5 THINGS I wish Americans knew about the Netherlands and the Dutch

I recently made a video talking about what Americans might stereotypically think of the Netherlands. So in this video, I wanted to talk about what I wish Americans knew about the Dutch and about life in the Netherlands.
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I like to share my experiences of an American expat in the Netherlands. I describe both the unique and everyday aspects of Dutch culture, and life in Holland while enjoying every bit of it!
Blog website: www.dutchamericano.com
Instagram: DutchAmericano
Get in touch: [e-mail]
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[@martianpudding9522]

I think it's important to note that 'doe normaal' isn't about conformity, but more about being down to earth. We wouldn't usually tell someone to 'doe normaal' because they have a unique look or lifestyle or something like that (ofcourse assholes still exist), but more likely because they are being dramatic or fake.

[@iWhacko]

yeah it's more like: "Just act normal, then you're already quirky enough". (Doe maar normaal, dan doe je al gek genoeg)

[@Nynke_K]

I'm glad that that's mostly true, but I don't think all school kids got the memo! When I grew up in a small village, not being terribly normal led to a lot of bullying.

[@Apipoulai]

Hoge bomen vangen veel wind. Steek je hoofd niet boven het maaiveld.

[@maxw7118]

@@Apipoulai and just to annoy the teacher hoge bomen leveren veel brandhout high tree's deliver alot of firewood

[@pingienator]

This. So much. This distinction is too often lost in translation.

[@reiakari]

I am an American, and I miss the Netherlands so much! I am a wheelchair user, and in the US I tend to feel invisible among strangers at best and treated as a burden at worst. While I was in the Netherlands, I was not only the most independent in years (🇳🇱 so ♿ accessible! 🧡) but if I gave off any hint that I was stuck or in distress it didn't matter if they knew me or not, someone would come along and make sure that I got what I needed. No more, no less. When I was in Utrecht, one of the wheels came off of my wheelchair, and before I could even begin to panic about how I was going to get back to Blaricum (where I was staying), I had a group of strangers who tried to fix my chair and failing that arranged a nurse to drive me back to my friend's apartment (who arranged for a wheelchair specialist to come by the next day to fix my chair). There is just no way in hell I would have experienced that kind of unexpected kindness where I am now.

[@nielzzaa]

That's awesome to hear! I'm dutch and had to be in a wheelchair for about three years when I was younger. I viewed all the accessibility and kindness as 'normal' at that time. Now that I work in architecture I see how much effort we have to take to make literally everything accessible to wheelchair users, basically every place that is not a technical or maintenance room should be accessible for wheelchair users. It often gives us a lot of design problems but we solve them with love :) Also the kindness the dutch show when they see someone is in trouble is something really integrated in our culture. The saying "die help je dan toch even" is something you hear a lot here (there is no direct translation but it basically means "if you have nothing to lose you should just help") It's also something we pride ourselves with, so its nice to hear that it's appreciated!

[@cynthiamolenaar770]

Must be horrible to not experience that anymore just now....well hopefully this channel gives some awareness to people outside the netherlands

[@randar1969]

Yep they will do that here for sure no worries.

[@sanssheriff3829]

I've always been raised to do unto others as I would want to be done for/to me. This kind of helping is, to me, just the most obvious part of that.

[@jessicabudreau5602]

@@nielzzaa Hi, I saw your comment and I was wondering if you might be able to help me. My boyfriend and I are thinking of moving to the Netherlands, more specifically Breda, which we have heard is very wheelchair friendly. Can you tell me anything about the availability of accessible living residences, even if it’s not in Breda, just the Netherlands overall. Any help you can give would be very much appreciated!

[@bruceadler9709]

I lived in NL for 29 years and loved every minute of it. Unfortunately I had to move to Murica just as the Covid thing was starting in March. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about my time in NL and what a huge difference (much worse) it is here in the US. As soon as they lift he travel restrictions, I'm on the first flight back "home"! Love your videos Ava! The subjects you cover are something I can relate to very well! Thanks....keep 'em coming!

[@Toedeledokie77]

But how is it possible that you can’t back to Nl. The country you live for almost 30 years 😮 that’s awful 😞 Where do you live in US , where you haven’t live for so many years.

[@bruceadler9709]

@@Toedeledokie77 I have a US passport. At the moment US citizens are not allowed to travel to NL.I'm currently living in Florida

[@Eagles_Eye]

That’s sucks man, Hold on for a little bit it’s almost over, 2021 is looking good ( compared to 2020 hah)

[@Toedeledokie77]

@@bruceadler9709 that’s horrible so you was on a vacation trip in US and you couldn’t back home to Nl? US under Trump looks like a warzone. Why would people life there? Hopefully you can come back soon.

