tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86210291608347089152024-03-05T21:32:13.537-08:00Expat Mum's Guide to NLAn English mum's experience living in the Netherlands.Expat mum in NLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089890024178178181noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621029160834708915.post-50720682326888841192016-06-09T13:17:00.000-07:002016-06-09T13:27:52.734-07:00Brexit and me.My position on ‘leave’ or ‘remain’ is pretty obvious. I voted with my feet nearly 8 years ago when I packed up my home and family and headed, with great enthusiasm, across the channel to ‘the mainland’. I love Europe. I love being a European. I feel so very much at home here and count my blessings on a daily basis at having been able to pack my life up in an instant and come here to experience everything continental Europe has to offer.<br />
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I find the prospect of the UK ‘leaving’ Europe (the geographer in me is pretty baffled by that idea anyway) utterly depressing. Like there has been a collective spell placed upon the folk across the channel that has somehow distorted reality. The rhetoric, column inches and impassioned (and embittered) pleading of many from the land of my birth sounds so utterly alien to me.<br />
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So I feel compelled to write. Because that’s what I do when I can’t get my head around things.<br />
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Many educated, informed, insightful opinions have been voiced in this debate, along with many which are blatantly racist, isolationist and archaic. I don’t suppose my thoughts will make an ounce of difference. And there’s plenty of empirical psychological evidence that producing facts in a debate like this makes no difference whatsoever! So instead I offer my opinion for consideration.<br />
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Firstly – my experience of moving to the Netherlands has been amazing. Challenging, baffling and downright bizarre at times, but an incredibly positive and exciting thing to do. I think everyone in the UK should have continued access to this kind of experience. To be able to decide one day you’re going to follow an opportunity in another country and to be able to simply go for it. No visas, no bureaucratic delays, just jump on a ferry and start a life in another country. I cannot recommend it highly enough.<br />
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Secondly – who do you really think has the power here? The people in Westminster? The people in Brussels? I think most people realize that lobby groups and business interests drive a good portion of decision making no matter who we have (or haven’t) voted for. This is not to say democracy is dead – far from it. Everyone needs to engage in their democratic responsibilities to ensure ‘the ordinary people’ get a chance to be heard. British people have that chance in the UK and in Europe at the moment. If the UK leaves the EU then that opportunity is lost. Turnout in European elections may be woefully low but at least there is the opportunity.<br />
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Thirdly, and related to the point above – what difference will it make? No one knows. Short term there will be some economic impacts. Eventually the usual interests will ensure the status quo returns. Eight hundred years after the Magna Carta the majority of British wealth, assets and power remains with a closed minority. Will leaving the EU change this? Err no! What is driving immigration? Economics and business. If the UK economy is thriving people will want to come. Businesses will want labour – cheap unskilled as well as ‘high points scoring’ immigrants with expertise and higher qualifications. No matter who is setting immigration targets that won’t change and business interests will ensure the UK is never a ‘closed shop’.<br />
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My forth, and last, point is this. The EU may be a lumbering institution which is beholden to lobbyists, creates ‘jobs for the boys’ and cements power for the privileged few. But that isn’t any different to the situation in the UK anyway! Stepping back from the problems of reforming the EU is just stepping back from the problems of all our societies. There is so much we can learn from one another. One of the great things the EU brings is the cross-country perspectives. Working together, sharing good ideas, standing united against the ills of our world, be it extremism or climate change, is how we can actually make a difference for the next generation.<br />
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I realize I am privileged and that affords me a luxury perspective. Yet I am also an economic migrant. I escaped the south east of England to set up home somewhere you can live on one salary. (Definitely not possible in my previous location!) This enables us to support and raise our kids how we want to. That is true choice. That is what the EU offers to all its residents. If a German or Portuguese family wants a better life they can seek that out in the UK. Likewise if Brits like us want a better life for their kids the EU offers one of the best opportunities for them to access that. Across 28 countries. Sounds like something worth holding onto to me.<br />
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My kids will grow up as Europeans no matter what happens on 23 June. In fact they may benefit from a Brexit. In a Brexit future, by the time they are looking for jobs, big business, banks and agriculture may well have re-located from the UK to the Netherlands and my kids will reap the benefits. They are already benefitting from an amazing education system, fantastic public services and a wonderful, child-friendly culture which gives them so much more freedom to be kids than they would have experienced in the UK.<br />
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But the whole point for me is this should be a decision based on something greater than individual circumstances. Working together across Europe to challenge inequality, protect our fragile environment, raise standards for everyone and keep us all safe.<br />
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Expat mum in NLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089890024178178181noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621029160834708915.post-77734204719524843492015-04-16T13:40:00.000-07:002015-04-16T13:40:49.684-07:00If you want something done, ask an international woman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We
can get hung up on the labels we give people – what’s the difference between an
expat, an immigrant, an émigré or an international after all? We are all people
who left the land of our upbringing and travelled around for love, work,
education, family or economics. Or even just for the adventure. <br />
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We have often left loved ones, friends and family, behind. We may have stopped several times along our
journey before putting down roots or may still be wandering. But one thing I’ve
found when talking to women who’ve made the bold, brave and often necessary
decision to shift their life to another country: there is much common ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This
common ground is a solid place, where pragmatism, necessity and circumstance
meet to create a rock hard foundation from which creativity, versatility,
improvisation and sheer bloody genius can emerge. By simply stepping away from
a ‘former life’ and stepping into a new environment the international women I
know have blossomed in ways they never knew they might.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It is
not without cost – blood, sweat and many tears. We’re human and often have to
learn the hard, frustrating, experiential way.
