REVERSE CULTURE SHOCK returning to the USA from the Netherlands 😵‍💫

[@Infyra]

I would rather have a private meal then having waiters hovering over me, no matter how friendly they are!

[@EGO0808]

Very Dutch….

[@lenasoderberg2583]

and i wanna sit and talk to whoever im eating with awile longer when meal is over even if im in a resaturant. Not stressing out the door

[@RustyBumbleBee]

I agree and I would always wonder if are they’re really friendly or are they sucking up to you so they get a better tip?

[@arturobianco848]

@@EGO0808 As a dutchy i agree still prefer the private meal though but them i'm dutch.

[@illy81b]

It makes me really uncomfortable when a waiter interrupts the conversation every couple of minutes just to check if everything is fine. Here in Berlin it luckily only happens at touristy places that can easily be avoided

[@jeffafa3096]

I really prefer a more European style of serving tables. I don't like being bothered by waitresses constantly asking me "if everything is still okay" or immediately snatching my plate after I've just eaten the last bite of my meal. It makes me feel like I'm in a factory instead of in a diner or restaurant...

[@tyasbank]

I love the free refills on coffee though, I don't feel stressed about having to tip to compensate service I didn't request then. But as a Dutch man when I went to the US I was just doing a dinner I get asked if I am okay for like 5-6 times. I know it's cultural, I'll let you know if I need anything. And yeah in The Netherlands it can take a while before you get noticed. But what makes me feel annoyed is the expectation of extra money/compensation. It's an unclear transaction. (And yeah, of course I do tip waiters in the US)

[@dutchgamer842]

Some Dutch restaurants also do this, just not all

[@EGO0808]

European style? Don’t compare The Netherlands to Southern European countries, where service jobs are a profession and they actually serve you. There’s little ‘European’ about the ‘service’ in The Netherlands.

[@rtbrtb_dutchy4183]

@@EGO0808what? LOL, no. There isn’t much difference.

[@tjblues01]

@@tyasbank Same here; love the free refills :-) And I prefer European table service; especially when I ask some one for dinner and I don't want a "who's paying" game. I just excuse myself pretending to go to washroom and pay at the bar.

[@fridensfrojd3108]

I am from Sweden and I was blown away of how helpful many in the U.S was when it came to everyday stuff. They really went out of their way to make me feel welcome, driving me places, inviting me over, getting me stuff. It was truly wonderful and inspiring! When it comes to social welfare politics though, their views could be terrible with very little empathy and readiness to be helpful, and that was such a strange paradox to me. In Sweden, people are generally way more grumpy on the outside (haha), but you can mostly count on that there is an empathetic basic view of humanity and an understanding that we can all get into trouble and need help sometimes, and thus a willingness to pay taxes and stand up for general social safety nets. If you could combine the two - that would be great!

[@picrijogil]

As a Belgian, I can identify with just about every part of your reverse culture shock, from back when I was working in the US for a while. Especially the part about the health care system. In fact we had a joke among the colleagues that wasn't really a joke - we regularly mentioned "if anything ever happens to me - don't call an ambulance, but a taxi, and book me a first class plane ticket". And that was true for all the Europeans working in the group. It is beyond me how a civilised country can have a "health care" system for their citizens that is so utterly terrifying and has so much potential for total individual financial ruin.

[@sazji]

Not only that, but how so many Americans are afraid of a national healthcare system, and convinced that it could “never work” here because we’re a big country. 🙄

[@denbrice]

As a Belgian, when you're just traveling as a tourist to the US, then your medical bills will be refunded by the Belgian health care system if you need medical attention in the US. You do have to pay for it, so you actually must be able to "pony up the dough", but it will be refunded. That's why it's recommended to jack up your credit limit when traveling to the US. Still, the taxi and 1st class ticket will probably be cheaper...

[@Robalogot]

Fellow Belgian here, I lived in Austin, TX and Mooresville, NC. I ended up moving back to Belgium because even though I love a lot about the US, the social catch net that exists here is a luxury I wasn't willing to give up. It was fine by myself, because I had good employment, but the moment you start thinking about a family where things might not go perfectly for your children it becomes a risk you do not want to take. If life throws you a curveball at the wrong time in your life, it can ruin you. And even though I earn far less here in Belgium, my living standards haven't dropped.

[@wanneske1969]

I'm glad I live in Belgium, I don't see what would be so great about the Usa.

[@jasminejones7389]

Americans are terrified of "socialism" @@sazji

[@Lea-rb9nc]

I never felt culture shock when I left my native California and moved to the south of France. However I an obligatory return two years later was a nightmare. I couldn't get back to the EU fast enough. I am minutes from several gorgeous Mediterranean beaches and can be in Spain in under one hour. I chose a charming village surrounded by vineyards. Sixteen years and counting, why would I want to be anywhere else. If I want to go anywhere, a ticket on our wonderful rail system will take me anywhere I care to go.

[@johnmaletic898]

Yep. Besides, you can be pretty much anywhere in Europe within a day or two thanks to the extensive highspeed railway. No need to drive to a damn airport first. Have croissants for breakfast near Paris gare du nord and "sipping" pastis in Marseille at night. Have a ristretto in Naples and shop in Milan without the use of a car. Myself, I'm pretty much smack in the middle, Ghent, Belgium. London is just a chunnel away.

