More SHOCKING things about living in the Netherlands 🇳🇱 (Dutch culture shock for American expats)

In this episode, Michelle and Alex talk about what "culture shock" actually means, and discuss the 6 most shocking things they've experienced while living in the Netherlands for about 7 months.
Episode 37 · Filmed on February 8, 2023 · Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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0:00 Introduction
1:12 What is culture shock?
3:08 Open curtains
4:17 Naked people on TV
6:22 Transit strikes
7:50 Spicy food
9:10 Over the counter medication
10:48 Fireworks
13:09 Wrapping up
#expatlife #netherlands #cultureshock
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WHO IS BUNCHARTED?
We're Michelle and Alex, an American expat couple living abroad in the Netherlands. 🇳🇱
In 2020, we quit our jobs to travel the world, and... well, that didn't happen. So in 2022, we decided to make an even BIGGER change by packing up our lives (and our cats 🐈) and moving from Austin, Texas, in the US, to Rotterdam, in the Netherlands. Subscribe for new videos like this every week!

[@mirjamvond1731]

Even for the Dutch , the transit strikes are regarded as excessive this year 😅 As a pharmacy tech, a saying here is, a cold without medication lasts a week, and with medication 7 days. I thought the fireworks this year was less than normally

[@PerfectAlibi1]

Yeah, let your body just fight the infection without guzzling lots of unnecessary chemicals. Just drink plenty of fluids, stay warm and maybe a few vitamin supplements. ^^

[@_PJW_]

Yup, a cold or flue just boosts your immune system. But as my GP used to say 'If you don't get rid of it yourself in 2 weeks, you won't get rid of it yourself'. Meaning he'd give you a prescription. From personal experience : don't fight a cold or flue, just let it run it's course, or else it will get worse and take longer,

[@aislingbooks]

I'm a bit late but thought I'd add to these good comments here because I've had similar talks with my doctor, who said penicilline is prescribed too much in the States, so much so that it eventually weakens its effect which is why it's not given out easily here...not even when I had a case of strep-throat. Building up your immune system is one of the healthiest things you can do, even though colds and flu are annoying, especially if you have to cancel work because of being so sick. Prevention is best, though, and you can take zinc, Vit C and D3 on a regular basis as well as having a good diet and doing regular exercise. It was interesting too that when we had to wear masks there were fewer cold and flu viruses going around, but when we did get sick we were knocked out more, it seemed, than usual.

[@TheSuperappelflap]

Striking when you are being treated like shit for years, when your profession involves getting up at 5am for morning shifts, as well as night shifts, while getting paid barely above minimum wage and being regularly exposed to physical violence from drunk people and football hooligans, is not excessive. And I can say that as someone with a very well paying cushy office job who travels to work by train out of choice. Even after they got a raise theyre still being underpaid for what they do for our country and the risk it involves.

[@TheSuperappelflap]

@@aislingbooks I didnt have the flu for 3 years during covid thanks to the preventative measures. Did get covid three times, but the statistics on flu dropping so much is enough proof that masks and hand washing and a bit of distancing actually worked. I got the flu for the first time again this winter and I was out for a full week. So yeah your immune system does forget and the viruses do keep mutating even if I dont get them.

[@daantjemaantje]

I think we in the Netherlands know that when your body is feeling sick, it tells you it needs time and rest. So we try and give it that. And not take medication and just keep working. There is nothing wrong with feeling under the weather. It's a part of life, especially in the Netherlands. And a lot of us also tend to take natural remedies over phamaceuticals. So indeed honey for a painful throat, water and salt for a stuffy nose, etc...

[@LinnLinnok-fe5tq]

Most American workers don’t have the option of staying home every time they feel sick. They lose their jobs for calling out sick too much. Hence the need for meds which make the symptoms more tolerable to keep working. The meds are not addictive and not narcotics. They just things like acetaminophen to reduce pain and fever, and cough or runny nose suppressant. It’s not like we’re running around grabbing heavy drugs for the sniffles. That’s a very bad assumption. If the average American worker wouldn’t suffer negative consequences for calling out sick, they obviously would prefer to stay home instead of taking meds just to get through the day of work etc.

[@irenehabes-quene2839]

@@LinnLinnok-fe5tqI travel to the states frequently having two brothers who emigrated there. Quite frankly I always see medication in real large quantities sold over the counter, not always very safe medication. For instance I saw big tubes of a cortison zalf ( ~200 gr tubes) with a fairly high content of cortison. Here I get the same medication with the same % of cortison prescribed by my doctor, the tubes are no larger then 15 grams and they come with a warning to not apply longer then 3 days or else you will damage your skin permanently. It’s a known side effect that cortison makes your skin get thinner and more vulnerable. Also I saw heaps of medication containing antibiotics. That’s really not sensible at all. It’s no wonder so many Americans are addicted to pills, and combine medication in lethal cocktails. Not everybody has a understanding of pharmacy.

[@LinnLinnok-fe5tq]

LOL. No there are NOT “heaps” of over the counter antibiotics. Those are not sold over the counter period, only prescription. Topical antibiotic cream is sold over the counter which is generally used in very small amounts for preventing infections in wounds or surgical incision sites. Cortisone is NOT sold over the counter period, only hydrocortisone (which is different) in topical form and the maximum allowed is 1% concentration. And no they are not “massive” tubes LOL. This also has nothing to do with what I’m saying. Again, I’m saying this silly notion that Americans are pill popping drug addicts is completely false, AND I’m saying that if we take more simple non-narcotic cold medicine than a bunch of privileged Europeans, it’s because most of us don’t get the luxury of sitting home just because we’re sick. Most still are REQUIRED to get to WORK. So making the symptoms more tolerable is NECESSARY to function. Consider your privilege with regards to being able to just take off work when sick, before getting on your high horse about Americans taking simple cold meds. Good grief. It’s interesting how some internet know it alls think they can school folks about our own country without actually knowing what they’re talking about.

[@irenehabes-quene2839]

@@LinnLinnok-fe5tq we use the word cortisones as a collective word for all corticosteroids here. Yes the hydro- is used in creams whilst the cortisone shots are used for pain relief and as a anti inflammatory in cases of chronic infections in joints and other body parts. I’ve had those too. But I’m not lying about the things I’ve seen in supermarkets ( in this case Cosco) that you will never see here. Ointments containing anti biotic sis such an example as are the creams containing the hydrocortisone. In the Netherlands those are only available at the pharmacy with a prescription. An other thing is you won’t find bottles with 500 pills or more of painkillers here, most you’ll find is 50 in one box, where the pills come in blisters. If you buy the biggest boxes, only available at drugstores, not in Supermarkets or grocery stores, when checking out you will be asked if you require any information on the medication. I think this is to bring more awareness to the public about using medication.

