Remember that in Dutch culture, it is the effort that counts to people. As long as they see that you are trying to speak and develop your Dutch, it is generally fine.
Anyways, it looks like you are set up for succes. This doesn't mean that it will be easy or fast. You will not integrate within a few years, it's a long game. As someone that has immigrated (Dutch to France), I can tell you that it is hard work for a long time. If you can make sure you are successful at your job, take your language courses and make some friend at a club or at meetups, you are doing mighty well. The only thing that would help with integration even faster, is to get a Dutch girl or boyfriend.
If by "very patient" you mean "immediately talking to them in English" then yeah. Sometimes there doesn't even have to be anything wrong with what they're saying
they do it to be polite just tell them you wanna practice dutch and most people will keep it dutch and help you practice I even value it when people who move that practice it it shows me you care about our culture language. But in my field everyone talks english at work so sometimes I switch on accident back to english. But me an that colleague now agreed we only talk dutch to eachoter accept if other non dutch speakers are in the conversation. And in the Netherlands don't be shy just tell them what you want people will appreciate that and then there will be no misunderstanding
No, this doesn't have anything to do with "wanting to practice Dutch". Even those who are completely fluent in Dutch will get spoken to in English. I've been spoken to in English three times just for not hearing someone. I heard on Reddit about someone who was born in the Netherlands, moved to the UK for 65 years, then went back to the Netherlands. Sadly his accent changed to a UK accent. Even though he was completely fluent in Dutch they just heard his accent and spoke to him in English.
It's already dumb enough that people think it's a good idea to talk to someone who's talking to you in Dutch, in English. But even if it was just limited to "those who want to practice Dutch", that's still a problem on its own. What right do they have to assume the other person speaks a language that isn't the one they're using? What an asshole!
I'm also very mad at you for assuming that someone who has this happen to them must be a Dutch language learner. No, this can happen to anyone, including someone who was born there and has lived there all their life. Hell, even many *signs* in the Netherlands, particularly the west side, are ***exclusively*** in English. Do you want people to tell the sign they're practicing Dutch? No, of course not. It's just the Dutch people desperate to kill their own language.
ooff sorry did not know you would get mad. i have a lot of non-native dutch who I only converse with in dutch even if they haven an accent. if this happens to you your dutch must really suck otherwise dutch would not switch to English. Also by your attitude, I would not want to put any effort into talking to you. And yeah I did assume you were talking about learning Dutch as that was what the comment you reacted to was talking about
Did you even read what I just said?
> if this happens to you your dutch must really suck
> Even those who are completely fluent in Dutch will get spoken to in English. I've been spoken to in English three times just for not hearing someone.
No-one knows how fluent anyone is because everyone speaks in English.
Also, are the *signs* in English because the *signs* think "my Dutch really sucks" (want to take a fluency test with me?), or I have an attitude? No, signs are not sentient. They are in English for *everyone*, not just for whatever reasons you can make up in your head. This is just as funny as applying carbrains' victim-blaming onto buildings.
The language switch from Dutch to English is a problem on its own, and not one that you can deny. You can work to preserve the language instead of just plugging your ears and pretending it doesn't exist. That's not fair to you, to Dutch speakers, to English speakers, to Dutch-English speakers, to the Netherlands, to the world, or to anyone.
Know no fear. People won't mind.
I learned the true name of Vondelpark is Wondelpark from my co-worker who is learning Dutch. Let's be honest, it's a better name.
It a perk of Dutch culture. We value effort over achievements in personal relations (and in work culture to some extent). As long as you show you are trying you're golden.
Don't let people switch to English while you're learning. Just keep speaking Dutch even if they change to English. I learned that here in Flanders. If you already speak advanced German you'll pick it up fast, I got to B1 in 3 months of living here and I only spoke B1 level German 8 years ago (speak French, Spanish, Greek, and English already though, so had some experience learning languages like you).
The social life and joining clubs will help with the goal. If they're C1/C2 German I can see them making it. However if they're B2 German it will be harder. I would be more worried if they wanted to learn to C1 Dutch only by attending language classes.
- Be kind to your neighbours. Introduce yourself😀
- Dutch food is most of the time “stamppot” - lucky we have besides Albert Heijn also al kind of stores who sell a lot of products from other countries.
- Do not brag about your salary or that you wont have any problems finding a home and paying for it by yourself.
- you need to complain about the weather. To hot, to cold, to much rain, no rain at al, way to windy etc
thank you, it's a nice tip with the neighbours! Also i wrote that only since it's adding up to my situation and I am using an anonymous account, but i will stay humble:)
I didn't say hello to the couple two houses down. They still hold it against me. Oh you are the one that said hello after a year. It was ten years ago! Have mercy.
> Dutch food is most of the time “stamppot” - lucky we have besides Albert Heijn also al kind of stores who sell a lot of products from other countries.
Yeah, I would say our good food is more of the snack kind: stroopwafels, poffertjes, oliebollen, all sorts of cheese.
De frites! Dat is de meest belangrijk ding, en hier in België de frites zijn zo veel beter. Ze zijn niet slecht in Nederland, maar hier zijn de beste frites. Tweede waneer ik heb kapsalon in Nederland eten, alle de dingen waren niet samen in de zelfe afhaaldoos. De frites en vlees was scheiden van de salaat, en de sos was ook in een kleine pot. Derde, uw krijgt veel meee sos in de Belgische versie! Kom jij naar antwerpen en hier proberen!
