Mike Russell (52) has lived in the Netherlands for 28 years, and manages an apartment rentals company. He feels at home here, but still doesn’t feel entirely Dutch. However, in true Dutch style, he gave this interview while riding his bike through the centre of Amsterdam to work. How did you end up in the Netherlands? I finished my Phd in computer science in Wales, then I registered with an agency in London and said ‘get me a job anywhere but the UK’. They came up with all kinds of options, and I started work as an Apple Mackintosh developer here in 1988. Years later, I had a consultancy company which I sold because I wanted to do something that I had no background, skills or qualifications in. I knew some people in real estate, had a chat with them and though it sounded interesting. So I started that in Amsterdam in 2002. How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international? I guess I started as a classic expat, and over the years I have become pretty established here. My family, kids and business are here. How long do you plan to stay and why? Well I have no plans to leave, let’s put it that way. I’ve always felt a little like this is temporary and that was realistic for the first year or two. Then five years fly by, then ten. I think I’m in the position that a lot of expats are in, where they always think it’s temporary but they end up staying here for a big chunk of their lives. I’ve lived here now longer than I was ever in the UK. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? I do speak Dutch. I took lessons for a number of years. After a couple of years of not going for it, because this was supposed to be temporary, I went for it. My lucky break came when I started working somewhere with a colleague who was probably the only person in the Netherlands who didn’t speak any English at all. So that pushed me along a bit. What's your favourite Dutch food? Tapas. It’s not Dutch but it’s the best food I could find here. I’ll eat bitterballen with the best of them, but they’re not the national dish or anything How Dutch have you become? Well, speaking the language is part of the way, but at certain moments in the year you realise you’re totally not Dutch and never will be. For example, I don’t know any of the birthday songs, and at the Sint Maarten festival in the Jordaan all the parents of the kids are singing along. They look at me like I’m a grumpy parent but I don’t actually know any of the words. I have become quite direct in expressing my opinion without beating around the bush. It’s quite refreshing to be able to do that, but when I return to the UK I do come across as a bit brusque sometimes. Which three Dutch people (dead or alive) would you most like to meet and why? Hans Brinker, the boy who stuck his finger in the dyke in the late 1800s. It was really cold that night and he could have walked away but didn’t. A pretty cool dude... okay, yes I know he is a fictional character. Desiderius Erasmus, who was a pretty brainy guy. An interesting philosopher and theologian. And the guy who invented cheese…yeah that guy, whoever he was! What's your top tourist tip? Look at a guidebook of Amsterdam, look at all the places mentioned there, and then decide not to visit any of them! In any city when you move off the main thoroughfares you discover something not evident in the guidebooks. The Netherlands has a lot to offer if you ignore the Keukenhof, the red light district, the parliament building at The Hague, etc. Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. I’m surprised sometimes by how people here keep a very accurate running calculation in their heads at bars and restaurants. When the bill comes people make a very quick calculation what their contribution should be, stick the money on the table, and run! The concept of splitting the table evenly doesn’t really exist here. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? I’d probably do something I haven’t done yet. I’d visit one of the islands, Vlieland or Schiermonnikoog. I’ve been to Texel and it’s very nice, but I feel like I should make a bigger effort to visit the others. Mike Russell is managing director of Principle Vastgoed, a rental services agency  More >

Andrew Moskos (47) came to Amsterdam on a whim 23 years ago to bring English-language comedy to the city. His club, Boom Chicago, is now an institution on the Dutch comedy scene. Although comedy is his business, Andrew is deadly serious about quality strawberries and Dutch tram design. How did you end up in the Netherlands? After university, my best friend and I were tourists in Amsterdam and we fell in love with the city and wanted to move here. We thought there was a gap in the market for this sort of comedy, so we wrote to the city and said ‘here’s our idea, what do you think?’ They wrote back and said ‘your idea will not work, you won’t get any subsidy, think twice about it.’ We took that fax, framed it, and decided to come anyway. I’m happy we didn’t take their advice. How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international, etc? I’d say expat. I have no problem with the term ‘tourist’ mind you. It has a bad name, but when you go to another city and you don’t live there, you’re a tourist. People say they’re ‘international’ or whatever like it’s somewhat better than a tourist. What’s wrong with being a tourist? How long do you plan to stay and why? Here for the long haul! I’m married, have two kids, and Boom Chicago is going great. I can make a living doing the creative job I want, so I’m never leaving. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? I do speak Dutch. When I realised I wanted to stay here I wanted to go to see theatre shows myself, read the paper and have Dutch friends. So I learned through a combination of lessons, reading the newspaper, and the desire to just do it. What's your favourite Dutch food and why? Lambadas – the Dutch hothouse strawberries. You can get them about three months out of the year and they’re fantastic. They’re super expensive but they’re like candy. Soft and flavourful, unlike the hard American strawberries. I’d rather spend €50 on strawberries than gasoline, so I chose strawberries over a car here. How Dutch have you become and why? Pretty Dutch – I like a slow meal and I can sit on a terrace in any weather. I don’t like the Dutch birthday circle – that’s a bit silly – and I don’t like drop, so unfortunately I’m not that Dutch yet. I refuse to take an inburgeringscursus, as we pay so much tax here, I speak Dutch, and we hire people. I don’t see my friends enough as it is, so I’m not going to waste my time with an inburgeringscursus. I’m sorry, arrest me! Which three Dutch people (dead or alive) would you most like to meet and why? I don’t know the names of these people, but there’s two people I’d be excited to meet and one guy who needs to be scolded. The bad guy is the person who made the decision to buy those Combino trams and put a conductor in the back of them. The fact that everybody has to filter past that spot, and it’s about 40cm wide, is just bad design. Rotterdam did it right, no conductor booth and a conductor walking around the tram. They’ve got the best trams and the best conductor system. I want to meet the guy who designed the new Amsterdam street lamps. They’ve got a fluorescent ring in them, they’re very old but very modern and they light the area wonderfully. The last good guy is the guy who invented the new traffic plan in front of central station. They’re taking the cars away so you can go all the way from central station to Dam square without crossing a street, and that is such an imaginative, innovative idea. What's your top tourist tip? The grachtenhuis (canal house museum) has a nice history of the canals. You’re in and out in about 30 minutes, it’s high tech, and done in different languages. It’s in an old canal house, and this was the centre of the financial world back in the golden era. The bankers that loaned America money back in the 1700s lived in a house like this, so it’s full of history. Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. Amsterdam and the Netherlands is pinball country! If you go to England nobody plays pinball any more, but there’s still a lot of places in Amsterdam where you can play good pinball machines. For 800,000 people, there’s a high ratio of pinball machines to people here. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? I’d just go biking on a warm day. Because we’re in a country where the weather is not our strongest suit, everybody changes their plans when it turns nice out. The biking infrastructure of Holland on a warm, sunny, blue-sky day is still magic. Boom Chicago's new show, Angry White Men - Trump up the Volume - premiers in Amsterdam this week.  More >

Romanian national Irina Damascan, 26, came to the Netherlands two years ago, failed to get the job she was after and decided to stay anyway. She's now co-founder of a company trying to revolutionise the Dutch relationship with their bikes, is planning to take a second master's degree in architecture and will never forget how her boss reacted when she was late for work. How did you end up in the Netherlands? I came two years ago for an internship in the PR department at [architects bureau] OMA in Rotterdam. I was giving up running a PR agency for architects and designers in Romania for an internship position but in the end, after four interviews, I was rejected. I felt miserable, but stayed anyway and learned to deal with rejections as an expat and ended up getting a lot of personal growth from the experience. I then came to Amsterdam and did a mentorship at THNK, the creative leadership school, that changed my life and my view on Dutch society. How do you describe yourself – an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international? I am a blender! I blend in when tourists ask me directions and I reply exactly like a Dutch person would. But in my heart I am still Romanian and try not to forget where I came from, although the Dutch way of doing things is pretty contagious. How long do you plan to stay and why? I never make such plans. I enjoy my life here very much and since I’ve started a business here with the Dutch at the centre I'm not planning on going anywhere soon. Moreover, I plan doing a second master's degree in architecture here. I think a Dutch education will bring me a lot of new insights on how to better integrate, in addition to the implicit added value of having another degree from a top university. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? Not as well as I would want to. I learned most of my Dutch by listening to the radio (100%NL) and by reading official websites for the tax office and chamber of commerce. I also try to read the mail I get on my own and pick up words from random conversations. What’s your favourite Dutch food and why? I love a Bossche Bol because the first time I ate one I was in the city of Den Bosch with my Dutch boyfriend and the rainy day became a bit brighter with the soft inside covered in chocolate. It’s a simple yet effective dessert and I feel that it describes the Dutch perfectly. How Dutch have you become and why? I am more on time than I used to be because the Dutch hate it when you’re late. I had to learn that the hard way when my boss sent me home one morning when I showed up 15 minutes late. I spent the whole day in a café close to the office crying and working hard to prove I was still worthy of the job. Then I started loving this way of handling things. I respect people who are able to do that and keep their word. Which three Dutch people (dead or alive) would you most like to meet? I've already met two of them and I am going for the third soon! I wanted to meet Rem Koolhaas and I met him in Venice at the Biennale. I hope to get to talk more to him one day as he is an inspiration to me. Second is his right hand, Reinier de Graaf who runs the AMO research department and twin sister of OMA. He is still on my 'to meet list' and third is [architect] Ben van Berkel who I met at THNK as he is part of the advisory board there. The choice of three architects might be a bit one-sided but they are truly inspirational for my profession. What’s your top tourist tip? Don’t follow the map! Get lost in the city and enjoy! Tell us something surprising you’ve found out about the Netherlands. All nature is planned out! I miss the raw nature back home. Yet, the way bike parking is planned is still so random. I guess things can't be changed so easily. But my team and I are about to do that with our smart bike parking system! If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? I would be as much of a tourist as one can be. The ability to open your eyes to new things and see things in new perspectives is something you lose if you are focused on your job and getting from A to B. I would definitely still spend my time in the way most Dutch do, out in the sun on terraces, but I would just walk around and enjoy the architecture and the canals. Irina Damascan is co-founder and CMO at Linked&Locked which is developing a smart network of bicycle locks.      More >

