Why you shouldn't move to the Netherlands // Americans moving to the Netherlands

[@ellen3131]

When reasons to not move somewhere include: there are no guns, you pay taxes so that you can have safe roads, proper healthcare and not have to worry when you get sick, then there is something seriously wrong with where you live now.

[@cebruthius]

I'm pretty sure you missed the irony here.

[@kkr6es]

the money you spend on taxes that go towards better healthcare could just be saved and piling up with interest for when you actually need to see your doctor, or maybe have a gun so in any situation you can still protect yourself or help others.

[@ellen3131]

@@kkr6es Taxes for healthcare are only a tiny % How about roads, education, bridges, building maintenance, public transport, etc. We have that taken care of and maintained properly cause of taxes. And we don't need guns to "protect ourselves" cause no one else has a gun either, so we can just talk instead of shoot.

[@kkr6es]

@@ellen3131 I don’t think you understand that in the states we have taxes for all these things you’re saying excluding health care and the money saved there could be used for whatever you decide not the government and anyone can get a weapon, knife crime is especially high in Europe not specifically holland but if a group of men with knifes circle you with ill intent the absolute best weapon to defend yourself in that situation is a firearm

[@ellen3131]

I'm just glad people here don't go bankrupt over medical bills, or have to refuse care cause they can't afford it, or have to wait for an operation cause the insurance company can't decide if it's needed or not. I'd happily pay taxes to avoid that for myself and others. And rather not have everyone own a gun, so that kids can go to school without a bulletproof backpack and gun drills. Cause that's the price Americans pay for their false sense of freedom.

[@John-zl8qx]

Basically if you don't like the USA you'll like the Netherlands.

[@sjefhendrickx2257]

You like it everywhere else than!

[@mouwersor]

@@sjefhendrickx2257 Why? Don't you love having freedom? I do. The Netherlands sucks.

[@xerxescroes2281]

I was born and raised in Amsterdam and I happily traded the Netherlands for the USA. Love the USA. I also love the Netherlands, just prefer the USA.

[@Amelia-Elizabeth]

I'm 54 and my wife and I are VERY worried about our future, gas and food prices rising daily. We have had our savings dwindle with the cost of living into the stratosphere, and we are finding it impossible to replace them. We can get by, but can't seem to get ahead. My condolences to anyone retiring in this crisis, 30 years nonstop just for a crooked system to take all you worked for.

[@Amelia-Elizabeth]

@rachealhubert74 That's actually quite impressive, I could use some Info on your FA, I am looking to make a change on my finances this year as well

[@Patricia-Margaret]

@rachealhubert74 The crazy part is that those advisors are probably outperforming the market and raising good returns but some are charging fees over fees that drain your portfolio. Is this the case with yours too?

[@Amelia-Elizabeth]

@rachealhubert74 I will give this a look, thanks a bunch for sharing.

[@Susanne-zuku]

@@Amelia-Elizabeth Alice Marie Coraggio her trading strategies is working for me for more than a year now and I’m making good profit from the stock market and she's 100% honest, reputable and trustworthy

[@passantNL]

Guns are definitely possible in the Netherlands. But there are many strings attached. For instance you can not have a criminal record, need to be mentally stable, it can not be an automatic weapon, you must be a member of a registered gun club, you have to practice regularly, you need a place to safely store your gun, you can not openly carry your gun, etc. And if you satisfy all those conditions, you can apply for a permit. It's just too much hassle for most people. And the rules are not widely known so many people just assume that all guns are illegal here.

[@margreetanceaux3906]

Allow me to add one more detail: it is always illegal to show something that resembles a real weapon. For one thing this originates in the fright of any police officer to shoot someone for pointing a gun - which turns out to be a plastic toy.

[@bomcabedal]

@@margreetanceaux3906 A "real weapon" includes a host of objects: knives, baseball bats, etc.

[@rolandlemmers6462]

And before someone can purchase a gun one has to be a member of that club for at least one year. Another thing is that police can stop by and come into you house to check whether you store your firearms properly. Guns and ammo separately stored. Is the gunsafe really safe. No things in that safe that should not be there.

[@reuireuiop0]

I'd like to cite a late American hero here ” leave your guns at home son, don't take yer guns to town” Least, our towns 😏 btw, the man's name is Cash

[@nightfly4664]

@@rolandlemmers6462 On top of that, the gun safe has to have a specific certification, and it has to be anchored if it weighs less than 200 kg. Also, the police will inspect the gun safe on a yearly basis.

[@janman]

Those who drive in the Netherlands have the most satisfying experience in the world, according to a study launched by Waze. Now, I've never owned a car and I've never needed to, because all infrastructure in the Netherlands is created to work for every road user. Some people mistake it for being made just for cyclists, but pedestrians and car drivers, as well as many specialty road users/vehicles get to enjoy excellent and especially safe infrastructure as well....nationwide(not just in Amsterdam). The people that actually drive a car, mostly are the people that very often want to drive a car. Anyone else, no matter what your income, has the option to do whatever they enjoy better; cycle, walk, use public transport, etc. It makes the moving about to wherever all the more enjoyable. No one is forced into a car for anything.

[@chloec8219]

I love that.. I hate how you’re basically forced to buy a car in most places in America. I get judged so hard for using public transit because it’s seen as “poor”

[@nw2683]

@@chloec8219 Cycling is probably also one of the reasons why the Dutch people tend to be healthier than most Americans and a few other countries obviously there are always exceptions.

[@myJOJA]

PT isn't easy accessable in smaller cities/towns. And their routes isn't always efficient. Cycling usually is faster than pt when you stay in the same city.

[@assalting7310]

Damn, I was expecting to hear actual problems, guess I’m moving out the US faster than I thought 🤣

[@samuelugh5729]

I head u lol

[@aaronkamakaze2967]

I’m willing to bet you are still here. As usual.

[@assalting7310]

@@aaronkamakaze2967 I’m barely 18+ couldn’t move even if I wanted to since I didn’t have a job at the time 🤣

[@giarnovanzeijl399]

@@assalting7310 So how's that progressing?

[@mouwersor]

This is practically a propaganda channel and you're voluntarily walking into worse servitude in a long dead country, but go ahead.

[@TheEvertw]

On taxes: @Money & Macro has recently made a video comparing how much the Dutch and Americans actually make, and it turns out that most Dutch people actually pay less taxes than their economic counterparts in the USA. Only the rich are better of (tax-wise) in the USA. Low-income Americans pay more taxes than low-income Dutch people, among others because the poor in the Netherlands get many tax breaks, subsidies, and because the costs of living are lower. And the Netherlands has a better minimum wage.

[@aWanderlustForLife]

Thanks! I'll have to check it out. Doesn't surprise me, though.

[@TheEvertw]

​@@aWanderlustForLife It was a big surprise for me! I often see Americans deriding European welfare states because it would tax the middle incomes too much. But it turns out that US society is optimized to transfer as much money as possible to the (very) rich, and ONLY to the (very) rich.

