American PRAISES 5 Things About Living in the Netherlands | Dutch Life

I, an American expat living in the Netherlands, share the reasons why I decided that moving to the Netherlands was the right decision to make. Life in Holland has many benefits, and I am a big fan of the Dutch lifestyle and the Dutch culture.
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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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[@witteveenjeroen]

Sometimes it takes a foreigner to see the beatutiful things about your country again..!

[@lowlandtech]

white people love the word foreigner, forgetting the some 'foreigners" have deep roots in Dutch culture like the people from Indonesia and Suriname. So, newcomer enjoy your journey into all things Dutch maybe even becoming Dutch yourself.

[@nielsrijmers2027]

Triu dat

[@a-dutch-z7351]

@@lowlandtech And nonwhites love to use the term white people but cry when one dares to generalise the term black.

[@ricardo-dc9lg]

Probeert hij nou gewoon van een normale goed bedoelde opmerking weer iets racistisch te maken? Lekker gewerkt pik!

[@theblazingangels4286]

@@ricardo-dc9lg niet rasistisch aan hoor

[@MyTubeSVp]

If your girlfriend received a ton of cards, that says more about her than about Dutch people. I bet she’s a really really nice person ...

[@RichardK-xg5sc]

Not perse, sending cards really is something dutch people do alot, ofc being a nice person helps but not completely

[@p382742937423y4]

I also think this girl has a really nice girlfriend.

[@ronalddijkema7696]

the amount of cards says nothing about how nice you are. i get 1 card every 10 years and i am very nice. and a. hitler got a lot of cards in wo2..

[@freerkottema]

When you can pronounce gezelligheid and know the true meaning of it, you are on your way becoming a real Dutchie👌

[@egbertvos1124]

It's almost like a rite of passage here

[@johansterk8968]

Another important word in NL is "gewoon".

[@johnsteijns5394]

Say! Hottentottententoonstellingen! Lol😉

[@richardslotboom9250]

@@johnsteijns5394 Actually its:hottentottententententoonstelling!

[@grammatikaat4329]

@@richardslotboom9250 Nee, hotentottensoldatententententoonstelling. (😄 Het past niet eens op één regel!) Ik heb er nog één: Rabarberbarbarabarbarbarenbaardenbarbier.

[@fcl2024]

In europe we work to live. In america they live to work.

[@metallian2952]

Yes, and people with 3 jobs don't make enough money to pay their bills. GO FIGURE!

[@kennethstowell7650]

Wrong,

[@Cl0ckcl0ck]

In the US it's all a giant competition. The score is kept in $. For us Europeans this is so weird that most of us don't understand it. We value the opinions of our friends so much more than what most people think.

[@boydmccollum692]

In the US, like the song says, we’re working for the weekend.

[@mikevandervegt]

life and live.. there is a diffrent.. and im dutch

[@yorkshirehousewife784]

Listening to things like this, really makes me appreciate my own country and Europe.

[@j.k7283]

Same

[@Snaakie83]

I'm proud and happy that you feel at home and welcome here. You seem like a lovely person, we're happy to have you! There's plenty wrong here in the Netherlands as well, and sometimes media will be full of negativity. However, we're pretty spoiled...this is a great little country for the most of us!

[@dimrrider9133]

the media is the enemy of the people everywhere

[@Snaakie83]

@@dimrrider9133 yeah, just thinking so makes you surprisingly close to being a fascist. The media's (or at least the bulk of them) function is to held governments accountable. The primarily types of governments making an enemy of the media are absolute monarchies, dictatorships and countries in anarchy. You could try and learn some basic facts of life, see which countries in history have resulted in more freedom. Those with or without a free press. Just make an educated guess.

[@superkutzooi]

@@Snaakie83 Wat een kut-reactie. gewoon zoeken naar een reden om m af te zeiken. en dan is ie ook nog eens niet te vinden. Slap gelul !!!

[@takepruntel]

I would wait untill monday to send the e-mail. As a manager I would not want my employees to feel pressured to work in the weekend, because that is the time that they will use to balance out their working hours!

[@Wicked_Lady_Memoires]

If i leave my job. My boss never expects me te react to emails. even in the afternoon or evening. I work part time 24 ours a week sinds 1,5 year because i believe it is important to be more at home now mij kids are teenagers. Before that i worked 32 to 36 ours a week with kids people even consider that full time.

[@martijnstrik5014]

Or you can creatie the email with hour briljant idee and send it first workday 😎

[@DamienAlexander]

Lol I used to work in a supermarket and got 9 weeks holidays a year because it's a heavy job.

[@foute90s]

I ask my colleagues if they mind beeing called in the weekend or evenings, and tell them I really don't expect them to answer if they don't want to outside of working hours. So I do e-mail/call them, but not before I asked if they are okay with it.

