My Amsterdam: Interviews with locals

Learn more about what life is like in Amsterdam directly from people who've already made the move. Amsterdam international profiles introduces you to a wide variety of people from around the globe who've chosen to develop their career and live their life in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area, finding new work, making new friends and enjoying a wealth of opportunities. Share in their experiences and get ahead with their tips.

Share your story

Do you have advice, ideas, tips and experiences about living in Amsterdam as an international resident that you would like to share with new and potential expats? We'd love to hear from you! To participate in International Profiles, please send an email to welcome@amsterdam.nl.

Meet the locals

Alexandra // Living in Almere

"It’s a new and interesting city with a lot of potential. It’s quiet, with a lot of nature, separate infrastructure for bicycles and dog-friendly."

Daniel // Living in Alkmaar

My Amsterdam Daniel
"Alkmaar has all the characteristics we were looking for: it is close to my office, it is a medium-sized city with all of the facilities and services I needed."

Helena & Pedro // Living in Amstelveen

My Amsterdam Helena
"One of the first things that amazed me when I first came here was how family-friendly this busy city can be."

Dorothy & Stanley // Living in Heemskerk

Dorothy and Stanley header
"Living in Heemskerk gives us a better quality of life. The fact that it is accessible to big cities such as Amsterdam, Haarlem and Alkmaar means we don’t lose out by not living in a big city."

Tessa // Living in Hilversum

My Amsterdam Tessa
"Hilversum has a strong and well-integrated international community. Make sure you get to know your neighbours and join in with local activities."

Paola // Living in Aalsmeer

"We love sailing on the lake. One of the reasons to move here was to have a boat parked at the end of the garden."

Shirley // Living in Purmerend

Shirley Ke
"If you want to enjoy the rural, peaceful life, Purmerend is a good place for you."

Tracy // Living in Haarlem

"We love having so much available to us – experiences, restaurants, shops, museums – and the overall quality of life is great."

Interviews and stories

Jason Denham // Denim designer

Hailing from London, Jason Denham has tailored himself a place among the denim greats with Amsterdam-born brand Denham the Jeanmaker.

Lara van Druten & Guy Thimister

South African native Lara van Druten, founder and Managing Director of The Waste Transformers, and her French husband Guy Thimister first arrived in Amsterdam in 1987.

Amanda Yiu // Tea specialist

Amanda Yiu
Amanda Yiu gifted Amsterdam all the delicacy and decorum of the Chinese tea ceremony with high-end tea shop Formocha.

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