Dear Dutch People, DON'T Take This For Granted

In this list of things not to take for granted in the Netherlands, I go over some of the things that I recognized Dutch people are privileged to have that are things that I didn't grow up having or seeing as an American. I hope you enjoy!
00:00 Intro
00:51 Lack of societal pressure to have more
01:32 Convenience
02:31 Safety
03:03 Cleanliness
04:16 Public transportation
05:04 The roads
05:37 Tap water
06:03 Government assistance
#Netherlands #DutchCulture #Nederland
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[@exploringtheforeign]

As an American living in the Netherlands, these are some things that I've noticed in the Netherlands that should not be taken for granted. Let me know what you think! :)

[@robertboender5816]

Higher taxes? Are you sure about that? I think you should take a closer look at that.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Yeah compared to the US, taxes are definitely higher

[@robertboender5816]

@@exploringtheforeign did you also looked at the taxes excluded in the US that's included in The Netherlands and the healthcare premiums paid? I think if you put it al together you're paying more in the US.

[@jetzenijeboer4854]

I think we should be a little more ambitious, have a little more of that american can-do mentality though. Or all the good stuff here, simply won't last. The main difference between europeans and americans, from my point of view: europeans will explain to you why you cannot go to the moon or build electric cars, while americans just do it.

[@gertvanderstraaten6352]

@@exploringtheforeign The worst part of that, to me, is that the VAT is so high, which hits the hardest for the lowest incomes. It's like a tax on poverty.

[@mss4056]

When I studied in the Netherlands I soon heard them say to me "only dogs have a boss" Dutch people don't like hierarchy, wich is very admirable ♥️

[@eline8087]

I have understood we're quite relaxed about it, but hierarchy is certainly present. It can be tricky figuring out if you should or shouldn't care about it in a new school or work environment XD . I guess it still wouldn't be as severe as some stories I hear about the US though.

[@Rose-Dew]

I guess this is partly true. When I call my boss 'boss', we both start laughing, because it sounds so silly, we work really well together. But on the other hand, if she needs something done, she needs it done and I WILL do it. Because she is my boss. So I guess the hierarchy doesn't show socially maybe, but it is definitely there. Come to think of it, if I disagree on something, most of the bosses I've had will listen to alternatives I thought of, or will try to explain to me why it needs to be done. Imo this is way more effective motivation-wise than having someone telling me 'just do it because I say so' (although there are cases that is needed ofc). But most are literally trying to manage their people well, not just bark orders.

[@Josji22]

It's there but it's hidden. We as dutch people know where it lies so we know where to balance that thin line that you should or should not cross. If you do you will get stabbed in the back because a boss won't tell you when you hurt his ego. Your'e chances to grow within the company just get smaller or worse you will get fired for an other or maybe even an made up reason. We are verry direct butt not when it comes to this. For a foreigner it's verry hard to grasp and they just don't know whats going on or what happend to them.

[@scorchedearth1451]

I always say that. Perhaps you heard me saying that.

[@drunkensailor112]

There is hierarchy but everyone can always speak their minds. The cleaner can have the same big mouth as the director. That never happens in other countries. Had to deal with German, Belgian, or even Asian companies. Very formal and clear hierarchy. Many lower end people weren't even allowed to look at the director

[@Robin6512]

Being Dutch I highly appreciate the way you see and experience the Netherlands. Welkom welkom dus.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Heel erg bedankt!

[@JJD93NL]

WANT ALS JE HET NIET LEUK VOND MOCHT JE OPROTTEN!!! (sarcastically impersonating PVV voters)

[@svenraets]

Hij zou misschien eens beter nederlands leren !

[@Robin6512]

@@JJD93NL je vond het gewoon nodig om een reply, redelijk dom ook, te moeten geven?

[@Robin6512]

@@svenraets is jou engels net zo goed als dat van hem?

[@richardbrinkerhoff]

Your cheerful enthusiasm makes you a welcome addition to our country.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Dankjewel Richard!

[@arcanaa8696]

I'm from the UK and the NL is a so much better life

[@philosophicaltool5469]

@@exploringtheforeign Loved the video, and hearing you say "lekker", wanted me to tell you there's a song called "Lekker Lekker", by 'Hustle Athletics' - a side project from Noisia, producer/Dj's from Groningen and huge in the DnB scene. Lekker Lekker is more like breakbeat though. Hope you like it.

[@McChrister]

@@arcanaa8696 Especially nowadays! The UK is turning to 💩 very rapidly! I watch a program called “On the dole” here in Canada and it seems like half the country is on some form of Social Assistance. And on top of that they seem to bring more and more children into this world. Very sad…Blessings and best wishes send to you and your country from Canada🙏🏼🍀👋🏼🇨🇦 Merry Christmas 🎅🏼🎄⭐️

[@EricEntertainment77]

This really made my day, so happy to see someone from abroad who really enjoys living in our country. I'm gonna say something in Dutch: lieve mensen, kijk hoe oprecht deze vriendelijke man straalt terwijl hij met veel enthousiasme vertelt over ons land. Laten we met z'n allen er iets van leren en dat is dat we in onze handjes mogen knijpen dat we met +170 verschillende nationaliteiten op zo'n klein landje het met z'n allen het (over het algemeen) goed met mekaar kunnen vinden. We leven (over het algemeen) prima en de gemiddelde persoon in dit land heeft niets te klagen. Laten we dat met z'n allen koesteren, dit is enkel mijn mening en wens jullie allen een prettige week toe. Thank you so much for this great video Sir, i really appreciated it 👍

[@exploringtheforeign]

Wow, heeeeeel erg bedankt voor dit reactie, Eric! Ik vind het super leuk dat je dit "message" hebt ontvangen van de video. Dankjewel!

[@EricEntertainment77]

@@exploringtheforeign graag gedaan, je hebt het onwijs verdiend You got yourself a new sub and a huge like buddy!