Originally from Calcutta in India, Shazia Khan, 32, lives in Eindhoven with her husband and two children. Shazia runs her own fashion business, has learned to tone down the chili in her cooking and says her son is her Dutch teacher because he points out her mistakes. How did you end up in the Netherlands? We left India, and after living in Turkey for a year, my husband was offered a position at Delft University of Technology. We moved to Delft and two years later, when he changed jobs, we moved to Eindhoven. I've now been in the Netherlands for eight years. How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international, etc ? I see myself as an international because I have a strong interest in learning about other cultures, especially the culture of the country where I am living. How long do you plan to stay? I think that we will be staying in the Netherlands for a long time. My kids go to local schools and are growing up as Dutch (although they speak Hindi at home), so turning back seems very difficult. Setting up my own business has also helped to make me feel integrated into the local community. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? Initially I encountered problems due to language, especially when dealing with the tax office, which would have been complicated even without the language barrier, but it is much better now. I speak Dutch with my neighbours, Dutch customers and the other parents at school. At the moment I am preparing for my final inburgering exam. Actually to be honest, my son has become my Dutch teacher as he quickly pinpoints my mistakes, so that I am learning every day. What's your favourite Dutch food? I have a sweet tooth so it would have to be those deep fried New Year dough balls oliebollen, which are similar to an Indian dessert that I like. Which three Dutch people (dead or alive) would you like to meet? I would like to talk to Anne Frank about how she managed to maintain her positive outlook in spite of living in such a difficult situation. I would also like to meet Gerard Philips because he opened opportunities for social entrepreneurs in the Noord-Brabant region. Princess Beatrix is also someone I think would be interesting to meet because she is often described as having a very strong personality. How Dutch have you become? I guess I have become half Dutch. I ride a bike and make my own version of stamppot. I have learned to leave out the chili when cooking for Dutch friends, especially after my experiment with reducing a five-chili recipe to only one chili was still too spicy for them. From starting my own fashion business I understand what Dutch women like to wear, and have even made one customer very happy by turning a beautiful sari into a gown that she could wear easily in the Netherlands. What's your top tourist tip? The Keukenhof – I love the space and the tulips! Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. In the Netherlands the concept of time is ‘absolute’, so when you have an appointment for 15.00 hours it really means 15.00 hours. In India it is a bit more ‘semi-absolute’. Arriving half an hour late for an appointment is totally acceptable, especially using traffic as the cause of the delay. I was also surprised by how limited social contacts are in the Netherlands. This is different in India, where social contacts don’t require making an appointment. There friends and family often visit, saying 'I was just passing by your neighbourhood so I thought I would drop by for a few minutes'. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? I hope that it does not happen but if it did, I would like to spend the time cycling along the streets of Delft. Delft is my landing city, the place where I lived for two years and where my eldest son was born. Shazia Khan runs her own business selling traditional and Indo-western clothes, jewellery and leather accessories all over the country.   More >

Adonis Stoantzikis, 32, is a Greek artist and writer who has been living in the Netherlands since 2013. Now based in Amsterdam, Adonis enjoys the Dutch pace of life to the fullest, would like to have met Johnny Jordaan and has started eating sandwiches for lunch. How did you end up in the Netherlands? I initially came here to study in Groningen, but continued with the residency in Amsterdam. I wanted a university where they spoke English, so it was a choice of between here and England. The Netherlands was an easy winner. How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international, etc ? An international, because of the international student community in university and my collaboration with locals afterwards. I don’t think there are any Greeks in my environment here. How long do you plan to stay and why? It depends. Because of what I do I can’t be located in one place for too long. I have to move on and travel a lot. It’s important for art to be a nomad. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? I only understand the basics. In the supermarket I know the beef from the chicken, just everyday stuff. Because it’s a very open society and an international environment it doesn’t seem obligatory to speak the language. I think it’s a lot to do with the arts too. Most people I know in the arts are internationals. What's your favourite Dutch food? Ribs! The way they prepare them and marinade them here is really nice. How Dutch have you become? I think it gets you after a while. In Greece everything is much more stressful, and the Dutch have a much calmer mentality when it comes to working. If that’s something that characterises the Dutch, then I became a lot like this during my time here. I started eating a lot of sandwiches for lunch too, so there’s that! Which three Dutch people (dead or alive) would you most like to meet? Of course Folkert de Jong, a Dutch artist. I love his playfulness and large-scale sculptures and installations. He’s very dynamic, and his work really shakes you. The second is the singer Johnny Jordaan. I was living on his street in Amsterdam, where his statue is now. I saw the statue every day, was curious, and discovered his music. The third one would be Spinoza, the philosopher. I’m familiar with his work and I’d like to meet him for a conversation. He was stabbed for being a heretic once, and kept wearing the coat with the hole in it afterwards. What's your top tourist tip? There’s lots of great art here, but tourists shouldn’t restrict themselves to Amsterdam. There’s so many young artists spread around the Netherlands, every city has something worth discovering, and contact with the art world is always nice for tourists. Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. The rhythm of everyday living. Compared to other countries I’ve lived in, everything is less stressful and there’s less pressure. I expected Amsterdam to be like any other European city, all running and stress, but actually you don’t feel like you’re in a big city here. That was a nice surprise. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? I would ride on my bike from coffeeshop to coffeeshop, seeing all the sights on the way. I’d probably fall asleep after ten hours, miss my flight, and wake up with another 24 hours to spend here! Adonis Stoantzikis is a resident at Gallerie Bart in Amsterdam city centre.  More >

Mike Manicardi, 63, manages Mike’s Badhuis Theatre in Amsterdam’s district of Oost. He arrived in the Netherlands in 1978, has five children here, and remembers how different it was to be a new arrival in those days. 'Expat is very modern Europe,' he says. 'I'm a first generation migrant.' How did you end up in the Netherlands? I was on tour with a theatre company and in that period Holland was the most exciting country in the world, culturally, to work in as a young theatre artist. Back then, the Dutch imported their artists. They picked up people from all over the world. We had different tours, and after one of the last tours, in 1978, I decided to work permanently in Amsterdam. How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international, etc? I’m not really happy with these kinds of categories. But my father was Italian and my mother was Irish and as children we constantly travelled in Europe. I studied in England, but we always thought of ourselves as Europeans. The idea of ‘expat’ is very modern Europe. When I came here first we were just foreigners. How long do you plan to stay and why? I have been living in Amsterdam since 1978 and I have five children who were all born in Amsterdam. I see Amsterdam as my permanent home. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? Yes. I learned Dutch on the street. In those days, being an expat was totally different. When you needed a stamp from the Foreign Police the line would stretch down the street from the office. Sometimes they’d take your passport away and tell you to f*** off. The next day you’d have to do the whole thing again. But we loved being outsiders. What's your favourite Dutch food and why? Erwtensoep: that thick pea soup served with brown bread. How Dutch have you become and why? I see myself as a first generation migrant. My father was the same. My children laugh at their father’s Anglicisms. Which three Dutch people (dead or alive) would you most like to meet? First of all, I’d say Johan Cruijff, for the entertainment. Then Gerrit van der Veen, for his idealism. Van der Veen was an artist, a poet, an educationalist, and a member of the Dutch resistance in World War 2. When he realised the Germans had all the information about Amsterdam’s Jews, he went out and blew up the building where the records were kept. They all got killed, but it was a tremendously brave attempt. Thirdly, Mathilde Wibaut is not so well known, but she was the wife of Dutch socialist Floor Wibaut, and I admire her intellectual brilliance and social values. She would organise food, events and free education for impoverished kids in Amsterdam, just a hundred metres away from the theatre here. I reckon they’ll make a film about her sometime soon. What's your top tourist tip? Visit the Dutch islands, made famous in the wonderful novel by Erskine Childers, The Riddle of the Sands. The island of Texel is a completely different world, out in the sea. They produce their own milk, cheese, bread and a lovely strong beer. It’s very healthy out there. Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. The proximity of rich and poor in Amsterdam in the small streets. I lived for 20 years in the heart of the Jordaan in an old broken-down hiding place of Gerrit van der Veen in World War 2. Amsterdam is so intricate and beautiful in that rich and poor lived within metres of each other. That is quite unique. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? I would go to the island of Texel and drink one of their wonderful beers with my children. Mike is busy putting the finishing touches to a production of Irish playwright Sean O’Casey’s The Plough and the Stars, marking the centenary of Ireland’s 1916 uprising which takes place later this month. The Shadow of a Gunman will follow in June.   More >

Cypriot Alexia Solomou is an associate legal officer at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. She has been in the Netherlands for nearly 18 months, is still working on her cycling skills and would love to have met Anne Frank. How did you end up in the Netherlands? In 2010 I was at Columbia University in New York and I got a fellowship with the president of the International Court of Justice which ended in June 2011. I then went off on my travels and when I was working at Cambridge University, I applied for an actual job here, which I was lucky enough to get. How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international? A globetrotter because I love moving around. How long do you plan to stay and why? Two years, and possibly another two, because that is how long my contract is at the International Court of Justice. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? I speak an intermediate level of Dutch. I have a private tutor. I'm a bit of a language buff actually. When I lived here the first time I felt uncomfortable because I did not speak the language, so this time around I started learning straight away. Dutch is my fifth language... once you have learned a few, you get the hang of picking up new ones. What's your favourite Dutch food? Warm stroopwafels from a street vendor in the city centre of The Hague because they do good to the soul. How Dutch have you become? I have taken up all the good Dutch habits: I have become well-organised and efficient. I have even planted some tulip bulbs - they've all come up and are really beautiful. I am still working on my cycling skills though. I'd cycled before I came here but never in the rain or the snow. Now I can do both, although I had a horrible fall the first time I cycled in the snow and did not realise my brakes had frozen up. Which three Dutch people (dead or alive) would you most like to meet? I would have liked to meet Hugo Grotius because he is one of the founding fathers of public international law. I would also like to meet Tobias Asser, the initiator of the Hague Conference on Private International Law, and a member of the Dutch delegation at The Hague Peace Conferences. And I would love to have had a chat with Anne Frank to discuss her home confinement during the World War II. Her diary is one of my favourite books. I'd really like to find out the truth about her relationship with Peter. What’s your top tourist tip? Eat anything that is deep-fried: kibeling, bitterballen, French fries, kroketten. The Dutch know how to deep-fry properly. Tell us something surprising you’ve found out about the Netherlands. I am always amazed with what Dutch people can carry on their bicycles, from umbrellas and briefcases to surf-boards and drying racks; in addition to their children, cats and dogs. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? I would visit my favourite museums in the Netherlands once more: the Mauritshuis in The Hague, the Speelklok in Utrecht, and the Van Gogh in Amsterdam. I would then have a coffee at Hometown and then dinner at Mochi (both in The Hague).  More >

