International Nesties
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Official!! And a ??
DH had a convo today that really "sealed the deal" as far as our transfer to the Netherlands is concerned. I am happy/sad/nervous/in disbelief still, ahhh!
Anyway, for all of you that have made an international move before...any words of wisdom for us at this point (about 5 months out)?? I am thinking I should start stocking up on kids clothes, etc, right? It sounds like there is far less choice and the prices are much higher in most of Europe, so it would be smart to buy for the future as much as possible? Is there anything that is actually cheaper/wise to wait and buy in Europe? Last question (for now!), is Ikea cheaper in the Netherlands/Europe, than US, or the same? TIA!!
Re: Official!! And a ??
It depends on how you define cheaper - if you are doing monetary conversions, then probably not...but as a long timers, I'd say that you are best if you start thinking in terms of units of cost and try to NOT convert to dollars (unless you are paid in dollars which would suck). In the case of units, some things in the UK are cheaper than the US and others are the same or more.
I would also say stock up on bathroom items that you can't live without as you may not find the same brands abroad. I did that until I found good alternatives. Bring over melatonin - great for jet lag and not over here from what I can tell.
As for kids, have no clue, but best of luck and congrats!
Congrats!
Figure out what key toiletries you really want to have, and post them on the board so the NL ladies can tell you if they are available or not.
For example, I bring over facial cleansing wipes and deodorant, because my skin in those areas really can't handle new products. (I went through a phase of waking up with my eyes swelled shut in the morning after using a face wipe at night). But most other things I buy here at this point.
I'd also consider reading some about the new culture you'll be joining--a bit about its history and social climate, and following local news events if you're into that sort of thing.
I guess I don't mean cheaper dollars-wise, but more on the whole? DH will get paid part in Euros and part in US dollars, so that is really here nor there (no pun intended, ha!) I have heard to buy things such as ibuprofen, cold meds etc...and melatonin is a great thought! I need to start a list...
I brought over tampons until I found a brand there I liked. Also, things like copies of your medical records (that can take up to a month to get) might be helpful.
I'm Dutch (moved to Canada recently) and I do think most things are cheaper in North America, most noticably clothing and electronics.
Having said that, if you consider costs of shipping stuff over it is probably not worth it unless you can pack & bring it, or unless you are shipping stuff anyways and can add some things to it at no extra costs.
Keep in mind that some meds aren't as freely available in NL as they are in North America. It's worth looking into, do some googling and stock up on some meds that might not be available in NL, or only under doctor prescription.
For stuff like shampoo etc., bigger international brands are usually available in The Netherlands as well. Children's products probably vary, but I can vouch for Zwitsal: great brand!
While I disagree with there being far less choice in children's clothing in NL, I do think buying a few extra items can't hurt because it is more expensive in NL.
To compare Ikea prices, visit www.ikea.nl and keep a currency converter tool at hand. I think they might be slightly cheaper but I'm not sure. The products are exactly the same.
Ibuprofin is available here (NL) just less choice in the type/dosage (my FH uses a very low dosage liquicap and that's impossible to find at the drugstore, lowest dosage liquicap is 200mg, he uses 100mg). Cold/flu medicin like dayquil and niquil aren't available here at all, so I usually bring that and allergy meds are available, but there is less choice and less generic brands unless you get a prescription.
I checked the billy bookcase at Ikea for you (as that's a staple of ikea's and the price difference/similarity there goes along the whole range). The cheapest Billy in the US is 50$ compared to 30 Euro. The color FH and I have is 59,95 euros in NL and 79,95 dollars in the US. So depending of the exchange rate that day it might be slightly cheaper or slightly more expensive, but overall it's not really a difference.
Keep in mind that you don't yet know what your apartment/house will look like yet, so I'd advice buying Ikea stuff when you're here so you can make sure stuff actually fits!
I don't have kids yet, so don't know bout those prices, but there are H&M stores everywhere here (and that's where all my Dutch friends buy cheap kids clothes) and HEMA is a store that has great quality for decent prices for the simple stuff (like plain oesies, socks, underwear, T-shirts and such - they have more actual clothing for kids too, but I've never paid attention to that.)
What I always bring from the US is BBQ sauce/seasoning, deodorant (I have extremely sensitive skin) jeans (they're ridiculously expensive here, as well as sneakers) bras and office clothing (I'm XL in the US, plus-plus size in NL, so my choices in the US are far better - if you're size 12 or under you should be fine here though for 'nicer' clothes.)
Oh, and buy this book it's hilarious (and fairly accurate too!)
My food blog
What I'm looking forward to in 2012:
Eating our way through (northern) Italy on vacation
<a href="http://www.thenest.com/?utm_source=ticker&utm_medium=HTML&utm_campaign=tickers" title="Home DOnesly has a website to buy 220 voltage appliance MUCH cheaper than in Holland. Then you can stick them in your shipment!
I live on Amazon orders over here. Amazon.co.uk delivers to most places in Europe if you ever run out of anything and can't find it local.
Before you start stocking up, make sure you get specific instructions on if you are allowed to ship consumables, (favorite sauces, spices, etc) and if so, how much. I know the company we used allowed it, but only a certain number of pounds.
Definantly get the specifications/measurements of your house/apartment before you move. We have a very awkward couch shoved in our home office because we brought it thinking we would have more space. Make sure you also find out what home appliances will be provided and pack accordingly. When my H lived in Budapest before we got married he didn't have a dryer( and that is apparently common there) so no need to pack dryer sheets, instead he brought an outdoor clothes line and indoor drying rack.
If your H's company is paying for the move outright then that will be a relief but if not, make copies of every receipt for reimbursement purposes and every email/correspondence that notes what you might be entitled to. We had some issues when we got here as the local culture is very lax about that sort of thing and are more inclined to just ignore you instead of dealing with you if you have an issue.