[@frith.calluna]

We'll be happy to have you back when you return ;)

[@raatroc]

"Eenvoud is niet het kenmerk van de beginner. Het is de duur bevochten stempel van de meester." Godfried Bomans

[@raatroc]

@jurriaan Adema Volgens de burgerlijke stand "Godfried Jan Arnold"

[@MrMezmerized]

From what I've heard from other expats is that Dutch parents give their kids a lot of freedom compared to others. And in elementary school there's no homework. Lots of time to explore, develop, learn about responsibility and choices. And they are taught tolerance, and they are given a voice. They feel they matter. You can imagine this has a huge and lasting impact on emotional wellbeing.

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

Isn't that normal everywhere?

[@MrMezmerized]

@@baronvonlimbourgh1716 Judging from videos and comments of people from various other nations, it isn't. Not to such an extent. And it's not just the relaxed parenting they find remarkable, they see that the Netherlands is usually safe and infrastructure is the best in the world for cycling, so kids can go visit friends and do whatever on their bikes on their own. And so they are allowed to, from a very young age.

[@PyrusFlameborn]

"This was just 10 bucks" This is not playing it down. They're adding onto your compliment. Not only is it a nice sweater, it was a great deal as well! We don't directly equate price with value. It's more of a price/value ratio. That sweater being nice and cheap makes it even better than a sweater that is equally as nice but expensive.

[@Nynke_K]

this is perfectly embodied by how my stepmom, whenever she tells us about a great new item that she's found for her home, always adds 'Action'! in a note of pride because she got it at the cheapest shop imaginable :)

[@StephanSpelde]

YES! This!

[@mrjules1982]

I don't wanna spoil your party here but please look into the reasons why you can get these things at that cost. Most of us can afford a little more for a little less and not contribute to what pretty much comes down to slavery or modern-day feudalism, right?

[@mandarintomato9205]

@@mrjules1982 Exactly

[@MrTubularBalls]

@@mrjules1982 Newsflash: your expensive clothes were made in sweatshops too.

[@dahemper]

I read a study somewere about the hapiness of Dutch children. It said it was also about independence at a young age, and children being valued comunity members. Dutch kids can grab a bike and go to their friends or soccer practice or whatever, without having to wait for mom or dad to drive them. Also adults listen to kids opinions more, and children interact with adults one a more equal level in discussions and are incouraged to do so. Don't know if this makes sense to you?

[@Remcojohnson]

(#i life her) yes thats i once road and article saying that *(in this case ) children in the usa always get driven to soccer practice or cant really go out withput there parents,tho i do not really know how most parents in the us raise there kids

[@rodneyr5970]

Ive got a 6 year old (I'm Dutch) and a 2 year old. The 6 year olds opinion matters just as much to me as moms opinion. He is still a kid and i take that into consideration, but he is also just a human trying to make his point. He can go to the playground by himself and if he wants to ride a bike then we go with him on the bike. Contrary to that we have rules. But as long as he proves that he can be responsable, he can do whatever he wants.

[@jezusdeflikker5995]

sucker is for losers! Football, Cause you play it with you foots. Not with your hands. And football isn`t bad habbit rugby, for suckers with loser rules

[@kaydesign]

Kids are happy here because they have a lot of freedom. They can walk and bike on there own. And yes, the chocolate sprinkles 😜

[@Linda-hs1lk]

What is typical Dutch (although it's a bit less strict nowadays) is dinner at 6pm. When I grew up you didn't DARE calling someone on the phone at that hour, people were having dinner and that was (and luckily in many families still is) a very important time of the day and you didn't disturb that. Not just for the food but at the table kids tell what they did in school, parents tell their stories, etc. It's an important family time. We also use to plan our next vacation at the dinner table.

[@mariozaal]

Ja klopt voor mij was dat altijd 17:30 uur.

[@willy4170]

It is funny because in south europe, at 6 pm is early even to take an apertitif 🤣

[@thelastdutchman91]

Very true

[@ffqm]

Not really the case anymore. Most people are not even home yet at 6pm from work. This was a thing for older generations where the wife stayed at home and the men worked from 9-5.

[@jenn2839]

What other time is there to plan your vacations if not during dinner time?

[@ziggystardog]

Per the community aspects of Dutch culture, I suppose my existence owes in part to this. My mother (who is British) was scheduled to be engaged as a nanny to a family known to my father’s cousin in den Hague, but there was miscommunication on when she would arrive. When she didn’t show up as expected the neighborhood was alerted and people were concerned and looking for her. She was off staying with some friends and partying and having a good time. When she showed up days later, people were relieved but my father was angry that she caused so much trouble, so he wrote a stern letter to her about how irresponsible she was. She in turn became angry, and decided to jilt him to teach him a lesson. It didn’t work, and they eventually married, emigrated to the States and had four children. My Christmases and New Years were punctuated with parcels of chocolate sprinkles and other goodies and oliebollen and apfel beignets. Their dinners are still at 6 and later he played Saint Nicholas at their church, handing out chocolate coins and such. They was a general shared joy of kids being kids, and adults enjoying them as such and we were given similar freedoms that Dutch kids enjoy and each had our own bicycle etc. Contrast this to the helicopter parenting of my siblings, and I think at least as kids we were allowed happier, carefree childhoods. Perhaps it’s naive idealism to think you can still have this in the States, but at least we were allowed to be kids for a time.

