Interview with Syed Wajahat Ali

This interview shares the personal story of an expat who came to the Netherlands with a highly skilled scheme and was not directly supported by All About Expats. They may have been able to use some of our services, such as the Orientation Year (Zoekjaar), Relocation Service, the 30% ruling, or Employment & Career Tools (ECT). This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not replace personal advice. For more information about our services, please feel free to contact us.

When Syed Wajahat moved to the Netherlands, it wasn’t his first time starting over in a new country. Originally from Pakistan, Wajahat had already lived abroad before. “I first moved to China in 2018 for my master’s degree,” he explains. After finishing his studies, he found a job in Beijing and was settled there until COVID changed everything. “People started leaving China, and eventually I decided to move back to Pakistan. After two years Wajahat went from Pakistan to the Netherlands.”

After spending two years working in Pakistan, the idea of going abroad returned. This time, the Netherlands entered the picture. “I heard about the orientation year visa. If you graduate from one of the top-ranked universities, you can come to the Netherlands for one year to look for a job,” he says. “You come here without a job, but if you find one, everything continues from there.”

Wajahat decided to take the chance. “It was quite strange at first,” he admits. “I arrived in a country where I didn’t know a single person.” Wajahat brought two 20-kilogram suitcases. “I brought a lot of clothes and especially Pakistani spices, because I knew I would cook for myself. Also warm clothing, because the Netherlands is colder than Pakistan.” He left most of his summer clothes behind, knowing he would need them less here.

Even though he arrived alone, things moved quickly. “I actually found a job very fast, which helped a lot,” Wajahat says. Housing, however, was a different story. “That was a real struggle in the beginning. I stayed in hotels, spent a lot of money, and there were moments when I thought, ‘Maybe I should just go back’. Facebook was really important for me. I joined several expat groups and people shared their experiences, especially about housing. Through those groups, I connected with people who were already living in the Netherlands and they helped me a lot.”

“For example, I booked my hotel through Booking.com, but I made a mistake and booked it starting the day after I arrived. So I had nowhere to stay the first night. A man in Amsterdam, whom I had met through Facebook, offered me to stay at his place for that night. So I slept there and went to the hotel the next morning. I received this kind of support many times through Facebook. I also watched YouTube videos of expats in the Netherlands, but the most valuable thing was talking to people who were already in the country.”

At that time, I already knew I would be working in Eindhoven, so I really needed a house there. But I stayed in Amsterdam and travelled to Eindhoven every day for viewings, which was expensive and exhausting. In hindsight, I should have stayed in Eindhoven, maybe in an Airbnb, to save time and money. But I was new and not thinking of that. I also spent one week in Terneuzen because I thought I might find housing more easily there. I also had an job opportunity over there and found a house there. But it was very different from a city like Amsterdam. It was quiet, mainly for older people, and many ads even said you had to be around 40 years old to apply for a house.

After about two months, everything started to fall into place. “I found a shared apartment in Terneuzen, started working, and then things really kicked off.” Looking back, he sees a clear lesson. “You put yourself into the process, and then things start falling like dominoes.”

Now, three and a half years later, the Netherlands has become much more than just a place to work. “So many things have changed here for me. I met my wife here, we got married, and now we have a six-month-old baby and live in Den Bosch.”. In the future he hopes to find a place in Eindhoven with his family to live and work there. He liked Eindhoven very much.

Interestingly, the Netherlands was never Wajahat’s first plan. “Like many people, I was initially looking at Canada or Australia,” he says. “Those are the more popular expat destinations. The Netherlands wasn’t that well known to me at the time.”

When Canada temporarily stopped its immigration draws, Wajahat reconsidered his options. “I suddenly remembered someone telling me about the Netherlands. I went back to that idea, applied for the visa, and everything worked out. Honestly, it felt lucky. Like things were written that way.”

Despite hearing about housing shortages, he decided to try it anyway. “I told myself: I’ll go for one month, see how it feels. If it doesn’t work, I’ll go back.” The first weeks were tough, but persistence paid off. “Once I found a job and a place to live, everything changed.”

Wajahat is an industrial engineer by background and works in supply chain and logistics. “Back in Pakistan, I worked in textile manufacturing, but in Europe there isn’t much textile manufacturing, so I shifted my career slightly.”

His first job in the Netherlands was as a procurement analyst. After that, he worked as a production planner and is now employed as a logistics analyst. “My main responsibility is to keep the supply chain moving,” he says. “Shipments come in and go out of the Netherlands, and when something gets stuck, documentation issues, manpower issues, I work with different people to solve it.”

