- If you are staying for longer than a month get a bike. The City is small, but big enough to get tired easily if you start walking everywhere. The whole place is bike-friendly and cycling in Amsterdam is the best and usually faster than public transport. You don’t need to go fast and you do get used to the pedal-brake.
- The bureaucracy sucks. It took me three interviews to get a BSN number (Dutch equivalent of a social security number which you need to anything including getting paid for work/ registering with a doctors). It’s not impossible though and every immigrant goes through a similar process (I hear it’s even harder if you’re not from the EU). Just be prepared for a lot of “it’s just our policy” responses to your questions. And bring your birth certificate with you to Holland. I am not joking.
- Coffee shops are not the best thing about Amsterdam. This city has so much more to offer; from quirky cafes, and restaurants, excellent beers and incredible exhibitions and festivals.
- The Dutch are not that rude. Seriously, I am the most overly sensitive person and I was warned that the Dutch can be pretty brash in comparison to our overly polite and fawning manner, but so far (fingers crossed) no one has told me I am an idiot and everyone has been pretty supportive – my new landlord even invited me to his leaving party!
- Charity shops are not a thing here. If you are a slow fashion advocate like me there are vintage shops (which are pretty pricey considering the clothes are secondhand) and great flea markets which are super cheap!
- Invest in a great raincoat – if you are cycling a lot the winter months can be pretty wet. Or you can have four seasons in one day. Rain-chic is a thing here. At the time of writing this the must-have raincoat is from the Danish company called Rains which favours the rubber-feel material as opposed to that awful nylon, and of course cut beautifully for the practical hipster cyclist. They are lightweight, overpriced and I am itching to get my hands on one.
- Find a flat as soon as possible, and don’t be put off by living outside the city. There is a huge demand for housing , so be very aware of scams and try to find somewhere as soon as you can and don’t be disheartened if it takes a little while. I found my flat on Facebook and it is beautiful – definitely worth living in an AirBnb room for a month with no proper kitchen or living room.
- Buy local! Holland has a thriving agricultural industry and is second to the US for its exports per value, despite being 277 times smaller. I have found that buying my fruits and veg in local markets and corner shops is a lot cheaper than buying in the supermarkets, plus you get to support a little guys. Also make sure you check out the flea markets, but leave enough time to do some serious perusing.
- Bring mosquito spray. It is October and I have been eaten alive by mosquitos and apparently it is a common problem which I assume is because of the water, but I have never known mosquitos to thrive in these cold temperatures.
- Go Dutch! Despite the whole of Amsterdam speaking incredible English, it will be greatly appreciated if you can order your beer in Dutch like a local.