[@petegee2852]

@@aWanderlustForLife if you live in California with highest tax bracket , you paid 12 % + 37 % federal + 3.8 % Obama surtax. That is more than 50 percent. Plus property tax which is much higher than most European. Sales tax is less but you will pay about 7 % more.

[@MichaelRozie]

Yes but middleclass Dutch get to pay for all the imported people, the lazy moochers etc. While the rich evade the taxes. I like the saying that soon Amsterdam will only house rich and poor. The rich can afford it, the poor get it for free

[@TheEvertw]

@@MichaelRozie "imported people" Do your homework, you will find that those "imported people" have very positive contributions to the economy. They pay for themselves. Want a demonstration? Just look at how the UK economy is collapsing now they turned a part of those imported people out.

[@zachnotzack4]

Amsterdam is a city that fits my personality perfectly and I’m seriously considering moving here.

[@aWanderlustForLife]

I hope you can make it work!

[@scottman895]

The generous vacation or holiday time is one thing I highly admire about not just the Netherlands but all of Europe. For some reason, the US is one country which does not value taking days off from work (or as little as possible). Although I am fortunate to work for a German-based company where it is very generous with paid time off, the majority are not. For example, today is the observed Independence Day with it falling on a Sunday this year, and my dad is working today. I really enjoyed listening and watching this video!

[@aWanderlustForLife]

It's all so night and dat with how the US handles things. It's hard to imagine going back to it. We are certainly spoiled!

[@IlliosAyara]

Generous? we think we dont get that many days, 20. There are many European countries that have more days, like France, Germany, uhm, almost every other european country really.

[@aWanderlustForLife]

@@IlliosAyara To an American is isn't guaranteed ANY days and if we get them, they are usually around 10-12 a year, it's a lot of days. I used to work for a state government and we earned one day a month, do you don't get them all at once. It's all about your reference point.

[@LaLa-ck9zp]

@@IlliosAyara The US conditions it’s citizens from the moment they enter public spaces in early childhood, to believe hard work is essential to anything - success, happiness, respect, accomplishment, survival. It is a system designed to keep the majority of its people poor (making them labor assets), while promising you can rise above poverty if you simply work hard (literally “the American dream”). It’s deeply woven into social fabric, propagated in every single aspect of life here. So even when you are given vacation days, most people are struck with a sense of guilt in taking them, fear they will be seen as less hard working (less valuable), and will miss out on advancement opportunities. Even with sick days, many employees are actively afraid to call in sick - for fear of again, being perceived by their employer as unreliable, less hard-working, less dedicated, and less valuable. It’s conditioned here, for employees to feel beholden to their employers - to go above and beyond to “prove” they are more hard-working than the next person who could replace them. You go in early, you stay late, you never take vacation days, you certainly don’t travel or take sabbaticals, and if you do take a day or two for a wedding in another state, you do it with a great sense of stress and guilt, often with the anticipation that you must still be available by phone or email if needed. This assumes of course, that you have the money to travel out of state, most working Americans cannot afford travel. Same with sick days, most of which will not be paid sick days. If you have children who interfere with your ability to be “flexible” (a term used pretty much in every job listing or interview, to again, mark your value based on how consumed by work you are willing to be) that is another mark against your value as as a workhorse. This is the same reason the US does not have a federal paid family leave policy. People boast (truly, it’s insanity) of their long work week, as though working 60 hours is impressive, but not as impressive as working 80 hour weeks. They boast of how long and hard they have had to work - like having to support yourself or your family from age 16 is a positive qualifier of your existence. The phrase “hardworking American” is used as another positive qualifier amongst poorer “blue collar” Americans. They will define themselves this way as a boast or to signal their “good character” (ie their value) to other people, including potential romantic partners. This is obviously a conditioned thinking, as it serves the government if it’s citizens continue to believe their inherent value and character is determined by how hardworking they are. I think many people, especially Americans, are very brainwashed and blind to how absolutely terrible it is to live in the US.

[@RealConstructor]

@@IlliosAyara By law you get a minimum of 20 days. There are added days by the central labor agreement. I get 20 days lawful holidays, 8 adv days (labor shortening days) and 8 senior days off (only for people above the age of 57). And we get 13 days payed out in your salary over one year. So1 1/13th day a month, which you can buy back and if you don’t, you have a higher monthly wage. In 2021 I didn’t buy any days off and I still had 5 lawful holidays left from last year, which I have to use in the first half of this year, otherwise they’re gone at July 1st. So I can take 49 days off work in a year. Or take 36 days off and have a higher salary. It is an excellent system, in my opinion.

[@TimothyHuffGuitar]

The way the Netherlands handles health care, infrastructure, and other issues is above average for the world and actually a role model country!

[@mouwersor]

Sadly those are far from the only or even most important aspects in life. Maybe if you are an unhealthy amerifat maybe, and like to live off the labour of others.

[@TimothyHuffGuitar]

@@mouwersor I've been a hard working person for my entire adult life on up until 2 years ago when I suddenly experienced a stabbing pain in my back that also radiated down the inside of my left leg. I am so thankful for Medicade since my insurance from work only covered my first year of long-term disability.

[@hanvroman]

Infrastructuur?... Er is de hele dag file rijden tegenwoordig, misschien voor de fietsers..

[@nabsbil]

The Netherlands are not the only ones, it is the same in all Western and Northern European countries.

[@stravaganza7616]

Yes, but it's FAR from perfect!! I say this as a born and raised Dutchy and I can't wait to find a home in one of our neighboring countries, where everything is a bit more affordable and easy going...

[@rygy82]

I know that many companies in Germany "force" their employees to take vacation. My aunt was shocked when she came to the States and found that employers aren't required to give vacation or sick time.

[@williamgeardener2509]

Thank you for pointing out that Amsterdam doesn't equal to the Netherlands.

[@kbanghart]

What's the cost of real estate there, like not in the city but maybe out a little ways? And do people have to have two incomes to survive? My wife and I are trying to figure out where we want to retire.

[@aWanderlustForLife]

@@kbanghart Numbeo is a good resource for getting general numbers but Funda.nl is what many of us use to look for houses. They should help with your question. As far as income. I do blogging and KZbin full time and dont make anything close to a normal salary and I put the money back into the business so for 3.5 years we live on essentially one salary. But we bought our home when I had a normal salary to get the mortgage but bought in the price range we knew we could afford with one. And he makes a normal salary not an "expat" one with a 30% ruling. Renting in Amsterdam would be difficult on one, I'd think and we bought so we wouldn't deal with the rise in housing costs...and we got lucky with the timing of the purchase and location.

[@kbanghart]

@@aWanderlustForLife ahh ok thanks. What's the 30% ruling thing mean?

[@Aazhyd]

Vacation: by law, everyone who works full time (36 or 40 hours a week) gets 20 paid vacation days each year. But most employers add 4-5 days to that, sometimes more. In most of Europe, that's totally normal. And we also actually use those days and nobody thinks that's weird. Not even your boss.

