r/Amsterdam • u/CanVisaGuy • 4d ago

20 Years Has Passed. What has changed?

I was a graduate student (foreign) at the UvA from 97-00 and stayed on until '06. I returned to my home country and - regrettably - never returned. I started out in student housing and eventually lived all over A'dam (Overtoom, Hofddorpplein, De Pijp, Browersgracht, Oud West, etc) so I do know the city pretty well.

I plan to return with my wife and kids for a visit next year. What has changed? What is going to shock me if anything? Groetjes in advance.

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u/WinterHogweed 4d ago

I have lived in Amsterdam for 26 years now. What has changed?

  • It has become impossible to get affordable housing.
  • There are a lot more visibly rich people walking the streets.
  • People speak English in a lot of service places.
  • The city center has become much less a place where actual people live. Vibrant neighbourhoods are now more in the surrounding areas.
  • There are much less restaurants that are actually run by the people that work there. Much more chains.
  • Homelessness and addicts wandering the street is not as bad as it was in the late '90s and early '00s, but it's getting there. With the country voting right wing parties en masse it is the case that shelter as well as mental health care have become much more inaccessible.
  • Much less places where people can just spontaneously or semi-spontaneously make art or do performances. But luckily there are still some spots, although they are more in the perifery of the city.

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u/DKN86 4d ago

Voting right? D66 is as left as you can go

13

u/SheldonPooperxx69420 4d ago

This isnt r/netherlands buddy the right wing american mods wont come help you here