Dutch Americano: A Blog about Living in the Netherlands
Struggling with Dutch culture one day at a time.
Today is September 7th, one full year since I moved to the Netherlands. One full year since I arrived at Schiphol airport with no intention of going back. The Netherlands, a country with lots of water and mills. A lot as happened since then, and while I can't recount every single thing in this post,... 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 →
Lately, I've been thinking about my move to Utrecht from Amsterdam. For those of you who aren't as familiar with the Netherlands, Utrecht is a smaller city about 20-30 mins from Amsterdam. Utrecht also just LOOKS like a mini-Amsterdam. Bikes along a canal in Utrecht. Canals of Utrecht with pretty buildings and big windows. When... Continue Reading →
Cafes and "terrasjes" will be open starting June 1st. After more than two months of being closed down due to the COVID-19 crisis, I, along with the rest of the Netherlands, will finally be able to enjoy a good coffee outside of my own home. For those of you who don't know, the Dutch word... Continue Reading →
I know what you're thinking— everybody loves sunny days! Well, but not like the Dutch. When the sun is out, so are the Dutch. I don't think they understand that they still have the option of staying at home even when it's not raining. Most days in the Netherlands are rainy and cold, so I... Continue Reading →
Here's the crazy thing. When my girlfriend Sara first told me that biking in the US was a living nightmare for her, I just didn't get it. Biking isn't BIG in the US overall, but it is gaining popularity in many American cities. How different could the Netherlands really be? To be fair, this was... Continue Reading →
When my Dutch girlfriend told me that her friends in the Netherlands owned boats, I was shocked. I checked with her to make sure she wasn't trying to say "row boat" or "canoe" instead. Nope, she means actual freaking boats with motors and everything. It's not that boats are particularly expensive— I mean, they can... 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 →
What can I say, in the past four years that I've gotten to know the Dutch culture and the Dutch people, they've won a place in my heart. But because the country is so small, many people I know aren't very familiar with the Dutch way of life. I bet there are some Americans out... Continue Reading →
If you talk to an American about Europe, at some point, you will talk about one of two things: how old and beautiful the buildings are in European cities, and how the cafés in Europe are just fucking adorable. Why do you think I moved to the Netherlands? The Nieuwegracht in Utrecht, lined with old... Continue Reading →
You might be familiar with the Danish word "hygge", which roughly means something like "cozy". Well, the Dutch have a word for it too— gezelligheid. Yeah, I know, it's a bit of a mouthful. Maybe that's why the Danish one caught on more. But the Dutch really love for things to be "gezellig" (cozy). If... 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 →
The coronavirus outbreak has made it a trying time for everyone. I've been hearing about all kinds of problems from various groups of individuals, those who can't work from home, those from countries where the healthcare system isn't as accessible, from people in crowded places who are worried for the safety of others. The list... Continue Reading →
Dutch Americano: A Blog about Living in the Netherlands 