[@Sandra-wl1iq]

About the Big Brother argument: It's definitely not an all in one system. It might feel that way when a caretaker can see your insurance information, but it's actually well thought out which part of government or which caretaker needs what information. The caretaker you visited can only see how many sessions fall within your insurance, because that's the information he needs. But nothing else is visible for him. Even within the same branch of government, information is only available to the person helping you if it's specified in their job description that they need that information to do their work properly. Especially with the new privacy law, AVG, it's even more regulated. It is true that BSN is the usual gateway to that information, so it's important to not share that number publicly.

[@aWanderlustForLife]

Thank you for clarifying! That's certainly interesting indeed. I think as a culture who doesn't trust that it could be that way (information separated) I think many Americans would still think it very uncomfortable. But, I'm certainly glad to know more!

[@BramBergs]

Americans (not all, obv): "Why do you wear a mask? You're just scared!" Dutch: "Oh yeah, what are all the guns for then?"

[@aWanderlustForLife]

🤣 You're not wrong

[@seanbrummfield448]

I'm all the way up here in Alaska, and have never held a gun in my life. lmao.

[@petegee2852]

@@seanbrummfield448 US has the highest murder rates in the first world countries.

[@seanbrummfield448]

@@petegee2852 True, but what does have to do with what I said?

[@petegee2852]

@@seanbrummfield448 US has the highest gun owner s in the world but does not mean all 350 million Americans own gun. I live in Arizona but I don't own any gun

[@normadesmond6017]

we have a ceremonial monarchy in the Netherlands. That means that the King has no influence over what the parlement decides to do or laws that are beeing made. Once a week the prime minister goes to the King to talk to him about what has been in going on during the week in parlement. The King can give an opinion or an advice, but in fact it means nothing about what the parlement decides. The King has a different function for the country and it is not a political one.

[@LogiForce86]

Groningen does have a 24/7 "nightlife" though... so yeah, we do party. In fact I was surprised that things closed at 11 when I was in Ohio. That's when we get the party started in Groningen. 😅

[@dashiell88]

Lol, I’m going to college in Pittsburgh and everything closes at 10

[@adotholland22]

boeren lul feest

[@LogiForce86]

@@adotholland22 Jij komt veel je huis uit heb ik al door. 🤡

[@rubberducko3136]

Haha indeed

[@Iamsanni]

Niet elke dag..

[@ssimms8995]

I really want to move to the Netherlands. I am learning dutch now and hope to stay there forever.

[@aWanderlustForLife]

Best of luck in your journey

[@ssimms8995]

@@aWanderlustForLife thank you😊

[@lostinmobile]

Amazing Video! Thank you for taking the time, talking with us all, and share these valuable tips....

[@grants7390]

i live in the U.S. and all of that except the high rent sounds great to me and is exactly what I'm looking for.

[@Anonymous-wq1rf]

Thank you for a nice, enthusiastic review of The Netherlands but you would find similar in all the OECD countries. 40% and 50% tax is the highest rate and is never due on your whole income. Invariably there is a tax free band followed by increasingly higher rate bands. Similarly, the 20% VAT (sales tax) is only applied to 'non-essentials'. You have to add up the actual costs and benefits of living in the EU, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand etc over your whole lifetime. Renting your home may be convenient in the short term but it can make it impossible to save the required deposit for a purchase. In the UK in 1976 I was fortunate that my employer (a large American Company) would guarantee a twelve year loan for the 10% deposit. Much cheaper than renting so long as I did my own DIY maintenance and improvements. Unlike huge American homes that only last for fifty years, European houses last for hundreds if not thousands of years and increase in value way beyond the rate of inflation.

[@charlesvanderhoog7056]

We can walk safely from one part of the city or country to another. Children play happily on the streets. Young girls have fun without fear. According to 50% of Americans that is bad.

[@kbanghart]

It really depends on which Americans you talk to. I'm a progressive living in california, and in my opinion of myself, I am mainly optimistic, so my quality of life is very good. But if you talk to conservatives who hate us progressives, they will tell you that life is horrible here lol. They will claim that taxes are killing them and they can't afford anything, and yet of course on their social media they brag about owning new cars and new this and new that... Go figure.

[@tompiper9276]

@@kbanghart I'm pretty sure it was the other 50%......Not the 50%that you associated with.

[@silasbishop3055]

@@kbanghart Because in the United States we pay taxes and none of it goes to actually benefit the average citizen. Progressive policies in the US have largely failed, creating hotbeds of homelessness and crime. American "Progressives" ignore the implications and outcomes of their policies.

[@silasbishop3055]

@@tompiper9276 I'm pretty sure that 50/50 divide isn't real.

[@kbanghart]

@@silasbishop3055 I love being progressive

[@aprilragsdell2846]

Thanks! I want to move to Europe (from States) SO badly 😢, and yes, Netherlands is on my list of possibilities!

[@aWanderlustForLife]

I wish you luck! If you manage to do it, I hope you love it 😊

[@kbanghart]

Did you move yet? Which countries are you looking at, and what are your major considerations?

[@gerbendekker3273]

What part of the USA are you from?

[@arjansnoek7257]

You know you are allowed to vote in the city council elections. On the condition you have live in the netherlands for 5 years.

[@dillinsutherland2301]

I personally am quite excited to immigrate to the Netherlands as I have an Afrikaans background I think I will pick up Dutch quite quickly, and I really want to immigrate to the Netherlands as it's gonna probably be my first European country I will immigrate and probably the last as the Netherlands is essentially the best country

[@She-Ra-db7eg]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Are you seven? Good luck guy. You're gonna need to do some actual research, not this ditsy video content. And afrikaans isn't dutch. You're gonna have to start on A1 level at best. Afrikaans vocabulary is about 70% similar but the Dutch use the same words and it means difference things depending on the context its used in. It isn't peachy on the other side. You're gonna go through a helluva shock once you get here. Every immigrant does.

[@JH-cg5vj]

No we don’t want more refugees

[@oilslicknl5697]

People don't like to pay taxes here either by the way, they hate it xD. But yes at least most stuff works properly here. I complain a lot about things in Amsterdam especially things as parking prices and permits, but visiting other countries in Europe makes you realize how efficiently everything is done here (no offence at all to other countries).

[@gerbendekker3273]

In 35 years of my life in the Netherlands, I haven't heard a single person complain about paying taxes here. I think that's up to personal perspective. But to say that, in general, the Dutch 'hate paying taxes' is in my experience definitely overstating things.

[@GoodlifeInvestor]

Hi

[@alexcampbell1895]

Thanks! The vlog is very informative and provides lots of candid insights!

[@aWanderlustForLife]

I am glad it was helpful!

[@magdalenaverhaeg6800]

as far as renting goes, housing is very scarce here in the netherlands but way more affordable then in the usa. I've lived for 9 years in the usa and i found the rental housing very expensive there. here, now i'm back in the netherlands, we get rental subsidy, so it stays affordable, even in good neighborhoods. in the usa i learned there is section 8 housing or low-income housing but they are often not in the greatest neighborhoods. I feel much better here, as i'm a dutch citizen as well, i feel more safe here too. i feel "taking care of", and it is so much easier living here. i also love the diversity here where in the usa i felt often like a real stranger (with my accent) and where i felt that some people in the usa are just rude to ask questions about where you're from etc. But that was often my experience. Now i hope my american husband can move here and that he will love it here too.

