficult to find stories here. It’s harder to find the right angle for the Belgian audience. Why would a Belgian reader be interested in a forgotten American architect who lived and worked in the Detroit area? Because we are talking about Minoru Yamasaki who built the Twin Towers, and this year was the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. Another example is an article I wrote about systemic racism. The angle was a “political” travel story, I had five locations in Detroit that explain in a very concrete way how American housing politics played a crucial role in systemic racism. When I pitch an article, I must be mindful of an angle that Belgians can relate to or give them a good understanding of American society.

What do you consider to be the most challenging aspect of your job?

Sometimes it’s hard to set up an interview or try to arrange a visit if you say you are working for Belgian media. Some pr-people or spokespeople can’t be bothered to help a Belgian journalist, even if I send them all the circulation and readership numbers of the media I work for. Luckily, I have had a lot of good experiences too.

Another challenging aspect has to do with being a freelancer. When I worked as a journalist in Belgium, I was part of the editorial team. I loved the discussions with my colleagues. Making a magazine is a team effort and it’s really a rewarding and exciting job. Being a freelancer now, and on top of that, being a freelancer living far away, I sometimes miss the group dynamic. It’s also harder to pitch stories that perfectly fit the needs of the magazine.

I am considering a one-day-a-week membership for writers in the Detroit Writing Room, a co-working space for creatives. It would be nice to have some colleagues again.

What is your opinion about journalists pursuing careers as foreign correspondents? How has this experience transformed your career and personality?

I think it can be a great and interesting adventure. It will definitely be a step outside of your comfort zone, but it will broaden your perspective. I don’t think it changed my personality - I guess I’m too old for that :-) - but I really liked the fresh start and learning new things.

Did your work as a foreign correspondent in the US impact the perspective you had about America?

Living in the US impacted my perspective. It’s an overwhelming, interesting, and difficult country. I am still amazed and surprised every day, sometimes shocked. Before I lived here, I knew about systemic racism, inequality, expensive health care, and higher education. However, I didn’t understand how deep this runs in society and how devastating the consequences are. On a positive note, I like living in Michigan. The Great Lakes State has beautiful outdoors, and I am in awe of Detroit’s architecture and resilience. The Midwest, in general, has a fantastic midcentury architectural heritage. And the Midwestern friendliness is real.

Being a foreign correspondent allows you to gain a deeper understanding of the current affairs in the United States. How do you see the US from a foreign journalist’s perspective?

The US is a country full of extremes and that’s interesting for a journalist. There are so many stories. I must admit that I have become more pessimistic over time. I usually don’t write about politics, but I am a news junkie, and I am quite anxious about the major polarization and big divide in society. The grip of extremist religious groups on the social debate (and on The Supreme Court) also worries me. On the bright side, I see every day how on a local level communities can come together and collaborate. In Detroit for example, you have a vibrant urban farming movement working on food security. They achieve tangible results.

Can you offer any advice to aspiring foreign correspondents from around the world who wish to work in the United States?

You must realize how vast the US is. There is a lot of news to cover outside Washington DC, New York, or Los Angeles. And make sure you have good health insurance.