A DAY IN OUR LIFE LIVING ABROAD (american expats living in the netherlands)

In this episode, Michelle and Alex vlog one day in their lives living abroad as immigrants in the Netherlands. What is life like in the Netherlands as a foreigner? It's our first "living in the Netherlands vlog". Come to learn about the life in Holland as expats and stay for the beautiful shots of Rotterdam.
00:00 Introduction
00:38 Morning Routine
02:02 Rotterdam
02:39 Where are Michelle and Alex?
03:57 IKEA
05:27 Pillow Problems
06:02 Trash and Recycling
06:13 Snacks and Our Knowledge of Dutch
06:52 Groceries!
08:12 Evening Routine
08:49 Conclusion
We're Michelle and Alex, also known as buncharted, an American couple living as expats in the Netherlands, with an affinity for travel and snacks. Subscribe for new content like this every week!

[@buncharted]

We love our local Dutch "snack shop". What are y'all's favorite sauces for your fries? 🍟

[@sergeleon1163]

My favorite sauce with fries is peanut sauce

[@joop558]

I always take Patates speciaal, its curry mayo and chopped onions,mmmmm

[@kamsel79]

oorlog! Mayo & Peanut saus, and chopped onions! 🥰

[@realdigitalthangka]

Patatje oorlog!

[@davidben8426]

I always take a bigger one boeren patatje oorlog met extra pindasaus 🙂

[@FrankHeuvelman]

Doing your best to learn Dutch is highly appreciated here in the Netherlands. It opens doors that remain closed for others.

[@ericbus3457]

Although most people switch over to English just as fast when they detect that Dutch is not your primary language 😄

[@FrankHeuvelman]

@@ericbus3457 Yes, we are the worst. We should be ashamed for ourselves. Know what? I'll take the lead and start shaming myself right now. Come on Eric, you too. Shame shame shame, shame on me. Shame shame shame, in a minor key. Shame shame shame, etc, etc. You''ll get the drift.

[@24SoulDark]

A word of caution: tp drive an (e) scooter you have to have a designated drivers licence. This goes for both 'snorfiets' (max speed 25 kmh) and a scooter (max speed 45 kmh)

[@hugoblack4096]

So, I just "discovered" you and first of all, welcome to the Netherlands! I know I am reacting to a video that is 2 months old but I hope you will read it. My first impression of you two is, two down to earth people who like to explore and try new things. Rotterdam is known for hard working people and 'straight to your face' (or 'recht voor je raap'). This is typical for the Netherlands but in the west more then the east. You will experience this as rude or insulting at first but believe me, after you get used to it is refreshing. No more beating around the bush, just say what you want in a few words and come to the point you want to make. You will get used to it very soon and don't take thing personally. Next, the Netherlands is a small, crowded country. There are a lot of people on a small area of land but everthing is quite well connected. The western part has the most biggest cities and might be hectic and the east (from north to south) is more rural with local 'big' cities. I grew up in Rotterdam and moved to Groningen 30 years ago. Rotterdam is a separate city, it was bombed flat in the 2nd WW and totally rebuild after that. At first, it was designed more like an American 'car based' city but they are changing it more like a 'car-free/pedestrian" kind of city, which is good, I still have warm feelings for Rotterdam. Walking, and eventually riding your bicycle to do your errands around here, makes you a true Dutchy. The weather often doesn't cooperate but it shapes you and you train perseverance. You will feel better physically and mentally. I hope you will have a happy life here. Remember that no country is perfect and you will experience some assholes here or some uncomprehensible rules and laws but in general, life here in the Netherlands is quite relaxed and good for the people. Like every western country there is a balance between economics and people and I think the Netherlands is doing quite well with that. I will continuing watching your progress here and wish you the the very best.

[@buncharted]

thank you very much :)

[@dorryakgul1119]

I liked your day ...so relaxt .!!.and we as dutch People reilly enjoy when you can speak a little dutch like Dank je wel ..!!

[@atropatene3596]

I'm glad you said immigrants at the end of the video instead of expats. And I'm even more glad that you're enjoying yourself in our country! What's keeping you from getting bikes so far?

[@buncharted]

we were waiting until all of the residence permit stuff was wrapped up! bikes are on the list for this week (finally!!)

