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Moving to the Netherlands? Any MNers there can help with questions++

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By Thu 10-Sep-09 17:08:32 Add message | Report | Contact poster

We are possibly moving over as my DH has a possible years contract over there. Ironically we have just been there for a 2 week summer holiday. His job would be based in Amsterdam with some travel to Belgium and we are considering where we would live. I quite liked the town of Leiden but not sure of cost of rent or if it commutable to Amsterdam for DH.

We have 2 boys DS1 is 4 and attends a Montessori school here in Derby a style of education we would like him to continue and DS2 is 9 months but is unlikely to attend much more than a playgroup within the year. What sort of child care and playgroups are there in the Netherlands for under 5's and is non Dutch speaking a problem. We are planning to learn as much as we can but in a year not sure how much that will amount to.

Finally what is it like living over there, we enjoyed the time we had there and we are keen cyclists so it felt like Nirvana for us. We are both Australian but have been living in the UK for over 10 years, so are used to being expats.

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Wed 11-Nov-09 19:48:00

Hi expat. I think Delft is going to be too expensive for what we want. I had a look at 3 places in Voorburg today one was a complete dump, one was ok sizewise but had a tiny garden and no bannisters on the stairs, so deathtrap for the boys. The 3rd place was really nice with a big back garden but the house itself was quite small with almost no storage space. We are looking at a place tomorrow that looks a decent size and the estate agent is quite excited about it's on Daguerrestraat in Den Haag near where we are now (where ever that is). I have my reservations because it would be nice not to live in a city but I'm now not going to have a car during the day (dh has to drive) so it may leave me feeling a bit remote if I'm out in the sticks. I know olliewollie lives here but I can't remember who else does. But those of you that do, do you find it ok for kids and not too stiffling?

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Wed 11-Nov-09 14:26:54

Delft is a lovely town. We looked at living there initially but then DH was moved from Rotterdam to Amsterdam so it made more sense to live in Amsterdam.

I'm guessing you have thought of Leiden as well? Smaller than the Hague but very close and bigger than Delft? Or Rotterdam itself - you'd get the English speaking expats there and Kralingen is very nice (we lived there briefly on the lake when we first moved to the Netherlands)

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Mon 09-Nov-09 11:41:31

Thanks Skihorse, it seems pretty expensive, but our estate agent lady is going to line up a few places in the Hague, voorburg and delft so we can compare. It's difficult because we even think living in a little town that's commutable to Rotterdam would be good but don't want to be too isolated cos I might go crazy. Also need some English speaking sporty stuff for the kids to do and the Hague seems good for that. Gouda was nice and seems quite cheap but might be too far away from everything. Aaahhhh all too hard. I'm gonna go to a expat mum&tots group in Rotterdam tomorrow to pick there brains about where is good to live if you need to be close to Rotterdam.

Nice sunny weather at the mo!

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Mon 09-Nov-09 08:53:52

I love Delft.

One of my best friends has just sadly moved from Delft back to the US. Her apartment was actually on one of the main streets by the canal so beautifully located.

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Sun 08-Nov-09 16:22:56

Ladies are you still there just wondering what you ladies think of Delft? It seems DH will be doing a lot of work in Rotterdam and we think we would like to live somewhere smaller with a more villagey feel. Den Haag is nice but feels a bit more city than we want for the kids. We went to Gouda and delft today and loved them both. Not sure if they are too expensive though, and if they are actually as livable as they look. A bit easy to get taken in by the look of some places I guess, but different to live there.

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Wed 04-Nov-09 09:33:40

Hi Ladies,
I hope you don't mind me jumping in on the thread, but DH is in the process of being offered a job in Amsterdam! Which has been a massive shock but if it all happens we are going.

I just really wanted to know how you found life, was it easy to make new friends, was it a good base to travel around and see europe from?

Many thanks

Mrs Snow

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Tue 03-Nov-09 19:44:10

Hi ladies not sure if are all still around but we are here finally flew in no sunday. Got to the short let and there was some big problems with it so we in another place somewhere else in Den Haag no idea where but it's quite nice. Unfortunately the internet access to there flats is down though so i'm just on my phone for now. Hope your all well and will be back soon with lots of questions.

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Sun 18-Oct-09 23:36:51

Bugger the landlord has already let the place to someone else. I think we'll just have to get a short term let and start looking again when we get over there. Shame it was nice but hey ho I'm sure it will all be fine. In a way it might be better as if we allow 2-3 weeks for our stuff to be moved over it costs half the price and we can take a bit more time to find something. I'm sure it's not the only perfect place around.

Expat the places next to the place we wanted had light fences about a meter or so high, looked quite good and apparently fairly cheap.

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Sat 17-Oct-09 08:02:24

Sounds great.

We have one of those mini canals at the end of our garden too. We just have a deal with the landlord that we can arrange for something once DS can move independently, which we will then have to remove when we leave. DH is quite the handyman so he'll just arrange something when the time comes.

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Fri 16-Oct-09 23:32:30

Oh and thanks for that expat2. The agent said we will just have to show evidence that DH has a job but that's about it.

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Moving to the Netherlands? Any MNers there can help with questions++