AMSTERDAM EXPAT Q&A | Top 10 questions people ask me about living in the Netherlands

I always get asked the same questions about my life as an expat in Amsterdam. So I thought, 'Why not make a video about it?' ☺
Ummm... also I was having a bad hair day 😂 Next time I'll try to look In the mirror first before filming 😂
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Intro
00:18 - Netherlands vs Australia (pros & cons)
03:29 - What are Dutch people like?
05:10 - What is Dutch food like? (+ my restaurant recommendation in Amsterdam)
07:42 - Have I travelled a lot?
08:20 - How did I get a job as a non-Dutch speaker?
10:27 - Being an English speaker in the Netherlands (hint: not always easy)
12:14 - Am I learning Dutch?
12:31 - Have I made friends?
13:34 - Visiting home (Australia) for the first time in 2 years
15:26 - Will I stay in Amsterdam forever?
LET’S CONNECT
⊹ Subscribe to my channel - bit.ly/3jXAM2V ​
⊹ Instagram: ​ / leesa.yu
RELATED VIDEOS BY ME
⊹ Furnishing & renovating your home in Amsterdam: • AMSTERDAM HOME SHOPPIN...
⊹ Netherlands shopping guide (groceries, clothes, make-up/beauty, bookstores): • SHOPPING GUIDE IN THE ...
⊹ How to find a job in the Netherlands: • HOW TO FIND A JOB IN T...
⊹ How to make friends in Amsterdam: • HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS IN...
⊹ Amsterdam expat Q&A with Cheryl: • AMSTERDAM EXPAT Q&A WI...
⊹ The downsides of expat life: • DOWNSIDES TO EXPAT LIF...
⊹ Week in my life vlog - January 2023: • WEEK IN MY LIFE AS AN ...
⊹ Visiting my home in Sydney vlog: • SYDNEY CHRISTMAS VLOG ...
⊹ 3 day weekend in Maastricht: • WEEKEND IN MAASTRICHT ...
MUSIC
⊹ Sunflower - Lukrembo: • lukrembo - sunflower (...
⊹ Lakey Inspired: / lakeyinspired
SOURCES MENTIONED
⊹ The Guardian article (2021): www.theguardian.com/australia...
tags: amsterdam, amsterdam expat, moving to amsterdam, living in the netherlands, amsterdam q and a, expat life, finding a job in the netherlands, making friends in amsterdam, pros and cons of the netherlands, pros and cons of australia, dutch stereotype, expat experience, european travel, honest expat experience

[@LeesaYu]

I will start off with a question that I realised I didn’t answer fully in this video: How did I make friends? I met most of my friends online! A lot of people meet via Instagram/Bumble BFF/Girls Gone International. Some of my friends are ex-colleagues, some are friends of friends, and some were from chance encounters! What’s important is that both sides need to want to make a consistent effort to strengthen and nurture the friendship :)

[@jackvandersluis1723]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Nice vlog! 👍🙂

[@LeesaYu]

Thanks!! 🤍

[@nikki2590]

Woohoo! Insightful content as per usual. Glad to see you back here, Leesa. Looking forward to more Amsterdam content :)

[@LeesaYu]

Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed my video! ☺️☺️

[@Thisisshxron]

Thank you so much Lisa for this informative video! I just moved here about a month and a half ago. The job hunt it brutal but thank you for the motivation! I also, have never lived this far and for this long away from home so it’s a bit hard for me sometimes. Can’t wait for the next video! ❤

[@LeesaYu]

Brutal is the perfect word to describe job hunting in an unfamiliar country 😅 good luck - don’t give up and before you know it you will be all settled in! 🤍

[@theselfishcodependent]

I truly resonate with this video, particularly the parts where you shared your experiences of job hunting and the tough conversations you had with yourself. Thank you so much for opening up and being vulnerable, it takes a lot of bravery to show your authentic self on camera, and I appreciate you for doing so. As someone who also runs a KZbin channel, I completely understand the importance of being genuine in our content. Keep up the great work, Leesa! :)

[@LeesaYu]

Thanks for the sweet comment! x

[@amazing-mom2286]

I love this video ❤

[@LeesaYu]

Glad you liked it! 💛💛

[@Mila_luba]

Love this video Leesa, I recently moved here and I am job searching. I have also had to open myself up to a career shift. It's challenging some times because I literally turned down a great position with a big organisation so I could pursue my adventure here. That very fact can be discouraging but also inspiring for me to continue here.

