Watch Out Sydney, I'm Heading "Home"!

In just a few hours I'll be heading home to Sydney for six weeks. As an expat and traveler one of the hardest travel decisions I've had to make is spending money and more importantly valuable vacation days, to go back "home". For four years I have made plans to visit Sydney then postponed them, frustrating my friends and family by opting to go on more exciting adventures to places I have craved to see, to places I have never been before, places that add to my goal of seeing every country in the world.

But four years is a long time to be away from the people you love and the place you spent most your life. And I am excited to see all my family and friends, especially the ones I haven't seen in years, I am excited to revisit all my favorite hang outs and restaurants, to try new restaurants, to swim in Sydney's beautiful beaches and I'm excited to see the city from a new perspective.

And yet I'm also anxious about seeing the city from a new perspective. I never liked living in Sydney, dealing with racism on an almost daily basis made me bitter, never fitting in made me seek out new places to live. But leading up to the visit I find myself asking the same questions, will I like it more now? After all my experiences and travels I am far more self assured, or will I find I have outgrown it even more? Especially after adopting a European lifestyle and attitude so thoroughly?

Reading and listening to other expat stories I have noticed their experiences are the same, expats find them selves disillusioned when back home, and how can you not? after months/years of experiences of seeing and trying new things, going back home must surely be one huge anticlimax.

It's going to be an interesting six weeks, and it's going to be fun (and quite possibly frustrating) trying to get answers to my questions and uncovering more about where it is in the world I really fit in and want to be, it's such an exotic problem to solve, and the reality is that I love that these are the questions I'm trying to find answers to, it's pretty great to be a traveler and expat.

Holy Culture Shock, Batman!

There are two questions I've been asked a lot lately; 

"Why did you leave Portugal?" and "What made you move back to Amsterdam?"

There is not one simple answer to these questions, living in Portugal for a year was an incredible experience full of ups and downs, it taught me many things especially things about myself, it gave me a thicker skin when it came to certain social situations, it gave me the opportunity to experience the frustrations and joys of a completely a different type of lifestyle and culture, and to wake up every morning to a gorgeous sunrise over the sea, none of this will be forgotten but what stands out the most is Culture shock and just how real it actually is.

cul·ture shock

Noun
The feeling of disorientation experienced by someone who is suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture, way of life, or set of attitudes.

Experiencing this came as a surprise because after living in several countries and traveling extensively I not only (very naively) believed it was something that I was immune to - me? culture shock? Yea right, I'm super cosmopolitan girl! but a part of me also believed it only happened to a select group of people who enjoyed a little whinge every now and then, people who like to compare everything to their home country, people who never really appreciated or wanted to give any other way of life a chance. But I realized culture shock is more than an attitude problem and it can hit you no matter how much of a seasoned traveler or how open minded you are. And culture shock hit me hard, I vividly remember the sunny summer afternoon I decided to read a little about it and found myself ticking off every single symptom, suddenly everything made sense; the constant judging and stereotyping of the locals, the complete and utter preoccupation with my health, the feelings of loneliness, powerlessness, the constant feeling that I was being cheated, overlooked, looked down on.

Things began to look up after this realization and some powerful advice from my husband;

"Whenever you're frustrated about something, rather than judge people, think about and ask yourself why they might do things that way"

The culture shock eventually eased away and I have been left with a longing to understand, explore, see, taste and experience more of this amazing country, but as far as living goes Amsterdam is where we belong in this stage of our lives, Portugal was an awesome, crazy ride for a year but it feels good to be back in lovely Amsterdam. 

Finding Social Mecca - And Then Moving On

This week we packed all our favorite things in a handful of boxes, and a little moving company came to take it all away. That's right folks, we're moving on from Amsterdam. 

As a Sydneysider targeted by the cities social incompetence I’d daydream about moving and living around the world, always finding a new exciting place to explore and if I was lucky enough, to call home. In the most exasperating times I swore I would never go back as I imagined myself in some rural part of Hawaii living it up with the locals (that turns out only existed in my mind, but that’s another story).

But as it did turn out, it was Amsterdam with its socially forward thinking, beautiful in its old town charm and lively yet relaxed in its atmosphere that gave me everything I was looking for. Amsterdam revolves around pleasant social gatherings. The Dutch have a word for this; “Gezellig” and there is no direct translation for it, the closest I could come to describing it is “cozy” but even that doesn’t really capture the feeling of Gezellig. Gezellig is enjoying the company of good friends over food and wine, it is sitting by a lake in the sunshine with your partner chit chatting as you watch the boats go by, it is sitting on the back of your partner’s or friends’ bike with your arms around their waist as you ride back home from the theatre. When you experience it you’ve essentially hit social Mecca.

