What’s your name and where do you come from? Can you tell us something about your hometown/country?
Julie Taylor, from Halifax, UK. It’s a small town in Yorkshire in the North of England near where the Bronte sisters come from.
Where do you live in the Netherlands? What is one of your favourite things about where you live?
Leiden; I love the historic streets and buildings. It’s like a mini-Amsterdam without the tourists
What’s your job or business?
I’m Queen Bee of Buzz Business Networking. I run networking meetups for single-person business owners that include an expert speaker for bite-sized learning.
When was your first time in the Netherlands? What were your first impressions or what was special about that first trip?
I used to come and visit before we moved here in 2018. My husband was working for a company that had an office in The Hague, and my best friend’s sister married a Dutch guy, so we came over to visit them a couple of times. I liked being able to walk and get around easily by train; I didn’t need the car so much, and the people were friendly.
What is the nicest thing about the Netherlands? How does this compare to your country?
The outdoor lifestyle – it doesn’t matter what time of year it is, there’s always somewhere cozy to sit and hang out. In the UK we just wait for good weather.
Besides the weather, what is your biggest pet peeve about the Netherlands?
It is expensive to live here but on the other side, we do get good roads and healthcare, so at least we can see what we’re paying for.
Do you have Dutch friends? How do you meet Dutch people?
Not really, my best friend’s sister’s husband is Dutch, I chat to a couple of neighbours and my ‘Taalmaatje’ and that’s about it. It’s not easy to meet Dutch people when you don’t live with one (husband is also British) or work with them, but some Dutch people do come to my networking events to meet expats/internationals.
What do you like about Dutch people? What don’t you like?
What can I say – I like their directness (I come from an area in the UK where we are straight-talking) but sometimes it can be too direct if you’re having an off day, or someone tells you your Dutch isn’t great.
What’s your best advice for new expats to make friends?
You need to get out there and meet people. The local international centre in Leiden runs monthly drinks events; that’s a great way to meet people and visit places around the city.
Do you have a favourite restaurant in your city?
I did but we don’t go out that much since we got a labrador puppy a month ago! I do like Bree 33, we’ve been going there for years. The food is amazing and beautifully presented and the ‘wall of wine’ is fun.
What’s your favourite Dutch store?
I love the small independent shops around Burgsteeg like Pluum. I love card and gift shops, I go there to get gifts for people, but usually end up buying myself something while I’m there
What do you like to do on the weekends?
It used to be wandering into Leiden to visit my friends that have stalls on the market, buy some flowers, and then a leisurely lunch. Now it’s more taking the puppy somewhere new to burn off some energy. There’s lots of nice lakes to visit and we’re not far from the sea.
Who is your favourite Dutch historical, cultural or famous person?
Maybe not my favourite but I did find the story of one of the infamous inhabitants of Leiden interesting, Maria Swanenburg (1839-1915), nicknamed ‘Goeie Mie’ (Good Mary). She is well known as a notorious poisoner from Leiden. She was ruthless and gained the rather dubious title of ‘the greatest poison mixer of all time’ in the Guinness Book of Records.
What would you recommend a visitor to do and see in your city and in general in the Netherlands?
There are two nice walks around the city: the Singelpark is located along the 17th-century ramparts surrounding the historic city centre of Leiden. It’s a ring of seven parks along the 6.3-km-long singel. Or you can follow a walk to see over 120 wall poems.
What is your favourite Dutch food? And what Dutch food do you dislike?
I like hapjes of cheese, sausage, bread and dips, but I have not tried haring.
Do you celebrate Dutch holidays? Which one is your favourite?
I’m self-employed so I only take Dutch holidays if my husband is off work, so no not really. It’s super useful that supermarkets are open at Christmas though.
What famous Dutch place should new visitors or expats definitely go see?
I like to cycle around the tulip fields when they’re in bloom; can you get any more Dutch?
Best kept secret in your city?
The Burcht, it’s a castle tucked away behind the city streets with a great view.
Looking back, what do you wish you knew before you moved to the Netherlands?
You need waterproof clothes for the winter, otherwise it makes cycling miserable
What are a few things you recommend to new expat here in the Netherlands?
Go out and visit the countryside, it’s really beautiful. I particularly like the Veluwe. Make an effort to learn some Dutch and don’t be put off when people respond in English; sometimes they’re just trying to help.
Thanks for the interview Julie!
Interviewed by Marla Thomson