Despina Bampa

June 6th 2008

Age: 31
Nationality: Greek
Occupation: Ballet teacher
In Amsterdam: 1 year

Why did you move to Amsterdam?
Working and studying.

What do you like to do in Amsterdam?
Following dance lessons, going to concerts.

What do you think of Amsterdam street culture, how the people dress, express themselves?
It is interesting! You can see many different styles. However,
I think that the majority of the people are dressed in a way:
‘I don’t care’. They don’t combine the colors, the materials and
the style of their clothes. I have the feeling that they open their
closet and they pick up their clothes with blind eyes.

Did your style of clothing changed since you live here, and because of what? These can be emotional, cultural reasons or practical reasons such as weather or availability.
Yes, it has changed due to practical reasons. It is usually cold
and rainy. Not many choices in the way you can dress yourself!

Are you influenced by what you consider Dutch culture or by any other culture represented in Amsterdam?
Probably yes, but I cannot really specify it.

Are you aware of the fact that 177 cultures are represented in Amsterdam?
I didn’t know. It is amazing! At a certain degree it has influenced
the Dutch culture. For example you can eat in so many different
restaurants and you can listen to many different kinds of music.

Marc Andrews

August 7th 2008

Age: 30
Nationality: Swiss, British
Occupation: Graphic Design
In Amsterdam: 2 years

Why did you move to Amsterdam?
After living in Nijmegen and Utrecht for a couple of years
I thought it was time for a city. I am now building up my own
graphic design studio with a friend in the city center. I love
it, Amsterdam forms a good base.

What do you like to do in Amsterdam?
Riding the bike through the streets, going to expositions,
going out, working.

What do you think of Amsterdam street culture,
how the people dress, express themselves?
I like Amsterdam’s street culture and watching all different kind
of people; it is very multi cultural. Well dressed people; funky,
groovy and experimental. I think the variety in clothes also comes
because of all the foreign youngsters invading Amsterdam for
holiday.

Did your style of clothing changed since you live here,
and because of what? These can be emotional, cultural
reasons or practical reasons such as weather or
availability.
No. Just my collection of tracksuit tops exploded.

Are you influenced by what you consider Dutch culture
or by any other culture represented in Amsterdam?
I like wearing ‘klompen’...just joking.

Are you aware of the fact that 177 cultures are
represented in Amsterdam?
Yes, I knew and it’s a good fact about Amsterdam. It makes
it a special place, this high density of cultures on a limited space.
Amsterdam is less Dutch than other cities here in the Netherlands,
that makes it unique.

Ola Vasiljeva

August 4th 2008

Age: 27
Country of origin: Latvian
Occupation: Artist
In Amsterdam: 8 months

Why did you move to Amsterdam?
For an art residence at the rijksacademy.

What do you like to do in Amsterdam?
Parks, friends and movies.

What do you think of Amsterdam street culture,
how the people dress, express themselves?
I think it’s pretty much the same as in other Dutch cities.
There might be more tourists here and more of the extravagant
groups, but for the rest I don’t feel much of a difference.

Did your style of clothing changed since you live here, and
because of what, these can be emotional, cultural reasons
or and practical reasons such as weather or availability?
I think it changed a little maybe. I feel more confident about
whatever I wear, but I am not sure if the reason for that is the
big city, or just the fact that I like it here a lot.

Are you influenced by what you consider Dutch culture
or by any other culture represented in Amsterdam?
I am influenced by the cycling culture a lot :).

Are you aware of the fact that 177 cultures are
represented in Amsterdam?
I thought there were many more actually..

Sina Khani

July 30th 2008

Age: 26
nationality: Iranian
occupation: artist
In Amsterdam: 5 years

Why did you move to Amsterdam?
Fame

What do you like to do in Amsterdam?
walking, reading, swimming

What do you think of Amsterdam street culture,
how the people dress, express themselves?
Too good to be true.

Did your style of clothing changed since you live here,
and because of what? These can be emotional, cultural
reasons or practical reasons such as weather or
availability.
No.

Are you influenced by what you consider Dutch culture
or by any other culture represented in Amsterdam?
Yes!

Are you aware of the fact that 177 cultures are
represented?
I thought it was 198 or 199. Well, somebody must have lied to me. AGAIN! Hm, yes, sure, Amsterdam must be very much effected by this "fact". I mean, in a very positive sense. Everything is nice. Shalom.

Ingunn Jónsdóttir

June 28th 2008

Age: 24
Nationality: Icelandic
Occupation: Product designer
In Amsterdam: For 10 months

Why did you move to Amsterdam?
Me and my boyfriend decided to move away from Iceland.
We wanted to go to a new place to continue our studies and
to experience something new. We have been to Amsterdam
on a vacation and liked the city a lot. Though Iceland is a
big country, it has very few inhabitants and Iceland is very
isolated. In my opinion it is very important for everyone to try
to live somewhere else than at home. It widens your understanding
on so many things.

What do you like to do in Amsterdam?
I like to go to museums and exhibitions, concerts and to
the markets. They are a source of inspiration for me, places
to gather energy from. Dappermarkt is my favorite market.
There I feel like a citizen of the world.

What do you think of Amsterdam street culture,
how the people dress, express themselves?
In shops I see a lot of the same kind of clothing.
Generally I think people here could take more risks
in the way they dress.

