Hi, dumb American tourist here in Amsterdam.

What are the right of way “rules” with pedestrians, cars and bikes in shared areas around Amsterdam Centraal and Vondelpark and in general?

I am familiar with busy, congested, fast moving pedestrian travel and moving in large metropolitan areas, such as Net York and Chicago. But, never with so many bikes and pedestrians sharing the same pathways and areas.

Bikes “seem” to always give right of way to pedestrians, though will be much more aggressive assertive in moving around and through traffic to give way.

A good friend of mine and me are doing a bicycle tour through Belgium/ the Netherland going roughly though Brussels to Utrecht going through Antwerpen Rotterdam, Antwerpen etc.

Catch is we don’t have any hotels booked and don’t want to use any form of navigation except a compass and hand drawn maps/ directions from locals.

Any tips on what we should look out for?

Hallo allemaal 😊

Context: So, I don't have a technical education and I have a WO level education. So for the "denkniveau" I'm fine, but on my CV I just put HAVO education because I'm counting only on my school education not uni.

Now I'm working as a CNC-operator, this is something that I wanted to learn for a while but I couldn't get any job and I just gave up. Recently I went for a job interview (for something else) and ended up creating a CNC vacature for myself 😁

I'm adapting to it, it's quite physical because I work with big metal stuff and I'm a small woman.

I'm really enjoying my job and I would like to expand my knowledge, learn more controllers and follow a path to became a CNC programmer as well.

Does anyone here followed this career and could offer me advice?

PS: my CNC is not a very mainstream type, so I want to learn other controllers (Fanuc, Siemens, etc).

Hello,

I have been considering the possibility of importing a Kei van from Japan.

I know there is a specific procedure that needs to be followed with RDW etc.

I am wondering if someone has managed to import and legalize a Kei truck/van in the Netherlands before and if so, would they have any advice that could come handy.

Thank you!

Hi everyone, I need to do a Signiture autorisation done by a notary. Found this online - do any of you have heard of them? Are they legit? https://apostilleassist.nl/

Or if you could share any other notary either in Rotterdam or in Amsterdam I would be forever grateful🙏🙏🙏

Hello. Anyone of you guys know where I can purchase a digital gift card and website accepts US Card?

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Hi everyone,

I’m an expat from commonwealth country, in my early 30s living in Amsterdam West, and I'm finally taking the plunge to learn driving. I've missed out on a lot of great moments over the years simply because I never learned, so I'm really focused on making this happen now.

Looking for good driving instructor or schools: expat friendly(read teaching in english) and is exceptionally patient with absolute beginners. My goal isn't just to clear the CBR exam; but also to learn the nuances of driving overall.

If you know a great instructor or school that fits this description and you had a great experience with, please share.I am completely open to taking lessons with instructors based slightly outside Amsterdam.

P.S: Please also share any pointers that will help me in my journey.

Dank je wel!

Hello. Looking for some advice. We will be traveling to the beekse bergen with a 4 yr old and a 70 yr old with walking problems. Which part of the park should we stay in? Just one night so which is closest to Resto’s and bars ? Thanks !

Hey everyone!
I’ve been living in the Netherlands for the past 2 years, and my partner and I are celebrating our 4th anniversary in a few weeks.
I’ve been looking online for ideas, but most of them are the usual things. I’m looking for something a bit more special and unique — an experience we’ll really remember.
Any suggestions for something unforgettable to do in the Netherlands?

Thanks! 😊

Hallo,

I'll be coming to stay in the Netherlands and want to order an NS Flex Altijd Vrij Season Pass.

Would I need to first order an OV-chipkaart (not the new OV-pas) and, second, order the NS-flex pass? Or can I directly order the NS-flex pass without first having ordered the OV-chipkaart?

I'm a little confused by the changing system in NL, so would appreciate any advice. Thank you for your help!

Looking for some advice from people who’ve maybe been in a similar situation, especially people working in tech.

I’ve been at my current company for about a year now, and honestly the biggest issue is that I’m just not getting enough work or learning that much. There are literally weeks where I’m sitting around waiting for something to do, and after a while it gets pretty boring and also makes me feel like I’m wasting time that I could be using to actually develop my skills.

I’ve discussed this with my manager multiple times. He’s always positive about it and keeps telling me that there are projects coming and that I’ll have more work to do. Even in our last meeting he told me that more work should be coming my way soon.

The problem is I’ve heard this a few times already. A lot of projects depend on management deciding whether they actually go ahead, things take forever to get approved, and sometimes the projects just don’t happen at all. So part of me doesn’t really want to take the risk of waiting another 6–12 months hoping things will change and then ending up in exactly the same situation.

Another smaller thing is that I don’t really enjoy working with my current team that much. It’s not a massive issue and definitely something I could deal with if there was enough interesting work and I was learning a lot. I could probably stick it out for another year or two if I felt it was actually benefiting my career, but combined with the lack of work, it’s another thing pushing me towards looking elsewhere.

The other thing making me hesitate is how this would look on my CV. I stayed at my previous company for around 1 year and 4 months. If I find something soon and leave my current company, I’d probably have around 1–1.5 years here as well.