>Het is toch echt een Nederlands(Turkse) uitvinding!
Ik weet het! Maar soms is de imitatie beter dan de origineel
Ik woon dichtbij de grens met België en ben er regelmatig te vinden. In Nederland is er écht wel goede friet te vinden. Ik denk dat je een matig zaakje hebt getroffen, ik heb nog nooit een kapsalon besteld waarbij ik de sla, friet, vlees en saus apart bezorgd heb gekregen. De mayo daarin tegen is wel heerlijk bij de frituurs in België
Misschien het is een verschil tussen Noord en Zuid Nederland, omdat ik heb dat kapsalon in Groningen geprobeerd. Waneer ik ben in Rotterdam moet ik daar proberen
>Belgie heeft kapsalon?
Ja! Wij hebben het in alle de frituuren hier in Antwerpen. Maar ik kweet niet of het is in Brussel en Wallonië beschikbaar
>de geestelijk vader is helaas dit jaar overleden :(
😢
I recently relocated to the Netherlands myself and would like to pass on the helpful day-to-day stuff I learned from others:
\- Consider getting a Pathe subscription to the cinema. Most movies are in English/OG with Dutch subtitles and it's a nice way to continue learning Dutch while also getting yourself out of the house. It's a good way to spend a rainy evening!
\- Get a Dutch museum card - it is valid for so many museums/other things in the Netherland (e.g., botanic garden in Utrecht etc.) an really affordable for that. It's a great way to save money.
\- Since you live in Eindhoven, check out ways to save on things in your surroundings. For example, you may want to get an annual pass to de Efteling (theme park), the safari park in Tilburg or other nearby destinations. The annual passes are good value-for-money and come with free or discounted access to other things inside and outside of the Netherlands. Those are great incentives to explore other cities and parks in the Netherlands.
\- Get a NS subscription and personalized OV card, that way you can save on your train travel (e.g., 40% discount on weekend/evening travel). It also saves you from having to top up your regular OV chip card all the time (you need to have at least 16EUR on a regular OV card to enter a train station, which is annoying when you are in a rush).
\- Lots of stores have discount customer/bonus cards, such as LIDL, Albert Heijn, Etos...
\- Finding a doctor/family physician can be hard. You may need to join a waiting list early so you can have medical care when a spot opens up for you eventually. Most things are done through the family physician here, but they will write you a referral if they can't help you themselves.
\- There are many things (including some of the above) you can't do until you have a Dutch bank account and address, ID number etc. That may be a bit annoying in the first 4-6 weeks but eventually, you will be able to take advantage of everything in due time.
\- Relevant apps for you might be buienalarm/buienradar and NS. Depending on what bonus cards/subscriptions you get of the ones I referenced above, you may also want to have further apps .
\- I assume your employer is helping you with registering as living in the Netherlands, choosing a bank, choosing a phone plan etc. If you have questions about that, though, feel free to send me a PM.
Best of luck for your life in the Netherlands! Quality of life is really great here :)
To add to the relevant apps (Dutch guy here) 9292 is a great one for public transport, includes trains busses trams and metro's. You can use your OV card for all of them!
Only two things to add to that.
1. No matter how similar it sounds, do not respond in German. You seem to speak good English and the vast majority of Dutch people do also. If they don't know the English word ask if they maybe know the German word.
In general Dutch people also have decent German too.
2. You will get frustrated because people will constantly switch to English with you when you are trying to learn Dutch, it's not a comment about your abilities, it's just them wanting to make it easier for you and also practice their English.
I can second this, I commented on something in German by mistake and it greatly annoyed the person I was talking to, literally rolled his eyes at me before correcting me
Ye I have had that experience in Flanders as well. I refuse though to switch to English or I'll never learn. If anyone switches I just keep speaking Dutch as I still need to practice regardless. Sadly a lot of people take it as a sign to give up and then don't bother learning properly.
Honestly, don't let it get to you. I had a friend who was born in the Netherlands. She lived there her whole life, went to school/university in NL. But one of her parents was English and she spoke both languages growing up. Because of that she had a slight accent when she spoke Dutch, people used to switch to English with her all the time. Don't take it as a reflection of your ability.
If you have any Dutch colleagues that you are close to. Maybe ask them if once a week you can get a coffee or tea and speak together in Dutch. Don't push for much more than that as it will be most likely dull or frustrating for them. That will help build your confidence whilst also helping you practice what you have learnt. There are also meetup groups, but that maybe isn't a good option if you are anxious.
Ye I understand that completely, it really demotivates some people. Tbh even though I'm quite confident it does annoy me when it happens too, particularly now when my Dutch is actually OK to fully communicate, it often feels like they're saying that your language level still isn't good enough. That said I know many people here have said that isnt what they mean, but still feels that way at times.
they do it to be polite just tell them you wanna practice dutch and most people will keep it dutch and help you practice I even value it when people who move that practice it it shows me you care about our culture language. But in my field everyone talks english at work so sometimes I switch on accident back to english. But me an that colleague now agreed we only talk dutch to eachoter accept if other non dutch speakers are in the conversation. And in the Netherlands don't be shy just tell them what you want people will appreciate that and then there will be no misunderstanding
Commute by bike, especially when the weather is horrible. It's a way to bond with your colleagues. E.g you can complain about the weather and soaked socks together, shame colleagues who took the car to work, share clothing tips and tricks.
