As an expat coming from the US the 5 things we miss about the US and the 5 things we REALLY don't!

As an expat living in the Netherlands for 3 months now there are some thing we really miss and some things we REALLY don't. Dutch culture. As an American living abroad in Rotterdam and the Netherlands the differences really start to stand out after a short period of time. I can tell you this life in Holland has be the best experience of our life.

[@RealConstructor]

Not going to the shops 24/7 will offer you an opportunity to start planning and organizing, instead of leaning on convenience. In Europe we think store owners deserve a private life.

[@maskedgamer7565]

He was talking about superstores. They have employees who work in shifts. So I don't really see a problem? I wish we had 24/7 shops in Belgium tbh. We only have those night shops with dodgy food and you pay 8 euro for a bottle of water.

[@RealConstructor]

@@maskedgamer7565 He was also talking about 7-eleven convenience stores, those aren’t superstores, but mum-and-pop stores. There is no honest competition possible for mum-and-pop stores against big chains. But they keep their head above water, just. This will certainly change if shops can open 24/7. Or they loose there private lives outside the shops. Not a good development.

[@jeffrey2988]

@@maskedgamer7565 I think having stores open until a later hour in the evening would already solve a lot, doesn't have to be 24h for me, will the cost of operating the entire store, electricity, heating, paying employees be covered by those few people that come in at 2-3am?

[@maskedgamer7565]

@@jeffrey2988 They don't have to be open till 2-3 am. Most stores are open till 18.00 cet in the evening. I get off work at 17.15 cet. Not easy to get there in time if you still need to pick up kids and other stuff. Most stores don't have heating. The electricity has to be on all day and all night anyway. They have meat, frozen food, drinks, etc. This needs to stay cool, so electricity shouldn't be a real problem. And one or two employees to stay till 22.00 cet will definitely be covered by the people who shop.

[@bingostar1615]

If you need shops in the middle of the night you are not a very bright person.

[@unhappydutch]

Fortunately, in the Netherlands it is not (yet) the norm that "time is money" has priority. In general, it is not valued so positively because here in general the choice is that you work to live and not live to work. It gives a much better balance between work and private life.

[@bymicromize]

Thank god.

[@mikefalcon1970]

In general you can say that the longer the shops stay open, people are not buying more, they only shop on different times. A shop that stays open for say 12-14 hours a day will cover more than 95% of the customers so it will sell not much less than a 24 hour shop. However the extra costs in a 24 shop need to be covered, either by higher prizes or lower hourly wages (most likely the last...)

[@nfboogaard]

Time = money, But also Time = life Can't buy life though.

[@sideutsz]

It is always intresting to hear a outside point of view on our country. I think a lot of things you are noticing in difference come down to a different social security structure in the Netherlands compared to the US. In north europe (scandanavian countries even better) we have a general good living standard. We pay relatively high income tax. That money is then used for social security programs, good healthcare systems, good infastructure, good affordable educational system etc. So there are homeless people here as wel but because of the social security system only losing your job would not make you homeles. Another big difference I think is the income tax system is not only build to collect money but it is also a tool used to keep wealth more evenly balanced. Higher income pay higher taxrate, lower income pay lower taxrate and in case of low income additional subsidy structure. This means that most people can have a livable income. And more importantly there is not such a scharp contrast between lower and higher income groups (so called rich and poor). In the US you could probaly become much richer then here but also much poorer and I think that sharp contrast between people does not contribute to a safer society.

[@Centurion101B3C]

Believe me, having lived in the US for well over 20 years, taxes in the US are NOT lower. You just pay less upfront, but if you want to live at the same societal comfort and services level as in the Netherlands, you are in for a rude awakening where it comes to what you have to shell out for it in America. Recently an expat organization did an indepth comparisson and it appeared that living and working in the Netherlands is a considerably better deal than doing the same in the US. Specifically, the healthcare costs, social safetynet and National infrastructure management stand out as costly matters that are better and more extensively covered in the Netherlands.

[@martdiamond6109]

I think it's funny that you specifically mention traffic and safety while living in Rotterdam, probably the city with the most traffic jams and highest crime rates in the Netherlands. But I guess that only emphasises the point

[@NinaW1n]

I was thinking the same! 😄 To a lot of Dutch people Rotterdam is a very dangerous city.

[@Trickydicky57]

Everything you do or do not miss in the US all boils down to the 'Me, Me, Me culture'. Shops being open anti-social hours is detrimental to the quality of life for the shop workers. Feeling unsafe because of a culture of 'Have's and Have Nots' as those feeling hard done by society will react. Homeless people and beggars, due to society refusing to pay sufficient taxes to assist the less able in society........ and so on. It all boils down to what sort of a society you want: Me first or society first. I think that the Dutch have a better take on how society should function for all members of society, but of course that's just my opinion.

[@data1.078]

I think the best outcome for society at any present lays in between of your two mentioned ends. A me focussed society becomes like loose sand, not being able to make any decision others than the ones favoring the most powerful. The collective focussed society becomes like concrete, not being able to make any decision either until extreme sacrifice must be made from its members. If a society nears these ends then in my opinion a society becomes pathetic as it clearly has not learned from humanities past. Just like the US these days and slowly The Netherlands as well with extremism rising.

[@pedrolopes3542]

Paying high taxes does not necessarily equates to good public services or people in need being "assisted" by society. Homelessness in the Netherlands is ILLEGAL, and the law is enforced, but the housing prices at the lower tier are rising fast and renting or buying has become impossible for a large portion of the population in the Netherlands, in Tilburg in 2016 you could buy an apartment for 110 000 euros, now the same apartment will cost more than 200 000, in order to maintain purchasing power salaries would have to have doubled... they haven't, minimum wage increase only 11% in the past 5 years. The list for social housing are very very long (years of waiting lists in some cities). Homelessness is coming to the Netherlands, Den Haag (the real capital of the Netherlands) has already some homeless people. I saw homeless people in Tilburg for the first time last year (in the mean time the city "took care of them"). Affordable Housing, proper salaries and a culture that is more cautious about personal finances are the only solutions for homelessness.

[@angeloavanti2538]

yup. almost 2k years of history and knowledge of human nature. trying to be 'new' always doesn't work. one word, nachtwinkel!