[@aWanderlustForLife]

I hope he loves it, too!

[@wisegeorge1472]

@Magdalena verhaeg. Hello 👋 Nice to meet you here, how are you doing today?

[@lindamaes6454]

Expats don't get the rental subsidy, that's why it's more expensive for them.

[@wisegeorge1472]

@@lindamaes6454 Hello friend 👋 Nice to meet you here. How are you doing today?

[@bertnijhof5413]

I'm Dutch, if I did not use my holidays, they paid for the days I did not use. I remember being in the Holiday Inn in Baltimore in 1980 or so, talking Dutch to my colleagues and the only other guy in the bar was an American, that told us with a big smile: "Stop bragging". That guy worked in the Dutch Merchant Navy and when the war ended he was in New York and stayed there. I lived in Germany for 1 year as a conscript in the Dutch Army, I lived and worked half a year in Switzerland and Portugal and 10 years in Belgium. Visited many countries for my job; East and West Coast of the USA; Paraguay; Saudi Arabia and most countries of the EU. After retirement 1-1-11 I live with my Belgian/Dominican wife in Santiago de los Caballeros (DR) :) I especially enjoyed my stays in Portugal; Paraguay and the current one in the DR, I still play their music Fado; Los Paraquayos and the Bachata or Merengue. I can even dance both.

[@s.b.907]

Only your ‘bovenwettelijke’ vacation days you will get paid when not using them. The legislated vacation days, when you do not use them, you lose them after time. The company you work for is expected to press you for using at least those days. Bovenwettelijk means the vacation days that the company you work for adds to the amount they are demanded to give you.

[@dingleberryxo7623]

"Stop bragging".

[@bertnijhof5413]

@@dingleberryxo7623 Jealous; mr. Anonymous?

[@dingleberryxo7623]

@@bertnijhof5413 Intentionally?

[@Ozymandias1]

"I'm Dutch, if I did not use my holidays, they paid for the days I did not use." That is not worth it, you better use them because you have to pay a lot of taxes on the paid out days.

[@Pyltje03]

European cities are build different then in the usa. The usa build round cars....western Europe round people. Look for the channel called Not Just Bikes. He explains iT verry well

[@TOLEEWAY]

Big Brother and a BSN system can definitely have advantages. Having been lent to a Dutch company by a British employer more than forty years ago, I ended up staying here. A couple of years ago (prior to BREXIT) I needed medical attention while working in London. I went to a hospital, waited my turn and was then asked what my national insurance number was. On pointing out that I hadn't lived in the UK since the 1970's, I was told that I was clearly British and my national insurance number meant I was entitled to free medical attention... which I received!

[@Dutchbelg3]

The King has ceremonial functions. Not a real political role. Americans usually think weird about European taxes. Look at it as checking in in a hotel. You pay to get things done. So you don't have to take care of those general things and because you share the cost, things are usually quite good taken care of. Some Dutch people will react: Hey I am not at all taken care of in any shape or form!! Hmm still better than in the USA. Really. Dutchies (sometimes) complain about the healthcare system... Believe me it is a lot better than in the USA (OK I generalize here..) Public transport is really good (compared to the USA).

[@bomcabedal]

The tricky part is that while the king has no _official_ political role (apart from ceremony), he does have quite a bit of influence. However, it is quite difficult to make out how and when that is exercised. This caused problems earlier, when the present king's grandfather allowed himself to be bribed by Lockheed to push the purchase of military aircraft (which actually happened) and the whole thing ended in a constitutional crisis that was difficult to resolve exactly because of that lack of transparency.

[@ronaldderooij1774]

Well, the US healthcare is better than in NL. But it is only better if you have the money. So, the Dutch healthcare system is not better, but far more accessible.

[@Dutchbelg3]

@@ronaldderooij1774 : ik ben bang dat onze meningen niet overeenkomen. Ja er zijn goeie specialisten maar moeilijk bereikbaar voor de gewone man. Ik heb verschillende mensen gesproken die slechte (verkeerde) diagnoses kregen waardoor genezing weken tot maanden uitgesteld werd of zelfs ze liet rondlopen zonder therapie. De nederlander is sowieso ook mondiger 😜

[@teribendt94]

@@Dutchbelg3 ,For every negative experience in the USA there is a corresponding positive one.My experience was one where I spent almost a month in the hospital dealing with a life threatening illness-With no health insurance.I received quality care after rushing to the ER by one of the best Gastrointestinal physicians in the southeast part of the country.This was very expensive and Medicaid paid for my treatment.I was the common person you were speaking of and I did receive quality care and there are others I know.

[@maskedgamer7565]

A king in any country is a complete waste of money. They don't do anything to help country, they have some duties and do some charity work but that's basicly it. The only reason why some countries have kings is because many years ago a brave guy "saved" his country by killing millions of people with a group of people that we now call army and we just kept that tradition of a king going. Every king knows this and they keep their mouth shut because they have to do jack shit and make millions every year, but they are completely useless. A president is a person who gets chosen by the people. I just don't like the way the american elections work, because trump didn't get the most votes but still became president because of their weird election system. But let everyone vote who wants to vote and the person with the most votes becomes president. It's the most fair thing instead of king who makes 15 million euro or more for doing absolutely nothing.

[@stephaniesimpson-chambers4988]

How's making friends as an expat? How would you describe the people and social culture?

[@aWanderlustForLife]

I have a whole video on that! kzbin.info/www/bejne/jX3PhKlrjt90fKs Basically, it's like starting over and making friends anywhere. People already have their circle, so it's about creating your own. Hopefully the video helps!

[@8alakai8]

and you will be able to vote after 5 or 7 years i think but you do have to learn dutch then you can vote and even get dutch passport

[@bjornkk5]

It is legal to own weapons in the Netherlands as long as you keep it secure so you cant grab it on in pulse or you have to keep it on private property. Also the king has no saying in the Netherlands so about the parliament he just has to say yes.

[@yunghart]

About the Big Brother thing; as an American who is very privacy-conscious, I do not trust a system like that in America because of how it would be used. We have companies that hold our private information and have no guaranteed protection of that information. However with European privacy laws, I feel that I could trust a system like that over a capitalistic one

[@Jay-tf2uc]

Im Saving up so much money to move somewhere in europe or east Asia and im starting pretty young, so we’ll see how that’ll progress.

[@aWanderlustForLife]

Wishing you the best of luck!

[@williammccoy7127]

Handguns is generally a no go dubbel barrel shot guns and small calibre guns only for hunting purpose. So yes it is difficult

[@ronnie9187]

The housing market is a hugh problem. But still if you can compromize not living in the city center. A lot of towns and villages are very close to the city. Amstelveen, Almere, Haarlem, just to name a view. Within 30 minutes you are in the city center of Amsterdam. Other nice alternatives are Utrecht, Leiden , Delft or Den Haag, if you want to city vibe. Its a small country and everything is very close.

