7 Things that ANNOY ME in the Netherlands | American Expat in the Netherlands

There's A LOT I love about the Netherlands, but in this video, I wanted to share things that annoy me in the Netherlands. These are small things about life in the Netherlands as an expat that can be difficult, and also little things about me that don't quite seem to mix with the Dutch way of life.
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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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[@ketterr]

You shouldn't feel bad about complaining. It's one of the most Dutch things to do, you're just becoming one of us!

[@Clownie_Smiles]

True, it's the national past-time

[@ettepet9308]

Lol. I think complaining is universal. Not necessarily the things people complain about or how it is expressed. The Dutch are perhaps more complacent, but you have more leeway to talk about what you don’t like. Eef seems to fit in nicely.

[@TheSimArchitect]

Complaining is so much fun! 😂

[@bollewillem1]

That is absolutely true.

[@chukkie0001]

The only time's when a dutch person does not complain is when he is a sleep or when he is dead.

[@marchofstede]

The reason shops are closed on Monday is that people that work in small shops and have to work during the weekend like a day off too. And because the shops are not that busy on Mondays it’s the best day for it. You need to look at it from a shop owners point of view.

[@charlesvanderhoog7056]

Exactly. I have come to the conclusion that America has not come out of the colony state, not really. Americans think it is absolutely fine to exploit people to the hilt. Like in any colony, about 1%, perhaps even 0.1%, exploits the land and its people and everybody else struggles or is dependent upon this 0.1%. It is kept in that state by intense propaganda that the exploited live in the best of all possible worlds, coupled to a strong nationalistic view of the world, an attitude of 'everybody has to fend for himself', stuff like that. It prevents Americans from looking elsewhere and comparing. Lou Dobbs and Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity and people like Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley cry that The Netherlands is a "socialist hellhole with nogo areas where they burn politicians". The Netherlands have the happiest kids in the world, for starters. No American ever hears that, none.

[@halapunjete]

No one forces any shopowner to be open. So if he wants to be closed on Tuesday morning it is his right. The problem is forcing everyone else to be closed at certain times.

[@marresjepie1887]

@@halapunjete yeah.. right.. try thàt in a dog-eat-dog society like the US.. See hòw long your little shop survives. Not an option.

[@Paul_C]

Marc, sorry but no. The reason is exactly what I stated in my post. Yes, is has to do with businesses but it is a remnant of faith based closing times. Shops had to be closed on a Sunday, thus the Monday morning was made available to do the things to get the shops ready for the next week. That is one of the reasons, the other was the advent of unions. The Monday morning closure came about from the Catholic union and more particularly a company called de Gruyter in the southern part of the of the Netherlands, it was a worker owned bakery at first but eventually became a shop like Albert Heyn. Ahold did buy the Gruyter eventually. They had their own bakeries and were based in Brabant and Limburg, they couldn't supply fresh bread on the Monday morning... thus the shops were closed.

[@halapunjete]

@@marresjepie1887 But that wouldn't be a problem in the perfect Netherlands. Why put all the restrictions in the first place?

[@Rillant]

The package thing surprised me. All I hear about from people in the US is that their packages get lost, they get soaked, they get damaged, they get stolen (porch pirates!) and that they absolutely hate it. I've never ever had that in the Netherlands. When you're not home, they'll just leave it at your neighbour or a depot to pick it up. It'll be safe, dry and most importantly NOT STOLEN!

[@ElynevanOpzeeland]

This^ Yes it's annoying you have to open the door on specific times sometimes, but they dont get stolen or soaked, and i prefer not soaked or stolen packages, and so i will hapily plan the packages to arrive on a time i can deal with.

[@TheSimArchitect]

@@ElynevanOpzeeland They should have to try at least three times on different days at your address like in other countries before sending it to a place for you to collect or dropping with a neighbor. The service is expensive enough to justify the extra effort. But no, instead of that, they barely ring your doorbell and run away before you have enough time to run out of the bathroom to open the door. They should have better procedure like ringing a few times and having to wait at least 2 or 3 entire minutes before leaving. To be honest I never had the pleasure of living anywhere where postal services were great, though. They always do the bare minimum to get paid because there's usually no competition. It would be nice if we could choose which company provides the "last mile" delivery, so we could choose if we want to pay more to have a nicer service and even the lousier companies would be forced to improve to avoid losing business.

[@Rillant]

@@TheSimArchitect If they were to wait 2-3 minutes on every door then next day delivery would be impossible. The amount of packages per day would decrease drastically and raise shipping time from a day to multiple days or even over a week. I'd rather pick up my package a day later at a depot than perhaps getting it a week later because they're waiting 2-3 minutes at every door. Also, shipping is incredibly cheap, so you get what you pay for (at least with PostNL).

[@Rozjewel]

I loved getting my parcels delivered at my front door. Where I lived (Potomac) it hardly ever rained and I never had one stolen. Here in the Netherlands I have a small post-it telling the postman where he can leave my parcel. I do have a big front yard so I guess that makes a difference.

[@outrageouspickles7152]

I usually just have my packages delivered either at the pick-up point at my local supermarket so I can pick them up when I'm doing my grocery shopping, or at work so I can take them home from the office. No getting up early or waiting at home for my package to arrive.

[@DutchFurnace]

"Things that annoy me in the Netherlands". FINALLY! You are Dutch. One of us, one of us, one of us.

[@Mr.X2]

JAAAAA KLAGENDE GEÏNTEGREERDE BUITENLANDERS :,)

[@Mar6008]

Lmao ye

[@irisachternaam]

I wash my hands in the kitchen after the toilet, lol. Those small sinks are just to confuse guests.

[@erikmulder2574]

I do exactly the same

[@damouze]

Me too. Big hands and tiny sinks don't mix all that well.

[@jeweetwelbeterdandat9665]

Ever wondered where men wash their d... after urinating? We will put the seat down but want something back 4 it. P.s. Keep away from the 'gastendoekje'.

[@david6054]

@@jeweetwelbeterdandat9665 ^ This comment right here. This man speaks truth

[@gilles111]

I only use the sink to put away the magazine I'm reading when I'm done.

[@cqdmgy]

I find the lack of public toilets a much bigger problem to be honest.

[@chubbymoth5810]

Yeah,.. the lack of public toilets is a really bad thing. There used to be public toilets at every subway station, but they all got closed. In China the toilets smelled terrible, but at least they were there.

[@TheSimArchitect]

OMG! So true! I remember trying to be healthy and walk around, even the "official walking routes" didn't have a single public toilet along it, same thing with public parks. I get they don't like to let you use the bathroom for free, but then perhaps charge a few cents for it like in the mall. You can probably find restaurants depending where you go, but then you must spend a few euros on food you don't need just so you can use their facilities without being a bad person (plus I guess they'd not even allow you to use it otherwise, except for McDonald's).

[@TheSimArchitect]

@@chubbymoth5810 Maybe the 50 cents per use don't cover their cost and not enough people use it? 😟 Same with water fountains, there's just none. Having to carry your own water is just weird when you're used to have it available for free everywhere. Here even the doctor's office (and other places) won't give water and coffee to you as a courtesy. It's a very different system for sure. We get used to it, but cultural differences are really interesting. I mean... Come on! It's just water, can't they really have a water cooler with disposable cups so their clients/customers can drink it for free while they're waiting to be seen? 😟

[@RyuDarkwood]

Oh yeah, definitely! I'd even call it inhumane that our public transport system massively downsized on public toilets.

[@RFGfotografie]

Me to, it's a HUGE problem that there are so less public toilets.

[@HesthervG]

If my packages were left in front of my door, they would get soaked all the time

[@Helleuw123]

in the us many pakcages also get stolen when left behind, which is evne worse then soaked XD

[@bobosims1848]

Soaked, or stolen, or played with by neighborhood children, resulting in damage... No, I'm happy that delivery people usually leave my packages with any of my neighbors when I'm not home. And I happily accept packages for my neighbors as well.

