Amsterdam is a city of migrants, but rarely do they speak up and share their stories. Migrant Voices is a storytelling project collecting testimonies of first-generation migrants living in the city. Stories are told through text and podcasts. Migrants speak about why they came to the Netherlands, the lives they built, and the impact they have on the city and country. When many in the Netherlands and around the world turn their backs on migrants, we listen to their voices.
Amsterdam is a city of migrants, but rarely do they speak up and share their stories. Migrant Voices is a storytelling project collecting testimonies of first-generation migrants living in the city. Stories are told through text and podcasts. Migrants speak about why they came to the Netherlands, the lives they built, and the impact they have on the city and country. When many in the Netherlands and around the world turn their backs on migrants, we listen to their voices.
Originally from Kommetjie, South Africa
Living in Amsterdam for 3 years
Construction
Nic Erasmus moved to Amsterdam three years ago from South Africa. He left his home of South Africa to join his girlfriend (now fiancée) Hannah in Amsterdam.
“We had to essentially prove our relationship and prove our love for each other. We had to prove our relationship and we had to prove our love for each other, which was a hilarious exercise in relationship bonding.”
After one and a half years living apart, Nic joined Hannah in Amsterdam and began to adjust to live on a new continent.
“I arrived in the Netherlands, jobless, terrified of the Euro-to-Rand conversion. At that time, and still now it's about 20 rand to one euro. So your rands really do not get you far. And I had some savings in the bank, but I think I'd estimated it could get me through maybe two months. And our rent was cheap at that times too. So I was, I was terrified, but I quite luckily found something in the first month, which was a huge saving grace for me. And it happened to be a place that I really enjoyed working and loved for a good three years.”
Hannah came first on a working visa and Nic was able to join her on a partneship visa. For South Africans, getting a visa to visit or live in the Netherlands is difficult, requiring either a worksponsorship or proof of high income. Nic and his partner relied on one of their jobs sponsoring them. If the one with a working visa lost their job, both would be required to leave the country.
“We were really starting to lay roots and build our lives here a little bit because our intention was very much to stay longer term. We both had stable jobs at that time and had gotten together just enough money to potentially buy like a tiny little apartment. It was really small. But anyway, it was gonna be ours. And we were really excited about that idea and prospect. And boom, I got laid off and we had to pull the plug.”
“We were a little bit in crisis zone.”
“And suddenly it was just like a wave of relief because this represented everything. This was suddenly like, oh my god, we can actually feasibly stay, you know. it is a sure thing and it means that both of us can stay and reach this five-year mark and hopefully continue to build lives for ourselves here.”
Since Nic’s job ended, he has taken a break from his career and been working construction. This experience has helped him feel more connected to Amsterdam and Dutch culture.
“I've been working as a builder and a handyman with a friend of mine, which has been great. And this is also generally a very Dutch experience. I don't think too many, especially English speaking expats get a view into this world.”
“It's definitely quite difficult, I mean, I think as a non-Dutch speaker, You go for lessons, you talk with some of your Dutch friends, you have some chats at home, you watch a bit of Dutch TV, and you go out into the world, you're like, gulp, I'm ready to practice. And you go and talk to somebody, and you get like two minutes into a conversation, and then they switch to English, and you're, like, ‘brrrah! like what did I do wrong? Like, what did I say? Oh, you're such an idiot.’
Nic values Amsterdam as an international city, but also appreciates it’s Dutch character. He thinks some new arrivals struggle to integrate into the community because they don’t accept Dutch culture.
“If you expect the city to just be a completely international kind of like tapestry and not be Dutch at all, then I think you're being a bit foolish because at the end of the day, it is what it is. I don't t have the authority to say this but I don't think you have to speak the language fluently, but When I can see people make no effort it actually frustrates me quietly from the side. And when I can see people make efforts, it kind of warms my heart.”