AMS TER DAM IS…
FINDING A ROOM
Unfortunately, Amsterdam is quite a filled city and most students have to put in some effort to find the right place. Fortunately, All foreign Knowmads, always found a place to live that was also affordable for them. A lot of available rooms are to be found online. The following websites can help you find your room (click for link): +Kamernet +Marktplaats +EasyKamer +Craigslist +Expatriates
ONCE YOU’VE FOUND A PLACE TO VIEW:
There are several things you should look if you have found a room. Therefore it is wise to have someone to take a room when you are viewing. Make a list of important questions in advance, for example: +Do you have a private entrance? +Share your kitchen, shower / toilet or with others and you can use all facilities? +Is there heating? +Do you have a sink in your room? +The Room has sufficient daylight? +What about the (fire) safety? +The landlord is trustworthy?
THE LEASE:
If you decide to rent the room, then go to a contract. You have to make sure you have good agreements with the landlord. These agreements are confirmed in a lease. This sets out the rights and obligations you have as a tenant. The lease includes: +The particulars of the landlord and the tenant +Address and a description of the space you rent +Cost of rent +Service charges (charges for the consumption of water, gas, electricity, heating) +Agreements on services which you may or not may use +The date the agreement takes effect +Your signature and the signature of the landlord
REASONABLE ROOM RENTAL:
Some landlords ask prospective tenants a decent amount for receiving the key, so-called ‘key money’. This should not happen but in practice it does. A landlord may request a deposit. He or she may ask for a deposit as security against damages. Usually you pay the equivilent of one month rent. Say you rent and leave the room tidy, then you get that money back. Always request a receipt, (= a receipt that says you paid) and pay your rent by bank transfer and keep the copies. The obligation of each tenant is the (timely) payment of the rent. Through a points system, you can calculate what a fair price for the room you want to rent.
…YOUR HOME
SECURITY OF TENURE:
As a tenant you have certain rights. For example, you can always receive visitors. However, the landlord may raise objections if you are not present. In addition, the owner has the right to prohibit pets. A landlord never has access to your room without permission. Moreover, the landlord required to properly maintain the property. The rent can not simply be terminated, you’re usually entitled to security of tenure. If you get into any situations you are unsure of then ask for (free) advice from a Legal Aid or Legal Aid Bureau.
FIND A BIKE:
As you perhaps already noticed, Amsterdam is the city of transporting by bike. Almost all citizens have one and it’s just really easy and cheap to move around here. Again, the Internet way of finding a bike works quite well. Marktplaats is your best bet. You can also buy a bike in a store, both new as second hand, but usually that’s more expensive. These stores are to be found everywhere in the city. Another way that works are the messages at the local supermarkets. In Albert Heijn, C1000, Super de Boer etc. you can find a general message board. There are all kind of things for sale on the boards, and usually you can find one or to advertises for bikes on one board. Alternatively if you are up for a bit of shady dealing there is usually a few junkies hanging around
ME
the main tourist areas selling bikes that they have stolen, you can probably bargain them down to around €10 or €20. It’s cheap but you’ll never really know what you are getting and it’s a good idea if the police aren’t watching ;-)
SUPERMARKETS
+Albert Heijn (most common) +Super de Boer +C1000 +Lidl (cheap) +Aldi (cheaper)
MARKETS IN AMSTERDAM
ALBERT CUYP. A market based in a lovely part of the city ‘De Pijp’. The market is open 7 days a week and offers food, cheap make up, clothes, music etc. A lot of tourists, but also locals go here. <Albert Cuypstraat, Amsterdam> NOORDERMARKT This market is based in the heart of the ‘Jordaan’ which is one of Amsterdam’s most interesting neighboorhoods. Lots of Dutch well-known artists grew up in the ‘Jordaan’ and its just lovely to walk around here for a bit and see the ‘real’ Amsterdam culture. The Noordermarkt is a market with 2 different purposes. Every Monday morning there is the second hand market Every saturday there is the organic market all day. <Noordermarkt, de Jordaan, 1015 MD Amsterdam>
FUN THINGS TO DO IN AMSTERDAM Crea Courses: Crea offers all kinds of courses that aren’t too expensive and are the more creative kind of courses. From photography to dance to theater to Train your brain. Crea is based in the UVA (Universiteit van Amsterdam) building and the courses are usually filled with students. Crea offers next to Dutch courses, also English spoken courses for international students. CREA Turfdraagsterpad 17 1012 XT Amsterdam USC courses: The USC sport centrum offers almost all sports you can imagine, from indoor to outdoor, from fitness to yoga, everyone can find their sport at the USC. The complex also offers a lower price than most sport complexes. The USC is a student sport centrum, so the classes are filled with students. USC Science Park 306 1098XH Amsterdam
GOING OUT @ NIGHT Out for dancing:
ple find their ways to party like a rockstar. Every Wednessday and Thursday night there is ‘Noodlanding’ which is a night with pop, indie rock and alternative music. The entry is 8,euro’s. Weteringschans 6 1017 SG Amsterdam Hotel Arena is one of the bigger clubs in Amsterdam, located in the eastern part of the city. The club is more expensive with both entry and drinks. Tickets are usually around 20 euro’s and a beer is around 2,50- euros. Parties you can think of here are: back to the 80’s and 90’s, salsa lounge and Loveland. ‘s-Gravesandestraat 51 1092 AA Amsterdam Trouw Amsterdam, used to be the building for a newspaper. Although the newspaper still exists, the company moved out and turned the building into a temporary club with a good underground feeling. House and club music is usually played here during party evenings. Wibautstraat 127 Amsterdam Festivals (check data online): ValtiFest, Voltt, LatinVillage. Summers in Amsterdam are the place to be for people who love to go to festivals. Music varies from house, to club, to latin to trance, depending on your choice of festival.