But the costs deliver an amazing result – phenomenal levels of
self-reliance, capacity to cope with change and total, bloody-minded determination.
For ourselves, our partners and our kids (and even our pets!) we consistently
go the extra mile and prove ourselves extra-human.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
ability to cope with strange cultures, languages, landscapes and weather (the
latter more important than many give credit) leads to a gradual, but
fundamental, shift in outlook, approach and expectation. Once you’ve mastered
the ability to negotiate bureaucracy in multiple languages, face a room full of
people with a totally different set of cultural reference points and laugh with
your neighbours about the local cuisine, you never un-learn those skills.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
planning, organisation, initiative and generosity of the international
sisterhood shines through everything we do as a group of women. We have
re-invented ourselves, supported our loved ones and each other, created a new
community and shared some of our old community in the process. This care, love and ability to nurture, even
under difficult circumstances, is part of the amazing package of qualities you
find when talking to an international woman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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qualities manifest themselves in different ways in different people but there’s
one thing you can be certain of. If you want to get something done, ask an
international woman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><i>This piece was first given as a speech at the International Women's Club of Breda's 45 year anniversary dinner on 11 April 2015.</i></span></div>
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Expat mum in NLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089890024178178181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621029160834708915.post-19030570801427957552014-08-22T13:54:00.000-07:002014-08-22T13:54:58.299-07:00Big skies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We have had
“a lot of weather” this August including dramatic thunderstorms, torrential
downpours, fantastic sunny periods with clear blue skies and, of course,
greyness. Yes, one thing you can be guaranteed
in the Netherlands is unrelenting greyness at regular intervals!<o:p></o:p></div>
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However it
occurs to me that this range of weather, and the landscape within which we view
it, is one of the great charms of the country we live in. I know many expats complain about the weather,
and you certainly do not move to the Netherlands for the climate, but it is
part of what defines this little patch of Europe we call home.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As we flew
into Amsterdam after our summer holiday my son remarked “isn’t Nederland
green!” It is. And it is criss-crossed by a network of waterways which when
viewed from above add a little sparkle.
From the sky our adopted home looked lush and fertile, with added bling!<o:p></o:p></div>
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With friends
visiting this summer we have been tourists in the country we live in once again. As we travel around visiting “typical Dutch”
vistas they have been remarking on the dramatic skies and colours of the
landscape. When you are used to your
home being described as grey it is surprising to be reminded that it is
actually so much more than just grey. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The colours
of the sky, as storms blow through, as the sun’s rays hit raindrops and as the
sun sinks with pink, orange and purple hues across the horizon can be
fabulous. Fellow buitenlander residents may
complain about the unremitting flatness of the landscape, however that flat
landscape leaves a lot of room for sky.
Big skies. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Those skies
have inspired art and creativity through the ages. There are so many ways to
capture them, through photography, paintings and the written word. And so many
ways to view them, from the car on motorway journeys, from the network of cycle paths across the
countryside, the footpaths alongside the canals and from the water itself. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Taking a
boat trip or paddling along a canal in a canoe provides its own unique view of
the Dutch landscape. From the water, looking up and over the dykes and river
banks with the sky reflected all around you, brings an altogether different perspective to the scenery. With the addition of the
water creatures around you and birdlife above it’s a lovely way to see the
countryside.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There is
something quite magical for me, still, about seeing a traditional Dutch windmill
silhouetted against a big sky. When it
is dawn, dusk or a stormy day that view becomes even more special. So the Dutch skies, and the flat landscape
that allow us to view them so fully, are something I will try to remember to appreciate
more as I walk, cycle and drive around my “home”.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Expat mum in NLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089890024178178181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621029160834708915.post-16785723207554895502013-03-11T04:26:00.001-07:002013-03-11T04:26:08.284-07:00Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (otherwise known as Brussels' Natural History Museum)<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For a fabulous family day out I highly recommend the Royal
Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a fantastic museum and an absolute must-see
for any dinosaur aficionado in your household! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our
budding palaeontologists were in dino heaven walking around the huge hall with a
phenomenal collection of dinosaur skeletons and the amazing display of Iguanodons
found in a Belgian mine in the 1870s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
also really enjoyed the mammal exhibits and the evolution displays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are lots of interactive elements to the
displays as you go around which the kids loved, lots of button pressing and
wheel turning for them to enjoy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
were also several options for hands on activities for the kids but we didn’t
actually have enough time to take part in any of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The kids had a fantastic time running from exhibit to exhibit
and it is amazing how much information they actually pick up while tearing
around looking at things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We spent 4
hours there and still didn’t manage to see a large chunk of the permanent
exhibitions or take part in the kid’s activities so a return trip definitely needs
to be planned. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our in-house dino expert
was disappointed not to see an Allosaurus skeleton (he has very specific
requirements!) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>but generally rated the
museum as “really cool”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sheer size,
scale and huge range of things to see is a bit mind boggling so several visits
would be needed to really do it justice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For a day’s activity on a cold, wet Brussels Sunday I think it would be
