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OP, check out the expat forums that deal with specific countries. That's the best way to get an accurate and realistic read on how expats experience the people and culture.
True, there's a lot on the net about living here. Also a lot of books written about life in the Netherlands and our culture.
And there's also a lot of extremely negative comments on those boards about the Netherlands. Apparently Holland is not for every one. First time I heard a remark about how rude the Dutch are I was extremely surprised and offended so I googled it and found so much negative comments about us. There's even an entire website about how ****ty life is over here.
If it's accurate and realistic? I dunno, from what I read, I think those people never really made an effort to understand the culture. To me it seemed they only compared to our culture from a point of view in which only their own ways could be the right way.
really unfriendly dutch people (the stoned colorful locals you meet in Amsterdam are mostly tourists like you, not dutch) dutch are colder and standoffish
I lived in The Netherlands (Den Haag) for a year and a half and grew to love it. I did miss a few things about Texas while living there:
-Restaurants. Restaurants in The Netherlands aren't bad, there are plenty of fine French, Italian, Japanese, etc restaurants just like you'll find in any major city. But even in better restaurants, the portions were a bit smaller, the costs were a bit higher, and the service was a bit less attentive than what is expected in the US.
-Space. I could do the high-rise/shoebox living for a little while, but for longer term I would want a good-sized house, yard, and garage. You almost have to be a millionaire to live like that in The Netherlands, at least in/near any major city.
-Topography. 90% of The Netherlands is as flat as a football field (as everyone knows). Only the southernmost part of the country has a few hills. OTOH, you're a quick/cheap flight away from the Swiss/Italian Alps.
I actually didn't mind the weather. Summer days are mild and exceptionally long (sun stays up til 10-11), winters are relatively mild (only saw snow two days during my year and a half there). Groceries are reasonably-priced, considering the excellent quality. I found the Dutch to be friendlier than everyone warned me about. I love cars/driving, which was a mixed bag in The Netherlands. The roads are exceptionally maintained, some of the best in the world, and the autobahn isn't far. But gas is expensive, parking can be difficult, and traffic is bad anywhere near Amsterdam, The Hague, and Rotterdam.
I lived in The Netherlands (Den Haag) for a year and a half and grew to love it. I did miss a few things about Texas while living there:
-Restaurants. Restaurants in The Netherlands aren't bad, there are plenty of fine French, Italian, Japanese, etc restaurants just like you'll find in any major city. But even in better restaurants, the portions were a bit smaller, the costs were a bit higher, and the service was a bit less attentive than what is expected in the US.
-Space. I could do the high-rise/shoebox living for a little while, but for longer term I would want a good-sized house, yard, and garage. You almost have to be a millionaire to live like that in The Netherlands, at least in/near any major city.
-Topography. 90% of The Netherlands is as flat as a football field (as everyone knows). Only the southernmost part of the country has a few hills. OTOH, you're a quick/cheap flight away from the Swiss/Italian Alps.
I actually didn't mind the weather. Summer days are mild and exceptionally long (sun stays up til 10-11), winters are relatively mild (only saw snow two days during my year and a half there). Groceries are reasonably-priced, considering the excellent quality. I found the Dutch to be friendlier than everyone warned me about. I love cars/driving, which was a mixed bag in The Netherlands. The roads are exceptionally maintained, some of the best in the world, and the autobahn isn't far. But gas is expensive, parking can be difficult, and traffic is bad anywhere near Amsterdam, The Hague, and Rotterdam.
My husband and I moved to the Netherlands from Houston, Texas in August, and I 100% agree with this post!
We researched a ton before becoming expats here. We have 2 small children so that weighed heavily on where we were to live. We actually live closer to the Belgiuan border, about 35 minutes south of Rotterdam. Our girls go to an international al school.
We love the Netherlands. We won't ask to go back to the states before our time is up here (3 years). We have never lived anywhere outside of the states (or even Texas) before, so it's all a new experience. So far, since moving here in late August, we have traveled to Paris, Cologne, and Barcelona for vacation.
We haven't encountered many surprises since moving, because we did our research. I will say the most disappointing thing about the Netherlands for me is the Dutch food. Especially coming from a food Mecca such as Houston. But, we survive, and I get refilled of delicious foods on our travels elsewhere.
Because we don't live in Amsterdam or a large city, we live in a house in a neighborhood (roughly 1900sqft) and it's great. It's about half the size of our house back in Texas, and I don't miss the space. I DO miss the storage space!
We all have bikes, my husband has a company lease car, and we bought me a little European car when we moved because school is rather far to bike, especially in nasty weather. Speaking of which...we don't mind the weather. In Houston, it's HoT and HUMID. I HATE and LOaThE Houston weather. Sometime I mis the sun a little, but we haven't even been here a year yet. The rain isn't like rain I'm used to...sheets of soaking pouring rain you can't see through. Here is drizzles a lot. I've seen a "storm" twice since moving here...strong winds and actual rain...that each lasted no more than ten minutes. I laughed.
I'm not going to be one to talk you out of being an expat. My husband and I have been asking for a decade to move over here! And here we are...soaking up every minute of it.
really unfriendly dutch people (the stoned colorful locals you meet in Amsterdam are mostly tourists like you, not dutch) dutch are colder and standoffish
outside of amsterdam is rather boring
This is what I've heard/read: the Dutch tend to be very reserved, like other Germanic peoples, generally. I've had very odd experiences with Dutch people both in Holland and in the US and elsewhere. I keep telling myself I've just had weird luck, and that these all must be the exceptions to the rule, so I don't even want to talk about that here. On the other hand, I have a friend who went to Holland on vacation years ago, and made some friends easily, and they've been visiting back and forth ever since.
Winters may be "mild" compared to Scandinavia or Russia, but they're still very cold, and the wind chill factor (there's always wind blowing in from the coast, it seems) makes it much colder.
OP, I'm not sure how long you were planning to stay, but the place is going to be under water probably within 10 years. But then, so are Miami and parts of Seattle, not to mention New Orleans and west LA.
Last edited by Ruth4Truth; 12-29-2015 at 07:57 PM..
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