Ask Angie and other Euros (sort of OT): Sabbatical in Holland! - YouLookFab Forum

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Ask Angie and other Euros (sort of OT): Sabbatical in Holland!

sarah

Veteran

It's looking like my husband and I will be taking a sabbatical in Holland next spring (Jan - June 2013)! I'll be working in Amsterdam and he'll be in Delft, and we'll live somewhere in between or in Amsterdam and he'll commute. We'll be putting our kids (ages 6 and 8) in international school.

If any of you have advice about favorite family-friendly neighborhoods or international schools in Amsterdam, The Hague, Leiden, Delft, etc., I'd love to here it!

Thanks for your help! I'm traveling, so I apologize for posting and running, but I'll be back online reliably this weekend and look forward to hearing your comments.

General

23 replies

Latest reply was from Debora

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Inge and I are coming to visit.

Amsterdam is my favourite Euro city. And you look quite Dutch, Sarah! Delft is cute - but nothing compared to Amsterdam I'm afraid (I'm biased). Everyone, accept the very old generation, speak English really well - no problem at all. TV isn't dubbed either.

I always find the groceries in the Netherlands so cheap compared to Seattle. Bonus for you!

I know nothing about the school situation, but Heleen lives in Amstelveen - close to Amsterdam, and you might like to PM her.

My Papa lives very close to the German border on the other side - in Arnhem. I love Arnhem too. So quaint! If you ever see that Movie - "A Bridge Too Far", my Papa lived through that in Arnhem as a young lad (age 9 to 14) during WW2. Arnhem has huge WW2 significance - the museum about this in Oosterbeek is well worth a look.

I'm rambling

sarah

Veteran

Angie, I can't wait to meet you and Inge : )

I may look Dutch in the photos, but remember, I'm only 5'1" tall!

Thanks for your vote for Amsterdam. I've heard that from others as well! It's all very exciting to think about.

(I visited Arnhem once 25 yrs ago - to go to the art museum/sculpture garden - it was wonderful).

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Hah! I rambled even further and we posted at the same time. So excited for you!!

True. Your height is very un-Dutch (so is mine). It's the tallest country in the world.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Sarah, no advice but what a wonderful opportunity! I really envy you: it ismy dream to have 6 month vacation and live in Europe during this time but it is a reality for you! Why didn't I select an academic career for myself?

Angie, does this mean I would fit right in with the Dutch height-wise?

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

You would, Sveta. So would Jonesy, Marianna, Ornella, Inge, Julie and Kyle.

Sarah, more thoughts:

- Legacy of Pearl goes to the Netherlands often - might like to PM her too.

- Sylvia is Dutch, although she lives in the Far East now, and she might be able to help out as well.

You will LOVE the Cycle Chic culture!!!

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

Wow!! We have close friends who have kids who are your kids' age. They live here in the states now but will be going back to Amsterdam next week. How sad for us but great for you!! I will pm you their information and an introduction.

I hope you will continue to post from Amsterdam! I think it takes traveling to another culture to realize what is special and different about both theirs and your own.

PS- I've heard kids' clothes are pretty expensive there so you'll probably want to bring most of their cold weather and rain gear with you. Our friends stocked up while they were here.

Jonesy

Veteran

OMG, you are living my dream!! We are no longer allowed to take semester sabbaticals ($$), so I have never had one! How thrilling for you and your family.

Inge

(website)

How wonderful and exciting for you and your family, Sarah!
We absolutely must meet up when you are here, and perhaps I can show you around Antwerp one day too. (Oh yes, Angie, please join us!)

Amsterdam is a brilliant city, I don't know it well enough to offer suggestions on schools or neighbourhoods, but please let me know if I can help with any practical matters (while you are preparing for your trip, or when you are here). I'd be more than happy to help.

I was also going to suggest PM'in Legacy of Pearl, she has lived in the Netherlands for a while too.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

How exciting and fun! This sounds like a dream come true! I have no advice to offer except enjoy!!

Isis

Veteran

I am so jealous! Last summer my family spent several days biking from Amsterdam to Brugges, Belgium. It was a fantastic trip! We stayed with families; I'll PM you the info on how we did that.

Amsterdam was my favorite city! Very few cars, very easy to bike in and without the noise of traffic, just the tinkling of bike bells! I would love to spend time there.

Since coming home, I have frequently lapse into daydreams of living over there.....

I don't remember how old your kids are, but I would definitely plan a biking vacation when over there! If you are not living in Amsterdam, but are taking the train in to work, I would think about getting a folding bike as you don't have to buy a special ticket to bring a folder aboard. Otherwise, you buy a ticket for your bike, which is fine for a vacation but would be a pain for a daily commute.

Fashion tip: Great shoes in the shops!!!!! Walkable with low heels and interesting details! Food tip: Incredible apple pie and great beer !

Ginkgo

Veteran

I'm so excited for you and your family -- this will be a fantastic experience! That's great that you and your husband will both have the experience of working abroad. And friends of mine who lived overseas as children have had the travel bug ever since.

