Inspired by Amanda’s (of Expat Life with a Double Buggy) amazing list of things she has done whilst living for 14 years as an expat in the Netherlands. Here is my list after 3.5 weeks…

1. Load all my worldly belongings into a van (thanks Dad) and move to the Netherlands.

2. Get Paris the cat a Pet Passport and move her to NL too.

3. Plan (most of) a Dutch wedding… August 2014!!

4. Speak on the telephone in Dutch… eek.

5. Speak to strangers in Dutch (and have them speak Dutch back to me.)

6. Visit Amsterdam, twice.

7. Navigate way round Amsterdam, without help! Assist two Danish guys to find their hotel.

8. Visit Utrecht.

9. Visit Spa in Belgium.

10. Navigate way to Hilversum Gementeehuis on foot and only get lost once.

11. Learn that Dutch (rented) houses do not come with light fittings. Successfully purchase and fit light fittings.

12. Cook a Dutch meal. (Zuurkool.)

13. Attend a Dutch verjaardagsfeest (birthday party)… which started at 2pm and ended at 6pm on the dot.

14. Celebrate the first ever King’s Day.

15. Wear head-to-toe orange.

16. Successfully avoid speculoos and hagelslag.

17. Join a Dutch gym.

18. Ask for (in Dutch) and successfully receive an Albert Heijn Bonuskaart.

19. Eat more bitterballen than is strictly necessary.

20. Receive a Dutch Bathroom Calendar as a present and be genuinely excited.

21. Have a bike stolen before I’d even purchased it.

22. Speak to sister’s potential “suitor” in Dutch, during her visit, and piss her off incredibly 🙂 🙂

23. Realise and accept that colleges are closed over the summer so Dutch courses cannot be started until September 😦

24. Sign up to an online course in the meantime.

25. Find suitable local kroeg.

26. Finally get an iphone!!!!

27. Start an instagram account.

28. Start a twitter account.

29. Discover lots of cool street art in the Netherlands.

30. Rearrange alphabetical spice rack due to new Dutch spices: cumin being komijn and coriander koriander.

31. Be unable to accept that list ends at 30 when my age is 31.

32. Oh shit, I’m 32. 

Hayley x