tanyatriangles

iTrader: (2)

............some of you will be aware that he lost his job as a welder/plater in Scunnyearly January. he has just been offered a position at a shipyard near Amsterdam. He's not over the moon, as he will be leaving all his mates plus a girlfriend, (not to mention supportive parents, LOL), but needs must. (Are you happy enough with that, DCI?)

Anyway, reason for posting: how can he keep in contact cheaply? He doesn't have a laptop, and as yet we don't know if there will be internet access available, or even if it will be cheap enough. He HAS a mobile phone, but it never worked in France when he took it in October, could never get a signal. Vodaphone, iirc, they told him it would be OK in France but it wasn't.

If he buys a Dutch SIM card, will he pay through the nose to make/receive calls to the UK?

Any advice gladly accepted.

fivetide

iTrader: (1)

If he has a Pay as you go he should be fine texting and things. No reason he can't keep too phones. a cheap laptop might be a plan though. Failign that full on contract and a phone with a full keyboard like a blackberry or something. Might be able to get a good deal..

Do you think his new workmates will be out on strike?

Dutch jobs for the Dutch!

5t.

mrtheedge2u2

Calling on his mobile will be expensive. Receiving will be free ..... from Holland land lines he can dial 09000900 then dial uk number (after instructions) for a very low rate.

Best bet is to tell him to get his *** to an internet cafe and skype/msn

btw.. where near A'dam are you talking?

tanyatriangles

iTrader: (2)

Doubt it, the guy that is taking him over is desperate, can't get the skilled men over there........

MJW

Skype in an internet cafe ?

tanyatriangles

iTrader: (2)

I THINK Schevening, but he's out getting some bits to take with him, I'll confrim it later.

markr1963

If he can't use a Dutch landline then I reckon a Dutch SIM for a mobile would be cheapest. There may also be outlets that sell phone cards to various countries (there's loads over here).
UK based mobile accounts even if usable in The Netherlands would be bouncing calls from (you) UK-> Dutch telco ->UK (your lad's moby) and the charges would be stupid.

njkmrs

I think he will be far too busy in Amsterdam to worry about keeping in touch .!!!!!! Certainly for a few weeks anyway .

No only joking .I would say a cheap laptop would be best ,although Im sure there will be internet cafes he can use .
Good Luck to him .

tanyatriangles

iTrader: (2)

Aye, that IS a bit of a worry...........no girl, no mates except for the other 4 also going, no X-box, no stereo, Dutch TV............I just WONDER what he might find to do

So long as he has enough money left to live on and pay his car/pension/loan etc, I shan't worry too much.

mrtheedge2u2

ok... so he is gonna be based in Scheveningen (Den Haag) Not too bad......

Where will he be living? In Scheveningen or in DH center? Best thing I would say is to simply get a dutch PAYG and have people call him. Or simply go to internet cafe.

mrtheedge2u2

If you need any further information then feel free to drop me a pm......

spireite

Don't you mean ,Who he might find to do .

tanyatriangles

iTrader: (2)

Dunno where he'll be based yet, the company sent him a tcket from East Mids to Amsterdam, (strange as KLM fly there from Humberside which is like 20 minutes from us), and they are paying all his transport, lodge, (and board afaik), and giving him all his kit/workclothes etc, all he has to take are his workboots.

tanyatriangles

iTrader: (2)

Good job I know this place well, some of the replies, or now I'd be REALLY worried.........

mrtheedge2u2

OK. I would suggest he asks for some clarification.

tanyatriangles

iTrader: (2)

Of what?

Wurzel

iTrader: (1)

A lot of Dutch TV is in English with Dutch subtitles so no big problem there. Plus the majority of Dutchies in AMS speak English so again no problem there. He will have fun and soon forget about being homesick or missing his parents.

tanyatriangles

iTrader: (2)

TBH, if I think about it, I knew both of those things, as we've met LOADS of Dutch people abroad camping in France.

No, the bit that worries me is him spending so much on enjoying himself that he still ends up bankrupt..........

Wurzel

iTrader: (1)

Simplest solution would be to set up a Dutch bank account and set up an automatic IBAN transfer every month to a UK account, provided he doesn't take his UK bank cards with him he should be able to save a fair bit each month. I do this from Germany and have money in high interest accounts in England. The money is gone before I get a chance to spend it here due to the electronic transfer going out the day after I get paid. Just a suggestion though. I assume he will be getting paid by a Dutch company into a bank account and it is not cash in hand?

tanyatriangles

iTrader: (2)

AFAIK, I thinks it's all above board, he found it advertised in a well-known redtop.

GC8

Jeff, if you go through a routing ompany then you will be able to call him on a normal phone or his mobile for 2/3/4p per minute. I ring my brothers mobile in Australia and it costs a fraction of what BT charge for international calls. One way, I realise, but its half of the problem.

Simon

rr_ww

Exactly what I was thinking. Regarding the Long distance Relationship thing. How long is the contract?

mrtheedge2u2

I meant enquire as to where he will be staying......... in may be right next to the shipyard or it may be miles away..... he may be in some nice area or he may be in some sh1tty enclave.....

mrtheedge2u2

A lot of internet cafe's, especially in Holland, have skype..... bang in your headset and off you go...... obviously the other person will have to have skype as well

njkmrs

Just make sure if hes taliking to his girlfriend in the internet cafe ,that he does not leave his box of Kleenex on the desk as it gives the game away a bit and may be fround upon .!!!

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

Just make sure he surfs in an Internet Cafe not a Coffee shop....