And in the last few months, it was exactly this that had me asking the questions; is moving away the right choice? Will I find this in my next home? Why am I leaving the friends I love so much? Why am I leaving this amazing community I built for myself? Am I crazy? Spoilt? or just stupid?

But, there is one solid reason why I’m leaving Amsterdam, the lack of being close to nature and beaches that are so fundamental to my happiness, without them I feel lost and find it difficult to picture myself living a fulfilled, happy life in any place.

So our adventure in Amsterdam may be over, but the adventure itself continues. Lisboa let’s see what you have to offer!

Fitting In and Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions

When I moved here almost 3 years ago I felt I slipped into Amsterdam so effortlessly that at times I wondered if I had lived here my entire life. I found the locals easy to understand and easy to deal with, I loved the sense of community that I felt all around me and I loved that women were completely liberated, independent and confident. 

And recently this all made sense when I learnt a little about Hofstede and his Cultural Dimension Theory, Hofstede identified several values (dimensions) that differentiate a country's culture and society form another; Masculinity, Power Distance, Individualism, and Uncertainty Avoidance.

So I ranked my home culture(s) using a really cool cultural differentiation tool I found online, and this is what happened:

Masculinity MA - The degree to which a country’s society supports the traditional male/female roles. 
Power Distance PDI - the extent of equality and inequality between people in a country’s society, low PDI scores point toward more social equality while a high PDI indicates inequalities of wealth and power. 
Individualism IDV - the degree to which a country’s culture values and supports the value of the individual over the group.  
Uncertainty Avoidance UAI - the degree of which a country’s culture accepts uncertainly and ambiguity. A low VAI indicates a societies willingness to accept change and consider new ideas whereas high VAI cultures try to minimize the amount of unknown situations, high VAI cultures also tend to be more emotional.    

All the things I hated and loved about growing up as a Greek in Australia were either toned down or toned up in the Netherlands; annoying, stifling gender stereotypes and crazy emotional reactions, gone, replaced by a better sense of community.

In fact the only thing I really struggled with in the Netherlands compared to Australia was power distance differences that I picked up on here in the work force, kudos to my fellow Aussies on that one!

The A-Z guide for moving to Amsterdam

On a regular basis I receive emails from people all around the world hoping or planning to move to Amsterdam, they ask for all sorts of things from how to find a job and an apartment to how to cope with the weather. I try my best to get back to everyone but a couple sometimes slip through the cracks – If I never got back to you I sincerely apologise, and if you’re still thinking of moving and need advice email me, I will reply this time, I promise… or you can just read this post.

Apartments
I keep hearing (and reading) that good apartments are hard to come by in Amsterdam, however most people I know who have stable full time jobs have found great apartments and found them relatively quickly too. I won’t lie though, apartments in Amsterdam are expensive and space is sparse, but the further you move from the city centre the apartments get bigger and cheaper.

Also, before you can get an apartment you need to show a work contract to confirm that you are able to pay rent.

And most importantly, do not use a rental agency, these agencies charge you the first months rent, a rate I think is ridiculously high after the costs involved with moving overseas in the first place. I always suggest the Marktplaats, an online Dutch trading site great for finding an apartment.

Banking
You will need a job/proof of income, a local address and a BSN to open a bank account. I have been using ABN-Amro and I find them easy to deal with, I am not sure what experiences other people have had with them, there are of course plenty of other options.

Biking
You wont need a car in Amsterdam but one of your first purchases should be a bike, it’s quicker, healthier and much more pleasant. If you’re a newb (like I was) Amsterdam is the perfect place to become confident on your two wheels, the bike lanes are amazingly well structured and a breeze to ride on. Because they get stolen often, go for something second hand and don't pay more than ~€150.


Dutch
Almost everyone in Amsterdam speaks fantastic English, so like myself it might be hard for you to find the motivation to take a Dutch class if you don’t really need to.  However, if you want to intergrate (better than I have) and meet new people there are plenty of options and the local municipal also holds courses
click here for more info.

Employment
If you’re not an EU resident you will probably find it’s almost impossible to land here without having a job lined up and finding a job without speaking fluent Dutch isn’t easy, there are however a handful of international companies that don’t require Dutch language skills. Success on finding a job will mostly depend on your field and experience (a recent geology graduate like me has no luck) however I know several people in industries like finance and marketing who picked up positions fairly quickly. Click here for a list of recruitment agencies.  

