Meet Gizem Dalay Basaran who moved from Istanbul to Amsterdam. Read more about her journey down below!  

Hello Gizem, where do you live now and where did you move from?

Hey, I live in Amsterdam now and I moved from Istanbul.

What made you decide to move to the Netherlands?

We have been planning to live abroad, and as the idea developed, my husband and I visited several countries to see where we might feel comfortable and enjoy living. The Netherlands was the only place where we truly felt welcomed, at ease, and had our needs met.

How did you find the transition to living in a foreign country?

Every transition comes with own challenges, though our settlement in Netherlands was fairly smooth and easy.

What do you find typically Dutch?

Do it yourself style :-)

What has been the best part of your move?

Having an apartment ready for me when I arrived in the Netherlands, with all utilities sorted out beforehand.

What has been the hardest aspect of your move?

Adjusting to the banking system in the country has been somewhat challenging. While we don’t yet feel the same level of flexibility we had before, it is improving.

What would you have done differently?

I wish I had spent more time exploring the neighbourhood before selecting an apartment.

Any last words or pieces of advice?

It’s essential to visit the country you plan to relocate to, explore the city, and familiarize yourself with the neighborhoods where you’d like to live. Envisioning the life you’ll build in advance can greatly ease the process of integration and settlement. Relocation is inherently a very stressful process, but we were lucky having experienced professionals to guide and support us. It was incredibly relieving.