For those that have lived in Amsterdam what was it truly like pros and cons?

Question

What was the culture like..were the people friendly,job market, being that it seems so liberal there im curious as to what life is like there.
Thanks!

Answer 1

I lived in the south of the Netherlands, visited Amsterdam many times, and enjoyed the rest of the country for a few years. Maybe my experience isn't quite what you seek but as an American, who lived in a small Dutch village, maybe you will appreciate my suggestions.

If you do plan to live in the country take as many language courses as possible. The Dutch are very kind but appreciate your learning their language. If is difficult but not impossible. My life experiences increased ten fold after I simply spoke the few words I knew and was respectful and pleasant with my local new neighbors.

The liberal bent you imagine is the Dutch acceptance of alternative ways of lifestyle but the people have their own ways that are pretty common all over the country. A coffee hour, mid morning, is common and you must offer a coffee to people who come to work at your home. Most households are well kept and a sense of pride in the home is evident. Politeness is mandatory for most and treating elders with revereness was always evident. Most younger people speak English but anyone over 60 or so may have little or no English. If you must only speak your language then remember that if is rude to overtly impress that among the populace.

Netherlanders are very politically savvy and may engage you in conversations about American politics so don't go unprepared or overly sensitive. Their country is a power house of economical genius. The Dutch are well aware that they have companies that dominate in banking, food and heavy equipment supply. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't also dominate most of the fresh supply of many of our favorite staples.

Please consider your decision as a wonderful opportunity to live and work with people that I think are fun loving, hard working and proud of themselves.

Answer 2

Do you want answers from Dutch or from people from outside the Netherlands?

I live near Amsterdam, near enough to visit for a few hours but far enough that where I live is different, no big town at all.

Culture is very wide, goes from the cutting edge in youth culture to opera and classical dance.
From down to earth just an evening with fun for the family, bowling and so on to poetry, theater and more.


There is a lot of work, also very wide, from cleaning toilets to university professor, but not really special, as far as I know.
If you want to work you can find a job, but there is un-employment too. People with a low education and a less than perfect health will have a hard time to get a good job.

Amsterdam is not much more liberal than most of the Netherlands, all bigger towns are close behind or even ahead in different respects.
And in the Netherlands we know that there are different kinds of freedom, and we have those we value. Personal freedom. But on the other hand, the laws about fire-arms, knifes and so on are rather strict and kept and controlled.
Building laws are precise, you are not allowed to build your own house, every thing has to be done according approved drawings and will be checked by officials several times during the work.

So my conclusion:
If you want to go to Amsterdam you will have a good chance on a good job, but you will have to work hard to get it.
Personal liberty is great but you will find yourself restricted in some fields where you have liberty at home.

There is culture in almost every kind invented, but as Amsterdam is relative small you might not be able to find your favorite kind of culture there every week or even month, (but it is just a short journey to one of the other Dutch towns or even other European towns.)

People are friendly to visitors but expect people living in the Netherlands to asimilate, if you work with Dutch people you are expected to learn Dutch, there will be Dutch spoken around you whether you understand it or not, even when they speak English with you.

PS.
I have read what Lizbiz wrote and I think she is right and the kind of life she had in a village is not that much different from living in a residencial street in any town in the Netherlands.
I have visited relatives and friends living in Amsterdam and other towns in the Netherlands, so I have seen life in town too.