Amsterdam

Duderonomy

Any Strutteurs live in Amsterdam at the moment?

Me and Mrs Duder are moving there/thereabouts in March/April/May 2022 and wondered if anyone can chime in with advice on good rental agencies (or any other pro tips). Already thinking we might have to start off in a commuter town or something as I expect prices are crazy high.
I'm hyped but also feeling a little apprehensive - as an English language teacher, I know that the Dutch have mad English skills. Not sure what I'm going to do there (already firing off my CV to some lang schools in France for the chance of remote teaching - cheers Covid).

Jimster

Man is like a Globetrotters innit.

A Haarlem Globetrotter.

Duderonomy

B-dum tish!

She was actually looking there, it's very bijou but probably as steep as the 'Dam. Almost tempted to suggest Belgium just for the beer but it could be a hell of a commute.

klezmer electro-thug beats

I'm jealous. Amsterdam is beautiful. But yeah there is a higher rate of fluent English speakers in the Netherlands than in England. Good luck with that!

Duderonomy

It could be a really bad time to go there:

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/18/scientists-watch-giant-doomsday-glacier-in-antarctica-with-concern

Jimster

@nzshadow Speak on it

Duderonomy

Jimster said:

@nzshadow Speak on it

I think he's back in NZ?

@staxwax is there doing radio IIRC...

nzshadow

I left the Dam in 2010 - so don't really have any current helpful advice.

It is an amazing city - enjoy it.

Gibbo

No advice... (why am I even replying

I guess it's the allure of a European capital... the locals are pushed to the side by high rents and institutional investors and you have a large transient population. Nobody is settling in these kips without baller money.

I'm currently on a break from the Dam over the holidays staying in a southern Spanish city and I much prefer it down here. I'm dreading returning to the Dam tbh.

I'm originally from Dublin and you couldn't pay me to live there either. The goal is to get enough money to repatriate to southern Europe and live there as long as possible.

I guess I'm in the minority as I have family that loves living in Amsterdam and Northern European capitals. But for the money I think most of  northern Europe is a completely miserable.

I wanna' live... not survive.

TLDR... rob a bank, escape to South America.

Bare in mind my employer pays for my accommodation and a bunch of expenses... but regardless I have picked up a weed habit aged 42 because I find the general populous hard work... they are tolerant but in my opinion not very accepting. You'll have a hard time making friends without an 'in'.

The city generally caters to tourists... the Dutch don't want to know you... I've tried to engage with the language but it's like trying to read a QR code or Wi-Fi password. The fact that I can't break ice with the locals doesn't help.

My cousin loves the place but is has her work/office crowd to help her integrate.

But I guess it depends on your point in life? Under 30... probably great. Middle aged... you better have an in... Old age... old people are pretty miserable here from my interactions... where I come from the pub is a real hub if you're old. Not so much here.

Duderonomy

Cheers for the perspective @Gibbo 

Gibbo said:

Bare in mind my employer pays for my accommodation and a bunch of expenses... 

Sacre bleu, are you a gigolo? Nice work if you can get it.

I kid. I’m middle aged  , and as an expat in Quebec I can echo some of your sentiments particularly regarding needing an “in”, but that seems to be the same in all of the countries I’ve moved to: locals don’t really need to make new friends as they’ve got a social group, so your friends are usually other expats.   

My current social group is populated by international scientists of various fields and the typical meet-and-greet I’m faced with always includes expectant questions about my field of study and what I did/published before moving to Quebec: five years heavy drinking in Barcelona actually.

Spain’s great, but I think you’ll need the same “in” there. People can be sunny on the surface but take it no further. In BCN I knew expats who hung out together and (through my wife) Catalans who did the same.

Accommodation is the first challenge and if we do locate somewhere in the Dam as opposed to a commuter town I’ll be up for a beer if you want to reminisce about cheap cervesas.

Gibbo

No worries man... I guess the weather in southern Europe probably makes a big difference for me personally. My life is basically based outdoors. Also I've skateboarded since 87 so I never have problems having an in. But in Amsterdam at the spots I go to there is a cool guy vibe I haven't experienced since the 90's. The vibing is unreal. I have really had to work hard to give dudes the benefit and not knock them out. The Dutch sense of humour is really weird. What they regard as being funny is something I would regard as a reason to get knocked the fuck out.

