An American in Paris!

An American in Paris Amsterdam!

Paris? Freudian slip? Not at all! This American is loving every minute of living and working in Amsterdam, but am finally finding the time to write on the train en route to Amboise, France (via Paris) for the weekend. It is nearly three weeks since I packed up my life and moved across the Atlantic to start a new chapter in Amsterdam. And it’s been an incredible journey so far.

Week 1: The departure/arrival, exploration, getting culture and a Tar Heel win!

My last weekend in NYC was a whirlwind. After a week off from work, several teary-eyed goodbyes, gorging all of my favorite NY meals, and an Elite 8 Tar Heel win, I boarded my flight at JFK on Sunday, 26 March. As I settled into my seat on the plane, I braced myself for take-off – a symbolic moment mirroring the feeling my life was about to begin. I was filled with so much uncertainty, and at the same time, excitement. Nerves coupled with curiosity. Anticipation coupled with enthusiasm. It was truly an exhilarating moment.

After a short ~6 hours, I arrived at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam. I eagerly approached customs – couldn’t wait to show off my visa. I live here now.

Then came the tough part. Collecting my bags (3 checked, all in excess of 60 lbs., 2 carry ons and 1 backpack), assembling them on a cart, and pushing said cart from the baggage claim area through the arrivals terminal, out the door over to the taxi area and getting into the car. No easy feat!

 

When I arrived at my new abode I was greeted by the landlords – a lovely, retired couple. They graciously helped me with my bags and handed over the key. An official check-in is required in the Netherlands where a housing authority agent will survey the entire apartment, taking note of any scratches, marks, holes in the wall, etc. This is done to protect both the renter and the owners. My broker was present and brought over a beautiful bottle of champagne welcoming me home.

After this was done, I was met by my relocation agent who took me to finish some logistics – like registering at the expat center – a central place for expats to get the required documentation and BSN (like a social security number).

And then I was on my own!

I began to explore my neighbourhood – an area called De Negen Straatjes, or the 9 Streets. It is within the main canal belt in the center of the city. The 9 Streets has the charm of the West Village and the boutiques and cafes that line SoHo. I have everything I need at my fingertips – supermarkets, gym, post office, and of course, tons of shops, restaurants and bars.

 

Tuesday and Wednesday were spent exploring the city by foot. Main priorities were figuring out my route to work (a nice 20 minute walk that takes me by the famed and magnificent Rijks Museum every day), and understanding how the different neighborhoods connect to each other.

Amsterdam is a really quaint city. It’s a major international metropolis that is not lacking in culture, but at the same time, is pretty small and very manageable. Most people get from place to place by fiets, or by bike. Something I have been reluctant to get – or to do – until I learn the city better :)

Another important first order of business was figuring how I could watch the March Madness Final Four game on Saturday (at 3am), and then of course, when we inevitably won that game, the championship on Monday (at 3:30am). Luckily an acquaintance from UNC connected me to a friend who now lives in Amsterdam and the planning began (more on that later!)

On Thursday and Friday that week I was set up with a cultural trainer who came to my house to teach me all about the basics of living in the Netherlands. A history nerd, I really enjoyed learning about Dutch history (their imperialistic and Calvinistic ways), politics and culture. On both afternoons we went out for lunch at local cafes to enjoy the local cuisine – and take advantage of the unseasonable warm March weather (~68-70 degrees).

I learned a bit about my area, which is part of a neighbourhood called the Jordaan. Historically a working-class area, the Jordaan was once a center of culture in the city with customs, music, and more born right in the streets where I now live. I reminded me very much of lower Manhattan, particularly the Lower East Side. The Anne Frank Huis (house) is about a 5-minute walk from apartment, and I am not far from other historical landmarks and city icons such as Westermarkt Church and Noordermarkt.

Other highlights of the week included a first trip (and then several others) to Albert Heijn, the local grocery store chain in the Netherlands. I braced myself for the experience, as I found my first supermarket experience in London a few years ago to bring on those first pangs of culture shock. Maybe I have become more patient, or more mature. Maybe it’s the more pragmatic approach to a supermarket that the Dutch have vs. the British (or Americans). Or, maybe it’s because of the help of a smartphone and the capabilities of Google Translator, but I actually enjoyed the experience! It was fun to go up and down the aisles and explore the different brands, learn new words and fill up my cart. Favorite new word: Kip. That means chicken J

On Saturday it was game time! I planned to link up with the UNC alum I mentioned above (a new friend named Jonelle!). As luck would have it we discovered: we are both from Long Island, both went to UNC (obviously!), both were in the Journalism school AND both now work for HEINEKEN in Amsterdam. Crazy! She also is good friends with my neighbor in Amsterdam – small world.

It was fun to watch the first game out in a bar. Definitely somewhat of a tourist trap type of a bar, but that was ok. We watched Gonzaga pull out the win and then raced back to their apartment where they were streaming the UNC – Oregon game, which began at 3:09 am CET. A nail bitter of a game, I don’t need to recall for those who lived it. Just happy to see UNC barely pull out the W to advance to the championship game.