[@TheSuperappelflap]

A great remedy for sore throat is Anta-flu sweets. Besides that, green tea with kurkuma (turmeric) and ginger works amazingly, and honey always helpsas well.

[@Michel000000001]

Lol, "I was really really sick"... "having a cold". Women in the Netherlands call that the "man-flu"; when you only have a cold and behave as if you are recovering from a battlefield ;-). Not to say that a good & heavy cold can feel really bad, I know I hate it, with your head filled with everything, some fever maybe and your throat like sandingpaper. But you concluded right, we see it as "only a cold". And there is (as they say to us) no medication for a normal cold-virus, so you just have to wait for it to end. With some help of "easing" from honey for the throat and the paracetamol for hte headache. As the saying goes "With medication (the easing that is) a cold takes a week, without medication it takes 7 days".

[@bartvschuylenburg]

Also: the symptoms suppressing medication they use in the US makes it more difficult for your body to learn the right anti viral response. And leaves you more vulnerable to catch a virus from the same string again. So getting through the flu and coldness in full makes you healthier for the longer term.

[@joostprins3381]

I believe we got a less people on average who are addicted to meds or painkillers, so it can’t be that bad how we do things.

[@jsb7975]

Still you have a lot of choise in medication here though, except for penicilline, for which a prescription is needed...

[@joostprins3381]

@@jsb7975 correct, but it are none real medicine, almost all pain killers, and then the so called not opioids, so less chance to addiction. And a lot to make the suffering less, like nose spray or cough sirope with codaine in it. For the rest you need a prescription and get that from a doctor or medical specialist.

[@LinnLinnok-fe5tq]

Folks, Americans aren’t taking narcotics for a cold or flu. Cold and flu meds in the US are just things to help with the symptoms such as pain relief, fever reduction, cough and runny nose suppressants etc. Basically just non-prescription stuff to help make the symptoms more tolerable so we can keep going to work. American workers typically don’t get to sit home because they feel sick.

[@EdwinMartin]

Even when you go to a doctor, you might not get medicine. Foreigners are often confused by this, because at home they always get medication and go home satisfied. But in the Netherlands, you only get something when it’s really helping. Doctors are also very reluctant with prescribing antibiotica, since viruses are getting more and more immune to antibiotica. Also, if you think there are lot of strikes here, go live for some time in Belgium or France. It seems strikes are part of everyday live, there 😬

[@ramonschliszka6332]

Antibiotics don’t cure viruses. They are meant for bacteria related diseases. It’s a common misunderstanding but one that end up making bacteria resistant to our antibiotics.

[@EdwinMartin]

@@ramonschliszka6332 Ah, I thought it where viruses because flu and cold are caused by viruses. But indeed, bacteria getting more resistant makes more sense.

[@joopdesmit]

Anti-biotics don't work against viruses. At all. Only against bacterial infections. So in case of a flue or cold: paracetamol against fevers, and indeed honeykind of products to soften your throat. But that's about it.

[@rmyikzelf5604]

​@@joopdesmitindeed

[@OprechtLetterlijkBizar]

The fact is that paracetamol works quite well against symptoms like headaches and overall malaise, but if that’s not enough than one could try ibuprofen. Or even Naproxen or diclifenac (in case of muscle pain for example). Against coughing there’s noscapine tablets. All is available OTC, so not sure what more you could wish for….

[@Sp4nkZ]

As ive seen others mention, the frequency of the strikes is pretty high right now because of inflation. It's usually not this bad and thats coming from a 32 year old who still mostly uses public transport to get around. When it comes to being sick, I think the thoughtproces here is mostly that your body is equipped to deal with a lot of sicknesses/ailments on its own. They give you a paracetamol or ibuprofen to reduce the most severe pain, but let your body do all the work. It can be uncomfortable, but if it gets to much you can always ask your huisarts for something stronger. You can also buy stuf to deal with a sore throat or runny nose at the drogist like kruidvat. Think nosesprays and coughsyrup/cough drops but nothing too strong. When it comes to fireworks and the mess it creates, I feel like this has also gotten way worse in recent years. It used to be the day of and a lil bit the day after to get rid of leftover fireworks, but nowadays its the weeks before and after new years. This year probably had to do with a looming fireworks ban, so people are trying to get it out of their system perhaps. As someone with pets, not the biggest fan. When it comes to the mess, i grew up in a smaller town and the days after new years everyone always came out with brooms and shovels and cleaned up their own mess. But in the city ive lived in for a few years now they just wait for the city to come clean it up, which took quite a bit longer this year compared to others for some reason. Nice to see your overall experience here is still pretty positive! I have a couple of friends from the US that I might have to show your videos to see if I can get them to move over! :)

[@petrusvanrensburg7883]

My wife and I might be moving to Rotterdam (from Atlanta) in a few months! It seems a little daunting! Your videos are really helpful to give us some context and help us feel more comfortable with the idea! Might need to meet with you when we get there so that we can have a guide to the city

[@neillsong]

Fantastic update! Thank you!

[@annedenhaag3511]

My Dutch great-aunt was married to a French man. Whenever they came to The Netherlands, he always LOVED to have an evening walk after dark and enjoy taking a peak into all these well-lit living rooms thanks to the ‘open curtain’- tradition. 😂

[@TheSuperappelflap]

I knew a guy with a French grandmother and she was always confused coming here, why we didnt shoot the ducks in the ponds for eating.

[@BramBergs]

There are two major topics/arguments when it comes to medication here: 1) You are most probably not a doctor and when you're not you should not be able to self diagnose and treat certain illnesses with (sometimes pretty heavy) stuff that you don't know anything about. That's why there are doctors and pharmacy employees: they're trained in giving you what you need and how much you need of it. 2) There are loads of illnesses (like a severe cold) that can be cured by your body itself. If you numb yourself with medication, you can't feel the difference when you're getting better. When they ask you how you feel or what you feel, they don't want it to be influenced by drugs, which results in you telling them you feel fine because of medication. Is it uncomfortable? Heck yeah. Should you throw every chemical at it known to man? No. Let your body solve it (but you should visit a doctor if things don't improve obviously). Only when you break a leg, go to the a hospital and the doctor tells you to "neem een paracetamolletje", then you can have second thoughts about Dutch healthcare :'D

[@janaaj1an889]

US medicine advertising is really off the charts in suggesting people medicate themselves or seek self-healing with no knowledge.

