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Darkstar416
Guest
Re: Amsterdam
Congrats on the offer!
What line of work you in (if you don't mind me asking)?
Congrats on the offer!
What line of work you in (if you don't mind me asking)?
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ronald1987
Guest
Re: Amsterdam
Hi there!
Congrats on the job offer.
I think you can consider yourself lucky, because there's many people that would want to live in the EU, but can't because of our extremely strict immigration policy.
I'm from Rotterdam so I can't really give you any in-depth info on Amsterdam. I'm not too familiar there. And the info provided in this thread is also really accurate, I'm surprised by that.
I am guessing that you will be working on the Zuidas office park, an office park with modern-styled skyscrapers, located on the southern part of Amsterdam's ring railway.
You will indeed be fine if you have a transit pass and a bike, if you live in Amsterdam. If you're going to live outside of the metro area, you might need a car. Though you could manage by using regional bus services.
You can definitely manage by using English only. Everywhere I go, I hear English being spoken all the time, at my university for example, but also in the busses, trains, etc. Lots of businessmen are also speaking English here, I hear them all the time.
No one will frown upon you if you will start a conversation in English. Some people will even ask where you're from, out of interest.
Personally I like the English speakers, they provide me with an opportunity to practice the language
Amsterdam indeed has a housing shortage, it's tough to find a place to live by yourself. Rent can be high aswell, but so is the cost of living in general in Holland- income tax, for example, ranges from 34% to 54% I believe.. I'm not too sure about that, but it's somewhere along those lines. Health insurance costs around a 130 euros per month.
Everything is regulated here, you'll likely have to go through some paperwork in order to get your visa. But then again, your company might help you with that!
Don't let rules get in your way too often. It has been researched once, and the people that most often ignore rules are the Dutch. Don't be surpised if you see cyclists cycling through red lights, it's common.
I hope this could be of any help.
Hi there!
Congrats on the job offer.
I think you can consider yourself lucky, because there's many people that would want to live in the EU, but can't because of our extremely strict immigration policy.
I'm from Rotterdam so I can't really give you any in-depth info on Amsterdam. I'm not too familiar there. And the info provided in this thread is also really accurate, I'm surprised by that.
I am guessing that you will be working on the Zuidas office park, an office park with modern-styled skyscrapers, located on the southern part of Amsterdam's ring railway.
You will indeed be fine if you have a transit pass and a bike, if you live in Amsterdam. If you're going to live outside of the metro area, you might need a car. Though you could manage by using regional bus services.
You can definitely manage by using English only. Everywhere I go, I hear English being spoken all the time, at my university for example, but also in the busses, trains, etc. Lots of businessmen are also speaking English here, I hear them all the time.
No one will frown upon you if you will start a conversation in English. Some people will even ask where you're from, out of interest.
Personally I like the English speakers, they provide me with an opportunity to practice the language
Amsterdam indeed has a housing shortage, it's tough to find a place to live by yourself. Rent can be high aswell, but so is the cost of living in general in Holland- income tax, for example, ranges from 34% to 54% I believe.. I'm not too sure about that, but it's somewhere along those lines. Health insurance costs around a 130 euros per month.
Everything is regulated here, you'll likely have to go through some paperwork in order to get your visa. But then again, your company might help you with that!
Don't let rules get in your way too often. It has been researched once, and the people that most often ignore rules are the Dutch. Don't be surpised if you see cyclists cycling through red lights, it's common.
I hope this could be of any help.
I
indense
Guest
Re: Amsterdam
Thanks.
Ronald - my new office seems to be a couple of miles west of Zuidas.
i'm looking to live in the city - i just have to pick a neighbourhood - i am leaning towards the centrum. i was worried about rents because i keep hearing how expensive amsterdam is but from all the websites i've checked i think rent is quite reasonable.
Ronald, where do Dutch people go on vacation? i've got 5 weeks to use up.
Thanks.
financial services. nothing exciting.
Ronald - my new office seems to be a couple of miles west of Zuidas.
i'm looking to live in the city - i just have to pick a neighbourhood - i am leaning towards the centrum. i was worried about rents because i keep hearing how expensive amsterdam is but from all the websites i've checked i think rent is quite reasonable.
