First person we met at Delft

it has been 20 days here in Deflt. Within these 20 days, we have only been to Rijwijk once, and Den haag once, to get some legal documents done. Maybe because we migrated here as the highest level knowledge worker, the processing of our documents are much faster without any waiting. It is always a good feeling to be treated better, when you see others have to wait in lines. Although we are happy with our experiences in all these bureaucratic procedures, it still takes quite a lot of time and effort. In terms of dutch people, we think we will have a lot to learn, and discover.

The first is Vincent, the hotel manager where we lived for the first ten days. He is a strong man in his 40s, living with a dog named Kabo. He was born in the house he lives in, which he inherited from his parents, and turned it into a bed & breakfast place. I didn't see he is relating to anyone else, since I talked with him for too short time, and the major part he was introducing how to use his apartment that we were going to rent. That part was pleasant, we found out dutch windows can also open from the top, the microwave is also coming as a oven. He also mentioned to us that there is a studio will be available for 10 days after this apartment. I think the third day he also offered his address to let us use to register in the city hall. You should know that an address is so important for living in dutch... Mr. Awaara says, it is so hard to be homeless in the Netherlands.

Things start changing when we are looking for the next step accommodations. He told us that there will be four days gap between this apartment and the studio, and he is offering help and send emails to all hotels in Delft to fill the four days' gap. He will still charge us 50 euro per night. He found us the cheapest for those four nights was 105 euro per night. We were looking forward to a lease starting from July 1. His studio will be available only till 29th. You can imagine how many moves ahead if we take his studio. And also because we found other options, we told him that we wouldn't rent it.

Here you see the difference from before: he replied email very prompt before, now he ignored all our emails, explaining why we won't take the studio. Mr. Awaara felt bad to say no to him, but we really have no choice. We thought about living in a hostel in Rotterdam for a few days, but the cost is quite significant higher, then the options we found out later.

Anyway, I couldn't reach him any more. Phone calls go to his fax machine, and emails no reply. Before we leave I was going to do a laundry, and we couldn't operate the washer. I asked, still no reply. I have no other way just left the detergent there, and took away those dirty clothes to move with me at the end.

It was raining the morning we moved. I thought he might want to come to check the apartment. Mr. Awaara went to his door. He showed up this time. He didn't care to check up, telling Mr. Awaara to change his address out of our registration in the town hall. We were hoping that he could allow us to be there until July1, but he is so determined that we have to change it in one or two days. By this time we have signed a lease, but haven't moved yet. I didn't see him this time. I once thought that I would buy flowers for Vincent to thank for his effort to help us in the first day we arrived. But later it seems that I couldn't even have a chance to meet with him. He refused to meet with me, since he might have to explain why he did not reply my emails. The first day I knew a person kind and jolly. But at the end, I have to convince myself that I might have done something wrong that have made this dutch person unhappy.