[@photomat]

I love these videos u guys! Regarding the fireworks (trash): In areas with a 'higher level of social awareness', people will pick it up afterwards. Some do it right after the piece was finished, others will sleep in on januari 1st and go on the streets removing their fireworks waste. In some social circles, leaving it out seems normal but a lot will find that kind of behaviour absolutely anti social. Regarding medication, yeah. Being sick sucks but you'll just have to go through it. At least you'll appreciate being well afterwards ;)

[@TerrenceWeijnschenk]

Where I grew up in the seventies - Amsterdam Geuzenveld (new West) - we had fireworks 'battles' with other families that originated from Indonesia. Before Indonesia's independence and a lot of 'indo's' migrating to The Netherlands, there was some fireworks but mostly people welcomed the New Year making noise with pots and pans. Most likely the Indonesians got their fireworks tradition from Chinese migrants. Anyways: we would cheer at eachother's fireworks displays, have some nice Indonesian 'makan makan' at eachother's homes the next morning and clean up eachother's mess the next morning, on a full stomach and giving eachother compliments on their amazing fireworks from the night before. Us kids would pick up and diffuse - usually by simply pouring water over them - any duds. Because we believed our parents when they told us they were not safe to try to lit them again. Good times. 🥰

[@TheSuperappelflap]

Most bus lines here are circular, so they only go in one direction. Some very busy lines will have circles in 2 directions.

[@RealConstructor]

The problem with fireworks trash is that parents don’t care anymore and don’t teach their children to clean the street in front of the house afterwards. We were taught to do so by our parents and at 3:00 in the night we were cleaning fireworks trash with broom, dustpan and trash can. I think that in villages on the countryside the streets will be cleaned by youth or parents.

[@buncharted]

❤️❤️❤️

[@RFGfotografie]

Awesome video yet again :)

[@spinozatheobvious626]

I think there's two things with spice, first one simply a language issue: it's hard to distinguish for non-native English speakers between "spices" and "spiciness". So if there's a spice mix that they can add, someone may indeed tell you "do you want it spicy?" because they just don't know how to say "do you want spices". Particularly on fries there's a tendency to have an optional "spice mix". As to Surinamese/Turkish/etc food not being that spicy when you'd expect it to be: that's simply because they adjust for what they expect your tolerance to be. If you're used to spices and you're in a minority run establishment, then "yes" is not a good enough answer if they ask if you want sambal. You have to be quite emphatic about it, or they'll just add a little bit, for politeness sake (basically they think you can't handle it). Pro tip: there's a huge difference in spice level between an "Chinees Indisch" restaurant and an "Indonesisch" restaurant. The former are typically quite old establishments that were started when Dutch people weren't used to spicy food at all, that have a lot of colonial heritage. The latter are more accurate actual Indonesian food and can seriously knock your socks off, generally speaking.

[@TheSuperappelflap]

Depends on your tolerance, when I go to an authentic Mexican restaurant (with real Mexican waiters and cooks) in the Netherlands, I always ask for extra peppers. They look at me like, are you sure, I say yes, and I get delicious extra spicy food.

[@peli71]

Totally agree on your encounters with spicy food in the NL. For spicy food visit an Indonesian, Surinamese (madam Jeanette) or Thai restaurant. And even then you explicitly have to ask for spicy food. All other hot and spicy is relatively mild.

[@komkwam]

Indian food can be very spicy as well. A vindaloo is very spicy.

[@janaaj1an889]

I like spiced food (but not "hot"). We have Mexican in-laws and other friends. This is not a concept they readily comprehend. Slightly "picante" to them leaves me laid out on the couch moaning in agony. Same thing tends to happen at a Thai restaurant ("this wasn't NOT SPICY" (which I had specifically asked for). They apologized, but that was as not spicy as it got for them. I have a Dutch name (ancestors came over 400 years ago!), which is traditional in our family. I spent a week there some time ago (thanks US Army) and really enjoyed them. Love your show. Keep it up.

[@woutvanostaden1299]

Korean food is also a solid pick. (My favorite😊)

[@TheSuperappelflap]

Dont forget about the Mexican restaurants either. I always order extra peppers but most people find it quite challenging ordering from the regular menu.

[@Paulusss1]

I love these kinds of videos, just to hear what for us is normal and for foreigners is quite weird XD The getting sick or ill and medication part i love about our little country. People almost rather die then see a doctor and accept medication. The flue or a bad cold is just shrugged off, it's mostly a week feeling uncomfortable and then we are build immunity and then mostly don't get sick for a year or longer. Medication is more seen here as a last resort, then a thing to grab if you are feeling something.

[@buncharted]

i too prefer to avoid the doctor and medication, but when you can't sleep for days because you're coughing all night, a cough suppressant would be nice :)

[@TD05SSLegacy]

Traveling Ive gone to get over the counter stuff for illness. And yes, it’s not there. But I found that talking to the pharmacist THEY listen to symptoms and dispense it from behind the counter. They are not just ‘order takers’ from the doctor but have a more active role in dispensing medicine. AND…you can get from them antibiotics and diarrhea stop meds etc. that normally you can only get under doctors care. That’s a culture thing I think you might be missing.

[@51bikerboy]

The good thing about being ill/sick in the Netherlands is that you don't have to worry about your job. So if you body can self-heal why use "medicines"? It's good for the farmaceutical industry but bad for your body.

[@MarjoleinNoyceBellingaMobiel]

@@buncharted You can buy noscapine over the counter against coughing, but usually coughing has a function. So I'll buy noscapine to be able to sleep while I let my body handle the cold, but I won't take it during the day and if I am too miserable I will just go to my GP (which, in the Netherlands, is a totally free option)

[@buncharted]

@@MarjoleinNoyceBellingaMobiel ah, thank you - i'll look into that next time! i'm the exact same way. i only take it when i really need it (which is often at night) and let my body take care of it the rest of the time :)

[@wfkonynenberg5242]

The health care shock is so recognizably American. Over here you are not expected to buy over the counter symptom suppressors just so you can keep going to work and avoid going bankrupt on a visit to the GP. When you are sick, you go to the GP (no charge) to get a sick leave note (to avoid infecting your colleagues) and real medication (no charge) as needed.

[@evanherk]

GPś dont give sick notes. !

[@dutchgamer842]

GP don't give sick notes, at all.

[@shortkari]

​@@dutchgamer842A GP prescribes the sick leave in Finland. Why not in Netherlands?

[@dutchgamer842]

@@shortkari Employer isn't allowed to have contact with any of your doctors at all, it's against privacy laws. Employer can get in trouble for it. If you're sick, employer isn't legally allowed to ask why you are sick or what it is that you got either, most do, you don't have to answer it.