[@dslight113]

@@bobosims1848 same this is just the better way , it is actually kinda stupid in my eyes to prefer the american way.

[@gijsbertuslaurensvandevooren]

Raisins are freut dried grapes

[@Rozjewel]

I lived in Potomac MD and still feel a bit American. So I see your points 😂 I hope you have a great time here.

[@co7013]

My mother was a doctor. She actually preferred the 'flat' toilet, because, as she said, "everyone should take a look at their droppings regularly, just to see if there is anything irregular going on". That would greatly benefit early recognition of many medical conditions before things get even worse.

[@ronnywouters7037]

Jaja, tuuuuuurlijk. Je kan ze ook onder water inspecteren hoor Christiaan. De rest vd wereld is nog niet doodgegaan zonder droogdok poepinspectie. Hoeveel lesuren theorie poepinspectie per week krijgt men dan op school?

[@co7013]

@@ronnywouters7037 Te weinig. En hoe veel mensen zijn doodgegaan doordat ze niet goed naar hun poep gekeken hebben of doordat ze een WC hebben die een goede poepinspectie onmogelijk maakt, is onbekend. Dat zouden ze eens moeten onderzoeken.

[@marcusfranconium3392]

@@ronnywouters7037 vraagje hoe neem jij een monster voor de dokter ? schijt je op een krant of zo?

[@ronnywouters7037]

@@marcusfranconium3392Een monster voor de dokter? Nog nooit in heel mijn leven heeft iem monster van mijn poep genomen. Noch in het ziekenhuis, noch de huisdokter, noch medisch onderzoek van het werk. Hoogstens een urinestaal of bloed. Psssst, misschien zijn het de dokters die wat creatief met engagement van cliënten omspringen om de consultaties en de cashflow van de zorgstaat te garanderen, terwijl de rest van de wereld gwn naar het toilet gaat.

[@geroldmanders9742]

@@ronnywouters7037 Nee, niet echt. Zelf woon ik nu in Paraguay, waar een "plat" toilet ook het meest gebruikt wordt. Het huis waar ik nu in woon (sinds een maand of drie) is het eerste huis waar alles meteen de diepte in duikt. Met het platte toilet had ik nooit last van opspattend water, met het huidige toilet dus wel. Gelukkig zijn de meeste huizen ook van een bidet voorzien, dus kan je jezelf goed reinigen na de daad. Maar dat neemt weer meer tijd in beslag. Had vorig jaar al veel eerder door dat wat vreemds bij de ontlasting zat. En was ook snel opgelost in het ziekenhuis. Fotos gaven de dokter al een belangrijke indicatie wat het probleem was. Een "plat" toilet is echt veruit te prefereren dan andere modellen. Ook omdat je niet je gezicht vlak boven de pot dient te houden om te zien of je uitwerpselen verkleurd zijn, met/zonder vlies of bloed. Water belemmert dat soort onderzoek. Als je de 40 niet gepasseerd bent, dan interesseert je dit allemaal niks. Dat draait compleet om na je 40e, helaas. Inspectie voorkomt de ziekte niet, maar je hebt de mogelijkheid om veel sneller actie te ondernemen. Kan je jaren in (relatief) goede gezondheid schelen.

[@nienke7713]

At one point in Dutch history there was a limit to how many hours per week a shop was allowed to be open, as well as restrictions between what times. Although it was allowed to be open from 5:00-18:00 on mon-fri, and 5:00-17:00 on Saturday, they were only allowed to be open 52 hours a week. Two common solutions to this were to either be closed for some hours during the afternoons (when a lot of people would be having lunch and thus not shopping) or to be closed on Monday mornings (which typically was a relatively quiet shopping time of the week). Stores also started to use this time for certain activities that needed to be done but couldn't be done during opening hours, and people got used to it, so a lot of stores have chosen to keep things going like this even though the 52 hour restriction has since been lifted: it's a time few people would come shopping so there's little profit to be made by being open, and meanwhile the time can be used for other purposes

[@FredtheFrisian]

Two other comments: 1) flat toilets: they are in fact medically defendable, however gross it may seem, it's better if you can see the "result" of your effort. 2) dogs should be on a leash, in public, except in places where it is allowed to run free. It's just one more example of how Dutch tend to ignore some rules; so that can be annoying in more occasions.

[@donarnoldus7884]

Je gezondheid is (onder andere) af te lezen aan je ontlasting. Door het resultaat van je inspanning op het toilet keurig te presenteren, is de staat van je ontlasting beter te bekijken. Doe dat vooral!. Ander voordeel ten opzichte van een plons-toilet: geen spatten tegen je achterwerk. De kleine wastafeltjes, meestal zonder warm water, zijn ook mij een doorn in het oog. Ik was mijn handen daarom altijd in de keuken die - in mijn huis - naast het toilet is gelegen. Om de deurknop van het toilet niet te bevuilen, bedien ik die met de binnenkant tussen twee vingers.

[@paulwassenaar8351]

@Fred de Vries 2) Dogowners like Atar Vos 😖

[@blexible4894]

^ big truth

[@FerrySwart]

I don't own a dog, but i also don;t think that there is a rule that dogs should be leashed unless specifically stated for that area.

[@paulwassenaar8351]

@@FerrySwart Those rules can be found at the Algemene Politie Verordeningen or the municipal ordinances

[@hop3106]

I actually love the Dutch toilet, because the water won't splash on me after dropping stuff in it. I also heard that the Dutch toilet was originally designed that way for medical reasons. It's easy for people to regularly observe for any irregularity, and for essay for patients to collect their stool sample for testing. I also almost never use the tiny sink when I lived in the Netherlands, I went to the kitchen to wash my hands instead. Apparently many Dutch also do the same so I'm guessing it's the natural response. The sink might be tiny because Dutch toilet room is usually extremely tiny, but they still need to put a sink in just in case somebody do need some water handy.

[@jjbankert]

Oh yes, how could they put raisins in a krentenbol (currant/raisin bun), haha

[@Bublade]

I know right who would have thought XD

[@gitmoholliday5764]

like putting cheese in a cheeseburger 🤓

[@Dante20321]

K heb nu wel zin in een krentenbol eigenlijk 😂

[@patatpannenkoek4875]

i think she just didn’t know krent ment raisin

[@willemh3319]

peanutbutter jelly sandwich

[@yuppys]

So you bought a krentenbol (=raisinbread) and you were surprised to find raisins??

[@wout123100]

haahha yes i wondered too.

[@huanchen2312]

I think that grapes are just a popular thing that's why the dry version of it too

[@nienke7713]

I absolutely get annoyed at times by the postal service here, but it sure beats the alternative of packages being left unattended at the door. I often just choose to have packages delivered to a pick-up point of my choice right away, that way I can pick the one that's most convenient for me, and they don't take extra time to get there compared to when they miss a door delivery.

[@davidc.4957]

It seems to me that you are feeling a bit awkward shooting this video. But hey, it is what we Dutch people do all day, "lekker klagen", especially about the not so important thing.

[@geraldine5554]

True! No big deal! ✌️

[@Dante20321]

Ja vooral over het weer lmfao. Bijv: Het is zo koud

[@RyuDarkwood]

I had to smile at her reluctance to talk about toilets. We're so open about gross stuff in the Netherlands, haha.

[@maxverhoeven7992]

warm water?? what do you think that would cost?! we are DUTCH. I'm not gonne spent a penny on warm water.😋💶

[@halapunjete]

You can also save even more money by not installing a heating system.

[@merijnvanschaik4989]

It doesn't make much more sense to was with warm water except, maybe, if you worked on a sewer or a car.

[@maxverhoeven7992]

@@merijnvanschaik4989 true, true.

[@RobbertMichel]

It’s called a “gastenbakje” (guest sink) for a reason. ;)

[@huanchen2312]

Maybe they intend to save water as well, I always wash my hands in the kitchen because the toilet sink is just for decoration.