Ronald, where do Dutch people go on vacation? i've got 5 weeks to use up.
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building babel
Guest
Re: Amsterdam
I wore my Burberry raincoat, which I bought in London in 1984, to Nuit Blanche. Had I known that, by doing so, I was giving off such powerfully chav-sh messages, I would have worn all my vulgar bling too.
I wore my Burberry raincoat, which I bought in London in 1984, to Nuit Blanche. Had I known that, by doing so, I was giving off such powerfully chav-sh messages, I would have worn all my vulgar bling too.
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ronald1987
Guest
Re: Amsterdam
indense,
most dutch people go camping in France or Germany + Austria.
Italy and Spain are popular destinations for camping families aswell.
If camping in some rural setting isn't your thing (it isn't mine either!), you can just as easy get an a plane and spend 14 days along the Turkish riviera or the Algharve (Portugal), in a 4 star hotel.
I personally prefer going on vacation by train. There's many cities worth visiting just a couple of hours away from Amsterdam. Cologne, Paris, London are a few that come to mind.
You've got plenty of choice, I think that you can try each type of vacation in those 5 weeks ha ha
indense,
most dutch people go camping in France or Germany + Austria.
Italy and Spain are popular destinations for camping families aswell.
If camping in some rural setting isn't your thing (it isn't mine either!), you can just as easy get an a plane and spend 14 days along the Turkish riviera or the Algharve (Portugal), in a 4 star hotel.
I personally prefer going on vacation by train. There's many cities worth visiting just a couple of hours away from Amsterdam. Cologne, Paris, London are a few that come to mind.
You've got plenty of choice, I think that you can try each type of vacation in those 5 weeks ha ha
I
indense
Guest
Re: Amsterdam
thanks Ronald. i hadn't thought of turkey or portugal as potential destinations but i imagine the value is great - will look into it. i have always wanted to see switzerland for some reason.
and thank you too, Babel - I'll try to keep that in mind.
thanks Ronald. i hadn't thought of turkey or portugal as potential destinations but i imagine the value is great - will look into it. i have always wanted to see switzerland for some reason.
and thank you too, Babel - I'll try to keep that in mind.
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ronald1987
Guest
Re: Amsterdam
I believe there's a direct train to Basel from Amsterdam. Or at least from Utrecht to Basel.
I considered going to Switzerland aswell last summer, but ended up in Austria (which is great aswell). If you want to check out what Switzerland looks like, this site, with pictures of Swiss cities (Zurich amongst others) can be helpful.
www.sengers.ch/izueri/stadt.html
I believe there's a direct train to Basel from Amsterdam. Or at least from Utrecht to Basel.
I considered going to Switzerland aswell last summer, but ended up in Austria (which is great aswell). If you want to check out what Switzerland looks like, this site, with pictures of Swiss cities (Zurich amongst others) can be helpful.
www.sengers.ch/izueri/stadt.html
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ronald1987
Guest
Re: Amsterdam
By the way dude, since a month Google Earth has got extremely detailed coverage of Holland.
By the way dude, since a month Google Earth has got extremely detailed coverage of Holland.
I
indense
Guest
Re: Amsterdam
i have been using google maps a lot to check the place out - seeing how far away appartments are from the office and so on.
From above it's a pretty amazing looking place. I look forward to exploring at ground level.
What football team plays in the Olympisch Stadion (darn dutch language - how will i ever decipher it)? I assumed it was Ajax - but I have since learned that they have a domed stadium. it's very important that i pick my new favourite football team carefully.
i have been using google maps a lot to check the place out - seeing how far away appartments are from the office and so on.
From above it's a pretty amazing looking place. I look forward to exploring at ground level.
What football team plays in the Olympisch Stadion (darn dutch language - how will i ever decipher it)? I assumed it was Ajax - but I have since learned that they have a domed stadium. it's very important that i pick my new favourite football team carefully.
