Born in Norway and raised in a number of other countries, social worker Marit now lives in Nunspeet in the Netherlands. Her passport proclaims her to be Dutch, but she says she isn't typically so. Marit's expat life in the Netherlands has its highs and lows, some of which she shares with us here.	Marit

-Where were you born?

I was born in Norway, in the Lofoten, to Dutch parents.

-In which country and city are you living now?

Nunspeet, Holland. That's my husband's home town.

-Are you living alone or with your family?

I'm married, and I have two kids.

-How long have you been living in the Netherlands?

I've lived here (Nunspeet) for 6 months. Before that we lived in Houten, just under Utrecht.

-What is your age?

36

-When did you come up with the idea of living in the Netherlands?

I live here because I am Dutch by passport, and because my husband and kids live here! After growing up in Norway, Uganda, Ethiopia, the States and Kenya, I came to Holland when I was 18. Though my husband and I have explored the possibility of working overseas, we have been unable to do so due to my son's health problems.

Though I'm grateful to be living here (the insurance coverage for my son is fantastic), I'm still not typically Dutch. I don't think I ever will be. Growing up as a Third Culture Kid has give me a unique perspective on living here. I'm not typically Dutch, nor will I ever be! Though over the years I have come to appreciate this country and its people I don't fully "belong".

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?

Being a Dutch citizen, it has been no problem.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

Also no problem, due to being a Dutch citizen.

-How do you make your living in the Netherlands? Do you have any type of income generated?

I work as a volunteer coordinator/social worker.

-Do you speak Dutch and do you think it's important to speak the local language?

Speaking Dutch is important of course. Though, as noted by many others, a lot of Dutch people speak English and are eager to use it, so it can be very hard to speak it due to all the "help" offered to you!

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?

What is home? Growing up as I have has made it pretty much impossible to define any one place as home. Though going back to Ethiopia last year (with my family and my siblings) made me feel as much as home as I have felt since I came to Holland. So maybe that would be home for me. Home to me is a sense of belonging. Something I experience in fits and starts here in Holland.

I'm raising kids now and half the time I have no idea what the "norm" is for kids growing up in Holland. My daughter is educating me on the ins and outs of the school system! And even though they are growing up here, and have practically no international orientation outside of knowing that some of my family members are working abroad, they are not typically Dutch either. Whether I like it or not (and actually, I do) they are also tarred with the same brush I have been tarred with. It's strange to note how how I was raised is impacting them, one generation further along. 

-Do you have other plans for the future?

I would love to get a job that would give me the possibility to implement my "international" side. A job that would give me a sense of adding something to the world as a whole, instead of just focusing on the smallness of Holland.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

We rent a home.

-What do you think about the Dutch?

The locals here are friendly but reserved. As are most Dutch people, much to my dismay. I like to be social and hospitable and find that it can be very hard to break through the reserve.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in that country?

When I first moved here, I wrote this:

I stagnate
here in this place.
The times are changeless
the days pass by
with boring monotony.
There is none
of the heightened awareness
the great expectancy
the simple joy of being alive.
No raging storms
no blazing sun
no solid friendships
or tearful partings.
simply time
just passing by

I stagnate.

Though I don't feel this way all the time any more, I do find that this is a country with very few real highs or lows.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about the Netherlands?

For more info about Holland I recommend A Touch of Dutch, http://atouchofdutch.blogspot.com. A great place to read about all kinds of Dutch things.

My own blog is an eclectic mix of all kinds of stuff. How I grew up, what I'm doing, what I'm reading, how I like or dislike living here, my job... You name it, I write about it! www.marit--marit.blogspot.com

And I loved reading the Undutchables by Colin White and Lourie Boucke. Their site is http://www.undutchables.com