[@AreHan1991]

We have the same slogan here in Norway, "Take care of each other", used on everything from public ads about COVID, to supermarkets, cafés and shops. And yes: we also stop and interfere if we see someone in an accident/mishap. It's just normal human impulse

[@Beaumont6]

Scandinavians are very similar to the Dutch. Every time I go to Sweden or Norway I feel very much at home there. Except the price of beer, I can't get used to that in Norway ;)

[@sarahhawke5729]

Isn't it just normal I mean I am a Dutchman but living in England I still see the same kindness and if I don't I will introduce them to my Dutch kindness it is a matter of good manners not just saying: thank you but showing them that you mean it and be helpful the area I live is respective but I don't think it is a nationality thing to be kind

[@sanssheriff3829]

@@sarahhawke5729 It might be a European thing then, but more likely just a non-american thing.

[@MusicJunky3]

I think there is even a law that says "you can't abandon people in distress" . Not to mention the ultimate crime as a "hit and run driver..."

[@ArrowRaider]

It is probably the opposite in the US. By meddling, you are opening yourself up to get sued.

[@MusicJunky3]

@@ArrowRaider That's just sad.

[@anjelmusic]

@@ArrowRaider I don't know about in general, but I have taken CPR classes in both the US and the NL and in the US they stopped teaching mouth to mouth because people sue over getting ill from being saved. Also over broken ribs.

[@markjacobs1086]

@@anjelmusic huh, I'd rather live and have broken ribs than my ribs being fine but me being dead... 🤔

[@cynthiamolenaar770]

@@anjelmusic that’s your biggest problem. Being a prisoner of fear of law suits... here in The Netherlands we give common sense the first right. The story of the microwave conpany getting sewed because a lady put her dog in the microwave and it died and it was not mentioned in the papers that one shouldn’t do that. In athe Netherlands the judge would say you could have known the dog would die by common sense.

[@beldin2987]

Top 3 things to know about the Netherlands, that especially "shock" americans who think good music doesn't exist anymore these days 1. Floor Jansen / Nightwish (finish band actually) 2. Sharon Den Adel / Within Temptation 3. Simone Simons / Epica greetings from Germany 🤘🏼

[@erikaverink8418]

I totally agree kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5fYXqyGa9Zpfc0 just a cover from yesterday

[@beldin2987]

@@erikaverink8418 Also just released 2 days ago : kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIixlayhhr5pr7M

[@renskevanderhaagen5813]

Too bad they don’t get much air time on Dutch radio

[@pantserbeest5583]

4. Charlotte Wessels/Delain

[@Gorerupted]

that's the soft side of dutch metal :p more enjoyable stuff from here are Rectal Smegma, Rompeprop, Deinonychus, God Dethroned, Altar (with Edwin Kelder, not that other band), Izegrim, Legion of the Damned, The Lucifer Principle and more ;)

[@iWhacko]

I love, how by calling out our little customs etc, it makes me appreciate my country and it's little quirks even more :)

[@jannegeraedts9251]

One important reason dutch children are happy, is that competition is not encouraged. There is no ranking in schools. If you don't have to compete, it is much easier to make friends and to feel good about yourself.

[@chrislaarman7532]

I remember a soccer referee beaten to death by an on-looking father.

[@tomm4073]

Oh girl, you would make a wonderful ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

[@TurboPepsi]

A lot better than that Pete guy! He's ignorant!

[@onnol917]

@@TurboPepsi and a lying pos

[@ror8456]

She is! And speaking of quirky Dutch traditions: can somebody put her up for a 'lintje' not too far in the future? 🎖️

[@Jod3lay]

Watching your videos is like being a tourist in my own country. I really appreciate it so much more now! Thank you, fellow Dutchie 😉

[@saarwoop]

I read somewhere that dutch children are happier because we let them be free: parents don't watch them too closely. They are allowed to walk or bike to school on their own at a fairly young age, they are allowed to go to playgrounds on their own, to the supermarket etc. In the US this would be a no go.

[@DutchAmericano]

I can see that!

[@iWhacko]

Yeah, coincidentally I read the other day that it's even punishable by law in some states to leave a child under 13 alone without supervision or someone to watch. They call it abandonment. It's crazy, I would walk to school by myself from age 8 or something. And my parents would let me and my sister be home alone (for a little while of course), since I was 10. Then again, the neighbors would know, and we could call them anytime.

[@mart8258]

Not Just Bikes has made a very interesting video on that topic called Why We Won't Raise Our Kids in Suburbia (and moved to the Netherlands instead)

[@iWhacko]

@@mart8258 Yeah that is a great one!

[@amyloriley]

@@iWhacko The video for the curious: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q53Cqa2veKmHb5o

[@TheEvertw]

Miffy was born in Utrecht, I love how the council uses that.

[@francinewillemsen7214]

Her name is Nijntje!

[@chrislaarman7532]

I don't think I saw Miffy (Nijntje), but I definitely saw a Dick Bruna character in the video. I admire the works of Bruna.

