Moving to Netherlands (bank, friendly, expensive, drivers)

[annaniem]

Be aware that your USA-driving license is only valid a couple of months. If you are living in the Netherlands you need to get a Dutch license. And that is not so easy and cheap as it sounds. Paying with creditcard in stores is rare. The dutch pay with debitcard (PIN) or cash in stores and restaurants. Bills are mostly paid automaticly if you authorize the bank for that (handy for rent, insurances, gas, internet etc.) or with a transfer. Most dutch do that online. Paperchecks are oldfashion and banks will charge you for it. Online banking is big here. So get a good bank.

[dutchfan007]

Originally Posted by cattledog69

Haha, no need to. You can buy WD40 in every dutch hardware store and in lots of grocery stores like Action and Aldi.
You can also get sprays for making a jacket water resistant.

BTW here's a fun site about the Dutch customs and daily life. It's pretty funny and very spot on. I'm pretty sure you'll find some strange things about our culture and this site explains it pretty good.

The Complete SDPL List - Stuff Dutch People Like

haha thats hilarious. I need to read through them over the weekend

[dutchfan007]

Originally Posted by annaniem

Be aware that your USA-driving license is only valid a couple of months. If you are living in the Netherlands you need to get a Dutch license. And that is not so easy and cheap as it sounds. Paying with creditcard in stores is rare. The dutch pay with debitcard (PIN) or cash in stores and restaurants. Bills are mostly paid automaticly if you authorize the bank for that (handy for rent, insurances, gas, internet etc.) or with a transfer. Most dutch do that online. Paperchecks are oldfashion and banks will charge you for it. Online banking is big here. So get a good bank.

What are the best banks, that have ATMs abundantly. I may take time to get used to this, seldom use cash here in USA.

License would be one thing I want to get after my visa papers are processed when I'm there.

Should I bring my Schwinn cycle with me or better off getting a beater cycle there for the city?

[cattledog69]

Originally Posted by 640TAG

Good list!

No 2 - I mentioned earlier
No 3 - also"muisjes" (no need to ask why). The weirdest thing I ever saw put on bread.
No 11 - I think we Brits own the copyright to this one
agreed, lets share it

No 16 - ooh! Controversial or what?!
Hot year round topic, very tyring

No 29 - a very, very strange habit, especially zoute dropje. As if the sweet version isn't odd enough.
No 30 - linked to 29, but not obvious to an English speaker
Oh oh, I forced drop on foreigners when I was in the states (gave them a bag) And I didn't understand why they didn't taste it

No 35 - evil when you're drunk. The most extreme I've even encountered is at a fab restaurant called Van Speyk in Centrum. Almost vertical, and the loo is at the bottom.
I have one myself, worries me a bit for when i get older! This is only in the old houses though, new ones are built less dangerous

No 41 - tell me about it (I'm a shortarse). The Dutch army is the tallest in the world. It's because the country is so low, they have to stretch to see out.
No 58 - the most insane I've ever witnessed an entire population go for one day.

Yes Kings day is massive! Greatest party of the year.

No 65 Dutch social policing.... This is sooo true! My father in law is just like that Actually all old people in their flat are like that, and that leads to very heated arguments in the middle of the street from time to time, and they all have a hotline with the town hall. Crazy

[irman]

Originally Posted by dutchfan007

Should I bring my Schwinn cycle with me or better off getting a beater cycle there for the city?

Just like Hondas and Corvettes are stolen every minute in the USA,
bikes are the equivalent in The Netherlands.

Even tho the name Schwinn does sound *mediocre* (old trusted name),
I assume yours is a bit more sophisticated ?

You may regret bringing it. Unless you have a way to really secure that thing !!



Keep in mind that riding a bicycle in The Netherlands is
1st - another mode of simple day to day transportation.
2nd - a means to do some hobby cycling and then it turns into racing !!

