With over 180 nationalities living in our small capital, Amsterdam can (and often does) claim to be the most multi-cultural city in the world. Walking through the city, it is hard to doubt that that's true. With every step you seem to hear another language, see someone from a different country.
The Begijnhof, a safe haven for expats since the 14th century (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Amsterdam's history as a multi-cultural hub can be traced back to the Golden Age in the 17th century and beyond - the city's famous culture of tolerance attracted oppressed people from all over the world and they came in droves and settled on our swampy soil. Some of Amsterdam's best sights are actually remnants of that history - the Begijnhof was founded by fleeing nuns, the Jewish district was one of the first safe havens for jews and the Red Light District is nothing if not a monument to the hundreds of thousands of foreign sailors who passed through our ports over the past 800 years. In the Golden Age, as Geert Mak wrote in his brilliant Amsterdam - a brief life of the city, you could take ten steps across Dam square and hear ten different languages. It is much the same today.
The Westertoren, the tallest tower in Amsterdam. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
One of the first things that incoming travelers notice is the complexity and almost unintelligible nature of the Dutch language. Street signs like Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal make navigation difficult and the subtle differences between douwen and trekken have visitors struggling to enter or exit buildings. However, despite the initial hurdles of the language, Amsterdam is incredibly welcoming to expatriates.
It is truly an international city. I know people who have lived here for decades without learning the language - most Dutch people speak English anyway. There are a number of places where you will hear English almost exclusively, and even many establishments that cater to the international community.
The American Book Center and Waterstones are two English-language bookstores on Spui that boast impressive collections. For travelers and anglophonic locals alike, they not only provide a great place to pick up books, they also host a number of cool, english-speaking events like play readings, book signings and more.
For an alternative bookstore, check out The Book Exchange on Kloveniersburgwal. This second-hand shop has a wide selection of things to read and is laid out in the best possible way - walls and walls of books, snaking around the canal-house interior. Not only will you find what you were looking for, but you'll stumble across some surprises as well.
When the reading is done and it's time for fun, places like Boom Chicago and, to a lesser extent, the Comedy Cafe, provide nightly english-language humor. Boom Chicago's mix of improv, scripted comedy and bang-on social commentary make it a good night out for everybody. The fact that beer is served throughout the show doesn't hurt, either...
The past week was a big week for a large block of expats - Americans. The elections were held on Tuesday night and, for us Amsterdammers, well into Wednesday morning. The Melkweg was host to an amazing election party, organized by local political group BKB, with some serious local celebrities, including Amsterdam legend Geert Mak and favorite expat Russel Shorto, author of the fantastic book The Island at the Center of the World, a history of New Amsterdam, the Dutch settlement of New York. The party went all night and ended next door with an American breakfast. For those who couldn't get it - and it was sold out far in advance - the local expats and interested locals organized many small gatherings from which to watch the returns. For those who don't know - Obama won.
Amsterdammers watch the American elections with the fond eyes of a distant father. After all, the three concepts at the heart of America - freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and democracy - were concepts first introduced by the Dutch in New Amsterdam. It's nice to watch them grow.
We wish luck to America and congratulations to our local Yankees on another night of democracy. And for anyone left in the USA who is frightened of living in Obama's America - Amsterdam welcomes all!*
*(warning - gay marriage, prostitution and marijuana are legal. the government subsidizes eduction, health care and the arts. taxes are high.)
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