hard to beat.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Getting there</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The museum is located very close to the European Union
buildings and can easily be found from Troon or Maalbeek metro stations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We walked through the Espace Leopold to get
to the museum and so took in some of the iconic sights of Brussels’ European
Quarter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took about ten minutes
walking at a 3 year olds pace to get from the metro to the museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were plenty of buses and trams which
stopped at Place du Luxembourg too so there are lots of options for transport.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>
</b></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Facilities</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There was a free cloakroom for coats and bags which helped
as the weather was bad when we visited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is a small café which was pretty chaotic and had a limited
selection of food available but there was also a ‘picnic area’ (ie a room with
tables and chairs!) where you could eat your own food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll definitely take a packed lunch next
time! There are toilets around every corner and it is very wheelchair/buggy
friendly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The staff were helpful,
although in a slightly surly Gallic way!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We found that most people spoke French but understood Dutch or
English.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a very well stocked
shop but it was pretty pricey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Entrance
tickets were under €10 for adults and free for 0 to 5 year olds which is very
good value considering the size of the museum and the amount of time you can
spend in there.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaG8ddJN5uZbKbbKzr5VgmGjOZxFu08UjHNcpKuoVQWRsDieBeB6Pwlag8cdyAJGdogfVpqgq7uQSIdl24R8DqavYKHd8R41jeGvKVEw99WNq33RVWJKz58ZhYA6_mARDn9eLqocNsRCvC/s1600/Brussels+March+2013+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaG8ddJN5uZbKbbKzr5VgmGjOZxFu08UjHNcpKuoVQWRsDieBeB6Pwlag8cdyAJGdogfVpqgq7uQSIdl24R8DqavYKHd8R41jeGvKVEw99WNq33RVWJKz58ZhYA6_mARDn9eLqocNsRCvC/s320/Brussels+March+2013+020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Expat mum in NLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089890024178178181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621029160834708915.post-31413617691561550182013-03-11T04:12:00.001-07:002013-03-11T04:12:13.544-07:00My top tips for living through building work Dutch style<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Last year we spent nine months going through the
process of having our house extensively re-modelled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am regularly asked about the experience of
having building work carried out in the Netherlands so I thought I’d put
together a few of my observations and tips for those of you who are considering
“getting the builders in”!</span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">1 - Get recommendations</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It may be obvious but sometimes it takes a bit of
work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because we delayed our building
work until we had been living in the house for three years (we thought we would
get the ‘having a baby bit’ over and done with first!) I had plenty of time to
think about what I wanted done to the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I was visiting people with houses like ours where work had been
carried out I always asked “would you recommend your builders?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through this process I gathered lots of ideas
about how I wanted the house to be re-modelled and who I might ask to quote for
the work.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">2 - Shop around</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It is probably my working background but I have a
golden rule that I must have at least three quotes for all work before I make a
choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the case of the extensive
glazing work we’ve had done I’ve now spoken to at least six different companies
and we’ve had three different window companies carry out the various work
around the house!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I haven’t always
chosen the cheapest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of our work
was carried out by a local guy whose work I had seen at a friend’s house and he
proved to be excellent at advising us and carried out all his work to a very
high standard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However for one of our
bigger glazing jobs I went for the cheapest option and saved around €7,000 from
our original quote for the work!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">3 - Haggle</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I love a bargain! So while I may not have been quite
so careful how we spent money on some things (we really ‘splashed out’ on our
two new bathrooms.) I drove a hard bargain for others. I told the kitchen
planner that he had an Ikea budget for our kitchen and we got a great quality
German kitchen for a fraction more than Ikea price, plus they threw in their
display dishwasher for free! I went between two glazing companies telling each
what my latest quote was from the other until I got them to the price I was
prepared to pay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took a picture of the
cooker I wanted in Hornbach with its price tag and emailed it to my kitchen
planner saying we’d buy the cooker ourselves if he couldn’t match the price, so
he did!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All these tactics slimmed our
budget, although building work here is very expensive compared to the UK,
particularly the cost of materials.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">4 - Get a good project manager</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">For our major building work we had a designer who
planned all the work with us then we had a project manager for the on-site work
and he was amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as he walked
into the house he picked up all the issues I had been worried about before I
had a chance to mention them myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
guided us through the process, helped us make decisions when things were not
going according to the original plans and advised about what to do for the bits
of work we undertook ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
complete confidence in the build throughout because he was in charge and when
the plasterer had a falling out with the carpenter he dealt with it all and I
didn’t have to get involved in their little tiff! (NB builders can be very
sensitive, territorial creatures who need their egos stroked and space to do
their own thing in their own way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you
can’t deal with that, and I <b>really </b>can’t, then having a project manager