Sunday was my last day of my two-week break from work. With temperatures in the high 60s, the city was bustling and all I wanted to do was explore outside. I met up with my friend Anouk, whom I was fortunate to meet while participating in the Nudge Global Sustainability Challenge 1.5 years ago. We have stayed in touch, and now I am so excited I will get to see her (and hopefully some others from the Challenge!) more frequently.  

Anouk and her boyfriend took me to Amsterdam Noord – a brief ferry ride away from the hustle and bustle of central Amsterdam. We had a picture-perfect afternoon catching up and chatting away at a café one the other side of the river, overlooking Amsterdam.

 

That evening I grabbed dinner with my friend Andre, who I had the pleasure of working with on the Dos Equis brand in the US for the last few years. Andre is now located in Amsterdam as well. It was so nice to spend Sunday with familiar faces, and spend my last day of ‘freedom’ exploring more of this amazing city.

Week 2: Work beginnings, a major Tar Heel win, the Dutch oven, Dinner with HUSA friends and my first visitor!

There is something special about starting a new job. So many mixed emotions – excitement, fear, nerves all mixed together. My walk to work was…fantastic. Let’s see how long that feeling lasts J I thoroughly enjoy the ~20 minute stroll, winding around the canals, crossing over the busy Leidseplein, walking up the peaceful Speigelgracht, approaching the grandeur of the Rijks Museum, turning left along another canal and then finally…bam! The original HEINEKEN brewery (now the HEINEKEN Experience museum) comes into view and you feel like you’re home. Our office is just across the canal from the HEINEKEN Experience.

My new positon puts me back on the corporate communications side of the Corporate Affairs team (after spending the last year in the U.S. focused on sustainability & responsibility). My role includes a combination of crisis communications, reputation management, PR efforts for our international brands portfolio, and sustainability communications support. I know I just lost 95% of you.

Anyway, I had the benefit of spending time with my new team in February when I came for a pre-visit, so that definitely eased any anxieties. I walked in to find the warmest welcome from the team, and a beautiful bouquet of flowers. I greatly appreciated all of the warm wishes, and am so happy I get to work with another amazing, high-performing team at HEINEKEN.

 

Monday night was the night of the National Championship, and there was no way I was not going to watch it. So, after my first day of work I went to bed at 8:30, woke up at 3:00am and grabbed a taxi to Jonelle and Matt’s. I am so thankful they let me join at such an ungodly hour! While we [sleepily] cheered on the Heels, I enjoyed texting with so many friends and family back home. And when it was clear in the last :60 seconds that we had it in the bag, the celebration began!

There’s nothing like having your team win! I don’t think I’ll ever be able to describe college basketball to those who don’t follow or don’t understand how you can get so into a college sport. But truly, there’s nothing like it!

The week was filled with onboarding at work and meeting some friends of friends who I have been introduced to in Amsterdam. Wednesday my container finally arrived! It was supposed to arrive the week prior when I was off, but c’est la vie. I worked from home that day and unpacked throughout the day. I had unpacked all of the clothes I brought over on the plane the week before, but the shipment contained more clothes, some furniture, knickknacks, and my shoe collection. My shoe fetish definitely followed me to Europe!

I also had my cable and internet installed and got a kick out of the channels. Mostly local (but most play re-runs of Friends, every CSI ever invented and a bunch of other random American TV shows), 3 BBC channels, and then the most random assortment of American cable channels: FOX (not news, the network), Discovery, Nickelodeon, Disney, SPIKE, and History. Without the Food Network, NBC or Lifetime this TV is basically useless to me.

Thursday after work I met up with some former HEINEKEN USA colleagues who now all work in Amsterdam. We found an awesome Mexican restaurant and enjoyed some Dos Equis for old time’s sake.

 

I also had my first run-in with using different types of appliances. Microwaves aren’t very big in the Netherlands, nor in Europe in general, so a lot of Dutch apartments have these combo oven/microwaves. My broker called it a Dutch oven when we were viewing apartments, but he was just joking around. So, when it came time to use said micro-oven, it was quite the challenge. The owners left manuals for the appliances. Except they are in every language except English. Since my only Dutch words at this point were Hallo (hello), Doei (Bye), Dank je wel (Thank you), and Kip (chicken, remember from above?!), I fumbled through the French directions to figure it out. I also got the dishwasher up and running, which I deemed to be a major feat.

Dutch appliances: 0

Dayna: 2

*Let’s wait and see what happens when it comes time to do my first load of laundry*

On Friday morning I suffered from my first personal crisis. In a valiant attempt to go to the gym before work, I left my apartment half-awake with a water bottle, lock/key for my gym locker and gym membership card. All good things to take to the gym. Missing from the group: my apartment key. And I realized, yep, just as the door shut behind me. Oops. (Sorry, mom, you’re finding out about this with everyone else from a blog post. Didn’t see the need to worry you – clearly it all worked out!)

There was that quick wave of panic and then I laughed. What else could I do?! I texted my neighbors to see if they might have a spare key, and also started to search for a locksmith. I was able to get an emergency locksmith to come ASAP (it’s approx. 7:15am at this point) right around the time my neighbor is waking up, saw my text and came to the rescue by letting me know the landlord’s son lives in the city and has a spare. He graciously agreed to bike over and get it for me – literally saving the day!