[@skychristoffersen8157]

i find it very intrestresting to hear some stuff you guys find weird because im dutch and i have lived here my entire life so its funny to hear some points jou guys have because those are just so normal for me

[@xnowarex]

Fun video thank you

[@buncharted]

you are so welcome

[@hugoblack4096]

First of, I like you. You look like a crazy funny couple, in a good way. I like to see how you experience the differences between the USA and the Netherlands. This is the first time I see people explain what culture shock actually is and can totally understand it. You are excited about all the nice new things, then you miss all the things you used to have and then you settle and get used to it. Those are the short term effects but as smart as you are, you know what the important things are. You have learned a lot so far about the Netherlands but be prepared for a whole lot more. You are on the right track and I have the feeling you will fit right in! Let me respond real quick on topic: 1. Open curtains - For me this is like a 50-50 situation, some do and some don't but if you are not used to it, it might be a shock. A lot of the people don't care if you see them, if you don't do strange things you have nothing to hide. If you want to look at people sitting on the couch watching TV you will get bored pretty fast. 2. naked people on TV - Ever since 1967 there is nudity on public television. Not a lot of people care about it, it is not porn it is just how people are. If you grow up with nudity it is the same as uncovered ears or hands, just normal. 3. Transit strikes - Yes this is hot nowadays. This is a result of something that started with the start of Covid until now. People lost their jobs, remaining workers got overloaded. Not just Covid but the whole global situation has contributed to it. And not just transit, waste collectors are going on strike, and more services may follow. The dutch are not known to go on strike very fast (like the French) but sometimes it happens. It is an inconvenience for all of us but they only do it if it is serious so we share the pain for a few days and then it is all over. We are not yet in the "I want to speak to your manager" and "My lawyer will make you unemployed" civilization (thank God). 4. Spice food - 100% true. I don't know why this is but everyone I know agrees that "spicy" in the Netherlands doesn't mean anything. If you want it spicy you have to do it yourself. 5. Over the counter medication - I think this is to protect the "below average smart" people to buy and use a lot of meds that could harm them a lot, because they heard on tiktok or facebook that it would cure all the symptomes of whatever they have. If you are a little bit smarter, you can find all the meds you are used to in the USA, digitally or abroad. And if you are really smart you can prevent a lot of this with keeping your resistance up at the first place. 6. Fireworks - Yes! you just came at the right moment! In the Netherlands we always go a little crazy on new year's eve. But last NYE was a little special: First, with Covid and all, we could not fire any (serious) firework for a few years. Secondly, there is a lot of talking to ban fireworks totally. That is why we all went bananas. Loved this episode. I always 'like' you and I will keep following you on your journey to Europeanize or maybe even Dutchize :) Happy Life 😙!

[@buncharted]

❤️❤️❤️

[@hansdevreught5459]

Fireworks was a lot more in my youth and also to a later time on new years night. There was also a lot of loud illegal fireworks. I always bought the illegal ones, they much louder and I found them safer to use. For instance strijkers (strikers are extremely loud) are safely put on using the back of a match box. Since you don't see an outside fuse, you definitely throw them as soon as you strike them on.

[@ervie60]

Hahaha, that UNOX skating/winter "muts"

[@user-wp7zn8ii5u]

You both look very healthy, your color is good and your hair looks lovely. I have noticed this with other people from the US once they have lived in the Netherlands for a year or so. I am from the US and I suspect it is the quality of the food in the Netherlands. I would love to hear your thoughts.

[@buncharted]

oh, that's just my amazing color grading while editing the video. 😉 joking aside, we definitely feel healthier, mostly due to a healther diet and walking a LOT more!

[@user-di5xq2ly2v]

@@buncharted Great looking hair is definitely a US thing, most certainly not a Dutch thing.

[@lucvergnes]

The large amount of transit stikes are a very recent development. Normally we have a strike like once or twice per year.

[@vanmoosel]

There are some stores that do meds to help with getting over a cold or reduce sytoms it is more a needing to know where to look but pharmesys are more for sirious medication. As for fire work trast it is a depending where you live out in the east people clean up themselfs or local councel do it there is also a big difference between provances and even citys and villages culture wise.

[@Selawen]

8:51 I always aks whether something is actually spicy or Dutch spicy when ordering food so I know what to expect 😂

[@arjan_speelman]

Spicy food in Netherlands is always a big gamble. In a lot of restaurants the 'spicy/hot' menu items will not be hot, but that tends to make the visits to the restaurants that do extra painful. Most Surinamese places I've visited give you some Madame Jeannette sambal that'll make you regret your life choices, but I've yet to see a Mexican or Thai place serve items that are actually hot.

[@buncharted]

this is so true! we’ve become accustomed to just ordering things as spicy as we can, which works 90 percent of the time, but every now and then we get something that is 🔥🔥🔥

[@suzn181]

Ever tried Hot Coldrex for the cold/flu? It's a mix of vitamin C and paracetemol with other stuff. It doesn't clear it up right away but it does help

[@Hatsikidee02]

Fun note the there was/is a fireworks ban in Rotterdam.

[@syracuselux1450]

I lived in Rotterdam for 18months for work. The fireworks and celebration is a definite thing. Have you noticed that most Dutch work M-Thursday, maybe half day Friday morning. Or the holidays, I would go into work only to find out there was a holiday and my colleagues would not be available. The have town, city, district, region, and national holidays. They can be on a random Tuesday because they take the same day regardless of day of the week.

[@Keyboardje]

Instead of having to guess and see what others do when there are Dutch announcements, you COULD try and learn the Dutch language yourself you know :D

[@metalvideos1961]

Americans will never learn Dutch. They're to entitled. We have to obey them. That's why you should always talk Dutch

[@NiinaW]

Those transit strikes are a new thing for dutchies too, it's been happening a lot lately

[@elwoodroadsmusic9639]

Number one resonates with me! My mate and I went to Holland (we're Australian) for two weeks literally just for this celebration period. It is indeed on another whole level. I was also shocked by the trash left behind but also was told the city cleans it up. You didn't mention the carbid. That is also something else to experience wooooaaaaah so good. We were invited out to a farm where we played around with it for the afternoon. They had welded up a canon out of a propane tank that would shoot a soccer ball for miles. At night we took it into the village and it was amazing how many people were keen for it. What an experience!!! Also, and this might be different for each village, but people were just so friendly and open. At midnight there was hugs and kisses for everybody and they knew immediately that we were strangers in town because everyone knew everyone :)

[@TheSuperappelflap]

In my dads home town there was a tradition of lighting the town windmill on fire every year. They also stacked car tyres on crossroads and set those on fire. Not to mention the burning cars. Carbid shooting is quite mild as far as Dutch new years celebrations go.

[@elwoodroadsmusic9639]

@@TheSuperappelflap yeah I was told those stories too! Lighting caravans on fire haha crazy hey. I was told about a horse cart being dragged up into a church roof haha. I didn't see any of that. Carbid was about the best of it 😁

[@merren2306]

9:45 there is though, you can buy anti inflammatories like paracetamol or ibuprofen. You can also buy chamomile to use for steam inhalation (it is a mild anti inflammatory and it smells nice)

[@buncharted]

paracetamol isn't an anti-inflammatory, just a standard pain reliever, and i'm unable to take ibuprofen. i was looking for something that would have helped break up or stop my cough so i could sleep at night... pain relievers won't help much there. that said, i did end up drinking a lot of turmeric tea with honey, but it's not a proper substitute for real medicine. i'll try and go to the doctor next time!