who can is a big advantage!)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">5 - Vive la difference!</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Our builders were mildly horrified when they realized
we were not planning to move out during the build.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently it is the usual thing to do, but
when you have no relatives nearby and your budget doesn’t stretch to hotel
accommodation for three months it is not an option! So they had to learn to
live with us and us with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I
came down one morning to find the kids and builders all sat around the kitchen
table together eating breakfast I did wonder if we had all gotten a little too
used to living with each other!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
were also bemused by some of our design choices as they were very different
from what their Dutch clients choose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However we all agreed that the end result was a great combination of
Anglo/Dutch design and ideas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">6 - Contingency</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We built in a 30% contingency to our budget.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We should have built in 130% instead!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Building work always costs more than you
expect, there are always hidden problems that you find once work begins. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can also find that once you start fixing
things around the house it’s a little addictive, so you end up saying “while
you are here, could you just move that radiator for us?” etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You either need to be completely disciplined
and stick to your original work specification with no variation or accept the
budget will need to stretch!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also
helps to have practical contingencies for when the house is not
functioning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately we have a
friendly neighbour who we could go to for dinner when there was a big hole in
the middle of the house and the ceiling in the dining room had fallen down!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">7 - Embrace the chaos</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">If you cannot live in a house where everything is
covered in brick and plaster dust, where big hairy blokes are lurking in your
house night and day drinking endless cups of coffee and where all your
belongings are piled high in a corner of what used to be your living room,
while the kids sleep in a small corner of what used to be a bedroom but is now
a storage unit, then DON’T DO IT!!! Buy a brand new house instead.</span></div>
Expat mum in NLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089890024178178181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621029160834708915.post-44702434068754355632012-04-16T07:21:00.000-07:002012-04-16T07:21:35.895-07:00Time saving tips from a busy expat mum<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Over the Christmas period I found myself asking, for the 100th time, why are there never enough hours in every week? Everyone I speak to seems to have the same issue - there are just too many things to squeeze into every waking hour and they all need to be done yesterday! Obviously, I could take a more relaxed approach to getting everything done but I do not think the relaxed approach is going to work for me. There is simply too much to be done! So, in a spirit of sharing I decided to send out a request to my busy mum, stay at home dads, career folk and expat networker friends asking for their top time saving tips. Here are the results for you all to enjoy.</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1: Prepare the night before. Just about everyone I know has a ritual of things they get ready for the following morning to make it just a little easier to get out of the house. Making packed lunches, setting out clothes, making sure the dishwasher is empty and ready to be reloaded through the day. All these little time saving acts can help you manage the morning rush to get out on time and keep on top of the tasks for the rest of the day.</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2: Make lists. Personally, I am a compulsive list-maker and it seems many of my friends are too. I have actually moved up from lists on scrap pieces of paper to using Excel spreadsheets for "regular" lists such as packing lists and Christmas card lists. For lists “on the move” I use the notepad function on my Blackberry. I keep my standard weekly shopping list on my phone and I can then just add extra items as needed. At one stage in my life, when I was permanently attached to a computer rather than a 2 year old, I used Microsoft Tasks for everything. Professional and personal tasks would be logged and ticked off and I could print a list of all the things I had achieved and feel a great sense of satisfaction. Then print the list of outstanding tasks and come back down to earth with a bang!</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3: Freezer storage. It seems we all have freezers full of pre-cooked meals that we produce in volumes sufficient to feed a small army, no matter how many people actually reside in the house! So many products are now only available in bulk quantities, thanks to the supermarket’s approach to packaging, so it seems sensible to use all the ingredients up and store the excess for those days when there are just not enough hours for cooking too. Likewise, bread and rolls can be frozen rather than being left to go mouldy in the bread bin. Plus, for those of you with teenagers in the house, there is the need to keep a freezer full of bread to cope with the sudden demolition of an entire loaf following the onset of a chocolade pasta boterham eating frenzy. (I have been warned that no matter where you hide food a rampaging herd of teenagers will find it!)</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4: Gadgets and time saving devices. I would not be without my Blackberry and I know most of my friends are completely reliant on their i-phone or Smartphone. We use our mobile devices to help keep in touch, make lists, plan ahead, respond to emails, listen to music/audio books and remind ourselves of upcoming birthdays and anniversaries as we work or travel. This can be taken to various levels. I know someone who uses her phone’s alarm to time exactly 5 minutes for each of the morning rituals - shower, dressing, breakfast etc. to ensure she gets to work on time. I also know many people who use their phones to deal with work queries at any time of day or night. The Smartphone is the ultimate multi-tasking device, perfect for busy lives. Nevertheless, we have to be a little careful not to become a slave to the Smartphone. It is just a tool after all, it is not our boss!</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Many of my friends have a cook pot or slow cooker into which they throw a set of ingredients in the morning and leave it cooking through the day so that at dinner time a fresh stew or casserole can be served quickly. My personal favourite time saving device is the timer on my washing machine. Since my machine is in the attic, like so many in the Netherlands, it tends to make the whole house vibrate when it is on the spin cycle. Instead of having it running overnight, at the risk of waking the entire neighbourhood, I put the washing in when the kids go to bed and put it onto the 12 hour timer. Then, hey presto! The washing is going in the morning as we get up and has finished by the time I am back from the school run so I can get it hung up immediately, thus saving on ironing!