[@aWanderlustForLife]

Absolutely! But it is really high everywhere. Even Haarlem is getting bad with pricing of housing 😞

[@Avvura]

The cities here alone feel so samey and miserable....man i just want to at least visiit Amsterdam/Europe aghh To just walk outside and be able to go places oh the joy

[@isaacstevens1912]

Why aren't you a citizen if you've lived in the Netherlands for over five years? Isn't the 5 year mark where you become able to be naturalized?

[@aWanderlustForLife]

I had a video about this, but basically I have permanent residency and I'll be getting Italian citizenship like my husband...makes more sense for us 😊

[@TimothyHuffGuitar]

I loved the Eindhoven region, the peace and beauty!

[@aWanderlustForLife]

It's on my list! If you have any suggestions, I'd love to know them :)

[@chris1978nl]

@@aWanderlustForLife Nijmegen and 'S-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch) are great cities.

[@znatureviews4976]

@@chris1978nl what about enschede

[@henkheemskerk4437]

taks is also for i you lose you job or if you gat 67 and you do not have to work you get an income

[@Scafloc29]

I think that if you are permanent resident you are allowed to vote for local elections -> at least for the municipalities and probably for the waterschappen. Not sure how long you have to be living in the Netherlands for that though

[@aWanderlustForLife]

I can now!

[@lordsleepyhead]

It may not be a 24hr party in Amsterdam, but the real nightlife capital of the Netherlands is Groningen, which has no official closing time and bars and clubs just stay open all night and into the morning.

[@Trailtraveller]

Generally we make good use of our taxes, every part of society is well taken care of. Although we do like to complain... And most of the conservative Americans do not (will not) understand that it really can work. We call it socialism, but in the US there is no difference, and when its wrong its called communism. Everything not being US like is communism.

[@surreaivy9612]

I’m a conservative in the US and we don’t view the Netherlands as socialist. We actually agree with your system. US people usually use terms real loosely.

[@SkaffaS]

the Netherlands is a social democracy, which is not the same as outright socialism or democratic socialism.

[@harenterberge2632]

@@surreaivy9612 yet when Bernie or AOC propose similar systems, self proclaimed conservatives* in the US act like Stalin is taking over the country. * US conservatism has very little to do with the original conservatism that mainly sought to keep the status quo, rather than to change to a radical capitalism that US conservatism strives for.

[@justincodd9725]

Do non-EU citizens and EU citizens have different experiences finding rentals and homes to buy?

[@aWanderlustForLife]

Not sure what you mean. Do you mean if you live here or not? EU or not, if you live here, you are looking at the same rental/buyers market and processes as everyone else. If you don't live here, I doubt it's the same but I don't know since I'm not in that position.

[@justincodd9725]

@@aWanderlustForLife I mean are there restrictions/requirements for non-EU citizens looking to buy/rent in the Netherlands vs. EU citizens from outside the Netherlands (who have the legal right to live and work in any other EU nation)? In addition, is there (whether legal or not) a preference or bias held by sellers/agents/landlords toward EU citizens?

[@aWanderlustForLife]

I can only answer from my experience. I would consult a relator or an company that helps expats with moving and buying property.

[@Dontae_777]

As a person who is of american decent i lived in curacao and Netherlands about 90 percent of my life due to my parents jobs and work. I live in America now but dang i want go back to Netherlands. Well at least im fluent in 3 languages( dutch , english , papiamentu)

[@Guero713100]

I was expecting a lot more negative things. These reasons are not bad at all! I guess I’ll be trying to move out a lot faster.

[@irregularmana6216]

Idk why. But I want to know more about this, I'm not seriously considering its more of super curiousity about the move from US to Netherlands.

[@roanhielkema5714]

Dutch citizens and, under certain circumstances, legal residents as well, can legally own firearms, provided legal criteria and requirements are met to qualify for a permit. The permit system allows for a wide variety of sport shooting, hunting, collecting (for academic or reference purposes) It is actually not all that difficult as long as you do not have a criminal record. Owning firearms, or any weapon for that matter, for "self defence" is NOT a legally valid reason for applying for a permit. The laws are strict and the penalties serious and vigorously enforced. Just to stress this, the Dutch legal system is, in contrast to what some seem to think, is NOT a joke. When you come here, DON'T break the law, you will not enjoy the experience.

[@mauricedorreboom5388]

2:42 That is the whole problem in the US, because everybody can own a gun (it is even a constitutional right!), there are more of them on the street, which makes you feel unsafe, which in turn makes you buy more (or bigger) guns. In almost any other country, but especially in Europe, having a gun is not as common. I am almost 50, I have never ever have seen a gun up close in my life and I am sure neither have my parents who are in their 70's. Someone has to break the cycle of: feeling unsave => buying more guns => feeling unsave. Did you know there are 1.25 guns against 1 civilian in America? In the Netherlands that is 0.0114 guns against every 1 civillian. For reference to get 5 guns in America you need only 4 persons (on average) In the Netherlands you will need to round up 357 people to collect 5 guns.

[@venlafaxinedomperidone8377]

Forgot to mention the pay cut you get from the US

[@aWanderlustForLife]

And yet, somehow we live better and have more disposable income. It's not just money to take home but payments you don't have. Also, it's not necessarily everyone who gets a pay cut.

[@venlafaxinedomperidone8377]

@@aWanderlustForLife You are maybe happier because you have convinced yourself that it is better. Dutch healthcare is a nightmare, you can barely get an appointment or even see a doctor. GPs ignore you all the time. Plus if you have anything rare I’d rather be in the US than the Netherlands. In the US money allows you to buy a house and raise a family with a single income, try that in Netherlands. The houses , if you can some how afford are so small, and not worth it.

[@MacieCatherine]

god i wanna move there so bad. visited in december and i fell in love. america is so backwards

[@8alakai8]

my parent and me later had a car my parents lived in the centere of amsterdam the jordaan but you ar e right most younger people dont havr cares my parents kept one because when they would give up ther parking permit they would have to wait 5 to 7 years to get one.and i live on the edge of amsterdam 20 mins on the bike to the centre and i have a car

[@Skywalkers-vt5pm]

Hi @wonderlust_4_life Thx for the interesting video. You laid it out & explained it nicely. I have heard that Copenhagen, Denmark is similar to the Netherlands in many regards. Have you been there? Do you have a video about the similarities? I’m genuine curious to see what’s different & what’s similar. Thx.

[@aWanderlustForLife]

We went there before we moved to Europe so it's been a while and I don't remember much except it's beautiful and there were a lot of bikes 😂

[@jansap7472]

I was thinking just the opposite 😀 Living in the Netherlands is not great anymore for me and my wife. All the new rules and politics... We are thinking about moving to te US for a better life in about a few years. Preferrably to the west, but we don't know if the states want us there... I could be a german teacher/translater (degree ofcourse), and my wife is a nurse. But still we gather info in the coming future what is possible , or is it a bad idea ? Any tips, please ?

[@aWanderlustForLife]

I hear this a lot, but I would do a TON of research before going. If you don't like how things are going here, with politics and such, you may not like them at all, there.