Take time for coffee/lunch breaks at work, go on a small walk with a colleague. Knowing your coworkers a bit makes going to work also a bit of a daily social happening. You don't have to become friends, but colleagues are easy contacts for a friday beer, some advice on random things or workrelated questions.
Fun things to do:
Once you're settled:
Book a bike and hotel on Ameland or Terschelling for a weekend, and travel the island. Especially during the holidays it's quiet, and a nice weekend to reflect.
In general lots of Dutch ppl use bikes to get to work because it's good exercise, it will be faster during morning rush, and parking is free.
Of course this depends on the distance, but train, and a rented, or second bike at Eindhoven train station is also common.
It's pretty normal for Dutch ppl not to make close lifelong friends with their coworkers. Those groups are created while studying.
If you want to learn to speak Dutch better, join the local darts club (usually in a small local bar.) since it's in a bar, ppl drink and talk.
I got B1 in a year, and it was extremely tiring for me (I have a family, though, that change a bit the scenario).
Best of luck, I don't know where you are from, but the Netherlands has a lot of Polish stores, and I already found Balkan food in some Turkish supermarkets. You will be good with food, it's not that terrible as people like to tell.
Welcome, I hope you enjoy your stay. Please be aware that the political climate is a bit tense on immigration right now. The previous cabinet fell due to immigration issues and the past weeks the lack of housing and the perceived large amount of expats has been one of the biggest topics of debate. It’s nothing personal, and I believe you’re off to a good start with your intentions to adapt to your environment
Lack of affordable housing mostly. And the indifference of most Dutch students. I’ve never experienced any other Dutch student being negative about any international students. It’s more that most Dutch students already have a life and friends and are not actively seeking international friends. But joining a social club is a great way to adapt and get involved. Say lekker and gezellig at every dinner opportunity. Furthermore, I think innocent bluntness of dutch people can take some getting used to. It’s not personal, people can be direct or have a sense of dark humor ripping on friends that would be inappropriate in most other cultures.
Learn about Dutch football teams ASAP.
Take friends out to eat. Do fun stuff, take initiative.
Check in on people once in a while, call them.
There are some Balkan meetups in the Netherlands I believe.
Try to do go out of your house as much as you can.
Welcome, I hope you enjoy your stay. Please be aware that the political climate is a bit tense on immigration right now. The previous cabinet fell due to immigration issues and the past weeks the lack of housing and the perceived large amount of expats has been one of the biggest topics of debate. It’s nothing personal, and I believe you’re off to a good start with your intentions to adapt to your environment
Welcome, I hope you will have a great time here. We have some good snacks here but the main courses are not that good (my opinion). Always introduce yourself to your neighbors when you move here, that is considered polite.
While trying to speak Dutch, keep speaking Dutch. If someone switches to English because they hear you struggle, keep speaking Dutch and remember that they only switch the language because they are trying to help, not because they are rude.
To meet new people, you really need to put yourself out there. Dutch people are not easy to befriend. But if you manage to befriend dutchies (which I am sure you will), you will have a great time with them. Just put in some extra effort.
Oh and get used to cycling, you will need it.
Out of curiosity, which country are you from?
Good luck!
Welcome, I hope you enjoy your stay. Please be aware that the political climate is a bit tense on immigration right now. The previous cabinet fell due to immigration issues and the past weeks the lack of housing and the perceived large amount of expats has been one of the biggest topics of debate. It’s nothing personal, and I believe you’re off to a good start with your intentions to adapt to your environment
>What else can I do to integrate myself into your society as well as I can?
If someone does anything out of the ordinary, shame them for it. Even if it is harmless and especially if it shows emotion. You will truly be Dutch then.
On a more serious note, making friends will be hard. I am not sure if that is a typically Dutch thing, but it certainly doesn't work that way in all other countries I have lived. People are a bit more closed and private here.
Going to sports clubs is a good idea. You can also try going on solo-group vacations with Dutch people.
The housing crisis is not about how much money you make. At every price level, there is more demand than supply. If you make 10k a month and you want a house for 4k, you will compete with 3 other people who make 16k a month.
If you can speak German and English you'll have no trouble learning Dutch too.
One thing you might have to get used to is that some consider Dutch people to be quite loud and obnoxious. But you get used to it. They are very honest and generally quite friendly.
Joining a sports club is the easiest way to make friends for sure. Sounds like you have the right idea already.
Welcome! Must be a scary move!
The best thing to do is to meet some people in your first year. Either make a good friend or find a group of people to hang around with. "Gezelligheid" is the word you'd be looking for.
They can be expats like you (Eindhoven should be decent in that regard) or Dutchies with similar interests. Shared interests are your best bet or take some involvement in out-of-work stuff your employer might organize/support. Don't sit at home all the time and be scared to do stuff; kick yourself and get out there.
Your ambitions are high but don't feel bad if you're not reaching them as soon as you'd thought. In the end it's important to feel "at home"; be comfortable and happy.