Tracy Metz, 61, is a journalist and author who has lived in the Netherlands for over 36 years and has just been awarded the prestigious Grote Maaskantprijs 2016 for her work on architecture and landscape. She is currently director of the John Adams Institute, lectures on water management all over the world and describes herself as a gelukszoeker. How did you end up in the Netherlands? After college in the US I headed to Europe and planned to spend time in Spain and France. The cheapest ticket I could get was to Amsterdam so I ended up working there for a time to earn some money and then going off travelling again. I had a fluid relationship with the city until 1980 when I decided I'd like to settle here. I'd been teaching English to adults and had met the editor of the Parool newspaper. He introduced me to journalism and gave me a six-month internship. I knew immediately that being a journalist was what I wanted to do. How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international, etc? I'm a gelukszoeker - an adventurer, a seeker of good fortune. It has become such a politically laden term used by the right to dismiss asylum seekers so I'd like to reclaim it. Everyone is a gelukszoeker, looking for the society they can blossom in. I found it here. How long do you plan to stay? I'll probably be here the rest of my life. I'm assuming I will. My work, my friends, my house, my husband are all here. When I was a Harvard fellow in 2006/07 and spent a year in the States I realised how long I had been away. I felt like an outsider. And coming back here was like coming home. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? I learned it by speaking and reading children's books, novels, newspapers and asking millions of questions. And insisting people spoke Dutch to me. The way people switch to English is an obstacle to many expats - and it is convenient sometimes as well. But you have to insist. At home we talk that horrible Dutch and English hybrid. What's your favourite Dutch food and why? Draadjesvlees (very slow cooked beef) is delicious if well done. My husband does all the cooking and if you ask me for my favourite meal, how about some Texels lamb with roast potatoes in goose fat and lots of veggies. All Dutch grown of course. How Dutch have you become and why? I guess I have become quite Dutch. I know how things work and how people think. I was born in another country and that will always colour my perspective but the Dutch rituals are all par for the course for me now. Which three Dutch people (dead or alive) would you most like to meet? The architect Hendrik Berlage is a very august figure in the world of art and architecture. He was the embodiment of the transition from the Dutch romantic style to modern times. Willem Drees (Labour party politician and prime minister) came up with the notion of social security - that Dutch feeling of being all in it together and responsible for each other. He laid out the Dutch system of solidarity, so that everyone could have a basic level of financial security. Cornelis Lely was a master of water issues and extremely influential. Lely designed the Afsluitdijk between Noord-Holland and Friesland. Actually, it's a dam not a dyke. What's your top tourist tip? The Ceuvel. It's a disused shipyard in Amsterdam Noord where all sorts of things are  happening. They've taken old houseboats and beached them and turned them into work spaces, they've built raised walkways, the cafe has been constructed out of discarded stuff. It shows great initiative, is a really exciting place and it is within cycling distance of the centre. Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. What surprises and disappoints me now is when I look at the polls and see how popular Geert Wilders is. It is such a contradiction. The Netherlands is the country of tolerance and acceptance of others but the meaner side of human nature is getting a grip. It is really sad. The people are withdrawing into their shell and that makes me wonder how real that tolerance actually was. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? I don't like to think about that happening. Tracy Metz is director of the John Adams Institute and initiated and hosts the monthly talk show Stadsleven at the Balie in Amsterdam. She is currently leading the HEYU! Urbans talk show series with leading urban thinkers.   More >

Born in the former Yugoslavia but travelling on a British passport, Azra Secerbegovic came to the Netherlands eight years ago. A big fan of living in The Hague, Azra has adopted the Dutch way of being on time for appointments and has no hesitation about chatting with the former queen. How did you end up in the Netherlands? I was working for an Israeli company based in Rotterdam, then started working for a Dutch company here. I did sales and marketing for natural products and organic food. I decided I wanted to make a career switch, but I wanted to stay in the Netherlands. How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international, etc? I would say I’m a really international person. I was born in former Yugoslavia, and have lived in the UK, Israel and now in the Netherlands. I call myself a citizen of the world, and really feel comfortable surrounded by other people like that. How long do you plan to stay and why? I really enjoy living and working in The Hague and have no plans to leave. In The Hague you have the feeling of the big city but you’re actually really close to nature, and that’s how I spend my free time. For me this is home. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? Yes I do speak it and I like to. Speaking Dutch helps me to understand the place I live in. I learn something new here every day! What's your favourite Dutch food and why? Erwtensoep! I love it. I love most soups but this pea soup is my favourite. I also like the Dutch appelgebak. How Dutch have you become and why? I've lived in so many different countries and always try to accept the culture of the country I’m in. I’m doing the same here but what exactly should I do to become Dutch? One thing I’ve definitely picked up though is being on time for appointments. Which three Dutch people (dead or alive) would you most like to meet and why? Well I’ve already met the former queen Beatrix by chance. I was in an antique shop talking to my friend and she walked in looking for a mirror. My friend’s shop didn’t have one so I suggested somewhere else. My friend looked shocked but to me it was so normal, there was no pomp about her at all. It would be nice to meet the current queen Máxima, because she’s also an international person and I like what she’s doing for female immigrants in the Netherlands. I would like to meet Geert Wilders too, just to have a face to face chat and find out what he’s really like. What's your top tourist tip? Lots of people think Amsterdam equals the Netherlands, but that’s completely not true. I would say: forget Amsterdam and come straight to The Hague! You will be amazed. The Dutch Dance Theatre is amazing, and so is the nature here and the sea. There’s lots of events happening here and lots to see. Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. I didn’t know that the Dutch were so family-orientated. I think it’s really great that family is so important to them. I thought they were much more disconnected from each other before I came here. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? I’d take a visit to the Mauritshuis museum to see Vermeer’s work, then I’d go to Ouderkerk aan de Amstel. It’s a lovely little Dutch village and there’s some great restaurants there. I’d also go to Giethoorn – the Venice of the north. You can rent a little boat, get a drink, and on a nice day it’s fabulous. Then I’d get myself down to Schiphol and off I’d go! Azra owns lifestyle concept store ASPA in The Hague, which provides hair and beauty treatments as well as nutrition advice, pilates and yoga classes.  More >

Dan Fennessy (36) is the founder and CEO of Party With A Local, an app that helps travelers connect with locals and discover fun things to do that aren’t in the guidebooks. Since he’s been here, Dan has become a father, an impatient cyclist and a krentenbol aficionado. How did you end up in the Netherlands? I did a round the world trip back in 2006. Right at the end of that trip I was backpacking in Central America and I met a Dutch girl there. We spent some time together and then went home. I didn’t think anything was going to come of it, but we stayed in touch and decided we wanted to be together. I was ready to do something a bit different, so I decided to move over here. I've been here eight years now. How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international etc - and why? I’ve actually never heard of a ‘lovepat’ before! In some ways I don’t really like the term ‘expat,’ as it implies you’re excluded from the local community. Sometimes the expat community tends to stick together and keep to themselves. I prefer the term ‘international local.’ I feel like an expat who has integrated into Dutch society. Especially from my work with Party With A Local, I feel like an Amsterdam local now. How long do you plan to stay and why? I would say probably not forever, but I have no immediate plans to leave. If there’s opportunities to take the startup somewhere else, potentially the US, that could happen. Plus I wouldn’t mind living somewhere with warmer weather! Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? Yeah, I can speak it but I rarely do. I did a few intensive courses when I first arrived and passed my inburgering exams. I guess having a Dutch girlfriend and friends helps. I can listen to it, read and write it, but when people hear me speak it they tend to switch to English. What's your favourite Dutch food and why? Krentenbol. It’s just like a little scone with raisins and sultanas in it. It’s quite simple but it’s a nice little snack in between snacks. How Dutch have you become and why? I’m a little bit more direct than I used to be, which I think is a good thing. That comes from being around the blunt Dutch mentality for so long. I’m an impatient cyclist now too, I think I rule the road on my bike. I have a son now here as well, which makes me even more integrated but I still never refer to myself as Dutch. Which three Dutch people (dead or alive) would you most like to meet and why? The explorer Abel Tasman, who discovered Tasmania and New Zealand. I’d like to ask him why him and the Dutch were there but decided not to colonise Australia. Another one, who’s still alive, is Johnny De Mol, the TV personality. I don’t really like Dutch TV in general but he’s an interesting character who goes to interesting places. I’d think he’d be fun to go out and have a drink with. Thirdly I’d pick a sportsperson, maybe Johan Cruyff. I’d like to talk to someone who’s succeeded at that level. What's your top tourist tip? After telling people to download our app and party with locals here, the next day I’d recommend freshening up with a bike ride across to the north and up to Broek in Waterland. You pass a farm on the way that sells fresh milk from a milk tap, and you ride through farms and green fields. It’s amazing how quickly you get out of the city and into fields and villages. Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands I knew that Dutch people were tall, but not this tall. I’m about average height in Australia, but here I’m shorter than the average girl. Trying to see live music here is often pretty difficult. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? I’d go for a boat ride with a bunch of friends, drinks and food. If it was a warm day maybe we’d do some swimming in the IJ. Then I’d go to a little café near where I live and eat there on the terrace. That would be perfect.  More >

Polish national Marysia Bialek came to the Netherlands as a teenager 15 years ago and is now a marketing and communications advisor. She describes herself as a European, feels at home in two cultures and would love to meet John de Mol and Neelie Kroes. How did you end up in the Netherlands? My mother’s second husband was Dutch and they decided to leave Poland so I didn’t have a choice. That was 15 years ago. I came to the Netherlands when I was a teenager. It was a difficult time to leave the environment I trusted and all my good friends but I made it and the Netherlands has become my home. How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international, etc? I’m a European. I love Europe and the open borders. My home is Poland and the Netherlands. My background allows me to think and act naturally in two cultures. By mixing the Dutch directness with the Polish politeness I seem to have managed to generate interesting business contacts and long-lasting relationships. How long do you plan to stay and why? The Netherlands is a friendly country for doing business and allows you to travel all over the world. I will probably stay here for a while longer. We will see. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? I speak Dutch and Polish equally - I had to learn Dutch at school. But I have a lot of friends who are not trying to learn because everyone speaks English. Please try! If you speak Dutch a lot of doors will open for you. Dutch people appreciate it when you try to speak their language and you will understand all Dutch jokes and the hidden messages in their words. What's your favourite Dutch food? Soesjes - little profiteroles -  I can’t live with out them, sooo lekker! How Dutch have you become? I think in Dutch and have Dutch friends, making appointments in my agenda and reading Dutch books.  But I will always stay a Polish girl. Which three Dutch people (dead or alive) would you most like to meet? John de Mol is a Dutch media icon. He developed highly popular television programmes and he’s still working on new formats. I just want to see him brainstorming about the show and thinking up programmes people will want to see. Neelie Kroes is very powerful and influential. What she says matters, and I'd love her to be a special guest at the conference we are organising to celebrate International Women's Day. Television presenter Matthijs van Nieuwkerk has such a rich vocabulary. Every day when I watch his show I learn new words. What's your top tourist tip? If you like nature, visit Oostvaardersplassen between Lelystad and Almere. Years ago you could even ice skate there  – really beautiful.  Now you can go there for a long walk on a sunny day. Take your binoculars with you to spot a lot of different animals. Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. The Dutch love playing games with their family. Whole families get together to play cards, scrabble, Settlers of Catan or Monopoly. For me it means gezellig. And this is a tradition I will keep with my future family. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? Eat patat oorlog (French fries with sate sauce, mayonnaise and raw onion). Marysia Bialek is one of the organisers of Business Women Congress, a conference for women from central Europe which will take place in The Hague on March 12.  More >

