Is the Seattle area an "easy landing" for Europeans who move here? (apartments)

[homesinseattle]

My friends and clients tell me it is, do you European (and for that matter, Asian, South American, East Indian, Russian, Aussie, African, Middle Eastern and Kiwi or wherever you are originally from) Seattle-area people think so? What were the strangest things for you to get used to (besides gigantic restaurant portions) and what were things that were comfortably similar to home?

[Aquamarineblue]

So we are lumping all the European nations (Greece, Ireland, Bulgaria, Italy, Bosnia, Germany, Sweden etc.etc.) together and oh hang on let's throw the entire rest of the world in too! So basically the question is: if you are not born and raised in the Good Ole' US of A what about Seattle gave you culture shock?

I is a immigrant and the best part was when I had 3 kids under 5 having all my groceries bagged by someone else and then pushed to my car in the cart and unloaded into the trunk by a cheerful, good looking 17 year boy. Can't beat that.

In my own nation I have would be struggling with my weekly shop and the kids on my own.

[homesinseattle]

Yep, I read my question and it certainly sounded too Eurocentric . By the power of editing, now the whole world can participate. It really is an interesting question, I believe.

[anneeliot]

I can't speak from experience yet, but from what my Dutch husband tells me after working in Seattle for the past several months, some things are fairly similar.

For us, coming from North-Western Europe, the climate is similar, if a bit milder in Seattle. Drizzling rain is something we grew up with, and we already know how to dress for it. Possibly better than many (newer) Seattle area residents, since people in the Netherlands often get around by bike, especially before the age of 18.

We are used to the so-called 'freeze' - it's similar to how people interact in public in the Netherlands. It may be a 'cold' social climate by American standards, but my husband reports it being friendlier than the Netherlands.

As with most urban areas, it's fairly easy to find a taste of home for the homesick. There are many cultural societies and clubs, import shops for food from home, and thanks to the internet, it's easy to find people from your home country living nearby.

As for things that are different, but that you won't find us complaining about:

1.) cheap eating out (and that doesn't mean fast food - table service dining is much, much more affordable in the US)

2.) larger housing (even on smaller lots - most people in the Netherlands live in townhouses or apartments)

3.) the ability to travel easily and affordably by car (no matter how bad commutes in Seattle are, they are infinitely worse in the urban/employment centers in the Netherlands - not to mention the ease and enjoyment of road trips in the US)

[homesinseattle]

Anne, sounds like you like it here. Good news!