Hi, Dan here. Welcome to the 11th edition of my newsletter. 👋
I missed last week because I was away on a little trip with my son to Porto. Was great!
This week: Part 2 of Why You Should Move To Amsterdam.
I’m also experimenting making the newsletter shorter form - so it’s snappier, more engaging & more shareable.
Read Why You Should Move to Amsterdam - Part 1
7. Well-Organised & Safe ✨
Everything just works in Amsterdam - from constantly maintained clean streets, to reliable public transport, to almost no homeless.
It's also a very safe city.
Cross the border into Belgium or France and you immediately notice the difference.
Underground bins and daily street cleaning help.
8. Tech Hub 👩💻
Amsterdam is now a thriving tech hub.
Booking.com & Adyen started here, there's a bunch of and-coming startups, plus international tech co’s with HQs here, like Uber & Netflix.
Why? It’s well-located in Europe, international talent & everybody speaks English.
9. 30% Tax Ruling 💸
Taxes are high in the Netherlands (part of why everything works).
But if you’re coming from abroad and are ‘highly skilled’, you may be eligible for the 30% tax ruling, where employers pay 30% of your salary tax-free (for 5 years).
10. Easy Visas (For Some) 🛂
If you’re from certain countries, and under 30, you can easily get a Working Holiday visa (I did).
There’s also the Dutch American Friendship Treaty, where self-employed US citizens can live & work in NL (no max age, plus you can sponsor spouse & kids).
11. I’m On A Boat! ⛵️
Amsterdam is a city full of canals. That means boats. Lots of them.
Boats are the best and most fun way to see the city. A great thing to do on a sunny day, with friends, food and drinks.
12. (Almost) Anything Goes 🍄
Everybody knows about the Red Light District and Coffee (Weed) Shops in Amsterdam.
But also in general there’s a feeling of not many (enforced) rules in the city.
Example: I was recently riding my bike, and was on my phone (silly, illegal). I rounded a corner straight into the path of a waiting police officer. I thought I’d get a fine for sure, instead he said in Dutch (politely): ‘No phones please sir’, allowing me to ride on by. 😅
PS - psychedelics (magic truffles) are allowed here too.
That’s it. Let me know what you think of the shorter form newsletter.
In the words of The Offsping: 'Well, until next time... ta ta!’
Cheers,
Dan