My Dutch Dream

My landlord is a total dick so I’m leaving in just over 2 weeks.

Thing is, I know how hard it is to find a room here (using kamernet so far), so I started looking around 2 weeks ago but so far nothing. Now I’m getting a little worried, so I may have to look at much further out too. Not ideal but realistic. There’s also an additional potential complication that I can’t go into right now but basically, I need to secure something within the next 2 weeks – failure is not an option!!

Here they have a concept known as a “kijkavond”. Basically, tons of people see the room (I am now believing that there really is a house/room shortage in Amsterdam, simply due to red tape) and then one lucky punter actually gets it. So it’s a numbers game, no way out of it. I have not yet seen a single place where it is first come first served like in London.

• First place I saw was 3 girls. I thought “great” – imagining 3 svelte Dutch natural blondes. Unfortunately, they were quite boring and unattractive to me. I would not mind living with them but despite calling me back the next day the room ended up going to someone else. Anyway, the rent was in cash direct to the landlord – dodgy as fuck and everyone was telling me not to take it.
• Second place I saw was around 5 days ago. Same district where I am now (Watergrafsmeer). Couple of guys who are students at the nearby Science Park. Nice guys but someone else got the room.
• Third place was a decent place with 2 other Dutch guys. Nice guys and I would definitely move in if it were not for the fact that the bedroom is really the old living room, and access to the garden is through my personal living space. I also have doubts about registering with the council if I were to have this room. If they call me back tomorrow I’ll politely decline.
• Fourth place I saw today. Nice place, nice live-in owner. I really hope I get this one. While I was there for just five minutes, 3 other people passed through!!! There are two rooms going though so I theoretically have double the chance of getting it.

Seeing another place tonight. Surely I should have some good luck soon. Tomorrow I’m going to start expanding my search. I really don’t want to live as far away as Zaandam or Haarlem but I might have to. Heck, I might even need to move to Utrecht! lol!

I got told by a local Dutch girl yesterday that the best way to get a place is via word of mouth (reminds me of getting a job) rather than relying on websites. So now I am asking around. Of course, being new to the area means I don’t know that many people so I am not expecting any magic to occur.

Wish me luck. Zeg je me: “Success!”