I’m Rina Mae, a 28 year old San Francisco Bay Area transplant currently living in the Netherlands (Utrecht). My expatriation to the Low Countries was a consequence of a love-at-first-sight,  long distance romance with a Dutch Boy (Bram)…

Finding Dutchland is my professional expat blog that chronicles my journey in trying to develop a near-native Dutch voice. My aim is to provide actual insight with how to get from knowing  very little Dutch to passing the NT-II (Nederlands als tweede taal) state exam, level 2. It is one thing to know a series of vocabulary words and Dutch phrases to get by. It is a whole other agenda to be able to engage in an intellectual discourse in Dutch.

Specifically, I will write about my progress in trying to become fluent in Dutch, sharing my own trials and tribulations, provide practical tips, and hopefully garner support for such an ambitious goal. Feel free to come join me if you’re also taking undertaking this endeavor!

Drawing from my own personal experiences as a seasoned expat (3 4 years in the making circa May 2007), Finding Dutchland is also an honest attempt to assist, mentor and encourage other expats waking up to a Dutched reality. Arguably the most frustrating obstacle for many expats is the initial (and on-going) culture shock in addition to serious information gaps and services available in the Netherlands.  Finding Dutchland attempts to bridge that gap, filtering out the infamous Dutch bureaucracy and translating Dutch cultural idiosyncrasies. This website aspires to provide a helpful refuge for expats hoping to materialize their dreams in the land of tulips, cheese and windmills.

Cheers to a Dutched reality,

Rina Mae

Copyright: Simple & direct- Please do not steal (copyright infringement). All intellectual property on Finding Dutchland is mine.  If you are unfamiliar with copyright, please refer to U.S. copyright law. Legitimate ways to circumvent the restrictions of my copyright include directly asking me for permission, quoting me and linking to my website.

Disclaimer :  I am not a medical professional, licensed psychologist, Dutch language teacher or a qualified life coach. The views expressed by the author(s) on this website do not necessarily reflect the views of this website, those who link to this website, the author’s husband, mother, father, brothers, friends, facebook acquaintances and the author herself as well as this website’s host. The accuracy, completeness, veracity, honesty, exactitude, factuality and politeness of comments are not guaranteed.