[@fermitupoupon1754]

I just send the email as the idea occurs to me. I'll just put at the end that we'll pick it up on tuesday, but that I had to get it out while it was fresh on my mind. Then again, I usually don't check my work email during the weekend either, and I know most of my coworkers don't either. I do check it on mondays and fridays, even though those are not work days for me. It does kind of depend on who I am sending that mail to though. If it's the CEO or CFO, I'll just send it out, but I have one or two people working under me who need their time off to be sort of enforced. So I wouldn't send them a mail outside work hours at all, because I know they won't be able to let it sit over the weekend.

[@user-rx4jg8lq7h]

I think we're just lucky to have such a wonderful person as you! Hope you continue to be happy.

[@TukikoTroy]

Yes, I am in the UK and I was off work for a year with heart problems. Not only did I receive full pay for a large part of that and about 75% full pay for the remainder, but mu employer paid for specialist after care and private medical consultations to make sure I was well enough to return to work. Once back at work, my work day was adjusted around what i felt i was able to do without adversely affecting my recovery. It is now 5 years on and I am still being looked after by my employer with regards to my general health and well-being at work.

[@AreHan1991]

That system of organizing society is what is wrongly called "socialism" in the US

[@a-dutch-z7351]

@@AreHan1991 Well it is socialism. And it ain't free either.

[@neliz8]

@@AreHan1991 No it's not, are you aware that in the Netherlands the tax pressure is very high and that our koopkracht is the same as in southern italy one of the poorest regions of western europe? It is socialist. All hardworking people must pay for every dickhead that calls himself a"fugitive" nowadays for them it is free money all their lives long and no one is doing anything about it, and that is only one example.

[@lindalong5052]

well, that's not going to happen in the future. The Johnson government is tearing up all workers' rights.We're becoming a vassall state of the USA

[@imonabudget4427]

​@@neliz8 That's simply not true. The Netherlands has a higher purchasing power than Italy as a whole, so it is impossible for it to have the same purchasing power as the poorest region of that country. Also, the European countries that have a higher purchasing power all have socialist systems, so blaming socialism is hardly fair. source: cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2405078/cms-pdfs/fileadmin/user_upload/dyna_content/global/documents/press_releases/2019/20191021_pr_gfk_purchasing_power_europe_efin.pdf

[@evelienpopelier4458]

I (dutch) had no idea a birthday calendar is a dutch thing!

[@ivo4357]

I wouldn't even think about sending an email after hours. The moment I stop working I forget where I work, what I do for work. Free time is MY time. I'm from Belgium (neighbor to the Netherlands), and we have the same mindset, after all we were part of the Netherlands in the past

[@ivo4357]

@@cb1636 Well, I live in Antwerp, and there must be almost as many Dutch students in the university than Belgian students. Belgian education is regarded amongst the best in the world, which can not be said for the Netherlands. I know people who went to Dutch universities because they didn't get accepted in Belgian universities. Maybe Dutch children are "happy" because they have no obligation (set by their schools and teachers) to become a well-educated adult, which is evident in a lot of the Dutch people, with their arrogant and often childlike behavior. Take the immature way their population handled the covid crisis (Trumplike), which resulted in the need to go back to a lockdown because of alarmingly rising cases . I give you the crappy infrastructure and the communication problems in Belgium (which is caused by the Dutch and French language barrier), but I've been working a lot in the Netherlands and I can list as many problems that my Dutch colleagues have told me about, than you can list about Belgium. The fact is that many of you think Belgium is still a lesser part of the Netherlands, but you seem to forget that we kicked your asses to become independent in 1830, and have since become a bigger player in the European community than you are (Brussels is the center of the European Union, while the Netherlands are one of the few countries trying and failing to get the EU to do things their way). You're a small player, but your arrogance can not accept that.

[@ivo4357]

@@cb1636 je hebt alvast mijn zegen om terug te keren, en als jouw land toch zoveel beter en financieel aantrekkelijker is, wat houdt je dan tegen? Of kan je dan toch niet de goed betaalde job vinden in Nederland die je hier hebt? We hebben al genoeg te kampen met de overlast van onze Hollandse wereldburgers, die hier maar al te graag komen om in het weekend dronken de straten door te strompelen, en een spoor van kots en zeik achter te laten. En onze miserabele infrastructuur te verstroppen met jullie klote caravans die tegen 70km/h over onze snelwegen slalommen. Ga toch gewoon weg man, laat ons Belgen met rust en blijf in je zogenoemd paradijselijk Nederland.

[@JSMNL]

I'm happy to see that you are happy and feel welcome here. I wish you and your girlfriend continuously happiness.

[@Rogier7305]

the Dutch have actually implemented a new 'law' in 2019 which is something like 'the right to be unreachable for your work'. So, that as an employee it's your right to not answer a work related call when you are in your free time.

[@RF-et2kv]

yes but does not work any doctor of any company can get your medical situation, so still a privacy breach.