[@078OG]

@@exploringtheforeign Just a little trick for the use of 'dit'. Think about 'this and that' = 'dit en dat' Dutch and English have the same root. But just as in English we say : thank you so much for your reaction. Ik weet het ik ben een Grammar-nazi Welkom in Nederland

[@Erwin0912]

@@078OG in deze zin moet het "deze" zijn tho

[@royk1374]

That's still true for a lot of people. However we are used to that a lot of things were better. Lower taxes, much lower health care costs, less crime. For me it's painful to see that we pay a lot of taxes and the number of asylum seekers that are getting a house is growing and they accept mostly everyone while for the Dutch it's nearly impossible to buy a first house. You need to protect something that's good, when it gets worse people will logically complain and I think that's good. But indeed you should still see the good things and enjoy life.

[@alistairfletcher6187]

I concur. I have been living in Nederland for almost a year now. The older generation seems to be more appreciative of these qualities. The suburbs are particularly quaint. Having grown up in a city of almost 10 million, I just can' get enough of the tranquillity, I sleep like a baby here. I've found the Dutch to be predominantly warm and friendly. I can't speak Dutch, but they always seem to be happy to dust off their English with me, which is nice.

[@codex4048]

A lot of these things for the younger generation (like me) are the default. I don't know any better than having great cycling lanes for example. My parents on the other hand saw the changes happening over time and know of worse alternatives. I only realized it was special after watching NJB and some channels that point out other differences between country X and the Netherlands.

[@airstuck3929]

@@codex4048 never been om vacation?🤣🤣

[@codex4048]

@@airstuck3929 I have, but most of the times to old cities with protective walls still standing. Walkable places. I can't handle big crowds or loud noises so I avoid busy places as much as possible. The times I went to busy places it was to like Disney, Kalkar and when I got older skiing in Austria and Czech which do have great public transport Besides the area around campingplaces that are popular among Dutch people do have a possibility to walk to the store etc. Vacation doesn't really show what it is like to live somewhere. You see the things you like, and either you can't pinpoint what you don't like or the things you like take a backseat.

[@airstuck3929]

@@codex4048 oh okay understandable. For me, after ive been to greece and turkey etc. I was instantly grateful for how stuff is handled in the netherlands.

[@gerhard6105]

Tijd om nederlands te leren dus.

[@faygreen1390]

I feel like us Dutchies can be really negative about our country and especially our government. We are very critical I think. So thank you for showing a different perspective! Though it is sad that health and safety can not be taking for granted in every country, because everyone deserves to be safe and have health care. Thank you!

[@malaficus]

To be fair our goverment got worse over time. I think we need replacement. The current batch has been in politics too long and forgot what normal life is like.

[@veraschipper476]

@@malaficusDamn it came true lmao

[@dirtydirtyshisno7284]

I think being critical of the gov as a collective is the only way to get a successful society in a system where people don’t have much power, Netherlands has its problems but you guys are much more proactive and fight harder for your own rights and have done that throughout history, in a social democracy capitalism is still the system so you have to KEEP fighting to keep those rights too otherwise the rich will slowly claw back the concessions they’ve made

[@geofmali]

Try Malawi in changing government for sake of changing😢

[@JorrisvdBerg]

As a dutchie i can relate to most things you say. Although i'm aware of the good and convenient things in the Netherlands compared to some other countries, you grow up with it being normal. But we must never take things for granted!

[@Jeroenhermanjan]

Dutchie…

[@JorrisvdBerg]

@@Jeroenhermanjan yeah it's like a Canadian donut kind of thing...

[@NLTops]

It's a good thing "not taking things for granted" is something we're pretty good at as well. Every single point he's telling us not to take for granted, is that way for a reason. It's because our culture is conductive to those things. If we take these things for granted, they wouldn't be there to begin with, let alone sustain their existence. Americans value "personal freedom" above everything else. Dutch people value being direct and speaking freely above everything else. If something is ill managed, you can bet your life savings on someone talking about it. Doesn't solve all problems but it sure does raise the bar.

[@semki6819]

don't forget that we pay a lot of taxes for this to be possible as well

[@BrazenNL]

Strikes are good. It means employees have the means to correct things that aren't right, like fight for fair wages. Roads are maintained because we pay tax. Same for government assistance. We pay tax and respect our society. We have to take care of things together, and yes, I do care about your health. I'm glad you see the value of these things.

[@alexderpyracc4053]

Strikes never increased the wage it's still poverty lvl

[@murderboytje]

Strikes are awful and often dont make any sense.

[@skabuoy]

@@alexderpyracc4053 Not true. Until a few years ago, I had never been on strike. Late 2020, I had to. My wages increased as a result of that.

[@skabuoy]

@@murderboytje I have been on strike, and although it was not awful, it was no walk in the park either. A lot of my co-workers felt they were betraying the company, but this had to be done. I hope I never have to do it again, but it made (and should this same situation arise again, would still make) sense.

[@wileydewitt4486]

Spitting facts

[@daveydeboer2542]

Hey just letting you know you the real MVP for hitting us with the list up front, made me want to watch the whole video all the more. keep it up man.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Appreciate you picking that up! Thought it would be better to let people know what they'd be getting into upfront instead of wasting their time haha. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@VigilanteTheFirst]

@@exploringtheforeign Especially good move considering we, Dutchies, don’t like to waste our time 😆

[@semki6819]

made me keep watching as well

[@pitraxe]

I'm glad this vid got recommended to me, I have a very similar experience to yours! Another thing I would add is how nice and welcoming Dutch people can be, just casually greeting people on the street, or saying "bless you" when they see a stranger sneeze. It's really heartwarming, especially that you don't see that a lot where I come from.

[@twentyeight602]

Although beautiful that definitely relies on where you are

[@elly3552]

Yeah, the greeting people, I just came back from Turkey and I greeted everyone, everywhere. After looking a little suprised people would often smile and greet back. I loved making their day a little bit happier :)

[@Gaatjenietsaaan]

You forgot ‘lekker weertje hè!?’ After accidental eye contact 😂

[@drunkensailor112]

Yes that randomly greeting especially happens in the south of the Netherlands. Beneath the river people are overall way more open and friendly I've experienced after moving to Nijmegen

[@hannahmadden1862]

Moved to NL in 1998 from the UK…. Spent the last 16 years in the Dutch Caribbean and recently moved back to NL. It’s great to be back. I totally agree … this country is a great place to live, people are open-minded and relaxed, but housing is a definite challenge!

