Netherlands Travel Answers

Hi Marc - moving to another country is an exciting adventure and a great experience - even for your son. (My 3 year old daughter spent the first year of her life in India.) I'd suggest googling "expats Woerden" or "expats Netherlands". The expats groups are great for providing information on housing, doctors, schools, and just about everything else. They offer a different perspective than a local and call help you over any adjustment bumps you may encounter. They'll also have get togethers including holidays in case you are missing Halloween or Thanksgiving! :-)) Good luck!

Should be "and CAN help...."

Go for the baby's sake. Much better pre-school and child development. By the time you come back your child will be far ahead of peers. Do not worry about any language barrier. English is widely spoken.

Thanks I was reading a few expat websites, I'll post there too. Woerden is in between Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague...all 20 minutes away so I'm sure they have some epat groups if tiny Woerden doesn't. Thanks

Ha, yeah we are hoping that. Texas is pretty unique, we we're already looking to move back to the West Coast when this came up.

Hi I think it sounds wonderful, and from what you describe, it seems as though you're in exactly the right phase of your life to capitalise on the opportunity. Your son is not yet old enough to need a continuity of schooling, as would be the case with a high school age child, and what I hear of the Dutch education system is good. Also, as Donna will probably agree, there is no better passport into a new society than a child - chances are that you'll meet and socially interact more people around the kindergaden gate than you would ever have as a couple. Good luck - it sounds like a golden opportunity, so grasp it with both hands! Regards Cathy

I'm Dutch and I have lived abroad 4 times and all 4 were great experiences. As said, Holland is very open to everybody. The West of the country is populated rather dense and the Dutch are living closer together as you are used to in the US. Adapting will go fast once you got a bicycle and find your way around. Look into what kind of working permit you will need. Your wife probably is backed by her US company, but if you want to work, you need the support of a local Dutch business. Some links: projectvisa.com/visainformat... minbuza.nl/en/you-and-nether... newtoholland.nl/NewToHolland... iamsterdam.com/en/living/exp... overseasjobs.escapeartist.co... englishlanguagejobs.com/cand... http://www.undutchables.com/ PJ

You may want to think twice: dutchdailynews.com/unfriendl... :-) I don't know what they base their research on, most expats i know are pretty happy here. It may be true that it is hard to get to know Dutch people as everybody has their own busy life and it's not always easy to make new friends for expats...

Woerden is a nice, centrally located, small Dutch city. The town is on an old branch of the river Rhine, in the middle of fertile Green Hearth. It has very good train connection to all major cities in Holland and the high way has been enlarged just this year. It has good schools and an hospital. I think it is the perfect place to work and live in Holland. Its name means "high ground next to water" and is right on the limes, the old border of the Roman empire.