Compared to his earlier roles on the factory floor, his work is now more office-based. “Before, I was managing people and machines on the manufacturing floor. Now it’s more white-collar work: sitting at my desk, communicating, coordinating, and improving processes.”

Having worked in Pakistan, China, and the Netherlands, Wajahat clearly notices the differences in work culture. “In Pakistan and China, there is a strong hierarchy,” he explains. “There’s a clear power distance. People in higher positions don’t communicate as openly with people in lower positions.”

In the Netherlands, that hierarchy feels much flatter. “Here, you can just go for a coffee with someone at director level,” he says. “You can send them an email or a Teams message without any problem. That was very new for me.”

Another major difference is work-life balance. “In Pakistan or China, if work isn’t finished, you’re expected to stay longer. I’ve worked until eight or nine in the evening, and even on weekends,” he says. “In the Netherlands, you can really close your laptop at five. Even if there’s work left, it can wait until the next day.”

While Wajahat appreciates the Dutch work culture, adjusting isn’t always easy. “Dutch people are very direct,” he says. “In the beginning, that felt uncomfortable, but now I’m used to it, and I’ve become more direct myself.” Outside of work, there were also small cultural lessons. “When I lived in a smaller city, like Terneuzen, mostly older people lived there. Everyone greeted each other, so I thought that was normal everywhere,” he laughs. One experience taught him otherwise. “At the gym, I greeted a group of younger girls, and they looked at me very strangely. That’s when I realized: social rules depend on context. You observe, adjust, and learn.”

Wajahat believes that Dutch people do not necessarily need to learn something from Pakistan, but he notices that Dutch people are often enthusiastic about Pakistani food. “My colleagues are really fans of the food. I would definitely recommend that.” On the other hand, Pakistani people can learn a lot from Dutch work culture, especially in terms of organization and rules. “For example traffic rules: it is different here and much better organized.”

Wajahat had already experienced homesickness in China. “My experience in China helped me a lot because that was the first time I left my family and hometown. During school, I never went to college outside my town, and stayed there during the week. I always went back home, so I was never homesick,” he says. “In China, I was alone for the first time as a student, but the difference was that I was there to study. I was surrounded by other students, and we became friends quickly. In the Netherlands, I was alone at first because I came to look for a job and I didn’t know anybody.”

Before moving, Wajahat had some concerns. “I worried about racism or being treated differently because I look different,” he admits. “I had the same fear when I went to China.” Fortunately, his experiences in the Netherlands were positive. “Dutch people are very nice,” he says. “In my first week, an older man in a Dutch store called Action started talking to me in Dutch. I was looking at a map and he asked me if I could find my country on it. When I said I didn’t speak Dutch, he smiled and continued in English. Small moments like that made me feel welcome. I don’t have any doubt why they are in one of the top positions in the World’s happiness index.”

“When I first arrived in China, I was advised to have an activity after school to avoid feeling homesick. Many people played cricket, but I started going to the gym daily. That really helped.” He also kept regular contact with his family: “I called home every other day.” Wajahat emphasizes the importance of social contact. “As an expat, you have to meet new people. I went to events and met many new people. In the Netherlands, that also happened, but less intensively because I mainly worked here.”

In the Netherlands, work kept him busy and weekends were quiet at first. “I didn’t know what to do. I stayed home a lot and watched movies.” Slowly, that changed. “I have not formed many close friendships with Dutch locals, mainly because I am an introvert and did not socialize much during my time in the Netherlands. However, I do have good connections with my Dutch colleagues, and the key to building those has been direct communication, which they tend to prefer.”

“I admire how polite and well-mannered Dutch people are in their conversations, as well as their directness. However, at times that directness can feel a bit too blunt, which can be less appealing.” Living in a shared apartment helped as well, and he connected with people from the Pakistani and Indian communities. “They invited me for dinners and we played cricket together. The last six months were very different from the first six months in the Netherlands.”

Wajahat met his wife through family connections within the Pakistani community. “Arranged marriages are still common for us,” he explains. After being introduced, they talked, met a few times, and got married within six months. “We celebrated our second anniversary in November.” Their religious ceremony and official registration took place in the Netherlands. “ We registered at the municipality, but the big celebration was in Pakistan.” His wife is also from Pakistan, although her family has lived in the Netherlands for about fifteen years. “They are actually quite integrated here.”

Wajahat explains that he had already arranged many official matters himself, such as taxes. Yet his wife’s support is important: “She already has a driving license and a car, while I am still working on my driving license. If we have to go somewhere together, she drives.” He can also rely on her for language help. “I only started learning Dutch later, so when we are outside and someone asks a question, she can often answer. That really helps.”

