| American expat Teresa has been living many years in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, where she practices healing. Here she shares her observations about how things have changed since the introduction of the Euro, her plans for her business and her family, her way of dealing with Dutch straightforwardness, and what she enjoys most about living in Holland. |
 Teresa Hulst |
-Where were you born?
St. Charles, Illinois, USA (but grew up in California )
-In which country and city are you living now?
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
-Are you living alone or with your family?
I live with my Dutch husband and our 4 year old son.
-How long have you been living in the Netherlands?
10 years.
-What is your age?
44
-When did you come up with the idea of living in the Netherlands?
I came to Amsterdam in 1990 and had an epiphany. I knew I would live here one day and marry a Dutchman. In 1994 after doing creative visualization exercises to manifest my "twin-soul", I met my husband at my front door on a blind date. We fell in love at first sight and have been together ever since. He invited me to live with him in Amsterdam, and of course I said yes.
-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
Absolutely not (this was in the 1990s). I received my papers the day after I arrived in Amsterdam. We were married in California right before I left, so that made it very easy.
-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
No. This was arranged quickly and easily. Medical insurance is fantastic here. I never had this in America.
-How do you make your living in Holland? Do you have any type of income generated?
I have my own practice, Acupressure Massage Therapy (www.acupressure.nl), which I built up by myself. I studied in California, first at the San Francisco Art Institute and later at the Acupressure Institute for Chinese Medicine. I also did a Master's here in the Netherlands for Art Therapy.
When I first arrived, I went to an agency and got a job working at Chello/UPC. After that, I started my own web design company working from home. I was setting up a studio for web design & art therapy when I decided to study Acupressure to manage my own pain. When I returned from my intensive training, I decided to practice healing, massage therapy & art therapy. This practice has now grown to include many more modalities such as Aromatherapy and my newest, Past Life Regression Therapy.
-Do you speak Dutch and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
Everyone in Amsterdam speaks English, but you only truly get respect when you speak Dutch. It is much easier to navigate and survive the culture if you can speak the language. I studied at the University of Amsterdam in an intensive course which really helped me with the basics. The rest I learned from listening to the radio, reading the subtitles on TV and interacting with Dutch people. I did my Masters degree for Art Therapy IN DUTCH. This was very difficult, but it highly improved my language abilities and I overcame my fear of speaking. Now, I jump right in even if I make mistakes. I am learning better pronunciation from my 4 year old who is bilingual.
-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
Not as much as I did in the beginning. This is partially due to the fact that when I am homesick, I go home. It is really the only cure. I just bought a home in California (actually the same apartment where I met my husband), so it is now very easy for me to go home and really feel like I am part of my country again. Up until now I have been renting homes when I go back, but now I have a place of my own. This is the home I had so much trouble saying goodbye to all those years ago, now its ours again and it is a dream come true!
I enjoy the beach, spas, art exhibits, walking in nature and scenic drives in my sports car especially if there is a nice hotel room with a hot tub at the end of our journey.
-Do you have other plans for the future?
Yes, I want to integrate living in both countries as much as possible so that my son grows up understanding that he has two countries, not just one. I love taking him to California and showing him all of "Mama's" things. The lifestyle there is totally different than here and he deserves to be immersed in both cultures for a full understanding of his parents.
It is my plan to live and work in both in Holland and California. I also am interested traveling all over the world for my work, especially doing Dolphin Assisted Therapy which is my big plan for next year.
-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
We rented at first, but now we own our own home. It is much easier to buy a house here then in the United States. We took advantage of this when we were both working full time and could show our work contracts to the bank. The bank gives 100% financing if you can prove you have a solid work contract.
From NY times: Apartments in Amsterdam last year (2007) sold for an average of 2,915 euros, or $3,831, per square meter, or about $356 a square foot. And property along Amsterdam's canals can cost anywhere from 3,000 euros per square meter, or about $366 a square foot, to more than 6,000 euros per square meter, or about $733 a square foot, depending on the location, according to local real estate agent associations and tax authorities.
-What is the cost of living in Holland?
The cost of living in Amsterdam has increased hugely since the introduction of the Euro on January 1st 2002. Prices seemed to double overnight, but wages did not increase.
Food is inexpensive, but housing can be expensive depending on where you live especially in the center. Space is at a premium.
Everything has changed tremendously since the Euro came into existence. At first it was difficult making the transition from the Dutch Guilder to the Euro, but in today's economy with the gain of the Euro over the U.S. dollar, things have been a lot easier. It's easier to travel. This is how we were able to buy a house in the U.S.
-What do you think about the Dutch?
Well . . . it is hard to integrate at first. The Dutch are very clannish. Once they become your friend though, they are very loyal. It does take awhile to penetrate their groups though and dinner invitations are rare. (Much more common is "meeting for a coffee". This is a brief meeting to catch up and can either take place in a café or at the person's home/your home. Dutch people LOVE to drink coffee, so you can always meet this way for a little while.)
The Dutch are known for being direct, but even Dutch people agree that in Amsterdam they can be plain RUDE. It was difficult to deal with at first, but now I just tell them when they are being rude. Oftentimes they don't know. Also, their language is very practical, so sometimes when they translate from Dutch to English it comes out very curt. In general, my strategy is to be as honest and direct as they are but with tact, grace and a big smile.-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in the Netherlands?
Many would say the poor weather. It rains 17 days a month, every month, on average. (See my blog: AMSTERDAMP: Musings of a California Girl Living in Rainy Amsterdam)
There is not a lot of nature, but because it's flat you can cycle everywhere and far quite easily. On the other hand, you are in central Europe, so its easy to go anywhere from here.
The people can be a bit cold at times, but it does afford you autonomy. There is a lot of freedom here, which is what I enjoy the most and was integral to me be able to start my own business.
-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in the Netherlands?
You have to learn how to speak up for yourself. The Dutch are direct and the only way to deal with them is to dish it right back. You will earn their respect this way.
-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about the Netherlands?
- My website:
Acupressure Massage Therapy
My specialty is working with Expats doing healing, massage therapy and past life regression therapy, plus much more.
- My blog:
AMSTERDAMP: Musings of a California Girl Living in Rainy Amsterdam
- My California Vacation Rental:
Harrison House
Gorgeous apartment near San Francisco for holiday rental.
- Expat website:
Everything about Holland in English.
- Houses:
http://www.funda.nl/woningaanbod/koop/
Here you can browse houses and apartments for sale. I found my house through this website.
