Remco Stoutjesdijk

Remco Stoutjesdijk (30), is a researcher for Wolfson Microelectronics in Edinburgh, and has been in Scotland for just over a year.

He says that the Scottish working life suits him perfectly. "At Wolfson Microelectronics we build audio chips and try to find out how to make them cheaper and smaller to improve the quality of the products that use them.

"But to me, working in Scotland is quite different compared to the Netherlands. The workload in Scotland is much lighter and it’s not as busy. In the Netherlands it’s more stressful. So in comparison I find it relaxing working here," he says.

Remco not only finds working life relaxing, he also likes Scotland’s skyline. "I was born in Meppel in the Netherlands, and I used to live in Enschede, which is a city of about 150, 000 people,” he says. “My family come from the Netherlands as well. I don’t find Meppel that busy but it’s very cramped. I much prefer living and working in Scotland. Even though there are three times as many people living in Edinburgh than in Enschede it feels smaller. And there are no high-rise buildings ruining the skyline."

Apart from enjoying the views, Remco also enjoys working for a small company. He mentions, "I studied at the University of Twente in Enschede, which is on the East side of the Netherlands, near Germany. But there are several reasons why I decided to come to Scotland. There are five or six companies in the world that work within the same area as Wolfson and there is one in the Netherlands, where I have worked in the past.

"But I found that working for a large company means you don’t get a lot of opportunities and you end up doing the same things all the time. The company I work for in Edinburgh is smaller and my job is more varied; working in a smaller company means my job is more interesting."

Remco not only enjoys the variety of his job, he likes Scotland so much he doesn’t miss home. "Scotland is a good country," he says. "I don’t really miss the Netherlands. I go home three times a year on average. I went back last week and remembered why I don’t miss it! It has changed a lot, it’s more crowded and busy and people don’t give you the time of day. In Edinburgh, everyone is very friendly so you have a good chance of getting to know people so I’d much rather be here."

Apart from liking the friendly Scots, Remco also enjoys the spaciousness of Scotland. "All in all, the Netherlands and Scotland are the same, globally. But the Netherlands is cluttered and Scotland has a lot of space. Edinburgh is less populated and there’s more breathing space too," he says.

"But the best thing about Scotland is travelling around it, seeing the Highlands and enjoying the calm, peace and quiet.

"I would definitely recommend Scotland to people thinking about moving here, but maybe not too many people though – I want to keep it quiet!"

Related Links

• www.wolfsonmicro.com