[@sylviasmits9275]

If you want to see how a sociatie should work ( at least to my opinion) you should Come visite the eagle shelter in Dongen ( near tilburg) it is a freehaven for people to meet, heal, grow, learn, give and take. You only share your furst name. There are no other rules than to treat echother with respect. Look them up and come by for a cup of coffe ( and for Eric I've got chocomel)

[@SDA704]

As a woman, I definitely feel safer in the Netherlands, in general. But you still need to be alert, especially in isolated areas or at night. The first time I felt unsafe was in Rotterdam. While walking through a big park, coming around a hidden corner, a 20 something man started following me and calling out to me. I told him, nee, nee, please leave me alone but he kept following me. I asked him “spreekt u Engels?” and he then said, “you’re so beautiful”. I told him to get the f away from me. “Don’t come any closer!” He finally left but my heart was beating and I was ready for a fight.

[@normadesmond6017]

For me, beeing Dutch, it is funny to hear that you compare the opening and closing hours of shops in the Netherlands vs the US. I am old enough to remember that everything closed at 18.00. Everything. Then there was a change and it was called - shopping evening. It was every thursdayevening and then the shops were open until 21.00. My mother and me used to go into town, do our shopping and have dinner in a seafood restaurant. Why? Because it was special. Same shops, same shopping, but they were open until 21.00! Not to be believed. The good thing is that I have great memories about it. Me and my mother going out for dinner! That was very rare in those times. And then came: once a month the shops were open on sunday. There was a lot of discussions about that. Sunday was a resting day. Sunday was special beeing a catholic. It didn't help - once a month every shop was open. I asked my mother why we had to go into the same stores, doing the same things like we always did, and she said: "Because is on a sunday". Yep, these were the days....

[@margreetanceaux3906]

Time is money - but for a small horeca-business (cafe, bistro) the owner needs time to rest, time to buy supplies - and from that perspective being open on notoriously slow days, is a loss of energy, and sometimes a loss of money too (prepared foods and fresh supplies going to waste). Keeping your (not-supermarket) shop open for long hours, means you need to have (and pay) someone to cover for you on 50% of those hours. Could very well be the overall revenue doesn’t allow for that.

[@MrBliss77]

Exactly time is money, so if you waste your time waiting for potential customers you loose money. Any entrepreneur would open their restaurants on Monday/Tuesday if it was profitable. Also the fact that waiters and cooks are generally underpaid in the USA, makes the cost/benefits calculation very different.

[@Angeliqued]

We don’t live to work. We work to live.

[@debatts]

I understand about the shops.. when I got here in the late 80's the stores closed at 6 and nothing was open on Sunday. I used to miss Walmarts and Target but after being here for a few years I learned that life does not have to be so hectic as we Americans think. Learning dutch is easy if you really want to. Most dutch speak English too.

[@BrazenNL]

Yeah. So, the shoe laces example. You have to relax. If you really need that pair of shoes for work, go to the shop before you go to work. Your boss won't care, unless you have fixed times like a store, but then your work clothing is the responsibility of your employer, too, and they probably have shoe laces for you there.

[@shadowraptor888]

I can tell u something about our homeless safety net we have here, although it prob differs a bit per province, in mine (gelderland) even if you're homeless u can get a special kind of homeless wellfare, which is lower than normal but still pretty substantial, especially considering u don't have any rent. You usually apply for this through the homeless shelter you're staying at, and they check if you actually show up every day. Most of these people are just people in unfortunate circumstances, so they still follow the rules of getting this wellfare, which allows them a path to their own place again eventually. Also police are very tight on people who harass others, if they get too many complaints they will just arrest you, so you're actually incentivized to follow the homeless programs and not bother anyone, stay in one location, don't go out at night etc. Only a really small percentage of homeless people also fall through the cracks of these safety nets. I only met one dude at the homeless shelter I stayedd in who actually didn't actively look for a home, and he even classified himself as a drifter not a homeless person. But he wasn't a crazy person, he still understood he shouldn't bother other people, it just didn't benefit him to do so. This might also tie into why u feel safer at night, cos in general there's just little benefit for criminals to rob someone who's just walking their dog. It's not like anyone ever carries any money anymore, and there's very little they can do with id cards or bank cards before they get cancelled. And u might not see them that often, but in a place like rotterdam I assure you police is never far away, even at night, there's just no incentive for criminals or homeless people to go out of their way to harass other people.

[@MagereHein]

I live in Rotterdam and have been homeless for some time in 2015 and 2016 for reasons I was partially to blame for myself, but partially from bad luck. Getting a place in a homeless shelter turned out to be quite easy, but I did sleep on the street a few nights, fortunately not in winter. Getting a new home took about a year, but YMMV. It was, ehrm, educational. Now that I know who they are I see homeless people regularly. They're not easy to spot by looking unkempt or wearing rags, although some do. Have a look around the Centrale Bibliotheek at the Hoogstraat and you'll see a few in and around.

[@ringerheringa3052]

Well said, sir! Welcome! You won't regret moving over here!

[@liesbethboesjes3307]

Why would you go to the shop in the midle of the night!🙄

[@Nathan-pq7xe]

Because some people are awake in the middle of the night for various reasons.

[@aliaguerin1266]

What i notice is you are very careful not to offend somebody. In time you find out we dont care that much and are not easily offended:) subbed btw

[@jetfromholland4533]

I think the 24/7 shops being open is not a good thing for a number of reasons, but I certainly understand all your other reasons! My husband is also from an English speaking country and he has the same issues. Especially the difference in church experience. Hope you will enjoy our Dutch way of living more and more over time. Greetings and God bless!

[@Jos_G.]

Missing conversations in your native tongue... I can imaging that because it takes a lot of energy to listen and talk in a good way in a foreign language and it's so comforting/relaxing when you can talk without thinking about how to say something.

[@JaredLeesMom]

I have a friend who lives near L. A. She has posted quite a bit about that California traffic. I have never lived outside the US but I feel your list would be similar to mine. I thank you and your lovely wife Tammy for the hard work and time you spend compiling your very informative videos. I am a recent subscriber and look forward to catching up.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you so much and thank you for watching ❤️

[@john1956c]

I am a US expat that has lived here since 1992. Since living here I have also travelled extensively throughout the world so I think I have a good understanding of other cultures. The US is a culture different than most others in the world and not necessarily in a good way. I agree in all the points you mention which you don't miss. However, I still love visiting the States as I really (really) love the American southwest for it nature. My adage I mention to my Dutch colleagues is "it is a nice place to visit but I won't want to live there". Yes, I feel very safe here compared to Southern California, not only for crime but also the fear of natural disaster, as in earthquakes, which I have been in a few. Anyhow, yes I will not live in the US again, but at the same time it is one of my favorite places to 'visit' (go figure, right?).

