“It was a real culture shock when I came to Rotterdam,” says Chahida from Oran, the second city of Algeria. In 2002 her employer in London asked her to come to work in Rotterdam. “I had no idea what to expect. But financially, I couldn’t refuse the offer. That’s why I’ve now lived here for over twenty years.”
Asking for help
The move turned out to be harder than she thought. “I didn’t speak Dutch and didn’t even know where to buy bread,” she laughs. Socially, she also felt lonely. “In my country, hospitality is very important. If someone new arrives, they immediately get help, food—sometimes too much! Here, I thought: why doesn’t anyone ask how I’m doing?” Later she understood that the Dutch mainly want to respect each other’s privacy. “They said: of course we’ll help, but you have to ask. For me, that was a real culture shock.”
Learning from Dutch culture
Chahida discovered that her new life also changed her. “Now I’m always on time. In Algeria, it doesn’t matter if you arrive an hour later. But here, you’re really expected to be punctual. My family sometimes says: you’ve become too Dutch,” she says laughing.
She also admires how the Dutch handle money. “They teach children at a young age how to save and plan. I still find that difficult, but I’m trying to learn.”
Making friends
Although the beginning was tough, Chahida now feels at home. She found friends through volunteer work. “One time, I helped in a bakery and learned how to make sourdough bread. That has become one of my passions.”
She loves Rotterdam’s diversity. “There are so many nationalities here. I’ve met people from all over the world. It reminds me of my hometown Oran, also a port city where people are open to others.”
Algerian dishes and tea time
Still, she holds on to her own culture. During Ramadan, she still cooks traditional Algerian dishes. And she keeps one habit she will never let go of: “Tea time! Around four o’clock, I make mint tea and eat cookies. I used to do that with my mother. That moment of rest and coziness is something I still cherish.”
For the future, she sees herself staying in Rotterdam for now. “I’m almost retired, and I’d love to travel with my Dutch partner. Later, I’ll see where I want to grow old. But for now, Rotterdam truly feels like home.”