Expats in the Netherlands are in a unique situation. On the one hand, they get to explore another thriving new culture and setting than they were used to. On the other hand, they have been plucked away from all the things that they knew and now have to form a new life somewhere else. Sometimes, the latter factor overwhelms the former so much that expats start missing home too much. If that sounds like you, these tips are for you. Don’t miss out while living in the Netherlands as an expat!
Learn the Language of the Low Lands
For expats who cannot speak Dutch, make an effort to learn the language.
When everyone, or the majority of the people around you, speaks in another language, you tend to feel left out. The funny part is that the local people will also subconsciously leave you out of conversations when they notice that you don’t know their language.
Make an effort to learn Dutch at any level and they start warming up to you even better.
Stay in Touch with your Loved Ones
Keep a line of contact with the family, friends, and colleagues that you left back home.
That feeling of emptiness that you sometimes get could be from the lack of social stimulation. With your friends and loved ones around you, you never have to fall into that social depression pit.
They continue to form the core of your social life till you can get out more and make new friends in the new location.
Embrace the culture while living in the Netherlands as an expat
Staying rigid will get you nowhere.
Understand that everything won’t be done the same way as it is in your country. This is not a call to lose your values and morals. It is, instead, an admonition to be flexible enough that you enjoy what works in your new location also. Who knows, you might just find a fascinating aspect of the Netherlandic life that catches your fancy above all else.
Stay updated with your favorite content
Did you have any TV shows that you used to unwind with? Are some sports events the highlight of your week? Is there any form of content that you could have sworn you won’t stop following?
Most expats find out that their preferred content types are not available once they cross over to Holland.
Sometimes, this is due to content geo-blocking. Other times, it is simply because the said content has no broadcast rights for this region.
No matter which it is, you can simply download a VPN to bypass all that censorship and restrictions to keep enjoying your content as usual.
Start Living Better to maximize your time in Holland!
You don’t want to look back on the time that you spent abroad with regret. Get out there today. Embrace the new culture, mingle with the people, and immerse yourself in your new environment. The Dutch people are a friendly bunch and highly welcoming of a visitor. We love nothing more than to show off the riches, serenity, and beauty of our country. So, what better way to do that than to someone coming here for the first time? You might even decide to not move back to your country at the end of the day. None of that will be possible if you don’t put yourself out there in the first place. So get to it!
The truth is, it’s not always easy to connect with Dutchies on a deeper level. It’s not that they’re not nice they’re actually really nice it’s just that they usually have strong friendships with older friends. If you’d like to connect with locals, you’ll probably have to learn Dutch and live here for a few years!