[@merren2306]

@@buncharted ah my bad I thought paracetamol had similar use cases as ibuprofen. Apparently it does little to nothing against inflammation haha (though it does reduce fever so its not only a painkiller). Might I ask why you can't take ibuprofen? I'm personally the opposite - I can take ibup but not paracetamol. As for cough, cough syrup is an over the counter medication. Make sure you get the correct type though (for dry cough or for wet cough) as taking the wrong one may make it worse. If your nose is congested you can buy saline nose spray over the counter, as well as xylometazoline, or you can perform steam inhalation as I mentioned earlier, which can also help against inflammation in the airways when using chamomile.

[@buncharted]

@@merren2306 i have kidney problems and ibuprofen is processed through kidneys 🙃

[@merren2306]

@@buncharted Ah. For me with paracetamol it's just that it comes back out the way it came in within minutes - pills are kind of useless if they don't stay inside your body haha 😅

[@merren2306]

@@buncharted Are there even any anti-inflammatories that you could take then? Most the common ones are NSAIDs and other than that I only know chamomile, which is pretty weak, and tiger balm, which obviously won't help if the inflammation isn't on the skin.

[@theburnix]

let me guess the Thai restaurant where you had the Phad thaiwas Deli Bird? if not you should check it out, its at Katendrecht, near the fenix food factory (just across the bridge at hotel newyork)

[@buncharted]

it wasn't, but we do love deli bird - we eat there regularly :)

[@Samplesurfer]

Transit strikes haven't occurred for most of the last two decades. It's a thing of 2021/2022 and high inflation. Up to about two decades ago most transit services were local or regional monopolies, but then public authorities had to start regular tenders for companies who had to competing to run some trains and bus routes. The regular rebidding for contracts have had a serious impact on wages, so labor unions went in hard.

[@Perrydiculous]

I have celebrated NYE in Rotterdam once, and I can confirm that it's absolutely crazy there 😛

[@danivisbeen1874]

Gotta love the unox beanie

[@xattrickmazeo5782]

You don't need over the counter drugs for a cold. All you need is some chicken soup and a blanket. Your body will take care of your cold by itself.

[@callumbayman1436]

Prescription in wales (UK) is free, just thought id throw that out there :D

[@martijnh333]

What cold medication do you want?

[@rientsdijkstra4266]

Food's can be very spicy in the Netherlands, but for that you have to go to the more foreign kitchens or restaurants like indonesian, indian, etc. Dutch people actually eat a lot of those.

[@travishalm]

I was in Amsterdam during those September NS strikes. Luckily the buses still ran though.

[@Linda-hs1lk]

Don't worry about looking in, we all do that. I remember I could watch tv just by passing the houses and I went from one tv to another, lol.

[@MarkGelderland]

I'm curious what kind of over the counter medication do you get in the USA when you got the flu you can't get here without a dr. description?

[@claudioaliaga3293]

hahaha open curtains or no curtains at all! I was also curious about that

[@Wielie0305]

I can relate to all 6 points. I hate fireworks though. We lose a lot of eyes and fingers around new year. Even worse 😮. When I am still sick after a while I will go to the huisarts to get some antibiotics. Happened a couple of times and I am 51 years old. Most of the time you have to ride it out… The strikes are more frequently these days. Well these at difficult times. Oh, and I am still into the irritating phase at some points and I was born here 😁

[@buncharted]

we don’t love fireworks either. and our cats really really hate them 🙈

[@ernidwiwahyuni]

For spicey it is only available at authentic restaurant. Like authentic Indonesia restaurant. There are some authentic Indonesian restaurant like in Rotterdam (Emjay Restaurant) and Den Haag... And some in Amsterdam. They keep the spicy level like Indonesian usually do (not like typical Dutch sambal😂) Which usually only full by Indonesia people.. 😬

[@patriciaschluter6943]

About the strikes and why some busse or trains still transport people. Its because some hve a "membership" to a union an some hve not or cant afford to strike, the last 2 are considered work willingly and they continue to transport people ,but they also need a break from time to time. And there the problems begin, because if ur shift is taken over from a striker, than there's no 1 to continue the bus or train. Thats why they dont return sometimes

[@sircarl56]

There’s a good reason not to dispose of your fireworks the night they’re used. Fireworks burn extra hot and have a dangerous habit of smoldering for hours, unnoticed. This caused my trash bin to go up in flames one Fourth of July.

[@laura_and_shanman]

Watched this video right after the 1st video (from 6 mo's ago) and thanks for updating!!!! Advil - they don't have advil?!?!?!?!?

[@buncharted]

there’s advil (ibuprofen) and tylenol (paracetamol) over the counter, but that’s about it

[@VeniVidiAjax]

Ask for the yellow ‘sambal. Basically madam jeanette sambal. Any medication that is strong (naproxen etc) needs a prescription from the doc. Due to COVID fireworks were banned for basically 2 years. To make sure the IC’s wouldn’t get to busy…. Which is bollocks by the way. During ice skate season tens of thousands of people end up at hospitals and IC’s… we don’t ban ice skating. But luckily it was allowed this year again. And a record amount has been sold.

[@OprechtLetterlijkBizar]

The fact is that paracetamol works quite well against symptoms like headaches and overall malaise, but if that’s not sufficient then one could try ibuprofen. Or even Naproxen or diclofenac (in case of muscle pain for example). Against coughing there’s noscapine tablets. All is available OTC for example at Kruidvat, so not sure what more you could wish for….

[@TheSuperappelflap]

Green tea with turmeric and ginger, possibly a teaspoon of honey, is enough to alleviate most coughs and sore throats. Its naturally antibacterial. Putting a lot of peppers in your food also helps a lot.

[@noyota]

Spicy food can trigger Afib which may lead to cardiovascular problems such as stroke.

[@LinnLinnok-fe5tq]

So true on the lack of spice. I’ve tried things where they said it was “super hot” and it was just what I would consider “medium”. They definitely do not do spice in Netherlands. Lol

[@Linda-hs1lk]

You can buy cough sirup over the counter, that's no problem. Also, there's no medicine against a common cold, you just sit it out or take paracetamol when having a headache.

[@erichlf]

In italy I got no notice of a transit strike once. I was literally boarding the train with many locals and we all sat down only to be told that the transit workers went on strike. Luckily the strike only lasted something like 20 minutes.

[@buncharted]

sounds like the strike worked 😂

[@erichlf]

@@buncharted yeah, I was impressed.