[@royvoncken2082]

If you life in a house instead of an appartement the package get's deliverd at your neighbors house. I NEVER had to go get my package somewere else but my neighbors

[@ProsciuttinoXL]

Ava, most of the things that you mentioned are indeed annoying. I know we can be a bit defensive, so I appreciate you sharing your views. Most of these things can be explained from our perspective. Some, to my mind are the best achievable compromise (such as the packages not being left on the doorstep. I really wouldn't advocate them being left unguarded, because even when insured, you, as a customer, will still have to pay for the insurance premiums). But others are unnecessary and we could adopt more user friendly methods from other countries, though not necessarily from the USA. It's an on-going process. Hardly any of the newly sold toilets are of the flat type. Still from a health perspective being aware of what your stool looks and smells like, is not a bad, or rather a good, thing. Keep up the good work! I really enjoy you giving your fresh perspective on things common to us.

[@RyuDarkwood]

Or your package is stolen by your neighbour, which happend to me twice. Not the same people though. It's a hassle to either get your stuff back from them or demand that the delivery service resends it. It's really a better option to send it to the nearest pick-up location.

[@dslight113]

@@ProsciuttinoXL ik heb nog nooite een americaans toilet gezien in nederland. + wie wilt er nou vies water tegen zijn billen aan laten kletteren.

[@ProsciuttinoXL]

@@dslight113 er zijn verschillende modellen water closets. Van de vlakke pan (vkakspoeler) die het oorspronkelijke model was, tot verschillende soorten diepspoelers. In mijn reactie heb ik aangegeven dat we in Nederland niet noodzakelijkerwijs Amerikaanse voorbeelden voor verbeteringen moeten volgen. Kennelijk vind u dat ook. Mooi.

[@jwenting]

hmm, wonder where you live. Most packages for me end up in a depot even if I'm home and rush to the door, only to find a card there 5 seconds after the doorbell rings "you weren't home, get your package from tomorrow afternoon at XXX".

[@ManesniRyloth]

My (American) wife in the background: "I FEEL YOUR PAIN!"

[@markjacobs1086]

Never occurred to me someone couldn't like raisins 😂

[@RyuDarkwood]

I love them, but I'm also allergic to them. :(

[@markjacobs1086]

@@RyuDarkwood that sucks....

[@Sjiesjam]

I don't like raisins/currants very much either. I agree that they are in too many things. Just like carrots, also in every veg mix

[@geroldmanders9742]

Raisins are nature's candy. In my book at least. I live in Paraguay and visited the farm from the parents of my (now ex-)wife. They also had a section for raisins. Got a lot of weird looks after I ate the ones they offered me. Think it was part of a joke on their end, but failed, as I enjoyed them. Grapes as a fruit are also not popular here in Paraguay, the wine that is made from those however.... One thing was clear from that visit, they thought me to be just as weird as I found them about not liking the bounty that they can produce on their lands almost without effort.

[@Fuzz82]

@@Sjiesjam fun fact about why there is carrot in every bag of cut vegetables. Things like lettuce tend to brown up a bit soon after cutting. Carrots prevent this from happening. So it is a trick to make the vegetable bags look more appealing.

[@KLKarin-bu2vu]

Well - about those packages: I very often buy second-hand goods, sometimes collector's items, from private individuals. If they get stolen, I might get my money back, but I will not get the item that in some cases I've been searching for for literally years. And if it doesn't get stolen - just think about how your packages would look after a full day of rain when you don't have a porch. :-)

[@moshemordechaivanzuiden]

As a Dutch person living outside of the Netherlands, I know (and don't enjoy) some of such cultural differences. However, I feel that if you would know why, you would be less upset (maybe)? 1. Monday morning closed is not a problem if you plan ahead. No coffee in the house is unthinkable. When you finish a package, a full one needs to stand behind it. They call it "vooruit denken" - to think ahead. 2. Raisins are cheap so: good to put into any food. Just what they do in the US with corn or peanut (derivatives). 3. No, it is terrible when a package gets stolen. Insurance doesn't mean the theft and loss didn't happen. What a waste! And yes, it's almost always (still) safe to open the door in the Netherlands. 4. Big flushing and big sinks waste water. Waste, the primordial Dutch sin!!!!!!!! 5. Drinking water diminishes drinking expensive drinks and restaurants make most money on drinks and deserts. 6. Credit cards waste money; with the coins in your hand, you will waste less quickly. 7. Yeah, the Dutch and animal rights. There is even an Animals Party in parliament. Maybe remember that people who are on a reasonable level nice to animals tend to be nice to people too and that cruelty to animals very quickly translates into cruelty to humans. But, in any case, you have my sympathy and your girlfriend has my thankfulness. It's good to have a supportive partner and to be generally optimistic to just forget it. That's how I survive it (barely).

[@Persephoneia01]

Just commenting on the water situation, as an American, it doesn't diminish ordering other drinks at all. We normally have water to drink while we're drinking alcoholic drinks. Pretty much everyone except for those that don't drink soda in alcohol free restaurants is also going to order a drink even when we're brought water.

[@babbaloerie]

When it comes to toilets, two types are common in the Netherlands: The "bewonderpot" (admire toilet) and the "plonspot" (splash toilet). If you don't like to admire your accomplishment, get yourself a plonspot. Also, as far as I know, nobody actually uses the little sinks. In most homes I visit it's used to store toiletpaper and magazines.

[@dslight113]

ik was anders altijd mijn handen daar , want anders moet je eerst de klink aanraken, lekker hoor.

[@Silverwilg]

I wash my hands always in the small sink after using the toilet. Also I often use it instead of the kitchen sink when it is already in use by other people. It is just easier than running upstairs to the bathroom. Unrelated but cold water is the best for washing hands.

[@Roel_Scoot]

Dogs are NOT allowed to run free in the city but in special places.

[@atarvos8686]

True, but as long my dog does pay taxes, he walks free.

[@paulwassenaar8351]

Your dog does not pay taxes. Your dog won't clean up his mess either. As long as you live in an area where the municipality requires you to put your dog on a leash and you come up with the stupid excuse that paying tax equals walking around freely, you are nothing more to me than what your dog leaves behind. Kind regards ... NOT

[@atarvos8686]

@@paulwassenaar8351 .my dog does pay.taxes, second there is a difference between walking free, or me cleaning up his crap. But as long as my dog pay taxes, he walks free.

[@therealdutchidiot]

@@atarvos8686 That's until you actually get stopped and get fined.

[@atarvos8686]

@@therealdutchidiot in 12 years never did happen, and if they fine me, i wont pay it. I rather go to jail, but ill be damned if i pay a fine, no way.

[@bobosims1848]

Ava, you're becoming more Dutch all the time. We - the Dutch - *LOVE* to rant and complain about things that we do not like. Even the positive ones among us join the show when it comes to complaining. So please be welcome to join.

[@BlacksmithTWD]

Indeed, it's why we love our climate as it provides the weather to complain about. When even that fails, because even the weather is good that day, we will complain about having nothing else to complain about.

[@noahsoet9761]

The tiny sinks are horrible... I have them in my own house, but I hate them, cant stop spilling. As for the delivery thing, I rather have to pick it up at another location, than having to call to explain that it got stolen and I need a new one. The key is to pick it up when you have another reason to go there anyway... like on your way to the supermarket or something. Dogs are better trained here and who doesn’t love dogs, I actually like that instead of staring at them while they’re miserably stuck on a leash. It gives them a sense of freedom and as long as it’s well trained, it won’t bite you or hop on you anyway...

[@GulliNL]

"who doesn't love dogs?" Errr, I don't know, lots of people? Leash your dog or expect to be scolded at by me. I don't know what your dog will do, even though people will tell you 'he just wants to play', well I don't, so get him on a leash please. Sorry but I really can't understand that people think everybody likes dogs.

[@ytwos1]

The tiny sink is handy to put my TV guide on. Never use them to wash my hands.