</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5: A good start to the day. The very energetic of my friends start their day at the gym or with a run. This, apparently, releases endorphins which set them up for the day. Others get up before their families and partners and steal a march on the day getting housework or work tasks completed before the rest of the household disturbs them. For mere mortals like me just finding time to have breakfast is an achievement! But this is one of the best ways for me to get the good start I need. Before I have my bowl of cornflakes I am unable to construct whole sentences, it is the essential ingredient to ensure I can function for the rest of the day!</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The one thing that amazed me, after I was inundated with responses to my requests for timesaving tips, was how in all the craziness and chaos of our hectic lives we can still make time to help each other out. The busiest people are often great collaborators, they will make time to write an email with useful tips for everyone to share. They are also very disciplined and organized, no matter how chaotic our lives may seem. Just getting out of the house each morning for school, work or to do the shopping requires a phenomenal amount of planning and preparation and we often overlook this effort. It is too easy to spend time berating ourselves for being disorganized, forgetting birthdays, and taking three attempts to get out of the front door with all coats, hats and gloves on the kids. Instead of focusing on what we get wrong, or how much there is to do, maybe we should remember just how much we have already achieved and be prepared to take some credit for it.</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So I am now off to ignore the ironing pile, turn my back on the Hoover and poke my tongue out at the leaning tower of paperwork on the kitchen table. Instead I will celebrate another article written, another morning of successfully delivering the kids to school on time and the satisfaction of having put all my clothes on the right way round and without any smeary handprints visible on them! </span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It is the small victories.</span></span>Expat mum in NLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089890024178178181noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621029160834708915.post-52210965344576719852011-10-24T02:04:00.000-07:002011-10-24T02:04:20.923-07:00How many bikes are enough?<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I find myself contemplating this strange question after a discussion with my husband about finally sending my old, battered, mountain bike to the tip as it’s wheels are now beyond repair. It is the sort of question you would only ask yourself if you live in the Netherlands. In the UK I used to ask, how many pairs of stilettos are enough or how many handbags. Now its bikes.</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Before I came to the Netherlands I could barely ride a bike. I didn’t learn as a child because I lived in London and to ride a bike on our local streets would have resulted in certain death! Once I was a student, my pride and self image were too fragile to take the inevitable knocks of the extremely ungraceful process of wobbling up and down the (very steep) hills of Brighton on two wheels. Thus it was only when I moved to the English countryside in my thirties that I finally set my nervous bottom upon a bike seat and meandered dangerously around my cul de sac where the local 7 year olds generously encouraged my efforts.</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The bike I learnt to ride on was a deeply unglamorous neon, orange, mountain bike. It was passed on to me by a friend whose 16 year old son had outgrown it. Since she had kindly donated the bike I felt compelled to use it, so every summer for 4 years the bike was ceremonially brought out of storage in the garage, dusted off, oiled and tyres pumped. I would then wobble my way into the village which was a 10 minute walk away but which took equally long at my pathetic peddling pace. This annual event was my sole experience of cycling before I moved to the Netherlands.</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Once I arrived here it became very quickly apparent I would have to re-assess my relationship with 2 wheels. So the neon orange bike came out of storage once more and I attempted to get the hang of cycling somewhere with cycle paths and no hills. The first problem I encountered was my tummy. As I was pregnant at the time I found my belly was increasingly getting in the way when I leant over the handlebars of my mountain bike. Eventually I had to concede that a bump and a mountain bike were mutually exclusive and so I decided to buy my first bike.</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is where the slippery road to bike collection began. I realise I am not alone in this phenomenon, in fact I suspect there is some kind of mathematical correlation between the number of years you live in the Netherlands and the number of bikes you accumulate! We now have my stadsfiets, a moederfiets, my husband’s road bike, his old mountain bike and a whole range of varying sized 2 wheeled vehicles for the kids. I think we currently have at least 9 wheeled vehicles in our bike shed. </span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We justify the collection with the reasoning that we should have enough bikes for guests to join us when we cycle into town. I would estimate that has actually happened twice in the three years we’ve lived here! So, when my husband looked exasperatedly at the neon, rusty, mountain bike on which my adventures on two wheels started and pronounced it beyond his ability to repair, I found myself wondering if we really could do without it.</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When you anguish over the departure of an old bike does that mean you’re starting to adapt to a life where two wheels, rather than four, are king? But whether it’s a sign that we’ve assimilated or just a question of de-cluttering, either way the orange bike is going to the great cycle park in the sky!</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" />Expat mum in NLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089890024178178181noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621029160834708915.post-73142028698693659612011-06-06T06:00:00.000-07:002011-06-06T06:00:44.961-07:00Camping in Lage ZwaluweAfter much persuasion I was convinced to spend the Hemelvaart holiday with 2 days under canvas. The idea of camping has never appealed to me and the idea of camping with two small children was even more horrific to me, however a party was occurring at the campsite so I knew I could cushion the experience with a large quantity of wine!<br />
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As it turned out the weekend was glorious (until the final morning) and we had 2 days of setting up our little tented village in glorious sunshine and 30 degrees of heat. We barbecued and snacked, ran around the campsite with all the kids, played strange hybrid anglo-dutch versions of various bat and ball games and threw buckets of water over super-heated children.<br />
