Expat life in Nijmegen: Daniel, Germany
In the series "Expat Life in Nijmegen", expats talk about their lives in the Netherlands' oldest city. How did they end up here? What do they do in daily life here and what do they think of the city and its surroundings?
Here's the story of Daniel from Germany...
"I’m originally from Essen, which is a city in Germany, approximately one and a half hours away from Nijmegen, and I moved to the Netherlands last year. In May 2024, I started a new job in Arnhem and since June, I’ve been living in Nijmegen.
One of the reasons why I was looking for a job close to Nijmegen was my girlfriend. She lives here and after graduating, I was applying for different positions in Germany and abroad. The job I have now was my first choice – also because it was the most exciting work opportunity, in comparison to the jobs I applied to in Germany. I studied physics and right now, I’m working as a system operator for Alliander in Arnhem, which is a company that develops and operates energy networks.
Before moving to Nijmegen, I knew the city already a bit through visiting my girlfriend, and, so far, I also really like living here. The one thing I miss is my network from Germany. I have lived in Essen all my life, including during my bachelor’s and master’s, so I was very well-connected there. Obviously, if you move to a new place, it’s not going to be the same as if you’ve lived there for ten or fifteen years already.
Something that I did, however, really enjoy here is the bike paths. I like to cycle, so it’s nice that there is such a biking culture in the Netherlands. In Germany, we’re slowly also getting more biking infrastructure, but it’s simply not comparable. Car drivers, for example, pay much more attention to cyclists here than they do in Germany.
One of my favorite spots in Nijmegen is MIA. It’s an Asian fusion restaurant that serves tapas and is located at the train station. It might sound strange at first, going to a restaurant at the central station, but their food is really good and their interior is also really cozy."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Lara, South Africa
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Eduardo, Spain
Expat life in Nijmegen: Eduardo, Spain
"Before moving to the city, I didn’t know Nijmegen. But I found it to be a nice place. In a way, it reminds me a bit of a city where I used to live in Spain. Nijmegen also has a cozy city center with a lot of traditional buildings."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Ivana, Italy/Serbia
Expat life in Nijmegen: Ivana, Italy/Serbia
"In some ways, Nijmegen reminds me of Lucca, the Italian town where I grew up. It has a human dimension – you can reach most places by walking, and within ten minutes, you’re in nature, but you’re also close to the German border."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Khaoula, Morocco
Expat life in Nijmegen: Khaoula, Morocco
"I love it here. The city’s slogan says it best: Nijmegen is an old city with a young vibe. The buildings can tell stories from hundreds of years ago, but the people are young, fresh, and outgoing."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Isabella, Brazil
Expat life in Nijmegen: Isabella, Brazil
"I was born and raised in Brazil, but I’m half-Italian from my mom’s side. I was living in Italy right before moving to the Netherlands, so it wasn’t as long of a trip. But the Netherlands is very different from my reality growing up in Brazil."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Sorina, Romania
Expat life in Nijmegen: Sorina, Romania
"The weather, especially in the winter, is sometimes difficult to cope with, but I discovered some places in the city that I really like. One of them is Bhalu. I like that the people there are friendly and I love their homemade pastries."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Giulia, Italy
Expat life in Nijmegen: Giulia, Italy
"After my master’s in Italy, I wanted to leave the country and secure a future somewhere else. Because of that, I was looking into ways to specialize more and found the master’s in Human Geography at Radboud University."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Alex, Romania
Expat life in Nijmegen: Alex, Romania
"It's quite cliché, but the first thing that really surprised me was how good the bike infrastructure was. I saw people cycle in suits or in dresses – this was really surreal to see, someone so well dressed, but then on a bike."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Elle, United States
Expat life in Nijmegen: Elle, United States
"I’m a hairstylist and a fully licensed cosmetologist in America, but it took quite some time to be able to work here. Because I’m from the US, I needed a residence permit to register my business with the KVK."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Stuart, Australia
Expat life in Nijmegen: Stuart, Australia
"Nijmegen is really a great city. Especially on a sports level, there’s an athletics club with world-class athletes, football, rugby, tennis, golf… virtually every sport! And the history of Nijmegen is also incredibly fascinating to me."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Sanchitta, Bangladesh
Expat life in Nijmegen: Sanchitta, Bangladesh
"One of my favorite places in the city is the Face of Nijmegen statue. In the beginning, when I wasn’t feeling good, my husband and I went there, sat by the river, and drank tea. I still go there to meditate."
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Expat life in Nijmegen: Sudipta, Bangladesh
Expat life in Nijmegen: Sudipta, Bangladesh
"I’m originally from Bangladesh, but I did my graduate degree in Gothenburg in Sweden, so I had already lived in Europe when I started looking for jobs after my graduation and found a company here in Nijmegen."
Studying & working in Nijmegen
Nijmegen has a lot to offer in terms of studying, working and business. The oldest city in The Netherlands is also one of the largest student cities in the country. The city presents itself as a leading global player in solving social issues and problems. With its significant position in the Health & High Tech sector, Nijmegen belongs to the international top when it comes to improving the quality of life, healthcare and the development of high-quality technology for various social applications.
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