[@smurfiennes]

Nijntje ❤️

[@Grunn007]

Again great video Ava. Every time your video's make me more aware of our culture. We are a complaining bunch of people, and video's make me realize that we are doing fine in this little country. Besides that your energy and positiveness makes gives me a possitive vibe.

[@myrrhsense]

Your videos make me appreciate my country so much more! Pretty certain I'll never leave western Europe 😄

[@eefneleman9564]

I'm so glad to hear you're happy to live here! A lot of Dutch people are complaining about everything nowadays (not saying they're wrong), but it's nice to see an 'outsiders' look into our country. Thank you so much.

[@manicantsettleonausername6789]

Such a sweet video, loved it!

[@fullmoonmwithagen8841]

nice to hear this things!

[@xMarble]

The hours you work extra don't always convert in holiday hours. You can also have them be paid hours as overtime. This depends on the situation and where you work.

[@BettieBoeBoeppidoe]

Keep up the good work. It is Fun watching you!😊

[@ericdecler]

Love you eye for angles for new topics! Always very interesting! You really deserve more views!!

[@legomattie3295]

Worth mentioning at nr5: gourmette with relatives / friends during christmas, or even better, complaing about each type of weather

[@jjbankert]

also top2000 in the week leading up to new years, and traditional or board games on new years eve

[@jiriwichern]

Chicken, fries and apple sauce at children's birthday parties. Either hot chocolate or 'snert' (a thick pea soup) in winter after ice skating... or, at new-years day, the 'Nieuwjaarsduik'. The Saint Nicolas celebrations (actually one of the major inspirations for the American Santa-Claus and the gift giving traditions at Christmas time) 'Wasdag' (washing day), 'gehaktdag' (meat loaf day) and 'visdag' (fish day) for Monday., Wednesday and Friday.

[@nagranoth_]

Well, gourmette really seems to be a Holland thing. I'm 42 and Dutch, and until last year I'd never even heard of other Dutch people doing that at Christmas.

[@teddybeer87]

Love your vids. Could you make a vid about your top 5 or 10 favorite shops/stores in The Netherlands?

[@jeroen669]

Watching your videos makes me grateful being born and raised here.

[@timboy103]

Love the new cards and music. And the sound is at a good volume now! Keep up the great video's . And free time is part of out constitution, its artikel 22!

[@pariadehnavi]

I am going to move to the Netherlands in 2 weeks !Like your channel ,waiting for more videos !👏👏

[@mandarintomato9205]

I hope you’ll enjoy the experience!

[@pariadehnavi]

@@mandarintomato9205 Thank you!

[@Skzlovur7]

Hey, you should be here by now! How are you enjoying our country?

[@pariadehnavi]

@@Skzlovur7 Nederland is een heel mooi land! Ik moet aan Nederlandse cultuur wennen !Ik vind de Nederlandse taal een beetje moeilijk maar ik studeer elke dag om beter te praten :)

[@Skzlovur7]

Oh, ja hoor dat snap ik wel! Nederlands is een van de lastigste talen. (Translation for if you need it) Oh, yeah I get it! Dutch is one of the hardest langueges to learn.

[@pjotrh]

Happy thanksgiving Eva!

[@Rob2]

When you want to get oliebollen on dec 31st you can take a short bike ride to Vroeg in Vechten (Bunnik), also shown in the video in the shot about local products. They have very nice oliebollen freshly baked and sold in their restaurant.

[@elsvanzwoll]

You make me feel so good about my country and my life. So thanks for that and i’m happy you love living here 👍🏼 Ps i don’t like asperges and hate haring 😅😂 but give me a tompoes every day 😂

[@macmartin86]

About the biking: it's good to figure out how to brake before you get on your bike, next time when you operate anything, figure out all the controls before operating any machinery, will save you some headaches and bruises next time ;)

[@richardbrinkerhoff]

In NJ it was common to bring new neighbors a casserole or invite them over for coffee. The towns also had a Welcome Wagon organization that provided information packages for new residents.

[@gertvanderstraaten6352]

White asparagus is grown and very popular especially in Limburg and eastern Brabant and across the border in Germany. A very Dutch food thing is if you visit someone with a newborn you get beschuit met muisjes, a double-baked bread that's a lot like toast with anise-seed which is covered in a thin layer of blue (for a boy) or pink (girl).

[@Dutchbelg3]

Hey Eva, It is fun to watch this video as you are very observant in indeed these little quirks we Dutchies have. We take on anything to be able to sit together and enjoy something trivial as Herring or Aspergus. It is not so much the product but more of a gathering thing. Gezellig ! :-) On the topic of Dutchies helping each other out: I wish we would do this even more than we already do. Sometimes you read about people drowning and nobody jumps in and all are watching. And all the voilence against innocent people. People do have this "I am not going to interfere" mentality. Also in The Netherlands. If I am in such a situation I feel the same "don't interfere" emotion but still I try to be more active to help out. To go against my instinct. If nobody helps ..nobody helps. Hope I make any sense to you ;-) Have a great day !!

