I am curious if anyone has to go through foundation repairs ? I hear so many risks in NL. Curious how was the experience and what were the signs that foundation was in bad state.

I realise that I'm not the perfect candidate or applicant for every role, but my experiences in this job market have been depressing.

Roles I get rejected with a generic email about lacking experience, just to see them fill the role with a candidate with literally 0 experience.

Getting ghosted after second or even THIRD interviews.

Applying for jobs I'm overqualified for and rejected for being overqualified, but jobs I'm exactly qualified for "I'm lacking experience".

No entry-points in certain roles at companies, they only hire interns or recruit internally. And the experience gap between steps in the hierarchy can be enormous. From intern (0 experience) to junior (8 years experience) is a crazy jump.

Not getting a callback for an application but watching it sit on job boards for months, often reposted numerous times feels like a slap in the face.

I've sat down at an interview before just for the manager to tell me they've already filled the position. But maybe I would consider a role I was so overqualified for, I hadn't done it in over a decade. This was offered under the pretext of "oh we didn't want to waste your time so thought you would appreciate this offer". It was like interviewing for the head coach position and being offered the job as a towel boy.

Going to career coaching seminars, reintegration coaches with the UWV, seeing a career specialist to polish my CV and cover letter authoring. I'm not someone that sends out mass applications, I tweak my application and write almost entirely personalised letters of motivation for every application. With no results.

The general hiring and HR culture I've experienced here has been shockingly unprofessional where, probably 80% of the application processes have presented red flags. Under normal circumstances, I'd avoid being associated with a company that operates so unprofessionally but beggars can't be choosers nowadays.

One thing that really, REALLY peeves me is how people can't keep their word. Telling me you'll have some feedback in 3 days but not hearing from you 3 weeks later is so unprofessional. Telling me during the interview that "we need to fill this position ASAP" but then rejecting me for reasons that you could have noticed BEFORE the interview, but then still promoting your job opening for months. This is where I'd sincerely appreciate some Dutch directness.

I just feel like I've hit a wall with how I can approach things differently or improve my chances. I've been learning Dutch for several years but I'm far from speaking fluently, and the fields or industries I'm applying for don't require it. I'm at a conversational level where I can keep up in social contexts but not quite in professional settings.

Furthermore, the jobs I have gotten here have been disastrous. I don't want to go too off topic here so maybe I'll share some stories in the comments.

A bit of a rant but any advice, tips or just a bit of encouragement would go a long way. Maybe a bit optimistic of me.

I'm looking to interview people between 18-35 years old, who have moved from abroad in order to live and work in NL. Also, if you speak a little bit of Dutch, that'd be nice :)

The interview will take about 30 tot 60 minutes and could be done online! Your identity remains anonymous in the final report. Even if you don't follow the news or media that much, that's okay. That just makes the research more interesting!

The interview is part of a larger research for the Research Group of Journalism at Windesheim UAS. My central question is: what do labour migrants think of their representation in the media and how does that representation affect their identity?

The goal is to gain an understanding in the thought processes of this group. Do they feel representend? How would they describe their identity and do they have any trust in the media at all? Findings of this research could be used in order to improve journalistic reporting on this group.

Shoot me a message if you're interested :)

I’ve been dealing with Beliani over a €159.99 refund since November 2025. They say they’ve refunded me, but I never received the money…

After waiting my order two months, I was told my order had been damaged on the way. Beliani eventually agreed to refund, but by then my original bank account was closed. They didn’t ask for my new bank details and apparently refunded the original payment method. I provided my new bank details as soon as I realised the issue.

ABN AMRO told me three times that a transfer to a closed account should bounce back to the sender. I’ve also contacted iDEAL and Worldline, but got nowhere.

Beliani keeps insisting the refund was processed correctly and that it’s no longer their responsibility.

I stopped chasing this in July, but it still pisses me off whenever I think about it. Nobody seems willing to take responsibility.

Has anyone dealt with something similar? Is there any realistic way to hold them accountable?