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The surrounding countryside was beautiful, the dawn chorus very loud, but reassuringly varied in song and I was even able to watch a pair of marsh harriers gliding over the fields in search of their next meal. In the evenings the bats came out and performed an aerobatic display for us while hoovering up the wide range of insects covering the campsite. <br />
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Unfortunately the final morning brought the inevitable arrival of rain - you don't go camping in the Netherlands and expect to stay dry the whole time! So we packed up our soggy tent and filled the car with damp garden furniture, wet carrier bags of belongings and soaked children and returned to civilisation - well at least solid walls and a hot bath!<br />
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The weekend was great fun, pity about the rain which spoiled our plans for a long luxurious Sunday breakfast and I'm still not convinced camping has any merit in a world where 5 star hotels exist. But the kids had a great time, we didn't freeze or get eaten alive and we've now passed through another rite of passage towards integration into Dutch life - after all whats more Dutch than spending a holiday weekend camping!Expat mum in NLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089890024178178181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621029160834708915.post-68996156254038709892011-04-11T11:21:00.000-07:002011-04-11T11:21:36.792-07:00Technopolis - a fun day out just South of the border!<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Just across the border into Belgium on the outskirts of Mechelen, Technopolis is an exciting interactive science centre with many fun and interesting exhibits to discover. On our visit the children and adults alike had enormous fun; pedalling a vehicle with square wheels, making man size soap bubbles, catching shadows and printing our own currency! There is so much to do there it would take several visits to see everything and press all the buttons/take part in all the activities.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The centre has 7 areas and a science garden plus the current themed exhibition - Plantastic, the wonderful world of plants! The 7 areas include space travel - where you could re-enact walking on the moon, air and wind - where you can pilot a virtual plane flight and action/reaction where you can ride a bicycle through the air! In the house section you can lie on a bed of nails, at building blocks you can produce an identification image on the computer and in the invisible section you can use smoke and mirrors to make someone disappear (I’m not sure who wanted to make whom disappear more - the kids or their parents!!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The waterside area held the younger visitor’s attention for a long time, splashing, squirting and pouring, all in the name of science. There was also an excellent science centre for the 4 to 8 yr olds where they could build a house out of enormous rubber lego blocks or shop at a supermarket and find out where food comes from.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We had a great day there with our young children and we also took along our 14 year old nephew who enjoyed it so much he’s told us he has to go back when he next comes to stay. So it really is fun for all ages (especially the dads, many of whom were spotted taking part just as enthusiastically as their offspring!) Our only criticism was the café which was hopelessly disorganised and chaotic and took hours to serve everyone with poor quality food - a pretty fundamental flaw for a café!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, in summary, it’s a great place to visit and you probably don’t even need to take the kids with you to enjoy it - but take a picnic!</span>Expat mum in NLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089890024178178181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621029160834708915.post-51733103558451300932011-02-11T04:01:00.000-08:002011-02-11T04:07:42.908-08:00What to buy and where - a Brit’s guide to shopping in the NetherlandsWhen we first landed here from the UK we were amazed at how different the shopping experience is here. Quite apart from the shock at how expensive many things are here compared to Britain there was also a culture shock as we adjusted to shorter opening hours, smaller shops and Dutch “service”. But now that we’ve adjusted to our new shopping experience we rather like it! <br />
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Whilst “service” is interpreted slightly differently here, it can be nice to be able to browse without being leapt upon by an over-enthusiastic sales person. The supermarkets are much smaller here which I find less stressful and I think they offer a good quality of fresh products compared to the UK (if you can get past the shelf stackers to reach them!) When I go back to England and compare the contents of the vast warehouse style supermarkets to what is on offer here the main difference appears to be smaller packets and less ready meals, although I do miss the clothes selection.<br />
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The shorter opening hours have meant we no longer spend all our leisure time in retail therapy but are forced to have quality family time - making conversation and going for walks (shock!) However we have noticed that the recent changes in opening hours, more out of town shopping and new supermarkets arriving are changing the shopping experience here to a more familiar model. Personally I’m a little disappointed about that, but I know for the majority of folk, who are not at home during the week and who have a car, it is a great bonus.<br />
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What I would have found useful when I arrived was a guide to what I could buy from where, especially the products that help to make you feel “at home”. Specialist expat services and product suppliers are here in Breda and many more are available online. You just need to know where to look! So here is an attempt to lay out some useful tips - it is by no means an exhaustive list but hopefully will provide useful information for newcomers and maybe a new experience for those who are familiar with the Dutch shopping selection.<br />
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If you’re looking for something to read, you can often find an English bookstore or the larger bookshops have an Englsi language section many larger towns also have an International Magazine Store. However buying international language materials in the Netherlands is an expensive business and now that Amazon.co.uk are offering free delivery to NL its usually cheaper to buy online. However if you need the tactile shopping experience or to browse with instant gratification then having these shops within the town is invaluable.<br />
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For grocery shopping there is a range of supermarket chains; Albert Heijn, Jumbo (famous for stocking Rice Krispies!), C1000 and for budget groceries Aldi and Lidl. These are just a few of the more common ones. But if you are looking for a wider range of tastes than those provided by the regular supermarkets there are several other options. Many towns have an oriental supermarket or grocery and organic chain Estafette have stores around the country. And if you are really missing the large supermarket experience, just over the border in Turnhout, Belgium there is a large Carrefour with a particularly good rang of wine and beer (plus clothes - yippee!!)<br />
