Community factor: Spirit, Good Food & Kindness
When the family Wilson settled in Voorschoten, it was partly because it reminded them of where they used to live. “Small community villages”. A little of England and a little of South Africa – with better bike paths, of course.
By Shané Schutte
The South-African born Jolundi Wilson met her husband in England, where they stayed and had a beautiful daughter together. But after a teaching opportunity opened in the Netherlands, they moved across to Amsterdam. Assendelft became their next home, with Jolundi finding work there.
“I understood most of the language already, coming from South Africa,” Wilson explained. “The Netherlands was almost in between where I came from and where my husband used to live. It was such a mesh of our two cultures. It worked so well. We also loved it in Assendelft. The scenery was gorgeous. Our relationship with the neighbours was great. Our daughter, who could speak Afrikaans, fit in quite well at school. But Dave felt isolated.” The language was a culture shock. Words were similar between Afrikaans and Dutch, giving Wilson an advantage. Her husband, however, had to learn from scratch.
“When Dave started working at the British School in the Netherlands (BSN), he noticed that a lot of expats lived in the area too,” Wilson explained. He found an opening for the Voorschoten-based school through the International Job Agency for teachers. Jolundi would soon follow.
From ‘Borrelhapjes’ to Bike Rides
The biggest shock, overall, was the food. South African food culture revolves around meat. The English tend to share meals and make it a social affair. But through the differences, they found one true love: borrelhapjes.
“Being able to sit outside, eat and just enjoy the experience of borrelhapjes and bittergarnituur has been great,” she said. Biking has also now become a big part of their weekends, with bike paths only in certain areas in England – non-existent in South Africa.
Locals kept switching to English when she tried to talk Dutch
Communication and information, however, were things Wilson felt could be improved. The locals kept switching to English when she tried to talk Dutch. While it was initially appreciated, it became frustrating.
A Thank You to the Community
“Voorschoten has a special community spirit. It’s the reason we chose to settle here, and we both appreciate the small village vibe,” she said. “We wanted the same experience for our daughter.”
In order to help more expats, she believes more information should be available in English. For example, tax services and the step-by-steps of signing up to the 'Gemeente’. An expat club was also suggested as a means to make expats more at home. The club could take note of everyone’s addresses and send them news on events available in English. Like pub quizzes with an English-speaking quiz master. Or opportunities where non-Dutch bands play live performances.
While there could be elements to work on, Wilson explained how truly amazing the community had been. “I work closely with locals to find out where students can do community service work. The students have been able to work on projects relating to sustainability and the government. I’m so thankful that the community is so open in welcoming the BSN students. That they just see students and not expats are always great.”
