My Dutch Experience (part one)

It's almost one year I've been live here, and I think I'm ready to tell my story.
It's just my experience, but I hope it will be enjoyable to read and usefull to get an idea about what means to leave own country, own family, friends and culture.
I apologize in advance if you will see some error about english, and if you want correct me I shell be gratefull.

1) PLANNING

I met my fiance in the summer of 2009. He told me about his idea to leave Italy and going in another country. I had the same idea, but I was afraid bEcause I was 27, I spoke just basic english and I didn't have an Idea about what I wanted from another country.
We wrote a list of things, the guidelines for choosing a country; The Netherlands seemed perfect.
During my last year of University studies, my fiance came in Holland 5 months, just to get an information about life and formalities to realize his project: open an (not fake) Italian cafeteria in Amsterdam.
He sold his shop in Italy and put the money aside for invest them in Holland two years later.
What was my project? Help him in the first year, meanwhile study dutch and realize my dream: work with children, and maybe to get a master degree in Holland.

2) WE ARE ALMOST THERE
The departure was scheduled for the winter 2012 and in those years we have got a lot information about taxes, quality of life and literacy requested for starting a new life in Holland.
Not everythigs gone like we had planned (especially my study and my work) and we leave Italy in the summer of 2013, 4 days after getting my bachelor degree. In these years I was studing and working, and I was forced to leave without improved my English.

3) ZANDVOORT WELCOME US!
We arrived in Holland on July 26 2013. With 2 people who my Fiance met the year before (during his reconnaissance) we have got an house in Zandvort, a nice summer city on the Nothern Sea. Was easy moving to amsterdam from there by train, and the house was nice, spacious and has a onest price:  300 per person all inclusive (energy, water, gas and internet).
*important notice: in Holland - like in Italy - when you get an house or room you have to get the commission and 2 or 3 months rent in advace! a lot of people come here with a low budget and they hope to get an house easly...sometimes they got it but are the black rent and one day the owner can throw you out of the house without a reason!*
Monday immediatly following I went to do the documents: registration, open bank account, get a BSN. I had 4 months for getting an Healt Insurance and I thought was better to wait and check the expenses.
I enjoy a week of beach and vacation (yes, I dove into the icy water of the North Sea and it was beautiful!).
The following Monday, my documents are ready and it's time to look for a job.

4) THE FIRST DIFFICULTs
I spend my first week of Dutch life in Amsterdam, leaving my CV in every restaurant, shop, pub, cleaning agency, mail-box.
After few day I started the first interview and TRIAL-DAYS (I don't Know if this word is correct, I mean the days wich you work because the boss want to check your abilities).
I lost almost 10 job-opportunities. Some of theme didn't accepted me before trial-day Because my english didn't was enough good for working. Most of theme get me a chance but later said me I was an excellent worker, but my basic English could be a problem for the customers (I could speak in English, but I didn't understand the people when they spoke with me).
Nobody paid me for the trial-days, although I worked 9 hours per day.
Furthermore, the daily life was very hard. Get somethings on the supermarket was an adventure: obviously everythings was written in dutch and my inadequate english doesn't help me to have an information from the sell-man.
Everyday, while I took a shower, I cried. I cried in secret from my Fiance because he doesn't had these problems and I did not want him to be sad for me.

In October I found a Job like a waitress in an Italian Restaurant in the city centre.

In amsterdam a lot of Italian restaurant are not managed by Italians, but they are turkish or egiptian. most of time, they have never seen Italy, and the receip are an interpretation of Original receip. Sometimes is good, sometimens is terrible.
In that restaurant I met 2 Egiptian guyS and a waitress from Ukraine. Nobody speaks Italian and to talk with them could be a problem.
They get me a chance: in one month, I should have to improve my english.
The salary was low, but was enough for my easy life.
In two weeks my english increase so much that was a problem to make me shut up!!!

5) A NEW LIFE IS STARTING
I'm gratefull to these two guys not just for the job opportunity, but also because they are two onest and good person. They explain me everythings about insurance, life, taxes. When I was sick they gave me a medicine and cooked for me somethings good for my healt.
During my trial days they paid me the tickets for the train an then, contrary what they have said me during the interview, they paid me for my trial-days.
I didn't have a contract, the salary was low but I was in peacefull because, for the first time, someone said me "thanks for your work" when I finished my work-day. They took care of me like a person, not like a machine as such as was in Italy.
One of reasons because of which I leave my country is the RESPECT. In Italy, when I said "I cannot work on december 31, I don't have the pubblic transport, I cannot come at home" they answered "that's your problem, be gratefull tha you have a job!"
In Holland, my boss call me and said "on december 31 you have the last train at 20:00 o'clock. You must to finish at six, ok? check the watchclock, or you cannot come back at home!"
I know, in a lot of Countries is worse, but Italy said to be a civilized country.

Because of this work, I started to talk with the people from each part of the planet. The tv Has become easy (mmh, less hard!) to understanding, The shopping has become funny, drinking a beer in a pub, has instructive.
My real personality could be go out, I was free to express myself.

6) wHAT I THINK ABOUT DUTCH PEOPLE?
Most of italians (and mediterraneans) think the Dutch people and the people come from Nothern Europe are cold, unsocial.
THAT'S NOT TRUE!
The dutch people are private about their private life. But usually they are friendly, funny; if they can do it, help you if you need somethings. I love especially a particularity of them: they are curious about everythings. When we was renovating our shop they knoked just to say "Hi, I'm your neighbor. What are you doing here?"
First time I though "was just a strange person" but early I understood was the normality.
A lot of people, when we opened our shop come to say "welcome to the neighborhood!" and drunk coffee.
The dutch people are very frank, clear. for example, if you served a bad food they said "I didn't like it" but their not angry with you; if your cat is lost and probably you will never find him, they say you "I know you are sad, but honestly I'm sure you will never find him."
is not sadism, is to be frank....

7) ...AND IF YOU DON'T SPEAK DUTCH AND YOUR ENGLISH IS NOT ENOUGH FLUENT?

About the work could be a problem. A lot of people don't like to sit in a restaurant in own country and they are forced to talk in another language.
If you work like an Hydraulic and your colleague ask you a "tang" what do you give him?

A lot of my compatriot said me the dutch people could speak in english but they don't do it because they are angry if you don't speak dutch.
Sometime that's true. But never happened to me: when someone try to speak in dutch with me I apologize to him, and if he ask me "why? you live here!" I explain him that I will start the dutch course in september, because I want to live hear for long time.
They smile to me, and everyone of him, the next time I see them, try to teach me some world in dutch, and I teach them some word in Italian, explaining that's different from Spanish!!!
NOTE * The dutch people confuse spanish and Italian as well as the Italians confuse german and dutch. Sometimes they say "I speak italian, COMO ESTAS!" "that's spanish!" "...is the same..." "so, you are german" "absolutly not!" "why not, it's the same!" and they laugh, filling your glass of beer...
When I don't know some word they wait I explain what I mean, and if I wrong some verbs nobody kill me...

I saw this: the Dutch people wants to know why you are in holland and which is your project. If you want to study dutch language and living honestly they will become your friends. And, by their frankness, their  will say you "you are a good person...a lot of your compatriot came here just for smoking. You are different. I wish you all the best"
Everyone of them said me the same...I think there's a reason for this. 

8) January 2014: WE FOUND (EARL) WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR. (OR "THE DUTCH LIFE PART TWO")

I'm working For You