[@mavadelo]

Former homeless and homeless advocate here. About 35 years experience with the subject.Sadly homelessness is on the rise in the Netherlands. In fact, since 2009 the number has more than dubbled. Currently the "known" populatio of homeless people sits at around 36000. However these are "registred" cases (people that are registered at night shelters, homeless organisations etc). Would we include non registered the estmates go from a "low" 40000 up to about 90000. the 4 "big cities" (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and the Hague) will have projects like night and day shelters, 24hr shelters, work projects etc. Many of the medium sized cities (Groningen, Nijmegen, etc) will at least have night and day shalters. In most cities it is possible for homeless to get some sort of Social Security or they can get coupons for the shelters. Politicians have talked about eradication of the "homeless problem" by forcing people into things like group homes, special neighborhoods and even camps but in all reality it is not a problem that can be fixed. Even in an utopian society there will be people that choose homelessness above society. Be it because they just want it that way or because they lost faith in the system. Finally there is the issue with mental patients, many of them end up on the streets because the mental healthcare sysetem is severely overloaded. There is simply not enough place to help these people in due time before they either get kicked out of their homes or leave on thei own accord. Solving homelessness is more than focussing on the actual homeless, it needs changes in many areas to get those that want, off of the streets.

[@Scott__C]

Interesting info and takes on things hearing this as a US citizen. Here in the US, people's identity and value as a person is highly tied to money, where I think elsewhere it isn't or at least it's not the primary driver of personal identity/worth. Also in the US people want services/nice roads/etc, but don't want to pay taxes to support those things. The homeless issue sadly is prevalent all over the country because it's not a sound byte solution for the politicians.

[@johannessugito1686]

The "time is money" has also another meaning. On evening and night time hours, there is a surcharge on the salary. It is not by law, but it is agreed in an agreement or covenant between employer/employer organisation and employees/employee organisation or labour union. This is the so called CAO, Collectieve Arbeids Overeenkomst, Collective Labour Agreement. Large companies and business sectors, such as the hotel/restaurant/café, chemical industries or building construction, has convenants, which guarantees minimum levels of salary and working conditions for every situation and position. The question is whether the earnings in the evening and night hours of a shop does cover the extra cost for salary and the energy for lights, automatic doors, elevators etc.

[@SALVATl0N]

Thank you for your honesty. It seems like the most American review I could imagine

[@bertnijhof5413]

I now live 11 years in the Dominican Republic and I don't miss people talking Dutch in shops. I thought, that I missed Heineken. But today after drinking 2 x 650ml of Heineken sitting in front of a small shop on the corner, I can honestly say, I don't miss the content, but only the beautiful well-designed bottle with some minimal Dutch text.

[@mariadebake5483]

Sometimes I had to spend several weeks in France. I can tell you that I seriously missed speaking Dutch after only a short while! So I understand you

[@ronalddejong3017]

try the Japanese country side for 4 weeks. Google translate is not help, I assure you.

[@mariadebake5483]

@@ronalddejong3017 I have no difficulty in beleving this!

[@shooster5884]

In Ireland most shops will be closed by 6 pm weekdays and closed on Sundays. The big supermarkets and other big chain stores would stay open later and on Sundays. But all the petrol stations have at least a small grocery section so if you are out of milk or bread you can get it there up to 9pm or 10 pm locally every day or in a suburban area there would be one small grocery shop open late. When I visited The Netherlands and arrived on a Sunday I thought I could buy some food and milk on the way to the air BNB and was surprised that I could not. It was the same in Belgium.. maybe all of mainland Europe? But wow... the public transport system and bikes and bike lanes... I was so jealous of those in the Netherlands. They are fantastic. Of course the country being flat would make cycling a joy. Ireland is full of hills and winding little roads in the countryside, and in the cities the roads are so narrow there is little room for a cycle lane on most of them so it can be dangerous.

[@PatrickSchouten]

If you realy want to start integrating in the Netherlands, please stop apologizing for giving your personal opinion. It is your opinion, if it offence me then it is my problem, not yours. welcome to the Netherlands 😉

[@chubbymoth5810]

I think that is more geared to the US viewer. It is extremely hard to offend someone here with your opinion in such a way they cease communicating. Hell,.. I'd be extremely lonely if that were the case.

[@BrazenNL]

As a Dutchie, the thing that goes through our minds is: get to the point already. I think it's for his American viewers.

[@corrybaggerman7058]

US time is money never mind the workers. In the Netherlands we don't live to work

[@DrQuatsch]

I wonder how profitable 24/7 stores really are. Over here it's simply impossible, because as an employer you have to pay the higher rate to your employees working at night and in the weekends over here. You'd need a huge turnover for it to be worth it. And as with everything, we Dutch plan everything. When we do our groceries and such is also planned, which means that especially the older generation just has a list of everything they need, go to the shop, get those things, and go home again. We do have homeless people. In fact, recently there are a lot of homeless twenty-something agers. The main reason you don't see it, is because it's a bit of an invisible problem. We have salvation army houses, where homeless people can sleep and get a warm dinner. But it's definitely not true that we do not have homeless people. You will see them around train stations the most.

[@teotik8071]

Yes, consumers do not buy more just because you expand your opening hours. So you pay your workers less if possible and the employees have to do multiple jobs... we know how this ends... I guess if you're homeless in the States you rather stay in California than in a northern state.

[@halapunjete]

It's all about convenience which doesn't exist in the Netherlands. That explains why people are extremely inflexible almost to an autistic degree in the Netherlands because you have to plan your life around society while the US society plans itself around its people. No system is better, just different

[@gino_58_nl24]

@@halapunjete convenience doesn't exist in the Netherlands? Under what rock you live?

[@lennartvers1767]

I believe you live in the north of Rotterdam. There is an 24H grocery take out wall on the Stadhoudersweg close to Blijdorp station. Or the AH in the Central Station. It is open until 12 at night. For emergency shopping only..

[@roykamaaina]

You are right about the safe feeling. My wife was only 5 minutes from her work and I wouldn't let her walk at night.

[@josberk4646]

Welcome to the Netherlands. You will find that the Dutch Society (or any other European Country) is totale different then in USA. Out here there is a social safety net. And the realisation that anyone could have a use of it someday. So it is sustaned and maintained. We do have social securities, unemployment benefits, Mandatory healthcare. Infrastructure is maintained, and expanded. If you are impressed by the trams in Rotterdam, try the Thalys to Paris. Or any other High-Speed Train service around Europe. Feel free to let us know how you keep experiencing our country. And what you do or don't like. We could learn a thing or two about it, and be graceful of our blessings or get aware of our weardness ..

