Jeroen was born in 1968 in Amsterdam. Before moving to Norway, he lived in Haarlem. In 2006 he came to Norway with his wife and two children. They bought a house in Brøttum. The main reasons for Jeroen to settle in Norway were the beautiful scenery and the relatively sparse population.

In the Netherlands, Jeroen studied physics and had a commercial position in a research institute. He and his wife used to dream of living in Norway. In 2006 they decided that if they did not move then, they might regret not having tried for their whole lives.
Jeroen resigned from his job, sold their house and off they went to a new country. He wanted to start his own business in Norway, and because of their interest in outdoor life, they decided to start a shoe shop. For the first few months, he looked for a suitable place for the shop. During this period, he had plenty of time to spend with his family.

He opened the shop in 2006, and several years later moved it to a better location, with larger premises and a greater range of products. He really likes being his own boss. It gives him freedom and independence, but also great responsibility. He says that his shop is more a lifestyle than a normal job. He also collaborates with the Norwegian Trekking Association.
Jeroen and family now live on a small farm. He was offered the farm directly by the previous owner. The owner wanted to sell his house to Dutch people, and the only Dutchman he knew was the man who owned the shoe shop.

Jeroen has few friends in Norway. He thinks that it is difficult for older people to make friends, especially for people who do not speak the same language and therefore do not understand nuances. One thing he finds very positive is that people in Norway have more time for themselves; they have much less stress in everyday life and are less performance-oriented. Jeroen finds little envy among Norwegians with regard to money and material goods. He likes to go for walks and Norwegian legislation gives him the right to walk wherever he chooses.