[@Gee-xb7rt]

@@johnmaletic898 I live inner city in the US and don't own a car, and its honestly its a pain to rent a car, if you don't advance book its really expensive, and I have to go to a airport to pick it up and return it. There are car sharing programs, I never bothered to figure them out, they might be easier. I lived in Orlando for a bit and the complete lack of public transit confuses everyone from overseas.

[@bearcubdaycare]

​@@Gee-xb7rtThe car share that I joined in Calgary (what the British call a car club) worked pretty easily. That was a long time ago.

[@NavaSDMB]

@@bearcubdaycare The main problem I see with those is that they tend to have a very small service area. Every single one I've encountered so far (EU and US, haven't been to Canada) only covered the central city in a metro area, so if you live just next town over you don't have access.

[@Lea-rb9nc]

@ErinDahlgren I am down in the Mediterranean less than one hour from the border to Spain. Good luck 👍.

[@jennyh4025]

I’m German and I love the „server let’s you have your meal in peace and with a nice conversation, while always looking (but rarely asking) if you need anything“ kind of service. I really felt rushed in US restaurants. It felt like they wanted to throw me out as soon as I finished eating.

[@LythaWausW]

In Ameirca my favorite Thai restaurant gave me the bill before I was finished eating. I ate there several times a week, alone, and quick, so they probably were justified. It as embarrassing when I brought my German boyfriend there. But in Germany last week my beverage never arrived and there was no getting the attention of the staff, they were just too busy. So everyone toasted their drinks with me excluded. Finally the owner came, gave me my beverage, didn't apologize (!??!) ...but that's Germany and I'm used to it. I would have loved to have been able to ask for something or mention something but so often in Germany you are alone at your table like an island in a wild ocean. No one is coming for you. One request Germany: Just ask me ONCE if everything is OK or not. Tha'ts all. In Germany they never know why you tipped so low, cuz they have no idea what they could have done to make you satisfied.

[@jennyh4025]

@@LythaWausW you seem to have found some of the worst restaurants. I’m sorry for your experience. The only times I had experiences like „no one asking even once“ was when I was in fast food restaurants (Döner, sausage and fries,…).

[@LythaWausW]

@@jennyh4025 I can forgive cuz there are always circumstances. I just accumulate experiences between the two countries and it's a strong pattern. (Oh but fast food/imbiss I would never expect feedback on the food, just like I wouldn't at McDonalds.)

[@nancyvdspek]

They DO want you out asap so that the table can be occupied again by others so they can get the next tip.🤷🏼‍♀️

[@stragulus]

As a Dutch person who lived in the US for about a decade, I quickly got used to it. It's rare (outside of very busy tourist areas) they actually rush you, though I can totally see how it would feel that way. They can read you well enough to know when to back off a little, and otherwise it's just quick "I'm ok, thanks!". I never really liked the slow pace in the Netherlands myself because it can be chore to chase down staff, and often it just takes very long between courses when I'm hungry. So given the two options, I'd pick the US way.

[@hellmuthschreefel9392]

For American wait staff it would seem to me that getting customers in and out as fast as possible, hence the hovering, quick removal of plates and quickly placing the bill on the table, means they might be able to make more tips that will help pay their rent, since the restaurant isn't paying them a living wage.

[@simonledoux8519]

Yes, but take your time and eat your food at your leisure. Just nicely say you are a slow eater and they will get the message and back off. They not want to risk their tip.

[@LythaWausW]

@@simonledoux8519 As you said, if you are the type who needs more time (dining alone, for example), just ask, and they'll understand. They have to, they're getting the tip based on it. I know, however, how hard that is, cuz you feel their pressure in their body language and speech.

[@muskelpaulkleber7413]

@@LythaWausW So basically I am obligated top pay extra (tip) for having a nice dinner? I am not gonna lie, that sucks and I always hated it when travelling to the US. In Europe it is not rare that you might spend the whole evening in a restaurant, have a nice dinner with friends, order drinks an espressi, maybe later a dessert. And you leave late and drunk.

[@historianKelly]

@@muskelpaulkleber7413 No, that's not how it is. I worked as a server for a while when I was finishing my Master's degree, for a national restaurant chain that only prefers to move the tables quickly on weekend mornings. The reason the wait staff "hovers" is honestly to make sure that everything is going well. First off, Americans complain about everything. Servers have to be around to make sure there are not strange complaints or, secondly, attempts to steal, cheat, or leave without paying. Remember, we mostly serve Americans. Here's the saga of one of my worst experiences as a server: I once had a family of 4, the wife ordered a sweet ham with her dinner, the husband a salty ham. When their dinners came, the wife tasted her husband's ham before she ate any of hers. Then she called me over to the table to tell me we gave her the wrong kind of ham because hers was salty. I explained to her that you can SEE the difference in their hams, she had the correct one, that her taste buds were still reacting to the sample she had of her spouse's ham. She became indignant and insisted I take her plate back to the cook. Yes, a cook who looked at the plate and said, "she has sweet ham, what am I supposed to do?" I said, "taste it and tell me it's sweet." He did just that. I called the manager to the back to tell him that he was going to have to come to my table in about 5 minutes. I knew what was happening. She had eaten that salty ham on purpose. When I took the plate back, and told her that the cook tested her ham and it was sweet, she wanted ALL OF THEIR MEALS COMPED. ALL 4 DINNERS. Written off. I saw it coming. I motioned for the manager. He told them that he could not give them 4 free meals, and offered her a free dessert. She was LIVID. They had not one nice thing to say the rest of their time. At the same restaurant, different shift, I had a table where one of the diners called me over and complained that there was a hair in her meal. There was a hair carefully laying on top of her food, the same length and color as her own. It was interesting, considering all of us servers were required to wear our hair in ponytails, and the cooks working that day were bald. Besides that, one of the people at a nearby table told me they saw her pull the hair out of her head and place it on her food - other people in the dining room do not hold secrets for strangers. Neither do I. I think my manager comped her meal anyhow. These kinds of antics are the reason we "hover" over our tables. You might not be psycho, but that can't be said for everyone we serve.