[@TheGoudsmid]

I think, you might reconsider the closing times of shops in the Netherlands ( after a year or so), being a nuisance. You should be able to make it, past an evening or a sunday, just fine. (I'm a shop owner) : )

[@GeorgeSaint666]

Easy to have your bizz open 24h, when you hardly pay your employees.

[@ro0140]

There are evening stores (avond winkels) and/or night stores (nacht winkels) there might only be a few but a few stores in a city where almost nobody is doing any groceries around that time,should be enough, but seeing there are so few of them you might have to travel a bit to get to one.

[@dkontos]

Thanks for all the info! How do you like the weather in the NL? Do you miss California weather? And what are your thoughts on the tax system? It sounds that NL has pretty high taxes. Thanks again.

[@Cl0ckcl0ck]

You'll be able to find a church you like in the Netherlands. We have plenty. And the store closing times you'll appreciate soon enough. It structures your life nicely. :) Welcome, hope you enjoy your stay.

[@antopetcu500]

our 10 y. experience in the netherlands had been very pozitive and fulfilling ...it is recognised that in general the cultural shock of a new could last up to 2 years . however, the sooner one embraces the new culture and traditions the easier and pleasant the experience will be. also, in terms of language barrier , it is well known that duch people are one of the best english speakers in the world so there is no need for worries. As for the 24/7 shops being open for just a handful of people it is somehow very ineficient and really unnecessary, especially when in both NL and here in the usa, grocery shops close @ 9 pm

[@MarjoleinNoyceBellingaMobiel]

There actually are English speaking and even American churches in the Netherlands, so maybe you can find one you like in Rotterdam too. Might also help a bit with having more English conversations :) .

[@TheMntnG]

mental health, included in public healthcare (plus addiction treatment), fixes a lot of the homeless issue, and also is cheaper at the end of the day.

[@puarterquonder]

About driving in the rain: there is only one Max Verstappen.

[@enkuzen]

In The Netherlands we have about 36000 homeless people according the Central Bureau of Statitics. The biggest amount of the them are living in Amsterdam, Utrecht, Den Haag and Rotterdam. I'm working for the NS and I see them reguraly.

[@Krzysztof25XD]

I haven't seen them in the centrum of Utrecht that much, maybe a few of them. Do they have places where they stay?

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you for the reply!

[@enkuzen]

@@Krzysztof25XD Sorry, don 't know that. I know a few bridges in Amsterdam where they sleep under.

[@princessrachida8092]

@@Krzysztof25XD utrecht has a load of them.. we have some centres where they can spend the night for a few euro's but never enough for all of them. I grew up here and we have lost a few of the one that I grew up with seeing unfortunately. The situation in the netherlands would be far worse had it not been for the beautiful volunteers

[@flower_power]

24/7 opening of all shops, means that a lot more people must work at night and in the weekend. Working at night is not healthy and bad for your social life. 24/7 does not mean more selling, I think. How much potato's or milk do you need? We do our grocery shopping once a week. During the week we write down what we need. We rarely need to go go the shops because we forgot something. It safes a lot of time, and money. Because you do much less impulsive buying.

[@halapunjete]

It's all about convenience. You have adapted yourself to the society you live in. In the USA, society adapts itself to you. That is the difference. Last week a sharp object got into my eye at midnight. I went to the nearby CVS and gotten on-off-the-counter eye drops and I was good to go. In the Netherlands, I would have to have a crystal ball and plan everything in advance.

[@gino_58_nl24]

@@halapunjete Seems you know nothing about the Netherlands.

[@flower_power]

@@halapunjete we do have health care for emergencies. In the Netherlands you would go to the night-GP. The GP would have descripted you eye drops, which you can pick up at the night pharmacy. It would have cost you less than 20 euro all together.

[@mickeydejong8950]

Hobby Lobby closes on Sunday, and there are churches in the Netherlands

[@elsvanzwoll]

You can book a weekend in a monastery and learn dutch. If you want af course. Also…. There are a lot of different churches. Hope you find one you like 👍🏼

[@JustMe-sh8nd]

Iám Dutch but also miss the 24/7 stores!

[@mikedehollander6848]

shops used to close a 6 pm now a lot are open till 10 pm

[@Baroest]

There is a fundamental difference in the judicial system. The anglosaxen system (UK, Aus, India, US) is based on punitive damages based on direct rules (direct, indirect, fysical and mental damages). Secondly public courts are used. In the “Rijnland” system (scandinavia, germany, NL) there is no public court and limits are installed for punitive damages and linked to principles. This leads to a more balanced system without extreems like “getting damages to dry your cat in a microwave”. There no rule in the manual in the NL, but a normal person should understand that microwaves are not drying stations for pets (principle: not fit for purpose).

[@DenUitvreter]

Homelessness has doubled in the Netherlands since this PM is in charge. He wants to make everyting about the money too, he's making the Netherlands more American. It is about how to make the country and the people more profitable to international business for this government. The public transport and cycling is finally conceded by the right as worthwile, but it's despite Rutte's party it still is in good shape. This country is running on social-democratic fumes from the past. This is only obscured by volunteers and people in public service making a considerable extra effort for free.

[@ramarkble101]

I think you are a bit blurred. Rutte did not make big changes in the social security system that trickerd homelessnes. Difference is that Rutte was PM in the deepest off economic crises. That was not helping. The past view years the rise came to a hault. Nobody in the netherlands has to live on the street. If you are willing to take the help that is on offer you can get a roof over your head. There are a lit off people that are reported ass homeless but they are nit really homeless but just do not want to registrate.

[@DenUitvreter]

@@ramarkble101 The crisis was of his own making in the sense that he always supported financial sector deregulation and trusting 'the markets'. But besides that he used it as an excuse to shrink the government he hates. In what that government does that is, net taxing only went up. He chose austerity instead of investment, and we all know by now investment would haven been better. He has destroyed the building sector, and now we have a very serious housing shortage. The builders have other jobs now, after having been unemployed for years.

[@ivovlot4094]

@@DenUitvreter lot of what you say is true, but it is too easy to lay all the reponsibility on the plate of Rutte. The housing problem has never been gone from right after WW2. In 1960, when my brother married, he had to live in, in a cramped space of one very small room with his parents and his younger brother (me) for years. Only because there was a shortage of teachers he could move a few years later to a place Hoogvliet, where he could get a house because they were badly in need of grade school teachers. These days the governments don't even do this anymore for teachers or nurses... When I got married, in 1969, same story. No decent house to rent. I could move in with my inlaws, we we lucky, we had two small rooms and even a small kitchen, that I had made in the attic that we rented. After 3 years on a list we could move to a small appartment. Ever through the decades till now housing has been the milk cow of investors and project developers.

