| Frenchman Logrus has been living and working in the port city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands for quite a few years now. He talks about how he came to move to Holland, what he likes and dislikes about his expat life there, and some of the tips he has for people thinking about moving to the Netherlands. Read on to learn why he thinks Holland is a "fantastic place to work, have a house, and even have a family."
|
 Logrus |
-Where were you born?
I was born in Paris, France.
-In which country and city are you living now?
I live now in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
-Are you living alone or with your family?
I am living alone.
-How long have you been living in the Netherlands?
I have been living here for nearly six years.
-What is your age?
I am 35 years old.
-When did you come up with the idea of living in Holland?
Six years ago, my wife got the opportunity to work here (with the help of my brother-in-law, who already lived here with my sister).
-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
No, being an EU citizen means there was not any paperwork needed.
-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
It was relatively easy to get medical insurance, as it is here linked to any work contract.
-How do you make your living in Holland? Do you have any type of income generated?
I have been an employee or lower manager in different companies since I arrived here. I have a pretty decent income (in fact a bit higher than what I could get in my own country). I found jobs through different agencies, specialised in multilingual job seekers, as I had not secured a job before arriving here.
I also used my personal network of contacts intensively, which always proved even more efficient than agencies and websites.
-Do you speak Dutch and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
I do speak the local language, as well as English. Only English is really absolutely necessary here, but I would say that speaking the local language is absolutely paramount to have better contacts with people and in general having a better life. It is a fact that amongst my expat friends here, those who speak the local language are much better off than the others. And this is true even for people who got a true expat job (i.e., people who were expatriated by their own company instead of looking for a job here).
The local customs are a plus, but people here are notoriously tolerant of different cultures and customs, which makes things a lot easier for foreigners.
-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
I certainly miss my family, though it is relatively cheap and easy to visit each others regularly. I don't really miss my home country though. Except maybe the food and the fashion...
I have many recreational activities here, from my local role playing club to the expatriate organisations I am an active member of.
-Do you have other plans for the future?
I have many plans for the future, but none of them seriously includes a new expatriation. This said, if someone would offer me a really good job in Greece, I would probably accept it. ;-)
-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
I own a flat here (right in the town center). I paid 160,000 euros for this flat. It has only two rooms and a bathroom, but the main living room is positively huge so it is actually a pretty good deal, considering it also has a garage and a cellar.
-What is the cost of living in the Netherlands?
Living costs are quite high here, especially if you are keen on good food. Housing costs are also rather high. Apart from this, salaries generally allow a very good standard of living (comparable or a bit higher than my own country).
-What do you think about the Dutch people?
Locals treat foreigners with great tolerance but very little understanding. People here are curious about foreigners but don't really try to mingle with them. Most of the time, they simply ignore us. This drives a lot of expats crazy as they are not used to it or may even feel rejected. It is not reflecting the true mentality of the locals, though. They actually have the same behaviour towards people from other cities within the same country.
Otherwise, locals here are people who put a lot of value on time and money and understand business very well. They are also a proud nation with a rich culture, which is obviously enriching for foreign residents here.
On the more negative side, they have absolutely no understanding of service, especially customer service which is generally abysmal here, despite a slight improvement in the last years.
-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Holland?
It is a fantastic country to work, have a house and even have a family (there’s a lot of support for parents with children). It is a culturally interesting place and a very international place (especially the city where I live).
I guess I have already described the most negative aspects above. But let's say that most of these negative aspects can be summarized by the strong Calvinist tradition of the country, which is sometimes difficult to understand for people coming from Latin countries.
-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Holland?
I would advise to look for a house or flat a long time in advance (months). Housing options are not only expensive; they are also scarce, due to the high and rising population density. I would also advise to have a look at the different expat group websites beforehand. Most of them have excellent advice and some of them offer free support.
-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about the Netherlands?
I would advise the following sites:
Logrus Amazing Stories: That's my own site.
Forum des Hollandais: That's the site of the French-speaking community, completely indispensable for French-speaking people who want to come here. And it includes a wiki!
The International Cultural Exchange Group: One of the many websites dedicated to bringing cultural activities and socialisation to internationally minded people in the Netherlands.
Most other useful websites can be linked from these three.