[@dslight113]

@@GulliNL de enige mensen die ik ken die niet van honden houden zijn buitenlanders, zelf een klein rot hondje zijn ze al bang voor X)

[@GulliNL]

@@dslight113 Nou dan ken je er nu nog een, niet buitenlands en ik ben niet bang voor honden maar vind ze gewoon irritant. Dus dat argument gaat ook niet op.

[@dslight113]

@@GulliNL neem aan dat je in het algemeen niet van dieren houdt.

[@CaptainKrimson]

The only thing that (being a dutch person myself) annoys me as well are the tiny sinks :-). The rest of it I probably am used to so much it does not bother me ;-).

[@Caprifool]

So, who's seen the Dutch poo chart? With drawings of stools showing different shapes and textures and what they mean is going on in your digestive tract? A little tip I got from a native: lay a cross of toilet paper on the "shelf" so you don't have to use the brush EVERY time! 😅

[@ConnieIsMijnNaam]

About the tiny little sinks. You made one false statement when you said: "There is room for a bigger sink". No there isn't. And in a lot of Dutch houses there wasn't even room for a toilet or a bathroom. A lot of houses in NL are old and had no bathroom or toilet. Bathrooms and toilets were added in later. In newer houses this wasn't the case but compared to American houses, Dutch houses are small. There is often not enough space to put in a toilet with a large sink. (Or you have to sacrifice precious living space) My parents both grew up without a shower or bathroom. They had a toilet though, but it was more like an "outhouse" build-out to the house. The houses were tiny (no tiny house movement necessary) and the families were large. If my mother wanted to wash herself she had to barricade the kitchen door and use a "washandje" by the kitchen sink. Later toilets and showers were added into the houses, often in awkward places.

[@sanneman4553]

This is why in my house the shower is located in a closet type room, in the middle of the house (so no windows) and the toilet is tiny and situated right next to the front door. You can clearly tell that both were added in later.

[@NietzzTube]

​​@@sanneman4553 Yes! My (tiny) bathroom has the same 'closet'-setup, but in my case it's connected to the bedroom. I call it my 'en-suite shower ';)). Also have the tiny sink next to the toilet. It's too small for anything bigger. Tbh, I always use the kitchen sink which is two meters away (my whole house is small ;)), only guests tend to use it. The house was built around 1900.

[@charlesvanderhoog7056]

I can't understand your groceries for cash rant. You can pay with any debit card from any bank in the European Union all across the EU. I use my orange ING regular debit card in France, Germany, Belgium, even in villages in England. Credit cards are impopular with shopkeepers because they charge shopkeepers without providing them with any extra services. Amex charges 5 to 7%. Diners between 2 and 3%. In a situation with razor-thin margins like a supermarket, that is unacceptable.

[@carpetcandle2699]

Not with a visa card

[@kydeface]

Not necessarily - when we moved from the UK to the Netherlands (before the end of the transition period) we had the exact same problem in lots of shops with our British debit cards, the only place I remember being able to use it was Jumbo

[@falseneutral7890]

Yes, but not so in Holland! You can’t pay with foreign bank card everywhere, especially at Albert Heijn! Jumbo on the other hand no issues 🤷‍♂️

[@TheSimArchitect]

@@falseneutral7890 True! They only take Dutch cards (Maestro). EU Mastercard Debit / Visa Debit won't work.

[@charlesvanderhoog7056]

@@kydeface Well, I can only talk from my own experience. I have always been able to use my orange ING debitcard and green ABNAMRO debitcard anywhere in England, Belgium, Germany, France and Catalonia. And I had been told it could be used anywhere in the EU.

[@caspertigchelaar9541]

I like your videos including this one. On the creditcard and debitcard 'thing', you can use a lot of foreign cards. European bank cards can often be used in the Netherlands. American cards can not be used because they do not use the same standards as the European ones. And it doesn't pay off for shopkeepers to pay a fee to American card companies, just for the rare occasion an American comes along.

[@A3aan1959]

The dutch debbit card is very cheap in use and therefore the no 1 in supermarkets. Creditcard companies usually ask for a percentage and are to expensive for supermarkets and small shops. Btw european EU debit cards are accepted in most shops. The high end shops do accept creditcards like visa and mastercard.

[@33lex55]

Yup, Credit Cards are mainly accepted in high-end shops and tourist traps, where the prices are considerably higher, because the shop has to pay a provision to the card company. Bankpasjes (bankcards) only require the shops to have a phoneline - no other costs involved, and the system deals with all banks. So it's cheaper for all.

[@TheSimArchitect]

Those cards don't work if they're not Maestro. Most debit cards from other EU countries are Master or Visa and won't work here either. Can't even use public transportation here if you don't plan your method of payment in advance. Bad for tourists, ok for us who live here and have everything set up.

[@david6054]

@@TheSimArchitect No most european countries use Maestro. Even when they primarily use a different system they will also have Maestro on there. For instance Belgium that uses Bancontact but also works with Maestro. Mastercard Debit is getting more popular but unlike what a lot of people here think, works in most stores. I had a time where I bought everything with a Mastercard(including fuel and groceries). Never ran into a store that did not accept them. Now visa might be a different thing, don't know but Mastercards will work in most stores.. For the US version there are different levels of Mastercard, so you can have a Mastercard that does not work in other countries and a Mastercard that is accepted everywhere(and offcourse in true US fassion you pay more for it)

[@TheSimArchitect]

I also love living here but I agree with many of your points for sure (the Dutch businesses really hate credit cards LOL). Some "toilet rooms" won't even have a sink, as if we were not supposed to wash our hands after using the toilet, so we have to use the kitchen or shower room's sink. Besides the small sink what makes things harder are the annoying tiny cheap faucets they use instead of the tall ones that look like an umbrella handle, that at least makes it a bit easier. To be honest, what annoys me more than anything here is the disregard for personal space and total disrespect for queues. You are forced to be unpolite and aggressive otherwise people will just cross in front of you to enter the bus or try to be serviced before you even if you were waiting for a much longer time. If someone tries to cross a line at a bus stop in Brazil they risk being spanked right on spot and they'd not get away with at least being called names by half of the people seeing that happening. People also don't care about giving priority to the elderly / disabled / pregnant people. Why can't people just be orderly and wait their turn? Is it that hard? In Sweden they even have those awesome rolls with numbers, so you just pick one and wait for your turn, no need for angry interactions and disrespect. Oh! And those shopping carts are so awful, I don't get why they have directional wheels on all four corners instead of two like "everywhere else"! It's so hard to move them around and it's more expensive to manufacture them! Is there a reason they're this way? Try pushing them on a non-leveled terrain like your grocery store's parking lot and it's just insanely difficult if you're not an extraordinarily strong person. 😟 Anyway, besides that I'd not want to live anywhere else!

[@stijnwildeboer8809]

About the packages, over here, if you arent home, they deliver it to the nearest neighbours that are home! I'm from the Netherlands also

[@merijnvanschaik4989]

A reasonable solution, I believe. Plus, delivery-drivers are often not employed by the postal co. and are payed per delivered package. I would never be happy with packages being left at the door... unsupervised!! Sure, a company can be insured but if it's a time-critical thing....

[@jeweetwelbeterdandat9665]

Onnodig dat te zeggen. We zijn allemaal Nederlander hier.

[@RyuDarkwood]

Oh no, I hate it so much that my neighbours oughta be responsible for my package. I'd rather have the delivery service send it to the nearest pick-up point, so I can walk there myself.

[@david6054]

@@RyuDarkwood You are a small minority, but you can have packages shipped there directly

[@RyuDarkwood]

@@david6054 I don't actually know whether I'm a minority here. Lots of people in appartment complexes don't necessarily have close connections to their neighbours. But you're right that you have the option to directly ship your package to a pick-up point. But by default it goes to your neigbours.