American Robert Chesal (50) is a journalist, writer and university lecturer. Three decades ago he followed his heart to the Netherlands and never looked back. Now he lives with his wife and children in Zutphen, eats koolpot with passion, but still doesn’t feel 100% Dutch. How did you end up in the Netherlands? I came to Utrecht on an exchange programme in the mid-80s. Eight months later I returned to the US and met a Dutch girl who was on the same programme, only in the other direction. We fell in love, and when she had to go home I saw no reason to stay in America. So I came to the Netherlands on a wing and a prayer. At the time I had no Dutch so I enrolled in the only suitable course at Utrecht University – English. During my studies I became a journalist and never looked back. How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international, etc? I would describe myself as an international, but with a desire to put down roots. As a child I moved a lot within the US, but I feel comfortable to settle here with my family. How long do you plan to stay? It’s hard to say. I could see myself spending the rest of my life here, but if the opportunity to go somewhere else and do something great came to me I’d take it. As long as it suited my wife and children, I could follow an opportunity tomorrow if it came. Do you speak Dutch? Yes. I learned by reading Dutch newspapers, watching Dutch TV, and listening to Dutch radio. I’m a news junkie, and I found that if I knew what was happening in the world in English, I could follow it in Dutch. Basically I learned through over-exposure to Dutch media. Now, I’ve written a book in Dutch and am married to a Dutch woman, so everything from lovemaking to arguing happens in Dutch. What's your favourite Dutch food? It’s called koolpot. It’s made from mashed potatoes, onions, cabbage, ground beef, and a blend of spices including hot pepper sambal - perfect served with some peanuts and a nice cold beer. The recipe has been in my wife Mischa’s family for generations, and I like the contrast between the typical Dutch mashed potatoes and the hot spices. How Dutch have you become? Between speaking the language, eating the food and raising a family here, I’d say I’ve become as Dutch as I could. However, as a foreigner you can do everything possible to integrate but there’s a kind of glass wall that prevents you from ever becoming truly Dutch. You can be a familiar outsider, but there’s something about Dutch society that never really lets you 100% of the way in. I think that comes only with being born and raised here. Which three Dutch people (dead or alive) would you most like to meet? I’ve thought about this, and first I’d have to say Peter Stuyvesant, the Dutch governor of New Amsterdam (New York) in the mid-1600s. He must have seen a raucous time with drunk Dutch sailors and colonists making trouble all over the city. I’d like to ask him about keeping the peace in that wild time. Second, I’d ask prince Bernhard, husband of former queen Juliana, about the corruption scandals he implicated himself in. And finally I’d like to interview Mata Hari, the dancer and spy. I’d like to find out about all the behind-the-scenes intrigue she was involved in. What's your top tourist tip? Go to the Kröller-Müller museum in Arnhem. For so many foreigners it’s unknown, but it’s a real hidden gem. It’s in the middle of a large forest, so you borrow a bike and cycle through a strange landscape before arriving at this amazing collection of modernist art. The collection features everything from Van Gogh, to Mondrian, to Picasso. Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. I was surprised to discover how conservative the people are. Before I came here I thought the Netherlands would be a wild and free wonderland, but the people are much less adventurous than I expected. Thankfully there’s some forward-thinking people in government here, and the laws here are very progressive, but the average Dutch person doesn’t like change. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? I would go back to the first neighbourhood I lived in in Utrecht, cycle around and rediscover all the places that made me fall in love with this country 29 years ago. After taking in how much the place changed over the last three decades, I’d stop for a cold beer and maybe relax with something that wouldn’t be legal in my home country.  More >

Finnish-Canadian Timo Mashiyi-Veikkola (47) came to the Netherlands with his South African husband Ossie four years ago. The couple have been running a pop-up restaurant – Bulelani BBQ - for the last 18 months and are now looking to crowdfund a permanent location in Amsterdam. A fan of Dutch design and Dutch haring, Timo feels at home and comfortable here. How did you end up in the Netherlands? In 2011 Ossie and I had just gotten married in South Africa. I was working successfully as a consultant in London, but we wanted a change of scenery and an opportunity to relocate. When I was offered a job here we took that opportunity and moved. Ossie looked for work in hospitality but wanted his own business, and the Netherlands has always provided entrepreneurs with a good platform to succeed. How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international, etc? Identity is always a good question, and it’s something I come across frequently as an anthropologist. I don’t mind being referred to as an immigrant. My parents were immigrants to Canada and were proud of it. However, as a Canadian-Finnish man who’s married to a South African and came here from the UK, I’d consider myself in today’s terminology to be a global citizen. I feel rich to have so many different places to call home. How long do you plan to stay and why? We love the Netherlands and feel comfortable here. We’re planning to open a restaurant and I do my consultancy work from here, so we’re really putting down roots in Amsterdam. The culture and relaxed lifestyle suits us. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? We took courses offered to us by the local council and had some really great teachers. My husband is good with languages and took to it straight away, but I’ve been a little more apprehensive. You want to practise Dutch but people in Amsterdam switch to English when they hear a foreigner speak, so I’ve found myself leaning on my English here. What's your favourite Dutch food and why? I’ve tried all the borrelhapjes in the brown cafes, and plenty of fish and meat dishes, but my favourite is zuurvlees, a speciality from Limburg. My friend makes the best zuurvlees in the Netherlands. And of course, being Finnish, I love the haring and smoked eel. How Dutch have you become? It’s difficult to say. Lots of typical Dutch behaviour and attitudes are similar to Finnish ones. We share the directness, entrepreneurship, and the full-spirited approach to life. I think you become a mix of your own culture and the one you live in. You take on certain traits, hopefully the good ones! Which three Dutch people (dead or alive) would you most like to meet? Aside from the obvious ones (Anne Frank, Van Gogh, Vermeer), one person I’d love to meet would be Mathilde Willink. She was a model and a big personality around Amsterdam in the 1970s. She was married to an artist and had the most amazing life. As a futurist involved with design, I’d like to meet the architect Rem Koolhaas and talk about designing the society of the future. And thirdly, I’d love to meet Mata Hari, the dancer and spy. I bet she would have so many interesting stories to tell. What's your top tourist tip? Do what we do some Sundays. Pick a town or village, go there by train, rent a bike, and just explore. The Netherlands has some amazing and varied cultural experiences to offer outside Amsterdam. Within the city, get out of the centre! There’s so many up-and-coming areas that can give you a taste of all the different cultures that make Amsterdam what it is. Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. Learning about the engineering that has shaped this country and maintains it every day never stops surprising me. From the land reclamation to the intricate network of dykes and waterways, it’s all fascinating. The Dutch utilise every space, every technique, and every idea. I think the spirit of engineering is ingrained in the Dutch psyche. On a smaller scale, the scooters on the bike paths just bewilder me every day. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? I would have some Bulelani BBQ ribs, invite over all the lovely people who’ve embraced us here, and just enjoy their company for the day. Timo and Ossie Mashiyi-Veikkola are running a crowdfunding campaign to help pay for a permanent location for their restaurant.  More >

Australian Rebecca Overmars has been in the Netherlands for two years, has three children and runs her own maternity nurse practice. A fan of  flip-flops, she has learned to appreciate Dutch beaches, even in winter, and likes waving back when angry cyclists shout 'hallo'. How did you end up in the Netherlands? My husband and I were both born in Australia, me into an Aussie-British family and him into an Aussie-Dutch family. In 2009 we left Australia to live in Andorra, which is a tiny little country in the Pyrenees mountains. It was during our time living there that I first travelled to Amsterdam, and returned home declaring that I wanted to move there! We visited a couple of times a year and fell in love with Haarlem, as a less touristy version of Amsterdam. So when it was time to leave Andorra there was no question as to where we would come! How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international, etc - and why? I think others would see us as expats but I don’t really feel like one. International would probably describe us best. How long do you plan to stay? The intention is to stay long term, at least until all of our children have finished their schooling. I love the Netherlands; in some ways it feels more like ‘home’ than Australia. I could definitely see myself growing old and spending the rest of my life here, but I have learnt to never think in absolutes. Who knows where we will end up, but for now I am very happy here. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? Not yet. After four years of learning Spanish I was a little burnt out when it came to language studies by the time I moved here. But I am picking it up slowly through the environment. I understand quite a bit and can read Dutch easily enough, particularly if it’s related to work. I really need to enrol in a course but finding the time whilst running a business is difficult. My children are all trilingual - which is both a blessing and a curse as it throws up some unique challenges, especially as my four-year-old has switched to Dutch as his primary language. It makes for some interesting conversations as they switch between English, Dutch and Spanish depending on who they are talking to. My seven-year-old has decided she is going to teach me Dutch and regularly takes me through her school work, getting me to practise my pronunciation of ‘ei’ and ‘ij’. It gives them all a good laugh when I try. What's your favourite Dutch food? Dutch food to me is comfort food, and unlike a lot of expats, I really love it! I also love how accessible various cuisines are here; you really can have anything you fancy! The first time I tried bitterballen I wasn’t impressed, but now I get a craving for them every three months or so and nothing will satisfy it until I have a piping hot tray of them from my local takeaway shop - with mustard of course. Which three Dutch people (dead or alive) would you like to meet ? The Dutch have a rich history as leaders and innovators in the sciences and as a medical professional I would love the opportunity to meet some of the historically significant individuals who shaped our modern understanding of medicine, such as geneticist Hugo de Vries, anatomist Reinier de Graaf and physician Herman Boerhaave. Or alternatively I’d love to meet the royal family, because I’m a bit of a sucker for a good monarchy. How Dutch have you become and why? Pretty Dutch I think. We currently have ten bicycles of various qualities and sizes at our house, for a family of five, including a bakfiets. I am used to my children scattering all over the suburb for playdates after school or ending up with six kids in my house most days of the week. I know to never go to the bank without my passport. My kids leave their shoes out for Sinterklaas and I get excited when the oliebollen trucks spring up during the festive season. In other ways we are still quite Australian. I’m a fair weather cyclist - if it’s raining we take the car. Christmas remains our biggest celebration and I still can’t get used to inviting only a small selection of my children’s classmates to their birthday parties. I have to invite everyone or else I feel awful. The biggest sign that I’m still very Aussie is that I get around in flip-flops whenever possible, sometimes even in winter! I get some odd looks for that one. What's your top tourist tip? When Dutch cyclists yell ‘Hallo!’ at you they aren’t being friendly. It probably just means you’ve mistaken the bike path for a sidewalk. But waving back enthusiastically can be fun. Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. We spend a lot of time at the beach, which is something I didn’t expect would be a part of life when we moved here. As an Aussie who grew up on the beaches of Fremantle and Cottesloe my standards when it comes to beaches are pretty high, and whilst Dutch beaches are very different to those I grew up with, they have a certain charm about them. I love the beach clubs and the social side of meeting friends for lunch or afternoon drinks during the summer. And there is something pleasantly calming and exhilarating about taking a walk along the sand on a wild, windy, winter’s day. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? I would probably go and meet up with all my old clients for a cup of tea and to see how their babies are growing and changing. I love my job so much and you grow close in one way or another to every single family you work with. I know I learn something new about myself, my job or life in general with every single one. The only downside is I have to leave them when their babies are still newborns and I often wonder how they are doing in the months following. I love seeing those tiny little newborns turn into chubby, grinning babies and seeing how well their families are adjusting to life with their new addition. That is the ultimate satisfaction. Rebecca Overmars is owner of Cherry Tree Lane Kraamzorg   More >