[@data1.078]

@@RF-et2kv Dat klopt. Wetten bedenken en maken is meer een proces naar een idealere situatie. Het zal nooit helemaal perfect zijn maar ik denk dat wij in Nederlands tenminste wel op de goede weg zijn om werk en leven te balanceren.

[@robvanlent1008]

Here we go again, speaking as a Dutchman. My time is my time! Do not call or mail me. In my little spare time. So I know when you do. It must be really an emergency!! Like a earthquake or tsunami! Or if I don't answer the world gonna explode. Other than that I be unreachable!

[@deetgeluid]

Was al zo tenzij je piketdienst hebt. Telefoon heb ik al jaren niet, dat kan niemand me dwingen.❤

[@mahadevovnl]

Dutch guy who lived abroad (USA, Mexico) for a while, now back in the NL but working 100% remote for a US company. Weekends are mine. Personal time is my own. If I have a brilliant thought in the weekend I'm going to write it down or record a voice memo to myself, and pick it up on Monday. No way I'm going to involve myself with my work during the weekend.

[@arnoldbrakenhoff4169]

Wow! Great to hear your positive story about the Netherlands. We are Dutch, living in the US, and preparing to return to the Netherlands after over 25 years working abroad in different countries. We are looking forward to see all the beautiful things you pointed out. The Netherlands are very lucky to have a person like you!

[@sretePtraB]

It's refreshing to hear from people from other places in the world, that we do pretty well in our little country. I wish more Dutch people realise this and complain less. On te work e-mail/weekend question. Only if it's really important I would send work related emails. But mostly, employers value the weekends just as much.

[@metalvideos1961]

thats because she talks about it as an american. us as dutchmans know that there is a shit ton wrong with our system. everything we have in the netheralnds is something americans can only dream about. but for us natives we see tons of problems. our health care is totally bullshit. own contribution is the most stupidest thing ever. our VAT system is completely garbage. and well you as a dutch person as well can think of more things most likely also. but for a person that comes from america? sure things here looks like heaven. to me? nah i can think of billions of things that i want to have changed here. and i am not alone.

[@garrardzero1]

We complain a lot therefore things het better.

[@33lex55]

Lol, you ain't fully integrated until you find stuff to whine and complain about; it's sort of a national pastime. But, as some already remarked: it keeps authorities on their toes, and it does drive progress, and ultimately, leads to even better living conditions. But it's always good to hear some positive comments; it tells us not to sweat the small stuff.

[@marleenb2979]

True. I guess its hard to see how great nl is if its normal to you. I know people from countries that are even much worse of than US, saying im too naive about how easy or good things are and im taking it a bit for granted. I guess that would be true.. Also its part of culture to conplain here, ive heard. And technically youvwill have to complain because otherwise there is no reason for improvement

[@lindaraterink6451]

We having it better than most other countries, does not mean it can't better than it already is. If you keep your mouth shut, nothing happens. We have a voice, we have the right to use it, so we will. That is all.

[@edwinjanssen9715]

I love your positivity about our great country! Thanks

[@xSCHEF]

Ava sweetie I’ve been binging your videos for a good month now.. 31yo widow Dutch dad from Brabant. Do yeah I just found out I wasn’t subscribed yet so I quickly subbed in shock. Your videos are my feelgood moment of the day, an escape of the daily media negativity. You rock, and I should mention a series with you and your girlfriend discussing the differences on certain topics from Dutch / American perspective will catapult your channel into trending status. We Dutch people love KZbinrs that acknowledge this tiny country. Keep it up girl! 👌💪🏻

[@andreteelen6266]

Solidarity has nothing to do with Communism. Good that you noticed that!

[@theGoogol]

Americans have been brainwashed to be anti-social since the cold war / cuba crisis. :((((

[@daddyleon]

But Andre, yes, it has! It's most certainly part of it, but solidarity just has nothing to do with 'pure' capitalism. So in a hypercapitalist society (like that of the USA) any solidarity already reeks of communism. Just like a naked knee might suggest rampant sexual immorality to Victorians, while it doesn't to us.

[@steveluth3139]

@@theGoogol Americans are polarised you mean, there is no centre middleground

[@daddyleon]

@@steveluth3139 iirc, if you look at the policy preferences, most people do support the policies that Bernie Sanders put forward. However peolpe keep identifying along the polarised party lines.

[@Gamesaucer]

@@steveluth3139 Not just polarised. The entire Overton Window has been shoved so far right that liberalism is lumped in with leftism which is patently absurd. Liberalism is a right-wing ideology.

[@shrike6259]

most of all no loud/distracting TV's in cafe's .. that bothered me the most when in was usa. every bar / cafe had tv's with sports and loteries and just advertizing .... ZO niet gezelig

[@Paul_C]

You should visit different bars... I you not like the noise why the hell would you stay? Peer pressure? Find new fiends...