[@atropatene3596]

@@buncharted Yay! Just in time to also have to get rain suits 😁

[@Sokooo]

Real Dutchies cycle in the rain without one 😜

[@atropatene3596]

@@Sokooo nah 40 Minuten fietsen naar m'n werk. Ik trek gewoon zo'n neongeel gevaarte aan hoor, geen zin om de hele dag zeiknat op kantoor te zitten. Alleen pubers zijn te cool voor regenpakken 😅

[@Sokooo]

@@atropatene3596 hahahaha 40 minuten naar werk fietsen ‘s ochtends is ook wel heel erg enthousiast ;p maar top dat je het doet! Haha

[@ilsefaber683]

Mayonaise ofcourse!

[@markruitenbeek]

One of your best video’s! And all the spots which I’d chosen. Ikea Barendrecht, Dinges, de Jumbo; those were the days 😉

[@Yameta67]

Love your videos and learning the Dutch way.

[@collectioneur]

That was a humble story and I liked it. Keep doing things the simple Dutch way that's good for your mental health...

[@TinglingTaco]

Haha! I used to ride the Middeldijk on my bike so often when I was still in high school in Barendrecht.

[@Blizzzzzzard_]

That thing about recycling really fascinates me. We have the same thing here but most of the time we have bins in the front of our house and then once every other week or something the trash truck comes and empties it. I never really understood how America does it but it sounds complicated

[@bertoverweel6588]

I have the same Coffee maker , it's great . I like "pindasaus " on my fryes.

[@davevanbeers6944]

A nice kringloop near Rotterdam is “kringloop ‘t Goed” in Schiedam. 1 train stop away from Rotterdam centraal. A bus stops right in front.

[@Wielie0305]

I bought a moccamaster (machine from Douwe Egberts) 15 years ago… Still working perfectly! Oh and definately a patatje pinda 😎

[@ELAviation]

I like mayonaise for my fries 😀 Very cool video!

[@gklerk4170]

My favorite fries topping is Patatje Oorlog. Thick sliced fries with satay sauce, mayonnaise and chopped raw unions on it.

[@frankgeurts3912]

I always feel,like a tourist watching these videos (native Dutchie😁)

[@mariskavandasselaarofficial]

Those burgers look very 'lekker'! ;) My favorite sauces for my fries are mayo and pindasaus.

[@ElMariachi1337]

I'm gonna go with the pindasaus on fries, or at FEBO: patatje grillsaus (it's the sause they put normally on their famous grillburgers)

[@buncharted]

oh yum, we’ll have to try that next time we’re near a FEBO!

[@rudemanpatti]

I started to read to the comments on this video and I am amazed how many people are talking about how to eat the french fries hahaha including me myself and I. It looks like we Dutchies like our fries ;)

[@VashXTrigun]

I am basic so I just prefer fries with mayonaise more often than not. Mayonaise and peanut sauce are great too.

[@bertkassing8541]

Leuke video!

[@vanderquast]

great day 👍😊

[@jeroenruhl7495]

Patatje oorlog😋. Mayonaise saté saus peanut saus uitjes onions. You should try it delisicious

[@DaveVersteeg]

pindasaus...altijd en eeuwig 🥰

[@eugenehazenbosch7428]

Joppie saus or Pindasaus met mayonaise en uitjes. Patatje Oorlog. Lekker!!!! Broodje kroket also good

[@rmyikzelf5604]

Patatje curry speciaal. Currysauce, Mayonnaise and chopped onions. The currysauce is tricky though, most of them are way too sweet nowadays. Love the channel by the way! Welterusten!

[@buncharted]

they are very sweet! and thank you!

[@MableM1985]

Love your channel! How long did it take for you to get your stuff from the US? We are moving to NL and our movers are here next week and we’ve heard anything from 6 weeks to four months.

[@buncharted]

four months :)

[@zirca454]

You guys should visit The Green House restaurant in Utrecht if you are vegetarian

[@sanderjansen5187]

For frites I always go for patat oorlog, a combination of mayonnaise, saté saus and onions.

[@buncharted]

oh wow - that sounds good!

[@ronaldderooij1774]

Patatje Oorlog is without onions in my world. But, it sounds good, so, I will try it.

[@henkvisscher4379]

Perhaps the two of you should eat at the Vegan Restaurant Spirit, Mariniersweg 9 in the centre of Rotterdam and Hove a review.

[@bentandre5524]

try joppie saus with the fries...

[@dennishendrikx3228]

I am from Eindhoven, but I also like Rotterdam. Down to earth people, hard humor. Friet : mayo, then unions on top, gewurch curry, and top it with sate sauce, the peanut sauce.

