Tag Archives: Holland

Possibly boring (possibly not?) changes …

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A friend suggested I share how different life is for us since we’ve moved to Holland. And I argued that, compared to a lot of places we could have relocated to, it wasn’t that different from our daily routine in the US and we are still fairly boring and who cares anyway?

So then HE said, “… we never notice our own gradual, daily change… and from this side of the pond, the positive and radical changes come thru (imhop) in almost every post.”

To which I replied, “Oh.”

So, I’ve compiled a list of gradual changes I hadn’t really thought that much about and a few big changes I haven’t quite adjust to:

I don’t have to focus quite so much to survive walking sideways down the hellishly steep and narrow stairs of our 3-story apt anymore.

Winter weather here is very similar to GA – except for the wind. And if one more person tells me I should have anticipated the hurricane winds because: WINDMILLS, I’m going to smack them.

Translating labels to sort the difference between sour cream, heavy cream, & whipped cream is nearly impossible.

Outgoing mail must be taken to a box or a post office. And if you aren’t home when they try to deliver a package, they give it to your neighbor. Then you get to chat with your neighbor when you pick up your package.

You can buy alcohol any time/any day – even on Sunday morning!

More:

  • Attached to the grocery is a “drug store” where you get shampoo, CONTACT LENSES, makeup, etc. But you get your drugs at a pharmacy – attached to the doc’s office.
  • Everyone goes to the GP (ours is at the end of our street) – there is no pediatrician.
  • Lots of items ordered online have come in a fancy ziplock sort of bag inside the box.
  • Having no car payment/insurance/responsibility is incredibly freeing.
  • Our grocery store is 1/3 the size of Kroger but is close to home and has just about everything we need – except whole turkeys … and stuffing … and acorn squash … and corn on the cob.
  • To pay for something online, I log into my bank app and scan the QR code. Also, we don’t have checks here.
  • I ❤ my phone’s translate app.
  • So many letters! If the vaccine office (oh yeah, there is a vaccine office) wants to set an appointment, they send you a letter. If you email to tell them the appointment time doesn’t work for you, they’ll reply by email that they will send you another letter.

My kid bikes 20 minutes in the dark and/or rain and/or wind and/or freezing cold to school and I don’t worry (too much).

We have a combo washer/dryer – this feels very European.

I miss my dryer.

More:

  • I can’t wrap my brain around celsius and have no clue what the weatherman is saying so, I just open the door to see if I need a coat.
  • CNN has lovely British accents and covers lots of different countries!
  • If I have to order from Amazon, I get to choose from the Dutch, German, and UK sites.

I don’t worry about getting raped or robbed or mugged or shot.

That feels different. And weird. And really, really nice.

The bits I can’t quite get used to:

  • I say “sorry” far too much. If I’m in someone’s way, I say sorry when I should just get out of the way. There is no need to apologize.
  • Letting people go ahead of me. This goes against the grain and confuses everyone.
  • Teens (at least the ones I’ve noticed) do not show deference to the elderly in shops – even during a pandemic.  And my Dutch is not good enough (yet) to yell more that AFSTAND at them.
  • Being comfortable with having the right-of-way if I’m walking/biking. 50+ years of worrying, even in crosswalks with a walk sign flashing, and actually getting hit by a car once means this will take some time to get used to.
  • No one will hold the door for me because I’m female and for a southern girl, that’s just not right.

There are loads more differences I either haven’t experienced (having a baby, specifically a Kraamverzorgster, here would be AMAZING!) or I’ve forgotten. If I think of more, I’ll write Possibly boring (possibly not?) changes … the sequel. Until then … I will keep working on the art of Niksen.

If you are an expat & have anything to add to these lists, please leave a comment!

Please wait…

Posted in Netherlands by

As I struggle to get our birth certificates, names changes, marriage certificate, and adoption records apostilled (the secretary of state has to say the signatures on our documents are legit. Soooo many hoops to jump through for each state. Also, don’t ask me how to pronounce it. Apparently the obvious way is incorrect. Anyway …), and we slowly Marie Kondo-on-steroids every inch of the house, I have discovered a new (and embarrassing and ugly) thing to stress about. I want to get to the Netherlands before anyone else gets our spot.

It’s a tiny country, y’all! And I belong to many awesome Expat FaceBook groups. But each time someone posts that they are moving there I am insanely jealous and worried that there is only so much room and by the time we get there, we will find a Closed sign on the door. This is not pretty or kind, I know. But if everyone else planning to hightail it to Holland could please just wait a few months, I’d really appreciate because this stress does not spark joy.

An (overly analyzed, well researched, cautiously approached) Adventure!

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What I didn’t expect when we made the decision to move to The Netherlands was the sense of dismay and worry that washed over our family’s faces.  Our friends thought it was an amazing idea they wished they’d had the nerve to do. Which doesn’t make it sound like the best plan (needing a lot of nerve and all) but at least their brows didn’t wrinkle when we talked about packing up.

After much thought, I wrote our family a letter of explanation to help ease their worries. It went a little something like this:

As we wrap our minds around our upcoming move, I wanted to share some information to help you understand why we’ve decided to take this leap. We spent months investigating opportunities and life in Holland before visiting 5 different cities there. 

Here’s what we’ve learned:

  • Although Dutch is the first language, English is widely spoken.

  • Expat kids can attend Dutch Language Immersion schools (for free) to prepare them for public school.

  • Because of DAFT (Dutch American Friendship Treaty), it is very easy and relatively inexpensive to move MightyPants there.

  • It is also possible to work as freelancers for a Dutch company.

  • Universities in The Netherlands offer degrees in English. European undergrad degrees are only 3 years long and will cost us (for public schools) substantially less than US universities. 

  • Although housing is more expensive, we will save THOUSANDS of dollars a year on health insurance/medical costs each year and will not have to worry about going bankrupt if we get sick.

  • No car payments/car insurance.  Everyone bikes/walks/takes public transportation. The country is very small and it takes very little time to get from one end to the other.

  • For “hippy/liberals” like us, The Netherlands will be a place with very little-to-no racism/sexism/religion-based laws (with the exception of Zwarte Piet, of course).

  • All of Europe is at our doorstep.

  • The main crime in the Netherlands is theft (watch this!) 

  • It’s easier and cheaper to qualify and apply for Visas, less cold, and closer to Italy than Canada. 

Being away from family will, of course, be difficult. But giving the kids (and ourselves) this adventure means the world to us. 

P.S. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll come home… and bring stroopwafels!

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365 Days …. But Who’s Counting?

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My current situation is much like trying write a publishable book. It’s a daunting,  terrifying, one-in-a-million, unlikely sort of thing until…  you walk into a bookstore and see shelf after shelf lined with gazillions of books by people just like you who were brave enough to take the leap.

This is how I feel about my next adventure. It’s an insane, overwhelming, what-the-hell-are-we-doing sort of thing. But then I see how many have succeeded in making it work and how happy they are with their choices and I think Why can’t we?

So here we go. We are doing the thing.

365 days from now my husband, two kids, the cat, and I will be living in the Netherlands.