[@ArrowRaider]

If you go to a different bar, they will also have a blaring TV. It is the culture here in the US: to constantly bombard everyone with loud, obnoxious noise.

[@War4Skills]

Wow, you are one of the first KZbinrs on the Netherlands who explains it so well, but remains critical at the same time! Really good video and nice comparison between NL and the US!

[@ralphhendriks1460]

I really enjoyed watching your vlog. I hope you and your grilfriend will enjoy our gezelligheid for many many years, take care!

[@annemieverhoeven2566]

Thank you for watching my request. This made me cry❤

[@frankiesayrelaxx]

I'm Dutch and work email or phonecalls outside working hours are not done generally. Accept when there's a "fire"of course, but that is then a hopeless emergency....

[@Teamwindrose]

So nice to hear that living in the Netherlands is great, we Dutch we forget that it is gezellig. Living with so much culture and everyone care about you, and if you are fake we told you. Thxs. for the nice words.

[@atarvos8686]

We dont forget it, but it isnt there anymore. Yes in our homes maybe. But in reallity and general we are going into the same way as the usa.

[@henkmeerhof8647]

I'm Dutch, but have been living the past 20 years in Denmark. Regarding the work-private time balance: All depends on your job. Many in a regular 9-17-ish job forget all those things they are able to do because there are other people that work odd hours. All from shop assistants to people in maintenance. So there is the first problem your free time might not be my free time. Than what is the priority, If I notice the work building is on fire, I will call my boss even on a free day. But if it is about something that can wait until Monday (or whatever is your first work day in the week) I write a reminder and leave it to that day. Things that are only important on the next department meeting - unless I want some feedback before the meeting - can wait until the meeting. Challenges in work won't disappear on their own account (neither in private life), so they are prioritised and addressed when needed, not before.

[@CanyonWanderer]

Wonderful story, welcome in the Netherlands! As a Dutch person it is great to hear in such a very clear summary how lucky we are 😀. Your understanding of gezelligheid is beyond any I've witnessed so far amongst the non Dutch. I had an American colleague long time ago and during one Friday afternoon "borrel" (happy hour ?), he said: "This is gezellig, right?", he got it!

[@mikekaaks8501]

My English mother married a Dutchman and moved to the Netherlands in 1946 - I was born there in 1949. What has prompted me to write is that her diary descriptions of the way she was looked after when I was born, not just by family but also friends AND neighbours sounded exactly like your experience. Clearly this is a deep seated aspect of Dutch culture that has been so for a long time.

[@tomd1899]

Ava! These videos are great and glad you're loving life in the Netherlands

[@femkevanwageningen6068]

I wouldn't feel uncomfortable sending a work email in the weekend. I however don't expect a response until monday. It's the weekend, my boss is probbably not reading his work mail until the work week had started

[@frankb4483]

I am Dutch. Very nice to hear your praises. Thanks!

[@kkll547]

Very nice to hear someone saying positive things about Holland. I'm dutch and live in Australia and are still a very proud dutchy

[@reneout1000]

I even have my birthday calendar here in Australia.

[@JoTummers]

Thanks for reminding me in what a great country we live here. Honestly, I would not want to live in the US. I think it is a harsh country. The government does not take care of it's citizens like we do here.

[@mjoezic3198]

Our government doesnt care shit about us. Did you ever walk into elderly houses? It is a disgrace, for one instance. They also follow the agenda of WeF. They dont work for us.

[@JoTummers]

@@mjoezic3198 yes and it is far from perfect but my mom was taken care of very well. In general, we are better off here than people the US.

[@Xmaslightsallyear]

Hola Eva? Ava? What resonates with me most about Europe is feeling surrounded by history, beauty, and good taste. I have lived on the Pacific coast of Mexico for 23 years, which I love very much, although Mexico's charms are in many ways very different than Europe's of course. As soon as travel restrictions are eased I'll begin spending the allowed 3 months in Europe; back to Mexico for six; back to Europe for 3 more, and repeating this cycle indefinitely, enjoying the best of two very different worlds. At least that is the plan.

[@Veronica-pz6dn]

I love this so much! I'm moving and starting a new job in Amsterdam! When they told me I would have 42 days of paid holidays, my jaws dropped because I'm so used to 2 weeks standard! Can't wait to move!

[@dutchdykefinger]

the birthday calendar can be quite sad too when you see familiar names with a cross behind them though :(

[@palantir135]

Weekends mean Not Working so no mail unless there’s an emergency. And even then you often don’t.

[@janvo01]

Love the way you tackle this. Well done!

[@thumpsunp4153]

Thank you for remembering how nice it is to live in the Netherlands

[@baskoning9896]

8:40 no, I would write it down somewhere and send it first thing monday morning, but it would have to be very, very serious (like, 'yo, dude, someone is breaking in to our shop right now') before I would even contemplate bothering my boss (or anyone) in his private time.