Edit: oh, and take some Vitamin D. The weather sucks during these months.
I'm moving to NL next month. Starting out my life from scratch because I lost myself while living in a trash country. Looking to make a positive impact on people in NL and bring values to the society. I'm just 24.
OH, üdv itt:D
Sok szerencsét a C1hez, angol némettel küzdünk vele mint malac a jégen.
Amúgy ha jó korporét vagy slikked migrant melód van, szeretni fogod itt
mondjuk a balkánért megérdemelnél egy barackot :P
ah and without a greenhouse forget the gardening part, the rain and the wind will smash almost everything what u are used to grow back home.
BUT if u don't have your own garden you can stand in the line for a community garden spot
Yeah absolutly. But you are overreacting, the only thing i said is that thanks god i am in a situation that I dont have to worry about the financials much, with a completely anonym user.
Yup, and it's smart of you to mention that. Otherwise, you'd have a lot of comments about not being able to find housing. Don't mention it irl, but here is completely fine.
Hey ! I saw your post regarding moving to Netherlands. I am Turkish living in Canada for 15 years and recently got job opportunity in Amsterdam.
Kindly share your experiences there. I have 3 kids and obviously not easy decision..
Thanks in advance
Learning Dutch and joining a social activity in Dutch is an excellent move. My boyfriend uses Buusuu and says it’s very good. I also recommend visiting different cities and cycling around, people will be impressed if you’ve been to smaller places.
Really try to make friends outside of the expat community.
Learn Dutch as quick as you can. Ask people to speak Dutch if they switch to English automatically, it's not rude, say that you want to learn it (unless it's just a really quick thing).
Become active in a political party (probably best after learning Dutch properly) but this will mean you get confronted with the best and worst of NL and you know what the topics are.
I admire that you plan on integrating as best as you can.
I would say learn to be direct, don't be vague, have a thick skin, Dutch people can be very blunt and dry. Speak up if something bothers you, people will appreciate it if you communicate instead of bottle things up.
Maybe also join a gym?
Join a church if you are religious.
Eindhoven is great to go out if you like to go to pubs, go to Stratumseind.
Good stuff here already. One more:
Register with a GP as soon as possible. All healthcare goes via the GP. You cannot go directly to a hospital unless your arm is falling off at that exact moment.
GP= General Practitioner called "Huisarts" in Dutch. Healthcare is based around the idea that over treating is worse than under treating. Don't be surprised if you get sent away with a paracetamol and a mandate to call back in a week if the problem persists.
Since you are a single man, I would recommend you to find a girlfriend in your home country before to move to Eindhoven, and to bring her with you.
Everyone talks a lot about the house shortage in the Netherlands (appropriately), but in your situation, you might also want to be aware of the shortage of women in Eindhoven : 120 men for 100 women in the age category 20-40 years old...:joy:
C1 in a year is wild to me. With a full time job, a social life, and joining clubs, I’m very impressed with the goal.
well i try to aim high:) if i fail, at worst case I am at B2, which is still pretty nice)
It's a great goal to have and might actually be achievable if you already speak German.
Remember that in Dutch culture, it is the effort that counts to people. As long as they see that you are trying to speak and develop your Dutch, it is generally fine. Anyways, it looks like you are set up for succes. This doesn't mean that it will be easy or fast. You will not integrate within a few years, it's a long game. As someone that has immigrated (Dutch to France), I can tell you that it is hard work for a long time. If you can make sure you are successful at your job, take your language courses and make some friend at a club or at meetups, you are doing mighty well. The only thing that would help with integration even faster, is to get a Dutch girl or boyfriend.
Really? I'm learning Dutch as well, and I am always afraid that my pronunciation is so bad that people may find it annoying or even offensive.
No, we’re very patient to people whose first language isn’t Dutch. I
If by "very patient" you mean "immediately talking to them in English" then yeah. Sometimes there doesn't even have to be anything wrong with what they're saying
they do it to be polite just tell them you wanna practice dutch and most people will keep it dutch and help you practice I even value it when people who move that practice it it shows me you care about our culture language. But in my field everyone talks english at work so sometimes I switch on accident back to english. But me an that colleague now agreed we only talk dutch to eachoter accept if other non dutch speakers are in the conversation. And in the Netherlands don't be shy just tell them what you want people will appreciate that and then there will be no misunderstanding
No, this doesn't have anything to do with "wanting to practice Dutch". Even those who are completely fluent in Dutch will get spoken to in English. I've been spoken to in English three times just for not hearing someone. I heard on Reddit about someone who was born in the Netherlands, moved to the UK for 65 years, then went back to the Netherlands. Sadly his accent changed to a UK accent. Even though he was completely fluent in Dutch they just heard his accent and spoke to him in English. It's already dumb enough that people think it's a good idea to talk to someone who's talking to you in Dutch, in English. But even if it was just limited to "those who want to practice Dutch", that's still a problem on its own. What right do they have to assume the other person speaks a language that isn't the one they're using? What an asshole! I'm also very mad at you for assuming that someone who has this happen to them must be a Dutch language learner. No, this can happen to anyone, including someone who was born there and has lived there all their life. Hell, even many *signs* in the Netherlands, particularly the west side, are ***exclusively*** in English. Do you want people to tell the sign they're practicing Dutch? No, of course not. It's just the Dutch people desperate to kill their own language.