[@einstijn138]

I absolutely love this video I always took these things for granted, but when I started studying in NA, I realised how good we have it in the Netherlands A couple of things I would add that we should take for granted: - The food quality. A lot of food comes from other European countries, and in NL you're just a lot closer, so it's a lot fresher and cheaper than in NA. Also, our bread is much better than what they sell in NA, which can only really be described as cake. - Our high level and low cost of education - The amount of specialised stores with high quality items all located in small centers, like bakeries and butchers, but also clothing and shoe stores. In NA everything is consolidated in convenience stores like Walmart. They have a bit of everything, but aren't specialised in anything.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Appreciate the feedback! And thank you for sharing these observations :)

[@mrnas387]

Gemiddelde kosten in nederland als je op jezelf woont is 1000 euro gemiddelde salaris 1600 en probeer in deze tijd maar een een huis te vinden .dus stop maar weer met nederland de hemel inprijzen

[@gardenjoy5223]

You are right. But what on earth is 'NA'???

[@einstijn138]

@@gardenjoy5223 North America

[@TheHappySensitive]

I recognize the safety conversation. An American I spoke to was living in what I thought was a less safe area here in NL. Then he said: "I'm from Chicago". Basically, the worst neighborhood here was still miles better than what he was used to. It also took me a while to realize that "taking the bus" doesn't necessarily mean safe, convenient transport for everyone, (like it does here) and in some places in the US, taking the bus can be something you avoid at all costs. Have definitely had some lifestyle misunderstandings over things like this! (With some people abroad thinking I must be some badass gangster hanging out in "bad neighborhoods" and taking the bus! Ha!)

[@MushroomNr1]

You're so right, I'm thankful to live in this country. Things aren't perfect but there's no utopia on earth as far as I know. Compared to a lot of other countries we are doing pretty well.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Heel fijn om te horen! En ja, ik zou dankbaar zijn om in Nederland te wonen.

[@Paul_C]

@@exploringtheforeign just don't leave. Or leave and return.

[@InglouriousFrogs]

@@exploringtheforeign stay my brother we need amazing people like u

[@josephbayot6464]

Totally agree with all of these. I moved to the Netherlands 9 years ago, and I can definitely add a few more to the list that I am personally grateful for, but I'll leave that to you in case you want to do a part 2 =) Fun fact: when I first moved here, I didn't make enough money to comfortably afford health insurance (100 euros per month at the time), so I told the government. They responded by sending me the maximum allowed 105 euros each month, a little bit extra just in case. Got free health insurance AND a free latte from the government each month =P

[@Wizzy959]

One tip for new people: You only get the money because of your income. As soon as you start earning enough (for info on that ask the "Toeslagen" department or internet), that right will be taken away but the money keeps coming in, so you'll have to stop that manually by contacting that department. Otherwise, when they eventually find out - and they will - they collect the money back from you with a bit of intrest.

[@monicacarolina6480]

that is socialisme. It is not a dirty thing, like many Americans think. It means we take care of eachother and how richer, how more you contribute. That is why you do not see many homeless people. The people you see in Amsterdam WANT to live like that and don't want help. I hope someday America will undrstand what socialisme (being social) means. Nice to have you with us Joseph.

[@gizralnork]

As a fellow expat, I couldn't agree more with these statements. Dear Nederlanders, your country is lovely and very comfortable. Trust us...

[@arcanaa8696]

As someone from the United Kingdom but now live in the Netherlands permenantly, I agree! I live in Almere. The public transportation is second to none, toegeslag for health insurance if you are low income is awesome and I am happy to pay for taxes that go to good things like making sure no one who doesn't want to be homeless has a home and everything else you said is so true!

[@patrickhagelstein1810]

Cool vid! I’m Dutch and spent four years in the US Midwest for my work and can really relate to the differences discussed here. Now I’m back and a former neighbor has moved to the same area over here in the Limburg province for his work. I think it’s very cool to show him what this country has to offer just like you do in this video. ☺️

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you! Cool to hear you could relate🙌🏾

[@Merope4ever]

I moved out of the Netherlands to the United Kingdom and I agree with your list. I would like to add something to it. Here in UK the tapwater is safe, but the taste is horrible. So definitely also appreciate the taste of the tapwater in NL. And you have a lot of bike paths in NL. That really makes it possible to go where you want to go on your bike and live healthier and use less fuel and already be more independent before you have a driving licence.

[@nancyboeije9522]

I am an american and just got a back from a month with my sister and friends in the states. I make myself unpopular by commenting on many of the things you just described - that so many things in the states are so lousy compared to the netherlands. And I keep telling my friends in the Nedtherlands that they should realize how lucky they are to live here ( I have lived here for the last 50 years.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Haha I understand the sentiment; my mom told me to be a little more nicer to the US in the videos haha. My goal isn't to talk down on the US, just being honest about my experiences and perspective, which it sounds like you're doing as well!

[@16MrMattie]

You’re doing great

[@marit2890]

I always took being able to drink tap water for granted, until I moved to the Canary Islands and suddenly had to worry if I still had water in my fridge, it made me realise how some of these "small" things are making life so much easier

[@InfinitesimallyInfinite]

As expat living in Netherlands for more than 3 years I completely agree with all your points, I always tell this to my Dutch colleagues at work, don't take your country for granted, it is very well developed with humble and down to earth people, very low difference in status of living among the people. 😁

[@drunkensailor112]

Very true. Netherlands is very informal and no basic class structure.

[@RS3Dutchie]

I lived in California for 8 months, and the 2 things I missed most were: Seasons (weather) which we have here, winter, spring, autumn, summer. In Cali the weather was basically always sunny and blue skies, temparature was the same for months plus or minus a degree or 2. I missed a nice "cold" and windy day I also missed the directness and honesty of dutch people. When you ask me: what do you think of this t shirt, I tell you, I like it or I don't. In the US (as far as I experienced) it was way different.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Interesting! Weather for me was a drawback when I first moved here; I'm used to the California sun that you mention. But if I'm being honest, I feel the seasons are slowwwwly growing on me!