Londoner Billy Allwood is the founder of website The Hague Online and organiser of the Feel at Home in The Hague fair, which celebrates its 10th edition on Sunday. Posted here 22 years ago, Billy has now abandoned suits, would like to meet Frank Rijkaard and says the North Sea is too cold to swim in. How did you end up in the Netherlands? I came to the Netherlands in 1994 when the Brazilian mining company I worked for relocated its headquarters from London. I worked in their strategy department and  when the company was taken over, we were let go. I decided to stay on and started a financial software company. In 2004, when I had been in the Netherlands for 10 years, I launched The Hague Online. I realised there was not enough information out there in English about daily life in The Hague. So that is what I decided to provide. How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international, etc? I'm an international person living in an international city. I don't feel like an immigrant. I feel European and I'm living in Europe. I was born in the UK but my parents are from Jamaica so that may have something to do with it. I think I find it more annoying to be asked where I am from by people in Britain than when it happens here. How long do you plan to stay and why? The Hague is my home but of course you never know what is going to happen in the future. I plan to stay here as long as I am enjoying life. I don't expect to be thrown out if Britain votes to leave the EU. I don't think a Brexit will happen. The world is getting smaller and you can't be isolationist. There would be chaos if all the Brits who live outside the UK had to deal with that. The Hague and Amsterdam are full of young people from all over Europe which gives me a real buzz. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? I speak Dutch well enough. When I first came here I worked for an international company and my wife was British, so there was little incentive to really learn. That changes when you start being more interested in what's happening around you. If you go out for a beer with Dutch people, you can't expect them to speak English all night. My children went to Dutch schools, so I learned more with them. They watched Dutch telly so I watched Dutch telly. Learning Dutch is a gradual process and my vocabulary is always expanding. What's your favourite Dutch food? I'm a simple soul and Dutch borrelhapjes after a game of squash are always a temptation. I'm not going to say there is no such thing as Dutch food - I'm from England after all, so say no more. It's more about the experience and the culture of eating - the herring parties at the start of the new season are typically Dutch and I like that. How Dutch have you become? I've become pretty Dutch in the way I dress. In London it was all about what type of tie you were wearing and your cufflinks. Here, the approach to dressing is much  more relaxed and low key. In the beginning I thought it was weird but now I am quite used to it. I still own suits, but I very rarely wear one. I like cycling as well. It's great to turn up at a business meeting on a bike. No one thinks it strange. I'm also not as materialistic as I used to be. That's another Dutch trait. Which three Dutch people (dead or alive) would you most like to meet? Football player Frank Rijkaard - he was always the odd one out of the three if you compare him to Marco van Basten and Ruud Gullit and I think the more interesting character. Film director Paul Verhoeven is another person with a story to tell. And Spinoza - people still talk about him today. What's your top tourist tip? I used to go to the Nemo science centre a lot with the children when they were younger. Its a nice, interactive way to spend some time. But actually cycling is the best. Once, some friends came over from London and brought their own bikes. We cycled from The Hague to the seaside resort of Noordwijk. The North Sea is too cold for me to swim in, but I do appreciate the fried fish. Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. When I first came here, I was surprised by how many people smoked. Not weed, but cigarettes. It's getting less, but it still surprises me. The smoking ban has made a big difference. You don't come home from a bar smelling of smoke any more. When I look at those smoking corners, I think people must be really desperate. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? I'd go on a nice, long cycle ride to the beach and come back via Leiden with my kids. The Netherlands is a great place to bring up children. If I have to leave, the Netherlands will always be a part of me. The 10th edition of the Feel at Home in The Hague fair takes place on Sunday at city hall. You can book free tickets online.  More >

Blogger and translator Olga Mecking, 33, is Polish and has lived in the Netherlands for going on six years. She would like to meet the king and queen, doesn't cycle and has developed her own version of stamppot, using sweet potatoes and chorizo. How did you end up in the Netherlands? Actually, I didn’t plan on moving to the Netherlands. I thought I would move to Germany where my then-boyfriend, now-husband lived. But then we got engaged, I got pregnant and my husband found a job in the Netherlands. So that’s where I moved - with a six-week-old baby, no less. How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international, etc ? Good question. I am probably all of these things: expat (understood as someone who lives abroad), lovepat (I didn’t even know this term existed, but yes, I moved to Germany, and Canada, and the Netherlands for love), immigrant (because I came here to stay), and, as someone who has lived abroad several times and speaks many languages, I am definitely an international. I would only add one thing: European. I’ve moved around a little, but mostly around Europe (except for a 4-month stay in Canada). So I haven’t lived in one place my whole life like some people have, but I am not really global either. European is how I identify and my whole experience has been shaped by living in Europe. How long do you plan to stay? When I was moving to Germany I thought we’d stay there long-term, possibly forever. But then we moved to the Netherlands. We’re planning to stay here long-term. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? Yes, I speak Dutch. I managed to learn it through classes at the university and then at my husband’s workplace. And I am getting plenty of practice while running errands, shopping, etc. It’s important to me to speak Dutch - not only because it helps me get more integrated but also because my kids speak it. What's your favourite Dutch food? Well, I like poffertjes and stroopwaffels. But erwtensoep is also nice - I’ve even managed to learn to make it myself. Also, I’ve discovered my own version of stamppot - with sweet potatoes and chorizo! Oh and speculaas spread. Beware of that stuff, it’s addictive. Luckily, I can grow some of the fruit I miss and buy many things at the Polish supermarket near us. But that’s not the same as back home, obviously. Which three Dutch people (dead or alive) would you most like to meet? MC Escher, definitely - he's my favourite artist! My parents are professors and they love him. We used to have postcards. Then I'd like to meet the king and queen, especially Máxima, she seems so nice. And if I can have one more, Van Gogh. I love his paintings, but let's face it, who doesn't? How Dutch have you become? Probably not very Dutch, I must admit. I think I’m more of a person who likes adding cultures and languages to her repertoire rather than going local. We've adopted some Dutch customs - like going outside whenever there’s no rain - but otherwise we’re not very Dutch. We create our own family culture and it tends to change all the time. Besides, I don’t cycle, I’m very short and I didn’t have a home birth, hahaha. What's your top tourist tip? Delft, for sure! I used to live there and it’s my favourite city in the Netherlands. Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. I was very surprised that so many women give birth at home - and many go to see a midwife for their pregnancy check-ups. The whole healthcare system is so weird - and I don’t even know how often I was told by my Dutch doctor to stay at home and take paracetamol. Sometimes they would miss bigger problems because of this approach and they didn’t even notice that my daughter needed her adenoids removed. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? I don’t know. It would depend on whether I was be alone or with my family. Alone, I’d go to Rotterdam, shopping (mostly for kitchen gadgets) and visit some museums. With the family, it’d probably be the usual: a playground, a park or maybe a kid-friendly museum or event. Olga Mecking writes the blog The European Mama. Her articles have been published on various websites including The Huffington Post, Babble and the Wall Street Journal.  More >

Lidia Barro Kooger, 47,  has a Dutch mother and Spanish dad and has lived all over the world. Now settled in Overveen, she loves good Dutch organisation, misses the bright blue Spanish sky and says she does not know where her roots are. How did you end up in the Netherlands? When I was three years old I moved with my Spanish father and Dutch mother from Madrid to the Netherlands. My parents met each other in Spain and decided to live in Madrid where my sister and I were born. When my mother became homesick they moved to the Netherlands where I grew up. Although I grew up in the Netherlands, from a very young age I knew that I wanted to go back to Spain. So when I turned 18, I moved to Spain where I lived and worked for 10 years. I enjoyed life so much: the people, the culture, the food, the weather, everything was so wonderful! I married a Spaniard. We moved to New York, then to Singapore and later back to Spain. And then we decided to split up. I decided to go back to my family in the Netherlands. It surprised me but I was missing Dutch structure and organisation. That was almost 20 years ago. I continued to miss Spain but just when I decided to go back to Spain I met my husband – a Spaniard living in the Netherlands. We now live in Overveen with our four children. How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international, etc? I describe myself as an international because for many years I have lived in several countries, mostly Spain and the Netherlands. I feel comfortable in all countries because I grew up in a very multicultural area of Amsterdam with people from all over the world. I feel good when I am surrounded by many cultures. How long do you plan to stay and why? As long as my children are living in the house I will not move. My dream is to buy a house in Spain and maintain an apartment in the Netherlands and live six months in Spain during winter (because I miss the brightness of the blue Spanish sky) and summer in the Netherlands. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? I speak fluent Dutch because my mother is Dutch and I grew up as a bilingual. What's your favorite Dutch food and why? When I was living in Spain I did not miss Dutch food as Spanish food is much more tasty. But friends could really surprise me by sending me pepernoten around the 5th of December. I still love them. Which three Dutch people (dead or alive) would you like to meet? I would like to meet my mother's family. My Dutch grandpa and grandma passed away when I was very young. The only family I have contact with, in the Netherlands, is my aunt. There must be more Koogers but where are they? How Dutch have you become and why? I don’t have my roots in the Netherlands….I don’t know where my roots are. When I am in Spain they say Holandesa to me and here in the Netherlands they say Spaanse dame to me. I feel Dutch when I am in Spain because I notice that I love being on time, I love structure and I love good organisation. When I am in Spain I really miss these three very Dutch characteristics. Yet here I notice that I feel irritated when the Dutch are too punctual, too structured and too organised! What's your top tourist tip? Always take some change when you go to a public toilet. Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. The Dutch have surprisingly bad taste when dressing for a wedding. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? I think I would be happy to go back to Spain, and would be fully occupied with preparing everything at home that we needed to pack for our way back. For our last dinner we would go to my favourite restaurant in Haarlem, Het Goede Uur - for a nice kaasfondue with my best friends and small Dutch family. Lidia Barro Kooger teaches Spanish for CursusSpaans.nu and Dutch as a second language (NT2) for Language Partners and VU-NT2.  More >