Did your style of clothing changed since you live here,
and because of what? These can be emotional, cultural
reasons or practical reasons such as weather or
availability.
I more often buy my clothes at markets than in shops.
But I cannot say that this has changed my style. Still I think
I have a more relaxed attitude here towards my style than
in Iceland. There I more often wore high heels and fancy
dresses. Also I have to say that in December it was very
cold for me here in Amsterdam and then I had to wear all
my clothes at the same time to survive.

Are you influenced by what you consider Dutch culture
or by any other culture represented in Amsterdam?
It is difficult for me to judge how the different cultures have
influenced me. But one example that I can mention is the
food. I eat different food here, more fries, herring and stroopwafels
than at “home”. I now have a poffertjes pan and I bake
them from time to time. And it is not all Dutch food I eat.
Since I moved here I have also tasted very good food from
different countries. The diversity here makes it possible
to get to know people from everywhere and their culture.

Are you aware of the fact that 177 cultures are
represented in Amsterdam?
I knew that there were a lot of nationalities here. For example
I heard about a small neighborhood where about a hundred
languages are spoken. I want to live there.

Rosa Lekatompessy

June 28th 2008

Age: 11
Nationality: Indonesian, Dutch
Occupation: Still going to school
In Amsterdam: I was born here.

Why did you move to Amsterdam?
My parents did!

What do you like to do in Amsterdam?
Playing violin, dancing flamenco and horse riding,
writing and drawing designing dresses.

What do you think of Amsterdam street culture,
how the people dress, express themselves?
It is funny that there are so many different people and things,
it is also interesting because of the different styles;
gothic, hippies etc.

Did your style of clothing changed since you live here, and
because of what? These can be emotional, cultural reasons
or practical reasons such as weather or availability.
Now is the moment that I am busy to develop my own style
and I like it to find my own style.

Are you influenced by what you consider Dutch culture
or by any other culture represented in Amsterdam?
Maybe I am, it is difficult to say now, but afterwards I can.
I like the hair of my friend, she is from Ghana.

Are you aware of the fact that 177 cultures are
represented in Amsterdam?
I did not know that it are so many, it is just normal for me.
If I was searching for it, it would make me alert on it but now
it is just the way it is.

Magdalena Ptasznik

June 26th 2008

Age: 27
Nationality: Polish
Occupation: Sociologist, choreography student
In Amsterdam Over 1 year

Why did you move to Amsterdam?
The school I wanted to study at is situated here.

What do you like to do in Amsterdam?
Drinking coffee in nice places, visiting markets.

What do you think of Amsterdam street culture,
how the people dress, express themselves?
It’s really a second hand culture. This circulation of things,
not only clothes, really surprised me. People don’t dress too
elegant, and this I like. It’s really relaxed.

Did your style of clothing changed since you live here,
and because of what? These can be emotional, cultural
reasons or practical reasons such as weather or
availability.
Yes, It changed a bit. Mainly because of lack of money.
Before I was buying more clothes. Now as I have to pay the
school I have to recycle my clothes on and on. And also, I started
to use found and second hand clothes. There are two more
things. First, most of my time I spend in training clothes, often
I’m too lazy and tired to change. Second, my life became quicker,
the clothes decisions must be fast also.

Are you influenced by what you consider Dutch culture
or by any other culture represented in Amsterdam?
My environment here is really international. If I’m influenced
by something that would be the fact of mixing cultures rather
than one of them in particular.

Are you aware of the fact that 177 cultures are
represented in Amsterdam?
I see it’s very multicultural. I hardly know any Dutch. The city
it diverse. As a foreigner you don’t have to fit the norm.
But I’m sure it’s so easy to say that if you are here as a student,
not so easy if you are for example an economical emigrant.

Sophia de Hoog

June 20th 2008

Age: 16
Nationality: Dutch
Occupation: High school student
In Amsterdam: 12 years

Why did you move to Amsterdam?
My family and I were living in Leiden but then my mother wanted
to go to the theatre academy in Amsterdam, so we moved here.

What do you like to do in Amsterdam?
Sitting in the vondelpark and make funny movies and edit them.
The most I love to go shopping in vintage stores, I can walk
around in them for hours. I always find unique clothes and shoes.

What do you think of Amsterdam street culture,
how the people dress, express themselves?
The clothing in Amsterdam is part of the reason I love it here so
much. Everybody has a different style and dares to actually wear
it! Most people respect each other’s style. I think that is special,
you are never bored here because of the different styles. I am
almost never afraid to be myself.

Did your style of clothing changed since you live here, and
because of what? These can be emotional, cultural reasons
or practical reasons such as weather or availability.
Yes, it has definitely changed! I am sure that if I had still lived
in Leiden I would have looked very different. Amsterdam really
inspired me.

Are you influenced by what you consider Dutch culture
or by any other culture represented in Amsterdam?
I sure am. I now own certain pieces of clothing that I would
have never liked before. Because of Amsterdam I have come
to respect more clothing styles.

Are you aware of the fact that 177 cultures are
represented in Amsterdam?
Gosh! I didn’t know that! But you can see it everywhere. I think
it has happened slowly. First came the restaurants from different
cultures and now also shops and clothing. I think the more different
people come to Amsterdam, the more influence it has. You
can see it everywhere in each case and that makes Amsterdam
very cosy and social.

Betul

June 8th 2008

Age: 24
Nationality: Turkish, Dutch
Occupation: Student
In Amsterdam: 24 years

Why did you move to Amsterdam?
I live still at home with my parents. I have three sisters
and one brother. I am studying and working. I want to be
a pedagogue.

What do you like to do in Amsterdam?
Watch football games, listen to music, hanging out with
friends and investigate things.