Out and About is a column where we chat with people who are currently living abroad, or who lived and worked there. This week we chat with Melani Young, who is staying in the Netherlands.
Where do you live and why there?
On the polders in the Netherlands, in a suburb south of Amsterdam called Amstelveen. Our love for the Netherlands started 15 years ago when we stayed in Eindhoven for a few months. We immediately liked their culture and how family oriented they were.
Was it a big adjustment?
The packing up and greeting process in South Africa was a nightmare. It felt as if I was loaded onto a rollercoaster in a state of shock and all I could do was hold on for dear life until the ride ended. We landed in a gloomy and very cold Netherlands in January 2020 and two months later the country went into lockdown. The lockdown came with some blessings of its own. The world came to a standstill, and we had the chance to catch our breath and get in touch with our emotions and our energy. The adjustment went surprisingly easy – I suspect it was because we had an idea of what to expect because we had done it years ago.
Do you still speak Afrikaans?
Of course yes, every day, non-stop! There are so many South Africans here, most of our friends are also from South Africa. My COVID-19 vocabulary is in Dutch, such as “mondkapjes”, “prik”, “ander half meter” and “maatregels”. Additionally, I try to communicate by speaking “Nederkaans”. The children’s Dutch is already very good, and I often embarrass them when I attempt speaking Dutch.
We see you have lived in several countries around the world, which country did you enjoy most to live in?
Every country was our favourite. Every country was an adventure on its own. We have lived in three European countries as well as in England and America. But I have to add that we knew it would only be temporary. You think differently about a country when you know it will become a permanent home. You have to take other things into account and think more seriously about the matter – it is not just an adventure for a year or two.
You have two young sons, how did they adapt to the school system in the Netherlands?
Very good, we are so immensely grateful (and somewhat surprised) about it. The school system in the Netherlands is very supportive towards any child with any type of developmental challenges. The boys were in a language school before being moved to a normal Dutch school. Our children experience a lot less pressure here. The focus is on overall wellness, or as the saying goes here: “Lekker zitten in je vel”.
What do you do to relax on weekends in the Netherlands?
As is done in South Africa, we spend many hours alongside the boys’ rugby fields. Otherwise, we drive out to explore new places. We also like to “bike” to the Amsterdam Forest or the Amstel River, drink a coffee and enjoy the beautiful scenery. And of course, we still braai every weekend, regardless of whether there is sunshine or knee-deep snow.
What do you miss the most?
Our people!!! I miss the smell of Rajah curry powder in Spar’s aisles: the shrill shrieks of hadedahs; Nando’s and Steers; reading the news on the lampposts; and to see my sons in their school uniform.
And then the mountains … I miss seeing mountain ranges in the distance and to have landscapes around me that vary in elevation.
If you had to choose between a white Christmas or a summer Christmas, which would you choose and why?
It is a difficult choice … My romantic side wants to choose a white Christmas with a fireplace and gluhwein. My sentimental side chooses a summer Christmas with a braai fire and a cold Savanna.
Where in South Africa are you from and why did you decide to move overseas?
We are from Bellville in the Western Cape and our children went to Laerskool Kenridge. We were very happy in the Cape, but then the job opportunity for my husband came along and we thought “It’s now or never”. It was time for something new. We also wanted to expose our sons to other cultures and lifestyles. We also wanted to give them the opportunity to get Dutch passports. We are of the opinion that nothing is permanent – we went on this adventure, and we will see where it leads us.