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Most towns also have a regular market and local shopping parades often have a butcher, greengrocer and bakers amongst their offering and the fabulous fresh cakes and pastries on offer are a particular weakness of mine! There are several “British grocers” in the Netherlands; www.thomasgreen.eu have a shop in Den Haag and offer delivery, www.britishcornershop.co.uk deliver worldwide and www.stonemanor.uk.com have a shop just outside Brussels. Australian outlet; www.tuckerbox.nl have a web shop and a shop in Leiden.<br />
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One of the main complaints I hear from my expat friends is the lack of good value clothing. When you are used to popping into Tesco to clothe your family (keeping the cost within the weekly food buying budget!) or equipping yourself for the season ahead in the Next sale it can be a real disappointment to find you are limited to the high street prices here. Plus the lack of variability of size ranges - where can you go for clothes when you’re less than 5 foot 3?! But if you’re after a bargain its worth checking in Wibra and Zeeman or individual outlet shops.<br />
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For familiar names for fashion/accessories - Zara, H&M, Esprit and Clare’s are all available on the high street here. The V&D department store has some British concessions including Jane Norman and Accessorize. Plus a range of UK based webshops offer overseas delivery to mainland Europe for a fee - including Next, Debenhams, Marks & Spencer and Gap. For other products there are web retailers such as www.Kiddicare.com , www.bookdepository.co.uk , www.sportsdirect.co.uk who offer delivery to Europe, for a fee. <br />
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And finally once you’ve begun to assimilate and you start to feel like a “local” you will find you are endlessly popping into Hema for useful bits and bobs (or just for cake!), buying large quantities of Trappist cheese from the market and filling your house with fresh flowers! My favourite shopping treat is a visit to our local chocolaterie - the architecture, interior design and smell alone are worth the visit and the wonderful array of chocolate scrumminess they stock makes up for the absence of Cadburys in these parts… well, almost!<br />
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This is just a short guide on an exhaustive subject (if you're a shopoholic like me!) If you have a useful shopping tip or weblink please let me know and I’ll add it to my list!<br />
Happy shopping - English mum abroadExpat mum in NLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089890024178178181noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621029160834708915.post-82269392898819480462011-01-01T11:13:00.000-08:002011-01-05T12:27:12.528-08:00Life in the Netherlands as an Expat - Who am I?I have always been keen to live and work abroad; the opportunity to broaden your horizons, the chance to learn another language, a different cultural experience. When I was in my 20s, the folk who made me think "I want to be like you when I grow up" had nearly all lived abroad at some point in their adult lives. So I figured this was something I should aspire to. I also remember reading an article about Kristin Scott Thomas, the quintessentially English actress, who had chosen to live in France. She said one of the reasons she loved living outside of the UK was the complete lack of relevance that class has once you are a "foreigner". <br />
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This idea of life as a classless foreigner intrigued me. As an escapee from a country obsessed with class (still! in the 21st century!) I thought that you could go somewhere else in the world and reinvent who you were. Whilst that might be a very attractive and romantic notion its actually not an option for those without the necessary skills to make a good fraudster! <br />
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There are also some down sides to loosing your identity. In a new environment you are required to define yourself in different terms - an English speaker, a British person, an immigrant... As with many women immigrants I have found it very tricky to find a job that I can fit around the family and that allows for my poor Dutch language skills! So a key part of my former identity - my career - is no longer a part of how I define myself. However I realise I'm incredibly lucky as an English speaker that I still have the opportunity to take part in my community as so many people can communicate in English. It must be so much harder for women who have neither Dutch or English language skills or who live where English is less commonly spoken, it can be very isolating.<br />
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As with all opportunities in life it requires some effort to make the most of it. Nine months after arriving in the Netherlands I discovered the International Women's Club of Breda and that has really helped, pointing me in the right direction to find those key bits of information that often elude buitenlanders! Plus the freedom I craved really has transpired without the work and class identities that clung to me back in Blighty. Living away from the British work obsessed culture and the competition of my peers I no longer feel the need to prove I can be ambitious, balance a full time career with being a mum and have an active evening social life. I am a much more relaxed and happy person without that pressure. I hope my kids are also benefiting from a less stressed and more hands on mummy (although you do sometimes suspect they would be happier at daycare all the time because the toys are more interesting than the ones at home)<br />
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Of course once you become someone's mum you do tend to lose your own identity anyway (including class, education, career and social life!) and assume a whole new one. To a range of people across several countries I am simply my kids' mummy. Fortunately my children are lovely small people to be associated with and life as a mummy is rather fun. The social life is fabulous - loads of supportive people who are in the same boat as you and who can enjoy your triumphs (getting out of the house before 9 o'clock in the morning) and commiserate on your pains (that piece of lego you stepped on at 5 o'clock in the morning in the dark whilst stumbling for the crying baby!)<br />
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The social side of being a "foreigner" is also enjoyable. It sometimes feels like we are quite exotic when colleagues and neighbours ask about our life before we came here and our perspective on the culture here. People have actually stopped me in the supermarket to ask if we're English (they can spot us from a mile off by the way we look quizzically at the labels on the packets and have a trolley full of breakfast cereal!!) Plus the discovery of the International Women's Club has created an entire social scene from the very fact I am a foreigner. When day to day you are identified as "the English lady" it can be a relief to be amongst other English speakers where your foreigner status is not a novelty and where you can have an in-depth discussion without resorting to shrugs and hand gestures to get across your meaning!<br />