[@maxrigter5869]

This was another really nice video. And everything you say is correct, as a Dutchman I also like to hear what you think of our country and its inhabitants and such things. Until the next episode. Bye Bye

[@generaldreagonlps6889]

Already looking forward to 31 december to make a ton of oliebollen myself.

[@ralfhamstra9631]

Love ur vids,. Please visit Terschelling during Oerol,.. next year😂😥😥

[@eshel1954]

I'm an American, and I would definitely have helped that lost little girl. New Yorkers don't reflect all of America.

[@philsarkol6443]

As in Amsterdam doesn't reflect all of the Netherlands..

[@pieterstroobach]

Nowadays the first day that the first batch of "Hollandse nieuwe" arrives after the winter is called vlaggetjesdag (Little flag day)

[@chrislaarman7532]

1) As I understand it, Vlaggetjesdag is local to Scheveningen (a fishing community merged into The Hague, in mid-June (if possible, see below). But retail never misses a cause... 2) As I (almost vegan) understand it, Nieuwe Haring says something about the (very short) lives of the herring caught, not reaching reproductive age, something like that.

[@Meine.Postma]

During winter if you can skate outside: "Koek en zopie" which these days means a cart that sells "snert" (thick pea soup with sausages etc.) or hot chocolate.

[@sandersteman8800]

Dat is al een aantal jaar geleden. Schaatsen. Climatechange wie zijn de schuldigen.

[@jaspervanregteren4559]

Heej Eva! I love your wat of looping at the Dutch. I am a dutchie myself and i am learning from you! Thanks!

[@juliamezachjm]

You have to see paleis het Loo in Apeldoorn, i think you can visit anytime but During the winter its all decorated and really beautifull

[@1336mg]

It's being renovated. It will take a few years you can go there again.

[@juliamezachjm]

@@1336mg oh damn thats true i forgot hahah

[@sharonwillems2910]

Hi Ava! Thank you so much for your great videos, it's really interesting to see what you have to say about the Dutch and American culture. Would you like to make a video in Dutch in the future? :)

[@DutchAmericano]

Thank you, and I would like to, for sure!

[@frankhooper7871]

England has some of our own 'little customs' too - you always know when Lent is upon you when every supermarket you go into has displays of pancake mix, lemon juice, sugar - got to have your pancakes on Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras). Then after that come hot cross buns and chocolate eggs for Easter. Mind you, hot cross buns seem to arrive earlier these days and stay around longer. And, of course, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without mince pies. And Christmas dinner just *has* to include sprouts...even for those that hate them [not me! I love sprouts]

[@robvanlent1008]

Thanks to clarify! I love watching video's how others look at us. So I can see what is strange for you is normal for me.

[@deheerschappij]

Oliebollen are also staples at the Kermis ;)

[@hkelder1956]

Not all dutch are alike though. I hate herring, but I like oliebollen. I don't have any wooden shoes, but I do hang de red-white-blue flag out on kingsday. I do not live in a windmill and I do not even like the dutch weather. My car is Czech, my laptop Chinese and my TV korean. But I am proud of my little country.

[@nannejandejong7112]

About happiness: the freedom of fear. When I lose my job I get social benefitt. I won't loos my home because I still can pay the reant. I still will have easy accest to healthcare. Maybe I have to sell my car, but we bike very much.And public transport is good, as you explained. Plus we have (after Denmark) the best pensionssystem in the world.

[@komkwam]

Ja maar na verloop van tijd, als je dan geen nieuwe baan hebt kunnen vinden, belandt je in de bijstand en dat is echt geen rozengeur en maneschijn. Het UWV zit je dan achter je broek aan om nog harder naar een baan te zoeken. Terwijl uit onderzoek allang is gebleken dat de keiharde aanpak/opstelling van het UWV veel stress en dus allerlei gezondheidsklachten met zich meebrengt bij de mensen in de bijstand. Wat weer resulteert in een extra belasting is op de gezondheidszorg. Maar ja, de politiek en de belastingdienst/UWV zijn dan ook erg halsstarrige instanties.

[@nannejandejong7112]

@@komkwam Eind vorige eeuw ben ik 10 jaar werkloos geweest, heb 7 jaar een bijstandsuitkering "genoten". Ik weet wat arm in Nederland is. Maar anders dan in de USA heb ik altijd mijn huur kunnen betalen en ik heb nooit honger geleden. In de USA had ik het een stuk zwaarder gehad, was vermoedelijk dakloos geworden, had geen toegang tot medische zorg gehad. Helaas wordt er Nederland honger geleden, en te veel kinderen groeien in armoede op. Dat voedselbanken nodig zijn in dit rijke land is eens schande. De bijstandsnorm is te weinig om fatsoenlijk van te leven. Hopelijk wordt het minimumloon opgetrokken. Over een paar dagen mogen we stemmen!

