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Hello,
I am also new to this site-and am trying to find out how to post and start a thread and came across your posting. I am originally from MA and lived in Malden for a couple of years. Malden is a pretty place not far from Boston. There were many children there and the housing is very affordable. I used to take the subway to work in Boston which was very convenient. Perhaps this may be a city you could check out. I am hoping to move to California in the coming year-from Maryland-and hopefully, someone out there can guide me to a good area. Good luck with your relocation.
Hi Micky, I am also from Holland and moved to the States 5 years ago. My American husband worked as an expat when he lived in Amsterdam which is where we met. When he was transferred back to the USA I followed him. After 5 years I can still say that this was a BIG mistake. Don't get me wrong, I love my husband dearly but if it wasn't for him I wouldn't be living here. America is so much different then Holland. I have been and still am homesick. And I am telling you, that is no joke. I miss my family, friends, the culture, bicycling, the food, the beautiful landscape and pittoresque villages and towns, even the plants/flowers and yes, seriously, the climate! The climate here in new England is very unpleasant (just my opinion). The winters can be extremely cold (heating bills of $500 per month) and the summers are hot and humid (the unpleasant type, sweaty and you just want to go inside and switch the airco on, which then results in high electric bills). Spring can be very rainy and grey skies are normal. I love the fall though, it's the best season here and the landscape becomes a feast for the eyes because of all the trees wtih their changing leaves here. I also miss the flat grasslands with the grazing cows and basically walking from A to B. Expect to drive from A to B here. I gained 30 pounds since I live here, just because I stopped walking and bicycling. Walking is impossible because of the distances and bicycling is suicide because there are no byciclepads and car drivers are not used to bicyclists.
Another thing which bothers me is the fact that we can't afford to buy a house here. Prices are high and down payments of approx. 20% are often required. You didn't mention if you are going to buy or rent. We pay 1650 on rent per month (living in Braintree, 15 minutes south of Boston). Renting a decent place in Boston costs around $2300 and up. Also, expect to pay a lot more on health insurance, schools and groceries then in Holland. Gas prices are lower here. Clothing is comparible but I find much better deals here on sale then in Holland. You will find that malls (overdekt winkelcentrum in dutch) are standard here. So it's not a carfree quaint city centre where you walk outside, handy if it rains but not "gezellig". I also miss the local fruit/vegetable/flower market. There are some here and there but it's not comparible and very dissapointing if you compare it to the ones in Holland.
I don't want to discourage you in any way but make sure you don't burn any bridges behind you, if possible rent (verhuur) your house in Holland instead of selling it and make sure that you can go back to Holland when needed. It is a given fact that 50% of the emigrants from Holland return home within 8 years. One last thing, I find the New Englanders very friendly however, on my first day in this apartment building I baked an applepie, went over to the neighbors on both sides and introduced myself. You should have seen their faces! As if I was some nutcase wanting to poison them or so! My husband says that in Holland everyone acts like they have known you for years and that you are their best friend. Here however, I find that people tend to behave more formal towards "strangers". Anyway, ofcourse I wish you all the luck in the world and hey, you might love it here! We are all different aren't we PS The above represents my personal opinion, I am not trying to offend anyone nor do I mean to sound harsh. I am just trying to give another dutch person my point of view of the differences which I have a hard time coping with.
Oh, Marieke, I am so sorry to hear how sad you sound, but all the things you say you miss, I miss after 30 years away from Amsterdam.
I hope it gets better for you and your husband, and that Micky finds a really wonderful place to relocate. Some of the smaller towns in MA do remind me of Holland, but none near the bigger cities.
Veel geluk!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marieke
Hi Micky, I am also from Holland and moved to the States 5 years ago. My American husband worked as an expat when he lived in Amsterdam which is where we met. When he was transferred back to the USA I followed him. After 5 years I can still say that this was a BIG mistake. Don't get me wrong, I love my husband dearly but if it wasn't for him I wouldn't be living here. America is so much different then Holland. I have been and still am homesick. And I am telling you, that is no joke. I miss my family, friends, the culture, bicycling, the food, the beautiful landscape and pittoresque villages and towns, even the plants/flowers and yes, seriously, the climate! The climate here in new England is very unpleasant (just my opinion). The winters can be extremely cold (heating bills of $500 per month) and the summers are hot and humid (the unpleasant type, sweaty and you just want to go inside and switch the airco on, which then results in high electric bills). Spring can be very rainy and grey skies are normal. I love the fall though, it's the best season here and the landscape becomes a feast for the eyes because of all the trees wtih their changing leaves here. I also miss the flat grasslands with the grazing cows and basically walking from A to B. Expect to drive from A to B here. I gained 30 pounds since I live here, just because I stopped walking and bicycling. Walking is impossible because of the distances and bicycling is suicide because there are no byciclepads and car drivers are not used to bicyclists.