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So as a mummy, living abroad, I can safely say my class, previous career and academic achievement are all frankly irrelevant. However my ability to improvise (creative use of a new language, using paper napkins to distract a grumpy toddler etc) is tested on a day to day basis! And that has given me a chance to reinvent myself in a whole different way. So whilst I didn't need to leave the UK to enjoy a reinvention, living abroad has added a whole extra layer to the experience.<br />
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Since experiences are what help us to learn, feel more fulfilled and widen our perspective on the world then experiencing another language and culture are definitely giving me all the benefits I hoped for plus a whole load more. Not to mention, we're having a lot of fun!<br />
English mum abroadExpat mum in NLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089890024178178181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621029160834708915.post-78579120904344327532011-01-01T11:07:00.000-08:002011-01-05T12:26:46.119-08:00LIFE IN THE NETHERLANDS AS AN EXPAT – HEEL GEZELLIG!We've been living the Netherlands for 2 years now so we are hardly experts on life in this part of the world, but as we've looked to settle our family here, cultural and language differences have provided a source of both consternation and amusement, and I'm sure other new arrivals (and more established residents) will recognise some of our experiences. In the search for useful information to help navigate our way through the Dutch initiation processes I've spoken to other expats, many of whom have been here a long time or who've even gone so native as to marry a "local"! This has produced a rich vein of entertaining stories and recommendations for how to approach the complex business of integration.<br />
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When you announce to folk in the UK that you are moving to the Netherlands, most people assume that means Amsterdam or The Hague. There is little knowledge of life outside these locations! There is also the assumption that "everyone in Holland speaks English". Well, not only are there a whole host of places outside the Ranstad that are home to large expat populations, but there is a large number of Dutch folk who do not speak or understand any English, plus many others who lack the confidence to converse in English. We're also rather British in our approach to being "foreigners" and feel particularly embarrassed about our poor attempts to speak the local language, but feel duty bound to try as it’s "the polite thing to do!"<br />
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The language is without a doubt the most challenging aspect of living here. I could recommend to anyone thinking of moving to NL that they learn the language first, but I know most people don't get time or have sufficient motivation before they leave their native shores. That means picking it up once you get here. Both my husband and I took short courses in Nederlands very soon after our arrival. Whilst this gave us a little help, it was completely insufficient to really make the leaps in comprehension, pronunciation and vocabulary necessary, to be of any use in day to day exchanges. I am still hopeless at understanding spoken Dutch but can just about manage with most of the written Dutch we receive. I've managed to work out what to do when letters arrive from utilities, tax office, child benefit agency and a whole range of other random sources (the roof and gutter cleaning company took some working out!) and I've even managed to sell something on Marktplaats!<br />
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We have been very lucky and regularly find ourselves assisted by our neighbours and the children's nursery. When my little boy started at the nursery his teacher looked at me pleadingly with her big, blue eyes and asked if it would be ok to write in his daybook in Dutch. I quickly reassured her that this would be just fine as it would help us learn the language and indeed it has. Sometimes the handwriting may stump me but the language is slowly becoming less of an enigma. It is also a good guide to the colloquial use of the language. Writing about the activities of a 3 year old lends itself to a more informal style!<br />
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Our neighbours have proven great for both assisting in times of need and allowing us to practice our bad Dutch conversation. We have perfected a bizarre hybrid of Dutch and English (known at home as Dungels) which uses common Dutch phrases and basic sentence formation, interjected with English words when either vocabulary or inspiration fails us. The assistance of our kindly "buurt" dwellers has been invaluable in navigating the day to day use and abuse of the Dutch language.<br />
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The upshot of our, sometimes hopeless, attempts to "do the polite thing" has been some very amusing conversations at cross purpose and a whole host of bizarre hybrid words and phrases. But the net result is a great feeling that our community here - neighbours, International Women's Club of Breda friends, the nursery and our colleagues have all made efforts to make us feel at home and help us integrate. I've been told many times by Dutch friends that there is no direct translation for the Dutch word "gezellig" but I interpret it as "the warm fuzzies". And that’s what living here with all this help, good feeling and support from our community gives us - the warm fuzzies!<br />
English mum abroadExpat mum in NLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089890024178178181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8621029160834708915.post-11494673804066922282009-11-14T12:08:00.000-08:002011-01-05T12:26:01.151-08:00WelcomeHi there<br />
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I'm an English mum who has been living in the Netherlands for 2 years. I will be publishing here regular posts on my experiences of living in the Netherlands with 2 young children. There is all sort of information you find useful as a mum when you move to the Netherlands which would have made my life much easier if I'd had access to it when I arrived. I'm planning to lay it all out here to help other new arrivals in NL.<br />
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I will also be recording events and experiences which hopefully give a feel for life with kids in the Netherlands. Since much of my time is spent with my son and daughter, both of whom are under 5, the experiences I have are those of parents with young children - its not a student or career professional's perception! However it is lots of fun and gives a unique insight to living in a different country (issues like how to cope with the lack of CBeebies and where to find a toddler friendly play area!)<br />
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More on all of that later. Hope you enjoy my postings and that there's something in them that helps other expat mums!<br />
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English mum abroadExpat mum in NLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15089890024178178181noreply@blogger.com0