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Foreign in the Netherlands
zondag 30 juli 2017 om 10:14
Hallo every one,
My name is Catarina, I live in the Netherlands for about 1 year and I was born and raised in Portugal.
I came to live in the Netherlands because the job oportunities here are way better then in Portugal, and overall the quality of live is better.
I always liked to travel, and since I'm here I have the oportunitie to live in a different country with a different culture, and I love it so far. But there is a small problem... Currently I live in Friesland and I find a bit difficcult to have real friendship here and I'm starting to miss that... There is not a lot of foreign people here and I have no idea how to start a friendship also because my Dutch is really bad.
I really want to get more involve with the Dutch people and have good friendship here. Does any one have an advise to 'how to make friends in Friesland being n a foreign? "
Thank you very much,
Catarina
My name is Catarina, I live in the Netherlands for about 1 year and I was born and raised in Portugal.
I came to live in the Netherlands because the job oportunities here are way better then in Portugal, and overall the quality of live is better.
I always liked to travel, and since I'm here I have the oportunitie to live in a different country with a different culture, and I love it so far. But there is a small problem... Currently I live in Friesland and I find a bit difficcult to have real friendship here and I'm starting to miss that... There is not a lot of foreign people here and I have no idea how to start a friendship also because my Dutch is really bad.
I really want to get more involve with the Dutch people and have good friendship here. Does any one have an advise to 'how to make friends in Friesland being n a foreign? "
Thank you very much,
Catarina
zondag 30 juli 2017 om 10:38
I can understand Friesland is more difficult, for a number of reasons. If you are willing to travel to meet friends, there are a lot of opportunities. You can check sites like: https://www.meetup.com/
https://www.iamexpat.nl/lifestyle/inter ... oups-clubs
http://www.expatica.com/nl/out-and-abou ... 69846.html
And found one specifically for the three northern provinces: http://iwcn.nl/
If you like to get to know Dutch people specifically you could check: https://www.nieuwemensenlerenkennen.nl/portal.php
Enjoy your stay in NL!
https://www.iamexpat.nl/lifestyle/inter ... oups-clubs
http://www.expatica.com/nl/out-and-abou ... 69846.html
And found one specifically for the three northern provinces: http://iwcn.nl/
If you like to get to know Dutch people specifically you could check: https://www.nieuwemensenlerenkennen.nl/portal.php
Enjoy your stay in NL!
every journey starts with a single step
zondag 30 juli 2017 om 10:41
Hmm I have heard from expat friends at my boyfriend's work that they all find it indeed difficult to get Dutch friends. And I can imagine in Friesland it's even more difficult, as they are said to be more reserved. I think you will find things easier if you would live in internationally oriented cities like Rotterdam or Amsterdam, so maybe you will find another job there in time.
An expat friend of mine got a Dutch boyfriend, and learned to speak dutch, and now she has plenty of dutch friends.
5-ish years ago i myself was quite involved in Couchsurfing, on their message board were many international and local people organizing activities, you could just hop on. When i was in Paris, I got many friends and acqaintances like this, whitin a month. I'm not sure if the site is still that active as it went from non-profit to profit but there will be alternatives for sure.
I also find that in Irish pubs are many international people or internationally minded locals.
you can also check uit https://www.nieuwemensenlerenkennen.nl/ (meetnewpeople), its not very international but most people speak english anyways.
An expat friend of mine got a Dutch boyfriend, and learned to speak dutch, and now she has plenty of dutch friends.
5-ish years ago i myself was quite involved in Couchsurfing, on their message board were many international and local people organizing activities, you could just hop on. When i was in Paris, I got many friends and acqaintances like this, whitin a month. I'm not sure if the site is still that active as it went from non-profit to profit but there will be alternatives for sure.
I also find that in Irish pubs are many international people or internationally minded locals.
you can also check uit https://www.nieuwemensenlerenkennen.nl/ (meetnewpeople), its not very international but most people speak english anyways.
zondag 30 juli 2017 om 10:42
Huh, I wouldn't have thought the search for job opportunities would land you in Friesland.