[@Yvolve]

I waited tables in the Netherlands and our way of doing it comes from not liking the small talk as much. We go out to dinner to have a conversation with the people at our table, no with the person serving us. It is really annoying to constantly get interrupted. As the wait staff is getting paid a fair wage, there is no pressure to get a good tip. Anything you get is an extra but there is not the stress of not being sure you're going to make ends meet. This way they can focus on efficiency, quality and service. The customer also doesn't feel ripped off. A good business can pay its people, otherwise it isn't viable to keep going. Proper wages means staff are more relaxed, not trying to please you every 2 minutes and are not trying to be overly nice. For us, the wave or eye contact isn't awkward, unless you time it poorly. It also means the customer decides when to get the bill, which can be annoying as some people stay for hours. There are ways to get rid off them, by saying the table is reserved from a certain time, but bringing them the bill without being asked is not done. Not better or worse than the American way, just a different way of doing it. I prefer the Dutch as I am Dutch, but I get why people would like the American style.

[@amanojyaku7160]

Good comment. On point

[@ukeyaoitrash2618]

@escorpiuser I like tipping if its good but I like it BECAUSE here in Netherlands I know its extra. I know its a bit extra for them which I LIKE to do. But I wouldnt like it if I knew it kept them alive...

[@ukeyaoitrash2618]

"we"? Speak for yourself, I am the extravertest extrovert on the planet (level: my favorite anime convention is in Budapest, I fly there every 3 months for it, and one of the reasons its my fav is the free hug line with a 1000 people thats always there, best thing ever xD), I love small talk, I had a whole ass random conversation that lasted 30 minutes (because they wanted to know everything) about my cosplay costume and then Chinese BL novels with a random nice pair of old people on the train to Duch comic con... Small talk good. Convo good. Talking to people good. :D

[@Yvolve]

@@ukeyaoitrash2618 Good for you but that is not how the vast majority of people in the Netherlands are. Doesn't mean that it is a bad thing, society is just based on how most people are. If the majority were like you, it would be more like America. As I mentioned in my initial comment, that is also not a bad thing. It is just a different way of doing it.

[@Yvolve]

@@ukeyaoitrash2618 My apologies if my other comment came across as dickish and blunt, it was not meant that way. The "good for you" opener was a bad move. I tried to be funny, which it wasn't. I'm not trying to make you feel bad, at all. The point I so poorly tried to make was that a large majority of Dutch people are generally more private and introverted. That is not a good or a bad thing, it is just is the way it is. Not being that way is also not a good or a bad thing, it is just who you are. Fortunately, in todays world there are anime cons where it sounds like you would be amongst a majority, also in terms of your interests. It's great that the cons have become so big, they seem like a lot of fun. I wouldn't last an hour at an anime con though. Absolute sensory overload for me. Again, not bad, not good, it is just the way I am. Fortunately, I have the choice not to go and leave that to people who do enjoy it.

[@amyspeers8012]

I’m an American living in France. My husband and I moved here in 2017. We love it. I am currently in treatment for melanoma. When I was diagnosed, my doctor filled out a form and I took it to my pharmacy and they logged it in. Everything is covered. I have paid €60 out of pocket. I was a nurse in the states and I love my healthcare here…not only because of the price.

[@emilydavison2053]

Best wishes for your good health in future.

[@WW-cp4gb]

Grocery prices are high because of inflation. The inflatable is actually hogher than what is stated. The Obama administration changed the inflation measurement to make it look lower by removing certain items

[@davidreuss8433]

I'm an American living in Denmark (been living here for 34 years now). I can totally relate to "reverse culture shock" whenever I go back to visit family in Washington DC and Maryland! My overall impression about the cultural difference between Denmark (as well as other European countries) and The US, is that in Denmark, it feels like people prioritize a feeling of security and safety over economy, and the kind of false "freedom" that is offered in The US. Daily living issues, like getting around (transportation), employment, and other financial issues, and social "fairness" and a lack of poverty make living so less stressful. So yeah, it would definitely be difficult for me to acclimate to living back in The US. Come on up to Denmark if you're interested in cultural differences! It's just around the corner from The Netherlands!

[@billybudd5854]

Western Europeans in general don't feel the need to scream out to the world that they are free, they just know they are and quietly get on with their lives.

[@AgenteSmart]

A YT summarized quite well. In the USA, people value being "free to", whereas in the EU we value being "free from". Free to be healthy vs being free from being sick, freedom to owe a house vs being free from homelessness, freedom to become ultrarich vs freedom from being poor, freedom to kill for your survival vs being free from kill or be killed...

