Sofia fell in love with the Netherlands when she was 15, so she followed her dreams and moved abroad

It all started with a dream 9 years ago

I was always fascinated by how people can live in completely different lifestyles than myself. It inspired me to work abroad; I felt like I could adapt easily to another culture, simply because I am a curious person and like change in my surroundings. In 2015, I went on a school trip to Amsterdam. I was fascinated by the kindness of people, how green the city was compared to where I am from, and the overall laid-back atmosphere. Then, at just 15 years old, I decided that no matter what I do after high school, it will be in The Netherlands! 🇳🇱

Life after moving out 

As an 18-year-old leaving my mom’s house, I was equally excited as I was confused. Something completely different was awaiting me! In my case, I had no doubts regarding the move, only that I had to leave one week early to find housing as the online hunt for a shared house was not successful. In the end, I managed fine. 

The language barrier was the biggest struggle. Not everybody was comfortable speaking English or engaging in fun activities due to shyness. I noticed many cultural differences day by day. Everyone is unique in their own way, and having a different cultural upbringing than I had opened my eyes even more! 

Also, if you are kind and patient, then you speak anyone’s language!

My biggest culture shock was having to make appointments to see friends. Where I’m from, you just show up and start hanging out. Here it’s a bit more of an organisational matter. The other thing was the Tikkie – having to split anything you buy by the cent. Instead of buying a round of drinks or hosting one big dinner for everyone and getting the same in return at some point, you will always reach home with a message to pay back the amount you owe. 💸

Starting my new life abroad

The jobs abroad were more or less the same. I was waiting tables or working in the kitchen. Working as an international in a restaurant really pushes you to get out of your comfort zone; having to communicate with people in a different language than I did made me grow a lot. It taught me confidence, reliability, discipline, and overall management skills!

It was very easy to meet new people. Leeuwarden is known to be a student city and meeting new people is a norm. People start conversations with you at the grocery store, at the market, or even if you find yourself admiring a sunset; there will be that one person biking past you and nodding in agreement at how beautiful the view is. 

If you respond kindly to people, it’s fairly certain that you will end up having a coffee soon! ☕

The more time passes, the more homesick you feel. But I noticed that it comes with age too. You get to a point where you want to plant your roots somewhere and if you live abroad, you become aware of how your roots were once planted already at ‘home’. So, then would you move back? It becomes a personal decision whether you make the best out of being a foreigner or return to your homeland. My tip is to be selective in friendships. If you manage to find 2 or 3 friends who are really good people that understand you and support your growth as a person, one hangout or phone call will make the ‘homesickness’ fade away. 

Zero regrets

Are you doubting whether to move abroad? I would give you the same advice that I got from others: there has been absolutely no one that has regretted the step. Yes, it can go in a different direction than you planned. Yes, you might not adapt as quickly as you expected. And yes, it can be hard to get a grip on how you need to change in order to both like your new place and the new place to like you back. But even with struggles, no one that I know would take the experience of moving abroad back!