From Knysna to Heemskerk: the expat series

Elana Majcher is one of the most bubbly, friendly, helpful and humorous South African moms I’ve met inwh the Netherlands, and to know her is a privilege. As I kickstart this expat series again, it’s a joy to feature Elana, who has recently got her Dutch citizenship, and who has Dutch speaking skills I can only dream of. Elana is a fellow admin for the SA Moms in Netherlands group (along with Chanté, who I featured here).

Over to Elana:

I’m 32 ( but feel like a teen mom haha), living in Heemskerk (a town in Kennemerland region in North Holland).

Technically in August 2017, though the intention wasn’t to stay. I joined an au pair programme in Belgium, and decided to do another year as I didn’t travel enough. Instead I opted to go to the Beyoncé and Jay Z concert haha. I came all on my own to au pair and was planning to go back to South Africa. I met my now husband on a dating app, and it was truly love at first sight. We’ve been inseparable since.

I lived in Knysna, the literal gem of the Garden Route and dare I say Western Cape. Though I was born in East London, my parents got work transfers when I was five years old and that’s where the Knysna journey begun.

To travel more and experience more of the EU. I was also not ready to face the reality of going back to SA with no money saved or anything to show for being abroad for a year.

I love Heemskerk as it’s a quiet town. It’s very culturally diverse with people of many different backgrounds and races living here. It’s kind of “nowhere” as not many people know about it however it’s easy to get to larger and more well-known places like Amsterdam, Haarlem, Alkmaar and Zaandam to name a few.

The town itself is very child friendly. It has one animal farm and a playground and or school at least every 200m. It’s great for families and the elderly alike. There are also a number of colleges and expat centres too.

Google is my friend! Also the Facebook groups can be extremely informative and helpful. I have also found the gemeente, Consultatiebureau and the social workers to be a treasure trove of information and assistance for mostly everything.

There’s nothing typical about any day except the monotony of school drop off, cleaning, shopping, cooking, pick up and bedtime routines. Being a stay-at-home mom is very glamorous as you can tell.

What I miss about SA is really the food and the help from family, being in a county all alone with your little family is challenging in ways I never thought possible.

Being truly self-reliant, and the cold! I truly hope that one day I’ll get used to the cold but for now it’s still Brrrrr all the way.

I love that the system works! Processes and procedures work, appointment times are kept and the welfare of the people is a priority for the government – from the unemployed to the rich and powerful.

I’m currently a stay-at-home mom, not by choice but by circumstance.  I experienced a burnout/ depressive episode and have been on long-term sick leave for 2.4 years. Before this I was working as a guest services manager for an aparthotel company called YAYS in Amsterdam.

Patat met joppie!

I simply love to indulge in a Rituals foaming shower gel every so often.

Pro level, especially in a bakfiets. I downright refuse to ride the mama bike with the kids on it haha.

Spending time with my husband and children is my favourite pastime . My sons are three and one-and-a-half. No day is the same and with all that energy coursing through them, we’re inclined to go outside a lot.

Yes, I have been told that my Dutch is really good and it’s truly a compliment I take to heart and an achievement I am very proud of.

Straightforward

Funny

Stuck in their ways

Helpful

Friendly

Don’t have too many expectations – not everyone takes to expat life easily.

It’s a journey that takes time, from one learning curve to the next you’ll likely struggle. However if this is where you want to settle down then make the most of every experience whether it be good or bad. Integrate, go out, and experience life.