[@mjg239]

@@billybudd5854 Western Europeans don't "feel the need to scream out to the world that they are free" because of things like NATO, OPEC and the U.S. global military power structure -- ALL of which backs up Europe around the world. So yes Europeans (on the surface) can "get on with their lives" (for the most part) but it's because U.S. is Europe's attack dog globally. Also the U.S. rebuilt most of western Europe (esp. the Netherlands and Germany) with the Marshall Plan. And the U.S. is still very much on the European continent. Which is why Russia mostly leaves Europe alone for the most part. If the U.S. stepped away from Europe and NATO, the dynamics of "freedom" for Europeans would shift greatly!

[@911scTarga]

I've been visiting friends and family in the USA for over 30 years. A common thing was for us to compare things like taxes, healthcare and personal liberties. I was really surprised to find there were loads more rules in the US versus the UK - small stuff like getting a ticket your car being parked on the street on street cleaning day. Everything seems so regimented and proceduralized (😉) sometimes. I used to make a joke of it and refer to the UK as "the real land of the free." I don't do that now because it's not funny anymore.

[@Nitzpitz]

When traveling to the US, it is very much recommended to get travel insurance. This is not very expensive. You can also take a “doorlopende reisverzekering “. You pay a monthly fee and then all your trip are covered. This is much cheaper and is very handy, as you are traveling quite a bit.

[@tommiaijala2732]

Yes taking Travel health insurance for a few months or weeks when visiting other countries is very cheap we talk 1-2 restaurant visits cheap ;). I would strongly suggest always taking travel insurace when traveling outside of EU, and especially USA, it's such a small cost vs risk of costs if something happends.

[@tjoeptje]

True! Your travel insurance pays the difference between what your health insurance pays and the hospital bill (for the most part).

[@flower_power]

yes, exactly this. Take out a travel insurance. An additional health insurance (aanvullende zorgverzekering) sometimes also covers extra emerency health costs abroad. Read carefully, USA might not be covered.

[@StCreed]

Did you read the fine print on that one? I checked it when my son was going to the US from NL and surprise surprise they only cover the part of the fee that is at the Dutch price of a hospital and you're on your own for the rest.

[@mikkieam]

​@@StCreedyour normal (Dutch) health insurance should cover the portion that is "reasonable". You get the travel insurance (with health care cost expansion) specifically to cover whatever additional costs you make that aren't covered by your normal health insurance. I can highly recommend ANWB for their excellent coverage and support when something does happen when you're on a trip. Their "doorlopende reisverzekering" is quite reasonably priced. Always read the specific terms and conditions to check that unexpected costs you want to cover are indeed covered, though. It always gave me great piece of mind when travelling to countries with more expensive health costs.

[@robertcampbell8027]

Our daughter and son-in-law moved from Arizona to London in 2019. They will be making their first trip back to the US in March. They love their lives in the UK and have no plans to return to living in the US. They recently enjoyed a visit to Amsterdam. They are coming with a combination of excitement and trepidation.

[@renevaanhold]

Michelle: "as long as The Netherlands will have us" Oh dear, that means forever! 😄❤️

[@tubularap]

Yes, we grant Buncharted a lifetime residency, because we don't want to miss you.

[@Project_Erasmus]

hmm.. Should we make them 'honorary Dutch' you think?

[@aislingbooks]

They are cute, aren't they? 😁

[@abcd-zh9om]

Geert hasn't said anything bad about Americans so I think they're safe. Lol

[@herrdirektor1969]

Stay as long as you feel like. We like good folks like you. 👍

[@StartPlayFinish]

In Holland we typically dont calculate how much we tip. If you go to a restaurant and its 23,10 we just say make it 25,- and thats it. We often just round it up to the next big number. You give them a tip and on top of that you save the store/restaurant having to deal with change (they're always short on change). If the service is really poor you pay what you're owed and dont come back.

[@ankezumbrink-vrancken154]

I once understood that if you think the service is poor, or non existant, you give a very small tip of like 10 cent or 20 cent. So the staf knows you're not stingy (or just paying what is owned), but you didn't appreciate the service.

[@justincredible.]

Het heet Nederland, niet Holland, of anders The Netherlands

[@StartPlayFinish]

@@justincredible. Give it a rest man, nobody cares. Everybody knows what we are talking about. We shout "Hup Holland Hup" at our national teams ffs.

[@JustMe-sh8nd]

@@StartPlayFinish en daar moeten we mee stoppen! ik ben nederlander en brabander, het voelt als een belediging om mij hollander te noemen, ik woon niet in dat arrogante gedeelte van ons mooi landje weet overigens ook maar even dat de staat bezig is met een campagne in het buitenland om holland uit het systeem te halen door aan te geven dat het nederland is

[@mark-c8k1v]

@@StartPlayFinish praktisch gezien was Holland gewoon altijd de hart van Nederland, daar zaten de grote koloniale bedrijven of tenminste hun warenhuizen. Daar was de meeste welvaart en ga zo maar door.. Als buitenlandse handelaren/reizigers het hadden vroeger over hun (handels)reis naar Nederland dan gingen ze naar "Holland" oftewel de regio rondt Amsterdam, Rotterdam en weet ik veel.. Dat is sindsdien gewoon altijd in het buitenland blijven hangen. Betwijfel of je dat er ooit nog uit gaat krijgen

[@Linsmith571]

I haven’t been in the Netherlands for many, many years but I still miss it. It was such a happy place for us.

