welcome_to_NL

Expat Guide

Contents

Let’s get started

We’re delighted to have you join our team. Together we will make a positive difference in the world by making fairly made leather bags with respect to both the planet and the people living on it.

We can’t wait to start working together to achieve our vision! We are all here to support you as you transition into your new role! So, don’t hesitate to ask any of your colleagues for help.

WHAT TO ARRANGE

Moving to a different country is an exciting adventure! You will start a new life in a new country. However, before enjoying this adventure there are certain things to be aware of before and after you arrive in the Netherlands. For example: Visa, BSN, and finances.

CHECKLIST FOR MOVING TO NL

To make things a bit easier we included a checklist made by the Dutch municipality. The checklist is extensive and provides a clear explanation about the things that need to be arranged before you leave and when you arrive to the Netherlands.

Click here for the list

BE AWARE

After arriving in the Netherlands, you should register within the first 5 days of arrival at the municipality. However, you are required to make an appointment. Don’t forget to do this ahead of time. How do you make an appointment? Read the checklist mentioned above.

Amsterdam

Welcome to the beautiful city of Amsterdam! Don’t worry... being new to this city may be overwhelming but you will soon discover that the city has so many amazing things to offer!

Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands and the city has about 850.000 citizens. The city is famous for its long tradition of tolerance, openness, and liberalism and is a meeting point for all different cultures. The history of Amsterdam goes back to the 13th century when it was founded as a fishing village. The city centre developed around a Dam which was built on the River Amstel. The location of the city gave rise to its original name: Amsterdam. The city became one of the most important cities in the world during the Golden Age and kept growing throughout the years. Amsterdam now is one of the most romantic and beautiful cities in Europe, a place you can call home!

SOME MAIN ATTRACTIONS:

• Historic Canals

• Van Gogh Museum

• Rijksmuseum

• Dam Square

• Stedelijk Museum

• Hermitage Amsterdam

• Anne Frank House

• Scheepvaartmuseum

• Heineken Experience

• Artis

MEETING NEW PEOPLE:

• NEMO

• Red light district

• Cannabis coffee shops

The office is full of great people that are always ready to go out after work, do some sport, or are up to anything you suggest to them! Don’t hesitate to share your suggestions on our Slack channel “#random”. However, there is also a massive expat community in Amsterdam who are in search for new friends!

Here are some recommendation to easily meet new people:

• Facebook group: Expats in the Netherlands

• App: Meetup

• Join social and sportclubs

All things Dutch

DISGUSTING OR DELICIOUS?

The Dutch are not famous for their cuisine, however contrary to popular beliefs, the Dutch food can be really delicious. A traditional Dutch breakfast and lunch consists of bread with various toppings. A traditional dinner consist of vegetables, potatoes and meat. Some popular dishes are: Boerenkool and Hutspot

TYPICAL DUTCH FOOD:

• Cheeses

• Poffertjes

• Stroopwafels

• Hagelslag

• Broodje haring

• French fries

• Oliebollen

• Rookworst

TIP: If you are ever in the mood for some of these goodies, go to the Albert Cuyp Market which is just around the corner of the office!

WHAT IS A BORREL?

The borrel is a famous concept in the Netherlands. People have drinks and snacks just before dinner, which is around 5 p.m. Commonly beer, wine, and bitterballen are served.

WHEN DO THE DUTCH EAT?

The Dutch eat early compared to other European countries:

• Breakfast starts around 6 a.m. and 8 a.m.

• Lunch starts around 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.

• Dinner starts around 6 p.m. or 7 p.m.

MORE OF OUR FAVOURITE SPOTS:

Breakfast/lunch:

• Morgan & Mees

• Bakkerswinkel

• De wasserette

• Cafe Beurre

• Dignita

• Coffee and Coconuts

• Benji’s

• Bam Boa

• Libertine petit cafe

Dinner:

• Spaghetteria

• De Plantage

• Brasserie Lolita

• Toscanini

• Getrude

• Barrica

• Nela

• Impero Romano

• Ceppi’s

• Lolo’s

• Tozi

• Volare

• Cecconi’s

• Mesiba

• Paskamer

THREE KISSES

The dutch usually greet friends and family with 3 kisses, this can be a bit uncomfortable and weird for people who are not used to this. Here are some steps you can follow to avoid awkwardness. Start with a kiss on the right cheek, then on the left cheek and then go back to the right cheek for the last kiss.

Be aware: normally men greet each other by shaking hands instead of three kisses.

PLANNING

Another thing to keep in mind is that the Dutch love their agendas. As an international you might be surprised when you try to make an appointment to get together with Dutch friends.

Don’t feel offended when your friend schedules 4 weeks in advance, as this is commonly done. So keep in mind that the Dutch are not really spontaneous, and they will follow their agendas religiously.

CHATTING

The Dutch are also known to have a straight forward communication style. This may be perceived as rude, however, the Dutch view the direct communication style as open. Don’t take it personally, after a while you will get used to it.

MUSEUMS AND CINEMAS

There are many great musuems and cinemas in Amsterdam. However, this may sometimes be quite expensive. We recommend some of the following to reduce your expenses:

• Museumkaart is an annual membership card that gives you unlimited free entry to 450 museums in the Netherlands (65 euros per year)

• Indiestadpas is an annual membership card that allows you to enjoy concerts of small bands (35 euros per year)

• Cineville card is an annual membership card that allows you to see unlimited movies in small dutch film theaters (18,50 euro per year)

• Pathé Unlimited is an annual membership card that give you access to unlimited movies in all the Pathé cinema’s (21 euros)

KEEPING FIT

In a city full of poffertjes and stroopwafels you don’t want to loose track of your fitness. Our employees recommend some great gyms and useful apps to keep you moving:

• Onefit membership

• Classpass membership

• TrainMore gym

• David Lloyd gym

• Alo Moves app

• Amsterdam Dance Centre

EMPLOYEE RECOMMENDATIONS

• Free Walking Tour Amsterdam - Local guides are thrilled to show you the hidden gems of Amsterdam for FREE. Well almost, the tours are tip-based and you have to book in advance where a small amount of 1.89 euro will be charged per person. Book your tour here

• The IJ-hallen - This is one of the biggest flea markets in Europe. It’s the perfect place to find unique products for low prices. Entrance tickets can be bought here

• Amsterdamse bos - The Amsterdam forest is a must go if you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. The forest is partly located in Amsterdam/Amstelveen.

