One thing she likes about the Dutch is their well-known bluntness. “They are very direct, which I like,” Mecking said. “When you talk to them, you do not have to worry about how you phrase it because they will understand. If you are not a Dutch speaker, it takes a lot of pressure off of you, although it may come through as being rude.”

Education is also first rate in the Netherlands. Mecking said most Americans choose the American School of The Hague, an international school, or put their kids in local Dutch schools so they can learn the language and the culture.

But Olga and Nikolai chose a different educational path for Klara. “We chose an international school over public school,” she said, “because it has classes in German and additional Dutch language classes but still follows the local education curriculum. And, if there are enough children to warrant it, the school offers “mother tongue” support, in this case Polish language classes. Klara also is picking up English through her classmates, even though she is not formally studying the language. The local school would have been far more convenient for Klara because it is just minutes from our house. Instead, the international school is a 45-minute bus ride but it provides many more benefits.”

One aspect of life in the Netherlands is a bit disappointing for the family. “The food is definitely not like French or Italian,” she laughed. “We have a joke about Dutch restaurants. When we say ‘It is too Dutch’ we mean that the food is very simple and plain. A typical dish combines mashed potatoes with vegetables and sausage. I do think, though, that the Dutch sweets are delicious. I especially like the round waffle with a layer of caramel inside.”

Besides being a mom 24-hours-a-day, Mecking has her own blog called, The European Mama. She blogs about her life in the Netherlands, raising third culture kids, traveling, parenting and contributes guest blogs to similar websites.

“I also share recipes,” she said. “My parents are great cooks and are a source of many great recipes I publish.”

Is there anything that makes Mecking sad about living in The Hague? “I feel homesick sometimes even though we are so close to Germany and Poland. It is not that big of a problem, though. Imagine what it would be like if we lived in Australia.”

Mecking offered some advice for would-be expats: “Prepare yourself by reading as much as you can about the country you are moving to. Read all of the blogs about the country you can find. Reach out to expat groups on Facebook, local forums and country expat forums because you will need their help. Also, websites like MyInternationalAdventure provide lots of information on moving abroad and living and working in specific countries. If I had done more research, I probably would have been more prepared for understanding how direct the Dutch are!”