Farah moved from Egypt to our city: ‘Zoetermeer is beautiful’

Farah El Hout walks in the spring sun with the pram along the Dobbeplas while her son Adam plays with a long branch. She enjoys the sun and her child playing while we talk to her.

The Egyptian Farah has only been living in Zoetermeer since December. In 2019 she moved from her mother country to the Netherlands. “My husband is Dutch and for him I left my family and came here.”

complicated language

It takes some getting used to for Farah in the Netherlands. She speaks a nice word of Dutch, but she finds the language difficult. “I speak French, English and Arabic, but I find Dutch difficult. I can make myself understood, but I still have a lot to learn. My daughter can’t speak Dutch at all yet, so I help her. Speaking the language is just important.”

Groceries in the Dorpsstraat

Farah lives with her family in the center and she takes her daily walk through the neighborhood. “I think the Burgemeester Aptrootpark and the Dobbe area are so beautiful. Adam loves the ducks. Zoetermeer is a quiet and green city. An ideal place for a young family. I’ve lived in Rijswijk and Scheveningen, but it’s nicer here. I also love the Dorpsstraat. I walk that way for my groceries.”

family ties

She left her parents, sisters, grandfathers, grandmothers, aunts, uncles, nephews and nieces behind to build a new future in our country. “I miss them terribly,” says Farah. “In Egypt we used to see each other two days a week. And then the whole family. Everyone gets together a few times a week. We chat, have a picnic or do other fun things. We were often together until late at night. I don’t see that in the Netherlands. It’s a really different culture.”

Nice, all those old cars

Farah also left her friends in Egypt. “I haven’t made any friends here yet, but I’d love to. I need to get to know the city a little better and meet people. I heard that the Oldtimerdag is next weekend in the Dorpsstraat. I’m going to take a look there. Nice, all those old cars. And then I also want to eat something at the Syrian diner Zaytoona. I love good food.”