[@arnoudklomp]

Honesty, really? So not true

[@itsmederek1]

We don't have good seasons in NL. We have summer and 'wet'. Most Dutch people don't have any idea how nice autumn can be with the colours, winter with abundant dry snow and spring without constant rain and icy winds.

[@GenJouh]

@@exploringtheforeign How did you deal with the pitch-black winters here? (Getting dark at 16:30 :D) I guess that took some getting used to.

[@exploringtheforeign]

@Jup definitely was strange!

[@MoniqueDiCarlo]

You are right! I’m Dutch living in Northern Virginia and I agree with most of your observations, especially the potholes, tap water, safety, and more. Thanks for reminding me!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Glad to hear you could relate to the points! How do you like it in Virginia?

[@MoniqueDiCarlo]

@@exploringtheforeign Love the space, and the mountains (I'm an outdoorsy girl), liked CA more (lived in Orange County and the Bay area), but I'm ready to move back to Europe (after 22 yrs). Probably not the Netherlands, because I need mountains and better weather 🙂

[@Kayonaises]

Het is echt heel interessant om dit vanuit jouw perspectief te zien. Na in de VS te zijn geweest afgelopen zomer ben ik absoluut dankbaar voor de wegen in Nederland 😁. Loved the vid! (Typed in Dutch because I’m stubborn)

[@exploringtheforeign]

Hey! Heel erg bedankt voor jouw reactie! Ik ben blij dat je de video leuk hebt gevonden! En geen probleem dat je dit in het Nederlands hebt geschreven, ik kan ook Nederlands praten😃

[@paul.van.santvoord1232]

Dat hoor je weinig in vergelijking vids, Nederlanders zijn eigenwijs.

[@nursejanainholland1978]

Goed zo!

[@luupski]

@kay Werman, je bent niet ‘stubborn’. Het moet maar eens afgelopen zijn met die buitenlanders die er maar vanuitgaan dat ze je direct kunnen aanspreken in hun eigen taal en verwachten dat je ze in hun taal antwoord geeft. Ga eens in amsterdam een bakkie koffie halen, ze vragen direct in het engels wat je wil bestellen, en ze spreken niet eens nederlands. De wereld op zijn kop

[@peterleadley]

🤣🤣🤣

[@doosenco]

My husband and I travelled a lot, and when you travel a lot you appreciate your homeland more. We've been a couple of times in the US (roadtrips), because we love the nature over there, but we were also shocked by the state of the infrastucture in the US. It doesn't matter whether you drive in Florida, Nevada, Utah, New York or California, the roads are bad everywhere.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Yeah, I agree, traveling makes you appreciate certain things in your home country! As for the roads, funny enough, until I experienced seeing good roads in a country like the Netherlands or Switzerland, I didn't realize how bad they were in the US. I just thought it was normal to have roads like we have in the US.

[@harrynac6017]

As I understand it, Biden is investing a lot in infrastructure. But I guess he will go for safety first, which mean that a lot of the money will go to bridges.

[@SimonWillig]

I was in the US twice, and I agree on the state of the roads. To me It looks like in the us people don't have a feel for public space like we have.

[@dylboy69420]

You're such a wholesome dude! You deserve way more subs!

[@exploringtheforeign]

I appreciate you saying this! It'll come with time🙌🏾😃

[@David95111]

To add to the convenience section, if you file your taxes online basically everything is pre-filled here. You just check and submit. My sister lives in the US and that was one of the big shocks for her when she moved. Another is the pension system, everyone who works in regular employment will automatically build a decent pension funded by the employer, no need to put anything yourself to get an employer match or anything. For a con section I would definitely mention public restrooms, which are pretty rare and often dirty in the Netherlands.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Yeah, the tax filing is super convenient! And yeah, public restrooms where you don't have to pay are suuuuper rare haha, but at least for the ones where you have to pay, those are usually kept pretty clean from what I've experienced.

[@muurrarium9460]

Oh, so true (restrooms). I ended up in Nieuwegein Plaza (small shopping center) and was actually shocked to find restrooms/toilets available (shock one), smelling only of cleaning products & being squeaky clean &fully stocked; usually they are at least out of toilet-paper or hand-towels (shock 2) and free of charge (shock 3). As a Dutchy I am sooo used to having to pay 50 cts or more, I even went back to see if I missed something/ felt slightly guilty for not paying. The garden-center-bathroom I visited yesterday, thank goodness, had toilet-paper issues: sense of normalcy restored! ;D (since Saturday is their busiest day, it was to be expected, the automatic-refill system got jammed, so not really their fault. the cleaning lady has probably fixed it already)

[@DuxJerome]

We just go into a restaurant or hotel, pretending to be a customer, and unload there!

[@muurrarium9460]

@@DuxJerome That is so rude, you can always ask nicely, and they most likely will let you // esp if you offer to pay (then they will decline, but appreciate the gesture).

[@DuxJerome]

@@muurrarium9460 Whats the point of being declined when I urgently need to throw some kids in the pool?

[@itomg]

One of the reasons to follow expat channels and those of immigrants is that I'm learning a lot about my home country as well as about a lot of other nations and cultures elsewhere. Pride is not something we're used to showing to obviously. But we do have reason to be proud. You made some excellent points. Our 'normal' isn't very normal in a lot of countries, including the U.S.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thanks, Itom!

[@elly3552]

Ahh, this video is great! I'm Dutch, and so gratefull for living here, but allot of Dutch people like to complain about everything, and I even have friends saying things like "I don't want to raise kids in a world like this." Which made me go like... 0.0 Girl, you don't know how blessed you are. I love The Netherlands and wouldn't want to live anywhere else!

[@malaficus]

Unfortantely we are becoming more and more like the usa. Too focus on crap like left vs right, gender politics and our prisons are hotels, etc. I fear our little paradise is going to hell.

[@mellchiril]

I know that any topic concerning the government is very touchy in my country, but I will admit... as someone living on disability, the government really does help me out a whole lot, and I definitely do not take that for granted. I'm quite glad to have it even though it's not really a whole lot. I can survive on it.

