I am a Native New Yorker Who Is Moving To NL Who Is Newbie To Forum

Hi Phylise! Welcome on Expat-blog! Congratulation for your wedding.

I hope you get responses soon, that other members share their experience with you.

All the best,
Christine

Hi Phylise,

I just read your post. I met my Dutch sweetheart online in the summer of '96 and made the move to NL on '97. I just passed the 13-year mark with my hubby and two little girls.

Do you already know where you'll be settling in NL?


- Taigiseadh

Hi Phylise,

I'm actually home sick today so please pardon my forgetfulness... I'm a native New Yorker (Dobbs Ferry). Where in NY do you live?


- Taigiseadh

Hallo Taiiseadh...So nice to connect with another Native New Yorker in this Forum. I will be living in Emmen. Currently I am in NYC in the borough of Queens. I was curious...how often do you visit your family in the States. Do your daughters get to visit your side of the family? Looking forward to your next reply.

Hi Phylise!

My name is Jess, and I am also from NY!  Well, I am from upstate NY (Syracuse)...not NYC.    I live in a city called Dordrecht, which isn't far from Rotterdam.  I am married to a Dutch man, and we have 1 son who is almost 6 months old. 

I hope you are able to make a smooth transition here to NL!  Also, be prepared to have to take the Inburgergingscursus (Dutch integration course)!  I am doing it right now, and I like it. 

Take care!
Jess

Hallo Jess! So good to connect with yet another Native New Yorker married to a Dutch man:). I am looking forward to my new life in NL with my darling Dutch man. I look forward to the transition.
How do you go about preparing for the Dutch Integration Course and where you fluent in Dutch before you came to NL to marry your husband? Looking forward to your reply.

Hi Phylise!

Nice to meet you too!    I would strongly encourage you to begin learning Dutch now.  It will make it much easier for you once you will have to begin your inburgeringscursus.  There are some great books out there as well as resources online.  It's also maybe a good idea for you and your fiance to begin conversing in simple Dutch.  I personally knew a very little bit of Dutch before coming here.  We initially lived in the province of Zeeland where not so many people speak English so I was forced to learn Dutch more quickly.  It's really helped me move forward with my course. 

I wish you all the best in your transition, and please feel free to ask any more questions!

Take care!
Jess

Hi Phylise!
I'm from SC, I came to the Netherlands 6 years ago for college exchange, met my man and ended up hanging around, going to grad school and working here.
Another good way to learn dutch, besides practicing with books and your partner, is to find a second language course at a local university language center. They give them pretty frequently for expats who come to work in NL but need to know a decent amount of Dutch.
I just found this forum today, I wish I'd thought to look for something like this a lot earlier!

Good luck with your move!
Cecelia

Hallo Cecelia! Thanks for your advice:)

Welcome!  I agree that it is best to start working on Dutch before you come.  I met my Dutch boyfriend seven years ago in the states while he was over studying.  We both moved over here earlier this year.  (I'm from Portland, Oregon - never been to NY!)

If you cannot start learning Dutch now, it is not a huge problem - the inburgeringscursus is free (for now...), and very very good. I am taking the staatsexamen 2 - I began 7 weeks ago and could barely speak a word, and now I can converse on a basic level about most subjects.

Good luck!

Hi Phylise:

I was looking through the website and saw your posting.
Well I moved from New York to the Netherlands a number of years ago. If you have any questions, I would be more than happy to help.

Take care,

Maria