[@FritigernGothly]

Congratulations, you have overcome one of the things that Americans are often afraid to do: complaining, and I use that term loosely. It shows that you are becoming more and more Dutch. Have you never noticed that the Dutch complain about anything and everything? If it rains it's too wet, if the sun is out it's too hot, the coffee isn't right, the bread is too expensive, and so forth and so forth. I have long ago come to the conclusion that the Dutch are unable to be happy and satisfied if they can't find anything to complain about. That's right, the Dutch can be satisfied with something even when they complain about it. So there you have it, your ranting about stuff only makes you more Dutch! Gefeliciteerd! :-)

[@MrAhmmm]

Hi Ava,I think the monday thing stems from store owners taking the morning to do inventory/stock up. The smal sinks(though inexcusable)I think were a later addition to the tiny toilets that were put in already tiny houses when they moved plumbing indoors. Love your vids!

[@P0nyl0ve]

Dogs should be on leashes everywhere here (it is not allowed to let your dog run free but some people do it anyway) except on 'hondenuitlaatplaats' where they are allowed to run free! there are blue signs with a dog on it so you can look out for it. We always take our dog to the 'hup' when we walk him because he loves to run around

[@prikkeprakker]

Binnen de bebouwde kom moeten honden altijd aan de lijn, tenzij het een hulphond betreft. 2. Buiten de bebouwde kom is aanlijnen niet verplicht, tenzij het een verharde weg of een openbare plaats (zoals bv. een sportpark, recreatieterrein e.d. in gemeentelijk beheer) betreft. 3. Zowel binnen als buiten de bebouwde kom kan het college gebieden aanwijzen waar de aanlijnplicht niet c.q. wel geldt.

[@metalvideos1961]

decentrale.regelgeving.overheid.nl/cvdr/xhtmloutput/Historie/Stichtse%20Vecht/222500/222500_1.html#:~:text=1.,een%20openbare%20plaats%20(zoals%20bv.

[@P0nyl0ve]

Ja oké ik bedoelde binnen de bebouwde kom even vergeten dat er leven is buiten de stad;)

[@david6054]

@@P0nyl0ve Dat is een probleem wat veel stedelingen hebben. Geen zorgen hoor, hier denken we ook niet dat er intelligent leven in de stad is ;)

[@illenseil]

Lol, as a Dutchie myself, washing my hands with warm water grosses me out so much!! It's gotta be a case of classic conditioning but my hands just don't feel clean when i have to use warm water (like in those fancy public bathrooms) and if i can, i will always choose to use cold water. Those tiny sinks suck big time tho. I think the reason for them being so tiny is simply because in the old houses they decided decades after building the toilets that washing your hands afterwards would be a good idea and then there just wasn't a lot of room left. Which then somehow became the standard in new houses too

[@VinceTaglia]

Warm/hot water literally kills more germs though...

[@illenseil]

@@VinceTaglia nah that's just a common misconception (see www.cdc.gov/handwashing/show-me-the-science-handwashing.html)

[@Silverwilg]

I agree with the cold water but totally have no problem with the small sinks. I even use them when I can't use those in the kitchen when they are in use and I need to wash my hands too. It is quicker to go to the little sink then upstairs to the bathroom. Maby they are hard to use for people because they want either go quick or haven't adapted to scrubbing in a small space.

[@Pannekoek.]

Ava: I have to get up and and get my package... hahaha, your life must be tough ;) Most of the time they wil deliver it to your neighbor or service point to prevent from getting stolen so the company doesn't need this insurance and can pay their employees better. Not to speek of the environmental cost of all these extra packages that need to be produced and tansport. its wasteful.

[@andreathegreat7765]

Dutch Americano, I could not stand all the smoking. "Do you mind if I smoke?" just isn't ever asked. It's rude.

[@kyravanmeijl731]

For your package problem: if you want the deliverer to leave the package at the front (or back) door, you can put a note at your doorbell. This works for me but i live in a vrijstaand huis. The only time they ignore it is when they need something to be signed

[@nikosh6565]

I was okay with the raisins rant. But when she started about the apple pie I got angry😂

[@daanbakker1336]

I enjoy the bells of the Domtoren in the background;)

[@burgerwithcheese]

Very cool to see your perspective on this, keep it going! :)

[@bjornburgh]

Totally agree with most annoyances, even though I’m born and raised in this country. Small toilet sinks with cold water in the winter are just terrible! Great videos btw 😊

[@smijas]

During a major renovtion of my own house,.... I proposed to NOT build the tiny sink in the toilet. All the builders and the advisor said it would be very unwise when time selling the house. I now own a toilet with tiny sink I never! use. I wash my hands in another large sink with warm running water.

[@gardenjoy5223]

I always wash my hands in the tiny sink. Never ever splash water all about. I find it unhygienic to touch the door knobs without having my hands washed. Buying a house without the tiny sink in the toilet is definitely a no-go for me. Smart move, that you listened to your advisors.

[@jpdj2715]

Monday. With the 7 days' "week" structuring life, one day of the week was reserved (blocked) for religious purposes and nobody was supposed to work that day, except the religious servers. The second non-working day was added next to that one to enable families to do non-work things. For examples fathers to spend time with their children and stay-at-home wives. The social arrangement was to have the religious day off on Sunday, the nonworking day off on Saturday for all workers, except shops, that would have the day off on Monday. This got hit by the impact of secularization and the "everything should be possible and allowed" movements. Two obligatory nonworking days was a way of protecting workers against their employers exploiting them in under the radar slavery schemes and attitudes. That happened a lot. Watch a couple episodes of the US analogy of Who Do You Think You Are? in Henry Louis Gates Jr.'s KZbin channel about people with e.g. Irish ancestry and you'll quickly notice that these immigrants weren't treated better than slaves. In Europe, this needed a French Revolution, the guillotine, Enlightenment before that, and liberalism after, in order to get resolved - slowly. This is where Dutch upper-classes learnt modesty inn the past 200 years. The "week" has its roots in old Middle Eastern religion and the moon calendar over there. That moon calendar makes no sense at all in this more Northern climate where surviving very cold winters with food scarcity needs to drive people's behavior in the rest of the year. These Northern climates made Summer and Winter solstices very important and the Christians have hijacked the Winter wild pagan solstice celebrations - fertility rites - of their ancestors with Christmas. The year's calendar became an important tool in agriculture and the pre-Christian Roman original of today's had 9 month-periods starting with March. The 10th period lasted December through February but had subdivisions. This is why our 9th month September literally means 7th, and October, November and December mean 8th, 9th and 10th month. Surviving annual cold winters and its scarcity thus drives planning at longer term levels, building reserves, and saving. 60 years ago, still, people would buy coal in summers so as to fire up their heaters in winter. In summer prices were significantly lower than in winter. To be able to do these things really required in-depth planning. Or, a shop closed on Monday is a good thing, and requires some planning. I would not mind going back to a two days close for all industries. The problem in the 24/7 economy is that shop owners become slaves of the economy. When the cost of illness becomes a factor in lost productivity, society will deal with it differently than today where it is an abstract cost in private insurance. If/then prevention would become much more important than to cure.

[@prisonerofwords8945]

Hi I enjoy watching your channel from Japan but currently considering to relocate to the NL with a startup visa. Very informative. Thanks a lot!

[@-Wessel]

Definitely agree with you on some of these points: - For shops opening times I think it's one of these ridiculous things that is still from the time where the husband works and the wife is at home. In current times it makes no sense to me that office times and shop opening times overlap completely. And don't get me started on doctors appointments. I suppose a better solution would be for standard working times to not be 8-16 / 9-17, but at least be phased (some people start at 6, others at 10 etc, we have this for restaurants already). In our neighbouring countries it's really terrible though, because shops are closed on sunday there: It really ruins a 'weekendje weg'. - Raisins are horrible, I agree. They especially ruin apple the experience of eating apple pies. - The water at restaurants, yes! I loved that in the US. It really improves the experience a lot. In restaurants here if you order something to drink you often get a 200ml glass. How is this enough to quench your thirst? And this wouldn't be so bad if there is prompt service, but it can take ages before they come around again and you can ask some more. - I don't think I would prefer the US system for packages. I do agree that the dutch system can be improved (it works pretty well for some shops, where you can choose to let it deliver to a shop that is conveniently close. - I thought toilets in the US were not as good as here. The phenomenon of clogged toilets seems to be much more widespread there. Also they're all so small/low... - The card thing sounds annoying, though since I've never been a tourist here I've never encountered it. Vice-versa in the US it did happen with debit cards, which is why it is recommended to request a credit card before you go (you don't really need one here in the NL).

