Erik Mostert

Erik is in the Netherlands since February 2023, together with his wife Tanya. Read more about the experiences of Erik.

Erik, why did you emigrate to the Netherlands?
For Tanya and I, the deciding factors came down to both financial and personal security. Even though we lived in a relatively safe area in Cape Town, things have been deteriorating over the last decade and we no longer felt safe. We knew that we would face challenges regardless of where we emigrated to, but we felt that the Netherlands would provide us with the best opportunities, given the similarties between the Dutch and Afrikaner values and culture.

Can you tell us something how you do like the Netherlands?
We absolutely love the new country and the new town. The people are very friendly and very helpful. I think the biggest difference is the efficiency with which things are done. That, and driving on the opposite side of the road. Fortunately, you get used to both these things very quickly.

Please tell us something about the projects you are currently working on.
The project I am currently working on, aims to assist retailers in managing their business and workforce more effeciently. I work in a small, agile team, capable of releasing new features multiple times a week. Being able to release often, gives you a real sense of progress towards a better product for our clients. Before my current assignment, I mainly worked as a back-end developer, but the new position has provided me with the opportunity to also work with some JavaScript frameworks. It was a steep learning curve, but I am grateful for every second of it.

Did the process of emigration go smoothly?
The process was surprisingly smooth. We experienced some delays in obtaining the relevant certificates from the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa, but everything on the Dutch side happened on time, every time. Originally, we did not look forward to the administration that still had to be done after we arrived, but even that was so effecient that it felt more like an adventure than admin.

Can you explain to the South Africans who are considering to go overseas how you did experience the support from us?
The team from summit developers have been absolutely awesome. They kept us informed every step of the way, and even after we arrived they were always on hand to answer any questions. They arranged the contracts for our home, utilities, water and internet long before we arrived, which allowed us to get settled a lot faster.