[@DenUitvreter]

@@ivovlot4094 You're right about the investors, but that's a matter of policy just like the shortage that increases profits is. Rutte and Blok were even advertising in the UK, please come and buy former social housing and make huge profits from the hard working Dutch, they need a house too so you can ask any price. But Rutte always claim the consequences of his policies just happened to him like a force of nature. Housing shortage and prices, mass-immigration, nitrogne crisis, shortage of teachers, decreasing literacy, dropping education levels, too much foreign students to house, shortage of police, disfunctional military, dropping productivity per hour, wierdo's in the streets because of disfunctional mental health care, failing child care, shortage of care workers, rocketing health coest, health care bureaucracy, tax evasion, child care support scandal, judiciary overstretched, climate crisis, failing health, food and environmental inspection, it's alle been foreseen because it's a matter of policy. Luckily the Netherlands has a deep state that protects it from the water no matter government police, otherwise Holland and Zeeland would have been given back to the North Sea.

[@bloedblarre]

No he wants the Netherlands to abandon sovereignty to the EU. Obv wealth will be removed from the Netherlands and redistributed to other parts of europe. The eu is marxist colonialism

[@iedzjee]

Very interesting to hear your reflections. What I don’t understand is the time is money part in the section on shopping hours. To keep a shop open during the night must be more expensive per hour, even if you do’t pay the staff extra for working during the night. I don’tt think there are as many clients and the turnover must be a lot less in those hours than during the day, so even as the cots stay the same you earn less in the same amount of time. In the Netherlands, staff in nightshifts is paid more, which adds to higher costs. About homelesness. In theory nobody has to be homeless in the Netherlands. There is a safetynet for if people drop out. This is paid out of taxes like the cost for a good infrastructure and public transportation. That is why taxes are quite high, where a lot of expats complain about (after their 5year taxfree period) 😉

[@ericbarendrecht2641]

I personally moved the other way: from the Netherlands to the US (Hawaii). And you are correct that there's a different approach to how society should work. I'll use traffic as an example: two decades ago or so, a survey was held amongst Dutch drivers asking what the most annoying behavior was that they encountered as a driver. One of them was "slow drivers in the left lane", which was promptly made illegal. Dutch society tends to value solutions that benefit everyone over the freedoms of an individual. That preference is far less present in the US, where personal rights and personal freedoms are heavily valued. This bleeds over into the freedoms companies enjoy in the US vs in the Netherlands. 24/7 opening times heavily favors major companies, but are unhealthy for exploited workers and are making it more difficult for smaller shops to compete. A mom an pop shop with one extra employee cannot cover the same hours. It also interferes with the peace and quite that people often value. Being able to get whatever you need any time of the day, sounds nice on paper, but it also means that people will travel more day and night, transportation need to be available, more light pollution etc. As for the homeless: a friend of mine is heavily involved with the homeless here in the US, whereas I was working a lot with NGO's back in The Netherlands. In the US, not only is there only a half-hearted approach to addressing the problem when people are homeless, there are also very few preventative measures and programs. Think of programs that help manage finances, help kick drug and alcohol addiction, manual health care, physical healthcare, assistance in finding jobs, reintegration after prison sentences etc. I know that since of these programs also exist in some of the US states, but overall they are more and easier available and are better implemented.

[@womenfrom0202]

Regarding the point that businesses are closed certain days/hours. Well that’s the law, people/owners of businesses need to be able to get some time off AND the conservative Christian believe to respect Sunday rest. Some 20 yrs ago all shops were closed on Sundays and shops would close at 6PM. Although they mostly are open later in the evening and Sundays, that still is an exception to the law per town. If the council of a town does not like more opening hrs then it does not happen. So you are lucky living in Rotterdam where a lot is open late and on Sundays.

[@froglifechannel]

Because America is all about profit and worker exploitation. Generally, Europeans have a better appreciation for personal time. Hopefully, they won't be further infected by the US.

[@highs_and_lows4665]

@@froglifechannel I'll have to respectfully provide some contrast to your statement. Yes working conditions can be worse than in Europe and there is much more hire and fire over there than here. However there's also many companies in the US that mean well for their employees. For instance my US based employer gives a (by US standards) generous 3 weeks of holiday each year in the US (I work for their European subsidiary), provides health insurance and a kick-ass pension scheme. Also, they don't seem to lay off like we'd expect US companies to do but offer separation packages when needed. This is major company with 100k+ employees. In the Netherlands we have not been off too well the past decade either with the rise of ZZP contracts and eastern European workers who keep our wages down.

[@Nitzpitz]

@@highs_and_lows4665 wow, 3 weeks of vacation… That might be generous in the states, but in Europe it is far below par. A minimum of 20 days (=4 weeks in a 5-day workweek) is obligated and you usually get more. Also, you get paid sick leave, maternity leave, a good pension plan in most jobs and the medical insurance is not linked to having a workplace or which boss you have (because everyone needs an insurance).

[@highs_and_lows4665]

@@Nitzpitz yes you are absolutely right. I'm not saying these things are as good or better than over here, but it is not catastrophical either. I work in Germany and my pension scheme for instance is not good at all as in worse than what my colleagues get in the US. Sure there is the German version of AOW, which is higher than in the Netherlands right now, but by the time I get to retire it is expected to have degraded to an amount insufficient to live off of.

[@halapunjete]

​@@Nitzpitz Don't forget that in general people make twice to three times more money in the USA than in the Netherlands while taxes are much lower in the USA as well. If anything, it is the Europeans that are exploited with their very low income. For instance, the average nurse earns 35k annually while in the USA they make 85K easily and it goes up to over six figures.

[@idasteigenga1624]

Here in the Netherlands we have really good social security.. When you get unemployed for instance you get payed 75% from your last paycheck by the government (for max. 2 years) and you also get compensation on health insurance and your rent (when you don't have a partner who has an income). Don't get me wrong, it's not a big paycheck but it helps people to find another job without losing there home in the meantime..

[@princessrachida8092]

75% is slechts de eerste 2 maanden. Daarna is het 70%

[@ruudzwart]

Apparantly I live very close to your neighbourhood. I nowadays hear more english being spoken on the street in the Vroesenpark and in shops than dutch. So it shouldn't be too hard to strike up an english conversation ;)

[@dahemper]

Loved your video! Some thoughts popped into my head; Regarding politics, and the US having a two-party system (Ignoring the independents). I feel this creates a "you're either with us or against us" mind set and polarizes every political discussion. Thoughts? Another topic I thought you would've brought up is gun culture. I would guess this also contributes to not feeling safe in certain areas in the US. Anybody could be armed. Thoughts on that? And gun culture in general? Lastly, stores not being open at night is also because it's being regulated by the government/municipality here. You need special permission to be able to do so. E.g., gas stations (Americans going to gas stations to fill their car with liquid lol) can be open 24/7. Other businesses can't. And let's be honest; Do you really need to go grocery shopping after 10Pm? Hope you'll comment!