[@LeesaYu]

I really feel your pain - I was in a very similar position to you. It can be a bit bewildering how you can be so in demand and valued in one country, yet struggle so hard to be even noticed in another. Don't give up & try to be kind to yourself during the process - and check out Bad Ass Careers on KZbin. She gives heaps of amazing advice on how to stand out with your applications & interviews!

[@catherinegunst5058]

Another entertaining and informative video! "people always ask me what people eat for lunch in the Netherlands, and I tell them: a cheese sandwich" haha 😂 so funny

[@LeesaYu]

You gotta see it to believe it! 😂😂😂 Thank god I have my lacteeze!

[@marias6626]

Hi Leesa, thanks for posting such a great and helpful video! Quick question and sorry if you have already answered this... are you able to stay in the NL bc you have a work visa? If yes, how were you able to stay in the NL during your job search since it was longer than 3 months.

[@LeesaYu]

Happy to answer! I am lucky to come under my husband’s highly skilled migrant visa. He transferred within his company, so had a job from Day 1. If this doesn’t apply to you, I really recommend trying to secure a role before coming! (Plus you might qualify for the 30% ruling, which makes a huge difference to your salary)

[@DamaxThomas]

Random question? Ok, let me try … have you tried spa/wellness center in the Netherlands? For example around Amsterdam there are Wellness Zuiver and Fort Resort Beemster. My Japanese wife love onsen/hot springs and the closest things to it was Netherlands spa and we travelled from France for that (and for sightseeing too). Yep, really random.

[@LeesaYu]

Sadly I don't have an answer to your question! I'm not really a spa person :( I have heard of Fort Resort Beemster but have never been there myself. Saunas seem to be a big thing in the Netherlands, not sure if your wife is interested in that as that's quite different from onsen!

[@DamaxThomas]

@@LeesaYu have you ever tried a spa in the Netherlands? Or maybe did you tired onsen in Japan? My wife would prefer a lot hotter water (around 42-43C) but it was ok. I guess in Japan, onsen are used as sauna, it is not expected to stay continuously and not for long.

[@thabisomotaung]

I remember being on a train to Doetichem and I heard, "bestse reizigers" and did not take note of it. I knew something was wrong when I looked up and the train was empty

[@LeesaYu]

Oh noooo! Hahahaha 😅😅

[@user-vf5ee6fp4n]

@LeesaYu Can you please share your resources for learning Dutch as well. I found a LOT of online classes, and I honestly don't know where to start. At this point everything about moving can get overwhelming for me :') Love your videos btw, they're one of the most informative resources I came across so far. Learned a lot from you

[@LeesaYu]

Yes it can be quite overwhelming - there's a lot of choices! Almost everyone starts off with the Nederlands Ingang textbook: www.bol.com/nl/nl/f/nederlands-in-gang/9300000042359315/. I have done my classes so far with BLTC (via my husband's work), but a lot of people use Taalboost and share very positive reviews. I really like Dutch Pod 101 (both the podcast and their online materials), Mama Dutch podcast, and Learn Dutch with Kim KZbin channel. Good luck!

[@anaeisen6512]

Landing a job in the Netherlands is a LONG and tiring process, I had 8 interviews to get my current job, but it only took me three months (in sweden I tried for 7 months in a row and I couldn’t get any). The good thing here and in the nordic countries is that most of the companies work in english, since they have intercultural teams from everywhere

[@LeesaYu]

Oh man, 7 months is brutal! Super happy you now have a job in the Netherlands and found the process to be easier! Hearing about your experience makes me feel way more appreciative of NL - not many European countries can quite cater to English speakers the same way as here!

[@annietsepalov5940]

What sector are you working in? My partner is in Amsterdam and planning on job hunting once I get the partner visa but I’m sooo nervous. Any tips?