[@rondotexe]

Great quality, editing, and content. I'm super happy for you that you're really going for it! Keep it up!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Really really appreciate that, Ron! Thank you!

[@TheAmbientScore]

Thanks man! I've lived all my life in The Netherlands, and I do take some of these things for granted. When I visit another country that hasn't got these things, then I'll be reminded how nice things are taken care of here. Thanks for the reminders!!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Geen probleem! Leuk om te horen :)

[@janjansen2091]

You have such a positive aura around you! Thank you for providing a fresh view on the country I have lived in my entire life!

[@proxyladd5466]

I’m currently living in the city of Eindhoven, I must say the Dutch are great people very nice. Some are curious mainly the older generation seeing an American living here for a long period of time. This country is very beautiful and convenient like you mentioned. Safety is like the #1 thing I noticed. It is very common to see little kids running around late at night without adult supervision. Seeing people go out for bike rides and walks at odd times of the hour without the fear of danger is something that couldn’t be done in the U.S. depending on the location. The health care is phenomenal not expensive with and without insurance. It ridiculous how much America charges for health care. The Netherlands is a very affordable place to live with a lot of benefits. This country really cares for their people and importantly their workers. It will be a culture shock whenever I do go back to America.

[@marijnzwijsen7389]

SO to all the engineers, judicial personell and enviromental awareness in this country making all these things possible

[@dutchyjhome]

Hey Sam...yeah...you're right... Strange thing though is, that if you're in the middle of this all, you may think; "ah well this is the base you get here in the Netherlands, so abroad there must be more to get, since why would the Netherlands be really that good in what the Netherlands provides us, right...?" And then I hear you talk... about comparisons with the places you grew up in.... and then I start to think: "hey, you know what, the Netherlands really does provide us this, we actually provide each other with all of the points you've pointed out to us..." Wow... and this while I am my whole life in the middle of this all... It's obviously so easy not to see this if you do not have other references like you do have. Thank you for putting this out to all of us, thank you for keeping up this mirror up to us and showing us (this; what we have achieved) to us ;-) You actually make me feel proud of what we have achieved here with all 17 million of us together in the Netherlands, and you make me feel very good to be a Dutchy !

[@exploringtheforeign]

Hey, Dutchy J! Nice to have you back haha, I know the travel series I didn't really show you anything new, but nice to hear this video did!

[@puckie55]

Nice to hear such an optimistic experience of my country. Thank you very much

[@404michaelnotfound]

Cleanliness... stands next to a crushed beer can on the bicycle path 😆... thanks for reminding us to appreciate the things we take for granted. We are also people that like to complain about the little things.

[@exploringtheforeign]

haha, it does paint an honest picture that it's very clean, but not perfect haha. Thank you for watching, glad you enjoyed!

[@harrybruijs2614]

It was also the first thing I noticed, maybe that's the proof of concept.

[@NLKINK]

The majority of people take their trash home to deposit it in their own bin. Unfortunately there's also a small group who are not brought up correctly and get rid of their trash on the side of the roads, streets, sidewalks and bicycle paths. I go running the same route about four times a week and never fail to pick up other folks' trash.....

[@404michaelnotfound]

@@NLKINK thats true, but there are also lots of public trash cans.

[@patrickhagelstein1810]

And that’s the whole thing! Just one beer can! I’ve seen the same streets in a major US city covered in litter. It makes me way more appreciative and aware to pick up trash and put it in a bin.

[@RFGfotografie]

We Dutch often have jokes about when we go to Belgium where the roads are a billion times worse then here in the Netherlands. That's how freaking good our roads are xD Though we do pay for that. Quite a lot even. And it's always somewhere where works are going on. But the people fixing the roads do deserve some respect and love for the hard work they are doing. IN all kinds of weather, by night, even on holidays. And sometimes within seconds. It's just they are SO freaking good at what they do.

[@barta9342]

Payed by taxation of cars ( about 55 % on a new one ) and on fuel . Haven't been in a country so expensieve at the gasstation .

[@batfurs3001]

To be fair it's immediately noticeable once you pass the border LMAO Wonderful Dutch road, and then you pass the sign and then BAM. Shitty Belgian road. Bonus points if you immediately hit a pothole

[@liiset]

Traveling to a few other countries, I do often appreciate a lot of things about the Netherlands. Our safety (I felt so unsafe in LA) the clean and available water (it tastes so good!) the roads (always when crossing the border to Belgium it is instantly different), the convenience (I was fined incorrectly in France, it took my french partner weeks to get it fixed and we got a cheque I don’t even know what to do with haha). It is also clean on the streets but unfortunately not because a lack of littering, but moreso because our mayorships take a lot of measures to sweep the streets, in my opinion!

[@carolinavanderlande4904]

Great to see that this video blew up, so well deserved! I’ve been following you for a few months and wondered why you did not have many more followers. You’re so authentic, confident and yet humble, and your Dutch is amazing for someone who lived here for only 2 years. Your content is positive and uplifting. I Especially like your street interviews. You’re going places man, keep up the good work! And stay a little longer in this country, we need your outside perspective!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Wow, Carolina, you have no idea how much this comment means to me! I had to share it with my family because of how touching it is haha. Thank you for supporting these past few months and I hope you continue to enjoy the content I push out!

[@robertgeerken9485]

Hahaha so true!!! As a native you tend to take a lot of these things for granted. And, as you know by now probably because you’ve been living here for quite a while too, it also has something to do with our favorite national past-time: “mopperen” 😂😂 “Wij mopperen wat af!” About the weather, public transport, our government, others (“they” and “them”) etc. So kudos for you for these videos where you hold up that mirror for us Dutchies, keep up the good work ❤❤

[@exploringtheforeign]

Haha, thank you Robert! Glad this video helped serve as a mirror :) Nothing wrong with a little complaining, just as long as you don't forget the blessings you may have at the end of the day!

[@ducomaritiem7160]

Wow! Such an appraisal... Thanks man, I'm glad you like it here. Please stay a bit longer in my country, we can use a real optimistic view these days.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Appreciate that, Duco!