[@juliaprinsen]

jan, als je nederland niks vind ga je amerika helemaaaal niks vinden lol

[@jansap7472]

@@juliaprinsen ohh? Vertel.... ik hoor het graag. Wij willen sowieso niet gaan wonen in een grote stad, eerder in een kleine gemeenschap. Of bedoelde je wat anders?

[@kyranakatomi8711]

ok, but where are the disadvantages?

[@goty8829]

me and my girlfriend are currently debating on moving to the Netherlands. This has helped a lot and really appreciate your view points :)

[@aWanderlustForLife]

I have many videos about living here that may also help. I wish you the best on your journey!

[@bestwatch]

Must be to nice to have someone to live you’re life with and make you feel like you matter. I have nothing and no one. There is no “We” in my life. I’ll be moving alone and dealing with all of my issues in isolation.

[@8alakai8]

here the netherlands if yuo get sick your free day you can call in sick and it wont go of your free days so the days that you are sick on your vacation you get those days back you will be checked by a doctor most big companies they come to your home

[@AprilD_Yall]

.... what part of the US are you from?

[@PixTax]

What Americans don't get until they live it, that the taxes you save by paying lower taxes isn't enough to pay for critical infrastructure by yourself. Seems self evident, but there you go.

[@djverhulst]

A tip go look beyond the Amsterdam region , Holland is so much more than Amsterdam , you will get a very one-sided picture of Holland if you only hang around in Amsterdam . the people are also different in those other parts of Holland , but everywhere they also speak fairly good English

[@aWanderlustForLife]

Yep. Take a look around my channel and you'll see that I show many other parts of the country...but I've only lived in Amsterdam and can only speak about living here. kzbin.info/aero/PLrNbogOIGSGiBskb9Ty3jKObuMcGGtcN_

[@djverhulst]

@@aWanderlustForLife I see,, there is more to see , I had lived on serveral places in the Netherlands , I live in Twente now

[@SByoutube123]

NZers have 4 weeks paid annual leave plus paid public holidays on top of that - paid by your work place. The company pays for sick leave on top of that also. NZers are also entitled to paid maternity leave - up to 52 weeks. I think Dads get paid leave also for new babies. Where do the dutch people commonly go to on holiday?

[@HeriEystberg]

Committing a crime with a weapon _should_ be taken seriously, and it's not at all - as you say - "craaazy!" What _is_ craaazy is the guns and weapons culture in America. Everything about it is _craaazy!_

[@samuelugh5729]

How much is it for house there or condo?

[@aWanderlustForLife]

Check funda.nl for a good idea on prices...and they can go 10-20% more than asking.

[@thierryvankooten418]

Een vraagje... Ben je in de 7 jaar buiten Amsterdam geweest??

[@aWanderlustForLife]

Ja. Have you checked my channel?

[@badhombre4683]

How expensive is real estate in Amsterdam, let's say for a 2x2? I imagine it's quite unaffordable considering the city's global standing.

[@aWanderlustForLife]

I'm not sure, but check funda.nl for real estate listings. I believe the numbers you see are asking prices, and many go for 10-20% more (the last I heard).

[@WimvdBrink]

@@aWanderlustForLife Its so expensive because of Airbnb, loads of investors just bought houses to rent out. Lately the city of Amsterdam came to an agreement with Airbnb to stop letting people renting out their houses for the whole year. The problem is investing in houses is taxed very badly so it brings a load of money to the investors.

[@dobspatto4830]

We're do The Pussycat group live in the Neverlands I am a super fan off Possycat. Please can you tell me if all three sisters are still alive I know Toni is she is the lead singer off the group. I just love them and my favourite is Betty but I love all three sisters. Thank you. Dobspato Newcastle Upon Tyne England. ❤️

[@bertkassing8541]

Ik moet zeggen een hele leuke video. Wat je zegt is allemaal waar. Een vraagje: mag je ook niet stemmen voor de gemeenteraad?

[@nispen]

Als je legaal inwoner bent, dan mag je stemmen voor de lokale overheid

[@margreetanceaux3906]

Let me try to clear up your fuzziness: Politically speaking the Prime Minister is 100% responsible for anything the King does or says. We are a parliamentary monarchie. So while the King is the head of state, he is in no way equal to Biden or Macron. If let’s say France and the Netherlands need to do business, Macron will invite Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

[@0blomovist]

While the PMs talk business, the king spends tax money as he pleases …😬 Don’t you mean a constitutional monarchy, in which the king is politically and juridically subordinate to the constitution via the PM?

[@margreetanceaux3906]

@@0blomovist You’re absolutely right. Constitutional monarchie, and a parliamentary democracy - although I have my doubts now about clearing the fuzziness. But thank you for the necessary correction.

[@bebobism]

@@0blomovist I'm Dutch and I think this monarchie has had its day for long enough now. It's 2021 and the monarchie doesn't serve any purpose to the wellbeing of the Netherlands , it's a farce payed for by the civilians of this progressive nation.

[@0blomovist]

@@bebobism Helemaal mee eens: de monarchie is tegenwoordig niet meer dan een nostalgisch sprookje, waaraan sommige mensen zich hardnekkig willen vergapen … ten koste van de eigen portemonnee welteverstaan

[@bebobism]

@@0blomovist Sprookjes horen in de Efteling , niet in de dagelijkse werkelijkheid. 👊

[@FvanEldijk]

It is much simpler with out king: he does not get to weigh in. He is supposed to sign new laws and can not withhold his signature. He has no formal power in any way.

[@Snowshowslow]

Yup. He's like a mascot, essentially 😉

[@WimvdBrink]

@@Snowshowslow With a high salary ..

[@Snowshowslow]

@@WimvdBrink True...

[@koerierkoerier3581]

the problem is not to pay the tax, but do is it spend well.

[@KwizzyDaAwesome]

I need to check in with Dutch historical sword playing with people about the scene there. We call it HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts) in the US, but I understand that's a department store name in the Netherlands.

[@aWanderlustForLife]

Here's some background from Wikipedia! originally an acronym for Hollandsche Eenheidsprijzen Maatschappij Amsterdam, "Hollandic Standard Prices Company Amsterdam" I'm glad you brought this up because I didn't know what it stood for, either!

[@mrpeel3239]

Have you done a video on learning Dutch?

[@aWanderlustForLife]

Not yet. I feel like I need to get further in my journey because I started learning, then stopped. I re-start again, soon!

[@mrpeel3239]

@@aWanderlustForLife Easier to learn Dutch in Curacao than in Holland!

[@daroof4ever]

How can you afford to live over there when they take half your check in taxes?

[@aWanderlustForLife]

Good question. The answer is quite simple, you learn to live with your take home pay just like anywhere else. It's seems harder than it actually is once you're in the situation. But keep in mind that while taxes are higher, we don't have other expenses that we were used to like car payment, gas, car insurance. We don't pay to go to the doctor and perscriptions are much cheaper. Those are just a few ways we saw a reduction is everyday expenses but I'm sure there are more. It's just a completely different lifestyle where you aren't trying to keep up with the Jones' and life is generally a bit simpler.

[@daroof4ever]

@@aWanderlustForLife So they don't have cars over there?

[@aWanderlustForLife]

You asked how we afford it. Part of that is that we don't have (or need) cars. Some who live in Amsterdam do, but many don't.