[@LeesaYu]

I used to work in public health programme management which turned out to be absolutely impossible for me :( now I work as a community manager for a university which I’m very lucky to have as most uni jobs are for Dutch speakers (unless you’re an academic or researcher).

[@angelat8667]

Thanks for another great video! Re: the high salaries in Sydney compared to Amsterdam, would you say overall disposable income is also higher in Sydney? How does cost of living compare? Every time we go back to Aus I feel like it gets more and more expensive!

[@LeesaYu]

Yesss, I have to say I was really shocked to see how expensive things are in Sydney these days! I do feel overall disposable income is higher in Sydney. The average Dutch salary is only about €45K (this is even for well educated office jobs), yet cost of living is almost as high as Sydney. Even if there is a slight cost difference, I feel you get more 'bang for buck' in Sydney/Australia. E.g. average rent for a 2 bedroom apartment ~ 55-65 sqm in a nice location in Amsterdam is about €1800 - €2000 per month. That's not that much cheaper than an apartment in Inner West Sydney + you're more likely to get double the space for that price (and a newer/better condition apartment) 😂

[@angelat8667]

@@LeesaYu Melbourne at Christmas was the same, incredibly expensive! I wonder how much influence the availability of social housing in NL has on overall quality of life and creating a more even playing field? And perhaps a less materialistic/more egalitarian culture means things in NL are more equal and people aspire to the middle ground, compared to Australia, where the income divide is growing and people typically want/buy more stuff? Or perhaps I have a rose-coloured glass view of NL! Whatever the metric, Australia will always win on space, ha!

[@LeesaYu]

Yeah I also really feel that there is more social equality here than in Sydney. The income divide seems to just be getting worse and worse in Sydney, and people can't stop buying more and more things. Having a smaller home also curbs the materialism a little more too, since there's literally no space to fit more things!

[@angelat8667]

Haha exactly - I know that experience well!

[@mineralisk]

You are stronger than you think.

[@LeesaYu]

Thank you 🥺I think we all are much stronger than we give ourselves credit for 🤍

[@carmenquinteros5259]

Hello! your video was great! I have aquestion , while you were searching for a job, did you have a national insurance in the Netherlands or did you have an international travel insurance ? Thank you!

[@LeesaYu]

Happy you liked my video! 🤍 no we did not have travel insurance when we moved here. My husband already found a job before we moved, so we were able to become work residents pretty much right away. Also Australia already has a health agreement with the Netherlands in place :)

[@aiueo7999]

Thanks for the very insightful video! Quick question, (i'm sorry if you've already made a video about that) I'm thinking about moving to NL or Australia as a family of 3 and want to ask if you were discriminated bc you are asian or something in NL? I'm asian and my child is mixed so I'm worried if she'll get attacked by mean words. I've lived in Brisbane and was never discriminated but my husband prefer living in NL😅

[@LeesaYu]

Hey there! Your question is very valid and one I get asked frequently. I have not experienced any racial discrimination so far in Amsterdam or other major/nearby cities in NL (eg. Utrecht, Maastricht) though even in Amsterdam I feel that I ‘stick out’ more as looking different compared to Australia. Can’t comment on how it’s like in smaller cities and also of course children are different from adults (for better or for worse). I think the bigger the city, the more diverse it will be, and more open minded the communities will be too. If you’re thinking of living in Amsterdam or Utrecht, there are parent groups (Amsterdam Mamas/Utrecht Mamas) who can provide you more reassurance on this matter!

[@aiueo7999]

@@LeesaYu I appreciate your detailed answer🙏🏻🙏🏻　Now I feel a lot better to move to NL for my daughter and myself! I think we'll stick to major cities so we can see how it's like for us and decide if we like it😊

[@kyraatchason]

What websites do you recommend for finding a job? I am looking for a job and I've only had 1 interview and I've applied to probably around 800 jobs now

[@LeesaYu]

I really recommend LinkedIn Jobs - to me it was the most user friendly site. I also followed companies I was interested in which helped me stay on top of the latest job vacancies available. Check out my ‘How to Find a Job’ video where I list a few other websites that could be helpful. I believe in personalised job applications rather than mass applying for jobs. Check out Bad Ass Careers on KZbin - she gives great tips on how to improve your cover letter/CV and interview technique!

