5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Coming to the Netherlands
Feeling accepted and appreciated in a new environment needs some serious adjustment, especially as a foreigner.
Here are five tips I wish I knew before coming to the Netherlands:
1. Bikes, Bikes and more Bikes…
If you are coming from the south of Europe where you are used to take the scooter or walk, coming to the Netherlands can be a bit rough. The first thing you definitely need to know is how to bike. If you think you already know how to bike, I can tell you; you do not. Dutch people are fast bikers, they like to rush from A to B and most of the time are annoyed as soon as they notice you are a foreigner (except that, they are nice, I promise…) The number one rule is to keep on biking, no matter what. Try to adapt to the pace and keep practicing.
You do not have a bike yet? Do not worry, there are so many places called ‘Fietsenwinkel’ which sell second hand bikes pretty cheap. If you are a student and do not want to buy one but rent one I can recommend ‘Swapfiets’. You can get a bike for a fixed amount per month, which is very handy, especially if you only plan on staying for one semester. Here is the link to their website:
2. Opening a Bank Account
If you are coming from another country with a different currency, I would recommend to open a Dutch bank account. You can leave your cash back home, since everything is paid via card in the Netherlands. In case you are not familiar with paying contactless: after opening your bank account, you will receive the card within a week. Please note that you will get the card and your pin number in two separate letters. Log into your account online, transfer the money to your Dutch bank account and you are ready to go. Now you can just tap your card near the point-of-sale terminal equipped with the technology. Be aware that with contactless payment you tend to spend more than you planned on, as it is insanely easy and most of the times you do not even have to enter your pin.
Here are Dutch banks, which are international friendly:
3. What the hell is an OV-Chipkaart?
In case you decided to ditch using a bike in the Netherlands, you need to be familiar with the Dutch train system. Throughout the Netherlands, when entering and leaving the central station you need to have an OV-chipkaart. An OV-Chipkaart (OV Chipcard) is your ticket for the train, tram, bus and even renting a bike (OV-fiets). You can apply for a personal one online via:
As soon as you received it, you can top up your card at any machines at the central station.
Be aware that you always need at least 20€ on your card when entering the train and do not forget to check out again!
4. The Health Care System and Finding a Job
Another great thing about the Netherlands is their health care system. As you will get to know biking and getting all healthy and fit, it is all about the basisverekering; it is the most efficient insurance scheme and costs you about 95–120€ per month. In case you are searching for a job, note that you need to be insured first!
Do not know where to look for a job? I got you covered:
5. Lastly the most important one: Finding a Place to Live
I do not want to crash your hopes, but finding a place to live in the Netherlands is difficult, the least to say… As much as the Dutch people are friendly and open-minded, as soon as you start looking for a place to live you will often notice ads such as ‘Female Dutch Only’ or ‘No Internationals’. I am telling you DO NOT GIVE UP. It is a long and hard process, but once you find something suitable, you will not regret it.
In the Netherlands, you can either apply for housing via your university and live on campus or you try to find a room yourself. Here, you need to sell yourself. Often shared houses are asking for a fun and engaging application as most of the times more than 200 people are applying for the same room. Make yourself approachable and create an account on Kamernet.
Kamernet is the go to platform to find a room. Another tip from me is to pay a monthly fee to receive the latest ads!
If this did not get you covered, try the good old Facebook groups such as ‘Kamer in Utrecht’. Start early and commit yourself to a long-lasting process.
By doing this, you are one step closer in building your home away from home!