Yes they have *mountain bikes* in The Netherlands where there are no mountains at all,
but those are often *the other bike* at home besides their good old *Oma bike* that will last 758 years !! I lived in Blaricum, near the *Tafel Berg* (Table Mountain). That thing was maybe 20 meters high ?? The bloody trees around it today are higher than the top of that wannebee mountain ...
In the old days, you could see for miles from the top of that hill. Today they built a huge tower on it, so you might be able to look over those dodgy trees !

You can easily find a used bike in Holland, just to get around !
For serious riding, become a member of the local *fiets club* or whatever they have there, and do some serious riding. Then lock the bugger up good !


I have never seen a *berg fiets* In Holland ...
at least they are not advertised as such ...

By the way, since there are no *mountains* in Holland, they call it *Heuvel Fietsen*
Heuvel = Hill ...


Look at this link and notice all the bikes pictorialised there.
You see yours there ?

Oh and one last thing, speaking of Blaricum.
If you ever get to Holland, do visit Blaricum today.
If you can afford it, live there !!
http://www.pararius.com/apartments/blaricum

=====
Blaricum (About this sound pronunciation (help·info)) is a municipality and village in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is known for its many monumental farm buildings, local cafes and restaurants, nature, several annual community events and extensive up-market residential areas.

According to statistics published by the Dutch land registry office in February 2011, Blaricum is the most expensive location to purchase a house in the Netherlands. The average home in Blaricum costs €800,000 and has risen an average of 12% over the last year. Many Dutch celebrities live here, including Rene Froger, Anita Meijer, Paul de Leeuw, Gordon, Jerney Kaagman, John de Mol, Anita Witzier and Marco Borsato.
======

To think I lived there in the 50's ... dang !

[cattledog69]

Originally Posted by dutchfan007

What are the best banks, that have ATMs abundantly. I may take time to get used to this, seldom use cash here in USA.

License would be one thing I want to get after my visa papers are processed when I'm there.

Should I bring my Schwinn cycle with me or better off getting a beater cycle there for the city?

These three are the biggest/best; ABN-Amro, ING Group, Rabobank. And like Irman says, indeed we don't use checks here anymore. Everything is done through online banking. All banks have apps for your phone so it's very easy, and it is safe.

Lots of people have bike racks on the wall of the hallway or on the stairs to keep their bikes on. If you let it outside it WILL get stolen. If you can't store it inside just buy an old 50 euro 2nd hand.

[mym]

abn-amro has a special department for expats. with special phone number (oooooooooooooooooo so special)

with my bank, others may be same/different, i can use any other bank's atm ONCE a day (for free).

does 30% ruling mean anything to you? if you fall under that, changing your drivers license is easy. and you are automatically super rich.

[cattledog69]

Originally Posted by mym

abn-amro has a special department for expats. with special phone number (oooooooooooooooooo so special)

with my bank, others may be same/different, i can use any other bank's atm ONCE a day (for free).

does 30% ruling mean anything to you? if you fall under that, changing your drivers license is easy. and you are automatically super rich.

Far as I know you can use your card from any bank, on any atm. It's called "guest use". With most banks you can pin up to 750 euro from another banks atm as a guest.
In the atm's of your own bank you can pin up to 1500 euro a day. If you need bigger amounts of cash, you'll have to go inside and need to show your passport to withdraw cash .

BTW are you sure he'll need to take lessons to get a Dutch drivers license? My mate is from the US and he's been using his American license for a few years I believe. He now just got his permanent visa and I didn't hear him about having to take lessons to get a Dutch license ...

[mym]

somebody else might have said that. i have no idea.

[irman]

Originally Posted by mym

somebody else might have said that. i have no idea.

Sounds like the proverbial:
They said that ... ,
where nobody knows who *they* is ...

Everything *they* said MUST be taken with a bag of salt.
A grain is never enough.

the 30% rule:
http://www.iamsterdam.com/en/local/o...riving-licence
and read this:
http://www.iamsterdam.com/en/local/o...percent-ruling


Here the link I was looking for before:
http://www.iamsterdam.com/en/expatcenter
Read EVERYTHING on this website !!