Sanne: "London life is a roller coaster"

So Sanne, where do you come from and how did you land in London?

I am Sanne, a Dutch expat living in London. I work for a tech company in business development. I have worked for this company in Amsterdam and they asked me to head the Sales Strategy Department for Europe which was a great opportunity for me. I recently switched roles and now I'm working on external partnerships, which probably means I will be staying on London for a while.

Why did you choose to settle in London?

I couldn't refuse the offer. My sister has lived here for many years and I definitely wanted to experience what it's like living abroad. There was nothing or no one holding me back at that time, of course apart from my family and friends. The city was very attractive to me; all the things London has to offer: the museums, food, theater, parks - there's just so more to do when comparing to Holland or Amsterdam. And also the fact I could go home within 4 hours door-to-door made it a bit of a safe move.

How long have you been in the country?

I've been in London now for eighteen months. I'm single, living in Notting Hill, where I really enjoy the life in pubs, restaurants and the easy commute to the city.

Was it complicated to move there in terms of formalities?

My employer helped me and offered a relocation agent, who helped me in finding a flat, setting up a national insurance number, registration at the local community etc. I found a GP and a moving company and that was it. I relocated in 3 weeks, which in hindsight was a bit short.

Was it easy to find yourself a home? What types of accommodation are available in Notting Hill?

I went on a house hunt with the relocation agent. I saw more than thirty flats in four areas within two days. There was a lot of variation in there, some had mice poo in the drawers, one flat didn't have a kitchen (the broker found it ridiculous that I had plans to actually do some cooking) and lots of them had carpets in the bath room.
It was one week before my official start date, so at the end of the day I just took the one which was the least crappy and had some potential in it. The flat wasn't even finished and furnished by that time, but I took the risk and it turned out okay in the end.

How do you find the British lifestyle?

London life is a roller coaster. Not sure bout the rest of Britain as I haven't explored the country unfortunately. Everything you do, you do it in gear five. It challenges you in every single way: being on your own, get into survival mode, making the best out of every single day. I like the Sunday Brunch. I like the way of celebrating everything. My colleague even had a dog birthday party the other day. I like the British politeness. I like the fact cab drivers know every single street without checking a navigation system.

What has surprised you the most at your arrival?

That I got lost every single time. And that it took me three times longer to get from A to B than I calculated in advance... Of course I took the bus into the wrong direction. The Circle Line drove me mad. I didn't only get physically lost; I also got lost in translation so many times.
I thought the Dutch and English culture wasn't far off from each other. Both cultures play soccer, they are heavy beer drinkers and they love mocking themselves. Yet, I notice that there's quite a difference.

Any particular experience you would like to share with us?

My English wasn't perfect when I moved. And when I understood what was said, I didn't entirely grasp the real meaning behind it. So when I was invited for a coffee or lunch, I thought they really meant it and was waiting for an invite. It turned out to be just a matter of politeness. The invite never came haha! Being Dutch, I was always used to people being direct, straight forward and not to beating around the bush.
I learned that the real meaning behind an invite for lunch could be really different than you think at first. ''I was just being polite, this is not an invite...'', '' If I have no other options we could go to the canteen together...'', ''Let's run to PRET (a British food chain) around the corner and get a salad...'', ''Let's get pissed in the pub...'', ''If the boss pays we can go somewhere fancy and order an expensive five course meal...''.

Have you been able to adapt yourself to the country and to its society?

I think I did. I say sorry more than I say please. I drink milk in my tea now. I get annoyed when people don't get their Oyster card out of their pocket fast enough. So yes, I think I adapted. I finally understand what it means when the British say 'interesting'. Yes, I do order pints now and my favorite cocktail is G&T, so yes, I adapted to the country.
I socialized with lots with British people, but the reality is that most of my friends are Dutch, German or Canadian. Although I would enjoy hanging out with British more to understand their culture and habits.

Is it easy for an expat to live in the country?

London is very expensive. The rent is extremely pricey, it's almost unaffordable to live on your own and most people share flats. You also have traveling expenses. For instance, the Heathrow Express costs 19£ for a 15 minute train ride. Absurd. I realized that I spend way much more at lunch, drinks, going out as that's what expat life is all about. You're always out and about.
Staying in would be cheaper but then you miss out on the good stuff!. So you really need to have a proper job before deciding to move to London.

How do you spend your leisure time in Notting Hill?

Playing tennis - how cool is it that you can practice your strokes with the London Eye and The Shard on the background. I like going to museum, music, hang out in parks, beer gardens or rooftop terraces. I also like blogging, I recently started a Blog (Kitty In The City) with another friend about the adventures of female expats.

What has motivated you to start your own blog?

It helps me to capture the funny or weird stories of the daily life and London. It's good to reflect on my life while you're living in the roller coaster. It's nice to share the stories. It' s great to have a hobby which allows me to wind down at home or a quiet coffee place - good to balance it out in this constant buzz.

How different is life in Amsterdam from that in London?

How easy it is to travel in Amsterdam. I used to plan 2 or 3 activities per evening. That's impossible here. Running into friends or acquaintances on the street or in the pub never happened here. Though living in the fast lane and the constant rush you are in, the challenges you face, everything is just a bit more intense.

Any advice you would like to give to future expatriates?

Talk and prep before with everyone you know. Sign up for meet-ups, and focus on a couple of areas or neighborhoods you want to explore rather than all of London. Focus on new or old hobbies and share them with other people. Get out of the city. If you hesitate on making the move, just do it, you can always go back The experience is invaluable and the people you meet are amazing and most of them share the same values or mindset. You discover a new you and that's really valuable.

What are your plans for the future?

I think I'll stay here for one or two years and then I might move back to Amsterdam.