[@eddys.3524]

About medication.. you're right, there's almost no over-the-counter medication available. If you really need medication you ought to go to your general physician (Huisarts) which is free in Dutch care insurance. If you need it, he'll give you a prescription which you take to the pharmacy. BUT, you need to register with a general physician being his patient. Also you've gotta select a pharmacy near you. Your insurance co. likes that. Sometimes the insurance co. suggest physicians or farmacy's (they are contracted). Ask them first. Spicy food... bad luck! Traditionally the Dutch don't eat spicy. Some salt, pepper and mild spices are what you'll encounter. So for the Dutch a mildly spiced (USA standard) dish is very spicy. Strikes ... Yep, bad timing. Due to circumstances (e.g. inflation) there are more conflicts over pay and other working conditions than usual. So industrial action is the result. Nudity on TV... Yes, to a certain degree it's allowed after a certain time. In the past it used to be even more liberal, no, no hard porn allowed, but erotic/soft porn was allowed too..

[@buncharted]

i’ll give the doctor a shot next time. i’ve been (for something unrelated to the cold), i just tend to avoid it as much as possible. sounds like i should have just gone if it was that bad!

[@edwinsuijkerbuijk5106]

@@buncharted avoiding the doctor seems to be a behavior common in Americans coming here. American exchange students get extra letters urging them not to avoid the doctor and healthcare system.

[@eddys.3524]

@@edwinsuijkerbuijk5106 Avoiding the doctor only gets one in the SEH even faster....

[@pietersbart]

I lived in the US for 6 months. I felt American food was really bland. I went to a Thai restaurant with 6 levels of spiciness with the final level being ‘Thai’. I opted for the level below that and that was ok but still not terribly spicy. So my experience is pretty much the other way around :-) It also reminds me of the Monty Python joke that ‘American Beer is like make love in a canoe’ which I agree with when it comes to the mainstream brands of US beer :-) I agree people should pick up after themselves. It doesn’t matter if the city should clean it up: you shouldn’t trash the place.

[@TheSuperappelflap]

Funny thing is, even Americans are now figuring out their beer is pisswater. Over here even Heineken which is a premium brand abroad is considered pisswater, or average at best. The only Budweiser I drink is from Czech :)

[@guidokreeuseler9566]

Medicine in the Netherlands is more two-tiered or segregated (?). At a drogisterij (pharmacy) you can get over-the-counter medicines, but for pescription drugs you have to go the apotheek (apothecary) which is commonly located near or inside of the hospital or doctor's office (huisartsenpost/gezondheidscentrum).

[@kkemp221]

I think, with the energy crises now more people will close the curtains...at least when its getting colder

[@Sheilanagig]

Once you get over the initial culture shock, you graduate to "acculturative stress", which is the kind of stress immigrants experience from having to adjust and function in a new culture. There's a lot to learn. It's intense. If you're planning on staying long term, you're going to get an invitation to do the mandatory immigration course where you have to go to classes and learn enough Dutch to pass your exams. They also cover Dutch cultural and social norms partly to help alleviate the culture shock. It helps you to get used to something if you're being told what to watch out for.

[@rebeccahiott9519]

I lived in Scherpenzeel a small village in the Netherlands for 3 years. New Year’s Eve sounded like a war zone. They burn an old car every year in the centrum. My husband went down to watch and came back covered in soot. When we first moved I would close my drapes on the street side of our house and my neighbor asked me if someone died! 😂 This was in the early 90’s. Good times overall and the best place I’ve ever lived.

[@mauritsjanssen3147]

About number 2: did you go to the kruidvat or the etos? I suspect you did and I don't know what the US sells in pharmacies, but I always think the kruidvat sells quite a number of different medicines, especially for colds or the flu.

[@buncharted]

yeah, i think we got the best of what our local kruidvat offered.

[@mauritsjanssen3147]

@@buncharted so when you catch a bad cold in the US, what can you get there that you were looking for? I generally live of paracetamol, nose spray and strepfen (for a sore throat).

[@buncharted]

@@mauritsjanssen3147 i only take whatever i need to relieve whatever symptom is really bothering me (i don't prefer to take stuff unless i absolutely have to, even paracetamol), but i tend to take either afrin nose spray (which is oxymetazoline, different from the common nose spray here, which uses xylometazoline) or a cough suppressant of some kind (one that loosens the stuff in your throat or one with dextromethorphan, which actually stops you from coughing).

[@mauritsjanssen3147]

@@buncharted I see. I agree with you completely, I generally only take the stuff I mentioned when it's really. Other than the last thing you mentioned (that sounds pretty damn strong), the difference is not that big right? Not that I don't agree by the way, just curious how it works in other countries.

[@MB-co6qj]

@@buncharted you should check out the video Soul to Soul travels made about this! And also make a video with them as they live in Rotterdam too :-)

[@jackvandersluis1723]

The fireworks were illegale, but when something is illegale in the Netherlands, that is more reason to do it! It was illegale in the whole of the Netherlands so there was fireworks in the whole of the Netherlands! 😅😅😥😥🥳🥳

[@Wielie0305]

So true hahaha

[@Nitzpitz]

Those strikes are something of the last year, sadly. There were more strikes than in the last twenty years combined

[@LucasdeBlock]

As a Dutch-American who grew up eating Mexican, you can get spicy food, you just have to go to an Indonesian restaurant and order it ‘Indonesian hot’

[@MilovanLoon]

The open curtain thing is associated with the dutch "doorzon woning' freely translated the see through house.. The sun hoes through the living room on one side and leaves on the other side. The open curtains reasoning goes back to protestant-calvanistic teachings.. It says.." look at me be honoust and nothing to hide"

[@TimWil]

New Yorker here. Hah, I was NOT warned about the fireworks before, during and after New Year’s back in 2019 so imagine my surprise when I settled into my airbnb in Haarlem for a cozy night in and ended up feeling I was trapped in a war zone. This past New Year’s wasn’t as bad because of the lousy weather. I was back in the same cozy airbnb in Haarlem suffering badly from RSV which I probably caught in a bar on Christmas Eve. And yeah, paracetimol just didn’t help AT ALL. Heh heh. P.S. I have watched Naked Attraction while in the UK and…ewww…just ewww. Maybe they’re more attractive in the Dutch version?

[@buncharted]

i thought americans loved fireworks but it really is on another level here 😆

[@frankgeurts3912]

Most trains around here have announced information in English also is my experience

[@buncharted]

not always, but that’s part of the fun 😄

[@citizenkane4831]

The Naked Attraction tv show is like the pluage. It is spread all over Europe. Or at least northern Europe. With eacvh countires version of it

[@davidc.w.2908]

I think the word you were looking for is binge-watching or binge-viewing 😄 When it comes to strikes: I lived in the Netherlands for 45 years and used public transport very often. In my view they happened for just two or three days, once in every five years and then most often just the trains or buses. It won’t be something you will see every year. I have to partly disagree with the spicy food comments. Yes, in the Netherlands it’s more mild, but I think it’s the same way in the USA. Food in the USA just contains more salt, more sugar and more artificial flavoring and coloring. Maybe it’s just the places i’m going to or you’re going to, but in my opinion I could find spicier food in the Netherlands than the USA. I totally agree with your view on fireworks and the trash people leave behind. I always cleaned up my mess and usually the trash at my neighbors, who didn’t lit any fireworks, but lots of it was left behind by people passing by and throwing it on the ground and left. I don’t know if you watch the channel of Soul to Soul travels but it might help to get in touch with them. American couple, who moved to Rotterdam. They very recently made comments about the grocery stores and the over-the-counter medicine in the Netherlands. Also the channel of T & T go Dutch, about a couple from Texas who moved to Leiden, the Netherlands might be interesting for the two of you. They are always looking for the best food around and find the best places to eat.