My husband and I are planning a trip to Amsterdam in September, and will include a side trip to Arnhem as my late FIL was there as a Polish paratrooper during the battle. I'll be watching this thread for more info tidbits.

bj1111

Veteran

we're all coming to visit, you lucky dog.

i love sabbaticals. the last perk of the poorly paid academic. althoug apparently, it had bitten the dust in many institutions. (sorry, jonesy.)

nancylee

Veteran

So excited for you, Sarah! I'm another who will be living vicariously through you.....I've heard so many wonderful things about Amsterdam. What a great opportunity for your family.

HeleenH

Veteran

Welcome to the Netherlands in the 'near' future!
I would love to recommend Amstelveen as we are in between the British School of Amsterdam (in Amsterdam) and the International school of Amsterdam (in Amstelveen) and I live in a very family friendly street.
Amstelveen has a nice mixture of cultures, with many people from Japan, India and other countries. Commuting to Amsterdam is very easy, but Delft is more difficult. You would always have to switch trains in The Hague. It would probably be easier to live in The Hague and commute to Amsterdam. Are you both going to work full time? That would be something to take into consideration.
Do you want to live in a busy city centre, the suburbs or a village? Are you going to use public transport or a car? Are you organising your own house or will it be arranged by the company you will be working for?
There are plenty of expat organisations. This is the welcome site of the Amsterdam city council / promotion : http://www.iamsterdam.com/en/living/expatcenter.
Where in Delft will your husband be working? And where in Amsterdam will you be working?
Hm, more questions than answers...

HeleenH

Veteran

You asked about schools,

International School of Amsterdam: http://www.isa.nl/ (Amstelveen)
The British School of Amsterdam: http://www.britams.nl/ (south of Amsterdam)

International School of The Hague http://www.ishthehague.nl/

Leiden: http://www.elckerlyc.net/

More International schools: http://tinyurl.com/43d5qea
For practical reasons I would just look at the schools in the Amsterdam area, the The Hague area, Leiden, possibly Utrecht where a new International school will start right next to the lyceum I went to.

sarah

Veteran

Sveta, Jonesy, Suz, Gingko, Nancy, bj - thanks for sharing in my excitement! I know that we are very lucky to be able to do this, and it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. An added bonus is that my MIL lives in England and is half-Dutch, so the kids will get to see a lot of their grandma and may even be able to meet some relatives that my husband has never met.

Rita, Isis, and Heleen - thanks SOO much for all the information you've passed along. Heleen, once I have a better sense of the layout and the neighborhoods, I hope it would be OK for me to PM you with more questions.

Inge and Angie - I am very much looking forward to our meet-up, either in Antwerp or Amsterdam. I can't wait : )

HeleenH

Veteran

You are very welkcome to send me a PM, Sarah. And I am looking forward to a YLF meeting

Ornella

(website)

Veteran

I'm coming too!!!

sarah

Veteran

Oh, yay! I have to go all the way to Europe for a YLF meetup ; ).

Lynne

Veteran

OOH, Sarah, you will love it!

If your work is paying for schooling, I can recommend the American School in The Hague as an option. They have brilliant sporting facilities, but it is by far the most expensive of your international schooling options AND the location is not the most convenient for living/working in Amsterdam or Delft.

The British Schools in Amsterdam and The Hague are also brilliant and are truly international. I have good friends at all three of these schools and I'm happy to put you in contact, send me a PM.

For housing, look at Funda.nl. 'Te Huur' is to rent, and you can see examples of prices and options. Delft, I suspect, will be much more affordable than Amsterdam, and has a lovely vibe, being a university town, and is out of the normal expat zones, but if you want to be in the middle of the bustle, Amsterdam could be more you. Amstelveen, where Heleen lives, is a good choice for the British School in Amsterdam, and for public transport (brilliant and clean and safe) and is brilliant for the airport, which makes a big difference when you arrive after long international flights! Schipol airport is efficient and clean and well serviced with fast trains and is one of the nicest you will encounter in Europe.

The Dutch are open and straightforward and the bike culture is fabulously egalitarian and social......I would even consider getting new bikes there as Dutch bikes are so comfortable, though expensive. And it is a strong cultural value in Holland to 'be normal' and not stand out. The Dutch don't wear helmets (except for children) so everyone will identify you as foriegn with yours (close your eyes and ears, Heleen!) but we stuck with wearing them and I am still firmly on Team Helmet.

It is well worth doing a cultural appreciation course when you arrive, the Koninglike Institute of Tropical Studies in Amsterdam does a brilliant one that will give your a two year headstart on navigating life and social customs in your new home!

So excited for you, you will love, love, love it, I am sure!!!! Now put on your orange shirt, paint the red white and blue stripes of the Dutch flag on your face, and shout "Hup, Holland!".

You will find the medical system very different to the US, it is efficient and fair but run very differently which foriegners, especially Americans in my experience, can take a while to get accustomed to. I was a fan, but not all my expat friends were....

Check out expatica.com for lots of good info and links.

Stay away from complainers and enjoy :).

Lynne

Veteran

oooh, and check out Bandolera, Mexx, and Comma, all great brands!

sarah

Veteran

Lynne - I'll PM you....

Debora

Veteran

Hi Sarah, sorry I'm so late to this thread. I saw it several days ago but this is the first chance I've had to respond. Just wanted to let you you know how excited I am for you! This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and I know it will be a great adventure. Yay and good luck to you!