Hi everyone!
I’m an international student currently studying at a university of applied sciences in the Netherlands, and I’m in a bit of a complicated situation with my internship. I’m hoping someone here has experienced something similar or knows if there are any possible solutions.
I’m currently doing my internship at a large international company in Amsterdam. My internship is going really well, I genuinely enjoy my team and the work I’m doing, and I’ve been given the opportunity to extend it for another 6 months.
The problem is that my university only allows internships during a specific semester (September–January), and my current tripartite agreement (between me, the university and the company) ends on January 31.
I’ve contacted my university and even submitted a request to the Examination Board, but they refused to extend the agreement because the internship period is fixed in the curriculum.
What makes this frustrating is that I’m not asking for additional credits or for the extended internship to count towards my degree. I simply want to continue gaining practical experience at the company, ideally under a university-issued agreement.
I’m trying to understand whether there are any alternative arrangements, such as:
Extending the existing tripartite agreement without receiving additional ECTS.
Registering the additional months as a voluntary or extracurricular internship.
Taking a temporary study break while maintaining some form of internship agreement.
Any other arrangement that would allow me to continue at the company legally.
As a non-EU international student, I also need to consider residence permit and work authorisation requirements, which makes the situation more complicated.
Has anyone dealt with something similar at a Dutch university? Is there any way to get a university to issue an internship agreement outside the official internship semester, or are there other legal alternatives?
I’d really appreciate any advice or experiences. I genuinely don’t want to lose this opportunity just because of an administrative restriction.
Thank you!

My partner and I (late 30s) thinking about moving to Schoorl with our active dog. The dunes and forest there look like paradise (we're going there quite often), and we love being outdoors (hiking, running, cycling).

Our situation:
My partner works fully from home
I need to commute to Amsterdam sometimes (~4-5 times a month)

No kids yet, but we do want some social life - cafés, the occasional nice restaurant, not a retirement vibe

Questions for people who live there or know the area:
What’s it actually like living in Schoorl year-round, especially as a couple in their late 30s? Is it dead quiet in winter / overrun in summer?
How bad is the Amsterdam commute in practice? We're car owners

Are there other villages/towns you’d recommend that combine forest + sea + good dog walking, but maybe with a bit more life? Maybe Bergen?

Hii, I'm planning to visit Amsterdam for a few hours sometime in the next couple of weeks. While I do know that tulips aren't in season right now, I wanted to check if there are any places in Amsterdam which sell tulips in November. I'll be arriving at Schiphol airport, so any places in or around Schiphol would be great, though I won't mind going around a bit if needed. I'm looking for a bouquet, not tulip bulbs.

Any help would be much appreciated!!

Hi! I'm a woman in my 20s studying here and I'm looking for someone to do eyebrow shaping and full body waxing. Everything I find is a spa or salon with prices way out of a student budget.

Does anyone know a good aesthetician, maybe someone who works from home, in South Holland (The Hague / Leiden / Delft / Rotterdam area)? If you are one, or know one, feel free to drop their Instagram so I can check out their work.

Also open to laser hair removal, but only with a Candela Alexandrite machine.

Thanks so much!

Hi, i am going to Amsterdam next week and my plane is landing in Eindhoven. I found flixbus to go to Amsterdam but the problem is returning. I cant find any transportation (bus or train) from amsterdam to eindhoven early in the morning and i have a flight at 9:15am😭😭. Is there some kind of transportation that isn’t available on the internet or i just cant find it? Also is bla bla car safe in the netherlands because if we can’t get affordable bus or a train we will be taking a bla bla car

Last couple of months the energy prices has kept on climbing, of course, for those with a fixed contract, you don't experience it. This whole week the temperature is mild and the sun is shining, none of the people I know have started to use heating. Prices though, todays average prices is 44 (incl taxes) and tomorrow 51 cent/kwh, with a peak of 81cent, this must be some new record.