[@JanHouben]

Have you already spent some time in Belgium/Flanders? It would be interesting to hear what you think of us 😏. I live in a small belgian village on the dutch border, and have many dutch friends. Besides the obvious differences (dialect, much worse road infrastructure and city planning,....), I think there are many similarities as well. thank you for the very interesting videos!

[@MrTubularBalls]

Flanders has a very different culture (or cultures) imho. Of course there are similarities, and Limburgers are probably the same on both sides of the border. But the histories diverged after 16th century, because the reformation succeeded in the Netherlands but failed in Belgium (more or less).

[@benbelgam]

@@MrTubularBalls Hmm ... When one of our countries national soccer teams gets kicked out of the World Cup or doesn't make it, we still support the other countries team, don't we? There's definately something of a love/hate relationship between the Netherlands and Belgium, but in the end, we're still "close" imho.

[@classesanytime]

Start in Baarle Nassau/Baarle hertog and then blend in in the Belgian culture which is as fantastic as the Dutch, they even got better chocolate and better beer 😉

[@sandraude1]

@@MrTubularBalls brabanders lijken anders meer op vlamingen dan op friezen

[@erik5374]

The “little local custom” of Utrecht happened 2 weeks ago: St. Maarten. 11th of november.

[@sandersteman8800]

In Weesp ook normaal, maar ja corona.

[@markjacobs1086]

Haha, my colleague complemented me on my coat & I did exactly what you described... Told him it only cost me €60,- in germany and was well crafted fake leather 😆.

[@truusjenskens8485]

Eva have you tried the Erwtensoup? Boerenkool, zurekool, andijviestamppot, hutspot, gebakken aardappels and all the food dutch eat every day? Yes we have oliebollen, appelbeignets, huzarensalade, for new year....for christmas we have the kerststol (luxury raisinbread) , for Sinterklaas we have taaitaai cookies, pepernoten, chocolate letters, marsepeijn and so on.....I don't think they have all that in the USA.

[@hansvandiejie]

I hated asperages untill my (new) wife bought them from a specialized farm, Together with good ham, boiled egg bits, parsley, small potatoes , a sauce and melted butter- man oh man, I have become addicted!

[@claudiagoedkoop9665]

I know you live in Utrecht. Please take your bike, go on the train to Hollandsche Rading. ( Is next to Utrecht) and make a wonderful bike ride to Lage Vuursche. Eat at the best Pannekoekenhuis "De Vuursche Boer", or just go the the restaurant ' De Lage vuursche " and enjoy the nostalgic everything. You will love it! ( I'm Dutch and live in Santa Monica, CA) I love your videos.

[@MP-rj1ud]

Thx. Dutch Americano, a great list for a small but beautiful country, The Netherlands

[@jenn2839]

We believe at younger ages it's more important kids get to play outside, develop friendships and generally learn about the world around them, than math and physics homework. Those things are for ages 12 and up. These kinds of things contribute to the happiness of children.

[@robertboender5816]

Doe normaal is a way of living coming from the Golden age. Most money was made by the middle man. And in Dutch society you still have a system that pulls you to the middle. Kind of membrane that pulls you down when you go to high and pulls you up when you go to low. The tax system also works like this but it's almost ingrained in Dutch way of living. So Doe Normaal keeps you in the middle, the best place to be :-)

[@LMvdB02]

And it's part of our Calvinist culture.

[@WdZ88]

8:22 I’m not sure I agree that a compliment on our clothes makes us uncomfortable. The go-to reply of where it’s from and how much it cost, is probably just bc we can’t help but want to tell people what a great deal we got.

[@Roozyj]

Maybe it's more that we tend to be happier with cheap things. If you buy a sweater for 100 euros and someone says it's nice, a part of you will think "Well, it better be nice indeed, this was two weeks worth of food!" while if you pay 10 euros for a sweater and someone says it's nice, you can share your happiness about finding such a nice sweater for so little money xD

[@shrike6259]

Je moet ons toch eens een Jip en Janneke verhaaltje voor lezen :-)

[@MHH3180]

I RETIRED to the number of work hours you mentioned. It has been o erwhdlmingly wonderful.

[@dannymolfilmpie]

well observed!

[@mrjules1982]

Asparagus? Try mussel season if you wanna go deeper (hehe... deeper, cos they're underwater...). Only eat Mussels in the months with an 'r' in their name. (And eat them as much as you can during those months)

[@lindabroer8995]

Our work life balance is the reason we are happy. We take the time to enjoy our lives.

[@marijncornelissens1353]

I am living in Groningen. We have the big city approach as you call it. People come and go. I know some of my neighbors forenames, but that is about it. Maybe Amsterdam is more like a village idea. I lived in Amsterdam so i actually know ;).

[@anilogo682]

Can you give more examples of little costums?

[@Apipoulai]

12:55 try the nieuwjaarsduik in 2022!

[@classesanytime]

Live and let live (freedom of personal choices and not having to follow the majority or trends). Social control (taking care of each other in any way possible).

[@iamTheSnark]

First, I ask if someone wants and/or needs help (not everyone wants it) but yes, it happens a lot that I help someone in the street.