[@kyraatchason]

@@LeesaYu Thank you so much!! yeah sounds about like everything I'm doing. Yes I spend about 30 mins-1 hour on customizing my cover letters so I already do that but thanks I'll check out that youtube channel it doesnt hurt to learn more!

[@LeesaYu]

@@kyraatchason Best of luck!!

[@keshraskoti]

What's your suggestion for new expats living and working in Netherlands.

[@LeesaYu]

You will need to be more specific before I can answer :)

[@cosminbriciu9180]

How did you manage to buy a place? Can you recommend an agency or give some tips?

[@LeesaYu]

It was a long and lengthy process, but it helped to have a makelaar. We found ours via www.collectiefmakelaars.nl/. I'm working on a video about this (aiming to have it out before June though, still a while away) but my top 3 tips are: - Decide early on which city you want to live in and just relentlessly target those areas. Even if you work in Amsterdam, you don't have to live in Amsterdam - there are many cities nearby. - Figure out how much money you can borrow (you should speak to a broker for this) but also how much you are willing to spend in repayments & how much you generally need to have a good lifestyle (because maybe you can borrow a lot of money but you can't afford to pay such a high amount of repayments every month) - Decide what your top 3-4 non-negotiable priorities are. Especially in Amsterdam, unless you financially well-off, you can't get a perfect place that ticks all the boxes. For us it was: Convenient location with many transportation options, lots of natural light, 2 bedrooms, and no major renovations needed. One thing I regret is not prioritising the energy rating more. Our energy rating is only F, and it costs a lot of money to improve the insulation level by even 1 grade. Also I've since learned that nearly all places will require a degree of renovation, no matter how liveable it already is. Hope this helps! I'm sure my future video will be even more helpful.

[@cosminbriciu9180]

@@LeesaYu Thank you for taking the time to respond and provide all these useful tips.! Well noted and looking forward to this and other videos.

[@maaz5127]

​@@LeesaYu which area/city u decided to get mortgage in? Perhaps u can make a pros/cons video for areas around Amsterdam from an expat perspective? If it helps, I'm from Sydney and while my ideal location here is inner west/mid-northern beaches, i could only afford the mortgage in the Hills area (or could have gone Sutherland shire).

[@Hanshuber161]

I am very confused about how she says she is vegetarian, yet her mouth waters at the sound of herring? Since when is fish vegetarian? I am not trying to be condescending or anything, just honestly curious.

[@LeesaYu]

I never actually called myself vegetarian :) I eat a pescatarian diet about 80% of the time, so I still eat fish. I also even still sometimes eat meat occasionally if I feel like it, but I don’t buy meat to cook at home and try to eat vegetarian as much as possible.

[@Hanshuber161]

@@LeesaYu 01:57 I see, you said you're "mostly" vegetarian. Sorry. Not the same as 100% veg, true. I misunderstood.

[@jahkaakboboshantichannel]

its never ever cheddar cheese....thats britisch really bad cheese. great videos tho keep iot up

[@LeesaYu]

Haha yes, I know it's not quite 'cheddar cheese' but it is a similar texture. It's what Australians would be more familiar with. Thanks for watching :)

[@ingabbateantonio]

You gotta be joking, Sydney is brutally dangerous, the quality of life there is not high at all, not to mention how dirty it is

[@LeesaYu]

Erm… perhaps we can agree to disagree! I stand by my assessment of Sydney. I’m curious where you lived/visited in Sydney that made you feel that way.

[@ingabbateantonio]

@@LeesaYu I stand by my assessment, and to be honest I know no Australians that like Sydney. Au is an amazing place, but not Sydney.

[@catherinegunst5058]

​​​@@ingabbateantonioI'm an Australian (from Melbourne) that loves Sydney, so 👋 hi, nice to meet you! No city is perfect, but Sydney is a beautiful city!

[@ingabbateantonio]

@@catherinegunst5058 I simply do not think so, but understand I am from Naples and I lived Ferrara Brisbane Tokyo Shanghai London Guangzhou, my standards are really high, except London of course. Different experiences means different way of judging

[@Goodman849]

​@@ingabbateantoniowhat do you think of London ?