Do you live in a city or a village?
Depending on where you live, the people around you speak Frisian. It would be difficult to build a social life there for other Dutch people as well...
Are you planning on staying here for a long time? Then I would recommend strongly to learn Dutch, which coincidentally is a good way to meet new people as well. Look into clubs and groups you can join, a sports club, church, or hobby club for example.
Frisian villages can have a strong community with lots of activities, and it is appreciated if you contribute to that. But this is going to be difficult as long as you don't speak the language, and as I said before, Dutch might not be enough.
Do you live in a city or a village?
Depending on where you live, the people around you speak Frisian. It would be difficult to build a social life there for other Dutch people as well...
Are you planning on staying here for a long time? Then I would recommend strongly to learn Dutch, which coincidentally is a good way to meet new people as well. Look into clubs and groups you can join, a sports club, church, or hobby club for example.
Frisian villages can have a strong community with lots of activities, and it is appreciated if you contribute to that. But this is going to be difficult as long as you don't speak the language, and as I said before, Dutch might not be enough.
Weet je wat pas conflictvermijdend is? Wereldvrede.
zondag 30 juli 2017 om 10:59
No we don't speak English here, we only speak Fries. 
We can speak Dutch, we even can speak English. And when you want to meet people, you can go to sports, there are a lot of festivals where you can meet other people. Look iff you can find volunteers work, and try to learn some dutch words (no, you don't have to learn fries) .
We can speak Dutch, we even can speak English. And when you want to meet people, you can go to sports, there are a lot of festivals where you can meet other people. Look iff you can find volunteers work, and try to learn some dutch words (no, you don't have to learn fries) .
zondag 30 juli 2017 om 11:16
I did not say they don't speak Dutch (or English), I said they speak Frisian and that it can be hard for people who don't speak that to be part of the community.friezinnetje2014 schreef: ↑30-07-2017 10:59No we don't speak English here, we only speak Fries.
We can speak Dutch, we even can speak English. And when you want to meet people, you can go to sports, there are a lot of festivals where you can meet other people. Look iff you can find volunteers work, and try to learn some dutch words (no, you don't have to learn fries) .
I experienced this myself, although to be fair that was 20+ years ago.
But I think tigri is right, that might be a generational thing (and dependent on place, a small village is different from a larger town).
Weet je wat pas conflictvermijdend is? Wereldvrede.
zondag 30 juli 2017 om 11:25
It is often even hard for Dutch people who move to Friesland to really feel at home there, so I can imagine that for a foreigner it could be even harder. The experiences I have seen around me are also that in villages it is quite hard to make Dutch friends. The Dutch are not always very welcoming. However in larger cities you should be ok, particularly Amsterdam, The Hague (Den Haag), Rotterdam, Utrecht. Both Amsterdam and The Hague are very internationally orientated.
zondag 30 juli 2017 om 11:27
I know someone who is currently having the same experience. She has lived there for quite a few years now and although she has made her life there, she still feels the Frisians have a different mentality than she is used to having come from another part of The Netherlands.tyche schreef: ↑30-07-2017 11:16I did not say they don't speak Dutch (or English), I said they speak Frisian and that it can be hard for people who don't speak that to be part of the community.
I experienced this myself, although to be fair that was 20+ years ago.
But I think tigri is right, that might be a generational thing (and dependent on place, a small village is different from a larger town).
zondag 30 juli 2017 om 12:06
Catarina, it always takes a little time to feel at home after a move. I'm not convinced it's all to do with the Frisian mentality (if that even exists), plenty of people from other parts of the country (and abroad) move to Friesland and feel fine. It may have something to do with where you live, a small village might be a little more difficult than a larger town.
If you work, you could ask your colleagues if there are any nice things to do in the area. Who knows, maybe they ask you to join them and go to an event. If you study in Leeuwarden, you could join a sorority-sort of club and make friends there.