[@daankromhout9701]

The 29th of this month (November) is sint pannenkoek, I hope you enjoy this celebration day

[@mandarintomato9205]

Never even heard of it!

[@wimschoenmakers5463]

You now a lot about us. It's almost scary! 😁

[@Nynke_K]

12:09 I'm sure your girlfriend has told you this since shooting the video, but both of these words have initial stress and a schwa at the end: ['hɔlɑntsə 'niwə]! (linguists represent!) Also, I miss white asparagus! And I hope you're enjoying the Sinterklaas season in terms of pepernoten and speculaas :)

[@10animallover10]

Yes we do that too at home. ordering food in to show some support for the 'horica'. We do want to take care of each other or help each other if we can. Having a more healthy diet (begetables and fruit for not too much money) and excersice (bikes) can have big effects on a lot of things. Including height/weight and also happiness apperently. We also take more time to recharge; work to life, not live to work like you stated. Less stress certainly also plays a role in happiness. However I must admit that unfortunately, I do notice more and more that it's beginning to tevolve more on competitiveness in these times than in the past, which couses more pressure and stress, esspecially our generation (twenties and thirties). Someone else said it probably but the motto 'Doe normal' does not mean 'don't act different' or 'don't stand out'. We are actually decently accepting of other opinions, thoughts, hobbies, lifestyles etc. But we don't like assholes, disrespect behavior, too much drama, being obnoxious and indeed, fake. SO that's when we use the sentence 'Doe normaal'. To call out behaviour I stated. We are actually decently accepting of other opinions, thoughts, hobbies, lifestyles etc. But we don't like assholes, disrespect behavior, too much drama, being obnoxious and being 'fake'. So that's when we use the sentence 'Doe normaal'. To call out behaviour I stated. 'Status' is less of a thing here. Maybe that's also what contributes to that. Very true, we talk a lot about our hobbies and interests :3 We are curious to each others' tastes etc, trying to find some similarities, being stimulated to try new stuff and learn new stuff. I for one love watching movies/series, I write short stories sometimes, love animals/nature/walking, play games with friends sometimes and like to do some sports (self defense and work-outs). I have more time now due to corona though so yeah but still. (the time and energy, outside corona time, derives I think maybe from our overall more healthy diet, excersice and not working overhours if not needed so we have more time to do other stuff and sleep decently normal nights.

[@yvesgysel9834]

As having a Dutch father and a Belgian mother, having lived in the USA for 3 years. Americans are to busy with their work and themselves. As here in the Netherlands, we find private time very important as well. Indeed, if you see someone falling in the street, People with immediately ask the person, if he/her is fine and if you need help. It is not to emberrase the person, but is considered normal human reaction. In the USA on the other hand, people just pass by.

[@DamaxThomas]

Thank you for sharing those immaterial things that the Netherlands the Netherlands

[@PendelSteven]

11:48 This is why I don't think I've ever worked on 31 dec. As a reason to why I asked 31 Dec 2021 off already just the other week: that's oliebollenbakeday. Okay, I wrote: 'dat is oliebollenbakdag', but that is probably the best translation. This means I make my own dough from scratch, so that's best done before lunch, then it will rise during lunchhour +- and then we bake a lot of oliebollen. That has been part of my last day of the year since I was a teenager. And no, not every Dutch gets so involved in oliebollen that day, but... It's a household tradition where I live. Quicky much? :)

[@Paul_C]

I'm exactly the opposite: I always tried to work during Xmas, New Year, Easter, and all other mandatory 'free' days. Basically it were those days that were a joy to work, even when all the Netherlands decided to take the ov everywhere. But that was probably just me and a few others. 🤗

[@ernestvanophuizen461]

Your picture of the American none-of-my-business attitude does put he-who-must-not-be-named's statement of "I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose voters" into context. Although concerning the Dutch eagerness to help a stranger, speaking as someone who is neither a beautiful young woman nor a crying unattended toddler (well, most of the time), I'd say that Your Mileage May Vary. Glad to hear your experiences have been overwhelmingly positive, though.

[@In1998able]

Het zijn kleine dingen die het doen. Die het doen. (from a song van Paul (last/familie name??) It's the little/ small things witch are in important then bigger things

[@thephilosopherofculture4559]

