On Holland vs the UK
September 26, 2006 at 1:06 PM
by Ashleigh
I wrote this in response to a query on expatica about whether life in Holland or the UK was better. I thought I'd write my thoughts down here too, as a reminder to myself about how quickly life can change.
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A great deal of the debate of which place is better hangs on where you are in your journey down the 'integration' road.
If anyone had asked me two years ago if I wanted to go back to the UK I would have leapt wholeheartedly and with gay abandon at the idea. I even considered going back sans job and economic stability because I felt so marginalised here.
The change since then hasn't been in Holland, the change has been in me. Perhaps the biggest part of it has been the language and a sense of belonging in my immediate surroundings - school, gym, etc.
The facilities that we want *are* available here, the organic food is available, the space is available too. It's a case of whether you can personally make the changes necessary to be able to avail yourself of them.
I want organic food so I take myself off to a natuurwinkel to get it and I make all my food from scratch. Obviously, if I want organic ready meals I'm in the wrong place!
If I wanted to live in a less built up area with more space, I could do that too - but it would make my husband's commute terribly long. So I live in my flat and I deal with it.
If the healthcare situation here is awful, I can complain vociferously, I can change my dr or my hospital.
For the first two years I was here I was completely paralysed with fear at the idea of changing my huisarts because I didn't want to confront anyone and tell them I didn't like their service. I finally did it and now we have an excellent GP.
I didn't like the ENT specialist my son was seeing so I asked to transfer to a different hospital. It can be done - but you have to take the initiative. I doubt that this is any different elsewhere, except perhaps in places like the US where you vote with your money.
The UK's healthcare system is struggling - read this GP's blog to see what the situation is there. If we went back we'd have to have private healthcare anyway, so there'd be no difference to our pockets.
I miss libraries too, but my local library does have an English selection, albeit small and I've a swap system in place with a friend with similar reading tastes.
I used to baulk at paying 7 euros per item for English magazines, now I actually read them in Dutch - and you know what? They have pretty much the same articles, just more relevant to life here in Holland.
My sons' school is excellent. They make every effort to accomodate our family and to make us feel at home, and it's not even a school that's at the top of its tables. My children are happy.
These are all the thoughts that play through my mind when I hear the dreaded 'Waar komt u oorspronkelijk vandaan?' and I want to say 'bugger you, where do you originally come from?' Instead, I hold my tongue, smile sweetly and say 'Ik vind Nederland geweldig!' and most days I do.
It's not a perfect fit, but it's the best fit for our family for now.
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Hey, Ash, this is great! Good reminder for days when things aren't going as smoothly. :)
September 26, 2006 8:13 PM