[@williamgeardener2509]

@@daroof4ever In some parts of the Netherlands it just doesn't pay off to own a car. One of the main reasons is that parking fees are just ridiculous in those areas to discourage people from owning a car. Would you buy a car if you knew that your parking permit would set you back €150 per month but wouldn't guarantee you that you could park your car anywhere near your house? You also have to keep in mind that roadtax, insurance. fuel and the annual MOT will keep you crying each time you get the bill. So it's not difficult to understand why most of the people in those areas prefer to stick to the free alternative of bicycles.

[@hendman4083]

The tax system is build on brackets. Over the first bracket you don't pay income tax at all, but the income tax will increase in the higher brackets. People who end up in the highest bracket are considered to earn a very, very decent income. But there is more to the tax system: subsidies and tax deductables. People wth a lower income are more likely to enjoy the subsidies more (subsidies on health care insurance, rent, child daycare), but the people with a higher income are more likely to benefit from tax deductables. The most important tax deductable is for intrest payments on mortgages. You buy a house, finance it with a mortgage, and you can deduct the yearly intrest payments for that mortgage, from the your gross income before tax. All in all, when you compare net income after taxes, you are probably better off in The Netherlands then in the USA. And even if you are not, you still get to live in a liveable society, with less stress, and less fear for what the future might bring.

[@ericburbach632]

I would love to hear your opinion on why people prefer using expat more than immigrant. Is this a form of gentrified racism ? Would really appreciate your input.

[@aWanderlustForLife]

My opinion is that people give words power but they mean different things. An expat is someone who leaves and immigrant is one who settles somewhere. So many expats are immigrants (unless they just moved around or are temporarily in a country for work). It's also about lack of understanding the word. I'm guilty of that. I understood immigrant as someone who wanted to move for a specific reason...like to have a better life. Not exactly like a refugee, but similar. When I moved, the main term I heard was "expat" and therefore blindly used the term myself. There's even a center here called The Expat Center to help people like me (except I wasn't eligible for help since we didn't move for a specific job). Once I got called out here on KZbin for using it, I looked into it and asked for people's perceptions...and they vary a lot. For me, I'm an American expat and an immigrant to the Netherlands. I continue to use "expat" here because it's a term searched for and KZbin takes words I say as well as titles and such to figure out what a video is about. But I to clarify in videos now that I am both.

[@ericburbach632]

@@aWanderlustForLife thanks for that excellent reply

[@krzywygeneral]

BSN connection is not just the Netherlands. Its rather European standard, even in post-Soviet coutries, to have digitilised civic services via your personal number. Whether its UK with NIN or Poland with PESEL.

[@Gee_Jay]

The Dutch Royals have VERY LITTLE Official Political power. The Dutch Prime Minister has Virtually Presidential Powers. He has to show up for a weekly talk with the "King", but after his mother (the former Queen Beatrix) abdicated, this has lost much meaning - - SHE CARED About Political things, and occasionally gave real push-back to the PM. However, our current king cares more about his hobby, moonlighting as a co-pilot on mid-size TransAvia jet flights. - - By Law, He simply MUST Sign every new Dutch law, passed by Parliament. Period ! Our current Queen (Máxima) holds greater international power -- for years, she is and has been a United Nations special Envoy, working for Women's rights and financial emancipation.

[@buddy1155]

There are actually a lot of firearms in the Netherlands, it is actually just as easy to get as in the US. Statistically everyone should know several people with a weapon, I is just not done to tell others that you own a gun.

[@h50herman]

lot of... comparing with bikes or with the US

[@MichaelRozie]

You can have a gun, you will need gunclub membership, and a safe at home. After your initial 1 year membership period you can buy your own .22 gun but nothing bigger. An AR15 is about 3-4 years of ‘work’ The gun and ammo need to be stored separate in such a way that it is not readilly available.. so not even a preloaded magazine next to your glock :) On top of all that you forfeit the right to resist house checks by the police as they can now come without a search warrant to check how you store your guns. With all this in place you too can own a gun here, just don’t take it outside (unless it is to the club, using the shortrst route) or there will be massive law trouble.

[@bedhead-studio]

thanks for sharing

[@aWanderlustForLife]

Thanks for watching!

[@Arnaud58]

As a whole: nice view on the subject, really well done.....But: A little comment on the interconnections of the BSN number. Roughly this is true, but... there are strict regulations that state who can see what. It is on a kind of "need to know" basis. On the political parties, sorry but trough time the conservatives and republicans have totally switched sides over time.... That has not (yet) occurred in The Netherlands. With that in mind, hearing you talk about the disturbing "American bubble" at 12:29 (in which you did hit the dot) confuses me. - Did you know that hundreds of properties to rent in Amsterdam are owned by Bernhard van Oranje, Royal Prince of the Netherlands. So there is a chance you are renting royal property.

[@aWanderlustForLife]

Thanks for clarifying! And we own our home, not rent. But when we did rent, it was from the best woman would could've hoped for 😊

[@beegee5305]

Do you speak Dutch fluently now?

[@aWanderlustForLife]

Seems to be a common question these days! I speak a little and getting a tutor this week, actually.

[@ericscott5224]

@@aWanderlustForLife you must be married to a Dutch (or EU citizen). If not, then, as an American, you would be required to pass the state language exams if you wanted to stay longer than 5 years. Het blijkt dat je al 7 jaren in Nederland woont en je kan geen Nederlands spreken? Or are you just an arrogant and lazy American? Everyone speaks English, right?

[@ericscott5224]

@@aWanderlustForLife I just reread my post and it struck me a bit bitchy. Sorry about that.

[@maskedgamer7565]

@@ericscott5224 I don't really see a problem with someone who speaks english but not dutch. I mean every dutch person gets english in school, we can help our self in english and if an american needs help I think we would be able to help. It's alot worse with muslims, polish people (and I don't mean this in a racist way), but they speak arabic/polish and most of them have been here for over 10 years and barely speak dutch. We can't help them if they need help and we can't socialize with them. I honestly don't care if you can't speak dutch if you are able to express yourself in english.

[@JeMoeder123]

review on “hagelslag” :)

[@aWanderlustForLife]

Had some the other day!

[@JeMoeder123]

@@aWanderlustForLife nice

[@herauthon]

fix bridges - is key - everywhere . .

[@FrankHeuvelman]

I am Dutch. Am I allowed to watch this video?

[@aWanderlustForLife]

Lol. Of course! It's satire anyway 😜

[@Peacefrogg]

If you are sick, you need to stay home. It doesn’t make sense to have sick days: who in the world can predict how many days you are sick. And when your employee has run out of sick days, do you really want them to come in to work and infect everyone? Reclaiming your vacation days when you are sick on vacation: ppl usually don’t do that. It’s just bad luck, you take it like an adult. Unless your vacation is completely ruined by it. At the end of the year if you haven’t used your vacation days: usually part of them you can get paid, the rest you just lose. We believe that time off keeps employees mentally healthy.