[@Felipe.N.Martins]

@2:16 Extra kilometer. You live in the NL now. ;-)

[@Joostmhw]

In case it isn't obvious; the birthday calendar is in the bathroom because it's something you go into every morning before starting your day making sure you know exactly if and when someone has their birthday

[@bobgilmour3172]

On Social Security, you’re so spot on. I live in Caribisch Nederland. We’ve still got the pot holes in the roads without fietspaden, but the Dutch did come in with their health care - way cheaper and better than US by leagues, and our weather is better than anyones. Still, love to come over your way for all the rest you speak of. Keep it up.

[@snrvanbeek]

Thank you for making this video, I didn’t know that some of the things you mention are specifically Dutch! And you are absolutely not superficial that you like to see beauty in your everyday life. You should also visit Groningen and the little villages in the Province of Groningen, lots of beauty and culture to warm your heart by 😉

[@patbodemvondstengroningene.o]

Absolutely.... Groningen is a great city with friendly people.... Worth a visit for sure.

[@Ilsecool90]

About that mailing in the weekend thing: yeah, I feel very uncomfartable doing that. I would never do that. The weekend is your time off and if you want to enjoy that, your boss or manager also would like that. So, you just don't send emails in the weekend. Everyone already worked hard enough during the week and people need their weekend to relax a bit.

[@maartengoutier2085]

Thank you for all the kind words! Welcome to The Netherlands and I wish you and your girlfriend the best of times here!

[@KrewzKontrol79]

Awesome videos! Just watched most of them today. Really enjoyable. Keep it up.

[@DannyKleian]

Wauw thanks for sharing , you make my heart warm by the way ur talking about our stuff (^^ grts from Riccardo Alkmaar N-H

[@mariop.s.5452]

I actually bought one of those birthday calendars one time I visited The Netherlands. I thought it was really neat. I did not know they are placed in the bathroom. I have mine in my office lol *moves birthday calendar to bathroom*

[@Meine.Postma]

You are such a positive person; you're making me see my country with different positive eyes. Thanks.

[@luciaberkenveld5643]

I saw a few of your vlogs and find them very nice. Your a good observer. Nice to have you here in Utrecht. I hope you'll have a 'gezellige tijd', living here.

[@Pyltje03]

When I talk to my american friends in nevada the social Climate always comes up. After several years They now understand that a social system doesnt mean its communist. IT took the. A while. Now I try explain that our system is based on...we leave No One behind. I use this because americans understand this military way of thinking. Marines use iT...we leave No One behind. So I ask them......If this is normal in the military...and you understand iT. Why do you leave people behind in your neighborhood? The strong Carry the weak and help them to make iT on their own...dont let them down on the street.

[@the1Skyseer]

so true

[@remconoordermeer7015]

That’s a good analogy!

[@metalvideos1961]

the reason WHY americans think that socialism is communism. is because after the Cold war the american government have brainwashed the people in thinking that socialism is communism. so they have to pay less attention on their own citizens. have to spend less money on their own citizens and so forth. why? well because of the wars ofc. they need to brainwash the americans in believing that they are fighting for their freedom. which is a lie ofc. so they cant bother in spending money on a social system to give their own citizens a better life. hence the reason why america is now bitching about venezuela as well. well one of the reasons that is. most americans dont want a social system just for this reason alone. good thing more and more younger americans see the problem and want to have a social system. but the old idiots who still runs the country dont care for it because of the reason i gave to you. they couldnt handle that communist russia did it better in anyway then they did in america. but a fun fact is is that FDR wanted to have a social system in america. pretty much the same system as we have in the netherlands. but he died so he could never send in that bill. if he could america would have a social system now as well. JFK wanted to have a social health care system as well. but he got shot by AIPAC and the FBI. point is america will never have a social system. it can take years and years for that to happen.

[@dutchgamer842]

Socialism sucks, SP and PVV are socialist and they suck

[@vullings1968]

@@dutchgamer842 SP and PVV are opposites in the political gamma here in NL. And Dutch politics is not socialist, but social-democratic. Which is completely different. Just to bring some nuance.

[@ateveenstra5361]

You can send an email during the weekend to your boss, but don't expect an answer before monday. It's better not to do it unless it's urgent. Weekend is kind of holy here.

[@FerrySwart]

this is such a sweet video, and you're right. I've been in the USA as a Dutch person about 25 times. as a tourist and for visiting famlily there and all the things you put out are so true. Not that the USA is not a great country for visiting. Every country has things to love. You just have to see them and enjoy. Stop and smell the roses as they say:)

[@cuffeemia2108]

I plan on moving there to work, you're views are very insightful!

[@nicolettelefebvre9419]

Welcome!

[@tannergruene8937]

I am moving to the Netherlands and fully intend to assimilate with Dutch culture. I learned that working 60 hour weeks and being expected to be available at all times to my employer, the poor social safety net, the bad crime rate of the US is just not how I want to spend my life. People here are scared to take off work if they are sick, because they fear losing their jobs!

