Interview with Annick van Bindsbergen
Nationality:
Dutch
Age range:
18-24 years old
Landed in:
2019
Languages:
Dutch, German, English, and Spanish
Neighbourhood:
Sant Antoni
Work:
I'm an international business student, with a passion for entrepreneurship, digital marketing and branding. Following my passion has led me to founding my own digital marketing agency DNAdvertising that I'm trying to grow now.
Introducing annick van bindsbergen, a dutch expat in Barcelona.
Why did you choose to relocate to Barcelona?
Initially I came to Barcelona to study at the University of Barcelona as an Erasmus exchange student. I fell in love with the city so I decided to stay.
What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced after your relocation?
The extreme level of bureaucracy that I have faced whenever I needed to arrange something that involves the local authorities or organisations.
What do you love the most about Barcelona?
The diversity of the city. Barcelona makes you feel like you're living a typical mediterranean lifestyle but with the benefits of a metropolitan city.
If you could give one piece of advice to future expats in Barcelona, what would it be?
Make sure you are well-informed about the steps to take in order to manage all the paperwork properly. This will save you a lot of stress!
What do you miss the most about home?
What I miss most are my family and friends. Also, I miss how organised my country is.
What were the biggest adjustments you had to make when settling into life in Barcelona?
I used to be a control freak trying to plan and structure everything in my life as much as possible, just to avoid uncertainty. During my first months in Barcelona I tried to do the same, things, but soon I realised that this doesn't work here. Often plans are made last minute and people seem to live day to day. Now, I am used to it and I see the bright side of it more than ever.
How did you find a place to live?
I have moved several times since I arrived. I found my first place via the online agency Badi, as I did not know any other way to find a place. My current apartment was shared in a Facebook community group.
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