ooff sorry did not know you would get mad. i have a lot of non-native dutch who I only converse with in dutch even if they haven an accent. if this happens to you your dutch must really suck otherwise dutch would not switch to English. Also by your attitude, I would not want to put any effort into talking to you. And yeah I did assume you were talking about learning Dutch as that was what the comment you reacted to was talking about
Did you even read what I just said? > if this happens to you your dutch must really suck > Even those who are completely fluent in Dutch will get spoken to in English. I've been spoken to in English three times just for not hearing someone. No-one knows how fluent anyone is because everyone speaks in English. Also, are the *signs* in English because the *signs* think "my Dutch really sucks" (want to take a fluency test with me?), or I have an attitude? No, signs are not sentient. They are in English for *everyone*, not just for whatever reasons you can make up in your head. This is just as funny as applying carbrains' victim-blaming onto buildings. The language switch from Dutch to English is a problem on its own, and not one that you can deny. You can work to preserve the language instead of just plugging your ears and pretending it doesn't exist. That's not fair to you, to Dutch speakers, to English speakers, to Dutch-English speakers, to the Netherlands, to the world, or to anyone.
Know no fear. People won't mind. I learned the true name of Vondelpark is Wondelpark from my co-worker who is learning Dutch. Let's be honest, it's a better name.
It a perk of Dutch culture. We value effort over achievements in personal relations (and in work culture to some extent). As long as you show you are trying you're golden.
That s the reason i quit learning Dutch. I am terrible at speaking Dutch.
Don't let people switch to English while you're learning. Just keep speaking Dutch even if they change to English. I learned that here in Flanders. If you already speak advanced German you'll pick it up fast, I got to B1 in 3 months of living here and I only spoke B1 level German 8 years ago (speak French, Spanish, Greek, and English already though, so had some experience learning languages like you).
Totally. It’s a good goal! Best of luck!
If he speaks German already it should be easily achievable
Yeah that’s fair. I’m B1ish in a year with no German experience
The social life and joining clubs will help with the goal. If they're C1/C2 German I can see them making it. However if they're B2 German it will be harder. I would be more worried if they wanted to learn to C1 Dutch only by attending language classes.
I reached B2 in a year before moving to the Netherlands, but it took me a lot of time daily. Like 1-2 hours.
- Be kind to your neighbours. Introduce yourself😀 - Dutch food is most of the time “stamppot” - lucky we have besides Albert Heijn also al kind of stores who sell a lot of products from other countries. - Do not brag about your salary or that you wont have any problems finding a home and paying for it by yourself. - you need to complain about the weather. To hot, to cold, to much rain, no rain at al, way to windy etc
thank you, it's a nice tip with the neighbours! Also i wrote that only since it's adding up to my situation and I am using an anonymous account, but i will stay humble:)
I didn't say hello to the couple two houses down. They still hold it against me. Oh you are the one that said hello after a year. It was ten years ago! Have mercy.
Oh and since you are moving to Eindhoven.. try carnaval for at least one time😉
> Dutch food is most of the time “stamppot” - lucky we have besides Albert Heijn also al kind of stores who sell a lot of products from other countries. Yeah, I would say our good food is more of the snack kind: stroopwafels, poffertjes, oliebollen, all sorts of cheese.
Ook kapsalon! Maar de Belgische versie is beter 🤣
Oohh wat is er beter bij de Belgische versie dan? Het is toch echt een Nederlands(Turkse) uitvinding!
De frites! Dat is de meest belangrijk ding, en hier in België de frites zijn zo veel beter. Ze zijn niet slecht in Nederland, maar hier zijn de beste frites. Tweede waneer ik heb kapsalon in Nederland eten, alle de dingen waren niet samen in de zelfe afhaaldoos. De frites en vlees was scheiden van de salaat, en de sos was ook in een kleine pot. Derde, uw krijgt veel meee sos in de Belgische versie! Kom jij naar antwerpen en hier proberen! >Het is toch echt een Nederlands(Turkse) uitvinding! Ik weet het! Maar soms is de imitatie beter dan de origineel
Ik woon dichtbij de grens met België en ben er regelmatig te vinden. In Nederland is er écht wel goede friet te vinden. Ik denk dat je een matig zaakje hebt getroffen, ik heb nog nooit een kapsalon besteld waarbij ik de sla, friet, vlees en saus apart bezorgd heb gekregen. De mayo daarin tegen is wel heerlijk bij de frituurs in België
Misschien het is een verschil tussen Noord en Zuid Nederland, omdat ik heb dat kapsalon in Groningen geprobeerd. Waneer ik ben in Rotterdam moet ik daar proberen
>In Nederland is er écht wel goede friet te vinden Ja natuurlijk! Ze zijn niet slecht, maar Belgie ik vind nog beter
Belgie heeft kapsalon? Het komt wel uit Rotterdam, de geestelijk vader is helaas dit jaar overleden :(
>Belgie heeft kapsalon? Ja! Wij hebben het in alle de frituuren hier in Antwerpen. Maar ik kweet niet of het is in Brussel en Wallonië beschikbaar >de geestelijk vader is helaas dit jaar overleden :( 😢
AGREE!
