I think you do well to learn Dutch. People here speak English well, the universities are a magnet for international students and especially Amsterdam is quite i

I think you do well to learn Dutch. People here speak English well, the universities are a magnet for international students and especially Amsterdam is quite international, so changes are that you will order something in a cafe in your best dutch and they would not understand you, because you speak Dutch. Your coworkers left out an important detail though: on the workfloor, in the shops, anywhere, speaking English is fine. When socializing, there you will face obstacles. After work hours are for relaxing. So, having to speak in English makes it less optimal, even if the Dutch are really willing to accommodate you there. Quite naturally, people will drop to Dutch again during conversations. If one have to make jokes, common references and all the stuff for which you need a finer touch which your mother tongue provides for, falling back to a foreign langue is a degradation. 1) vocabulary, 2) emulation vs native speed. If you are with six dutchies and you are the only one that forces everyone to have a "degraded experience" of a fun night, you do well to try to learn Dutch. Tell them to fuck off if they switch to English when you want them to speak Dutch, so you can learn. You can be direct and honest with the dutch, that is appreciated. When people start to insult you, congratulations! They are joking and signaling they accept you as one of them. You should respond with another insult. When we do something social, we plan. Don't just drop by and assume you will be invited over for dinner. Dutch people are anti-social or well organized, pick your perspective. This is definitely a difference with more tropical social climates. If you move in January, brace for cold, dim days. When spring comes, everything will look nicer. Good luck!