Alexandra is a young German woman who is finishing her studies in the Dutch city of Maastricht. She's learning more than just academics; she's familiarizing herself with another way of life that's quite a bit different from what she's used to, despite the geographical proximity of Germany to the Netherlands. Learn how she finds expat life in Maastricht and some of her plans for the future. |
 Alexandra |
-Where were you born?
-In which country and city are you living now?
-Are you living alone or with your family?
-How long have you been living in the Netherlands?
Since July 2007.
-What is your age?
I'm 26 years old.
-When did you come up with the idea of living in the Netherlands?
My boyfriend is Dutch and we have been together since January 2006. I was still living and studying in Germany at that time. After I had my B.A., I decided to do my M.A. in Maastricht so that we could live together finally and didn't have to lead a long-distance-relationship anymore. Since he already had a job here and I was flexible as a student, I decided to apply at the University of Maastricht and luckily I was accepted.
-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
Since I'm a German and Germany is a member of the EU as well as The Netherlands, I didn't need any visa or working permit as a student.
-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
As a student, I could keep my German health insurance since it is also valid in The Netherlands.
-How do you make your living in the Netherlands? Do you have any type of income generated?
As I am still a full-time student, I do not have any income at the moment. However, I'm done with my studies in the summer and then we will have to decide on where to live then. I have already done some research on the web and find www.undutchables.nl and http://jobs.expatica.com/ useful sites for the job search as a foreigner in The Netherlands. I hope I'll either find a suitable there or we might also move to Germany together.
-Do you speak Dutch and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
I completed two Dutch courses at my former university in Germany, which proved very useful. The Dutch and the Germans are not the best of friends, as history has proven, so Dutch people (especially the older ones) can get quite annoyed and frustrated that the Germans just assume that all people speak German here. I also find it quite rude if I overhear Germans in The Netherlands consequently speaking German and not even trying to speak Dutch or at least politely asking if the person in question (waiter, salesperson etc.) can understand and talk German. So yes, I think especially as a German you should make an effort and try to lean at least some Dutch. People are always really appreciative and happy if a foreigner makes an attempt to speak Dutch. As a German, you do make yourself more popular if you are aware of this;-). Since the languages are quite similar as regards grammar and also vocabulary, it is not that difficult for a German to learn Dutch. As for customs, the culture here is also quite similar to Germany. Of course there are some differences, but nothing too drastic (what I find funny for example, is that if it's someone's birthday, you also have to congratulate the other family members; the obligatory coffee after dinner is another Dutch habit I wasn't used to....usually I try to avoid caffeine in the evening!). Here in Maastricht, carnival is a big thing, and the locals are quite happy and keen if you show interest and participate. Dislike should not be expressed too loudly;-)!
-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
Well, I haven't exactly emigrated to Australia:-) I live in Germany's neighbouring country, so I'm not too far from home. I see my family at least three to four times a year and that's ok. If I want to, I know I can be home in a couple of hours and that's comforting. I'm generally not prone to homesickness and living with my boyfriend is wonderful, so I'm happy about my living situation. Maastricht is great for food and drinks, it has a nice culture of restaurants and cafés, so that's a favourite recreational activity. I can't get enough of all those Dutch or regional specialities, like Bitterballen, Frikandel, Frites, Kroket, Vlaaai.....Hmmmm, yummy......Well, it ain't that good for the waistline though!.... Maastricht is also surrounded by lots of nature, so it's also nice to go for a walk in the woods or the hilly landscape from time to time. Maastricht is also a shopping paradise, so if you've got money to burn, you can shop 'til you drop here (I love it:-)! Belgium and Germany are just around the corner, so that's also a good spot to go to sometimes.
-Do you have other plans for the future?
As mentioned earlier, I don't know whether I'll find a suitable job after my studies in The Netherlands, so we might consider moving back to Germany, e.g. my hometown Berlin or maybe Cologne. I'm studying Media Culture, so I'd love to work for a TV station, a publishing house or a magazine/newspaper. We'll see what the options are in the summer...
-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
Like mentioned before, my boyfriend was already living here when I moved in. Luckily his place is big enough for two. We are renting it and it is quite central (15 minutes to walk into the city). We have three rooms (plus kitchen, hallway, separate toilet and bathroom) and pay altogether around 650 EUR every month. In total we have about 80 square meters. Renting is more expensive than in Germany, but still quite reasonable for European average, I would say.
-What is the cost of living in the Netherlands?
In comparison to Germany, a little bit more expensive in my opinion. On groceries for two people you can easily spend around 400 EUR every month (if you don't want to live off pasta all the time). However, much cheaper than let's say England. Going out is also not too bad, for a beer in a pub you pay around EUR 2,50 - 3,00 here.-What do you think about the Dutch?
Well, as a German you can have it rough in The Netherlands sometimes. Just standing around speaking German with some fellow students of mine can sometimes cause raised eyebrows and nasty comments. However, most of the Dutch are open-minded and welcoming. Most of them speak English really well and are also willing to speak it to help you out in shops etc. I do think though that in other parts of the country, such as Amsterdam or The Hague, people are even a little more open and international; down here in the south, things tend to be a bit more provincial and slow (not in a bad way, but also jobwise there is almost nothing here for people who don't speak Dutch in contrast to Rotterdam/Amsterdam/The Hague).
-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in the Netherlands?
positive: beautiful city (Maastricht) with lots of charm, great culinary culture, superb quality of academic education, reasonable living costs
negative: sometimes hatred towards Germans, after studies not so many options in the south of the country to work in a non-Dutch speaking job
-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in the Netherlands?
Learn the language and be prepared to move west or north in order to find a suitable internationally oriented job. Watch your weight and try to resist all those fried goodies;-)! Get a thick skin as a German and don't be surprised or shocked if older people are nasty to you (It hasn't happened to me that often but the times it did, I was in tears, and being called a Nazi when you were born in 1981 and are more left-wing than anywhere close to right-wing isn't that pleasant...). Get used to caffeine in the evening! Prepare youself for carnival-mania if you move to the south (Limburg)!
-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about the Netherlands?
Great university which I can only recommend: University of Maastricht www.unimaas.nl
Good job site for non-Dutch speakers: www.undutchables.nl
Nice English webmagazine for expatriates in Maastricht: http://crossroads.journalismcentre.com/