Paradiso is a unique, old, rebuild church next to Leidseplein. Concerts, party nights and festivals are some examples of Paradiso nights. Also, Paradiso is a place where both tourits and Dutch peo-
…YOUR PLAY
Well.. next to the cooler clubs, Amsterdam has a share of clubs you’d rather stay away from, or to enter not before 02:00. But still.. lots of students go here to party, to dance, to drink cheap bears and to find someone to flirt with. Most of these places are quite filled with people 7 days per week. +Bubbels Lange Leidsedwarsstraat 90 92, 1017 NM Amsterdam +Het Feest van Joop Lange Leidsedwarsstr 39, 1017 NG Amsterdam +De Gieter Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 179. 1017RA Amsterdam +Cooldowncafe Rembrandtplein 45 1017 CT Amsterdam +Café Nol Westerstraat 109 1015 LX Amsterdam
Polonceau-kade 23 1014 DA Amsterdam +De Blaffende Vis Westerstraat 118 Amsterdam Out for dinner: Cheap options: +De Schutter +De Peper +Joe’s Garage +MKZ
Out for drinks: Amsterdam has a great share of ‘bruine kroegen’ that you can find on almost every street corner in the city center. These places have a variety of visitors from 50+ people, to business people, to students. Other places where you can have a good drink and perhaps a nice night are: +Café Lux Marnixstraat 403, 1017PJ Amsterdam +Café Weber Café Weber Marnixstraat 397. 1017PJ Amsterdam +Pacific parc
AYGROUND
REGISTERING
One of the chores you’ll have to complete to be an official Amsterdammer is registering with the municipality. This allows you to be employed and join the co-operative. You need to be an EU citizen for this. Once you have found a place to stay that will let you register (some landlords don’t allow it) you have to make an appointment at the Dienst Persoons en Geo-informatie office (Details here) and take along your rental agreement or contract plus a few other bits like your passport and birth certificate (if you haven’t got your birth certificate, which i didn’t, they just ask you to bring it to them at a later date). If you are having trouble finding a place to rent that will allow you to register then it is still possible to get a BSN (or SOFI number) by contacting Holland International Destination Management (Belastingdienst) located at Kingsfordweg 1 in the west of Amsterdam (you need to call 0206877777 and say you’re going to stay only 3 or 4 months studying tops because SOFI number is only temporary. You can use your address back home to get a SOFI number which will allow you to apply for jobs here in the Netherlands but not start or join businesses such as the Knowmads CoOperative.
FINDING A JOB
As mentioned before many employers will expect you to have a BSN or SOFI number (the two are interchangealbe) you’ll also need a bank account (which we’ll cover later). A couple of places to start you search: +Marktplaats +Craigslist +Expatriates Word of mouth is usually your best bet, as is going round the clubs/ bars/etc. and asking in person.
BANK ACCOUNT
Getting paid for a job requires a Dutch based bank account. ABN-AMRO have online banking in English if you really need it. Other banks include ING and Rabobank. For a greener more ethically minded banking there is Tridos which is an online only bank, so if you can cope without needing a branch to deposit your cash in they are good choice.
…YOUR WORK
ANY MORE QUEST IONS? IF YOU NEED ANY MORE ADVICE ABOUT ANYTHING LISTED HERE, OR ANYTHING ELSE YOU MAY NEED TO KNOW IT IS QUITE LIKELY SOMEONE HERE WILL HAVE THE ANSWER FOR YOU. FEEL FREE TO LEAVE US A QUESTION ON THE FACEBOOK GROUP OR EMAIL US IF THE WHOLE WORLD SEEING YOUR NEEDS IS NOT TO YOUR LIKING.YOU CAN FIND THE EMAIL ADDRESSES OF THE COUNCIL HERE, AND THE CURRENT TRIBE HERE. JUST CLICK ON SOMEONE’S PICTURE TO FIND THIER DETAILS.
RKPLACE