[@TheExplorder]

You're very welcome! And as a Dutch guy, born here, I really can't blame you!

[@TheExplorder]

@fox_fires It baffles me how millions of Americans are so anti-Bernie Sanders and some of his proposals. Some American media platforms are comparing him to Stalin. I find that so weird. He's basically trying to establish an American version of what we all have in Europe. Are those people really thinking that we are not free or can't make any choices for ourselves, "because the goverment controlls everything." This anti-left propaganda is really destroying the United States of America from the inside.

[@christinam1649]

ME TOOOOOO !!!!! Congratulations to you and your future plans !!!

[@the_w189]

@@TheExplorder they do not like bernie because he hates the rich. But...... almost only worked in government and is bizarrly rich himself. He should have cleaned his own room first; and helped people before he told everyone to help each other. Who profited to most Of what bernie did? he did.

[@gerbrandlub]

An added aspect of Dutch work culture: Don't be formal with your boss. Or his boss. Or the CEO. You'll probably be on a first name basis by the second email. Also, any decent manager no matter their position will want to hear you ideas or critique to at least discuss. Work drinks are optional but recommended I find.

[@KootFloris]

Great list. You looked deeper than bikes, bluntness and weed. Mind you US corporate propaganda keeps people anxious over high taxes and socialism, thus they lost all the benefits that the Dutch taxpayers get from their higher taxes, awesome infrastructure, great education, very cheap and secure healthcare, little fear of unemployment, while, mind you be much more effective at work. Because we often care about our jobs.

[@ancaas7945]

Well I have to disagree on the 'very cheap' healthcare. NL has the 7th most expensive healthcare in the world.

[@wessager8659]

The Americans that still pay taxes are paying for the wars, private prisons and corporate bailouts. The super rich don't have to worry about taxes. THAT is why we cannot have social safety programs.

[@the_w189]

@@ancaas7945 yes. One in 4 cannot pas the healthbill.

[@gauloiseguy]

@@ancaas7945 Might be true. But accessable to all. Which is important IMO.

[@michielpolorocks]

On point number 2. I personally don't feel ashamed to send e-mails on the weekend, but when I do I fully expect that I won't receive an reply until the following monday. I'm glad most people here agree that work is for work hours and for personal time.

[@MrEmanuelw]

Apart from learning about the Netherlands or differences between (our) cultures. I think your videos can teach us about how having a positive approach to the things you see around you will improve your live! Good for you and thank you!

[@FartingFighter]

I wouldn't think twice about sending a work email in the weekend, but would not expect a reaction till monday.

[@lumxexobts1847]

This would be my answer!

[@JasperJanssen]

I work saturdays, and as such I definitely send emails on Saturday. But I definitely don’t expect a response that day.

[@anglerfish61]

same

[@VRBLNSLT]

Gezellig to have you here 😁🍻 Silly Dutch fact.. need the positive reinforcements from foreign youtubers so bad we will watch anything anybody has to say about us... 😂😂

[@lindalong5052]

we love the Dutch here in England

[@VRBLNSLT]

@@lindalong5052 we love the brits here aswell.. except the ones that just come over for stag nights😂

[@edwardparkhurst9804]

What a wonderful video of your life and times. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us that watch your channel. Outstanding job young lady.

[@StefanRink]

Work email and calling also depends on the job and person. I don't mind getting a call at night or in the weekends but in return they don't call me early in the morning. I think the fact that you have a very pleasant personality and attitude towards things probably helps a lot in making friends. As far as I know you made an excellent choice and all I think you will probably never regret it and going to take stuff for granted very soon. Good luck, try to make the best of it and try and enjoy life!

[@gaikditonthouden]

I sometimes send work-related emails during the weekend, although I try to be cautious with that and only send important email. When I feel like it, I also read the incoming ones. However, I usually do not feel obliged to do so. Likewise, I do not expect my colleagues to reply during the weekend either. (Unless there's an emergency, maybe. In which case I use Whatsapp for a quicker response.)

[@TheWildEntertainer]

Sending msg/emails during off working hours / days to your boss you better think twice hehe and only do it when it is really important otherwise wait till Monday ;) Your boss also have a family life and don’t want to trouble his mind with other things then his familie when he or she is free ;)

[@DaveVersteeg]

I am very happy for you. I am very proud of the Netherlands and its nice that you live the dutch style now. Try to learn a dutch word every day and we will love you even more.

[@rhmdutchman1550]

It is refreshing to hear from an outsider what is so good about our country. We are used to it. You say the G pretty well. a lot of practice and it gets even better.

[@DutchAmericano]

Haha, thank you! I try.