[@bruceadler9709]

Love the "launching pad" toilets! You can always check your "stuff". Ask any doctor, they'll tell you it's the right thing to do

[@whereisnow6162]

So do you like currants? because krentenbrood means bread with currants, i know its not the same as raisins but not all that different. To me complaining about raisins in krentenbrood is like complaining about alcohol in beer.

[@bruceadler9709]

Back in the 90's, shops closed at 17:00 on Saturday and didn't reopen until 13;00 Monday. I often wondered how tourists felt arriving on Friday....Amsterdam is cooking! Saturday everyone is out shopping and partying. Sunday you wake up and no one is on the street until Monday at 13:00. They must have thought "huh, am I in the Twilight Zone or something". I always thought about that back then

[@Dutchbelg3]

Hey Ava, You can rant a bit.. no worries. Some things I think are valid. (The water in the HORECA..) and other do not bother me (that much) but yeah.. Lif is n't perfect :-) Here in Antwerpen the closing day of shops vary and so if one shop or restaurant is closed another is still open. That's more practical. I would guess in Utrecht would be the same? No? About the deliveries: I am not a fan of getting deliveries.. just to put it mildly. I feel your pain. But leaving packages on your door step... won't work .. not in The netherlands. Wind, Thiefs, rain.... When I expect any deliveries I either have it delivered in a pick up point or at the reception of my place of work. That works for me... as long it is nothing that needs to be installed of course ;-)

[@falseneutral7890]

How about the Dutch “hospitality”?! Have you ever, while at someone’s house, heard the sentence “well its almost 6PM and we are about to eat” ? Well, in any other country it’s usually followed with “would you like to join us?” over here it means: it’s time for you to leave!! 🤣🤦‍♂️ I am Czech, and like any other Slavic nation, first thing we do when someone is at our home we attack them with food and drinks! Not doing so is considered rude.. After 20 years in NL it’s improving allot though 😉 And the weirdest thing has to be “congratulating to people with someone else’s birthday....” seriously what’s up with that? 🤷‍♂️

[@dslight113]

it is culture , take it or leave it i guess .

[@gardenjoy5223]

My brother married a woman from abroad. Once we were invited at their place at 7pm, which means right after dinner time at 6pm. So we arrived their full. Turns out she had an elaborate meal cooked for ten persons at least (we were 4 in total) and we HAD to eat, or we would hurt her feelings. How hospitable is that? We were very unhappy, but had no choice than to force things down our throat best we could. It was horrible. We felt indeed attacked. See? Two sides of the same coin. Just because you learned a different kind of hospitality, doesn't mean the Dutch aren't. Just a different kind. Some will slave all night in the kitchen, giving you all sorts of nice bites to eat. The birthday thing? Just happy for all those important others in the life of the one having his birthday, that he is still in the midst of us. Celebrating what his life means to you. But hey, if you don't like it here, you may leave. Anytime. Heck, I'll even drive you to the airport myself.

[@danielkucera5916]

Why so hard feelings? He/she just said he finds it weird. It doesn't mean he/she doesn't respect it. And you are talking about taking him/her to airport wtf?

[@TakanashiYuuji]

Cilantro tasting like soap is a genetic thing. Raisin doesn't have that.

[@TheSimArchitect]

I guess they put tons of raisin in granola because it's also heavy and cheap LOL. Doing the same with nuts instead would surely increase the cost and I guess the most expensive ones must be like that. I have the cilantro hater gene too 🍁=🧼

[@Peacefrogg]

I have that problem with potassium. A lot of food producers ( think instant soup, noodles, snacks) are now substituting part of the sodium in their products with potassium, so they can say it has less salt. For most people, that isn’t a problem. Only for some people, like me, potassium tastes very bitter and disgusting!

[@Scarletcroft]

@@Peacefrogg mmh learned something new today. Now I wonder, this may be the reason I find somethings very bitter and others don't... I'm going to google to find out which foods have high potassium and see if thats the reason. (Edit : it is not. )

[@Peacefrogg]

Scientea i mostly have a problem when it’s added like in diet salt, powdered soup, ‘healthy’ crisps. But it’s also in broad beans, brussels sprouts, coffee, baked or fried potatoes, tomato paste, dark chocolate, ...

[@francinewillemsen7214]

In the Netherlands we have a 5-days workweek. (Is that a word in English?) Most people are working from monday till friday. Shops are open on saterday to make it posseble for most people to do their shopping. The people working in shops also have the right to have a 5-days workweek, that's why shops are usualy closed on mondays.

[@frankbarkmeyer1168]

Well ranted 👍 so proud!!! Welcome to the Netherlands

[@nannejandejong7112]

Packages: I often recieve packages for my neigbours when they are not at home. Get friens with your neighbours (Y) Toilets: After I did my thing in the toilet, I like to watch in the flat toilet to see my "product". It tells me a lot about my health. And I like to know that, that is important to me. Why only cold water: How long would it take for hot water to reacht the toilet, how many liters of water would you waste? Don't do that, use cold water. And it is not really cold. It was waiting for you in tubes inside a warm house. Dogs; you could kick them accidently? Hé, do you accidently kick children on the street??? Are you allowed outside, you are dangerous ;-) No, seriously: My dog had a training, it listens to me better then most little children listen to their parents.

[@PetraStaal]

About the toilet thing. I heard that André van Duin looked behind him after he did his business, saw that things were not OK, so he went to the doctor. I am happy that he's still among us!

[@moladiver6817]

Yeah yeah all dog owners THINK their dogs listen very well. Modern dog training is practically invented in The Netherlands yet the techniques have never become part of our culture. 99% of dog owners have no clue what they're doing or that what they're doing makes no sense. Best if everyone just keeps their dogs on a leash. Keep in mind lots of people don't like your furry friend and they shouldn't have to worry. Plus it's required by law anyway.

[@Paul-iq6pw]

Kept looking at your coffee and see if you were gonna spill any by tilting it that much on that lovely couch (got more or less the same color couch .. anyway). You like living dangerously!

[@maartengaat8718]

I'm deliver packages and only of the reciever give a permision we can left it on a specific place. So by placing the order you can give that as a delivery option. Or we try it by the neighbours.

[@nabiwilliams1986]

and the tiny sinks usually have really high water pressure!!! 😭

[@MmalpMm]

a flat part in the toilet gives you a chance to check it, see if something is wrong with you. So quite a good thing

[@TheSimArchitect]

Plus no splashing.

[@seenverplichtveld1347]

exactly! Non-Dutch toilets freak me out. No chance to check out my poo/urine.

[@lauriedepaurie]

1. Monday mornings are typically the slowest mornings for most stores. Smaller stores (fewer employees) typically use a monday morning to clean, restock, etc after a busy weekend. That way a 40hr workweek can work for a store. 2 delivery service. We want the cheapest option and our publicized delivery service has a monopoly position, and their workers are in a position where any package that takes a little more time comes out of their paycheck. You can buy a box that delivery people can put it in (but it's more practical in rural areas) or just get it delivered to a nearby store and pick it up with your groceries. You have a week... Since every parcel is tracked, the delivery service has to prove they at least tried to give it to you in person. If they put it in front of your door in a busy street, and it gets stolen, the delivery person will be 'accountable'. 4. Toilets. It's tiny because we have limited space. Usually larger toilets and sinks are found in larger homes. 5. Drinks are the single most effective way to make money in a restaurant. You can always ask for a bottle, or a caraf of water (caraf of tapwater should be free). 6. Dogs walking freely, some owners are irresponsible. Most people aren't and especially in the city people don't have big backyards for dogs to lose their energy. Typically a city has rules (APV's) in place where a dog can walk without a leash ('losloopgebied'), so avoiding most of it should be fairly simple.

