Hi, Dan here. Welcome to the 10th edition of my newsletter. š ā¦10!Ā š
This week: Did you ever ask yourself, āShould I move to Amsterdam?ā
Regardless of whether you did or not, the answer is āYesā.
I share why I think you should move to Amsterdam (or stay if you're already here).
š²š·š§
When I moved to Amsterdam I thought Iād try it for a year, then go back to Australia.
That was 13 years ago.
Many of my friends here have similar stories. Itās an easy place to get stuck (in a good way).
Hereās Why:
1. A Global Village š
Amsterdam is considerably smaller than most other capital cities. With a population of ~1 million, it dwarfs in comparison to the likes of London and Paris.
Itās also tiny area-wise. I wonāt confuse you with kmĀ², but in practical terms - I can ride anywhere in Amsterdam in less than 30mins (on a bike with no gears).
The centre, with its pretty canals, historic buildings, mostly low-rise (usually 4-story) housing, and quietness (due to the many more bikes than cars), even looks and feels like a village.
Yet that village-charm is combined with the vibe andĀ cultural life of the most lively capital cities - thereās a lot going on in a small area.
2. International & Young š
Amsterdam is full of expats. Once study (which I canāt find anymore) showed that more than half the cityās population was born overseas. Lots of people from abroad come and go. This makes it vibrant, interesting and ever-changing.
Itās also a city of young people. On a daily-basis I feel like I only see people in their 20s-40s.
And even if they arenāt that young, they act like it! People are always out - on packed terraces and in parks (drinking), especially if the sun is out.
And (when they can happen again) itās a nightlife capital (especially for electronic dance music), thereās festivals on every weekend in Summer, as well as growing food, beer and coffee scenes. The food and drink quality has improved a lot in the time Iāve been here, much of it brought here by hospitality-expats.
Itās basically a city made for people whoāve never grown up!
3. Bikes Rule š²
Bikes rule the road in Amsterdam, and thatās one of the best things about it!
I ride everywhere, everyday. Most people do. Itās the best, and often quickest, way to get around this small and very flat city.
Thereās dedicated bike lanes everywhere and rules designed to protect cyclists - to the point that bikes overrule cars and pedestrians in pretty much every situation.
Itās also a healthy way to get around of course. Did I mention you hardly see any overweight people in Amsterdam? Iām pretty sure itās because of the bikes.
And if the weather ever gets so bad that you canāt ride (rare), theĀ public transport systemĀ is reliable, efficient and clean.
4. Gateway To Europe āļø
Amsterdamās Schiphol AirportĀ has been voted one of the best airports in the world, and itās easily accessible by train in 15mins.
Thereās flights from here to all over Europe (and the world), which are often quite cheap if you book ahead of time, and you can be somewhere completely different in 1-2 hours.
Schiphol has brand new state-of-the-art scanning machines, and itās fast compared to most airports. Best of all thereās no taking off your shoes or getting your liquids (or even your laptop) out of your bags! š
Thereās also high-speed trains connecting Amsterdam to cities like Paris, Berlin and London. The 3.5 hour Thalys from the centre of Amsterdam to the centre of Paris in 3:20mins is very pleasant indeed!
5. Great For Kids š§
I canāt imagine many other capital cities in the world that are as good for young kids as Amsterdam is. The lack of cars and traffic is a big part of that.
Thereās also lots of green parks and playgrounds in Amsterdam, as well as nature, lakes and the beach not too far away (by bike).
Itās also a very safe city for kids. And the standard of schooling is high.
You can easily be out of the city in 30mins by bike, and find delightfully Dutch country-side things, like coin-operated āmilk tapsā. š„
6. No Language Barrier (If You Speak English) š¬š§
Even after living here for 13 years, Iām still (rather embarrassingly) not fluent in Dutch.
When people ask my 5-year old son how my Dutch is, he replies (without hesitation): āNiet zo goedā (ānot so goodā) and shakes his little head disappointedly. š
Iāve tried! I had intense lessons, and I do understand most of it (passed exams to get permanent residency), but the problem is - you never really have to speak it.
Almost everyone in Amsterdam speaks flawless English, and itās the business language at most large / international companies. When Iāve really make efforts to speak Dutch, locals hear my accent and automatically reply in English.
Itās very convenient (but also makes it tough to learn).
To be continuedā¦
Thanks for reading my 10th edition! š Thanks for the ongoing readership, to thanks those whoāve sent me nice feedback on the newsletter recently. Iām happy to hear the topics are resonating!
Ask: Iād love to reach more people with the newsletter, so it would be great if you could help me share it.
These are my most popular posts so far, maybe you could share one of these with a friend? š
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Cheers,
DanĀ š¤
PS - want a sneak peek of Super Locals? š§