Why I enjoy living in Amsterdam

“Why are you living in Amsterdam? Don’t you miss your family and friends? What about the food, the sun, the real espresso macchiato?” These and many more are the questions I constantly receive when I meet someone new and I say that I really love Amsterdam! So, why do I enjoy living in this city? Read my reasons below and if you would like to know more about life in Amsterdam, feel free to send me a message! With love, Maria.

A smooth beginning

Relocating to a new city can be very stressful, especially if you don’t know anyone and you don’t speak the local language. Luckily, settling in Amsterdam went quite smoothly for me. I don’t speak Dutch fluently, but I can read and write a bit (ok, I confess, I use Google Translate a lot ?), however, most “Amsterdammers” can and will speak English to you to make you feel more comfortable and part of the group. I will never get the guttural “g” sound right, but I make my Dutch friends laugh when I try to speak or say the word “gezellig”

Active Amsterdam

I love how active and sporty the culture is in Amsterdam. On average, I exercise three days a week and I bike everywhere; I feel more fit and healthy here. The weather is not a barrier anymore – while when I was living in Milan I would bike to work only when it was warm and sunny. Feeling the wind in my face has become quite a pleasure. I get annoyed when my hair gets wet but then I just wear it in a ponytail, which is very common amongst Dutch women.

The locals

I've met and built friendships with a lot of locals. How? Two ways! Firstly, through my partner, I met a few “Dutchies” and I invested time in building relationships with them beyond him. Dutch people love to plan things in advance. I learnt that and I started to have my own agenda and book appointments 2-3 months in advance (no joke). Secondly, through my Instagram page. Whenever someone on Instagram inspires me, I send them a DM to meet for coffee and most of the time this works. I really recommend you try this, it’s such a great way to make offline connections real.

New restaurants and hotspots

Dutch food - ok I am not crazy about it, but I quite enjoy the Dutch snacks. Have you ever tried kaasstengels or bitterballen? If not, you should! Also, there is a great variety of places to choose from. I've been living in Amsterdam for nearly three years and I am still not tired of checking out the new restaurants and hotspots that constantly come and go!

Equality

I love how open and non-judgemental the Dutch are. It’s not a cliché, in Amsterdam, you can really express yourself 100% - people respect who you are. My favourite day is the first Saturday of August, when the Gay Pride Parade takes place. Everyone celebrates equality and diversity.

Amsterdam is, without a doubt, one of the nicest cities in Europe with its gorgeous canals, tiny houses and vibrant atmosphere. Do you live in Amsterdam? If so, what do you like about living here?