sarahndave

Hello everyone,

As a newbie to the forum please excuse my ignorance.

We are considering a move from Southern Spain to Netherlands within the next year. We are mature teachers on the international circuit looking for work in the International Schools. We have a son aged 18.

I have a million questions, which I am slowly finding answers to here, but I hope you may be able to point me in appropriate directions to speed up my search.

I think the most pressing questions would relate to language and accommodation.

1) We are learning Dutch now, but would fluent Dutch be a must for my son to find some work? Also I would like to improve his education so any advice regarding adult education classes?

2) We have 3 cats - does anyone know if pets tend to be a problem with long term rentals? I've seen some lovely apartments and houses online, but little information regarding pets.

Thank you for all the help already on this site, and in anticipation of more to come.

Sarah

gioppino

My two €cents. Dutch recruiter have a very bureaucratic attitude. In my experience academic titles count more that language skills and experience. Assuming your mother tongue is English, fluent German will count more than fluent Dutch. So if you start from scratch it's probably better to take German classes (I know many on this board will not agree).

You son will have to convert his titles in Spain to the Dutch one, using Nuffic diploma recognition:
https://www.nuffic.nl/en/diploma-recognition
As above.

sarahndave

Thank you gioppino. We are English and have some German skills too so it's interesting that our German will be useful. As Dutch seems to be a mixture of English and German, with a few differences it seems we may be ahead on the language dept. Useful to know.

My son was educated in UK but thanks for the link, also useful for me and my husband.

Sarah

karij1980

I've just started a new job where they decided English will be more widely used as its an international company, but I still have to speak Dutch. However, there are funds set aside for me to learn more Dutch than what I already know now.

We are in a long term rental and have 2 cats. Never been a problem, but check any fine print!

sarahndave

Excellent news Karij - Our cats rule our house and we'd be lost without them - thankyou.

Red_Wine_Fairy

I'd say this is a great time to start applying to the international schools, for August/September vacancies (yes, schools here have their summer holidays way too early, considering the climate is almost British, and go back too soon).

The website I'd direct you to, for a list of international schools (careers), is www.sio.nl. You'll need to get your qualifications accredited by NUFFIC (google it) to prove you can teach here.

Your location will determine your son's employability. Amsterdam, less problems (would be better if he was a female though, if he wanted bar/restaurant work). With basic Dutch, he'll probably find a student level job (google 'studentbijbaan + where you'll live', or similar). What's he planning to do once here? Most educated dutch don't finish studying until their 20s and so if he plans to compete at the labourer level, he'll have serious issues without English. (Rhetorical; it's for you to know his capability and ambition). Having re-read your initial post - if he's over 18, he needs to seek out a VAVO course (adults completing their high school leaving certificate), and let them know he's non-native: and it will be tougher than he/you've ever imagined unless he's 101% committed. If not - he might be better moving back to England (sorry) with a willing grandparent. The Dutch have a rigid study format. Would he be happy to study with 17 year olds for his secondary-school leaving certificate, while learning Dutch at the same time? It's TOUGH for this age group, I won't lie. He'll have to pay for it: and over 18, also for his health insurance. He can get 'subsidies', possibly for both, but it's going to be the hardest thing he's done, and I know (2 sons now aged 20+ but not when we moved here) it's entirely down to his personality.


Accommodation: pets are loved here, even more than in Britain. Finding a landlord who disallows pets is very unusual: all major landlords (should you use a well known agent or housing corporation) will accept them.

steviehouse

When my family moved to NL, I was 16, so just a bit younger than your son.
I went to International School for 2 years and did the IB diploma until I was 18.
I didnt really know what to do with myself as I still wanted to return to the UK to join the RAF, but had no possibility to do that, so ended up enrolling in a Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering in ENGLISH.
There are English courses out there
I paid for the course myself as it was not too expensive for an EU national. On the side I got a student job in the Kitchens of a local Hospital. There were basic dutch lessons in the BEng course, and in the kitchens I picked up Dutch very fast as most couldn't speak English very well.

sarahndave

Thanks Red Wine Fairy - we have our finger on the button for jobs, got a couple of applications in at schools in Den Haag and keeping our eyes peeled, want to be ready to go when a job comes up. Great info. thanks.

sarahndave

Thanks Steviehouse, that's good news - I will research some courses along those lines. All sounds really promising.