Need oppinion of people who live in Holland

Need oppinion of people who live in Holland?
I am thinking about working abroad,and Holland seems to have a good reputation. How are the people there? Friendly? Is it true many can speak english? The general athmosphere and mood,is it nice? Do they discriminate or look down at certain foreigners? ...and I have a friend in Rotterdam,so would it be easy or too costly to go to that city,maybe every month,from any part of the country I would work in? with public transportation,I mean. Thank you all in advance
Netherlands - 4 Answers
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1 :
i know that about ninety percent of the people in the Netherlands speak english.
2 :
I'm an American who lived many years of my teenage life in Holland. The people are very friendly. I lived in Holland when 9/11 happened, and the people were amazing in supporting the Americans. Most citizens begin to learn english in 3rd or 4th grade in school. So most people have a very good english vocabulary. I have never seen a Dutch citizen discriminate towards any foreigner. Rotterdam is a very centralized city, so you can get to most of the other near by cities in good time. Transportation fares are very reasonably priced, by bus, tram, and train. On the buses and trains you can purchase a card that has several spaces on it for stamps. You just stamp a certain amount of spaces depending on where you're traveling to. So it saves money as you don't have to buy a ticket every single day. The people are very friendly, and there is always information available in English to help if you need it to.
3 :
Netherlands is very expensive; only cheaper than Paris and London perhaps. Overall, the Netherlands is the most crowded nation in Europe and like any urban sprawl has the dirty and crime to show. Many immigrant from Africa and Arab countries; very diverse whether you think is good or bad. One of my least favorite Western nations, though France is worse because people are rude; especially for Central Euro such as my self. So, the good news now - nice place to visit for short time and great beer. Dutch women can be nice from the country areas and the relax atmosphere is wonderful. The real Dutch people (ethnic and blood Dutch) are polite and helpful; only the high % of "new" Dutch are not so helpful. Learn some words and try for one month and experience for your self with open mind.
4 :
Yes the Netherlands is considered a fairly popular place to work for foreign nationals and has several thriving expat networks (e.g in & around Den Haag and Leiden) I used to work for the European & MEA HQ of a Japanese International company which was based here and 50% of the staff were Japanese expats who (once the culture shock wore off if this was the first assignment) actually thoroughly enjoyed their assignment and the vast majority informally admitted they did not want to return to Japan. I guess whether people are friendly depends on your perception. I know for the Japanese, Dutch people are very blunt (compared with the "smile, nod and mean no really" approach of the Japanese!), but once this is realised that it is not personal then actually is quite refreshing. Most the Japanese I knew survived on Japanese and English only (although some of their wives did learn some Dutch in the time they were here up to 7 years), and of course it helps a lot if you do this and you tend to understand more of the world around you and to "settle" rather than constantly having to compare all the time. English speaking? Yes in the main areas where the International companies are based (which presumably is what you would look for, for an English speaking job) then yes English is widely spoken as a second language, but of course not all can so it is always polite to enquire first rather than launching into a story in fast speaking English :0) It would be a lie to say there is not a problem with the issue foreigners & immigration being a hot potato in most EU countries these days. However this stems essentially from people moving to NL and not being prepared or willing to accept the norms & values of the country. I would not call this discrimination and my perception is that people are still very open-minded for foreign nationals still, but it does not harm to show openness in return. My husband works at an International organisation in Den Haag and has recruited several Indian expats which he has taken under his wing (as such) and they have had very positive experiences. However, all have really embraced their assignments with open arms, travelled around the Netherlands, been open to learning and accepting of the fact that there are sometimes cultural, linguistic (etc) issues that they would have to overcome. So in part it depends on the person you are, the view of being a foreign national you have (do you expect to try to adapt or have others adapt to you) and how open you are to understanding that things are always different when living in another country. I've lived in three West/North European countries and even there, there are differences in terms of norms, approach, manners etc and it is all about learning and accepting in my opinion Rotterdam? - Personally Rotterdam is not my favourite city but of course this is subjective. It is a large city and there are international companies there, but also look towards the other cities in the Randstad area and especially Amsterdam, Amstelveen, Schiphol, Hoofddorp etc for this kind of company. Travelling is possible, but it depends on where you live and where the company is based as to how easy it is. If you live and work on routes which are not directly connected and have to change multiple times then it can be a long & cumbersome journey and one that you would not want to retain for a long time. NL is small but not that small e.g. living in Maastricht and working in Amsterdam would not be something you could do easily. I used to live in Amsterdam and for a period of time had to commute to the South West of the Netherlands. Doing it by public transport was basically impossible (journey of 2-3 hours one way with connection) and the car journey (1.5hrs at best and 2.5 hours sometimes) was a real frustration in the end. The other issue not mentioned is the visa issue and the issue of the economical situation in finding jobs. It really is not simple to work in the Netherlands (or any EEA country) these days if you do not hold an EEA passport. Your employer would have to obtain a work permit on your behalf, but you can read more about this here (as otherwise this becomes a very long essay!) http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AtccBqKngeGUNooQDu2hJtbty6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20091008062527AAWWBs8 Anyway, hopefully this gives you some food for thought and some links to get more info and then you can work out if it is something you want to pursue for yourself Good luck