[@Peritashmustdie]

the reason wy there is so mutch fireworks at new years eve is it is only alowed at new years eve. in america you cen fire it when ever but in the netherlands fireworks are prohibited with the exeption of new years eve, se we (the dutch) go all out at that time, some even get iligal fireworks from acros the border in germany

[@Meine.Postma]

..and here I am! Still binging.. I'm dutch and I love your videos. You should learn dutch to be really accepted

[@buncharted]

we've been in intensive dutch classes for the past couple of months now - don't worry 😅

[@johnalvanvugt58]

When you talk about the several items the both of you still have a twinkling in the eyes. 🎉

[@nomirrors3552]

Oh man, I was here in Utrecht for New Year's Eve.... it was over an hour of 360 degree, non-stop fireworks. Also, I think you can talk to a pharmacist and get medicine without a prescription. (Although I think this is uncommonly done.)

[@marieantoinette7703]

Impossible to get medication without a prescription of a doctor!

[@Persei1]

The fireworks are very polarizing in the Netherlands. Many people want to ban it but a huge group loves it.

[@elsvanzwoll]

I would love walking the dog and watch all the Christmas trees of people 😊

[@cyrielmartens3575]

As a dutch person I'm still shocked by some of these things hahaha! I think they're all true though.. Great video and tell sashimi and pants I said " psspsspsspss!"

[@buncharted]

we will pass that along 😻

[@scarba]

I live in Germany and whenever I’m in the Netherlands I buy a ton of ibuprofen and paracetamol because it’s cheap and over the counter. Here it’s very expensive and can only be bought in the pharmacy. People rely on tea when they are sick here and time off work. Cough remedies are all basically natural ingredients. I used to live in Maastricht and what I noticed as a huge cultural difference, actually there are big differences between every European country, is the attitude to health. In the Netherlands they don’t expect you to visit a doctor unless you have been sick for one week because they say the body heals almost everything itself in one week. Germans however love to go to the doctor way more frequently and consequently they get more medication from the doctor. Then I lived a few years in Luxembourg. Oh my god, for the tiniest thing you get a ton of prescriptions for the pharmacy and leave with a whole bag of them! So that I find very interesting, literally the opposite to the Netherlands in that regard. Home births are also way more frequent in the Netherlands. It’s all about the philosophy of the body knows how to heal itself etc. I absolute love ❤️ Dutch culture. You forgot to mention birthdays. When someone there has a birthday you wish all the family members happy birthday not just the individual. It’s so the opposite of individualism that way. Some cultures hardly have a concept of the individual and very hard for Americans to get their head around.

[@buncharted]

we had to buy some paracetamol in vienna and it came in a box that looks like prescription medication 😅

[@GiblixStudio]

Spicy Food... As a dutchman I agree. Its less than Mild. Sambal I smear on my bread and put some pindakaas over it. Its more sweet. Various Chinese and Thai places allow you to choose between Dutch or Asian heat. Meaning they add 9 peppers instead of just the 1. The over counter medication is a cultural thing. I noticed this with a lot of other americans that go to a doctor for nothing and demand something. Us dutchies just allow ourselves to be sick and sit it out. Drink water, sleep and Rest is a frequent thing said and done. We don't do medication for every little boo

[@NLJeffEU]

Ask for Sambal made out of Madame Janet at the Surinaamse shop 😉👍

[@michaelsix9684]

I'm trying to move to Austin, not easy or cheap, I''m in Houston lived in Austin 84-87, I'm sure you don't miss TX heat and traffic

[@buncharted]

i do miss wearing a t-shirt at christmas in austin! but i definitely don't miss anything about owning a car. so happy here with all of the non-car options (and all the walking!).

[@B0K1T0]

If you order something spicy at a Surinamese place and you get something bland, you didn't pick a proper one ;) At the good ones they give you this yellow, incredibly potent scotch bonnet (madame Jeanette as we call it here) sambal I'm even very careful with (I love my daily dose of sambal ;) ). Try Warung Mini at the Witte de Withstraat for example. But I do agree it's a bit messed at a lot of places because they adapted to the other group of Dutch people that can't handle the slightest amount of heat..

[@eizeoosting843]

When you just have pain, take a painkiller like Paracetamol or the heavier Ibuprofen. When you’re sick but don’t think to need to see a doctor yet, take “APC”, which is a compound and more allround against illness. We don’t allow unsubscribed access to heavy medication, so for that you need to see the doctor … which hardly costs anything over here due to the health insurance. The financial threshold to see a doctor here is far lower than in the US.

[@chuckeatskc]

I was figuring that your number one item would be language related. I laughed several times while watching this video, especially the part about house interiors looking like a West Elm catalog. Fireworks in Kansas City, MO on July 4th literally sound like a war zone across the city. I've driven through the city on that night and the streets are obscured by fireworks smoke. And now we get fireworks through the year, including this month, thanks to sports championships. I was most surprised at your take about how Americans use curtains versus the Dutch. Americans really do like to at least close them at night, but this didn't seem to me to be universal here. I must be a closet Dutch person because I always like my curtains to be open, even at night. Family might scold me over this, but my take is that people shouldn't be looking into my window, if they can even see much because the street is far away. I think Americans are also a bit paranoid in general, including some irrationality about criminals casing out homes to steal stuff (crimes like that are at all time lows right now).

[@TD05SSLegacy]

Hosts moved from Austin. I think people keep shades drawn in much of the US to keep houses cool. Austin bakes in the heat! And it’s considered temperate compared to rest of Texas.

[@femkeklijn4802]

Next time if you are sick and over the counter medication does not work. Just go to the doctor or huisarts as we call it. They can prescripe other medication. Huisarts is free because it in your health ensurens. Medication depents on what it is. If it is not that bad you can also to a apotheek and ask there what they recomend for over the counter medication. They know more then a drogist ( like kruitvat, etos, da).

[@nn24]

If there is a major football match on and you're walking around in a residential area, you can follow the match by looking into peoples living room while walking from house to house. Also, if you're shocked by nudity, there use to be a show called "spuiten en slikken" where the host tested drugs on national tv. And, if you're shocked by the fireworks look up "carbid schieten" or "melkbusschieten" where a milk churn is used as a cannon. Lastly, wearing a Unox woollen hat like that, you should join the "nieuwjaarsduik" a polar bear plunge that is held on new years.