• Poolcafe de Keu in Amsterdam West - This is the place to go for a good atmosphere, great music, nice people and a cold beer!

• Relax lounge - Stressed? Tired? Just in a need of a message? Try the relax lounge!

But first, prosecco

AMSTERDAM NIGHTLIFE

Amsterdam is famous for its nightlife. There are three famous areas to party: the Dam Square, Rembrandtplein, and Leidseplein. These areas have countless bars and clubs:

• Supperclub

• Chigago Social Club

• Jimmy Woo

• NYX Amsterdam

• Tapmarin

ADE

• De Kleine Cooldown

• De Ebeling

• Lovelee

• Paradiso

Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) is a five-day electronic music festival in Amsterdam. Parties and festivals are organized throughout the city each year. Keep an eye on this website to check the latests news and party updates.

More festivals:

• De Zon

• Fiesta Macumba

• Open Air

• DGTL

KINGS DAY AND NIGHT

King’s day is when the Dutch celebrate the birthday of their king Willem Alexander. The king is born on April the 27th and on this day many parties, festivals, flea markets, and fairs can be found all around the Netherlands. The Dutch royal family are also known as the Huis van Oranje. This refers to the color orange which is the national color of the Netherlands. On King’s day people will therefore wear orange clothing and accessories.

Where to go on King’s day?

In nearly every city in the Netherlands flea markets are organized where people sell their stuff on the streets. Some popular locations in Amsterdam are: Vondelpark, Jordaan, Beethovenstraat, IJhallen.

The streets of Amsterdam will be full of people dancing and partying. The best free parties can be found at: Vijzelstraat, 9 straatjes, Jordaan.

In addition, there are also many big events taking place during King’s day. These events are not free of charge. The most popular festivals during King’s day are: Orangebloesem, Loveland van Oranje, Kingsland, Cartel Kinsdag.

King’s night

However, don’t forget about King’s night. This is an unofficial party, where the evening before the start of King’s day many parties and activities are organized. But don’t party too hard, because you don’t want to be hangover on King’s Day!

Useful tips

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

The public transport in the Netherlands is a fast and efficient way to move around in the Netherlands. If you want to use the public transportation you should have an OV-chipkaart, which is a public transport card. You can chose between a personal or anonymous card. If you are planning to use the OV-chipkaart regularly you should go for the personal card as it has some perks: you will receive special discounts, it can be automatically reloaded, and you will get a reimbursement when the card is stolen.

Applying for an OV-Chipcard - You can apply here!

How to use the OV-Chipcard

The card can be used when taking any public transportation within the Netherlands.

• Always check-in when using the public transportation. You can do this by holding your OV-chipkaart against a gate or screen.

• Always check-out when you arrive at your destination. This works exactly the same as the check-in process mentioned above.

HOUSING

There are so many amazing areas to live in Amsterdam, it may therefore be hard to find a neighborhood that fits you best. To help you out we’ve provided some information on the most popular areas to live in Amsterdam.

Centrum

• The old historical city centre is a great place to live in Amsterdam if you enjoy the hustle and bustle of the city. The centre of Amsterdam is one of the most crowded areas of the city with large shoppings streets, tourist attractions, restaurants, and bars.

West

• Amsterdam West is up-and-coming and is quickly filling up with shops, restaurants, and bars. The area is a popular residential area and has its own identity compared to other parts of the city.

Zuid

• Amsterdam Zuid is a bit more expensive and prosperous compared to other neighborhoods in Amsterdam. The area is famous for the tourist attractions including Museumplein, Heineken Experience, Albert Cuyp and PC hoofdstraat.

Noord

• Amsterdam Noord is on the other side of the IJ-River which separates it from central Amsterdam. The area is popular among expats and is a bit more affordable compared to other areas. Noord is a developing trendy neighborhood and hotspots like the ADAM toren and Pllek are located here.

Oost

• Amsterdam Oost is one of the most multicultural areas of Amsterdam and recently many clubs, bars, and restaurants openend here. In addition, some popular tourist attractions such as the Tropenmusem, Dappermarkt, Oosterpark, and Brouwerij ‘t IJ are located here.

Read more about the areas here!

Housing apps

Pararius Kamernet Airbnb Rent Slam Funda Huurowningen

DUTCH LANGUAGE

The official language of the Netherlands is Dutch and is spoken by the vast majority of the population.

Don’t be surprised if you greet a person in Dutch and they respond in English. The Dutch are very good at speaking foreign languages and they can easily pick up on foreign dialects.

TIP: Use Duolingo to learn some basic Dutch sentences and words!

EN NL PRONOUNCIATION

Good morning Goedemorgen khoo-duh-mawr-ghuh

Hi Hallo hah-loh

Bye Doei doo-ee

Goodbye Tot ziens toht zeens

Your welcome Graag gedaan khrahkh khuh-dahn

Thank you Dank je wel dahnk-yuh-vehl

Yes/no Ja / Nee yah / nay

How are you? How gaat het? hoo khaht ut

I don’t understand Ik begrijp het niet ik buh-khraip ut neet

Duolingo

The adventure starts now