[@rwagenveldqmesnl]

You apparently don't have to commute by car fro Rotterdam to Amsterdam or Utrecht om a rainy day. You will be surprised how similar it is.

[@JulesStoop]

Time is money, indeed. I think staying open 24/7 is simply too expensive in many places here with our labor legislation and CAO’s (‘Collective employment contract’).

[@JanneWolterbeek]

Your timing is funny as there were huge traffic jams this morning in The Netherlands mostly because of rain, accidents and road works, over 500 kilometers of traffic jams, mostly in Randstad.

[@rw80]

But still quite ok to even other regions in Europe. Try commuting in the Ruhr area or London or Dublin…..

[@francisbasker4722]

Great vlog. Very interesting this insight into different cultures and how you look at our country. Our social policy is more humane, paid for by higher taxes. This is a choice supported by the majority of Dutch people. In the US, this is a big taboo, you are immediately dismissed as a communist and the country will perish. Everything has to do with solidarity in society. People who live in the margins are also part of society and should not be thrown out. We will share everything fairly in society, the income and the taxes

[@jimjungle1397]

I grew up in the US before there were 24 hour stores. Compared to those times, shopping at odd hours exposes one to more after dark crime and drunk drivers on the road. Not all Target's and Walmart's are open 24 hours. I reserve my shopping time to regular hours, when department stores and shopping malls are open. The law changed over 30 years ago that required not holding mental patients against their will. After that change, many would be mental patients live on the street as homeless. Before that, there were far fewer homeless on the street and more mental patients were held in mental hospitals.

[@aidelyi]

I go to a nice church in Rotterdam and they have translators ;-)

[@nathandenbesten2190]

Hey, welcome to the Netherlands, and Rotterdam. I am Dutch and love to talk English. If you wanne chat or meetup...let me know. Btw there are some international churches in Rotterdam, and in most churches in Rotterdam you can get English translations. Greetings, Nathan

[@theselecter]

Where I live now people think R'dam is unsafe.. Lived in R'dam myself which is completely safe too but alsoin Albuquerque which was less safe.

[@christavanderburg4382]

If you want to have a conversation in English, just start one. You'll see most younger people are proficient in English. Also, there are so many expats from the UK, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, ... Expat collegues complain they can't practise Dutch conversation, because almost all Dutch people will continue in English as soon as they hear they're expats... If you miss the 24/7 stores now, you wouldn't have wanted to stay in the Netherlands 20-30 years ago. Supermarkets were open from 09:00 to 17:00. It took a lot of planning for stay at home moms or parttime working moms - and sending us young kids to the shop to buy the milk mom forgot - but we managed. Nowadays people panick if the store closes one day for Easter or Christmas... Then again, some stores stay closed on Sundays - even their webshops! - on religious grounds. Time is money, but instant gratification makes terrible people. Is it so bad to wait a day or two to go to your favorite spots? Rotterdam still has it's unsafe spots. I grew up in the area called Spangen. It was not safe; it had a lot of drug related crime. Going to my grandma's place (also Spangen) was terrifing, as the people living on the floor under hers were using the space as a crack house. Women still feel unsafe in Rotterdam. It's so bad, that we now have a law that prohibits men from hissing, whistling or wolf howling to women! So many times I've been hissed at, or have men starting very inapropiate conversations, or just being unwantedly fondled by strangers (or being hit in the head and called a whore, because I didn't go along with the abuse). We have this unwritten rule: if you want to stay friends or just have a nice dinner with friends, don't talk politics or religion. Rotterdam has it's fare share of homeless people and problems that with them. There are organisation helping them, like our version of the Salvation Army and the Pauluskerk. Also, there's a law against begging. Up untill a few years back, the area around Central Station was loaded with people begging for money, some not as kind as others. They've been chased away from that area. Maybe you have seen homeless people: some stand in front of a supermarket and sell a magazine called "de Straatkrant" - if that's still a thing in Rotterdam (I moved to another cities years ago). They're not allowed to beg, they're not alowed to ask for more money than for the magazine, and they get their share for selling the magazine.

[@ariedebruijn1189]

The song says: "it never rains in southern California"....

[@adhogeveen1703]

In a slow world (Benjamin Franklin 1750) the aphorism Time is money has a bigger meaning than today. What time, or what money? How much time you want to spend,for money? When do you want to spend your money of you don’t have the time for it. It was a good advice from Benjamin, but please do yourself a favor, keep it in context. I like you channel and observe the small differences beween cultures. I learn to appriciate them. Thank you.

[@aidelyi]

And what about the race card? Do you experience it differently here?

[@yasin2009100]

A quick question, have you moved permanently from US to the Netherlands?

[@ingridwatsup9671]

He is retired, sold everything in US, so yes I guess

[@chrispnw2547]

What I will not miss when I setup a residence in the Netherlands is the America-centric mindset that believes solutions/inventions come from America primarily. Many countries have better managed their economies and balanced individual benefit AND societal benefit. As you alluded to, in America homelessness and law enforcement are income generating activities for some therefore making true solutions challenging.

[@starship2235]

"I know my rights and what's in it for me" sums up a lot of America, unfortunately. We have a very "I got mine, so who cares about you" society. Individualism is great, but I feel that it reaches a toxic, selfish, even hateful level in the US.

[@marckoolwijk2913]

There are unsafe neighbourhoods that I warn for to walk through after 20:00 hours. It is definetely not as bad as in the US but there is always a risk in big cities in certain neigbourhoods.

[@Be-Es---___]

In the US there is hardly any backup for people if economics go wrong. And that is fine as long as economics go up, but that's not the case now. In Europe there is more of a government based backup. If a society has encountered multiple downfalls, it learns that a safety net is essential for every society and an obligation of the society.

[@vkunst85]

Great video, very interesting to hear! The differences with regards to homelessness is first and foremost governmental intervention. There are large differences with regards to the rights renters have, the rights workers have, and the safety net for unemployed people which makes homelessness much less occuring in the netherlands than in the US. Similarly, the mental health system, the shelter system, and the addiction system of the netherlands is better funded than the one in the US. Finally, there is very little criminalization of homelessness, making it easier to climb out of a hole. That being said, its far from perfect in the Netherlands, in fact homelessness is unfortunately on the rise during the last decade. However, compared to the US - and especially the large cities in California, its very well organized. This is actually also one of the reasons its relatively safe in the Netherlands.