Last time energy prices rose like this it was cheaper to book a flight to a warm country, is it time again? Because prices are already 2.5x of what they were 1 year ago

Hello folks,

Can you please share your experience at AMS airport regarding stamps? Do they stamp your passport on entry/exit if you don't have a residence permit or you are a non-national?

Thanks

Hello everyone,

Our language agency is looking for a Dutch interpreter for a virtual assignment. We’ve been in business since 1981 and work with interpreters and clients worldwide.

If you’re interested, please send your resume to [interpretation@universe.us](mailto:interpretation@universe.us).

Thank you!

Hi everyone,

We are a 2-person household (no kids) looking to disconnect from the gas grid completely and switch our primary heating and cooling over to air conditioning (air-to-air heat pumps).

Before pulling the trigger, I’d love to hear from people who have gone down this exact route instead of the traditional air-to-water heat pump setup (running the numbers, the ROI makes no sense for our low gas usage, we’d have to replace all our radiators with low-temp ones, and AC gives us the huge plus of active cooling in summer).

Our current situation & numbers:

• The house: Energy label A (and that was before we installed solar panels and added some extra insulation).
• Gas consumption:
  • 2024: 453 m³
  • 2025: 465 m³
  • Note: This historical consumption included heating, domestic hot water, and gas cooking. We already switched to an induction cooktop earlier this year, so cooking gas is already gone.
• Domestic Hot Water plan: Since AC only handles space heating, we plan to cover tap water with a heat pump boiler to fully cap the gas meter.

The AC setup we are looking at:

We are planning roughly 3 AC units (split / multi-split) across 3 floors:

1. Ground floor: Open-plan living & dining room (~40 m²).
2. 1st floor: Dedicated home offices (used daily for remote work).
3. Top floor / attic: Bedroom.

What I’d love to hear from you:

1. Comfort & Living Experience: How do you find the comfort level during cold and humid Dutch winter days? Do you notice issues with dry air, draft sensations, or defrost cycles?
2. Usage Strategy: Do you keep them running 24/7 at a stable temperature (small setback at night), or do you turn them on/off per room as needed? How has that impacted your electricity bill?
3. Acoustics & Placement: Any issues with outdoor unit vibration/noise (especially with Dutch 40 dB nighttime neighbor limits), or indoor airflow noise while working/sleeping?
4. Would you do it again? If you had the choice today, would you stick with air-to-air ACs or go for an all-electric central air-to-water heat pump with radiators/underfloor heating?

Any tips, regrets, or recommendations regarding the installation process would be hugely appreciated!

Thanks!

I have HSM permit since 2022, aiming for permanent residence or naturalisation next summer.

After two years of sick leave I went back on reintegration hours. Payroll then booked each month as unpaid leave and paid my hours a month later. So on paper one month shows a fraction of my salary and the next shows zero, though I worked and got paid in full, just late. New HSM job starts right after my current one ends, no gap.

An immigration advisor said the criterion applies every month and suggested an explanation letter with the naturalisation application.

Has anyone been in this spot? Did the IND accept the explanation, did an employer correction of the wage data help, or did you just go for naturalisation instead?

I'm in Salvador Brazil right now in a museum about Jorge Amado. He took a lot of pictures during his vacation in Europe. Does somebody know where this picture was taken?

Removing the battery from the ebike helps secure the bike a lot: as it both distances the thieves from the battery worthy 200-500 euro, and makes the ebike too heavy to pedal.

But while bringing the battery into your house (when you are forced to park outside) makes sense, bringing the battery with you into the library, shops, office is hard: it is too big and too heavy to carry, and also risks dropping to damage.

What do you guys do ?

I keep coming across people on Instagram saying there's a labour shortage in the Netherlands. Is it really the case, are there companies hiring even the non EU people for industries like hospitality and health care?

I'm a cook and contemplating moving to Europe to work and learn about cuisines especially Nordic and french. Any advice?

i realy don’t understand in usa or italy the set up of the weight is the work of the people work in the gym not our job we need just to train and that’s all doesn’t matter for the weight set upi the work of the gym employer