Dutch Americano: A Blog about Living in the Netherlands
Struggling with Dutch culture one day at a time.
Until last Sunday, I had never been to The Hague. Even though I had visited the Netherlands seven times before I moved here permanently last year, I did not have the chance to see many other places besides Amsterdam and Utrecht. Because there was so much to see and do already! Now that it's the... Continue Reading →
I usually blog from my apartment in Utrecht, but now that the corona measures have been considerably lifted, I am finding that I can indeed blog from wherever I like. Right now, I am on a train to Den Helder from Utrecht, and I am extremely grateful for how easy it is to get around... Continue Reading →
I can pretty safely say that the concept of "time off" is blurred in corporate America. On some level, it's convenience. Before going on a study abroad program in Germany, I was warned to stock up on groceries during the week. "STORES ARE NOT OPEN ON THE WEEKEND," I was told. As an American, that... Continue Reading →
You know how there are some things that feel so right that you get used to them immediately? Like, if you had roommates and then you live alone, maybe it's harder to go back to sharing your space with someone else after a while. I absolutely feel that way about some things the Dutch do,... Continue Reading →
Lately, I've been talking to people back in the US, who—for one reason or another—tell me they want to move to Europe. I get it. A few years ago before the 2016 election, there were a bunch of jokes about emigrating to Europe if there was a certain outcome. Turns out that certain outcome happened,... Continue Reading →
Two and a half months later on June 1st 2020, cafés and restaurants could now open again in the Netherlands. The country was united in waiting to reclaim this bit of freedom. At the same time, violence in the US has sparked outrage around the world. The Dutch are not ones to stay quiet. I... Continue Reading →
You've heard me talk about how some things in the Netherlands are truly very different from what an American like me is used to. There's a lot of culture shock to deal with when you move from the United States to the Netherlands. And even though I don't think about this much, there's A LOT... Continue Reading →
Before my first trip to the Dutchlands four years ago, I thought that the whole country was nothing but the city of Amsterdam, which comprised solely of the red light district, weed, and the "I amsterdam" sign. You can imagine how shocked I was when I found out that wasn't the case. What was I... Continue Reading →
Like many people who like to travel and experience different cultures, I absolutely LOVE knowing more about how people live. It was no different when I would visit the Netherlands. Especially in big cities like Amsterdam and Utrecht, it was amazing to get to see the lives of hundreds of people all at once. Because... Continue Reading →
My friends were so shocked when I told them that I was moving to the Netherlands permanently. Sure, I had talked about moving to Europe, but no one was prepared for when it happened. Least of all me. This blog is obviously about my experiences abroad, but I haven't yet written about my journey to... Continue Reading →
Walks around the city— one of the things that keeps me from going insane in these times of COVID-19. I've been a good girl, and I spend most of my days indoors. I practice social distancing. But a couple of times a week, I go out for a stroll to stretch out my legs (that... Continue Reading →
A large number of expats want to live in Amsterdam. And a large number of expats end up actually living in Amsterdam. It makes sense, there are a ton of jobs there, everyone speaks English, and you can make friends with other expats. But since the prices have been rising in the Dutch capital, it... Continue Reading →
Dutch Americano: A Blog about Living in the Netherlands 