[@spyvsspy3985]

American. Been here 10 years. No regrets. To me, all the things you mentioned are features, not reasons not to come. And taxes? We do them online. Takes maybe a half hour. If you do another one, I'd be interested more in your views on social issues here, like your perception of Dutch people as opposed to Americans. I find them to be very different. Saw a gal with a bag the other day that said Yes I'm Dutch. No I don't live in Amsterdam. There are many beautiful and interesting cities here.

[@aWanderlustForLife]

Thanks for your comment, it was meant to be ironic :) I have similar videos you might be interested in, as well!

[@Dutch1961]

You only can own a gun for sporting purposes, not for personal protection. You're not allowed to carry a gun or transport it readily available. You're not allowed to transport your gun and ammunition in the same case. If you want to become a gun owner you first have to become a member at a shooting club. You can't have a criminal record if you want to become a member. I'll spare you the details but on average it takes at least a year and a half before you can own your first (.22) gun. In that time you've been assessed several times by a balloting committee, a shooting coach. The police will have inspected your house to see it's well protected against burglars and if you have the appropriate storage (safes bolted to a brick or concrete wall!) for your gun and ammunition. If ever you break any of the rules you could lose your gun license(s). So, in general, no crimes are committed with legally owned private guns. Any gun violence is committed with illigal firearms in 99.9999 percent of the time.

[@aWanderlustForLife]

Thank you for the detail!

[@bnuggg]

It’s funny you say leave your guns at home because I’m an American from Texas living in Epe, Netherlands and I brought several guns with me legally. Any Americans with guns, you don’t have to leave them at home, but there is A LOT of paperwork and restrictions. ik hou nog steeds van mijn wapens!

[@aWanderlustForLife]

It's highly unusual and I hate guns, so I really don't understand the need or desire to have brought them. Honestly, it feels so weird to see this after waking up to the news of the mass shooting of kids in Texas.

[@bnuggg]

@@aWanderlustForLife Yeah, I regret commenting this at the time I did. I hadn't heard about the shooting at the school at that time of the original comment. I am a farmer, I had a lot of land in America and have a lot of land in the Netherlands. I use guns to protect my animals and crops. I am not a "gun nut" but they are useful tools for me. There are several other native Dutch folk in my area with guns as well. I don't think everyone needs a gun, nor should everyone have them. I didn't mean to comment this in a disrespectful way, but people should know that it is possible if they deem it necessary as I did.

[@mariusb5150]

Well, the relation between parliament and King is a bit different than you sketched. The king, nowadays (latest changes are app. 10 years old, being the rooe of the king in the proces of coming to a government). The king is head of state, but has no formal dealings with politics. He even cannot be held liable for what he says. The prime minister is held liable for that.

[@shiningdragon8737]

Does "Diversity" Include diversity of thought?

[@pernilsson2394]

Americans always seems so surprised about playing taxes for basic stuff, like roads, health care, child care etc. Is it really such a difficult concept that all citizens pay a small part of the services that they most likely will use during sometime in their life.

[@aWanderlustForLife]

My first thought when reading this was "People always seem surprised when someone is surprised about something that's different than they grew up with." I completely understand the concept, however, seeing it used in a responsible way is surprising when you aren't used to it.

[@kaypie3112]

We Americans pay a ton of taxes for basic stuff like road, bridges, education etc. The problem is our government takes the money they claim is being taken for that and spent on other things. The American government is a legalized ponzi scheme. I’m an American by the way.

[@pernilsson2394]

@@kaypie3112 i duobt that you pay a of ton taxes compared to the amout payed here in Sweden. But the amout of taxes payed is a different discussion. My question to you is, why does it seem that so many americans comment that tax funded services is "free stuff", which it isnt. Its just paid in advance. And why do so many americans seems surprised that health care, schools, child care are tax funded, if you pay a ton of raxes? Never heard of a "Ponzi sceme". Maybe its called something else here in Sweden? But if your goverment isnt working properly/effeciently isnt about time that you put pressure on your goverment? To either enforce existing laws or to make changes that improve how your goverment is operating? And on a final note it seems rather amusing that the picture we non americans get is that it seems almost i possible to hear an american say that tax funded healthcare, schools wont work or is communism. When you americans have the worlds largest tax funded organisation, DoD.

[@kaypie3112]

@@pernilsson2394 Hi Per. How are You? 1. You are right. We don’t pay as much tax as Swedes do. 2. “why does it seem that so many americans comment that tax funded services is "free stuff", which it isn’t. Its just paid in advance” ???? Because it IS free for those who get the services. Here in the United States most citizens who work have to pay for their own health care, schooling for their kids, etc. and STILL pay taxes so that others (“low-income” folks) who don’t pay into the system get theirs for free. Hence, the “free stuff”. That you hear some talk about. 3. “why do so many americans seems surprised that health care, schools, child care are tax funded, if you pay a ton of raxes?” We are not surprised about that, just frustrated. See above answer. 4. A Ponzi scheme is where a crook steals money from someone to pay someone else for what he owes them. Then he has to find/steal money from another person to pay off the first person he stole the money from. Have you never heard of Bernie Madoff? He was running a “Ponzi Scheme” That is essentially what the US Government does. They take money out of people’s pay checks and then spend it on everything other than what it is supposed to be taken for. Then, they have to find money from somewhere else to pay for what/ who they owe. Yes, you’re right. We need to pressure the US government to be more efficient. Wish us a lot of luck- please. As for your final paragraph… Trust me, some of us here know how inefficient and wasteful our government is. They can not be trusted to spend money on what it was taken for. The folks that “run” our country could not run a lemonade stand efficiently- let alone a healthcare system for 330 million people. Yes, you are right. The DOD is a financial black hole. Cheers😎

[@charlesvanderhoog7056]

Excellent talk. Thanks!

[@RBroek1983]

You can party 24/7 for sure, you just don't know the places ;) I do agree you won't find it as a newcommer tho.

[@aWanderlustForLife]

I know of one spot, but as far as licenses go, it was the only one not too long ago because it was a news story. But of course, things change and I may have missed it!

[@philiphoogerbrugge3619]

Living in Amsterdam is not like living in the Netherlands. It would be the same if you compare living in New York is like living in Iowa. So do your research and go see the rest of the Netherlands and then I would like to hear what you think. Secondly, I’m truly amazed how little you really know how things work around here after living in this country for over 7 years. Maybe living to much in your bubble ?

[@aWanderlustForLife]

I've seen much of the Netherlands, but many people live in their own bubble. I share based on my experience and say I'm coming from the perspective of living in Amsterdam. That's the point. There are other vloggers in other parts of the country that can comment on those areas. Also, many foreigners tend to live in the bigger cities, this is not meant to be a one size fits all kind of thing...no video is.

[@AJ-em2rb]

why do you call yourself an expat instead of an immigrant?

[@aWanderlustForLife]

I am both which I mention in many of my videos. I use "expat" because that's what people search for and I do my SEO research.

[@othala7540]

Not only Amsterdam you find party. Even in the smaller cities their is partys. Even in the smaller villages their is always a kind of pub. ahahha and the if your sick your take time of. It depends on the job you have. At my job their pushing you to get to work every day.