American Sarah Bringhurst Familia, 35, has been in the Netherlands for just eight months but already feels like a local. She owns two bikes, loves the Dutch work-life balance, and says she and her family are in it for the long haul. How did you end up in the Netherlands? I’ve lived on five different continents during the past 15 years, so expatting is kind of a way of life for me. My husband and I both grew up American, but about 10 years ago we found out that he could claim Italian citizenship through his great-great grandfather, who emigrated from Italy to the United States in the mid-19th century. I’d always wanted to live in Europe, so we spent several months in Italy wading through red tape at government offices till he was granted citizenship. We lived in Italy for a while after that, but the job market isn’t ideal there, so we started looking at other European cities. I’d had a one-day stop-over in Amsterdam during a study abroad at university, and remembered it being beautiful, so we sort of picked it on a whim. How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international etc? Kind of a complicated question. I have always thought of myself as an expat, and have really enjoyed living in different places. Usually I get itchy feet after a while, and I’m ready to move onto somewhere new. Recently, though, I’ve just felt this urge to settle down - call it a mid-life crisis, perhaps. I don’t know that I’m quite ready to call myself an immigrant yet, and I think I’ll always feel like an international. So yeah, hard to define. How long do you plan to stay and why? I keep telling people that if I make it through one Dutch winter, I’ll know I can live here forever. I love the way of life here. In a weird way, this is the closest I’ve ever come to really feeling at home somewhere. I love the work-life balance, cycling everywhere, being so close to the rest of Europe, and the international vibe of Amsterdam. There’s so much going on here culturally and socially. I never get bored. And at the same time, I’m quite content with how my daily life plays out. It’s both a beautiful and a very livable city. When we came here, both my husband and I were working remotely for American companies. But we’ve since both gotten local jobs. Our kids are in a Dutch school. We’ve effectively moved our life here, and I think we’re in for the long haul. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? So far my Dutch skills are pretty basic. In contrast to a lot of places I’ve lived, Amsterdam is somewhere it’s easy to get by with zero local language skills. My work environment is in English, my kids go to a bilingual school, and nearly every Dutch person I meet has near-native English-language skills. I try to do my 10 minutes on Duolingo every day, and I’m planning on starting a Dutch course next month, but I’d say my reason for wanting to learn is to be a good guest in the Netherlands, and not any sort of practical necessity. I hate the moment when I’m in yoga class, and the teacher asks if there is anyone who doesn’t speak Dutch, and I’m the one who sheepishly raises my hand, and causes an entire room full of courteous Dutch people to have the class in English just for me. What's your favourite Dutch food? Don’t hate me, but what I really like is the ready availability of Turkish and Indonesian food here. I’m not that enchanted with Dutch food, whether it’s the old and young cheese, the hagelslag, or the herring. Poffertjes are pretty good, though. What do you miss about back home? Not a whole lot. I don’t think it will take long before the Netherlands feels like home. I miss other places I’ve lived, though. It’s hard not to leave a piece of your heart in every country you’ve called home. How Dutch have you become? Things I do that people tell me are 'so Dutch': I cycle everywhere. In fact, I just bought a second commuter bike to ride to work from the train station in The Hague. Also, I’ve developed a terrible habit of texting whilst cycling. I obsessively talk about the weather, especially the rain. But I don’t feel too much of a compulsion to become more Dutch. I’ve spent enough time as an expat to know that you never really fit in as if you were born somewhere. It’s best to embrace your identity as someone different, at least to some extent, and get comfortable with the idea that no matter how long you live somewhere, you’ll always be at least a little foreign. I was at a museum with my 10-year-old daughter last week, though, and she saw a life-sized photograph of the king and queen. She walked up to it, made a little bow, and then turned to tell me that she knew most of 'our' national anthem. I love that she already feels such a connection. What's your top tourist tip? I haven’t actually done a lot of tourist stuff here beyond the obligatory museums. I guess I’d say rent a bicycle, because it’s a great way to get around, convenient, and I like the vantage point. You see differently from a bicycle than when you’re walking or driving in a car. Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands Can I say the staircases? Do Dutch people find them as nerve-wracking as I do? Pretty much every expat I’ve met has had some kind of near-death experience on a Dutch staircase. I guess it’s probably one of those things that seems insane when you first encounter it, but eventually becomes normal. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? Go on a long walk in central Amsterdam with my husband and kiss on every canal bridge. Sarah Bringhurst Familia is in charge of PR and marketing at the Expatriate Archive Centre, an archive that collects and preserves primary source material documenting the social history of expats worldwide. She blogs on Casteluzzo.com.   More >

Jordanian national Mai Hammad, 37, was born in Kuwait to Palestinian parents, raised in Jordan and met her Dutch husband in Malta. She loves poffertjes, would like to meet queen Máxima and even eats her chips with mayo. How did you end up in the Netherlands? My husband is Dutch, although he lived outside the Netherlands from the age of six. We met when we were both living in Malta. After getting married in Jordan, we were seeking somewhere more suitable to live to start a family. I suggested the Netherlands and as he didn’t mind. We started looking for work opportunities. He found work here first! How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international, etc? I’m a mix. I hang out with the expat community and find I have a lot in common – so I’m a bit of an expat. At the same time I did move here with my husband who is Dutch (although we could have ended up anywhere), so maybe I’m a bit of a lovepat. I’m also an international because my concept of home becomes more distorted every day. I was born in Kuwait to Palestinian parents, raised in Jordan, worked in Malta, and now live in the Netherlands. In addition to all that, I’m also an immigrant because I want to belong to this country. How long do you plan to stay and why? We plan to make the Netherlands our home base, but we’ll probably move in a year or two. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? I do speak Dutch. When I was still in Malta I listened to Dutch lessons and read some Dutch language books. After moving to the Netherlands I took a few lessons. Later I improved my Dutch by speaking to daycare workers, colleagues, neighbours, people in shops, and by listening to the radio. What's your favourite Dutch food and why? Poffertjes! They are heavenly, light, small and delicious. Which three Dutch people (dead or alive) would you like to meet and why? I would like to meet queen Máxima because I am told that I sound like her when I speak Dutch; chef Jonnie Boer because he cooks amazing food; and Monique Smit because my kids listen to her CD in the car all the time. How Dutch have you become? I think I´m becoming more Dutch than my husband. Every year I put the flag out on King’s Day. I go around the neighbourhood with my kid for Sint Martin and I get excited about seeing Sinterklaas! I feel most Dutch when I check the special offers in the supermarket (I never did that before); when I eat my chips with mayo; when I say ‘gefeliciteerd’ to people on their birthday in English; and when I use ‘gezellig’ because there is no other word I can think of that makes sense. What's your top tourist tip? Don’t focus only on museums and monuments. Go to the parks and enjoy the beauty of nature. Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. The Dutch like to drink milk at lunch, and it´s impossible to order a pizza before 4pm. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? I would go to Giethoorn. I’ve wanted to go there since I got here, and as yet haven’t had the chance to go. Mai Hammad lives in Velserbroek near Haarlem and is a customer marketing manager at SC Johnson.  More >

Mike Garrent, 51, is an astronomer and heads up the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (Astron). He's been in the country for 19 years and has even taken up mudwalking but he still misses Scottish food. How did you end up in the Netherlands? I moved here from the University of Manchester (Jodrell Bank) to take up a job at JIVE (Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe) in Dwingeloo. How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international, etc? I guess I’m an expat – my roots in Britain are still important to me. How long do you plan to stay? Well, I’ve been here for 19 years. In my field of research, moving around the world is fairly common, so who knows what the future holds, but for the moment I’m very happy to be here. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? Yes, I speak Dutch. When I arrived in the Netherlands, my boss sent me on a 5-day intensive Dutch course. My brain was completely saturated by day two so I didn’t learn very much but it was an expensive course, so I felt duty bound to attempt to speak Dutch when I got back to work.  So almost from day one I was speaking Dutch with our administrative and secretarial staff – it never bothered me that my Dutch was awful – I just kept on trying. For the last five years, I’ve had the best teacher in the world – my Dutch partner Miriam! What's your favourite Dutch food? I like Dutch cooking using simple but high quality food products. I haven’t been converted to raw herring, a broodje kroket or patat oorlog yet, but from the word go I liked pea soup, and I am beginning to take to bitterballen and some kinds of drop. What do you miss about back home? I miss the shops, supermarkets, Scottish food (slice sausage, tatty scone, fruit pudding, crumpets, empire biscuits, iced ginger bread, deep fried pizza/chicken), liberal opening times, thick weekend newspapers, mountains, the countryside, proper pubs and warm beer. Fortunately, the internet means I can listen to Scottish radio – I’m a huge Glasgow Celtic fan. In the evening I always listen to the local football talk shows – I love listening to the locals calling in – it keeps me in touch with home and the people there. How Dutch have you become? I’m pretty well ingeburgered – especially so over the last few years with a Dutch partner. I like the Dutch language and the people very much but I would never swap my British passport for a Dutch one, not unless the UK opts out of Europe of course! What's your top tourist tip? It’s hard to beat pottering about in a boat in Giethorn, near Meppel, on a sunny day. And every year I also go for the wadlopen (mud walking) to Ameland, one of the islands in the North Sea – it’s a good workout but the reward at the end is to land on what has to be one of the best beaches in the world! Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. People in the Netherlands look outwards a lot and are very influenced by what is happening in other countries. Of course this is a good thing, but sometimes they are surprised to find that a lot of important things are happening much closer to home. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? I would get all my friends and family together in my kitchen, and make them all one of my special Indian curries, washed down with copious quantities of some excellent Italian wine! Mike Garrett is director of the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (Astron) and a professor at Leiden University.  More >