Good Luck and have fun with the planning and preparation!
Amazon delivers to Europe!!!?? Great news! I order tons from Amazon here, that would be SO helpful (at least to know I can until I get more acclimated). I will definitely keep that in mind.
Unfortunately we won't know exactly how our housing situation will end up until right before we go...from what I understand the housing market moves pretty quickly, and we will be going to check out the school/office/neighborhoods and meet with our realtor in early December. DH will likely go over for a quick trip alone about a month prior to our actual move date to pick a house for us. I guess we will just scramble with furniture adjustments etc at that point
Congratulations! You're about to begin an exciting adventure!
That being said, will your DH's company offer to ship your household goods? That is another good thing to check early. If not, then you need to start looking into shipping companies, and deciding whether or not it is worth footing the bill to ship yourself. If they pay for you to ship, then I would only bring over furniture that is pretty standard sized, nothing oversized (like a king sized bed may not fit in a bedroom.) But if you don't chose to bring over your furniture, IKEA has been a godsend for us, as our current apartment is almost exclusively furnished in IKEA
As far as preparing, I might take a look at what items you use frequently, and ask us from that list what is available here. Ibuprofen is available in most of Europe, but I can only speak from my experience in Germany- you can only get it with a perscription. Some things that I still bring after living in Europe for 10 years: tampons, Secret deodorant, Excederin (DH swears by this stuff,) Kraft macaroni & cheese (I have only found generic and not as good here) and hot wing sauce. Again, I can't speak to the Netherlands, but the amount of American products that have shown up on the grocery store shelves here has grown in the past years- I've even found an acceptable peanut butter
Some American foods are available though only through importers, and are crazy expensive.
DVDs are also a different region code over here. If you're planning on bringing some favorite DVDs, which is fantastic for helping especially the kids feel more at home, you'll either need to bring your DVD player from the States, or buy a region code free one when you get to the Netherlands, or plan on playing them over your computer. Oh yeah, since the voltage is different here, you shouldn't plan on bringing a lot of appliances from the States, except maybe from that 220V website that was mentioned. If you plan on bringing an appliance that you can't live without (my Cuisinart and I are inseparable,) you will need a transformer, not just a plug converter. Most hair appliances though are dual-voltage, computers as well, so you would only need a plug converter for these items.
I would also check into any perscription medicines that either you or your family are taking, and see look into the European counterpart. I would also get a copy of your medical records for you new doctor.
As far as clothes- DH and I only buy clothes for ourselves in the States, most often, at outlets. This isn't so easy to do with kids
H&M really has some adorable kids clothes at fairly decent prices, which would be best especially if part of your income will be in dollars.
Other than that, try to learn a few Dutch words and phrases, and food words. A little knowledge of the language goes a long way!
Amazon.co.uk even has super saver shipping to NL. Their prices might be slightly higher than Amazon.com, but the free shipping is more than worth it! Amazon.co.uk has a slightly different selection, but really not all that different!
My food blog
What I'm looking forward to in 2012:
Eating our way through (northern) Italy on vacation
<a href="http://www.thenest.com/?utm_source=ticker&utm_medium=HTML&utm_campaign=tickers" title="Home DAmazon and free shipping=I will survive
His company will pay to ship a 40 foot crate, so I am not overly worried about space, shiiping costs, etc. So voltage converters aren't good for long term, is that what I'm understanding? Should we plan to get new TV's, small kitchen appliances etc? DH's company will give us an allowance for replacing our things that won't work over there so I would rather not risk our stuff (but there will be a limit I'm sure so we will need to prioritize). About the DVD's, will our DVD player from here be okay on a converter?
Is this something new? I bring my own ibuprofen from the States because i can get the bulk size and it's cheaper. However, I didn't have that the first few months I lived here, and I had no problems getting Ibuprofen at the Chemist. It was the normal 400mg tablets. They will only give you a pack of 20 at the time, but I didn't need a prescription.
I did have a problem getting stronger meds when I broke my shoulder. They gave me 600mg of Ibuprofen and that I needed a script for. I wound up ordering ibuprofen with codeine from England.
Back on topic, I suggest bringing any medication you need. I find Germany to be really homeopathic, and when I have a cold, I need something more- no herbs for me!
I'm in a very Anti NL mood today, so I say don't come! I was warned and warned about what a pain it is to live here and thought I understood... No it's a f'ing pain in the azz.
-Do not bring your TV's or any appliances, I only our converter for my Sonicare toothbrush.
-You will find you can get most US stuff here between Amazon UK, the American Store and many stores now having an "import" isle. My local store even carries A1 sauce and Betty Crocker brownies.
-I would stock up on meds that you like and any supplements.
-Clothes...H&M rocks for the kiddies and the other stores are good, prices can be a little higher, but not much more than like a Gymoree back home.
-I brought my DS's movies, but we did have to find a crack code on line to play US movies.
There is a slight chance that we'll be moving in 5 months, if that's the case, we have a TV, Blue Ray player, toaster, etc, that we'll be getting rid of.
Are you coming over for a house trip? If so, let us know and maybe we can get together for dinner. Zwiggy and Tot Ziens were great with helping me get over here and a god send once I got here.
PS: if you haven't already looked up what Tot Ziens means, do so, you'll use it a lot : )
jldittber, I appreciate your honesty. I am trying to brace myself for how hard it's going to be by "expecting the worst, but hoping for the best". We don't really plan to bring much as far as appliances, if you do end up leaving in 5 months please let me know ASAP as we will be coming over in about that amount of time and would be more than happy to take things off your hands. If you don't end up leaving...even better! I will take all of the friends I can get
TotZiens, what is the website?
Will keep you posted for sure.
Tot Ziens is "Good Bye" in Dutch