Expat living

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Expat living

by nicola66 @ 2007-02-14 – 19:26:37

"The opportunity to experience yourself differently is always available." --Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche

Funny saw this quote today (don't ask me who its by) and I've been sitting in the car on my return from the school run thinking what have I gained from being an Expat. I have enjoyed the opportunity to reinvent myself and the need to have to reconsider everything I thought I knew about myself and to question who I thought I was.

What have I not enjoyed....? ditto....

This is the expat experience in so many ways.
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15 Comments to Expat living

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- deleted user (Visitor)
- 2007-02-14 @ 21:24:25
Going through the whole expat mixed feeling myself on a daily basis.

Not fun at all!
- - Nicola66 (Visitor)
  - 2007-02-15 @ 06:51:44
  Yes, but its addictive so be careful!
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- Pompadour
- 2007-02-15 @ 13:55:46
I always liked the expat thing.
Lots of booze.
I lived in Paris - one year.
Germany - three years.
Emigrated to Bermuda (I said the Cayman Islands to remain anonymous but it was Bermuda, really) - 3 weeks.
I guess it was not meant to me and my ex-pat days are over.
R U staying an ex-pat on a permanent basis?
- - Nicola66 (Visitor)
  - 2007-02-15 @ 16:02:29
  You've been around a bit too..... Bermuda must have been lovely for 3 weeks.
  
  Sadly as I have young child there hasn't been as much booze involved as I would have liked pre child. Also I get telephone calls from my partner sitting in some glam location some where in the world having a glorious time (alcohol usually involved) and telling me he'd rather be with me and the boy and I get rain in Holland, dutch language and crappy supermarkets. Still I could always be stuck on the tube for hours as per the old days.
  
  Yes, we probably are not going to return to the UK especially after the report on it being the worse place to raise kids! But that kind of traps us here as its apparently number one for raising kids - well it is if your Dutch and daddy works 4 days a week and participates fully in family life....don't get that as an expat no matter how much you try.
  - - Pompadour
    - 2007-02-15 @ 18:37:36
    Oh.
    Children probably do change things.
    Can't say I know much about Holland. Except I went to Amsterdam once for a weekend and loved it.
    I should go back.
    When I'm in funds.
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- Pompadour
- 2007-02-15 @ 18:38:47
Bermuda was nice but a bit of a disaster. Not met to be, I suppose.
- - nicola66
  - 2007-02-15 @ 20:12:41
  Another time maybe (when you've written your prize winning play!?)
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- nicola66
- 2007-02-15 @ 20:20:28
Amsterdam is cool. But I think Den Haag/ The Hague is more interesting for a weekend. Hope you get back to clog and cheese (klompen en kaas land) land one day.
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- EvilFuzzyWuzzy
- 2008-02-17 @ 10:08:06
I want to go and live in Holland soon, Im torn between Amsterdam and Zutphen in Gelderlands, Im going to look forward to reading your experiences. Where are you originally from?
- - nicola66 (Visitor)
  - 2008-02-17 @ 10:15:32
  Hi EFW (interesting story there I imagine)
  
  Very different places - from A - Z literally. Have you visited both?
  
  I'm English, raised between Yorkshire and Surrey as a child, spent time in Israel, went to London for Uni and never left until 2002 when followed him to Dublin, 2004 Holland, 2006 California, 2007 Holland again.
  
  I have to admit its a great country to live in lots of ways but in others I find I'm very bored and a little fed up at times with Dutch bloodymindedness/ directness. Plus I miss California - I felt very at home there.
  - - EvilFuzzyWuzzy
    - 2008-02-17 @ 10:18:57
    Im from the UK too, I always spend my holidays in Holland and really love the country. maybe im seeing it through rose tinted spex at the moment as I havent had the experience you have, im hoping to have that soon though. Its nice to see you have had experience of other countries to though. Its a shame you miss Calforia so much though..
    - - EvilFuzzyWuzzy
      - 2008-02-17 @ 10:22:10
      Didn't realise you were in the Gelderlands too, have been through Amersfoort on my way to Zutphen.
      - nicola66 (Visitor)
        
        2008-02-17 @ 10:31:54
        
        Yes, Gelderlands is probably more beautiful and certainly cheaper to live in than the Ranstad, but its also quieter, more religious and less international.
        
        Amersfoort is a beautiful medieval centered city with lots of new "city" developments to the North - Hoogland, Vathorst. Its easy to commute from as the train station is central and gets you to Schipol in 45 mins and Amsterdam in under 30 mins and there are some international employers in the area.
        
        Re the websites I sent, ACCESS is an organisation that helps foreigners to settle and if you visit Amsterdam arrange a visit to meet one of their volunteers to talk about moving here - they really are a mindful of information and support, plus the books they sell are very good reference guides for moving over here.
        
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    - - nicola66 (Visitor)
      - 2008-02-17 @ 10:28:22
      If you feel you want to try living somewhere else so much, then give it a try. Do as much preparation about living in Holland as possible before you move. Take the rose coloured specs off first. The reality of living somewhere everyday and experiencing for a holiday are very different.
      
      http://www.expatica.com/nl/main.html
      
      http://www.access-nl.org/
      
      Also check out one of my "friends" blog - Cocktailer - she's based in Amsterdam
      - EvilFuzzyWuzzy
        
        2008-02-17 @ 10:34:57
        
        I think the only thing that scares me at the moment is trying to find somewhere to live.. Im thinking I need to get a place first, but don't know how to do that whilst im over here.. Work im going to try and find the first month im out there, im hoping its not going to be that hard, even though my dutch sucks, lol. Thanks for the links, have just got back from Amsterdam so will have to give access a ring and get some info over the phone.
        
        My friends are in Zutphen, and yes, definately cheaper and im guessing more accomadation as EVERYONE wants to live in Amsterdam!
        
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