[@macmartin86]

The thing about getting a coffee in the morning, in The Netherlands most people make their own coffee before going out, so that's where you're probably go wrong, Netherlands isn't build on going out to get coffee, usually you make your own.

[@denniseijs]

Okay,'the water is cold', seriously. How did I end up in candyass world? ;o) And I love raisins. You raisanist. ;o)

[@P0nyl0ve]

Agree with the sinks! Normally when you're at home you will wash your hands in the kitchen instead of in the toilet, but when you're a guest you will have to fight the tiny sink! It is awful! (I'm born in the Netherlands btw) I've been wondering all my life why the guest sinks are so small but don't have an answer yet.. About the water: We generally wash our hands with cold water anyway

[@stefanwerdekker]

The 'krentenbol" is ill-named, as krenten are not the same thing as raisins ("rozijnen"). Both are dried grapes, but the krent (derived from Korinthos, Greece) is a smaller variety of grape than raisin. I have to agree with you about the addition of raisins in too many varieties of granola. I avoid any variety with raisins.

[@RFGfotografie]

You're truly have integrated into Dutch culture now :D Genius video yet again :)

[@Roozyj]

- I would hate it if my packages were just left in front of my door when I'm not home. It might rain, they might get stolen, who knows? I'd rather that they are delivered at a pick up point or that I open the door. What I don't like is when they leave your package with your neighbors, because I don't really know my neighbors xD - I think sinks are small because houses used to be very tall and slim, so the less floor space is used per room, the better, but that's just my theory. - The small flat bit in the toilet is meant to see the color of your poo/if there is blood in it. It tells a lot about your health... but it does also make your house smell, so you win some, you lose some xD - Not sure if there's that much things with raisins in them here. Then again, I've never lived in the USA. Maybe I'm just used to it xD - People usually have their dogs on leashes when they walk in an area with traffic, but in parks and stuff it's usually allowed to unleash them. I get that it's a bit scary if you're not used to it, or if you're afraid of dogs. Tbh, I went to western Ireland one time and dogs there just kinda hang out in the neighborhood. The village I stayed in was very small, so I suppose everyone there knew who owned the dog that walked around and happily greeted everyone who passed by xD - I think I understand the pain of not being able to use your credit card or debit card. I feel it when I try to order online and I have to use a credit card, which I don't have, because I only have a Dutch debit card. Why doesn't the whole world use iDEAL? I don't get credit cards. You just give all information you need to pay, to every shop you buy at. I don't understand how not every single credit card ever is already copied or stolen. There's no secret code.

[@jwenting]

actually, credit cards do have a PIN, but it's not needed for most online transactions. The main reason there's not much trouble with them is that the credit card company is legally liable to compensate you when your card gets compromised, so they make bloody sure to the best of their abilities that there are no weird transactions. This can lead at times to good transactions being rejected though, because they fall outside your normal pattern of using the card (for example, my first transaction with my card in years and years that I tried in Canada got rejected some years ago because it was flagged as suspicious. One phone call to the callcenter and that was rectified (after giving them some information about me that's in their system but not on the card, like the bank account it draws on), minor inconvenience).

[@Boslandschap1]

Your life sounds like a living hell! 😂 Just joking, it's interesting to hear what (little) things you encounter as an expat.

[@luukipuuk3537]

About the package thing, my dad often orders packages for his work, and he just has a little note on the door that tells the deliveryman he can put the package behind the pillar. If it annoys you that much just write a little note :)

[@Huntracony]

I have my PostNL and DHL settings deliver them to my preferred pickup point straight away and just go by to pick it up on my way home. It removes the uncertainty and it's faster than having them try and fail to deliver it first. In PostNL at least you can also tell them to leave it somewhere around your house if you're out, though I haven't tried it so I don't know how well it works.

[@gustaafleenders3088]

International toilet: A Massive poop to drop = a wet butt

[@marresjepie1887]

All I can say : Welcome! You’re a true, full blown, red blooded Dutchy now.. “Zeiken over futiliteiten”

[@joostvm4350]

I totally agree on the dogs and small sinks (very annoying, everything gets wets and you can’t wash off the soap properly) Dogs are allowed to run free in designated area’s, otherwise they have to be on a leash. The shops closed, i think that’s to give the shop owners some family time. After all their weekends are ‘ruined’ because they are working. About 30 years ago, áll shops and supermarkets had these opening hours. Luckily thats has changed, especially on the supermarket side of things.

[@MrRene1407]

comments from a dutchman: 1 - as a son of small business owners, I know monday is used by those, to buy the stuff you can buy all week long. plus shop owners deserve a day off too. 2 - as a kid we get raisins as healthy snacks so we are use to them ...but you are right selantra tastes like soap 3 - most post offices and supermarkets have merged so you can have your package delivered there .. plus the insurrance thingie gives companies a good reason to raise their prizes every year as the customer pays for them in the end 4 - when it is flat you can at least check it when you are sick, when it drops in a hole you cant. Plus when it is heavy and falls in that hole, you will end up with a wet butt because of the splashback tip: put some toiletpaper on the flat surface to help with the flushing and again you are right ... that little sink is too small and just for show 5 - that's indeed annoying 6 - you can get cash with your foreign bankcard ... plus shops have to pay for the service too .. foreign services is extra 7 - actually dogs should be on a leash in public and the owner can get a fine but as dutchmen like to bend the rules, they think they are the king and treat their dogs as a princess ps. when you talk about your girlfriend your eyes are glistening like somebody in love

[@WouterBT]

Nice video! But I cannot believe that you don’t like the platform in the toilets. To my mind, there is nothing more disgusting than having the water you just peed in splash up against your behind when your no. 2 drops in a bowl without a platform. Hurrah for platform toilets!

[@TheSimArchitect]

Amen!

[@WillyPietersz]

You pee, flush, than let number 2 come splash into a fresh and clean water. Sorry I just hate the platform where you have to raise your butt to let it come off properly. And then it smells more too and if you flush while your still sitting on the platform toilet, you end up with splashes of water that comes just from your number 2.

[@JustMe-sh8nd]

@@WillyPietersz Een pot die minimaal 1 keer is vol gescheten heeft per definitie NOOIT meer schoon en vers water. Laat jij dat maar lekker tegen je gat plonsen,, mij niet gezien.. smerig smerig en nog meer dan smerig.. gadverdamme

[@FredtheFrisian]

Don' like raisins too; I'm totally with you on that one! Let's start a group, ban the raisins 😉

[@JanStuivenberg2810]

I'm in. 😜

[@jannetteberends8730]

Me too. Especially the dried ones.

[@david6054]

@@jannetteberends8730 As opposed to.... grapes...?

[@jannetteberends8730]

@@david6054 no I mean that hard ones, like in sultana. The very very dries ones.

[@PH61a]

I just love raisins. Buy lots of them on the Vredenburg market on Saturdays...

[@Bublade]

About the packages: you can choose where to get them deliverd and sometimes you can even select a prefered day. outside the pandamic just let it get deliverd at your work. otherwise it's often nextday delivery just order on friday and be home saturday. If you live in a city in an apartment complex or something I get the delivery point, when you live in a normal home often it gets deliverd at a neighbors home (if no signing needed). And it's no shame to get up during a meeting we ain't the USA where you will/can get fired for it... (don't do it to often tho...). The toilets/sink problem: Not every home has that kind of toilet as it is an old design. (you can get it replaced if you want...). As for the sink yeah those are annoying I just walk to the kitchen to wash my hands (if i use the toilet downstairs... upstairs it's in the bathroom so there's a big sink there). CC/DC problem: As we are not a credit driven country having a creditcard is rare, the only reason we have them is for travel or when a service is non-NL/EU based like amazon (f those ffers...) Dog problem: You can get fined for not having your dog on a leash but if they behave (aka not bite etc) it'll often get ignored, where I live in the Netherlands most dogs are on a leash (unless it's a zone for dogs...)