American psychologist and writer Doug Ota, 45, has lived in the Netherlands for 23 years. He loves running along the beach before dawn in winter and watching the sun come up, and would like to meet physicist Robbert Dijkgraaf. How did you end up in the Netherlands? I followed my wife over for a year and that one year turned into 23!  Some societies have been described as 'centripetal', drawing one inwards, or 'centrifugal', propelling you outwards. Dutch society, at least as I experienced it, turned out to be high centripetal. Holland is a pleasant place to live, with well-managed public spaces and a sane balance between work and family.  It’s a great place to raise a family. How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international, etc? Never heard the term 'lovepat' but glad to have a name for what I am! How long do you plan to stay and why? Indefinitely. I have three Dutch children and two dogs that bark Dutch. It’s become home. That sounds simple, but wasn’t. The tortuous path I took to feel at home in this country formed the basis for my niche in psychology, namely what moving does to people. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? Yes. I learned Dutch in my first year here by mimicking the 6 o’clock evening news on the radio, and then figuring out what I was saying afterwards. What's your favourite Dutch food? Herring with onions - eaten overhead style. It’s delicious, it’s good for you, and it affords visitors an experience they’ll never forget. Which three Dutch people would you like to meet and why? If you could bring him back to life, I’d like to meet Harry Mulisch, my favorite Dutch writer; the world-famous physicist Robert Dijkgraaf, now at Princeton’s Institute of Advanced Study, so I can finally understand a thing or two about string theory; and Paskal Jakobson, the singer from my favourite Dutch band, Bløf. How Dutch have you become? I think it might be levelling off at exactly 50%! I appreciate and have internalised many Dutch values, but I think my ambitious and individualist tendencies have deep American roots. I work with some outstanding Dutch therapists, but I notice I’m often the first one there and the last to leave. It is very easy to still miss the coastline of Southern California where I grew up, the ocean and the waves, and the concept of open space further inland and in the rest of the US. In some ways, I miss the feeling I used to have of feeling confined in the Netherlands. It is remarkable how one can gradually get used to having less space. What's your top tourist tip? Running on the beach between Scheveningen and Wassenaar before dawn in the winter, and watching the sun brighten one of the most pristine patches in these parts. Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. Many people are far better at what they do than you would ever know if you judge by North American trappings. The Calvinist drive to downplay success is pervasive. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? I’d take a run in the woods, order a pancake with bacon and a Duvel, see Bløf play live, and stay in a suite at the Amstel Hotel in Amsterdam. Doug Ota's book 'Safe Passage – How Mobility Affects People and What International Schools Should Do About It' is based on a programme he started during his years as a counsellor at the American School of The Hague.   More >

Process manager Deepti Varshney moved to the Netherlands from India in 2009 and is now a dual national. She loves olliebollen because they herald the start of the festive season and appreciates the fact the Dutch do not offer unasked-for advice. How did you end up in the Netherlands? My husband and I were eager to move to western or northern Europe. My husband got a job in the Netherlands and I followed him. That was seven years ago. How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international, etc? I would call myself an immigrant, because I moved from India for a better quality of life and safety. How long do you plan to stay? I would stay here forever, as long as job conditions are favourable. I really like Holland because its safe for women and children compared to India. There are lots of opportunities for children. I have also integrated into Dutch culture and I feel at home here. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? Yes, I do, I can read, write and speak Dutch, but I do not speak it at a professional level. I still have to get there. I took a number of classes as well as Skype lessons which really helped me improve my language skills. My daughter who is 2.5 years old goes to Dutch peuterspeelzaal, so by reading books to her I learn more words and I am never out of practice. What's your favourite Dutch food? I love olliebollen. I just loved them the first time I had one. I love their soft texture, and they make you feel the festive season has begun. How Dutch have you become? I started cycling and doing my grocery shopping by bike. I even have a child's seat on my bike. I just cannot imaging my life without it. I love the fact that no one gives you unasked for advice or suggestions. In my country everyone has time to give you advice, even if you don't want it. Which Dutch people would you most like to meet and why? I would like to meet television chef Rudolf van Veen. I watch his show on 24 Kitchen and like it a lot. Now there is someone I would be happy to take advice from! What's your top tourist tip? Take a boat tour through Amsterdam. The canals are just so special. Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. People keep their living room curtains open. When I was new here, I just did not understand why. After talking to people, I've come to understand that people like to show off their clean and tidy houses. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? I would take a tour of Amsterdam. I just love this city. Deepti Varshney specialises in business process re-engineering, helping companies improve products and processes using Lean Six Sigma Methods.  More >

Vyjayanthi Iyer is from India and has been in the Netherlands for 10 years. She runs a Bollywood dance school, would like to meet Rutger Hauer and is glad Dutch companies are finally realising the importance of good customer service. How did you end up in the Netherlands? My husband came here for a project and fell in love with the beautiful city of Amsterdam. One fine day he called me and asked me to come and live with him in this romantic city. He was so right, I fell in love with this city too How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international, etc? I am an expatriate and Lovepatriate. If it was not for my husband I would not have moved to a different country, where I had to start my career from scratch. On top of that, this was my first ever international trip direct from Mumbai to Amsterdam. How long do you plan to stay and why? I didn’t even realise it’s already been 10 years, I have stopped counting now. I love this city and will live here as long as we both are happy and enjoy our lives. Life is very unpredictable, you never know. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? Honestly, I speak very little Dutch, I understand more. People say it’s a difficult language to learn, I completely disagree. If you put your heart and soul into it you can learn and do anything. In my opinion it’s all based on need. If I need it and must learn the language I will invest time and money. I did some short courses but I am not sure if I will ever be fluent. What's your favourite Dutch food and why? Poffertjes and pannenkoeken, tasty and delicious. My mouth is watering already. How Dutch have you become and why? I love my bike. I love to do hardlopen (run) irrespective of whether it is raining, cold, windy or too warm. I can spend hours in a café chatting with friends or be alone doing my own work. Which Dutch person would you most like to meet and why? I would love to meet Rutger Hauer, such a talented actor. I have always been passionate about acting. If given an opportunity I would like to talk with him and get to know his mantra of life. There is so much to learn from him. What's your top tourist tip? Keep some change (coins) handy when you enter the tram or bus to buy the tickets. And remember you need to push the green button in the tram to get off at your desired stop. Do visit the small cafes in an around the city to experience the local culture. Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. Coming from Mumbai and a customer service and public relations background, I was surprised and shocked how this country lacked good customer services. However, over the years it has changed a lot and I am happy they are realising the importance of customer services. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? My husband is a great photographer and I love to be in front of the camera. I would like to get more pictures clicked in every nook and corner of the city and then walk hand-in-hand together in this romantic, crazy, awesome city called Amsterdam for the rest of the evening. You can contact Vyjayanthi's  Bollywood dance school via the website and Facebook page.  More >

Cuban national Claudia Moreira Calzadilla is 15 and has lived in the Netherlands for five years. She goes to a Dutch high school, has a part-time job in a hotel, and her parents say she thinks like a capitalist. How did you end up in the Netherlands? When I was five years old my mother moved to the Netherlands and started living with my stepfather. In Cuba, the process of moving to another country is quite difficult, so I wasn’t able to move to the Netherlands with her at that time. My biological father also didn’t allow me to go because he felt I was too young, so I had to wait until I turned 11 and got his permission before I could move here. By that time I couldn’t remember what it was like to live with my mother, so this was also new experience for me. My mother used to come to Cuba on holidays, but only for a week of two. How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international, etc? I’m not quite sure if I’m going to live my whole life here in the Netherlands so I don’t think I can call myself an immigrant. I think international suits me better. I like the Netherlands but I want to travel and get in touch with other cultures. So if this means living in other countries, I will do that. How long do you plan to stay and why? Firstly, I want to finish school and then attend Leiden University and study law. I guess that after finishing my studies I will search for a stable job with the possibility of travelling. If I ever get the opportunity to work in another country I’ll do so immediately. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? Yes, I speak fluent Dutch but it’s not perfect yet. I went to a special school for foreign children called Taalklas, where they teach you the basics of the Dutch language. I think the only way to learn a language is being around the people who are native speakers. That’s why after about a year I started going to a Dutch school with local children. What's your favourite Dutch food and why? I don’t have any. I eat it, but I really don’t like Dutch food. I am not sure why, although it might be because it’s totally different to Cuban food. To be honest I also don’t really like Cuban food either, so I don’t know what the reason is. If I had to choose one Dutch dish, it would be stewed pears (stoofpeertjes). I like how sweet and soft they taste. What do you miss about back home and why? Almost everything. My whole family and the friends I grew up live with there. I miss the beautiful, warm weather and the white-sand-and-blue-water beaches. I miss the people, even the ones I don’t know. Cuban people are so nice. I even miss school. So yeah, I miss almost everything. All that is and will always be a part of who I am, and I’m proud of that. How Dutch have you become? According to my parents I’ve become a real Dutch girl. They say I don’t think like a socialist any more but like a capitalist. I don’t know if I ever thought like a socialist but moving to the Netherlands has given me the opportunity to see how different my life in Cuba was. What's your top tourist tip? Rotterdam! I’ve been there twice and I love it. There is so much to see and to do. You can spend hours walking around and you will see lots of interesting things. There is also a waterbus which I think is an amazing experience. Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. A few days ago I saw a documentary about the fact that wifi was discovered here in the Netherlands. This really surprised me. I used to think wifi was invented in the United States. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? I would go to Walibi. I love amusement parks and Walibi is one of my favourites!  More >