[@erikmulder2574]

Regarding homelessness, there is a huge difference between the USA and the Netherlands, or actually most of Europe. The Netherlands is a social democracy, which means we pay high taxes, build in steps, so for the first say 6.000 Euro you pay hardly any tax, then upto 68.500 Euro you pay 37,1 percent tax. Over 68.500 you start paying 49,5% tax on your income. So if you earn more, you will pay more taxes, however also if you earn 100.000 a year or more, you only will pay the higher rate over the 31.500 Euro, the amount above 68.500. For the amount below that you will pay the same as everyone else, 37,1 percent. The reason for this is easy, we want a smaller wage still to be a living wage, however being a social democracy we have chosen to make it affordable for everyone under normal circumstances to pay for the necessities of life, which is housing, food and medical cost. When you have a minimum wage and are struggling to pay for rent and healthcare, there are income related subsidies available. That is one of the reasons we have way less homelessness in the Netherlands than there is in the USA where the democracy is economy driven, so if you work and have a good job, you take care of all the things from your wage, and if you don’t have a job, that means bad luck. Unemployment money is not guaranteeing basic needs are covered in the USA, and health insurances are way too expensive. I know from some friends they pay 600 usd per month and have a 5000 usd own risk. We pay around 100 Euro per month and have a 385 Euro own risk. So getting back to homelessness, that is for a large part based on how we have given some items in the hands of the government, for which we pay higher taxes, and the USA has choosen to let every individual arrange that for themselves and charge lower tax rates on wages. Both systems work and also both systems have their problems. I personally like the security the European system offers, but there is no right or wrong here. Erik

[@Pannemat]

Put the mic a bit closer. Thanks.

[@cyrielwollring4622]

City of Rotterdam made it illegal to beg or give money in the streets. Most municipalities have daklozenopvang (homeless shelter) where people can stay the night, take a shower. I think it costs a small amount of money to stay, the rest is subsidized through the council, who in turn get budget from the national level through the WMO Wet maatschappelijk ondersteuning Social Support law. That law also covers other things.

[@esteenbrink]

Time is money. I rather live by 'Time is valuable'. That goes for everyone, so also shop owners/workers

[@willeboordselmp]

with regard to 24 hours economy: in the netherlands we fortunately abandonned slavery.. people here have the right to life a live.

[@bastiaan4129]

There are still hundreds of thousands of people that work nightshifts in the Netherlands. I really don't see why a shop employee shouldnt be allowed to work at night when all the employees of that shops distribution centre are forced to do so.

[@bloedblarre]

I believe the Americans helped free us from the slavery from the maghreb during the first barbary wars. As a Dutch person, I find your comment shameful. do you think ordering food on Gorillas, Getir, Picnic, deliveroo or working at a Bol warehouse is any different from the Amazons of this world?

[@michaelvanlohuizen]

We do have homeless people, but the social safetynet is probably better: every citizen with a home address can claim 'bijstand' which is basic welfare. Still people do fall through the cracks unfortunately.

[@wisecat.]

There are around 36000 homeless people here in NL which is a lot for the Netherlands. Many homeless people you don't recognise as homeless as they dress up properly and they totally blend in with the people. Some of them got a normal every day job or they drive a car. Totally invisible. But I do see visible homeless people here as well. Beggars, often found in front of supermarkets. I see people digging in trashcans in search of whatever. or I see people fare dodging in public transport, often homeless as well. I know you can't compare this to the US. We have excellent homeless shelters and even have financial benefits for them. I'm Dutch and live in Utrecht btw.

[@basdebruin2355]

About: “I know my rights”… It is getting worse in the Netherlands as well. Taking/having rights comes with a responsibility of judging if you really have your rights but wat will that create with the others. It has something to do with being a common responsibility. Just being social.

[@BrazenNL]

Everyone screams: MY RIGHTS! Noone speaks about civic DUTY, and, like you said, just being social.

[@vanderquast]

Remarkeble that you feel save in a town that is considerd to be one of the most unsafe cities in The Netherlands 🤔

[@chubbymoth5810]

Well,.. despite populist brouhaha criminality has only declined over the decades. The shift towards electronic payment also made street mugging a bit silly. Camera's are everywhere, so chances of getting spotted are fairly high. Anything that disrupts peace in the streets tends to be addressed by police. Nowadays it is mainly burglary and car theft. Ehm,.. and obviously bike theft, but that is a bit of a national tradition. The main problem is drugs criminality. Before the war on drugs, we had no problem with that at all and most of the available drugs were made by psychonaut hobbyist that would provide at low cost and high quality. Now its a high risk, high gain industry and gangs will liquidate people in the street. That is still rare enough to make headlines, but not rare enough. With more than 3000 native plants and fungi with psychotropic properties, it really doesn't make much sense anyway. Sugar is the hardest drug on this planet, but available everywhere and you may feel nausea eating a pound of magic mushroom, but the same amount of coffee will kill you. Alcohol is number two, a sugar derivative. Decriminalising the whole shebang seems a more effective way to get rid of a lot of criminality so you can focus on human trafficking and child abuse. Having quality checks can also prevent lacing with fentanyl for instance if quality can be assured. Drugs have always been treated as a health issue rather than a criminal one. We should finally address that in a pragmatic way and let people enjoy themselves with safer substances. Nobody is talking about those adrenaline junky joggers that run themselves thrombosis, but that is probably a bigger health issue.

[@pulli23]

The fact that shops aren't open comes also to an economic point and difference between the US and the netherlands. In the netherlands the relative cost of employers is way, way higher than in the US (especially for low wage jobs like waiters/supermarket workers). This means that actually a large cut on each sale is the employer who just handles the cashier (instead of the raw material costs). Thus it is economically not beneficial to "be open" at night. You'll lose a few customers but many come the next day anyways. Why we don't see a homeless problem? Cause we don't want to see it so we pay a lot of taxes for not having the problem. That's just a choice made by the general public. There's no magic other than just spend money on rehabilitation projects that dont' even aim to be really positive in the end but rather prevent homeless people.

[@InekeTakken]

I have a question: I have posted here one hour ago about churches and about homeless people in The Netherlands. Why I cannot find those posts anymore? What is your first name by the way. Your wife is Tammy, but yours?

