I totally agree with your opinion on the cost of living. I've been in Amsterdam for 2.5 months now. In my apartment for 1.5 month. I found that my spending are actually less. Of course, I excluded the initial spending necessary for moving to a new country, such as buying new clothing and new cooking gears. For regular spending, I found that it is a lot less than US. I actually took a pay cut to move here. Adding on the heavier tax rate, my monthly take home pay was less than my US take home pay, even after the 30% ruling applied. But, I found that I am still having more money left for saving!!!

Excellent video ! Keep these kind of video's coming, because they are just and they are factual and hopefully they will give potential immigrants/expats a far better and realistic view to what one can expect and what one really should not expect. Based up on the reactions of several Americans coming to live in Europe in general and in The Netherlands in particular makes me think that these reality check video's you are making should be seen by those people before they actually make the plans to go live here unprepared. And since they did not see your video's they'll have huge Culture shocks and are disappointed in the new country and its inhabitants of their choice since it turns out not to be that fairy tale country they expected to go live in and so are confronted with the harsh reality which takes place in every single country across the globe, so also in The Netherlands. Especially when these people start rejecting the local culture, the local language and more local things, because they did not move here to be confronted with all of that local stuff, they actually often think they can continue their life in the American way, in American Culture , speaking American English and not being bothered with all of that foreign stuff.... in this, for them, foreign country... And so these people will end up very unhappy since they'll not be able to start friendships, due to the rejected culture and rejected language and more.... and these people will end up going back home with one illusion less in their life. Though blaming the country the moved to for their failed move. They however never gave this, for them, foreign country a fair chance, just like they never gave themselves a fair chance by rejecting everything and thinking they could stay 100% American living abroad ... So the more and better info they have up front, the better they can get prepared I'd say ;-)

Call it a coincidence or whatever, but just before I watched your video, I watched T&T go Dutch's video about why you shouldn't come to the Netherlands. By the way, a very interesting video. Well, T&T go Dutch are much shorter in the Netherlands than you, so they really look at expat life differently than you do. You are already much more Dutchified :-) Still, it is nice for you to watch their video and they are quite positive about the Netherlands. And also take a look at the very nice videos of Soul to Soul travels. Those are really nice. They only live in Rotterdam and I don't know if you can handle that :-) ;-) I am also curious about what you consider typical American dishes because I think that many American dishes originated in Europe, but that an American twist has been given to them. But I'm open to tips, because I really like to cook. So if you can give me typical American dishes I can give you my email address.

Great points to consider when weighing the pros and cons of expat life!

@aWanderlustForLife

Жыл бұрын

Thanks! It's certainly a different life, isn't it?

Love this so much, thank you! My husband and I are planning on moving abroad in a few years so all this info is incredibly helpful!

@aWanderlustForLife

11 ай бұрын

I'm so glad! I hope it goes at easy as it possibly can for you 😊

Love your suggestion about food, try our food, can be bad can be hmm taste nice! Again great tips! 👍

@aWanderlustForLife

Жыл бұрын

Absolutely! I think we should all keep an open mind... especially when you move somewhere new!

you can get arm and hammer baking soda in the AH and Jumbo near the baking goods

@aWanderlustForLife

Жыл бұрын

Not in all of them. And they definitely weren't there when I moved 😂 But the bigger ones may carry them now which is great to know! Thank you

These are really good points to consider before moving away. Losing touch of friends back home is definitely a big one. Even though I'm not an expat and not living abroad, I feel that as someone who travels all the time, most of my friends are also travelers too or live in other parts of the world.

@aWanderlustForLife

Жыл бұрын

Thanks! I definitely feel it's better to be prepared!

Another note about food, we found the restaurant food to be not great in the Netherlands. The grocery store food was great! We really missed the ability to get authentic Mexican and Italian food. We ate out a lot, and only ate really well reviewed places. Nothing as good as the $3 bagel we had in New York City.

@aWanderlustForLife

Жыл бұрын

I can't speak for the Netherlands as a whole but in Amsterdam we have some incredible Italian and Mexican places. I even have 2 videos on Mexican/tacos. That said, I wouldn't necessarily expect those cuisines to be super abundant in Europe.

Your information is always great to take into perspective.. I’m actually going to visit Amsterdam before I make that decision.. Pros nowadays usually have cons, However sometimes people need that distance in order to rid themselves of being robbed of their life because they don’t fit into the narratives of others lives who are supposed to love them.. I seen ur emotion in that last segment, and I think even urself understands why people are willing to do what u have, and especially with how America is crumbling every day.. I have no ties to America anymore and been by myself for a long time.. I would rather learn Dutch culture vs having to learn Spanish culture because the English language is now becoming a second language.. Just too much hate anymore and no belief in humanity.. I think a lot of Americans like myself think alike in that aspect..

@skaskaska9005

Жыл бұрын

Sounds like you have some hate for the Spanish speaking culture that has existed in the Americas for hundreds of years. You will be surprised how many Dutch speak Spanish along with other Latin based languages.

" This in NO WAY was designed to make you second guess your life" Too late I already AM! Hahahahahaha, jk Sending you love for your work all the way from Brazil, ty for being my little window to a hella of a different place Hugs!

Glad i found your videos. Subscribed. Do you speak dutch?

Nice video. Do you wanne sail away in the canals of Amsterdam

Would love to move our family from CA to Belgium.

@aWanderlustForLife

Жыл бұрын

That would be so exciting!

The once a month salary payment really confused me at first. 😂 I thought they just forgot to pay me at first.

@aWanderlustForLife

Жыл бұрын

It's so weird, at first! Now, I think I'd be weirded out at a smaller check every other week 😂

My wife and I are thinking about moving to Eindhoven in the next few months. How does the cost of living in Amsterdam compare to Eindhoven? Also, is the reality as bad as the stories about energy prices and grocery costs?

@aWanderlustForLife

Жыл бұрын

I've never lived in Eindhoven and don't know anyone that does, so I'm afraid I can't give a comparison except to say that I'd expect cost of living to be lower. But yes, energy prices and grocery costs have gone up as they have in many places in the world right now.