[@ardengess]

You popped up in my feed and I really like your videos, leaving a comment in the hope you pop up on more peoples feed. Keep up the video’s. As a Dutchie I also have to give you big respect for how quick and well you’ve adopted here!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Wow, thank you for that and for the feedback on my Dutch! I've been trying my best with learning Dutch, I'm surprised though still sometimes myself with being able to speak with people!

[@yvonnebirch6026]

Nice to see you again Sam ! You are so close to my old neighborhood. Yes I am pretty proud of my little country. Thank you for your kind words ! I still miss it after 40 years ! 💕🌷

[@exploringtheforeign]

Dankjewel voor het kijken, Yvonne! Come back and visit :)

[@RyanTheTastyPizza]

Awesome video my man. I feel like I really didn't know any better and didn't pick these up, as I grew up here. And I did, like you said, take for granted what we've got ourselves here. Much more appreciative of these (what looked like) tiny things in my life. PS: thanks for the heads up Oliebollen are being sold again :P Love the effort & vid man keep it up.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Man, thank you for your feedback and for watching! Glad you enjoyed it and took something away from the video. And no problem on the oliebollen tip haha

[@rohitsrinivasa4420]

The lack of societal pressure is so great. In the US we have this bad habit of comparing ourselves to people who may have more but aren't necessarily happier. I'm looking to move there using the DAFT program, and this one reason is good enough for me. The other ones are great too though.

[@Blackadder75]

You are welcome, we really like Americans here, in my opinion , this is because only the nice ones come here, in general.... and all the Ted Cruz types stay in the States........

[@MM-tt7hy]

Well, it actually depends on your environment. Because the rat race is also a thing in the Netherlands.

[@lienbijs1205]

There are also a lot of negative things here. The Netherlands is in a deep crisis right now. It is very hard for too many people to get a house. Also many people now don't have enough money anymore for basic needs. Refugees get priority for social housing and the Dutch people wait sometimes for more than 15 years. The Netherlands is really overcrowded so in that matter I want to have as less people come to live here as possible.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Glad you could relate/understand!

[@milkshakekoe]

I'm interested in how to compare the lack of societal pressure to the US or other places. Since I do think that living in the Netherlands, especially bigger cities like Amsterdam shown in the video comes with a high pressure to have a measure of status/job success etcetera. Might be that keeping up with the jones' turns more on material possesions, but the Netherlands definitely have their rat race when it comes to achieval of money, reputation and other forms of success.

[@robinvanschaijk3154]

Really like the way you do your story telling. You also sound so so kind. Great to have you here! i have lived my entire life here in the netherlands, just below Nijmegen. And you really hit the spot. Dutch people are really good at criticising everything around them, but i really think we should be really happy for the way it is here, alteast for the most part. I think this is one of the best country's to live in, in the entire WORLD. Once again thank you for this vid!

[@thesarcast795]

Thank you so much for your perspective on these things, happy to have you here man.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you!!

[@ageoflove1980]

I understand that the largest part of your audience is Dutch and that you have to take that in to account. And its always nice to see an outside look in to our country to help appreciate it more. But me personally am pretty interested in your opinion about what the US does better. Now this probably wont be an easy video to make becasue you dont want to piss off your audience but still. My main point would be how open, socially skilled and easy going Americans are. Ive been to the US by myself and its just so easy to make friends. One time I stayed in a dorm style hostel in Santa Monica and ended up talking with some guys from Texas. We had a few drinks in a local bar and the next day they invited me to come along when they planned to meet up with their cousin who was actually from LA. Before I knew it I was with these guys and the cousin in a Mercedes cruising along the LA highways, going to dinner, bars afterwards and just had the best day possible thanks to these guys. I was just so welcome as pretty much a complete stranger. I think it would be very hard to have such an experience in The Netherlands because people in general seem a lot more introvert.

[@exploringtheforeign]

First, this was a really cool story to hear! Second, this is a very good point/suggestion! It's something I'm definitely open to doing. I recognize it may upset some people, but I'm not worried, everything I post is just based on honest feedback and experiences, both good and bad🙌🏾

[@cherylh.1537]

Yes, there’s still something special about living in America 😊

[@exploringtheforeign]

Definitely!

[@peterleadley]

As a Brit who lives in the Netherlands, I can tell you that Dutch people, whilst fairly conservative, are friendly and welcoming whenever you interact with them.

[@D__03]

@@peterleadley Conservative how?

[@penked88]

Great video! I kinda knew al these things, but never the less nice to see it from someone who is used to a different situation. It is funny to notice that at 3:13 you talk about how clean it is and all i notice is the trash in the gutter and the tile behind your feet that is not properly paved. Im counting my blessings at this moment, cheers!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you! And that's funny that you were thinking that haha, I actually noticed that while editing, but that is actually still super clean for me as someone that's lived in LA and NYC. This is really clean for a major city.

[@Matriarch456]

LMAO i thought the exact same thing !! it's most likely already fixed by now and the trash is swooped up by the citycleaners LOL the dutch national sport is complaining so it might seem that we do take things for granted but we don't ;)

[@AnnaAcheampong]

Thank you for highlighting this i needed it

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you for watching!

[@JarNO_WAY]

This guy's smile and positive attitude are contagious! Really enjoyable video

[@exploringtheforeign]

Aw man, thank you!

[@Blackadder75]

As a typical dutchie, I already knew all of this, but you still put so many feathers in my behind, I'll have trouble to sit for a week. thank you, I guess.

[@exploringtheforeign]

My girlfriend just taught me that this is a typical Dutch phrase haha

[@hanhenderikse]

I thought he meant "don't take it for granted" with this video, so I know you'll know all this he has mentioned, but just be gratefull and not to cocky about it.

[@berta.9912]

hatseee over flakeee en gaan

[@Blackadder75]

@@hanhenderikse , hm, a lot of these videos by foreigners are full of Dutch comments like 'gosh, I never realized this is not common in other countries' So no, not all of us 'know all this.' I traveled a lot and that helped me to realize it.

[@MH-eu9iw]

As a Dutch person living in the us I approve of this message!