Happiness
Accept that you’re in a new place, that life here is different and don’t compare it to home otherwise you will never be truly happy (and you will probably bore the people around you).

Hospitals
Pray to god you never need surgery or anything else that requires painkillers, Dutch hospitals have a weird stance on them, that is they don’t think you need them (which I find totally contradictory when they allow pot smoking for leisure but not painkillers for… pain). A friend of mine commented something along the lines of home births being so popular in The Netherlands because at least then women can role a joint to ease the pain of labor.


Medical
Once you’ve settled in make sure to register with a local doctor and dentist, click here or here to find the closest to you.

Mice
They’re everywhere and there’s not much you can do to keep them away for very long. Unless you don’t mind mice you should probably do as the Dutch do and get a cat.

Patience
Don’t leave home without it, Amsterdam moves at a slower pace than most other places, you will find yourself waiting longer than usual for service in most bars, café’s and restaurants but the best thing about it is no one rushes you either.

Registration
When you move here you need to register yourself with the IND and get a BSN, if you have a job already lined up then your HR department should be able to help you with the details for this otherwise click here for more info.

Socialising
There is a HUGE expat scene in Amsterdam, you will probably not have a problem finding friends unless you don’t make an effort Meetup.com is a great place to start, there are several meet ups for both  Dutch and foreigners in Amsterdam to choose from.

Supermarkets
I mean minimarkets. Be prepared to find that the supermarkets here are small and have a small selection, but there are some great alternatives if, as you will soon find, you are not tempted by the local Albert Heijn on your corner.  My favourite place to shop is Noordermarkt a small farmers market in the Jordaan and the Albert Cuyp Markt in the Pijp. Marqt supermarkets have a habit of disappointing me with overpriced, not really bio, just pretty packaged food so I opt for a NatuurWinkel or BioMarkt instead

Taxes
I’m not even going to try and help you with this minefield, like most other expats I know I have a consultant to do my taxes. Talk to your HR advisor they should be able to help you find a trusted tax consultant. Also prepare to wait a looooooong time before you see any €’s return.

Weather
It doesn’t rain nearly as much as people think or say it does. The autumns and winters can drag out a bit but Amsterdam is perfect for cosying up in your local bar or cafe with your friends over a beer or hot chocolate plus the vibe in spring and summer is incredible and totally worth the wait.

The XYZ’s 
The I Amsterdam website on living in The Netherlands is by far the best and most updated resource, I would definitely recommend having a good read of it.

And finally, avoid the Expatica forums at all costs, they are full of negativity and whining that can really make you tear your hair out.

The Work Situation

Some numbers related to my professional life in Amsterdam since moving here almost 2 years ago;

~ 13 - jobs somewhat related to my career that I could apply for
~ 28 - jobs not specific to my career that I would do out of shear desperation for something to do
1 - university course related to my career path I could apply for

5 - volunteer jobs in the Netherlands I would love to do

9 - recruiters that I am signed up with

~ 46 - job applications and cover letters sent
2 - emails regarding university studies sent

0 - rejection or follow up letters

2 - call backs for jobs somewhat related to my career
2  - call backs for jobs not related to my career
2 - interviews for a jobs somewhat related to my degree
2 - interviews for a jobs not related to my degree
1 - rejection letter following an interview (pointing out that I went to 4 here)

1 - job

1 - number of years employed

(If you're considering moving to Amsterdam and are reading this please don't let it discourage you, my field is very specific (geosciences, geospatial) so finding relevant work here is harder than many other fields).

Pretty pathetic and extremely frustrating. More frustrating is the pattern of never hearing back from any of these places in regards to my application. Not one rejection letter, do companies and institutions here lack that amount of common courtesy and good business practice? It boggles my mind.

Recurring Dreams

I'm pretty certain I never want to live in Australia again but in between bouts of insomnia are persistent dreams of familiar beaches, surfing and warmth hitting on my body. The frequency of the dreams is getting a little disturbing now... They started roughly six months ago in October with one dream a month, then by January they increased to about two a month and by february they occurred about once a week. Now, this week I have already had three, last night was the most recent.

The scenes and people change but they always take place by Sydney beaches, there is always sparkling clear blue water and sounds of people enjoying themselves, there is always sun, lots and lots of sun, and I'm always blissfully happy. Occasionally, they get lucid, and I begin to think to myself - something isn't right because I live in Amsterdam now, of course! i'm visiting Sydney, I need to call my parents and tell them to come say hello before I head back to my life, but I can't, I have to fly out soon and there's no time. And then the dreams fade out and disappear.

