Marco in Milan with his best friend
Marco comes from a small village called Bassano del grappa which is close to the watery city of Venice. He has lived in the area all of his life, right up until is masters when he then moved to the bustling city of Milan. Milan was a big change of pace from his village and certainly more European and diverse. He loved living in the city and was looking for an opportunity for an adventure and found a job in Amsterdam!
When asked for a fun fact about Italy Marco had this to say:
“Every 10 km there are different accents and habits so everyone is making fun of each others neighbours due to the differences”. This is a hilarious observation on Italian culture and how diverse it is that even by travelling a short distance you encounter something new. He further goes on the say that the North and South are almost completely different cultures and this is what makes Italy such an interesting place.
Marco has only been in the Netherlands since June so hasn’t had time to start missing anything back home. He says that with time he is sure that he will miss the food and his family (as any good Italian would!).
Marco’s Relocation Story
Only 2 flights at the airport that day
For many of us, moving is can be a slightly stressful ordeal, however, can you imagine the added uncertainty of a Global Pandemic? Marco had everything planned for an arrival into Amsterdam in April 2020, but like so many of us, he hadn’t planned on a pandemic sweeping the world which consequently delayed him by 3 months.
“The lockdown in Italy was very strict! I wasn’t allowed to leave my home and travel was out of the question and it felt like a never-ending quarantine”
Marco explored all options across the 3 months, even looking at whether he could drive from Italy to the Netherlands, but even that was not possible with the restrictions in place at the border.
“Big thank you to everyone at Settly for supporting me through my quarantine. It’s amazing to have people there to make the process so easy and have a service like Settly supporting you through such a difficult time. It helped me and it will surely help loads of people”
Marco moved because he secured a new job, but he was also wanting a change of pace in a different country and culture. Amsterdam was the perfect place, because as well as being one of the tech hubs of Europe, the Dutch are also great English speakers!
He arrived on a Sunday and the next day he had a number of house viewings arranged which resulted in an offer on an apartment being accepted. After months of waiting he sorted out a home in less than 24hrs! He was told by many that house hunting was going to be difficult, but he found the process super fast and within 2 weeks of arrival he was set up in a new home. His first weeks were spent in an Airbnb exploring the city and starting work remotely as the office was still closed. Coming from Venice, he already feels at home in Amsterdam with all the canals.
Marco’s Amsterdam Experience so far…
Marco outside his new apartment on the day he moved in!
Marco has arrived into the Netherlands during the lockdown and therefore has only been able to explore a little of the city. The good news is that the Dutch lockdown hasn’t been as strict as what he experienced in Italy and so he has been able to experience a bit of Amsterdam so far. He looks forward to being able to connect with colleagues and see more of the city as measures begin to ease further.
Top tips:
- Get lost! - "The city is actually very small and you can walk from one side to the other in about 30 minutes or so. I recommend just walking around and finding your own way because there are so many little bars, cafes and restaurants that you will stumble across this way."
- French fries - “I love french fries and so do the Dutch!” Marco has discovered that the Dutch have french fry stores EVERYWHERE and as he is discovering they inspire you to eat more than usual! “- The dutch have loads of french fry stores and it’s driving me crazy! I am eating way too many, but they are so delicious”
- The parks - There are parks of all shapes and sizes in Amsterdam and he recommends everyone get out and explore their natural beauty
Places to go
- Oedipus Brewery - Located in Amsterdam Noord this brewery offers their own craft beers and ales along with some great live music here in an awesome space
- Weesterpark - A huge park located in the west part of the city which is the perfect spot for reading a book
What do you do when you’re not working?
- Reading! - I love to read, but the hard part is finding the time to fit it in now that I am working.
- Music - I love going to concerts! Amsterdam music scene is normally a very lively one, but due to coronavirus many concerts and events have been cancelled for quite some time. Marco looks forward to experiencing these when things return back to normal.