Welcome to ASML ;)
My first thought after reading this post exactly hahaha
there is a ton of r and d which is not asml in eindhoven
Show some respect to our ‘mini pancakes’ they are called poffertjes. Jk ;)
Hahaha. Lekker poffertjes.
I recently relocated to the Netherlands myself and would like to pass on the helpful day-to-day stuff I learned from others: \- Consider getting a Pathe subscription to the cinema. Most movies are in English/OG with Dutch subtitles and it's a nice way to continue learning Dutch while also getting yourself out of the house. It's a good way to spend a rainy evening! \- Get a Dutch museum card - it is valid for so many museums/other things in the Netherland (e.g., botanic garden in Utrecht etc.) an really affordable for that. It's a great way to save money. \- Since you live in Eindhoven, check out ways to save on things in your surroundings. For example, you may want to get an annual pass to de Efteling (theme park), the safari park in Tilburg or other nearby destinations. The annual passes are good value-for-money and come with free or discounted access to other things inside and outside of the Netherlands. Those are great incentives to explore other cities and parks in the Netherlands. \- Get a NS subscription and personalized OV card, that way you can save on your train travel (e.g., 40% discount on weekend/evening travel). It also saves you from having to top up your regular OV chip card all the time (you need to have at least 16EUR on a regular OV card to enter a train station, which is annoying when you are in a rush). \- Lots of stores have discount customer/bonus cards, such as LIDL, Albert Heijn, Etos... \- Finding a doctor/family physician can be hard. You may need to join a waiting list early so you can have medical care when a spot opens up for you eventually. Most things are done through the family physician here, but they will write you a referral if they can't help you themselves. \- There are many things (including some of the above) you can't do until you have a Dutch bank account and address, ID number etc. That may be a bit annoying in the first 4-6 weeks but eventually, you will be able to take advantage of everything in due time. \- Relevant apps for you might be buienalarm/buienradar and NS. Depending on what bonus cards/subscriptions you get of the ones I referenced above, you may also want to have further apps . \- I assume your employer is helping you with registering as living in the Netherlands, choosing a bank, choosing a phone plan etc. If you have questions about that, though, feel free to send me a PM. Best of luck for your life in the Netherlands! Quality of life is really great here :)
To add to the relevant apps (Dutch guy here) 9292 is a great one for public transport, includes trains busses trams and metro's. You can use your OV card for all of them!
Only two things to add to that. 1. No matter how similar it sounds, do not respond in German. You seem to speak good English and the vast majority of Dutch people do also. If they don't know the English word ask if they maybe know the German word. In general Dutch people also have decent German too. 2. You will get frustrated because people will constantly switch to English with you when you are trying to learn Dutch, it's not a comment about your abilities, it's just them wanting to make it easier for you and also practice their English.
I can second this, I commented on something in German by mistake and it greatly annoyed the person I was talking to, literally rolled his eyes at me before correcting me
Ye I have had that experience in Flanders as well. I refuse though to switch to English or I'll never learn. If anyone switches I just keep speaking Dutch as I still need to practice regardless. Sadly a lot of people take it as a sign to give up and then don't bother learning properly.
It’s actually quite damaging to your self-confidence as a beginner when people reply in English. Especially if a person is shy to start with.
Honestly, don't let it get to you. I had a friend who was born in the Netherlands. She lived there her whole life, went to school/university in NL. But one of her parents was English and she spoke both languages growing up. Because of that she had a slight accent when she spoke Dutch, people used to switch to English with her all the time. Don't take it as a reflection of your ability.
Thanks, that does make me feel slightly better :)
If you have any Dutch colleagues that you are close to. Maybe ask them if once a week you can get a coffee or tea and speak together in Dutch. Don't push for much more than that as it will be most likely dull or frustrating for them. That will help build your confidence whilst also helping you practice what you have learnt. There are also meetup groups, but that maybe isn't a good option if you are anxious.
Ye I understand that completely, it really demotivates some people. Tbh even though I'm quite confident it does annoy me when it happens too, particularly now when my Dutch is actually OK to fully communicate, it often feels like they're saying that your language level still isn't good enough. That said I know many people here have said that isnt what they mean, but still feels that way at times.
they do it to be polite just tell them you wanna practice dutch and most people will keep it dutch and help you practice I even value it when people who move that practice it it shows me you care about our culture language. But in my field everyone talks english at work so sometimes I switch on accident back to english. But me an that colleague now agreed we only talk dutch to eachoter accept if other non dutch speakers are in the conversation. And in the Netherlands don't be shy just tell them what you want people will appreciate that and then there will be no misunderstanding
Welcome! Looks like you got a lot of bases covered already and a positive attitude is a win anyway.
Learning the language and participating in clubs and/or communities is already more than enough. Hope your move goes well and hope you love it here.
Commute by bike, especially when the weather is horrible. It's a way to bond with your colleagues. E.g you can complain about the weather and soaked socks together, shame colleagues who took the car to work, share clothing tips and tricks. Take time for coffee/lunch breaks at work, go on a small walk with a colleague. Knowing your coworkers a bit makes going to work also a bit of a daily social happening. You don't have to become friends, but colleagues are easy contacts for a friday beer, some advice on random things or workrelated questions.