What do i need to be able to settle down in Holland

What do i need to be able to settle down in Holland?
Im a Dutch Citizen and i was born and raised in the U.A.E. (Not by choice), im planning to finally go to holland and settle down, get a job, etc..., but i was told that im gonna need some Paper work done, and ID's made, i just don't know what or how to get those before i go, and i know itl make my life a hell of a lot easier if i get those done first before i go. Any Info will be great. Thanks. Thanks Nick "Big Help"
Netherlands - 3 Answers
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1 :
A house....for starters No problem
2 :
You will need a Dutch passport as this is what will give you the right to reside in the Netherlands and the EU. If you don't have a Dutch passport, then contact your nearest Netherlands Embassy to find out how to go about getting one. Once you make the move to the Netherlands, you'll need to get a residency permit and ID. The Embassy can give you information on how to apply for these. I'm assuming you speak Dutch. If you don't, then getting work could be a little difficult.
3 :
Zafir is only partially correct. You need a passport, if you don't have one go and see the embassy. If you do decide to settle down you will need to register at city hall whereever you go to live. Bring proof of where you are going to live, a rental contract will do. Bring your passport. This will eventually lead to a BSN number, a cross between a social security number and a tax number. You will need that to work Of course people will expect you to speak dutch if you have a dutch passport.

what is up with geting a visa to holland? how can someone not work for the 3 months it takes to apply for it

what is up with geting a visa to holland? how can someone not work for the 3 months it takes to apply for it?
i'm trying to start a family in holland, but the governmet wants you to stay for 3 months while you're applying without working. that could prove difficult on funds and the relationship. is there anyone who knows how to get around this?
Netherlands - 1 Answers
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1 :
We got to much people from all over the world, that's why its takes so long. But you can always get jobs as a waiter

I am traveling to Holland and need an adapter...please help

I am traveling to Holland and need an adapter...please help?
I am in America but traveling to Holland. My laptop is a three-prong plug. Where can I find an adaptor/converter that will work in Holland??
Netherlands - 3 Answers
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1 :
I took my laptop to Europe last year without troubles. First, make sure the power cord clearly reads "110-220V." That is very important. Otherwise, the European voltage, which is double ours, will fry your laptop. It will say it in the fine print on the transformer part (the "box") on the power cord. Next, stop by Radio Shack or a travel shop (such as AAA Travel) and buy a plug converter. Holland and the rest of the Netherlands use the standard European outlets, which accommodate two round tines (as opposed to our two flat tines). The converter just changes the shape of the tines on the plug. Finally, have a great trip!
2 :
just go to any electronic store they should have
3 :
@Brian Holland and the rest of the Netherlands???? Holland and the Netherlands are the same u know.