[@REmcoo36]

Thanks 🥰🥰🥰

[@maaikemanheim]

When you showed the dutch cheese section I missed that we also have cheese in 2 different places in most shops. The prepacked cheese you showed but also cheeses in the 'fresh counter' where you can also find some specialty cheeses. Would you still better go the a cheeseshop if you want something special? Absolutely! But I personally don't think we have little choice in cheese in shops like Jumbo and AH.

[@NavaSDMB]

And also while the Dutch areas take up less space it doesn't mean less variety. In the US, if you have 10 brands, 3 sizes each, (total 30 SKUs) of the same kind of cheese, each one takes up a lot of space. In the Netherlands, any brand is unlikely to have more than 2 sizes and each, there's a handful of brands for each kind of cheese, and each individual SKU is given less space. You can end up with a lot more variety (more kinds of cheese) in a lot less space.

[@erikkastermans6406]

Ik ben blij en opgelucht dat jullie in Nederland blijven en ook filmpies blijven maken, ik kijkk er namelijk graag naar met veel plezier! 🙂

[@Relaxbadkneeadventures]

Toppie😉🇳🇱👍

[@blaster-zy7xx]

Bork Bork Bork.

[@sander_bouwhuis]

Great to have you in The Netherlands guys, you are more than welcome. It's always nice to see people being happy here.

[@eyewaszero]

NL supermarkets also have specialty cheese sections. The reason why the packaged cheese section in the supermarkets isn’t that big is because that cheese isn’t that good. A lot of Dutch prefer the ‘fresh’ cheese

[@cebruthius]

They probably missed the real cheese because they didn't recognize it as actual cheese?

[@piccalillipit9211]

*I FELL DOWN CONCRETE STEPS* last winter in the ice - I had a massive hematoma on my a$$ that required 8 separate hospital visits here in Bulgaria - I dont get free healthcare as I am British - €40 is what it cost me. Last year I had a none dangerous skin cancer removed - €175 start to finish.

[@headcode]

Getting stationed in Japan, I never had culture shock there. Returning to the US after 4 years, it hit me hard. It was depressing. It took me over a year to get over it.

[@gstar1084]

It's a bit late now: but next year you might want to get a Dutch health care plan with 'world coverage' (werelddekking) in the additional package (aanvullende zorgverzekering). The cheapest options are just a couple of euro's extra every month. Some insurance companies allow you to get the additional package in january if you already have their basic insurance. You can also get this with your travel insurance

[@marionbakker-bu2ld]

I have one off those too the whole year around, so every trip is covered that I take. But it really pays of when something happens

[@askawayaskaway]

As someone who lives in the Netherlands and has travelled a lot to the U.S., I could relate to all of these things. Whenever I had to go to the supermarket in the States to get a few items, if a coworker was with me, I would ask, “What do you usually get?” then get that one. I don’t want to waste too much time looking over the countless items on the shelves. The sales tax is also another. Whenever I buy something from Target, Best Buy or whatever, I initially forget that the price tag doesn’t include the sales tax which was around 20% give or take. So it’s always a surprise when I pay. The necessity for a car is another thing. You can’t just quickly walk somewhere unless you’re in the center of the city or town. But my biggest and unreconcilable shock for me are the bathroom stalls! These are CLOSED, hence private, wherever you go in the Netherlands. Why are there gaps in the bathroom stalls in the U.S.?!? You can’t do your business privately! 😂

[@Wunderkammerdandy]

Welcome to Netherlands! Being Dutch myself and living in the US (AZ), I can relate to what you say. The Netherlands have changed dramatically though over the last 10-20 yrs (like most of the world) and although I still think it is the best country to live, it is unfortunately letting go of much of the charm that made it so cool… So I like the US? Mweh… sometimes, yeah. What I don’t like: if you have a million dollar in the bank (which I don’t have by the way) this country is paradise. If not, it sucks. This country is basically ruled by rich people and hence a plutarchy…. That’s a shame as it is truly a beautiful country. Have fun back ’home’ 😊

[@blaster-zy7xx]

I do have a million dollars in the bank and I will probably go broke with health costs and elderly care as I get older.

[@bearcubdaycare]

As an American who's lived on three continents, I have to call nonsense. I know plenty of Americans who live well on modest amounts. I think that expats often work in big, expensive cities, but there are plenty of smaller, affordable cities with jobs that cover the cost. Sure, the largest cities have gotten crazy pricey, but that's true of many major cities around the world.

[@bookiemeow173]

Fijn dat jullie in Nederland blijven! Jullie zijn toppers!

[@MichelBaek]

Happy to hear you still want to stay here. I never had the feeling of moving to another country. NL has a strong identity that i love. Born and raised here and i will die here 🇳🇱 😍. Great video. ❤❤❤

[@piccalillipit9211]

Moving to another country is really good for you - it allows you to see your home country for what it truly is, good and bad. And if you decide to stay in your new country you have to accept the bad with the good cos its YOUR choice. Either way a few years away is really valuable - My opinion of course.

[@irenehabes-quene2839]

Well I can agree with you, though I wasn’t born or raised in the Netherlands, I’ve lived here since my 17th, immigrated back after my Dutch parents had migrated away to live in Kenya , reluctantly to live in the Netherlands at first but now wouldn’t really want to live anywhere else, except maybe another European country. I’ve been to most places in the USA, love visiting but wouldn’t want to live there permanently although some things are better there. ( i.e. taxes are considerably lower, more wilderness and space, larger houses, etc)

[@rejoalgarve5105]

​@@piccalillipit9211Very true!! Im Dutch, but live in Portugal, for 9 years. Never went back and left mainly for the (bad) weather in The Netherlands. And its too crowdy (always traffic jams etc). I love my new home country and wont go back!

