ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the experiences of three diarists—Thérèse Geerlofs, Piet Oomes and Toos Avis—who arrived in Amsterdam after World War II, part of the first wave of post-war migrants from Indonesia. Through their diaries, we follow their reunions with family, experiences with the city and struggles with bureaucracy amidst post-war shortages. The chapter contrasts their expectations with the harsh reality of settling in a city still reeling from war. It also examines the institutions designed to help them adjust and highlights how their personal, social and cultural capital shaped their lives. Despite challenges, the diaries of young Geerlofs and Oomes offer a more optimistic view than the more typical negative accounts, portraying Amsterdam as a city of opportunity.