[@johannessugito1686]

In general, sending work related emails during weekends: NO. Except when you know that your colleague is online too and it is important to communicate. To be more precise: when you are ill, by law your employer has to keep paying your salary up until two years. This does not mean that you keep your position in the company.

[@DutchAmericano]

Excellent- good to know! Thanks for sharing.

[@remconoordermeer7015]

Exactly this.

[@Pyltje03]

More and more you see that laws move I to the direction that iT isnt allowed to contact working people in the free time. In big parts of germany its already in place....and many compagnies here are also thinking about iT. IT is for keeping the balance better and dont get people more work related stress.

[@cfjooijevaar1]

Ava, you are a very positive person with a very open mind and that is the cause of the fact that you can enjoy everything you did not know before! You love our country! How nice, but I am sure that if you had been ended up in Austria or Switzerland you'd be just as thrilled of living there, don't you think? But we like to have you here!!!

[@Barutokun]

Glad to hear that you're enjoying our country! You asked about the work e-mails in the weekend. My work is mostly of the freelance variety, but I wouldn't hesitate to send an e-mail in the weekend, if for no other reason than that it might slip my mind if I did it later. On the flip side, I wouldn't realistically expect a response until monday, unless I put something like 'urgent' in the headline.

[@jjbankert]

14:56 "Have you seen the pretty canals..?" Yes my high school was just out of frame to the left in that picture, haha

[@JasperJanssen]

Christelijk Gym represent. (91-97)

[@Uuuuuuurrgggggghhhhh]

Nice video. I wish you and your girlfriend a beautiful future in our country!

[@MarcvanExel]

Welcome to the Netherlands and thank you for your kindness. About the email topic, no mails during the weekend. Work ends at around 5 pm on a friday and starts again on monday morning.

[@nrnexusrising]

Great video! I enjoyed it a lot. I’m happy for you that you’re in a place that suits you so well!

[@robertboender3277]

Sometime I wish I was young and a girl :-) you're great. Will share some videos to help you a bit.

[@StreamHottieSuperSimp]

Dutch guys are missing out here ;)

[@BOSExperience]

Actually gonna send this video to the American woman I invited over to visit my country. Of course I did mention these 5 things and more, but I think it will be better if she hears it from an American woman now living in The Netherlands.

[@Elementalism.]

We recently had a somewhat sudden business trip abroad at work, learned about it late Friday, had to leave next Wednesday... Sooo... time to start -planning and booking- enjoy the weekend! :D

[@milangelagonzalez1152]

It's very refreshing to know that there are good and smart people that can appreciate other countries. You are certainly a very good human being. I love Nederland ook. Het is een zeer mooie land. Zo goed ingericht. It is my dream to live there. So thank you for posting nice and informative videos. 💚💚💚

[@womenfrom0202]

Why would you send an email in the weekend, Monday is early enough

[@Jspeek]

Sending emails in the weekend is ok, really depends whether it’s necessary :), it’s more company culture driven

[@L20_714]

Your video's have such a positive vibe! You seem like such a nice person!

[@Petrus1805]

Congratulations for your video. You explained very well your points of view. I agree all of them.

[@Beaumont6]

Most women work part time, about 75% of all women in the Netherlands. While 85% of the men work full time (40+ hours).

[@remkojerphanion4686]

Indeed, where else in the world, can you sit and do your thing on the toilet, and at the same time see who's got a birthday coming up soon!

[@vloepkleedje]

Glad to see things are working out for you here. It really is nice to be able to see the special things about your own country that you sometimes dont even notice anymore because they come so natural or you have sort of come to take them for granted. Now you asked about the weekend days email and personally I have no problems sending emails during the weekend, mainly because I don't expect a reply anytime other than at their convenience, say on monday. It is a good thing to have that fresh thought broadcast while it is still vivid. By extention you can apply the directness you yourself have noticed and which has rubbed off on you a little even to this matter. As for the historical environment, I could not live on a continent without these old towns and cities to explore and rediscover time and time again. It makes you appreciate your surroundings knowing people from half way across the world travel here just to see things they would otherwise only see in the movies. As for social security this is quite a controversial topic, as it is anywhere perhaps, but for a different reason. Here our welfare state to some has gone a bit too far. Where the principle of solidarity and state funded (read citizen funded) safetynets and benefits works in a society full of people who appreciate and part take in a common ideology of citizenship, a welfare state like ours is very vunerable to abuse and some might take it for granted not knowing that in principle it is a service of solidarity to you in your time of need. Thus it becomes something people feel entitled to and they don't even think about where the money and infrastructure comes from, because there is no incentive to make them really respect the idea behind it. Also politicians are able to use the welfare state to buy an audience and preserve votes, so to bribe voters as it were. A system like that is very damaging to a society, economy and country as a whole. Now the Netherlands has vast resources in both material and human form, so it is unlikely that a system of entitlement and bribery will bring the country down in the near future. Just know that it can if the system swings out of control and we find ourselves trapped in a system of patronage like the Greek example and hit the bottom of the well in some sort of crisis. Finally I wanted to point at the broader trends that govern both your fascination with some of the things you see in the Netherlands and the reason why mostly Dutch people will en masse visit channels like these for reasons I already pointed out: there seems to be a movement going on that seeks to import American sensitivity, dishonesty, savyness and indirectness to the public sphere. This is a movement that is driven by greed, globalism and neo liberalism and aims to neutralise cultural boundries for more effective enterprise. Political over-sensitivity on matters of free speech, history and identity are amoung them, but so is the work-life culture. In short all the things you find refreshing in your time being here are by no means certain. To conclude on a positive note: channels like yours are doing a great job to help people rediscover what it means to have all these things both small and large and that they should cherish them while they are still aware they have something that is worth keeping.