[@ingeborgsvensson4896]

Dutch cities are designed for people, US cities are designed for cars.

[@MaxwellEindhoven]

That doesn't really make any sense.

[@GiantHaystack]

I think the 'aren't we happy and chatty' approach from service staff in the US is entirely linked to the tipping culture.

[@janentomenkafka]

If your livelyhood depends on the tips, you make sure the customer knows you are offering top service. So you keep coming back to the table to see if everything is okay. Here in Belgium (as in the Netherlands) waiters get a salary. Giving a tip is optional. So people give between nothing and 10%, depending on their mood (or generosity) and the quality of the service.

[@ulco4918]

I’ve lived and worked in the US for a number of years. The thing I remember most is that my monthly paycheck was around five times the amount it’s here in NL. You can suffer some hardship with this amount of money (and afford bigger boxes of cereal if you’re into that).

[@GTE_Channel]

I find eating out in Holland more relaxed than in the US. You can just eat at your own pace and sit relaxed afterwards where in the US I find its more that other people are waiting for a table (also something you dont have in Holland) and the staff wants you out as soon as you took your last bite.

[@Stormvogel262]

I always walk up to the cash register if I want to pay the bill in a restaurant in The Netherlands. I have no patience for waiting or the hand-waving thing. (I'm Dutch)

[@buncharted]

we do that a lot too, i'm glad we aren't the only ones :)

[@sea.imagineering]

Same

[@JustMe-sh8nd]

thats just rude.. you are given a sign the waiter did not do a good job

[@EGO0808]

@@JustMe-sh8ndI surely hope you’re being sarcastic….

[@JustMe-sh8nd]

@@EGO0808 no I am for real.. they should bring it to your table, if you go to the cassier yourself you are actally saying.. the waiter let us sit unneccsary and is ignoring us

[@kaasmeester5903]

The selection in Dutch supermarkets is smaller mostly because the supermarkets themselves tend to be a lot smaller. The Albert Heijn XL in my area is about the same size as the small-ish neighborhood Kroger I frequented when I stayed in the US for a bit, and the selection was comparable. I loved and hated the car culture in the US when I was there. Cars are affordable and they are a great way to get around. But in many cases they're also the only way to get around.

[@carmenm.4091]

I work as a flight attendant and my favourite passengers are people from the US in general. Because they are so easy to communicate with. It’s important for me to know how you feel and what you need. I feel at home too in the US but you’ve mentioned some things that I struggle a bit with too. Decision fatigue in supermarkets. I don’t want to choose between 10 different kinds of peanut butter for example. Also tipping is a thing. I’m used to it now but eating outside is so expensive ( just came back from New York, now I’m broke 😉) My husband and I discussed moving to the US in the future (as pensionados) but the healthcare system made us decide not to.

[@GUITARTIME2024]

You'd have to have to legal right to live here.

[@robertcuminale1212]

You exaggerate. No one picks between 10 kinds of peanut butter. They have a brand they like and buy it consistently. The same goes for other products.

[@geraldinesleijpen5504]

​@@robertcuminale1212You are missing the point

[@ColoredIceberg]

About the cheese section example: do they actually have more variety, or just more real estate per variant? In the Dutch store, each package you see is a different variant. In the American store each variant is like 20 items wide and four rows tall. And Dutch stores also have the "speciality cheese" section, which is where most variants are.

[@buncharted]

the cheese section shown at the US grocery is just shredded cheese. it doesn’t even include the sliced cheese. and there’s a ton of variety, from cheddar, to monterey jack, to swiss, and so on… the similar section in dutch grocery stores does have some variety but it’s mostly just dutch cheese aged differently, which isn’t a common thing in the US outside of specialty cheese

[@graafblok1971]

Ben heel benieuwd hoe groot onze shock is als wij in juli 2 weken op vakantie gaan naar Californië. Heb nu al veel gelezen en gezien over Amerika en laat het allemaal maar over mij heen komen.

[@renedef1]

Having diner in the USA I always feel the need to hold my plate, because a waiter will grab it before I’m finished 😂

[@mfratus2001]

No idea what kind of dodgy, high-stress places you go. I have never had to hold my plate. Maybe you are in an unfriendly place.

[@yarly3180]

@@mfratus2001 it's obviously a joke (well anyone with a IQ > 70 will think it's a joke lol)

[@kankerbende]

Glue your plate on the table ! 😅

[@danielcgallagher]

I'm American and I've lived in Japan for ten years. My only reverse culture shocks have been 1) Americans are really fat, 2) service industry tends to be either annoyingly friendly or can hardly be bothered to do their job, 3) people drive too aggressively. Everything else is stuff that I was already sufficiently conscious of to not be shocked by (e.g., tipping, which is incredibly annoying given #2 above).

[@piccalillipit9211]

*I LIVE IN A 15 MINUTE CITY* in Bulgaria [Burgas] - I have not driven in 8 years - I LOVE it. I can get everything I need within 1km of my apartment for day to day living. i dont even have a refrigerator - I just decide what I want to eat and go get it...!!!