[@janjager2906]

Oh those little sinks I totally agree with you. If I see them I don’t even bother to use them, I go to the kitchen and wash my hands there. Often you can tell they are never used, like dust on the accompanying towel. The creditcard thing, I can understand, I think it has to do with the overhead cost of foreign creditcards. Especially when you use it to buy something small there is is no profit left, while if you buy something that cost 1 euro (keep in mind this includes 21% tax) the cost of a bank card transaction is lower or equal than transferring cash money to a bank account.

[@co7013]

If you live in the city, why would you order packages in the first place? There are shops everywhere.

[@sharxtheguy1383]

Krentenbollen are literally raisin-bread, so having raisins in them isn't weird .

[@metalvideos1961]

Krenten en rozijnen zijn gemaatk van druiven maar zijn toch verschillend. daarom heb je rozijnenbollen en krentenbollen. www.24kitchen.nl/populair/verschil-krenten-rozijnen hier heb je het verschil. Dus krentenbollen zijn geen Rozijnenbollen. En andersom. dus om te zeggen dat krenten bollen "literally Rasin bread" is is dus fout.

[@lindaijland4759]

@@metalvideos1961 uiteindelijk hetzelfde fruit als basis,de druif, in gedroogde vorm. Het mondgevoel zal hetzelfde zijn voor mensen die het niet lekker vinden. Het wordt vaak door elkaar gehaald. Maar de laatste jaren staat het wel duidelijker op verpakkingen. Zou de krent een goedkopere variant zijn en misschien vandaar uit de uitdrukking "wat ben jij een krent"!!!😁

[@metalvideos1961]

@@lindaijland4759 weet niet. druiven groeien hier in nederland ook dus lijkt mij goedkoper. de krent moet helemaal uit griekenland komen. dus lijkt mij duurder. maar wie weet. ik ben nog al van de feiten dus ook met eten wil ik het correct hebben. maar ja mss heb jij een punt dat krenten goedkoper zijn

[@lindaijland4759]

@@metalvideos1961 vroeger was het alleen maar krentenbrood later kwamen de rozijnen dus ik denk dat dat vooral van vroegere tijden is. Nu zal dat idd niet meer gelden. Maar zoals zovaak met spreekwoorden en gezegden ligt het antwoord in de geschiedenis. En ergens ligt mij bij dat mijn moeder het had over een struik waar krenten aan groeiden gewoon hier in Nederland, ik kan het helaas niet meer aan haar vragen hoe dat nou zat.

[@ConsciousAtoms]

Monday shop closures can be a pain, although I understand why they do it: shopkeepers have to work on Saturday and want another day off as compensation. I've been at the barbershop on multiple occasions on a Monday, only to find out they are closed. I find your rant about raisins quite funny as "krentenbol" literally means raisin bun in Dutch. Package delivery I find a pain as well. They never deliver at the time they say they are going to, and good luck retrieving your package after a failed delivery. Leaving it on the doorstep, however, I find pretty weird as I imagine it will either get soaked with rain or get stolen. I think there should be "package boxes" - just like letterboxes but much larger - for storing delivered packages. Some workplaces allow delivery at work, so that may be a solution for you.

[@twinkharrylwt226]

Monday morning we are busy with other logistical stuff.. like coun’t stock and change the layout required by headquarters

[@MusicJunky3]

Your coffee is getting cold !

[@TheNixie1972]

That is one more thing to complain about!

[@rirareve]

I was hoping to be the first to mention that 😊

[@jpdj2715]

Coffee? You mean brown water with a white foam layer on it

[@ronaldderooij1774]

Cold water gives warm hands in winter (after a few minutes), and cold hands in summer. Ideal! The size is just enough, don't use the tap at full strenghth. Just a little bit of water is enough. I support you on the dogs. The rasins though, they are just healthy! Contain vitamins and iron.

[@mortues]

you are assimilating quite nicely! complainting is something us dutchies do and enjoy a lot! ^^

[@guushertoghs2143]

I completely agree about the way too small sinks! I'm Dutch myself, and I' ve never got used to them. They are useless!😅

[@royklein9206]

Totally agree on the raisins!! We should start an anti club...

[@LoekiNL]

In annoys me that your audio volume is to low...

[@LoekiNL]

Hmm, apparently it was my phone. Never mind...

[@dslight113]

nope it is the same with me and i have it on 100% speaker volume , i mentioned this before.

[@charlesdeng8075]

Well, we have parcel receiving draws or shelves installed on the ground floor of every building or community grocery stores. You'll receive a code on your cell or scan the barcode to pick up your orders, sounds more like a modern city life if you have to work...as well as 24/7 grocery stores in every corner of the streets...

[@expatfamilylive9041]

Thank you for being honest! We're moving to NL in a week, so, very helpful for us!

[@Dante20321]

Be prepared for the cold weather

[@expatfamilylive9041]

@@Dante20321 Thank you! It's ok for us, we're Russian and we've spent 8 years in Poland =)

[@Dante20321]

@@expatfamilylive9041 ooh hahaha. Anyway I hope you find my country beautiful 😇

[@expatfamilylive9041]

@@Dante20321 We are totally sure about this!

[@dslight113]

enjoy. man the crazy road rage i have seen from russia XD , btw the dash cam thingy is becoming popular because of the Russians !! ty for that .

[@janbouli]

Dah , a krentenbol is a raisin bun , and we don't have raisins in everything , you're right about the apple pie though. As of the packages , if you aren't home or don't want to open the door your package get's delivered to a nearby store , better then having it stolen or not delivered but the company saying it was .

[@remcohoman1011]

2:37 .. so that the shopkeepers can have somewhat of a weekend ish thingy aswell, they work on the saturdays aswell..and some on sundays too

[@ACwebseries]

I was told that the reason shops are closed on Monday morning, at least in Amsterdam is that it’s the one time during the week that trucks are allowed to make deliveries within the city. So stores used that time for deliveries

[@DanAndHoe]

Such rules are very new, while the shops being closed on Monday morning is older than that. I can imagine it could be to restock, but not because trucks are allowed during certain times.

[@iamTheSnark]

Packages? In Maarssen and Utrecht the delivery man tries if you're home. If not, he tries the neighbour and leaves a note saying "Your package was delivered at number 8." and such.

[@vincentvangogh3634]

I agree with you about the whole package delivering system! That’s why i almost never order stuff on the internet, i still prefer to walk into a store (even if i have to travel to another city) and buy the item i want in person!

[@sbrnAK]

I watched a bunch of your videos today, and the way you described the Netherlands made me want to move there. And then you mentioned the raisins.

[@vaskopeshterski4018]

I definitely know what you mean with the toilets thing! 😅 I’m really happy that my apartment has a normal toilet and a regular sized sink #blessed

[@TheEvertw]

About the Monday morning shop-close: At some point during the seventies people thought it would be a good idea to open on "koopavond". That was because there were less and less "traditional" households that had a non-working partner who did the shopping during the day. However, unions & some politicians protested that this would increase the workload for shop workers. So they decided to swap the working hours of Monday morning with those of the Koopavond.

[@pa4tim]

Monday morning closed is rather simple. The people who work in the shops work have to work on Saturday so they are free at monday (long ago shops were closed the whole monday). But that is not a rule anymore, you are allowed to go open on monday. An other reason is that you need time to clean up the store from the mess customers made on Saturday. In small villages they sometimes are closed on Tuesday instead of Monday.

[@olaf2627]

About the tiny sinks: A well kept secret is that people don't actually use them. They're there to make the toilet look nice and clean. I think in those bathrooms at peoples homes we only wash our hands when absolutely necessary