[@linnh940]

Thanks a lot bro! It’s nice to hear other perspectives on our country from foreigners! It’s really nice to hear that you like it here and you made some good points. Hope you also feel welcome here because you’re more than welcome ❤

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you, Linn! I definitely feel welcomed here, especially with comments like this!

[@izadoks3672]

Ik geniet erg van je video's en ik vind het mooi om te zien dat je er ook heel genuanceerd naar kijkt door te benoemen dat niet iedereen het goed heeft maar het toch wel vrij goed geregeld is hier :)

[@exploringtheforeign]

Dankjewel!!

[@expatsexplore]

I know from experience the healthcare system is very good and should not be taken for granted. Working in the healthcare industry in the US across the country it is very fragmented and expensive. Not sure how much you've had a chance to experience to comment. The Dutch system is not perfect, but very well organized and high quality care.

[@Thatisawhacksandwhich]

Ever since i moved to Portugal i started appreciating a lot of things i took for granted in Back in Holland, enjoy our beautiful country! Genieten!!!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Dankjewel! Ik ga het doen🙌🏾

[@10quirien]

Thank you for painting It out to me. I feel more thankful 🙏

[@exploringtheforeign]

No problem! Really cool to hear. Appreciate you watching :)

[@manoa777]

Nice vid. Your channel is growing fast. keep up man!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you, Manoa! Yeah, it's pretty surreal how much it's starting to grow, must mean something good! haha

[@maxnewts]

The reason the streets / roads are so good is because they save lots of money by building cycle facilities and separated lanes in areas - virtually everywhere across the country - that allow people to EASILY live without a car. It’s helped by the fact they link the cycle facilities to public transportation, so when planning journeys it’s easy to seamlessly switch from bike to train, with lots of productive time in between. Up to 55% of all rail travel users in the Netherlands arrive by bike, so their journeys don’t contribute to high amounts of congestion due to the innately small size and high safety levels of bicycles. Most school children take themselves to school using bicycles, too, with most of them lucky enough to own a bike learning street safety on bikes as part of their national curriculum. This essentially means as a whole system, the Dutch street and road network saves itself billions of national tax fundings every year from not being driven over with heavy vehicles (like cars, vans, and lorries) all the time and therefore doesn’t need to be maintained or repaired as often. That helps pay for the innovative underground bins you spoke about which make the streets very cleanly, and other things such as a boost in public transportation funding. Hope this helps. I love NL for the same reasons you do, and hope to work on its street design ideas one day.

[@cdeweijer12]

So nice to learn about your point of view. You are right, nothing can ever be taken for granted but we could/should be more gratefull for all the good things in our country.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Glad you enjoyed it and got something out of the video :)

[@AnneMariaWolbert]

Thank you so much for reminding me! I love your video 👏🏽

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you, Anne!

[@sergeantmajor_gross]

Your enthusiasm is really contagious. Good teeth indeed. Great job bro.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you!!🙌🏾

[@user-pn8jf3ho9g]

Mann I'm glad you're getting so many views even though you don't have that many subscribers. I definitely agree with you and the video was fun aswell. Ik kijk uit naar je andere video's!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Really appreciate that! The feedback so far on this video has been amazing, really great to see people engaging so much with the video, I look forward to putting out more!

[@benjaminjohannessanchez3310]

Subscribed; I very much appreciate your energy and vibe, and I look forward to watching more of your content! "Lekker" bahaha goud Welkom in Nederland! 🇳🇱🇪🇺

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you, Benjamin! I appreciate the feedback and the sub!

[@JA-uh2tm]

Dope video man! You made me appreciate my country a lil more💯👊🏾

[@exploringtheforeign]

Awesome to hear!

[@erfho8y]

I think you are really hitting most of the important points. Great vid, props!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you!

[@TregMediaHD]

Loved this video.. I lived here more than 15 years and my outlook has remained the same. Know where i am but also know where I'm from. Respect the differences and go with the flow

[@exploringtheforeign]

Glad you loved it! And I agree, man!

[@TregMediaHD]

@@exploringtheforeign I dont care about the algorithm of you tube . But love to help bro

[@TregMediaHD]

@@exploringtheforeign next weekend is me working the whole weekend in Amsterdam.. Biertje in cafe batavia?

[@exploringtheforeign]

Shoot me an email, I may be able to come through🙌🏾

[@practicalchristianity6250]

I just love Netherlands 🇳🇱 ,am from 🇺🇬, just appreciate how generally most things are handled here especially the health care.

[@fidelkamiel5910]

I really appreciate your perspective on our country. Made me smile. Thank you!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Appreciate that! Glad you enjoyed and thank you for watching :)

[@tomreijnders88]

It is a good thing to be reminded of these things once in a while! Goes for a lot of people from a lot of different places I think. 👍 Nice video!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Dankjewel voor de leuke reactie!

[@jorgschrauwen]

I love how this video changed my perspective, i never knew how well kept the country actually is. Growing up here i just got so used to it never knowing it could be worse

[@exploringtheforeign]

Really awesome to hear, Jorg! Glad you enjoyed and were able to walk away with something from the video :) Thank you for watching!

[@ItIsGuido]

Thanks for sharing this Sam! We Dutchies don’t appreciate a lot of good stuff in the Netherlands 🎉

[@exploringtheforeign]

Glad you enjoyed it, Guido!

[@10vely]

This was such a chill video, I love the way it makes me feel calm and really think about how I indeed take most of these things for granted!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Appreciate it, Maria!

[@TreespeakerOfTheLand]

Really good list, thank you very much :)

[@11muzik99]

Your observations are definitely on point - the latter 2 especially. As a 'differently-abled' outsider, now living here over 5 years, I can't stress enough how much I appreciate the infrastructure and assistance. I quietly laugh inside every time I come across a local who complains about their state of affairs (happens more often than not)- some simply don't know how well they have it.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you, Rudolf! Glad you could relate :)

[@janice840]

If you never complain then you'll never change it :)

[@11muzik99]

@@janice840 Agreed. But not in this context.

[@jorislintworm6186]

That safety point is spot on. We keep complaining about safety, but comparing to 25 years ago, it's really really safe. I think we live in a beautiful country because we complain a lot :) It's never oke. It should always be better.