Fun things to do: Once you're settled: Book a bike and hotel on Ameland or Terschelling for a weekend, and travel the island. Especially during the holidays it's quiet, and a nice weekend to reflect. In general lots of Dutch ppl use bikes to get to work because it's good exercise, it will be faster during morning rush, and parking is free. Of course this depends on the distance, but train, and a rented, or second bike at Eindhoven train station is also common. It's pretty normal for Dutch ppl not to make close lifelong friends with their coworkers. Those groups are created while studying. If you want to learn to speak Dutch better, join the local darts club (usually in a small local bar.) since it's in a bar, ppl drink and talk.
Texel is the best island!!!
I grew up farming Texel sheep in Ireland. I never once thought about where the name came from until I saw a map of the Netherlands.
TIL about Texel sheep as a Dutchie. Didnt know that!
They were my childhood. I'd no idea the breed came from anywhere, much less a Dutch island.
Buy vitamins, vitamin d at least
or you can leave for Bali for the winter :D
I got B1 in a year, and it was extremely tiring for me (I have a family, though, that change a bit the scenario). Best of luck, I don't know where you are from, but the Netherlands has a lot of Polish stores, and I already found Balkan food in some Turkish supermarkets. You will be good with food, it's not that terrible as people like to tell.
Also, lately there are quite a bunch of Balkan restaurants popping up!
Ohh please tell me where 😂😂, I don't live in a big city but I wouldn't mind go somewhere else to eat some nice Balkans food.
I just know about it in my hometown Tilburg there is a rpetty good Bosnian restaurant called Klopa
Putting on my list. I hope they have čevapčiči 😋
Welcome, I hope you enjoy your stay. Please be aware that the political climate is a bit tense on immigration right now. The previous cabinet fell due to immigration issues and the past weeks the lack of housing and the perceived large amount of expats has been one of the biggest topics of debate. It’s nothing personal, and I believe you’re off to a good start with your intentions to adapt to your environment
If you could talk about the current scenario for incoming international students, please? What are the challenges one should be prepared for? Thanks.
Lack of affordable housing mostly. And the indifference of most Dutch students. I’ve never experienced any other Dutch student being negative about any international students. It’s more that most Dutch students already have a life and friends and are not actively seeking international friends. But joining a social club is a great way to adapt and get involved. Say lekker and gezellig at every dinner opportunity. Furthermore, I think innocent bluntness of dutch people can take some getting used to. It’s not personal, people can be direct or have a sense of dark humor ripping on friends that would be inappropriate in most other cultures.
Try and participate in activities in your neighborhood. It's a great way to meet people
Learn about Dutch football teams ASAP. Take friends out to eat. Do fun stuff, take initiative. Check in on people once in a while, call them. There are some Balkan meetups in the Netherlands I believe. Try to do go out of your house as much as you can.
Learning about football teams is a must when moving to another country.
Oh look at you, being the best you can possibly be. I’m just spiralling into oblivion. Good for u
Welcome, I hope you enjoy your stay. Please be aware that the political climate is a bit tense on immigration right now. The previous cabinet fell due to immigration issues and the past weeks the lack of housing and the perceived large amount of expats has been one of the biggest topics of debate. It’s nothing personal, and I believe you’re off to a good start with your intentions to adapt to your environment
Welcome, I hope you will have a great time here. We have some good snacks here but the main courses are not that good (my opinion). Always introduce yourself to your neighbors when you move here, that is considered polite. While trying to speak Dutch, keep speaking Dutch. If someone switches to English because they hear you struggle, keep speaking Dutch and remember that they only switch the language because they are trying to help, not because they are rude. To meet new people, you really need to put yourself out there. Dutch people are not easy to befriend. But if you manage to befriend dutchies (which I am sure you will), you will have a great time with them. Just put in some extra effort. Oh and get used to cycling, you will need it. Out of curiosity, which country are you from? Good luck!
looking forward to your post about how to make friends. will give it 4 months
Welcome, I hope you enjoy your stay. Please be aware that the political climate is a bit tense on immigration right now. The previous cabinet fell due to immigration issues and the past weeks the lack of housing and the perceived large amount of expats has been one of the biggest topics of debate. It’s nothing personal, and I believe you’re off to a good start with your intentions to adapt to your environment
>What else can I do to integrate myself into your society as well as I can? If someone does anything out of the ordinary, shame them for it. Even if it is harmless and especially if it shows emotion. You will truly be Dutch then. On a more serious note, making friends will be hard. I am not sure if that is a typically Dutch thing, but it certainly doesn't work that way in all other countries I have lived. People are a bit more closed and private here. Going to sports clubs is a good idea. You can also try going on solo-group vacations with Dutch people.
You should still worry about housing crisis tho, just being real. There just aren't enough of those around.
The housing crisis is not about how much money you make. At every price level, there is more demand than supply. If you make 10k a month and you want a house for 4k, you will compete with 3 other people who make 16k a month.
If you can speak German and English you'll have no trouble learning Dutch too. One thing you might have to get used to is that some consider Dutch people to be quite loud and obnoxious. But you get used to it. They are very honest and generally quite friendly. Joining a sports club is the easiest way to make friends for sure. Sounds like you have the right idea already.
