An expat view of the Netherlands: Film ‘Great Expatations’ investigates expat experiences

Mountains of paperwork, confusing public transport timetables and organising Internet and telephone connections. Just a handful of the things that expats have to deal with when they move to the Netherlands.

These things can cause a great deal of irritation to both Dutch expats when they move abroad and to foreign expats who move to the Netherlands. In the film Great Expatations, expats living in the Western urban agglomeration known as the Randstad talk about how they see the Netherlands. The film provides an opportunity to see things from the other side for a change: even the Netherlands isn’t ideal.

The initiative for the film Great Expatations was taken by THIS (City of The Hague International Spirit). THIS wants Dutch businesses to realise that it is in their interests to accommodate the international community in the city. The organisation believes businesses have a lot to learn when it comes to how to treat its expat community, because expats are often irritated by the Dutch style of service.

Kees Colenbrander is director of Great Expatations and one of the founders of THIS. He interviewed dozens of expats on their first impressions of the Netherlands. A small selection of them can be seen in the 20-minute film.

Read further: Radio Netherlands, 21 May 2008

Watch the report on the Dutch news programme Nova here. (Some parts are also in English; click on “Bekijk item”)