Wajahat explains that it is definitely different than in Pakistan to give birth to a baby, but not necessarily more difficult. In Pakistan, family is often heavily involved during pregnancy and birth. In the Netherlands, it works differently: “But I didn’t find it difficult. There is a lot of help and support from healthcare here. Everything is covered. There is even maternity care: a maternity nurse comes to your home during the first week to help.” According to Wajahat, this organization and support make starting a family in the Netherlands relatively easy. “If you want to start a family in the Netherlands, it is not very difficult. You get a lot of support from the government.”

Wajahat explains that he makes major purchases, such as clothing and medical treatments, mostly in Pakistan because it is cheaper. “They are the same brands, but cheaper. Here I only buy if I really need something.” For sportswear he sometimes goes to Primark, but for expensive clothing such as suits he prefers Pakistan. “Tailoring is much cheaper there.” He also says that many expats get medical care in Pakistan, such as dental treatments or blood tests, because it is faster and cheaper. “In the Netherlands you often have to make an appointment first, and that can take time. In Pakistan you can get help much faster.”

“Sometimes I don’t feel completely at home here in the Netherlands, but when I am in Pakistan, I also don’t feel fully connected there. That is a strange feeling. Since I have a child, home mainly feels like ‘being with my child’.” He explains that during his last visit to Pakistan he noticed that his friends and family had changed. “My childhood friends have changed, their lives are different. I also don’t feel the same connection with my brothers and sisters anymore. As an expat, you sometimes feel like you don’t fully belong anywhere.”

Wajahat names language and culture as the main factors. “Even if you learn Dutch, you don’t speak it like a native. You notice that. Also cultural things, such as direct communication, you learn but it doesn’t come naturally. Then you feel different.” Still, he stresses that it is important to adapt to the culture of the country where you live. “You have to try to integrate and learn how things work here.”

Wajahat says that for a long time he did not prioritize learning Dutch because he always worked in international companies where English was the working language. But now he wants to prepare for naturalization and obtain a Dutch passport. “My five years here are almost over, and then I have to apply for naturalization. If I don’t pass certain tests, it can cause problems. That is my motivation.”

He uses apps, YouTube, and books to expand his vocabulary. He is also looking for a course. “There are free classes in Den Bosch on weekends. Maybe I will go there soon.” He explains that it is mainly about vocabulary, and that he often learns Dutch through English. “That helps because Dutch has many similarities with English.”

One aspect of Dutch culture that Wajahat finds unusual is making appointments with everyone for everything. The need to plan even casual interactions stands out to him. When asked about a Dutch person he finds interesting or inspiring, Wajahat immediately mentions Mark Rutte. “I like Mark Rutte a lot,” he says, referring both to Rutte’s time as Dutch prime minister and to his new role at NATO. In Wajahat’s view, Rutte has “a very nice personality as a politician and is well-spoken too.”

To stay informed about current events in the Netherlands, Wajahat mainly relies on social media. “I mainly follow a social media channel called Dutch Breaking News and I get most of the news stories there.” In Den Bosch, Wajahat has a favourite local restaurant. “In Den Bosch, I like a Korean restaurant called The Kakel Club.” What makes it special to him is their “very original Korean fried chicken,” something he became “addicted to” during his time in China.

For visitors exploring the Netherlands, Wajahat recommends spending time in Den Bosch. “Den Bosch city centre is a very nice place to visit with lots of cafés and food options.” More generally, he highlights a classic Dutch experience: “In the Netherlands in general, I like boating in the canals of Amsterdam. A recent discovery Wajahat wants to share is related to learning the language. “I discovered lately that most municipalities offer free Dutch classes.” He notes that if people research this properly, “they can save some money.”

Although Wajahat is not very familiar with traditional Dutch cuisine yet, there are some products he enjoys. “I am not much into Dutch food yet, but I like Dutch cheese in general and also the milk here. Finally, Wajahat talks about Dutch celebrations. “I really like King’s Day,” he says, explaining that he enjoys “going out and exploring the festive environment.”

“After starting family life in the Netherlands, I do not intend to go back or move any further as moving with family can be much different than moving alone which was not that troublesome. So, I intend to stay unless God has some plans for me that are beyond my imagination”.

Wajahat is clear, “If you have a good opportunity, come. It may be difficult at first with housing, but it will be fine. The Netherlands is a good country for expats. You don’t need to speak the language perfectly right away to live here. You can learn it at your own pace.” He emphasizes that the Netherlands has an open and welcoming culture and that as an expat you will experience few problems compared to other countries.

Do you have a story you’d like to share about moving to, working in, or living in the Netherlands?