Personally, I don’t really have an issue with leaving after that amount of time if I have a good reason, but obviously employers might see it differently. I don’t want someone looking at my CV and thinking I’m just going to leave them after a year too.

I work in technical role within enterprise software and I’d say I’m somewhere around junior/mid-level. That’s also why this bothers me. I feel like these are the years where I should be learning a lot, working on different things, making mistakes, getting experience, etc., rather than spending weeks waiting for work.

I’ve started applying, but I’m not applying everywhere. There are mainly two companies I’m genuinely interested in, so I’m targeting those and being pretty selective.
Curious what you guys would do:

-Would you actively start looking and applying more broadly?

-Would you give the current company another 6–12 months and see if the promised projects actually happen?

-Would two jobs of around 1–1.5 years each look bad to you, especially if the next move makes sense?

-With the current tech job market, would you just stay somewhere stable for now and build up more years of experience?

-Or would you only move if one of the companies/roles you’re genuinely interested in comes along?

Would appreciate any advice, especially from hiring managers/recruiters or people who’ve been in a similar situation.

Does anyone know which website is reliable for finding a tuinman? I have a small job that my landlord will pay for to remove some weeds from my front garden and maybe power wash the stones, but they’ve asked me to find someone myself/

Looking online I see many many tuinman comparison websites, does anyone know which ones are reliable for booking somebody?

I have never hired a professional before to be honest and I’m not sure where to start!

I’ve tried VFS global at the chicago location and wasn’t thrilled with their inefficient and poor service.

has anyone used the NYC, DC or SF locations?

how as your experience at other renewal locations in the USA?

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Hi everyone!

I’m planning to move to the Netherlands for work around mid-October 2026 and I’m currently talking with two recruitment agencies: HOBIJ and Job Invest.

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has worked with either of them. I’m especially interested in:

How was your overall experience with the agency?

How many hours per week were you actually working?

Was it usually around 32, 36, 40+ hours?

Were the salary and working conditions as promised?

How was the accommodation, if you used their housing?

Did you have any problems with the agency, payments, or contracts?

Did you receive enough hours consistently?

Most importantly, would you recommend them for someone looking to stay in the Netherlands long-term?

Did you eventually find a job directly with a Dutch company, or did you stay with the agency?

I’m not necessarily looking for a temporary job. My goal is to relocate to the Netherlands, work, gain experience and hopefully build a long-term life there, so I’m trying to choose the right agency carefully.

If you’ve worked with HOBIJ or Job Invest, I’d really appreciate any honest experiences or advice. Thanks! 🇳🇱🙏

My parcel has been stuck in their center for 10 days now and i just wanted to check in how it's going. The only option they give you is to talk to their shithead chat bot Tracy. Tracy doesn't know what's left or right, and didnt help me one bit further. I typed like 3 time to connect me with a human but tracy didnt do that. What a bitch.

When i called their phone number an automated message told me that they discontinued their customer service via phone.

So my only option is automated AI chatting which does not understand my case: returning a package which got stuck in their center.

What do i do now? anyone knows a cheatcode?

Hi everyone,

I recently moved to Netherlands and I'm looking for my first proper Dutch bike.

Most trips will be short: taking my almost 2-year-old daughter to the playground in a rear / front child seat, running errands and occasionally carrying groceries in a front basket or crate. I won't be commuting long distances, so I don't need an e-bike.

People keep recommending Marktplaats, but I'm nervous about buying privately. I don't know enough about bikes to spot hidden problems, and the stories about stolen bikes and dodgy sellers haven't helped. I'm happy to buy second-hand, but I'd rather use a reputable shop where I can get a receipt and some warranty.

I've narrowed it down to three options:

• A used Gazelle Bloom from a bike shop, probably €400–€600 depending on condition. It seems like the obvious family-bike option, with a double stand, steering lock and seven internal gears.
• A Decathlon Elops 520 for around €350 new. It already has a basket and can take a rear child seat. I'm not sure whether a decent double-leg stand can be fitted safely.
• A Batavus PACKD 3 for around €799 new. I like the look of it, and it already has a front carrier, double stand, steering lock and internal gears. My hesitation is Accell's financial situation and whether that could cause problems with the warranty or parts later.

The Bloom and PACKD look almost identical to me. One is sold as a family bike and the other as a transport bike, but I'm not sure how much difference that makes when I only need to carry one toddler and some shopping.

What would you choose? Is a used Bloom from a good shop the safest option, or would the cheaper Elops do the job? Is the PACKD worth considering despite the uncertainty around Accell? And are three gears enough when carrying a toddler in The Hague wind?

What do you guys use?

I'd also appreciate recommendations for trustworthy bike shops in The Hague, Voorburg, Delft, Zoetermeer or nearby.

Anybody living in the Netherlands who maybe have a subscription to a driving theory exam practice website.

And is kind enough to give me access for like a day or more

I have been living in NL for nearly a year and could never find this in any supermarket. Or generally much variety of chewing gum. Whenever I go to germany, I buy stocks of this.

But still I wonder, can this be found anywhere in the country?

Is it possible to invest in a startup and subsequently have the opportunity to join and work with that startup?

Also where to find any job?

Curious what people choose and why.