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Life in the Netherlands

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    #32
    yer man!
    Registered Users Posts: 1,647 ✭✭✭yer man!


    I'm wondering OP how are you doing now in the Netherlands further into covid? I'm living near Den Haag for the past two years and initially saw myself living here for ever, even started looking at houses here recently to buy. In the past few weeks though, the draw of ireland is really intensifying and my image of life here permanently is diminishing. I really need a trip home!


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    #33
    andyd12
    Registered Users Posts: 338 ✭✭andyd12


    yer man! wrote: »
    I'm wondering OP how are you doing now in the Netherlands further into covid? I'm living near Den Haag for the past two years and initially saw myself living here for ever, even started looking at houses here recently to buy. In the past few weeks though, the draw of ireland is really intensifying and my image of life here permanently is diminishing. I really need a trip home!


    Hi, it's funny that you raise this topic at this moment. As next week, I will leave the NL with my Dutch gf.
    I have still struggled to see myself settling and staying here. I have managed to become quite good at Dutch.
    My opinion of the NL has not really changed an awful lot tbh, again covid has not helped this, but long term wise I think ireland has more to offer. But that of course depends on what somebody wants.
    Buying a house here is beyond ridiculous. I work with guys who recently bought homes for 400k. They are first time buyers in there mid to late twenties, project engineer types earning 45k max. For me, that is an insane amount of money for a semi detached average house.

    It's busy all the time here, no real freedom or wilderness. Cities are nice here but beyond that it is just boring, no landscape. That is something I long for.
    People here are more direct and just small talk less than Irish people. That is something I do miss.
    I too long to be back in Ireland. Perhaps the inability to travel home easily has made me long to go home.

    I don't like to belittle Holland or its people but overall I just prefer ireland and Irish people. I have met some really nice Dutch people and have good memories of my time here. I love cycling to work, work here was good, nice holidays etc.
    I just prefer ireland


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    #34
    yer man!
    Registered Users Posts: 1,647 ✭✭✭yer man!


    andyd12 wrote: »
    Hi, it's funny that you raise this topic at this moment. As next week, I will leave the NL with my Dutch gf.
    I have still struggled to see myself settling and staying here. I have managed to become quite good at Dutch.
    My opinion of the NL has not really changed an awful lot tbh, again covid has not helped this, but long term wise I think ireland has more to offer. But that of course depends on what somebody wants.
    Buying a house here is beyond ridiculous. I work with guys who recently bought homes for 400k. They are first time buyers in there mid to late twenties, project engineer types earning 45k max. For me, that is an insane amount of money for a semi detached average house.

    It's busy all the time here, no real freedom or wilderness. Cities are nice here but beyond that it is just boring, no landscape. That is something I long for.
    People here are more direct and just small talk less than Irish people. That is something I do miss.
    I too long to be back in Ireland. Perhaps the inability to travel home easily has made me long to go home.

    I don't like to belittle Holland or its people but overall I just prefer ireland and Irish people. I have met some really nice Dutch people and have good memories of my time here. I love cycling to work, work here was good, nice holidays etc.
    I just prefer ireland

    Fair play to ye, I wish you the best of luck back in Ireland!

    I agree with you in everything you say. Saw terraced houses (150m2) in a new housing estate near where I live, not in a city or even a town selling for 800k and no driveway. I mean lovely houses but jaysus.


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    #35
    andyd12
    Registered Users Posts: 338 ✭✭andyd12


    yer man! wrote: »
    Fair play to ye, I wish you the best of luck back in Ireland!

    I agree with you in everything you say. Saw terraced houses (150m2) in a new housing estate near where I live, not in a city or even a town selling for 800k and no driveway. I mean lovely houses but jaysus.

    Thanks mate and all the best to you also whatever you decide!

    Ye total crazy stuff.
    Another person I know has recently put a terraced house in Baarn on the market for 490k and will undoubtedly go for well above 500k.

    Just glad I have the option to go back to Ireland.

    I have received the comment from many Dutch people: '' Why would I come live in NL over Ireland? '' and everytime I hear it I think, what am I doing here


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    #36
    Granadino
    Registered Users Posts: 729 ✭✭✭Granadino


    And here was me thinking Holland would have it all in terms of job opps, housing opps etc, but obviously not based on previous post!
    Is there anywhere in Europe where the govt is not corrupt, bills are not ripping people off, housing is affordable and jobs are plentiful :confused:


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    #37
    yer man!
    Registered Users Posts: 1,647 ✭✭✭yer man!


    Granadino wrote: »
    And here was me thinking Holland would have it all in terms of job opps, housing opps etc, but obviously not based on previous post!
    Is there anywhere in Europe where the govt is not corrupt, bills are not ripping people off, housing is affordable and jobs are plentiful :confused:

    I think you have described a Utopia. But in all seriousness, NL is still a great place, rent is still more than manageable in most of the country, jobs are fairly plentiful (Obviously you're limited here if you only have English, but there are still a lot of jobs there for certain sectors), bills are reasonably manageable and the government don't seem to be blatantly corrupt at least but maybe a little bit out of touch.

    They do a lot of fundamental things right here, I can say that. Ireland still does pretty good across the board too, it has just massively dropped the ball on housing.


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    #38
    murphaph
    Registered Users Posts: 19,018 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    I think Ireland is significantly less corrupt than it was 20 years ago. Corruption is everywhere. Here in Germany we recently had the case of ppe contracts going to CDU politicians. I think people just tend to pick up on it less when they are foreigners in a country because they tend to listen less to news and current affairs in the host country.


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