In the series “Expat Life in Nijmegen” expats talk about their lives in the oldest city in the Netherlands. How did they get here? What do they do here in their daily lives and what do they think of the city and its suburbs?
Here is Elle's story from the United States…
“I moved to Nijmegen in October 2022. My friend works at Radboud University and I heard that I could come to the Netherlands on a DAFT visa, so I decided to make the move. I have lived in a few states in the US, but have never traveled abroad, so this is It's the first time.
I am a fully licensed hairstylist and esthetician in the US, but it took a long time before I could work here. Because I am from the United States, I needed a residence permit to register my company with the Chamber of Commerce. But after nearly nine months, she was able to start working as a hairdresser in June 2023.
I think I had less culture shock at first because I didn't start working right away and didn't have a permanent community to live in. The biggest culture shock for me was working with my Dutch clients when I started working in a hair salon. They are generally less emotional than Americans. An American says something like: “Oh my God, I love that, thank you!” And he takes a picture of their hair. My Dutch clients usually say: “It's okay” – and that's it.
At first it made me a little nervous. I didn't work for several months and had a bit of imposter syndrome when I started again. When I didn't get the response I was used to from the US, I thought, oh my God, they hate it, they don't like me that much – and they may not come back! But six weeks later they came back and said, “That was one of the best haircuts I've ever had, and I'd love to get the same thing again.”
Overall I really like the city. I live near the centre, in the east of Nijmegen, which is very beautiful and walkable. I walk to work in ten minutes and ride my bike there in less than three minutes. The city is also very historical. My partner is a historian, so we enjoy thinking about history.
What I miss are over-the-counter medications. If you have a cold or flu and want something more than paracetamol, this is a tough one. Of course I can live without it. “But especially if you know a particular medication might help you, it's hard not to be able to get it.”
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