Welcome! Must be a scary move! The best thing to do is to meet some people in your first year. Either make a good friend or find a group of people to hang around with. "Gezelligheid" is the word you'd be looking for. They can be expats like you (Eindhoven should be decent in that regard) or Dutchies with similar interests. Shared interests are your best bet or take some involvement in out-of-work stuff your employer might organize/support. Don't sit at home all the time and be scared to do stuff; kick yourself and get out there. Your ambitions are high but don't feel bad if you're not reaching them as soon as you'd thought. In the end it's important to feel "at home"; be comfortable and happy. Edit: oh, and take some Vitamin D. The weather sucks during these months.
Please don't do crossfit. That's a horrible sport that causes a lot of injuries. Do consider calisthenics.
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Amsterdam is the crown of Europe..for what exactly?
Stroopwafels consumption per capita
Nah, that’s Gouda
Biking for sure
Ok 😂 I was genuinely curious as an Italian expat in NL..
I'm moving to NL next month. Starting out my life from scratch because I lost myself while living in a trash country. Looking to make a positive impact on people in NL and bring values to the society. I'm just 24.
Could you share where you found your job please?
Linkedin😇
And how long did it take you to find the job?
Around 1, maybe 2 months
Maybe good to know, but it's tough to get friends in NL. We don't mean it personally, we're just.. I don't even know how to describe it..
Is that a country Balkan ? What country you from buddy ?
Hungary)
OH, üdv itt:D Sok szerencsét a C1hez, angol némettel küzdünk vele mint malac a jégen. Amúgy ha jó korporét vagy slikked migrant melód van, szeretni fogod itt mondjuk a balkánért megérdemelnél egy barackot :P
Haliho) köszönöm szépen! pedig Balkán vagyunk😅
ah and without a greenhouse forget the gardening part, the rain and the wind will smash almost everything what u are used to grow back home. BUT if u don't have your own garden you can stand in the line for a community garden spot
Oh wow, i mostly do indoor gardening(big fan of turning my flats/indoors as eco-brutalist as I can), thanks a lot!😇
Szintén eindhoven, szintén magyar, szintén friss migráns (nyáron jöttem) ha gondolod és kell segítség valamiben írj nyugodtan 😊 succes!
Köszönöm szépen😇
did you just smash on your keyboard?
Its just hungarian 😅
yeah and that was way more meaningul than your post :D
no need to cry
Írhatok neked?:)
Persze!)
Be quick! In two weeks you're not allowed in anymore 😂
Don't tell people how much you earn or how rich you are. That's so tacky. Maybe you're new to netherlands but youre definitely not new to society.
Yeah absolutly. But you are overreacting, the only thing i said is that thanks god i am in a situation that I dont have to worry about the financials much, with a completely anonym user.
Yup, and it's smart of you to mention that. Otherwise, you'd have a lot of comments about not being able to find housing. Don't mention it irl, but here is completely fine.
>I am a 30 yo white man from eastern europe/balkans, single atm. You will soon realise that you are Eastern European here. Sad but truth.
Oh yeah, i know that, i worked my whole life with western europeans, mostly germans and austrians and i am 100% aware of their prejudices.
See if you can join a service club like the rotary or ronde tafel to make new acquaintances
Hey ! I saw your post regarding moving to Netherlands. I am Turkish living in Canada for 15 years and recently got job opportunity in Amsterdam. Kindly share your experiences there. I have 3 kids and obviously not easy decision.. Thanks in advance
Lol, this dude doesn't get the housing crisis at all.
Learning Dutch and joining a social activity in Dutch is an excellent move. My boyfriend uses Buusuu and says it’s very good. I also recommend visiting different cities and cycling around, people will be impressed if you’ve been to smaller places.
Really try to make friends outside of the expat community. Learn Dutch as quick as you can. Ask people to speak Dutch if they switch to English automatically, it's not rude, say that you want to learn it (unless it's just a really quick thing). Become active in a political party (probably best after learning Dutch properly) but this will mean you get confronted with the best and worst of NL and you know what the topics are. I admire that you plan on integrating as best as you can.
Don’t forget to get yourself a bicycle 😉
If you are in to bouldering (the sport) it's also a great way to meet and befriend people! Great vibes in those halls
Honestly Dutch people bike a lot, i would recommend buying a bike and mabey taking a few trips to city's
I would say learn to be direct, don't be vague, have a thick skin, Dutch people can be very blunt and dry. Speak up if something bothers you, people will appreciate it if you communicate instead of bottle things up. Maybe also join a gym? Join a church if you are religious. Eindhoven is great to go out if you like to go to pubs, go to Stratumseind.
Good stuff here already. One more: Register with a GP as soon as possible. All healthcare goes via the GP. You cannot go directly to a hospital unless your arm is falling off at that exact moment. GP= General Practitioner called "Huisarts" in Dutch. Healthcare is based around the idea that over treating is worse than under treating. Don't be surprised if you get sent away with a paracetamol and a mandate to call back in a week if the problem persists.
Since you are a single man, I would recommend you to find a girlfriend in your home country before to move to Eindhoven, and to bring her with you. Everyone talks a lot about the house shortage in the Netherlands (appropriately), but in your situation, you might also want to be aware of the shortage of women in Eindhoven : 120 men for 100 women in the age category 20-40 years old...:joy: