Late last year at the Expatica I Am Not a Tourist fair, I had the good fortune of meeting the lovely Renee Veldman-Tentori who is a multi-talented social media expert and who runs the wonderful community Dutch Australian.
Renee has a similar (if you use your wild imagination) story to my own. She met her husband when he was a backpacker in Australia (as did I), she connected with him in the UK (as did I) and moved to the Netherlands to be with him (as did I!). That's where the parallel lives end, however. Renee has two gorgeous daughters, is a dual Dutch/Australian citizen (something I never seem to get round to organising...) and moved back to Australia for several years before returning to South Holland early in 2012.
Why am I telling you all about Renee? Well, I have been spending quite a bit of time hanging out on the Dutch Australian Facebook page, which is an excellent resource for anybody with Dutch and Australian connections (as well as a lively place to just hang out). Plus, Renee recently featured me on her wonderful Dutch Australian site, which you can read all about here:
Right now Renee is in the middle of what is probably the single most irritating factor about being an Australian living in the Netherlands: getting her driver's license. Like me, Renee has a perfectly good Australian driver's license sitting in her purse, but after living in NL for six months, she is no longer allowed to drive using it so has to exchange it for a Dutch license. That's where the problem starts. An Australian license is not recognised as one of the chosen few that may be exchanged. Instead she has to go through the painful and expensive process of "learning to drive" before sitting exams at €250 a pop.
Wish her luck and join me at Dutch Australian, you'll love it.
Renee has a similar (if you use your wild imagination) story to my own. She met her husband when he was a backpacker in Australia (as did I), she connected with him in the UK (as did I) and moved to the Netherlands to be with him (as did I!). That's where the parallel lives end, however. Renee has two gorgeous daughters, is a dual Dutch/Australian citizen (something I never seem to get round to organising...) and moved back to Australia for several years before returning to South Holland early in 2012.
Why am I telling you all about Renee? Well, I have been spending quite a bit of time hanging out on the Dutch Australian Facebook page, which is an excellent resource for anybody with Dutch and Australian connections (as well as a lively place to just hang out). Plus, Renee recently featured me on her wonderful Dutch Australian site, which you can read all about here:
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| Image from Dutch Australian |
Wish her luck and join me at Dutch Australian, you'll love it.
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Stephanie · 636 weeks ago
(and wow, how many of us Australian import brides are there around?) hehe
zestee 8p · 636 weeks ago
My recent post Dutch Australian Mini Lamingtons
Invader_Stu · 636 weeks ago
My recent post An Ode to Holland
zestee 8p · 636 weeks ago
My recent post Dutch Australian Mini Lamingtons
Natalie · 636 weeks ago
Natalie here, (aka : twitter : EggandBird), I also discovered both your blogs around August, September last year,....what a wonderful experience its been to read about your journeys as I look forward to embarking on my own soon,..I can't tell you how much I love reading them, so many laughs, with a little worry thrown in. Best of luck Renee, can't wait to hear the tales,..and keep inspiring us all Nerissa. Hope to meet you someday in the not to distant future, who knows..:D
zestee 8p · 636 weeks ago
My recent post Dutch Australian Mini Lamingtons
missneriss 55p · 636 weeks ago
When do you arrive? I'd love to hear your story.
My recent post It's a Holi--holiday, Part II
zestee 8p · 636 weeks ago
I read it while I was sitting at the doctors this morning with my youngest - who has stuck 2 small beads deep in her ears and needs to have an operation tomorrow morning to get them out! So my stress about the driving test is being replaced...but I'm trying again next Monday. Haven't blogged about it yet as still a bit emotional about the time and cost of the whole process!!!! Nice that others understand. So lovely to connect with you and others online and look forward to chatting more soon. Renee
My recent post Dutch Australian Mini Lamingtons
missneriss 55p · 636 weeks ago
My recent post It's a Holi--holiday, Part II
Nelly · 636 weeks ago
Nelly · 636 weeks ago
missneriss 55p · 635 weeks ago
I can't believe what you went through for not exchanging your licence, what is the time frame to change it over in Australia, can you tell me?
My recent post It's a Holi--holiday, Part II
Nelly · 635 weeks ago
missneriss 55p · 635 weeks ago
My problem is numbers. I often tell officials that I was born in 1997, which gets me a few funny looks and comments like "you don't look too good for your age hahaha." I stumble over it every.single.time. I've been in NL since 2008. We do plan to eventually relocate to Australia, but the when depends on selling our house next year. If that goes well, we'll be there in a flash, but if we either can't sell (shouldn't be a problem, houses in our neighbourhood sell within days) or can't get what we paid we'll stay for as long as it takes I guess.
I'd love to hear your story, what took you to Australia?
My recent post It's a Holi--holiday, Part II
Nelly · 635 weeks ago