Key learnings:

·         Don’t leave the house without a key (ironic, as this was something I was religious about in NYC).

·         Don’t call an emergency locksmith, they will charge you whether or not you use the service.

·         Wait a little longer next time before emailing your new boss to say you might be a little late to work to save yourself some embarrassment (because, oddly, I made it in time – even was 5 mins. early).

Saturday I had my first visitor from the States! My good friend Clarke from college was on spring break and planned to come visit me in Amsterdam, and some friends in London. I met her at the train station and we took the tram (my first time since moving here!) back to my apartment. I gave her the grand tour and showed her to the guest room. And then we hit the town!

Our first stopped was at Pancakes Amsterdam – a pretty well known chain in the city that serves traditional Dutch pancakes. They are kind of like a crepe – and can be served either savory or sweet. Instead of being rolled like a crepe though, they are served on a plate like an American pancake. So delicious!

 

After brunch I took Clarke on a walking tour of the city. We headed in the direction of Museumplein where most of the major museums can be found, including the famed IAMSTERDAM sign. Because it’s now tulip season (end of March – middle May), the city is filled with potted tulips. We took some beautiful, but very touristy, pics in the area and then continued on to our first destination: the HEINEKEN Experience.

I have been to the HEINEKEN Experience (the HEX) numerous times, but always for events where there was lots of catching up and chatter with colleagues from aroud the globe, so I never really got the consumer experience. We enjoyed walking through and I supplemented with some fun facts here and there. And of course, enjoyed our ice cold beers at the end.

After the museum we went back to the Rijks museum gardens to sit and catch up before heading on a canal cruise. The canal cruise dropped us off right in front of the newer A’Dam Tower in Amsterdam Noord. We went to the lookout tower at the top and took in stunning views of the city.

The next day we ventured out to Keukenhof Gardens – a pristinely manicured garden about 40 minutes outside of the city. I first went to Keukenhof in 2014 when visiting the Netherlands with my mom and it quickly became a favorite spot. The best way to describe it is like Disneyworld for flowers with the most amazing floral arrangements, and mostly tulips, on display.

We pushed our way through the Sunday crowd and saw a majority of the garden. We brought a little picnic with us to enjoy in the garden as well. Before heading back to the city, we walked along the bike path and found some gorgeous flower fields. This truly is the best time of year to visit the Netherlands! Hard to believe all of this will be gone come mid-May.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 3: Team building, Passover with the Amram’s, another visitor and a train ride to France!

This week at work we had one of (about) four team building days that will happen throughout the year. It just worked out that this was on the calendar so close to my arrival, but was an incredible way to get to know my immediate, as well the extended team much better. And the itinerary included a visit to Zoeterwoude – the main HEINEKEN brewery! I was fortunate to have visited the brewery in Monterrey, Mexico, where we import our Mexican beer from, last year but this was incredible. Our tour was let by Willem van Waesberghe, the now famous Brewmaster (check him out in our commercials here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsfAGVuZjKY!). I felt like a kid in a candy shop all afternoon.

 

 

I was invited to celebrate Passover with the Amram’s at their house in Amstelveen. I really enjoyed keeping the tradition alive – even while abroad. Ron (who is another HEINEKEN USA transplant in Amsterdam) and his wife Michelle have been an amazing support system and I enjoy spending time with them and their kids. I also enjoyed seeing some of their family traditions come to life during the Seder. The food was delicious and it was a really great night. Looking forward to returning the favor and having them over at my place in the city soon.

On Thursday Clarke came back from her visit in London and our friend Kristen was in town – her first stop on her three-week journey through Europe! It was so fun to catch up with her and hear about her plans over the next few weeks. That night we went to an amazing Michelin Star restaurant in my neighborhood that someone recommended called Restaurant Daalder. This place did not disappoint! You can choose from 4, 5, 6, or 7 courses and opt to have a wine paring as well with each course. The menu changes daily, so everything is incredibly fresh, and the plates are extremely innovative. I will definitely be returning to this restaurant again! 

 

Friday night we kicked off the start of the weekend by inviting one of my neighbors to join us for drinks. He had his cousin in town, and we enjoyed hearing about their recent trip to Slovenia. It’s one of those up-and-coming places to visit (by American standards, at least), and I look forward to getting there soon.

As I wrap up this first post, I have safely made it to Paris, transferred trains (and train stations…yes, there was running involved) and am just about to arrive in Amboise, France for the long Easter weekend. I am meeting up with a friend named Hallie, who is a good friend of one of my childhood besties Emily Glazer, and her friend from HS named Claudia. Hallie and Claudia are both living in London and we planned to meet up for a weekend of castles, countryside, and croissants (and wine, lots of wine!!!) in the beautiful Loire Valley.

For those who know me well, they know how much I adore France. The fact that I can just jump on a train and go is so exciting and new. In a way, I am still waiting for someone to pinch me as I feel I am truly living a dream!

Sending lots of love to all my family and friends back in the States!

Au revoir pour maintenant,

Dayna