[@buncharted]

wow! that’s elaborate but sounds very tasty

[@hildev84]

That would be a patatje oorlog speciaal

[@claraoswald_121]

@buncharted michelle, can I ask what brand are the grey headphones you wear? thank you (also for the videos, I enjoy them )

[@buncharted]

they’re apple airpods max! and thank you ❤️

[@dutchgamer842]

Did you try typical Dutch foods from Jumbo that you liked?

[@buncharted]

we’ve tried a lot of them off camera :) we plan to make a video with what we actually eat in a day (including many of those things) and dutch “snacks” soon!

[@barbapapas-left-nut]

Best fry sauce: 'speciaal' (curry, mayo and raw onions)

[@buncharted]

100%!!! that’s my favorite too!

[@dickwassenaar9722]

my favoriet saus on my patat satesaus with mayonaise end unions patatje oorlog

[@frankgeurts3912]

Rood Fietspad,thumbnail 🤗

[@bartlucassen9145]

Mayonaise and/ or satésaus!! Mmmm

[@rudemanpatti]

If you realy want to go Dutch you should eat fries with mayonaise and maybe combined with ketchup and onions (frietje speciaal) ... Fries with ketchup is typically American :)

[@nomirrors3552]

I'm weird. I like yellow mustard on my fries. Will I be able to find that in either stores or restaurants in the Netherlands?

[@buncharted]

it’s not as common, but even if you can’t find it at a grocery store, it’s sold in expat shops which are in all of the big cities!

[@themadsamplist]

There are all types of mustard readily available. The one you are revering to might be more difficult to get but it is available.

[@marcelrombouts8607]

OMG try the peanutsause already! (Pindasaus) You guys are American right? Over there folks combine everything with peanutbutter: the cookies, the icecream, chocolate. Even apple and cellery get dipped into peanutbutter. Hasn't it occured to you yet that peanutsauce with your fries just might be friggin' amazing? (spoiler: it is).

[@buncharted]

we aren’t huge fans of the peanut sauce here for fries, but we love peanut butter in the US! i think it’s hard to reprogram our expectations of peanut butter - in the US, it’s slightly sweet, and here, it’s not sweet at all and very peanut-forward, very savory.

[@diezeltrein5805]

Mayonnaise

[@luith6953]

What does Alex do for a living?

[@Teslacoil333]

😎😎👍👍😎😎

[@toaojjc]

You need to try mayonaise or frietsaus with your fries.

[@buncharted]

oh, we do! my go to is curry special (with mayo and onions)

[@Diegotheparrot]

@@buncharted Now you're at least 2% dutch already. Very good. Next up is frikandel broodje.

[@wouterboswinkel1713]

sate (peanut) sauce !

[@KimPhilby203]

How can I buy u guys a coffee?

[@trentfowler2888]

Hi, can you help a fellow American out please? We have two cats and two dogs but no human babies. How did you transport your cats? The other immigrants I've seen have been able to carry them onto the airplane. We have huskies. Not a carry on proposition. We are freaked out about the animals more than anything else. Help please?

[@buncharted]

we brought the cats with us in cabin on KLM!

[@trentfowler2888]

@@buncharted Thanks for the answer, everyone is seemingly lucky that way. I may be able to carry the cats on then. Great channel by the way, I'm really enjoying it.

[@chipdale490]

@@trentfowler2888 Dogs can also be transported by plane. Small specimen that can fit in a kennel underneath the seat in front off you are may be allowed. Depends on the airline. Larger dogs will be transported in the lower cargo hold or sometimes even in a freighter aircraft. Take it from a (just) retired airline pilot who has flown both passenger and cargo aircraft accross the Atlantic for nearly 30 years.

[@frankgeurts3912]

What made you, take the decision to come the the Netherlands ?

[@buncharted]

we explain a bit more in the "we moved to the netherlands" video, but just wanted a change of pace and the netherlands seemed like a beautiful, comfortable place to live :)

[@frankgeurts3912]

@@buncharted and peaceful 🤗

[@Maguramishi]

Haha! You started off as expats and signed off as immigrants. Does that mean you’re here to stay? Welcome!

[@frankgeurts3912]

Kat of poes?

[@frankgeurts3912]

Pets are American?

[@buncharted]

haha yes

[@KimPhilby203]

Why does Holland look so flat? Are there no mountains

[@buncharted]

it is flat! there aren't really mountains, no. there are hills in parts, but that's about it.

[@noamay]

Nice! What kind of work do you do? Or do you earn enough from this channel already? 😅

[@buncharted]

i wish! i do freelance marketing as well :)

[@KaasSchaaf666]

good that you call yourself immigrants, instead of expats.