[@buncharted]

that’s where we got our unox hats - we have a vlog from the nieuwjaarsduik 😄🥶

[@rahulagarwal968]

I am from India. I have knowledge of building mobile applications as well as conduct workshops. I want to move to Amsterdam. But issue is that I dont have college degree. So lot of opportunities are closed for me. I dropped out to learn about technology on my own. So what would you suggest me ?

[@barelyviable5004]

Yeah the bus strikes... very random, and very annoying when you live in parts where the "OV" is your only transportation becuz its very not incentivised to get a car too

[@daphunman]

Again, some insights of the shocking things about living in the Netherlands, which I really not have noticed as a grown up Dutch man 😊. Maybe I can contribute to get faster out of state two of the culture shock. Knowing why sometimes makes acceptation bigger. Because, all I want, is to let you guys feel at home in the Netherlands, with it goods things, and bad things. By the way, integration goes OK with the Unox cap. I like to see how things that are so normal to me surprise you. And with some items I think 'damn, never noticed, but indeed'. Good to see. I see that you mainly look from an 'An Americain in Rotterdam' perspective, and although the Netherlands is small, there are considerable differences per province and area. By the way, I don't want to come across as pedantic or defensive, but we Dutch are quite direct :-) 6) Open curtains. Only like the most recent generations keep the curtains open. However, when you go to Brabant, Zeeland or Limburg, most houses does have ‘rolluiken’ (blinds) on the outside, making their house some kind of a closed fort. I think it is part of the “I don’t care what other people think of our interior” state of mind. If you close to curtains, nobody can look inside, but you also block your view to the outside! 5) Nudity on TV. Since the sexual revolution in the sixties, nudity on TV is normal. The first nudity (breast only) was on 9 October 1967. (google on Phil Bloom, VPRO, I hope you find something in English) It was revolutionary than, and has sparked quite a bit of discussion in the Christian Netherlands. I do think that it is becoming a bit more conservative at the moment. I remember in the 1980s, even a shower foam commercial showed a naked woman with bare breasts (www.falder.nl/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/4581453976_072dcfcfa9_c.jpg) . But the Netherlands is quite liberal and free in this kind of things and we (Dutch) call the Americans (no offense) prude 4) Transit Strikes. Like the comments below, strikes are on the rise at the moment because of the great dissatisfaction with the inflation that has started since the war in Ukraine. Energy prices are skyrocketing, two years ago I paid 16 cents for 1 kWh, now there were months when it cost more than 80 cents. Particularly the lower paid jobs are in trouble. However, in France they strike much more, and much longer. Striking in the Netherlands is a right, and if you are a member of a trade union, you will continue to be paid. 3) Spicy food. So true, Dutch people don’t like spicy food. For instance, the spicy chicken mac nuggets from Mc Donald's, are not spicy at all! In general, Dutch food is pretty flat, and I even find it tasteless. Which is strange, because the VOC (Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie) has become rich with spices and pepper! 2) Cold, There is no medicine that shortens the duration of a cold, but there is one that treats the symptoms, as you said in the video. Many medicines in the Netherlands can only be dispensed with a doctor's prescription. For example, the use of antibiotics is limited so that the culprits become resistant less quickly. Indeed, you are stuck with Paracetamol, Ibuprofen and all kinds of remedies with menthol and painkillers. For your throat, you can get ‘Strepsils’ and other good working things. 1) Fireworks. Personally, I hate fireworks, especially the firecrackers. It has grown historically, and the fans consider it a tradition. Some can't hold back and blast off too early. There is a considerable discussion in the Netherlands whether fireworks should be banned. However, last year fireworks were sold for 110 million euros.

[@autistandcat6804]

9:11 we do not have much different self medication on the shelves because our healthcare is affordable and you can get better stuff through the docter.

[@hildelouisevrijs774]

The strikes are just at this moment, if they agree with new salaris, transport can go good for many years. There wasn’t a strike in twenty years!

[@buncharted]

oh wow - i had no idea!

[@peli71]

The strikes are due to inflation, which didn’t take place last years. 10:35

[@DenUitvreter]

All is unsettled since the covid measures and the inflation. People have lost their financial security, they can't predict whether they will able to pay the bills, they can't count on goverment to keep the energy bill affordable as was shown clearly. Before negatiations would be successful well before any possible strike, but government has allowed so much incertainty in the mix that the famous Dutch 'labour peace', a very valuable asset for investment, has been broken.

[@Harrypjotter7]

When I am a the subway in New York, I’m always happy the day everything in Dutch where I am. 😅

[@chubbymoth5810]

When you go to a Surinam restaurant and you ask them for spicy,.. you will probably get the white guy treatment and they keep it light. You really have to put some emphasis on wanting it really spicy. Indonesian from the Sumatran cuisine is also quite spicy. So it is available, but the locals are not that into it in general, so you really have to insist. For a special experience on spicy I suggest Sichuan peppers. You can get a fresh variant imported from Thailand these days on the West Kruiskade in Rotterdam.

[@marco1862]

Just tell them you want to eat it like they do and you get something really different than they serve the normal customer.

[@mariaslokker1841]

When I woke up around midnight???? Reallly??? On new years eve????

[@deridex77]

Talk about the bank differences. How digital in Netherlands it is, compaired to checks in the US.

[@buncharted]

we did cover this a bit in the first culture shock video!

[@Belfastchild1974]

If I as a Dutch person would say that if I am in the United States, travelling on a train, and getting irritated that announcements are only in English and not in Dutch, would you say that irritation is fair? Probably not. So the same is the case the other way around. Specially when you go live in another country, don't expect things to be your way, but adept yourself, by for instance working on learning the language, and in the meantime, if you are unsure what an announcement says because you aren't good enough in the language yet, just ask another traveller, there's always someone willing to help. Regarding the strikes, I agree that they serve a good purpose, and yes, there have been a lot recently, but that is not how it always is. At the moment it's just taking so long to reach an agreement that they have more strikes. Spicy food, indeed not easy to find in NL, but if you go to Indian or Thai, or Surinamese restaurants, and you specify you want it extra spicy, they are usually able to provide you with what you want.

[@Belfastchild1974]

And I forgot the over the counter medication. In the USA, that's a for profit business, making billions by creating customers rather than cures. In The Netherlands, you can just go to a doctor, get a prescription and have something that actually suits your needs, and it won't cost you a fortune, because it will just be covered by the insurance.

[@chatti363]

The houses that are not so nice keep the curtains closed

[@blinkachu5275]

As for being sick here, yeah, basically Dutch people just tough it out xD I was sick last week, 5 days of being miserable, and now I'm good. I think it's good to let your body actually fight off such illnesses (if you are healthy enough obviously) to strengthen your immune system naturally. I usually just take Paracetamol or Ibuprofen, which are really just pain suppressants at best.