[@ronaldderooij1774]

Regarding homelessness. We have a lot of covert homelessness. It is a multi faceted problem, and yes expats coming here are a part of it, but the causes lie much deeper. A big one is that households get smaller and smaller (many more broken marriages than before). Mostly young people will stay at their parent's house longer and longer. It is simply too expensive to rent or buy a home nowadays. This is happening all over the western world. On top of that, we have a small country with a lot of pollution from farmers and traffic, so we exceed EU rules on soil and air quality. This does not leave enough environmental "space" to build houses anymore. Furthermore, people with mental/physical or addiction problems can get treatment for almost free, people with an illness will not be broke because of medical bills and/or get addicted to opiates to avoid those bills and we don't usually buy on credit, so that cannot get out of hand too. Those things probably help a lot to prevent homelessness. And believe me, there is nobody voluntarily homeless, not in the Dutch climate.

[@chriskwakernaat2328]

Homeless here doesn't mean they don't have any money.we have a lot of places they can go for help , and they still get wellfare/healthcare

[@Flossie710]

To keep businesses open 24/7 people will have to work nights. This is bad for their health and costs us all in healthcare + suffering of our fellow human beings. People need to organise better instead of arranging society in a structurally unhealthy way. Wait a couple of hours to buy something, it won't kill you

[@gardenjoy5223]

Good points!

[@robertboender5816]

All the things you miss will get better in time but the things you don't miss will get worse🤔

[@baskoning9896]

Politics (and religion) can get you into heated debates in the Netherlands as well. But its much more splintered, so people are somewhat used to other people having a different opinion. Its most polite to not talk about politics, because it will always, always show the fracture lines in a group, for instance at work, or at a drum-band: you dont want to do that. You can: but then others WILL comment back, and not hold back (since you crossed that line).

[@chubbymoth5810]

We agree to disagree on issues and still keep talking. But I will destroy any of the arguments of the nationalist Beavis and Butthead of Dutch politics with ease as it is all irrational nonsense. Also had Jehova's witnesses leave my house atheist once. I still take pride in that, but you have to take your time to dissect the arguments and know your facts.

[@baskoning9896]

​@@chubbymoth5810 Yes, yes, the hate towards the so called 'nationalist' parties is great, they are called 'racists' and 'nazie'. But the problem of the national-socialists in Germany was not the nationalism. It was the socialism. And one thing worse as national socialism, is international socialism, aka communism. The worst of all is fascism on a global scale: aka globalism. Globalism, will be the end of the democratic nation states. I vote 'extreme right' since Pim. Why? Because i DO still hold the leftwing principles high, that the left seem to have dropped totally. Things like gay rights (the left now embraces Islam, preaching death to all gays, and not a single lefty cares), woman rights (not to find a man in their locker room or on the sportsfield), freedom of speech (even if you dont like it), anti-war, non-violence principle. All stances that the left has swapped in for 'more globalism' and 'more corporatism'. Parties like D66, once founded to increase democracy: have abolished the referenda, and sold us out to the EU, which we voted in those referenda against: but they dont care about democracy any more: they care about DESTROYING democracy, and handing us over to the global corporate fascists. Big money. The only ones still defening classical leftwing talking points: is the so called 'extreme right'. I did not leave the left: the left left me. The left now stands for: violence, hate, betrayel towards gays, woman, democracy, it stands for censorship, it stands for a police state where the state has total control over its citizens. The real nazies? Are the left. Are the globalists. The only 'argument' the left has? Censorship. Oh, and violence if you dont comply. “Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power” ― Benito Mussolini

[@mickeydejong8950]

Homelessness> The reason why it is much less in the Netherlands , because we have mostly a social democratic government and people are generally taken care of because we pay enough taxes.

[@JohnZonneveld]

The 24/7 is not valid anymore since COVID. Wal-Mart changed to 7am-11pm, some other chains here in Dallas might be open till midnight.

[@InekeTakken]

In my childhood, in the sixties, shops were open only until 6 pm and on Saturday until 5 pm and on Sundays everyhting was closed due to the dominating protestant culture those days. Even without religion I think it will be good to have a day off ( = Sunday), that the society is focusing on other things than on business. There is no need to do shopping on Sundays and in the evenings! Better to enjoy museums, cinema's, zoo's, parks etc. instead and visiting friends. People need a balance in life! I love the Sundays as it was before ...

[@dutchkathy]

Hi maybe we, the Dutch, have less homeless people because of the fact that every employee has a contract, has a fixed salary and has very good jobprotection. If your boss doesn't have work for you that day, week or month he still has to pay your salary. If you are sick, your boss has to pay you for 1 year full salary and the second year most of the times 70 % of your salary. Add to that that our healthcare system takes care of you without billing the living daylight out of you. So job and healthcare costs protection for everybody. (okay, it is getting easier to get fired and the cost for the healthcare insurance went up the last decennium but still it is good) If your income is too low to pay the rent, childcare etc you'll be compensated monthly or quartely most of the times so you don't have to pay for a year and get it back with your tax report. Just a few differences that might explain the fewer homeless people in the Netherlands.

[@chriskwakernaat2328]

Oh! i wonder when americans ask you about the netherlands, or europe in general, do they ask "are they communist? " The not open on mom/tue , is because of the standard 5 day/40 hour work weeks here. if a bar is open on saturday/sunday, they close mon/tue so they have some kind of weekend.

[@passais]

You're a very pleasant person to listen to. Stay well.. Video idea: doing your taxes. USA vs Netherlands. I always have the idea that americans would go crazy if they knew how our tax returns are completely filled in already because the government knows all.

[@maryfrancisgatewood4605]

To soul to soul travels. Are there any churches of christ in rotterdam. Thank you

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you…

[@sevendam9070]

Homeless people do exist around here. It's just that they are given a place to sleep at night at certain locations, as well as they can eat and drink over there. I assume that they can also wash their clothes and themselves at such locations. This is why they don't have to beg for food and walk around in dirty cloths, which is why they don't stand out that much. Though, it's not Finland or Iceland yet. Where they're (almost) completely nonexistent. I think that the whole world, and even the Netherlands can learn from them to do even better.

[@henkvandervossen6616]

There are nightshops in the Netherlands, not many but they exist

[@casebeth]

These videos have been so helpful in us considering the NL as our escape from this hot mess

[@sudazima]

there is a difference in justice where in the USA any "emotional damage" which cant be counted in money means it therefore is worth a very large amount of money. while here it is more the inverse, any emotional damages are mostly on you and not counted in any money gain. therefore sueing like in the USA is just pointless most of the time since you cant get anything out of it.

[@Fatbirdsdontfly]

Dear sir, about the homelessness crisis, i dont want to be rude here, but let's be honest, what do you think that the depletion of public services and social security does to a society? We are not the exception, you guys are.