[@DenUitvreter]

And rightly so, there is no good reason at all why things shouldn't get better with time.

[@TheDerpingDutchman]

You know you live in a great country when the things people complain about get more and more about quality of life than actual needs. Absolute poverty in the netherlands is still awful, but it’s definitely not as bad as some other parts of the world

[@davidbrouwers7309]

Complaining is the nr. 1 sport for the Dutch 😂

[@TheDerpingDutchman]

@@antoniomontana397 What are you talking about? There are no daily shootings in the netherlands.. Military isn’t on high alert. We’re very fine.

[@TheDerpingDutchman]

@@antoniomontana397 As someone who grew up and lives in Amsterdam, I know what you mean. Luckily we do have a very capable police force so nothing basically ever happens to civilians when it comes to drug related crime. But it’s true that you’d better make sure you don’t get on the radar of some criminal organization.

[@eevilangelo1865]

Thank you so much for this great video Sir, i really appreciated it 👍

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you!

[@SonoMonia]

I agree with everything! Italian living in The Netherlands for a few years now. Great job on your videos, keep 'em coming!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you! Appreciate your feedback and definitely more on the way!

[@yayastedi]

Damn I’m really happy you had a good experience here. I’m not gonna lie hearing things like this makes me very proud of the country I live in! 👌🏾

[@ivx8345]

Mij ook!

[@winandd8649]

As a dutch guy, I do love the Netherlands, many things are well taken care off indeed. Some things I don't like here; High taxes and gas prices (1 liter of petrol costs around 2,25 USD). Even owning (without even driving) a car just costs a lot. I never felt like visiting the USA, after watching you video, I even feel less urge 😆

[@just_a_phase_802]

I suffered a lot with mental challenges in the past and I really am greatefull growing up and living in the Netherlands. The support here is amazing

[@olivierdebruin3484]

Thanks for the insight 👍🏻👍🏻

[@myrkovanrenswoude7556]

i was made aware of how good our roads are a couple years ago when a couple online friends came to the city i lived on vacation. i managed to get some rental bikes for everyone and one day we went to a neighboring town for the outdoor swimming pool and the 2 us lads commented on the insanely good cycling road we were on which confused me because for what i was used to that road was in a horendous state. it made me realise how fortunate te people who cant afford cars here are

[@exploringtheforeign]

Haha, see, I'm not crazy!

[@leya2215]

As a Dutchie, I totally agree. I think we have it very easy. Of course some people do struggle, but the assistance the government offers is reliable. What I heard is that what we call ‘poor’ is in some American states ‘middle class’. It bugs me that people never seem to be happy with what they do have. They don’t appreciate that they have it quite easy compared to other places in the world.

[@jaapspruitenburg6625]

Very reliable on paper, but reality proves last years many times wrong. The 'Toeslagenschandaal' proves that people working for society and want to help people to solve wrongdoing/mistakes in the system, but don't have any authorization. Meaning basically that people are hired to help people can't help them because of money, which is a toxic discouragement policy we should get out of our systems.

[@vinc8321]

Awesome video, your energy is great!

[@mmrobin]

Thanks for this kind and clear video! I’ll definitely be more aware of this and DONT take these things for granted 👌🏼😁

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you for watching! :)

[@RemyvanTol]

We Dutch are too spoiled, so we complain about everything. On her visit to the Netherlands, my Peruvian wife saw a "Bad Road" sign and quickly quipped it was the best quality road she'd ever seen.

[@exploringtheforeign]

haha, dat is heel grappig!

[@jeffrix1]

onze slechte wegen scoren toch wel een 8 gemiddeld in belgie.

[@hi-zg2wq]

Omg thank you! I've always thought that the US is better because everyone is more social and it's way easier making friends there, I haven't noticed these things at all because i grew up with it and it's the only thing i knew. Thanks for making this video!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you for watching! :) There are great things in the US as well but glad this video helped you realize some of the great things here!

[@jurridoras4001]

Amazing quality video. You will grow sir, no doubt!

[@exploringtheforeign]

Thank you!! :)

[@UchihaJP]

You seem like a genuine kind and positive person! Glad you are enjoying my little country with tall people :)

[@exploringtheforeign]

Dankjewel JP!

[@TorvaDagger]

I really needed this list to get humbled and appreciatie the nice things we have

[@alessandroalena9169]

I lived in various countries and I consider the Netherlands to be basically perfect. You can find any issues, of course, but be honest, those issues are just overthought or stretched. Life is just overall nice in the Netherlands from pretty much any point of view.

[@batfurs3001]

I live in the Netherlands and I absolutely adore it here, but to say that there are no issues is just incorrect. I'm a young disabled person, and despite it being very clear to all my doctors that I will never be able to work more than 20 hours a week, I don't qualify for any substantial benefits. My disabilities are mental disabilities, which are not taken seriously so long as you don't have intellectual defecits. Add the extremely high cost of housing and the very low minimum wage and you have loads of disabled people stuck between a rock and a hard place. I'm very lucky to be able to keep living with my parents, because even if I got accepted into all the programs I qualify for, I could not even afford rent in my city, let alone other costs of living. I wouldn't give up living here for anything, but god I wish mental disabilities were treated as equal to physical ones

[@RFGfotografie]

I've been taught to always be happy with what I have. Even if it's little. It's better then having nothing at all. And yeah off course I want more and probally should/can get more. I am fine with having what I've got. Because it's enough, it's not needed to have more. As long as the basic things are met and we can keep on going being happy, that's all you need.

[@exploringtheforeign]

Agreed, Remco!

[@brehm5293]

Great video! I feel like there are too many people that don't realise in what kind of country they're born. From way back in history up until this day, this small country has been a frontrunner in many aspects. Obviously with great highs come great lows, but luckily almost all of us will proudly stand tall (figuratively and literally) and share the pride we carry with us.

[@exploringtheforeign]

I'm glad you enjoyed! :)

[@Smulpaap]

Great video! And good to stress these points not to take for granted :)

[@exploringtheforeign]

Dankjwel, Arjan!