Am I homesick? Or am I just going mad from all the cold and lack of nature and clean beaches?

Job Hunting Hell in a Foreign Country

I  recently mentioned how hard it has been for me to find work here in Amsterdam. Most expats probably line up work before they head to their new country. But if you're part of a couple you probably found it's not that easy... As in our case, one of you probably found a job and the other made the move hoping to find a job once you got there.

This is more difficult than it sounds. Back home, I used internet job boards to find work, but in my experience as far as the Netherlands goes, searching for jobs online doesn't do you much good. My first steps after arriving here were to contact geological, engineering and environmental recruiters and after signing up with them, or never hearing from them I then contacted companies in these fields directly, even if they weren't hiring. This didn't work for me, but I felt it got my name out there at least.

Of course my job search would have been much easier if I knew Dutch, there is an abundance of jobs related to my field here, all posted in Dutch, none ever got back to me.

But I guess at the end of the day nothing beats word of mouth for getting yourself a new job. And so, 6 months and 1 day later I am gainfully employed and it's in exactly what I want to build experience in. Life was so good yesterday and now it's even better. 

6 Months in Amsterdam

This Thursday the 1st of October will mark our 6 month anniversary in Amsterdam.

It's hard to believe we've been here 6 months already but at the same time it feels like a city we've lived in for years. I often find myself walking the streets around our home, walking down the Overtoom, walking through Vondelpark, running into people I know and needing to remind myself that these streets that I feel so at home in aren't the streets i've walked all my life. It's a beautiful feeling to finally feel at home somewhere.

Here is the last 6 months of my expat life broken down simply;

I am still jobless:
I try not to let this get my expat adventure down but the truth is - it's depressing how exceptionally difficult it has been to find positions in my field that do not require fluent Dutch. It's depressing to think my career ambitions have been halted, my ambition is pretty specific, and I'm dying to keep moving toward it. If my Hawaii dream is ever going to come true then I need experience in my field and I need funds, so I want an exciting geo job now please!

On the positive side, I am waiting to hear back about an exciting opportunity this week, if I don't get it, my next course of action is to enrol into an express Dutch course.

I have also been busily building a website directly related to my studies, mostly as a way to keep myself updated on current research and to keep myself in the field.

I've become a social bee:
We have met some wonderful new people and made some wonderful new friends, actually sometimes I can't believe how easy it is for me to make friends outside of Australia. I am really enjoying how rewarding and pleasant socialising here is, so much so that thinking of it right now makes me want to bake cookies and buy presents for all my new friends here!

The visitors haven't stopped coming:
We have been bombarded with visitors and people on stop overs, and it's been bliss! It seems like Amsterdam is a place many people are keen to visit. In the 6 months we have had three friends and Mats' brother come stay in our apartment, Mats' parents come visit, and five friends swing by on stop overs while touring Europe. And there are even a few more visits expected on the way! (I am working on printing a photo of each of these people in Amsterdam and putting them in our foyer and making an "Amsterdam Wall of Fame").

Other bits & pieces:
We travelled a little.
We got a kitty to solve our mouse problem.
I spent too much time lamenting about my life in Sydney &
I found life blissful enough to offer advice no one asked for.

Amsterdam is fabulous, life is great and I can't wait to see what the next 6 months has to offer!

The Happy Expat

If you're someone who plans on coming to Amsterdam and reads the Expatica forums, you might find yourself reconsidering your move to the Netherlands all together. It seems that a handful of people have found the Expatica forums a perfect place to vent all their little frustrations.

As I read the hostility in these people's words and their sweeping generalisations about the Dutch, I often find myself wondering if there is a certain type of person who is best suited to the expat life, the type of person who has learnt not to judge others, not to attribute one annoying trait of an individual onto an entire country people, the type of person who finds cultural differences fascinating rather than branding them wrong or constantly comparing them to their own cultures.

If you have never lived in a new country but are considering it, there are some very important rules to leading a happy expat life;

1. Do not judge or criticise others' way of life.
2. Explore and be curious.
3. Think of everything as a learning experience.
4. Remember that it's not always easy.

A happy expat knows that being an expat isn't always fun times, it's not always easy and it's not a vacation (like some people think of it). Being an expat means leaving behind friends and family, it means leaving behind everything that is comfortable to you, it means starting everything from the beginning, new sites, new smells, new tastes, new streets, new people, new banks, new doctors, new jobs, new everything... And what makes it so bitter sweet is that a lot of these things are what also make the expat life so damn rewarding too.