[@Dutchbelg3]

Nice to see you back "home" 🙂 The mentioned issues are the things I already imagined. Plusses and minuses 🙂 Hope you still like to live in Dordrecht. 🙂 It is just so much fun to watch your videos!

[@heedoei]

Next time your going to the states take a travel insurance, it’s an insurance only for your trip and it will cover medical bills. It’s also not that expensive

[@JokeSwart-vanEerden-hm1rg]

I am Dutch and always give a tip to the waitress. When I’m not happy with the service not much, when I am happy about 10%. You saying tipping isn’t normal or expected in The Netherlands is a big surprise to me. As far as I know it’s normal to tip (in restaurant and bars). My son worked in a restaurant and he got a nice amount of tips extra to his wages. Yes they have normal wages in The Netherlands, but the wages aren’t very high.

[@alexandrajoppe7718]

My wife moved here 19 years ago. We could not move me there (DOMA) every time we go back to Long Island, we experience culture shock. This last trip in October, we were shocked at how much more expensive grocery shopping was. We generally go to stop& shop and Lidl when we are there. I missed our Saturday market so much. It seemed as though our budget got drained so much faster than before. And going to Nashville for a week, that tapped us out altogether. That said, we had the best vacation ever. And I did het to go to the Grand Ole Opry twice😊. We were so happy to be able to walk al over our little town of Hilversum. And hop back on our bikes as well.

[@NavaSDMB]

I'm from Spain. If I'm eating, I want to eat. If I'm chatting with friends, I want to chat with friends. What I definitely don't want to do is be constantly interrupted by Miz Chirpy asking "IS EVERYTHING ALL RIGHT!?" It was - until you interrupted. There's a ton of furniture and decor stores near my house; I like going there to check out the market. Sometimes I buy things, sometimes I note an item that a relative or friend may be interested in... the one store I will not ever visit again is the one where people keep asking "can I help you?" after I've already told that person "no". If you're bored at work, bring a book. Or clean the store, I saw a cobweb and I think I understand why.

[@Vaerox]

Also happy to hear that you want to stay in The Netherlands! Please stay as long as you both like... het is toch gezellig!

[@REmcoo36]

😄

[@burkepete110]

Service worker small talk is my pet peeve. There are so many places (post office, hardware store, etc) where I stand in line while the friendly checkout person tells the customer ahead of me about her daughter's wedding while I wait to buy light bulbs.

[@jerryw5508]

I think the transportation system in the Netherlands is great. We were visiting my aunt in Koedijk and were flying back to the US. I left my parents, who were still eating breakfast at my aunts. My sister and I drove the rental car from Koedijk to Schiphol Airport. However long it took travel was smooth and we seemed to be making good time on our travel. When we got to Schiphol, My Aunt and parents were waiting for us. I was shocked how they took the train and beat us there. I have family all over the Netherlands and could live anywhere and be content. Probably around Vlissengen, my ancestral providence.

[@ukeyaoitrash2618]

As a Dutch, I dont get the grocery one. Any major supermarket here has quite an amount of specialty cheese and normal. my SMALL local jumbo has everything from stilton with alcohol to French to red cheddar to... I think 50 types? More?

[@jabo7763]

I like your posts very much, living abroad is a huge step and i like it that you show us how your experiences are. After a holiday abroad i am always glad i am back home and it doesn't matter how beautiful the visited country was (Costa Rica for example). So welcome back and enjoy the rest of our country (and inhabitants 😉).

[@eobi-edobi4275]

Here in the NL we like to do "natafelen en uitbuiken" natafelen, is usely having smalltalk with your tableguests and some drinks, ( coffee of alcohol, or both. ) remember, a diner in southern parts of europe can last up to 3 hours.

[@LazyManJoe]

Hey guys, always great to watch your take on the Netherlands! (We've learnt a lot from you, even before we emigrated) We moved here 6 months ago from South Africa & we're now based in Rotterdam (loving it!). Please let me know what that restaurant is you mentioned as we're foodies at heart & would love to try it! 🙂

[@buncharted]

burro e salvia!

[@StephanSpelde]

If I may also put a 'duit in 't zakje'. Rotterdam (& Den Haag) have amazing Vietnamese restaurants called Little V. For us it's more than an hour to drive, so we don't eat there often, but if we are ever in the neighbourhood we always go there!

[@mennovanrij9334]

@@buncharted Good call! Rotterdam-Zuid (South for the non-Dutch speaking part). Try Oliva in the Witte de Withstraat as well. We (my wife and I) are a Canadian/Dutch couple and we travel to the US and Can regularly. Groceries and dining have become expensive in the US since 2021. Don't ask me why. About the Dutch health plan being cheaper: don't forget that the Dutch pay a lot more taxes than the Average Joe in the US. The price of gas, heating, and income taxes are a lot higher in the Netherlands.

[@AlbertZonneveld]

@@mennovanrij9334 The Netherlands is about situated at the lattitude of Vancouver. Heating in winter is very nescesary. Driving is also expensive in the Netherlands but luckily distances are small.