Another thing which bothers me is the fact that we can't afford to buy a house here. Prices are high and down payments of approx. 20% are often required. You didn't mention if you are going to buy or rent. We pay 1650 on rent per month (living in Braintree, 15 minutes south of Boston). Renting a decent place in Boston costs around $2300 and up. Also, expect to pay a lot more on health insurance, schools and groceries then in Holland. Gas prices are lower here. Clothing is comparible but I find much better deals here on sale then in Holland. You will find that malls (overdekt winkelcentrum in dutch) are standard here. So it's not a carfree quaint city centre where you walk outside, handy if it rains but not "gezellig". I also miss the local fruit/vegetable/flower market. There are some here and there but it's not comparible and very dissapointing if you compare it to the ones in Holland.
I don't want to discourage you in any way but make sure you don't burn any bridges behind you, if possible rent (verhuur) your house in Holland instead of selling it and make sure that you can go back to Holland when needed. It is a given fact that 50% of the emigrants from Holland return home within 8 years. One last thing, I find the New Englanders very friendly however, on my first day in this apartment building I baked an applepie, went over to the neighbors on both sides and introduced myself. You should have seen their faces! As if I was some nutcase wanting to poison them or so! My husband says that in Holland everyone acts like they have known you for years and that you are their best friend. Here however, I find that people tend to behave more formal towards "strangers". Anyway, ofcourse I wish you all the luck in the world and hey, you might love it here! We are all different aren't we PS The above represents my personal opinion, I am not trying to offend anyone nor do I mean to sound harsh. I am just trying to give another dutch person my point of view of the differences which I have a hard time coping with.
I just read your messages. Marieke I totally understand what you are talking about. My husband is also from the States and we are moving back to the States in 2009. On one hand I am so very excited but on the other hand, I will also miss the "gezelligheid" which you'll only find in Holland. Everything close by, people in the shops know you etc. But on the other hand, it is getting full and poluted in Holland and it also does not feel that safe anymore to me. I live just outside of Amsterdam.
We have been driving around in MA, looking for nice areas and I would read up front online everything about the little towns and than when we would be in MA and visiting all the little towns, I was just not feeling "it". What I was looking for was a nice down town, with "terrasjes" and shops etc but so far I have not found any town that would remind me of home. Concord is nice, I agree & so is Belmont, Lexington but it did not feel "gezellig".
Again, I really look forward to moving to the States because I think it will be better for our little kids to grow up there and to me, it feels alomost like Holland is kind of loosing her nice touch any way... Which does make me very sad.
Micky, I really wish you good luck with your search. We are going to the States on the 8th of July and then in August again & we will be driving around again looking for nice towns. If I find something nice, I will definately let you know.
Have you considered some of the Connecticut coastal towns? Probably a little more like home in some ways. MA is not as quaint as some like to believe. Boston is the business hub and you have alot of technology industry on the 95 belt, but other than that, I don't see many reasons to move into the state or any real undeniable draw.
I have a very good job, so I am one of the lucky ones- but I know many people that have actually left the state for greener pastures.
The feeling of European life is never going to be able to be duplicated here (lived in London and Oslo during the late 90s). The best bet is to find an area that is comfortable and gives you a good feeling of community.
Best to you all!
Last edited by NY'er lost in MA; 06-21-2007 at 05:56 AM..
Reason: typo
Hallo thanks guys. We are very busy at the moment.
In july we will be in boston for 5 days to find a house and school.
This is not me first time moving. I lived till I was 19 in aruba and bonaire I came to holland to study and stayed here that was 20 years ago. So I know what it is to feel homesick. The first 5 years where terrible for me.
I think that every where has there good things and bad thinks.
If I could choose I would rise my daughter on the islands so much more friendly.
We will be moving for my husbands work for 3 to 4 years. So I will return to holland
Julsa why do you think it's better to rise your childeren in the states. I do think you have to have a very big money bag to give them a good education. If I see what you have to pay for school it blows my mind.
We are in a good situation because we will be moving with the help of my husbands company orther wise I don't know if I would move.
I also have to say it's always been a dream of mine to live in the states and know we will have the chance.
I also know that the idea of small town/city like here in holland I wil not find. I will have to take the car to go everwhere so be it.
We choose concord and lexington because of the location. Afther reading alot of post lexington spoke the most to me we will see.
I also know it won't be easy in the beginning but we will have to make the best of it.
When we know more I lett you all know.
thanks alot Micky
Having lived in Amsterdam and in MA, I would say unless you go all the way West--to the Pioneer Valley, Berkshires, you don't find that small town feeling you have in Holland.
Gezelligheid is both cultural and geographic.
So, the towns that remind me of my days in the Oude Centrum Amsterdam are: Amherst, Northampton, Williamstown, Stockbridge, Great Barrington, Williamsburg (very small), North Adams (but less affluent), and probably a few others. The towns I mentioned have shops, cafes, no brown bars, but some like it, a farmer's market something like we had on the Singel, and many friendly people.
There are many other towns, and I am sure I missed a great many, that are either smaller or larger, that may be like Holland, or at least not seem so strange.
But the self-contained towns, and neighbourhoods I am familiar with in Amsterdam (with a poultry, meat, vegetable, flower shop, bakery, cafe, etc) in close proximity is difficult to replicate.
I hope we all find our place.
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PS The above represents my personal opinion, I am not trying to offend anyone nor do I mean to sound harsh. I am just trying to give another dutch person my point of view of the differences which I have a hard time coping with.
