RCD People are taking the stage

TAKING

THE STAGE

A nice neighbourhood makes all the difference for loving where you live, and certainly contributes to overall residential satisfaction. In honour of this Living & Lifestyle issue, we set out one sunny summer’s day to poll people on the street about living in Rotterdam. Do they live locally? How do they like it here? Or would they rather live some place other than Holland’s lovely port city – and if so, why?

PAUL (56)

I was born in Rotterdam but haven’t lived here for years. I moved to Rhoon in 1998, so I’m still close by. Why did I move? For love, of course! My wife lived there, and she calls the shots, haha. But if I’m honest, even with Rotterdam getting nicer and more interesting, it’s a bit too busy for me. I enjoy it, but mostly for a visit. So, while Rotterdam has a lot to offer as a city, I don’t see myself moving back here. All the huge new buildings and all kinds of other developments are really awesome, but love trumps everything.

ELIJAH (16) & JAMIE (16)

E: I think it’s great to live in Rotterdam. I live in Crooswijk, which always feels upbeat. A couple weeks ago I got a skateboard and now Jamie and I are exploring the whole city on our boards. I’m still learning though! But it’s fun just to be able to get around the city a different way – I keep seeing new things.

J: I still live with my parents, which is about half an hour by metro from the centre. Which is also why I’d rather live right in the city. What appeals to me most and what I like best about Rotterdam is the huge mix of people. My village hasn’t got much of that. Everybody’s pretty similar there and there’s not much for young people to do. Rotterdam is totally different, which is why I like it here and why I’ve been coming here more and more lately to skateboard together with Elijah.

NICOLE (29)

After my studies in Rotterdam, I found a job and decided to settle down here. I’m originally from China and have been here for almost six years now. The thing I like most about Rotterdam is that it’s very international and there’s food from everywhere. If a city has good food, it honestly makes it ten times better. I live in the centre and really like it. Rotterdam is very open to internationals and friendly for foreigners, which is why I wouldn’t want to leave. Something I also really admire are the buildings and their architecture. It’s such a beautiful city. The mix of old and new is very nice, and on sunny days I always bring my camera with me to take loads of photos. Actually, I was just at the Erasmus Bridge to take pictures there, which is my favourite spot!

KAREN (48)

Me and a friend from Cologne, who is supposed to be arriving by train any minute now, are here for the weekend. I am from Germany and we wanted to meet up, and because we love the Dutch ambiance we decided to come to Rotterdam. To be honest, I would love to live in a city like this. When I came here for the first time last year, I liked it so much that I immediately decided I wanted to visit again. It’s such a multicultural and open-minded city. The spirit of Rotterdam kind of reminds me of Berlin back in the day. I used to live there, and I see things here that remind me of back then. That’s why I love Rotterdam, so I’m sure I will be enjoying myself this weekend!

BAHAR (25)

My boyfriend lives in Rotterdam, so I’m here visiting him for a few weeks. Originally I’m from Azerbaijan, but I’m planning on moving to the Netherlands to move in with him soon. However, I don’t think we would choose Rotterdam to go apartment hunting. I have experienced living here for a bit now, but I have seen other cities and think I would rather move there because they match my personal taste a little more. The Hague would be great, for example, because it’s an old city with old buildings. Here, it’s all modern with skyscrapers, which is not really what I prefer. Don’t get me wrong, I love the vibe here. But it’s not really a city I can picture myself living in permanently. It’s perfect for a few weeks though!

TON (71)

I was born and raised in Overschie, which is wonderful. You could say it’s a village that hugs the city – we used to be independent – and I regularly come into the centre. Rotterdam is a new-fashioned city. I do like old cities a lot, but the modernity has its own appeal. That’s why I like visiting: to marvel at all the new projects. I love nothing better than walking around the city to see what’s happening. Since retiring, fortunately I’ve got all the time in the world to go strolling around. It’s amazing here and I wouldn’t ever want to leave. Wouldn’t dream of it – you couldn’t pay me!

MANA (28)

I used to live in Spijkenisse with my parents, but I’ve been living in Rotterdam with my boyfriend for almost six months now. Although I have to confess it’s my boyfriend’s house and all I had to do was move in. He rents, and it’s absolutely terrific. It’s great that I could move in with him anyway, house prices being what they are now. Honestly, I like everything about living in Rotterdam. I was born here, so I’m completely in my element. It’s a city for art, fashion, fun, music and partying. There’s so much happening here – what other city could compare? If you ask me, you’ve really only got that in Rotterdam.