One of the little pleasures that Americans seem to miss out on is 'speculaas' (speculoos I think it is called in English, as it is in French, it is NOT gingerbread (Dutch": taai-taai")) and the difference between Sinterklaas (which translates as Saint Claus) and Santa Claus. Santa Claus is an invention of an advertising agency for Coca Cola in the 1920's. They blended elements of Christmas with an old German-Dutch custom and mixed it all up in a Disney-like palatable, easy to digest and funny but pleasant fairy tale, just to sell Coca-Cola, would you believe it?! And now, Americans think Santa Claus is for X-mas and comes through the sky with reindeer and a sled, which of course is more fun than a steamer coming from Spain to unload a white horse, an old grumpy fellow, and an army of helpers who look like blacks but are actually chimney sweeping artists who throw 'speculaas' and other candy as if they were sowing plowed fields. These helpers ("black petes") also carry bags full of presents for kids who have been 'good' and to put the bad kids in to take them back to Spain for re-education, after having hit them with a rod made out of twigs. And ALL of this is broadcasted on national television by means of a real news channel called "Het Sinterklaas Journaal" on a daily basis weeks in advance. Kids love it. And then we make little anonymous poems to make fun of the person who receives a present. Combined with hot chocolate milk and sing along songs, it gets you through many hours of fun in the dark cold evenings of December 5th. How's that for "roasting chestnuts on an open fire' (a man's thing) and then unpack the presents all in one go (it took 10 minutes when I was there). Anyway, 'speculaas' (a spicy cookie based on "allspice' (Dutch: "piment')) comes in various forms, like imitation money, called pepper nuts (Dutch: pepernoten) , chunks ("speculaasbrokken"), thin cookies ("speculaasjes"), and, most surprisingly perhaps, giant cookie dolls of one to two foot in size that take weeks to eat ("speculaaspoppen"). But beware, a Chicago DJ friend of mine became addicted to 'speculaas' and when back in the USA, had to send for it on a regular basis for a year to wean herself off of it! LOL

[@thiasusofficial4785]

I also feel embarrassed when i fall of the bike and there's people helping me :)

[@timkaspers8955]

After covid you should look in a vacation at the trains from Amersfoort centraal to Amsterdam centraal, you will never see a train so full😂😂

[@jpfoto64]

Hey.i think this would interrest you about dutch kids and theire happyness

[@royvoncken2082]

I think where so happy cause we have 1275 festivals here in the Netherlands each year(if I'm not mistaking) hihihi. Ps. Of course non corona years

[@Londronable]

I work with a lot of construction workers and during the peak months(we place swimming pools in Belgium in the Ghent/Brugge region) we have often that for example a person works 10 hours on a single day. 9th hour is payed at 130%. Anything over a 9th hour is put in holidays.(they could just get paid at 150% but that's taxed A LOT so not really useful for anyone, costly for us as a business and the person doesn't take a lot home). So because of the work load we often have construction workers who once a month take say, a Thurs and Friday off for a longer weekend as a result. So sure, some heavy months around this time(May) but they have a lot of vacation days in exchange. And yea, I work a full time 38 hours/week. I'll never accept a position where I have to give a shit about my job outside of those hours. I'm aware some things aren't going too well in the company but hey, not my fucking problem. I do my job for the time I'm paid and leave me alone for the rest of the week.

[@yvobroekhoven972]

have you ever realised the rhythm of the blinking of your eyes really matches the rhythm of your speach?

[@francinewillemsen7214]

If you like biking it is nice to go by bike from Utrecht to Houten. Houten won twice the title of biking-city of the Netherlands. Here the fastes way to get anywhere is by bike.

[@zorrowv8045]

Or you can visit East Netherlands and enjoy the Fietssnelweg F35 (www.fietssnelwegf35.nl/)

[@stefkesgts]

I think the Dutch should be more proud of what we achieved. Of course a lot of thing go wrong, but still it is one of the best countries in the world to live in. 🇳🇱

[@AL3XQUEST]

Better a good neighbor than a distant friend

[@Paul_C]

Right, the first thing you want to do were you to visit Tilburg, at the appropriate time that is, Roze Maandag. Next year that would be on July 19th.

[@mariadebake5483]

That would be the one day in the year NOT to visit! Terrible day, all these people, you can't go shopping, doing things, anything! I live in Tilburg by the way so I know what I'm talking about

[@robinnoel7041]

Well we have Learned from the past that we are strong together , we wer in war with the English , the french and Spain.. So when we had our own country , we started to work together , on the land , on the sea.. we worked together and started one of the biggest trade company's in the world called the VOC . We made this great country by helping each other out.

[@Skzlovur7]

The hobby thing is so true! Let me think wha my hobbies are... Guitar, singing, acting, biking and drawing... I am clearly a Dutch person xD

[@anjelmusic]

You hit on some of the reasons I keep trying to give my Dutch friends of why I want to move there! (Yet they all reply "yeah, but the US is cheaper" - you get what you pay for!) Also it's a bid sad for the US that you spend HALF the video talking about how people are so unhelpful in the US :( (And worse, we're suspicious of people who do help! - They must have ulterior motives!)

[@bruceadler9709]

Yeah, instead of helping, they first look to steal the person's wallet, jewelry and anything else they can get their grubby little hands on.....and wait for someone else to come along to help the person. Sad, but true

[@arnoudduyvesteyn855]

You missed Kruidnoten at Sinterklaas.

[@smurfiennes]

You'd be surprised how many people get hurt from innocent falling during biking, esp during wet or icy weather

[@RichardRenes]

now you need to learn the secret Dutch handshake ;)

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

Sssst.

[@bjenzegerritsen5093]

Have u ever went to carnaval? In Brabant in februari.