In two short years, Kenyan national Serah Karani Andriessen has developed a morning coffee habit and discovered that spekreepjes can add a touch of flavour to most foods. How did you end up in the Netherlands? I met and married Peter (who is Dutch) in Kenya where we lived with our son, Narsh, for a few years before making the decision to relocate to the Netherlands. Peter then returned to the Netherlands and I stayed with Narsh in Kenya for another two and a half years before we followed Peter. How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international, etc - and why? I believe my previous answer explains what I am! How long do you plan to stay and why? Let me answer this in a different manner. In my culture when a girl gets married and leaves her family home, the place she and her husband call their ‘home’ is usually the home where the husband´s parents live. It does not matter if this means ‘home’ is across the country. In my case, ‘home’ was thousands of miles away. So, here is now my home and I plan to stay for a long time to come. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? I like this question! Yes I do speak Dutch, but I know it is not as good as should be, especially as I have studied the language in various Dutch language schools up to level B2. What's your favourite Dutch food and why? Spekreepjes! Lovely bacon flavour that can be used in almost all dishes; easy to use; no chopping involved; and always adds the missing flavour when my food is bland. I could almost use them in my cereal. What do you miss about back home and why? I miss my family and friends a lot. I also miss the general social nature of Kenyan people who are very warm and friendly towards other people including strangers. How Dutch have you become and why? Can’t seem to pick up my day without ‘een kopje koffie’ first! What's your top tourist tip? My top tourist tip is to just keep your eyes open. From the time you arrive in the Netherlands you notice that tourist attractions are everywhere and that the Netherlands is a very beautiful country. Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. Something surprising for me is that in every town or village I have gone to, what always stands out in the centre is an exceptionally beautiful and lovingly built church. Yet I have the feeling that religion is a very quiet and/or private matter in the Netherlands. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? I would go for my morning swim with the special women who have really made me feel at home here, followed by our usual cup of coffee. Assuming there would still be a few hours leftover, I would take a drive along the back roads of Gelderland and Overijssel taking in the beauty and freshness of the well/kept farmlands - this is a hobby that I acquired from Peter. It always looks so surreal. Serah and her husband Peter run Brasserie Halverwege in the DroomPark near Spaarnwoude.  More >

South African Dominic Karatouliotis (24) came to the Netherlands for love just six months ago, but is already addicted to Hema's smoked sausage. He sees himself as an expat, lovepat, immigrant and an international. How did you end up in the Netherlands? I came to the Netherlands to join my partner and build a new life with her. We met two years ago while on holiday in Thailand, and our relationship flourished long distance, thanks to social media and Skype. We decided a year ago that one of us would have to make the move to join the other, and I was at a stage in my life where it made sense to do so. So here I am. How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international, etc? I think I would fall into each one of the categories mentioned: I am indeed an expatriate as I now reside in a different country than where I was born. I am a lovepat, as I have expatriated to join my loved one in the Netherlands (professional dancer Joyce Silva Xavier). I am an immigrant too, as I have come from South Africa. I am certainly an international with an internationally focused mind and global ambition. Most of all, I like to put myself in the category of human being who is blessed enough to be able to live and experience life from a different point of view. As many South Africans will know, it is extremely difficult to start a new life in a European country without having family, loved ones or a lined up career waiting for you as our global status and strength of our passport does not allow this. How long do you plan to stay and why? My partner and I are happy here in Amsterdam. It is an extremely vibrant and cosmopolitan city which celebrates the things we love most - art, music, dance and culture. I intend to stay here indefinitely, to build a good life and to help keep the wonderful buzz around Amsterdam. I am, however, always open to new adventures and opportunities which may come knocking from time to time, but whatever it may be, it will have to try and top what Amsterdam has to offer. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? Growing up in South Africa, Afrikaans is taught in school which can be learned as a first or second language. I have been learning and speaking it all my life which I believe has helped me in my grasp of the Dutch language. Although the two languages are almost identical, there are some noticeable differences in pronunciation and word order which I am still getting the hang of. I do speak Dutch on a daily basis and have learnt so much since I have lived here. It really does help to practice by speaking and reading as well as watching television. What's your favourite Dutch food? Any day and any time of the week, I could eat a broodje rookworst from Hema. I really enjoy them. I have also taken a fond liking to the Turkish pizzas from the Turkish and Moroccan communities based in Amsterdam. What do you miss about back home? I would have to say I miss the friendliness and easy going nature of the South African people, specifically the people from Cape Town where I am from. I can link this to missing my family and friends as well which is something we all go through, but generally I don’t miss South Africa. I still keep up with what is going on in the country so that I have some form of connection. I do miss proper All You Can Eat Sushi though. How Dutch have you become? Like any other culture you come across that is not your own, you find the similarities and differences you share with the people and then figure out which habits and behaviour you have taken on yourself. I don’t think I have become or will become Dutch anytime soon...  I'm too much of a born and bred South African for that. I have, however, only been here for six months so who knows what it will be like in a long time from now. I do drink more coffee than I did back in South Africa and am an avid cyclist now as well as a supporter of Albert Heijn supermarkets. What's your top tourist tip? Get the stereotypical sights and attractions out of the way like the red light district, the museums, the coffee shops as well as the canal boat cruises, and by all means enjoy them to the max. But then take some trips away from the hustle and bustle to see the beautiful countryside. Something I really didn't twig until I came here is that the whole country is indeed flat. There are also some really impressive man-made structures as well, like the huge dikes splitting the oceans, the bridges and, of course, the windmills - both traditional and modern. Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. The Netherlands has a very interesting take on many social issues which each country deals with differently. I enjoy their view on everyone being equal and didn’t really understand this until I lived here. Allowing people to be who they truly want to be should be a reality across the world and I believe the Dutch execute it extremely well. For a country which is as efficient and direct as the Netherlands, the Dutch are more than happy with people from many walks of life co-existing with them  - as long as they are not hurting anyone around them. I think the world can learn from the Dutch way of doing things. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? I would head over to the nearest Hema and get my daily fix of rookworst. Then, depending on whether it was raining or not, I would go on a cycle with my lady next to me, hand in hand, enjoying the Vondelpark. I would also definitely make sure I stock up on stroopwafels and have one last, amazing portion of frites. Then, still hand in hand, we would go to Schiphol to head off on a new adventure. Dominic Karatouliotis is co-owner of Amsterdamskey.com and looking for full-time employment.  More >

Sixteen years ago, Scotsman Jim Weir, headed to The Hague to consult on a painting project and is still here 14 years later. How did you end up in the Netherlands? By accident. I had just finished work in Germany and was on my way back to Scotland when my agent asked me to do a small job in Rotterdam. Being there, I was asked to solve a problem on a project in The Hague. I did not really fancy going there but thought I could not refuse. That decision changed my life as I met my soulmate on 9-9-1999. She is now my wife and life changed for the better for me. How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international, etc - and why?
 Once and for all I am a mad Scotsman who is crazy about football, but when Holland play I turn into a mad Dutchman. How long do you plan to stay and why?
 For the rest of my life. I love living in Haarlem and have set up my own company, Scots Painting, which both of us are really proud of. Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn?
 I did try to learn it but since I speak fluent German I tend to use a lot of German words, which the Dutch do not appreciate, so I gave up. Most clients speak Dutch to me (I understand it for 99%) and I speak back in my Sean Connery accent, which they all seem to love. What's your favourite Dutch food and why? I’d like to say saté but that’s Indonesian. Erwtensoep is always welcome, especially in wintertime. What do you miss about back home?
 I miss my family and friends, the mountains and Glasgow Rangers. Most of all I miss Saturday afternoons, spent in the pub with friends watching football and having a good time. How Dutch have you become and why?
 Sometimes I think I’m Dutch but then realise I am the only one stopping for a red traffic light. What's your top tourist tip? I just love Haarlem, especially the Vijfhoek. There’s so much to see and do. Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. Most of the Dutch are laid-back, but it can anger me when they do not acknowledge you for letting them go first. After all it’s nice to be nice. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? Get all my friends together in my favourite pub (de Vijfhoek) to have a great party with them paying ….. then I’d cry all the way to Schiphol Airport.  More >

Costa Rican Javier Arias came to the Netherlands to study four years ago after winning a scholarship to Nyenrode Business Universiteit where he now works. He lives in Utrecht, cycles every day and has learned to wear brown shoes with a blue suit. How did you end up in the Netherlands? It was always my ambition to pursue an MBA abroad. Being in Costa Rica, the logical choice is usually to study in the US. I was getting ready to do this but then I came across the Netherlands as a study destination. Nyenrode got my attention so I decided to participate in an online case competition organised by the university for potential students all over the world. This resulted in me being the lucky winner of a scholarship to pursue my MBA. The rest is history... How do you describe yourself - an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international, etc? I would define myself as a 'glocal'. I acknowledge and celebrate my cultural background but I also aim to understand and embrace the roots of the Dutch culture. From my perspective, it makes sense to integrate as much as possible into the country and culture that you choose to live in. I want to learn from and contribute to this society. The only possible way is to understand how it works and how people think. I now live in the Netherlands and I happen to have been born and raised in Costa Rica. In this globalised world, who knows what the future holds! How long do you plan to stay? My partner joined me in the Netherlands almost two years ago and we have recently decided to invest in our own apartment. So we are planning to stay as long as possible, although we are open to the idea of relocating at some point if the right opportunity presents itself. However, it would have to be an LGBT friendly country. That is one of the reasons we have chosen to stay in the Netherlands. This is a place where we can be ourselves, enjoy our lives together and grow as a couple with no limitations and prejudice - or very little at least! Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn? I am getting there. At the moment, I am somewhere between B1-B2 level. Daring to speak in Dutch is my biggest challenge but it is something I am working on. What's your favourite Dutch food? Winter food! I love erwten soep, poffertjes and oliebollen. Although that usually means putting some pounds on. What do you miss about back home? Desserts. There are many Latin desserts that are not really available in the Netherlands. Whenever I go back, one of my priorities is to find a good 'tres leches' and  a 'torta chilena'. How Dutch have you become? Do I cycle everyday? Yes. Do I wear a blue suit with brown shoes? Yes. I have learned to be much more outspoken in social settings than I was before. However, I still prefer to have 2-3 hot meals and I can't drink milk as part of my lunch. What's your top tourist tip? Visit the most popular amusement parks. This is usually a very entertaining experience and it also shows some of the cultural aspects of the Netherlands. And, of course, visit Utrecht! Tell us something surprising you've found out about the Netherlands. When I first arrived, I couldn't believe some supermarkets were not open on Sundays or late in the evening. That for me was a given. I have learned to appreciate the work-life balance in the Netherlands compared to that in Costa Rica, although sometimes I do miss the convenience of going shopping after work, finding a pharmacy open in the evening or having home delivery service from the largest fast food chains. If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do? There are a couple of places that I would still love to visit, but if I had only 24 hours then I would choose the Northern Islands. I just hope it is not winter. Javier Arias is an international marketeer at Nyenrode Business Universiteit  More >