Right now, in the summer, there are many things to do: summer fairs, festivals, sports. Apart from volunteering or joining a sportclub you could join a choir or dance team, if you like that sort of thing. Maybe join a church, if you are religious. If you take classes "Dutch for foreigners", you'll meet other recent immigrants and you'll feel more sure of yourself when speaking Dutch.
And you could also use the "contact" part of this forum, to find friends your own age with similar hobbies and interests in the area where you live. Good luck!
If you work, you could ask your colleagues if there are any nice things to do in the area. Who knows, maybe they ask you to join them and go to an event. If you study in Leeuwarden, you could join a sorority-sort of club and make friends there.
Right now, in the summer, there are many things to do: summer fairs, festivals, sports. Apart from volunteering or joining a sportclub you could join a choir or dance team, if you like that sort of thing. Maybe join a church, if you are religious. If you take classes "Dutch for foreigners", you'll meet other recent immigrants and you'll feel more sure of yourself when speaking Dutch.
And you could also use the "contact" part of this forum, to find friends your own age with similar hobbies and interests in the area where you live. Good luck!
zondag 30 juli 2017 om 14:56
Where in Friesland do you live? In a city like Leeuwarden, Sneek, Drachten or Heerenveen? Or in a small town?
How did you end up there? Did you move in with your boyfriend or family?
Otherwise I don't understand why you don't move to the Amsterda/Rotterdam area (randstad).
About what joboppertunities did you hear, in what sector? And how are you educated?
How did you end up there? Did you move in with your boyfriend or family?
Otherwise I don't understand why you don't move to the Amsterda/Rotterdam area (randstad).
About what joboppertunities did you hear, in what sector? And how are you educated?
zondag 30 juli 2017 om 15:17
I think Frysians will warm up to a Portugees more readily then to 'imported Dutchmen'. I would advise you to go and learn Frysian instead of Dutch. That really gets you respect. But you will never be one of them. Frysians make a hobby out of stating their family lines on social gatherings, they are so like hobbits! But if you try you can be an honouary Frysian.
Don't be put of by their guarded appearance. They are kings of the understatement but they can be unexpectedly open minded.
Don't be put of by their guarded appearance. They are kings of the understatement but they can be unexpectedly open minded.
zondag 30 juli 2017 om 18:07
Dat ben ik met je eens Friezinnetje. Na een verhuizing is het altijd wennen, zeker naar een ander land, maar dat Friezen 'lastiger' of minder vriendelijk of minder gastvrij zouden zijn dan Groningers, Drenten of Limburgers, dat is niet mijn ervaring. Ik zie geen verschil, overal zijn aardige en minder aardige mensen. Familie uit het westen van het land vind het juist heerlijk om er te logeren, te winkelen en te genieten van de horeca omdat zij vinden dat iedereen zo vriendelijk is.
Als TO is verhuisd om te gaan samenwonen en (nog) geen werk of leuke studie heeft gevonden, kan ik me voorstellen dat het moeilijker is om nieuwe vrienden te vinden, maar dat heeft dan meer te maken met haar situatie dan met de (vermeende) Friese volksaard.
Als TO is verhuisd om te gaan samenwonen en (nog) geen werk of leuke studie heeft gevonden, kan ik me voorstellen dat het moeilijker is om nieuwe vrienden te vinden, maar dat heeft dan meer te maken met haar situatie dan met de (vermeende) Friese volksaard.
dinsdag 1 augustus 2017 om 18:31
Tuurlijk.....niks mis met de friezen, we zijn net zo hartelijk naar Hollanders of mensen uit het buitenland. Stug volk? Nou ik moet ze nog tegen komen. In mijn omgeving is iedereen gewoon hartelijk en oprecht geïnteresseerd in anderen. We praten niet de hele dag fries en zodra er iemand bij een gesprek komt staan die geen fries spreekt, gaan we over op het Nederlands en vragen we of je alles hebt gesnapt of nog opnieuw moeten toelichten.
dinsdag 1 augustus 2017 om 19:11