C
cdl42
Guest
Re: Amsterdam
When in Amsterdam I remember while sitting on the trams and trains with automated announcements I would look at the name of the next stop on the map and think about how it would be pronounced. Then the system would announce it and I would be invariably be waaaaaay off. But yeah... in writing it can be really close to english at times.
When in Amsterdam I remember while sitting on the trams and trains with automated announcements I would look at the name of the next stop on the map and think about how it would be pronounced. Then the system would announce it and I would be invariably be waaaaaay off. But yeah... in writing it can be really close to english at times.
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Antiloop33rpm
Guest
Re: Amsterdam
Whenever I am the trains in Holland I always listen to the announcements and people talking to try to become more familiar with the sounds (and to figure where I am and if I am on the right train when I find myself suddenly being transferred to a new train). Speaking Dutch is really hard because they have some many sounds and pronuncations that really are not common to English. Learning French though has made it easier to try my hand at it this time around.
Whenever I am the trains in Holland I always listen to the announcements and people talking to try to become more familiar with the sounds (and to figure where I am and if I am on the right train when I find myself suddenly being transferred to a new train). Speaking Dutch is really hard because they have some many sounds and pronuncations that really are not common to English. Learning French though has made it easier to try my hand at it this time around.
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ronald1987
Guest
Re: Amsterdam
Lol, I'm amazed you think Dutch is a difficult language to learn.
Try learning Chinese, Greek or Russian! Makes Dutch look like a piece of cake!
Then again, 'if you can learn Dutch, you can learn anything' might hold true for some.
Most people here speak Dutch, German, English and French and could probably learn Norwegian and Danish because those languages are rather similar to Dutch.
indense, I have no clue who plays at the Olympic Stadium. I'm not even sure if it's being used!
The Amsterdam Admirals, and American Football team, plays in the same stadium as Ajax does, the Amsterdam ArenA (which is the dome you referred to).
PS, if you want to know any Dutch setences, just shoot!
Lol, I'm amazed you think Dutch is a difficult language to learn.
Try learning Chinese, Greek or Russian! Makes Dutch look like a piece of cake!
Then again, 'if you can learn Dutch, you can learn anything' might hold true for some.
Most people here speak Dutch, German, English and French and could probably learn Norwegian and Danish because those languages are rather similar to Dutch.
indense, I have no clue who plays at the Olympic Stadium. I'm not even sure if it's being used!
The Amsterdam Admirals, and American Football team, plays in the same stadium as Ajax does, the Amsterdam ArenA (which is the dome you referred to).
PS, if you want to know any Dutch setences, just shoot!
A
Antiloop33rpm
Guest
Re: Amsterdam
I think Dutch would be hard for most Canadians since we really only have exposure to French and maybe another language if your parents or family have immigrated from elsewhere. But I can see how if you have a lot of exposure to even just French and German it would not be too difficult to learn.
I do have a question though. Where do all the cute, nerdy Dutch girls hang out?
I think Dutch would be hard for most Canadians since we really only have exposure to French and maybe another language if your parents or family have immigrated from elsewhere. But I can see how if you have a lot of exposure to even just French and German it would not be too difficult to learn.
I do have a question though. Where do all the cute, nerdy Dutch girls hang out?
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adma
Guest
Re: Amsterdam
Why, dyke bars, of course. Duh
***CRINGE***
Why, dyke bars, of course. Duh
***CRINGE***
R
ronald1987
Guest
Re: Amsterdam
Antiloop, I hung out at
Club Rotterdam (directly right of the Erasmus bridge, when coming to the southern banks of the river 'Maas' from the city centre) last night, and there seemed to be a fair amount of them over there
In Breda and Eindhoven you won't be having any difficulties meeting girls, because those southerners are easy to get in touch with (hence why I go clubbing in the south every once in a while
Antiloop, I hung out at
Club Rotterdam (directly right of the Erasmus bridge, when coming to the southern banks of the river 'Maas' from the city centre) last night, and there seemed to be a fair amount of them over there
In Breda and Eindhoven you won't be having any difficulties meeting girls, because those southerners are easy to get in touch with (hence why I go clubbing in the south every once in a while