From international collaboration to a new life in the Netherlands

A few weeks later, Judith and her family set foot on Dutch soil. “For me it was the first time travelling so far from home. The experience of leaving everything behind was very exciting and fun, but at the same time it was also difficult to leave our families behind.”

Fortunately, Judith didn’t need long to settle into her new workplace. “Because I was already working remotely with the team, it was easy to find my rhythm. Everything was already new to me, so having some kind of anchor here meant a lot. It really felt like a warm welcome, especially when colleagues Anouck and Jayshree came to pick me up from Schiphol.” The Key Control Dashboard team, which Judith is part of, was ready to support their new colleague in every way. They thought along with her, offered tips and helped the family build their new life in the Netherlands. It didn’t feel strange at all when she came to the office for the first time.

Because Judith had already been collaborating remotely with Dutch colleagues for quite some time, her transition felt less like a leap into the unknown and more like a natural step within the Conclusion ecosystem.

The fact that the work already felt so familiar was a huge relief. Judith immediately noticed that daily life here is different from South Africa. People cycling everywhere, children playing outside in the evenings and public transport that feels reliable and punctual. “The help you get simply by asking people for something also felt really refreshing. From a conductor who saved us when we got lost in Utrecht, to a lady in Albert Heijn who took my husband to the right shelf because she understood us when we were talking to each other in Afrikaans and couldn’t find a product”, she continues.

The family decided to build their life in the Netherlands as lightly as possible. They sold most of their belongings and arrived with just a few suitcases. To her own surprise, that turned out to be enough. “Our house is almost empty, and that is a very conscious choice. It is not only practical, it also gives a different sense of freedom.”

But what was truly surprising was how quickly a new country can start to feel familiar. From the cosy winter lights to the small, funny moments in daily life. “During the holidays it felt as if I was walking around in a film”, Judith says with a laugh.

And it is exactly those experiences that make her feel no regret about the move. “Of course emigrating is exciting and you leave a lot behind, but by just doing it you create space for something new. Are you in the same position as I was and doubting whether to take the step? Seize that opportunity! You grow faster than you think and you get a lot in return!”