The Wikipedia defines an expatriate (in abbreviated form, expat) as “ a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing or legal residence. The word comes from the Latin ex (out of) and patria (country, motherland)”. Similarly, in the wiktionary an expatriate is described as “a person who lives outside his or her own country”. Here are some of our suggestions. We’ve selected Arnhem, the capital of Gelderland, by way of example, but these tips apply to any town in the region.
Buy maps of Arnhem or the town you are designated to live, in any bookstore in town or, if you are a parent of the Arnhem International School (AIS), go to the Kronenburg Shopping Mall at Arends, situated in front of Albert Heijn Supermarket. Recommended maps are:
- Falk Easy City.
- Arnhem Falk City Map (stadsplattegrond). This map gives you an overall view of town and through its legend, you can have a quick idea of where main services (such as hospitals, post offices, shopping malls, schools, parking, churches, parks) are situated.
If you can afford it, buy a Navigation System. It is extremely useful and handy for getting around.
- Buy some books for expatriates living in the Netherlands. Here is a selection of publications. You may also order the Expat Survival Guide from Expatica.
Buy a rechargeable mobile card at T-mobile or any cellular phone stores. Once you have a bank account then you can switch to a more convenient 1-year or two-year contract at a cheaper rate per minute.
Refer to your Municipality (Gemeente) for Registration, Residence Permits, ID cards and BSN number or contact a professional Relocation Company in your area. Paragon Relocation is a well known relocation company in Gelderland.
Open a Bank Account. For parents of the Arnhem International School (AIS), there is an ABN AMRO Bank by the Post Office outside the Kronenburg Shopping Mall, as a first approach. The ABN AMRO has published a Welcome Box in English. You may ask your branch office for one.
Arrange a driving licence. When driving, it is recommended that you keep to the speed limit indicated or you will receive expensive surprises in your mailbox!
Purchase a Blue Parking Card at Primera or any news agent/tobacconist shop. This is a one time purchase which allows for two-hour parking in designated area (usually blue lines).
For public transportation, purchase multiple-ride bus tickets (strippenkaart). These tickets are available at post offices, railway stations and news agent/tobacconist shops such as Bruna or Primera or at any Albert Heijn. You may also buy a ticket on the bus which costs 1 Euro from 9 am onwards.
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