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 Sara Bertoni |
March 14 2007
-Where were you born?
Milan, Italy
-In which country and city are you living now?
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
-Are you living alone or with your family?
With my new boyfriend
-How long have you been living in the Netherlands?
3 years
-What is your age?
34
-When did you come up with the idea of living in the Netherlands?
For my boyfriend; I was massively in love with him and I couldn’t think to live without him anymore.
-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
No. In Europe, easy.
-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
It was easy.
-How do you make your living in Holland? Do you have any type of income generated?
I was working in fashion before but unfortunately because I don’t speak Dutch it was pretty hard to get my “real” job. So I decided to do something else and I opened a pretty special Dance School (www.sexyinstructors.com).
-Do you speak Dutch and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
Yes, I think it’s important, absolutely. Even if everybody speaks English, you are not completely integrated if you don’t speak Dutch.
-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
Yes, but I go to see my family quite often.
-Do you have other plans for the future?
Yes, every day I have plans. :)
-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
Me and my boyfriend just bought a house in the best place to be now in Amsterdam, a new island called Bijurg, amazing!
-What is the cost of living in Holland?
It’s not very expensive if I compare it to Milan.
-What do you think about the Dutch?
It is not easy. It’s a different culture than Italian, pretty cold.
-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in the Netherlands?
Amsterdam is lovely, but the weather is bad. :(
-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in the Netherlands?
If you are single maybe it’s better to choose another country… the men here are very cold and not really gentlemen… ha ha…
-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Holland?
I write for a blogger site, so you can see my articles at Shortcut - A European City Blog.