I'm not even violent but my feeling is that I grew up in a completely different landscape. I am after all... a guest in their country.

But my job is easy. It costs me nothing mentally and the money is decent.

I basically get rich kids into private schools or do after school work with them where I do their homework for them.

My work is niche... and I don't take it for granted.

I'm currently in Alicante and spend a lot of time here. Skate scene is friendly and I don't think I've ever had a happier Christmas tbh. 

My advice is to avoid major cities anywhere... they're just catering to institutional investors, the young and dumb. Dublin is dead to me... I don't even recognise the place anymore. My impression this is par for the course for most capitals or major cities.

Peace to the Strut and you and yours.

But sure... anyone in the Dam hit me up. I'm always down for a chat I'm there until at least July. My boss is threatening to go on a world cruise next year and he's invited me but I feel I'd be walking the plank after about 3 days.

Jimster

Me and Wifey were hoping to sell up when the kids are older and move to Spain or somewhere sunny but thanks to Brexit, that is fucking cinders.  Alicante I liked, we were there for a few days a few years back and it's not the apex of culture but there is life and it didn't seem too expensive.  It wasn't all football shirts and vomit.  The seafood down the port was excellent.

I've also spent 18 months working in Dublin but the people there (Bank of Ireland, Camden St, Baggott St., Sandyford) really looked after me and the social life (pre-kids) was always a gas.  I thought being English there might have been some needle but I am good at getting on with people, which is kind of what I do for a living, with some kind of I.T. agenda.  We were invite to weddings and homes and such, in the suburbs.  Always had the craic with the taxi drivers about what spots were really real.

Australia was strangely the place where I've had the most anti-English vibes.  I mean the English are quite a belligerent culture but the Aussies have kind of taken it to the next level.  Schooners and Midis.  If you accidentally ask for a pint they just tell you to fuck off, dickhead, and serve the next one.

Plan is now to win the fucking lottery and buy citizenship

ppadilha

I always thought Dutch looked like LOL Cats English on paper

klezmer electro-thug beats

lolcats with extra j's sprinkled throughout, i'd say

Lamont

Gibbo said:

The Dutch sense of humour is really weird. What they regard as being funny is something I would regard as a reason to get knocked the fuck out.

example ?

Duderonomy said:

 Not sure what I'm going to do there 

Never a good idea to move into unknown territory with no purpose

Gibbo

Lamont said:

Gibbo said:

The Dutch sense of humour is really weird. What they regard as being funny is something I would regard as a reason to get knocked the fuck out.

example ?

Specific examples escape me now but...

I find their humour tends to be kind of snarky... it's really hard to define. It probably is just a clash of cultures. I realise I'm a guest here. Where I'm from you learn implicitly not to take yourself too seriously and quite often you are the butt of your jokes. With the Dutch it can come across as a bit... 'mean/nasty'? But fear not... once I'm done making my cash I'll make sure the door hits me on the way out

This may just be the lockdown and all the incessant mania that comes with it talking? This is coinciding with my first northern European winter in a number of years. Perhaps this is colouring my experience?

A cousin of mine loves the place and wants to move back and we both grew up in the same area/region of Dublin. She's visiting the Dam in February and I'm actually interested to get her take on it?

edit... the smiley face emoji translates to 'hard as fuck'? We're through the looking glass I guess?

Jimster

Lamont said:

Never a good idea to move into unknown territory with no purpose

42.

Duderonomy

Lamont said:

Duderonomy said:

 Not sure what I'm going to do there 

Never a good idea to move into unknown territory with no purpose

Oh - there’s purpose but maybe I should’ve mentioned in first post; my wife landed a cushy job there. She’s a cellular/molecular biologist specialising in cancer. I doubt Amsterdam will be our last destination as her job takes us all over and countries seem to roll out the red carpet for her. I’m lucky that my job is very flexible, it’s just that this time she’s chosen the worst European country for me.

foe

Lamont said:

Never a good idea to move into unknown territory with no purpose

i've done it twice, you get better at it. it helps if you had no purpose being where you were as well.