Conversations with expats and locals in Brussels on their stories and ideas about the world. We discuss politics, global issues, AI, business, technology, society, ethics, religion, communication, marketing, psychology, self-discovery and more, to understand the world beyond the EU and outside our current paradigm.
#52: Science of the Smile; Beauty and Function; Age, Esthetics, Sleep; Orthodontics
Andras speaks with Prof. Maria Orellana, an Argentinian orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics professor based in Brussels, about her path from a dental family in northern Argentina to studies in the US, a PhD researching the molecular biology of tooth movement using a rat model, and orthodontic specialization in Canada.
They discuss how orthodontics blends function and aesthetics, why light constant forces move teeth more efficiently than heavy forces, and how clear aligners evolved from a limited early-2000s tool into a system that can treat most malocclusions using data-driven digital planning.
Maria explains how systemic health and medications can affect tooth movement, why prevention is crucial—especially seeing children by age seven to avoid invasive interventions—and how orthodontics intersects with airway health, sleep apnea, tongue posture, and collaboration with speech pathologists and ENT specialists.
They also cover adult compliance, lifelong retention, cultural differences in beauty standards, and a COVID-era clinic anecdote.
02:18 Instant Connection
03:26 Meet the Orthodontist
04:14 Beauty Meets Function
05:07 Roots in Argentina
06:39 People Person Dentistry
08:05 Exchange Year in Kansas
09:53 PhD Tooth Movement Research
12:40 How Teeth Move Biologically
16:13 Training as Orthodontist
18:08 Rise of Clear Aligners
22:33 Light Forces Move Faster
26:20 Data Driven Treatment Limits
29:05 Health Factors That Matter
31:05 Prevention and Early Visits
34:26 Prevention Culture Shift
36:26 Why Teeth Matter
38:09 Smile as Communication
41:26 Form Function Aesthetics
43:36 Sleep Airway Orthodontics
44:40 Tongue Therapy Logopedics
48:28 Mouth Breathing Red Flags
51:18 How Much Can Faces Change
54:17 Adults Aligners Discipline
01:00:54 Retention for Life
01:02:32 Digital Orthodontic Planning
01:04:11 Natural vs Hollywood Smile
01:07:51 COVID Clinic Story
01:09:40 Closing Card Grandson
23 Oct 2026
#51: Being a Socialist MEP; Working-Class Issues; Integration vs Assimilation; Rise of AfD; Social Democracy
German Socialist MEP Sabrina, 27 and the European Parliament’s second-youngest member, describes coming from a worker’s family in northeastern Germany shaped by post-unification unemployment and poverty, which drove her early activism, joining the SPD youth wing at 14 and helping migrants during the 2015 refugee arrivals.
She argues Europe needs younger and more diverse perspectives, links EU policymaking to daily life through regional development funding, the European Social Fund, and Erasmus+, and stresses politicians must communicate EU work locally.
Sabrina discusses East–West inequality in Germany and the EU, migration and the AfD’s rise as a failure of integration structures rather than migrants themselves, and the importance of integration without assimilation.
She critiques social democrats’ loss of trust due to inconsistent delivery, highlights Europe’s global dependencies, and calls for clearer values, consistency, and humility in politics.
01:49 Meet Sabrina
03:06 From Worker Roots
04:37 Youth Activism
08:42 Making EU Real
11:22 East West Divide
13:26 AfD And Migration
15:49 Integration Not Assimilation
19:19 Culture And Belonging
23:24 Structures And Segregation
27:36 Trust In Social Democrats
29:18 Global Pressures
33:18 Finding Her Place
37:19 Age And Respect
38:54 Germanys New Role
42:25 Make Social Democrats Clear
44:06 Career Advice And Goodbye
15 Oct 2026
#50: The EU Bubble; Getting a Career; Work-Life Balance; Overcoming Temporariness; Becoming a Local
In this episode of Beyond the Bubble, Andras speaks with Dutch EU civil servant Jeroen Reijnen about his book Big In Brussels (https://www.biginbrussels.com/): The Art of Working and Living in the EU Bubble, which blends career guidance with a personal and human look at life around the EU institutions.
Jeroen recounts his path from early internships to 17 years in a liberal political group in the European Parliament and then to the European Commission, and explains how interviews and lunches with people across the Brussels ecosystem shaped the book’s focus on both getting in and thriving.
They discuss the differences between careers inside and outside the institutions, personality fit across workplaces, and how Brussels has shifted from big-idea building to crisis management.
Jeroen emphasizes avoiding burnout and loneliness, building roots in Belgium, reaching out proactively to build opportunities, and balancing ambition with a good life and family.
02:03 Welcome and Guest Intro
02:45 Jeroen’s Brussels Journey
04:02 Why He Wrote the Book
06:04 Inside the Book Structure
09:14 Imposter Syndrome and Persistence
11:09 Career Lessons From Interviews
13:37 Institutions vs Bubble Careers
16:22 Personality Types and Fit
18:55 Risk Aversion and Crisis Mode
21:39 Why Brussels Still Attracts
25:54 Power Debate and Federalism
27:38 Escaping the Bubble
30:52 How Not to Go Nuts
32:51 Career Family Balance
34:03 Loneliness In The Bubble
35:51 Putting Down Roots
38:21 Expat Phases Mindset
41:25 Learning To Love Brussels
44:26 Advice For Newcomers
46:18 Why He Wrote The Book
48:19 Skills Networking Hustle
52:49 Stop Complaining Engage
54:04 Big Brussels Takeaways
56:26 Final Card Reflection
Who has been a guest on Beyond the Bubble
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András
Marie Terese
Laura Shields
Marleen Beevers
Luc Gillis
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