I'm an American who moved to the Netherlands 9 years ago. I love the bike culture, but I miss Trader Joe's and speaking English.
A 50-year-old consultant discusses moving from the US to the Netherlands, adapting to culture, education, and community life in Amsterdam.
Jaime Bancroft-Gennaro, a 50-year-old consultant and coach, moved from the United States to the Netherlands in 2017 for a better family life. She appreciated the Dutch bike culture and community, though she missed American conveniences. Bancroft-Gennaro and her family, including her two young children, chose Amsterdam after an initial visit where she felt it resembled Portland.
Initially, they lived in a furnished house for two years, which eased their transition as they were unsure about the duration of their stay. They enrolled their children in a Dutch school, where they became fluent in three languages: Dutch, English, and Italian. Bancroft-Gennaro particularly misses Trader Joe's, the American grocery store chain, as well as the casual conversations with cashiers during her grocery runs in the Netherlands.
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