From “Adventure” to “Gezellig”: South Africans Discover Life in the Netherlands
What happens when you take a group of South Africans, put them in a new country, and ask them to describe their first week in just one word? The answers say a lot about what it feels like to start a new life in the Netherlands: Exposure. Adventure. Gezellig. Exciting.
Beyond the humour, there has also been a genuine appreciation for the technology and safety standards they have encountered. For candidates working in technical environments, seeing more advanced technologies and different safety procedures first-hand has been a valuable part of settling into their new surroundings.
For another candidate, the experience has been an “Adventure.” It is not just about starting a new job, but about having the freedom to explore and experience something completely different.
“The new experiences every day and more freedom to go outside and explore” has been a highlight, especially being able to experience it all together as a family.
And then there is “Gezellig.”
For the South African candidates who have recently made the move, the Netherlands has already brought plenty of new experiences. From discovering different cultures and food to navigating a completely different way of life. For one candidate, the perfect word was “Exposure.” Moving to the Netherlands has meant being exposed to new cultures, different food, unfamiliar technologies and new ways of working. “There’s a lot of new cultures, different food and real public transport for a change. How it works and when it actually works,” they joked.
For many people moving to the Netherlands, the word gezellig can be difficult to translate. It is more of a feeling, a sense of warmth, friendliness and togetherness.
One candidate described it through the people they have met: “Everyone I have met is very friendly,” adding that people are often willing to get together for a borrel and help when someone needs information.
The final answer was simply “Exciting.” And perhaps that captures the whole experience best.
Before arriving, there are always stories and expectations about what life in the Netherlands will be like. But experiencing it for yourself can be very different.
“You hear many stories about how people are in the Netherlands, yet you see a different picture when actually meeting them,” one candidate explained. “It’s a beautiful country and great people here too.”
More than a job opportunity
At Stavro Techniek, we know that relocating to the Netherlands is about much more than finding the right job. It is about building a new life, discovering a new culture and feeling supported throughout the journey.
That is why we work closely with South African technical professionals from the recruitment process through to their relocation and arrival in the Netherlands.
If you are a South African technician considering a move, perhaps your first week here could be your own Adventure, Exposure, Gezellig or Exciting story.
Your next chapter might be closer than you think.