Hendrik Milne

Hi Hendrik, when did you arrive in the Netherlands?
We arrived in The Netherlands on 5 March 2019. It was myself, my wife Zandene and our 2-year-old son James. We have since then expanded our family with a little boy in 2021, named Hanru.

How did you experience the first few months in the Netherlands?
For the first couple of months, it felt like a very long working holiday. There was so much to understand, get used to and things to experience. We stayed in Barneveld Centrum, so everything was close-by for us. The whole move from South Africa was well planned and all went according to plan.

Does it feel like home?
We believe that home is what you make of it. We enjoy staying in the Netherlands.

Do you still live in the same house as in the beginning?
We were fortunate to buy a house in Barneveld about 4 months after moving here, which we moved into in December 2019.

How was it to learn the language? Was it easier or harder than expected?
Most definitely harder than expected, but we did it. After almost 3 years now we can communicate well but still learning. Our jobs also didn’t require of us to only speak Dutch so we had time to settle in first.

What do you miss most about South Africa?
Most definitely family!!! Covid also made it a harder, for example we couldn’t arrange visits. The food, we feel that South Africa have a bit more variety and flavour.

What appeals to you most in the Netherlands?
We enjoy travelling and the Netherlands has easy access to Europe. You can travel through 4 countries in one day. With me and my wife both working, we feel the work-life balance is great! We can have more family time. Safety is also a big benefit. The Netherlands is also a beautiful country and there is so much to see and do.