[@suecombelic-ghaly1518]

I lived in Delft for 4 years and it was one of the best times of my life. I remember just walking to the grocery store and thinking, wow, this is amazing. I’m so so lucky. Now I live north of Seattle and I get that feeling when seeing the mountains, which are amazing, but I would love to return to the Netherlands.

[@alexcrouwel6942]

i always say : in the Netherlands we work to live in stead of live to work like most Americans do

[@kaydesign]

Fun little fact: We have the fastest internet in the world but the cities are looking very historic at the same time ;) Wish you much happiness in the Netherlands!

[@robertrijkers4923]

uhm no we don't ... we are 7th on the list...not bad but compared to south korea and Singapore we are slugs ;p www.pandasecurity.com/mediacenter/panda-security/countries-with-the-fastest-internet/

[@xander9460]

At an average connection speed of 85.02 Mbps, Taiwan has the fastest Internet speed in the world. We're sitting at like the 8th spot the with 40.21 Mbps per 2020. We're lagging pretty far behind with getting glass fiber.

[@grahamsmith9541]

@@robertrijkers4923 that list is missing the UK. My measured download speeds are :- 4g on phone 33.9 M bits, home internet 73.8 Mbits.

[@ErwinNijdam]

Nice video! I like it that you share you're positive thoughts! How nice to have you here! Groetjes!

[@SuzanneBeenackers]

Love your videos, Eva! What you experience with learning about Dutch culture through art, I have that same fascination for the US because I ve always had American idols. It started with Adam Curry, who was a Dutch tv host from American descent in the 80s. He had a music program with guests, and f.e. the premiere of the Thriller video from Michael Jackson. And from there I moved straight into Bon Jovi, Guns N Roses, metal, a 25 year relationship with Madonna; And now I m back with Bon Jovi again. All those idols have imprinted America into me. And movies too; I recently picked up an extreme fascination for Stinson, up to the point that I wonder how to get there because the road is so curvy! (as apparent in the movie Basic Instinct) Our two Roman cities are Maastricht and Nijmegen (where I live) There are no buildings left from that time, but we de have landmarks, history, and great stories. Also you might want to look up Gebroeders van Lymborch; They were the first Dutch painter masters, from the middle ages. Their birthhouse is here in Nijmegen.

[@OllieV__nl]

I swear every time I go to my parents and look at the birthday calendar, there's a new cousin once removed on there I didn't know existed. Who had Thijs? What's a Reza? Have I ever met this now already 16 year old Jake?

[@2009heyhow]

At one of my friends home they have a poster with 100 funny and interesting facts about poop on the door of the bathroom. It's fun to read while taking a shit. And yes, above that is a calendar as well.

[@CodexMoonstream]

Sending an email with an idea is fine, just don't expect a response until monday morning ;)

[@martianpudding9522]

I work 32 hours and get five weeks of vacation. My job also uses an internal email system that I can only access by logging in to my work laptop, so I never send or check emails on my days off. Another really cool thing I learned about a while ago is that not only are sick days pretty much unlimited and seperate from vacation days, you are even entitled to having your vacation days turned into sick days if you get sick during your vacation (so you get those vacation days back).

[@DickvanZanten]

Nice to see you feel at home. It takes someone like you to point out the good sides of this country. We Dutch tend to take those for granted and complain a lot about life

[@WillemvanKalsbeek]

A brainwave about work in the weekend? I would email myself to my work-mailadress and if I still think it's a good idea on monday I'll from there

[@mariozaal]

What cool that you moved here for youre girlfriend 👍

[@maidenekker]

You say such nice things about the Netherlands, thanks for that! Being dutch it isn't new for me and i rarely realise it is so different in other countries. Yes, my work is important to me but my free time is equally important and i earn enough to work 32 hours a week and live well. And i do realise how fortunate we are with a government who provides so much. And that paying taxes is a privilege in a certain way. I hope you will be very happy here!!

[@teambellavsteamalice]

Nice you love my 🇳🇱 country 🇳🇱! Fun things yau mention I'm so used to as a Dutch person I hardly think about. 😊