Pedals, paint, and pixels: Orestis Spyrou’s Dutch journey
What do expats think of living in the Netherlands? In Dutch Diaries, foreigners share their experiences.
Published on June 13, 2025
Mauro swapped Sardinia for Eindhoven and has been an IO+ editor for 3 years. As a GREEN+ expert, he covers the energy transition with data-driven stories.
An engineer by background, an artist by heart, and an enthusiast of extended realities (XR), Orestis Spyrou moved to Wageningen in 2019. After studying at Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and working several jobs, he ventured into entrepreneurship, founding and leading Digi Fuzz Verse.
The company develops software with a focus on web 3D solutions, combining XR, three-dimensional models, and computer graphics. Orestis, hailing from the Greek city of Patras, found a place to express his art as both a musician and a painter.
Dutch Diaries
Getting a job opportunity, moving to a new country, and settling in are three moments every expat has experienced. But how does the Netherlands look in the eyes of the foreigners who move here for work? In our new series, Dutch Diaries, we bring the stories of expats who moved to the Netherlands to work in the tech and innovation sectors. Why did they decide to come here? What do they like the most about the Netherlands? What would they change?
View Dutch Diaries SeriesWhen did you first move to the Netherlands?
“I moved to the Netherlands six and a half years ago to pursue a Master’s degree in Biosystems Engineering at WUR.”
What do you recall about your first days here?
“I arrived in the Netherlands with a suitcase and a backpack full of dreams. I remember getting lost in Eindhoven, as my old phone’s GPS broke down and the compass started spinning in circles. On top of that, orientation in a flat land and with very similar neighborhoods between each other didn’t make it easier.
After this first inconvenience, I recall arriving in the neighborhood where I first lived, and it felt like the dream place to me, giving me the idea of a very clean and organized area. I really enjoyed the fact that I could easily hop on my bike and, in a few minutes, immerse myself in nature.”
How was your studying experience?
“It was a very intense one. Moreover, I was the first student in the Netherlands to defend my thesis in the metaverse.”
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What is your take on the Dutch working environment?
“Here I found all the room to express all of my talents, and luckily, I also had access to several opportunities during these years. In addition to that, it is also a good place for me to pursue my dream of producing music and touring with my band.”
What do you like most about living in the Netherlands?
“Since I was a child, I enjoyed cycling. However, doing so in Patras was never a safe thing, due to the traffic and the lack of biking lanes. Here, I can easily do that, and feel free to that extent.
Another thing that I love is the second-hand shops. I could buy my first drum set for €10. Without any other means of transportation, I carried it on my bike. It was, in a way, achieving two dreams that I had.”
What is a Dutch habit you don’t understand?
“There are a couple I didn’t initially get, but that I have now embraced. Initially, I didn’t develop the habit of eating while cycling. I couldn't understand how people could cycle and eat at the same time until I started snacking on my bike. The other one is carrying on your bike things you shouldn’t transport. Again, it happened to me to transport a mattress using my bike.”
What is that one thing that you would bring from Greece to the Netherlands?
“Greek hospitality and the sunshine energy, for sure.”
Do you see yourself living in the Netherlands in the future?
“Why not, and why not back and forth with Greece or wherever I will need to be. With the rise of new spatial technologies, the physical boundaries will belong to the past as the digital will be limitless. Besides that, I see myself living in the Netherlands in the coming years. I hope to contribute with my energy, art, and knowledge.”
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