[@jumpingpiggie422]

@@StephanSpelde Yeah, i can vouch for that. Having worked in the Rotterdam horeca, Little V was a well known place to visit for me and my kitchen colleagues. What i also love is that, next to the staple places who are here for decades the city does has a good share of frequently changing establishments and new concepts. Living in the Oost park since a few years and as a fan of the Indonesian cuisine, i recently discoverer Minang Kabau at the Kralingse Plas. Which has, imho, one of the best quality dishes from that region in Zuid Holland and possibly thé best of Rotterdam. A good second place goes to Samalain but that one is literally across the street from where i live so i do consider myself spoiled rotten when it comes to getting a quick but good bite. And as always, Rijsttafels is a good way to get started when one never been to an Indonesian restaurant and want to familiarize themselves.

[@Irulan10]

I was surprised by what you said about cheese in the Netherlands. In France we had a very famous ad on TV that said "La Hollande, l'autre pays du fromage" (Netherlands, the *other* cheese country) 😊. Netherlands cheeses are renowned!

[@RedstonerD]

I think this needs to be commented on: Michelle, your hair looks amazing!!

[@mradventurer8104]

In (high) offices and hospitals they do have airconditioning rather than opening windows. I do notice the difference too. Nice job, good to watch. It helps us value our country (the Netherlands) even more.

[@JaapGinder]

We just had dinner this night in a restaurant. About the waitress: she was friendly (it was very busy this night), but in this particular restaurant they keep an eye on you. Empty glas, so they ask you if yoy want more, asking you if everything is oke, and after we were finished, she came and asked us if there was anything she could bring, so I asked for the bill. Ofcourse we tipped her. So it is not always waving hands.

[@cynthiamolenaar770]

Exactly, if the restaurant is any good here in The Netherlands, the waiters watch you closely from a distance and recognize the signs for if they are needed at the table before the waiving has to kick in.

[@ankapabu2834]

Same in Germany: When you are ready to order, you close the menue. When your glass is empty, the waiter offers more. When you place your knife and fork at five o'clock on the plate, they can see that you finished your main course and ask, if you wish anything else. No waving needed, at least not at restaurants, where they learned their craft. Besides, waving is considered bad behaviour in a good restaurant. It is ok in a Kneipe.

[@CH1LDOFTHEMOON]

In the US, your Government decided it was more important to spend your taxes on the Military. In Europe, most Governments spend less on the Military and more on it's population's healthcare, because peoples health is very important!

[@aliekegeerse]

We are happy to have you here!

[@albertmockel6245]

That cheese thing is strange. They don't have that many cheeses in the US and most of them taste the same. I never shopped in the Netherlands but in Spain, France, Belgium or Italy there are a lot of cheeses to choose from.

[@schiffelers3944]

As a server; People don't always like to be "bothered" or pushed to consume/buy more. Some places you do have to keep an eye out for empty glasses, ask for refill or if you can take the glass to be cleaned and possibly re-used. But again, most people are there to enjoy 1. the food; they did not want to, or know how to, cook the meals they want to consume 2. their company, they came there with them, it be social or professional. The professionals are the ones you should ask for re-fills, if they want more service, etc. They don't pay for it themselves the company pays. This are simple facts of life and the realtiy of a server. Of course there are minor details like ambiance or service, or the service speaking about the pretty individual servers. And it is not like we don't get tips. Since it is not a must - you know this means something! They really appreciated it. Not social conformity (I call this freedom, and not like the extreme wage-slave work the US implements)

[@SBB1955]

Hi there! Great video! Soon, "we", my wife, daughter and I are planning on moving to Poland. We have two cats and a small dog. I'm iterested as to how your cats mamaged the trip and what exactly you needed to do to get them transported. After we settle (in Warsaw) we plan on traveling throughout Europe with The Netherlands being on the top of our list. - Steve

[@mandyvk90]

I feel like they are more talkative and friendly is because they rely on your tip. I wonder how sincere their conversations are.

[@davidperry7128]

Plus those that are self absorbed and love talking about themselves.

[@Flameseeker006]

FIY many supermarkets here also have a specialty cheese section. I should know, I visit them often!

[@kevinjewell233]

My first full on shock was in 89 after a year and a half in Paris...flew to DC and was hit in a mall, EVERYONE was speaking English...I had just gotten tuned into my thoughts being surrounded by multiple languages being spoken. After 30 years and the passing of my parents I just don't see a need to go back unless I want to have FUN in NYC....otherwise I can Eurostar to London, or go to Carnaval in Venice for some cultural changes with cheaper voyages which means nicer hotels and more shopping!!!

[@emjayay]

Drop by my neighborhood in Brooklyn. You will hear a lot more people speaking Chinese, Russian, Spanish and other languages than English.

[@5xt]

I am not sure if you will still read this as this vid is a couple months old, but there is health insurance in the Netherlands that offer full coverage abroad for a small monthly fee (€ 2.50 or something) instead of max 100% of equivalent procedures done in the Netherlands. So if a procedure costs 60,000 in the US but 10,000 in the NL, you still get covered 60,000. Maybe a good tip to get if you travel back to the US on a regular basis as it is on a yearly basis only like 30 euros extra.

[@RoyvanLierop]

Number 1 can be mitigated by using a "Reisverzekering", just get a "Doorlopende Reisverzekering" for a couple € a month and have some piece of mind when traveling.

[@cyril2514]

And you can get an insurance for additional costs of health care in foreign countries (=your original country), beyond the costs of Dutch insurance.

[@Tom-Lahaye]

Tipping is not expected here in the Netherlands, but if I'm satisfied with the meal and the service, I do give some tip. Usually by rounding the amount, and generally around 5-10%, and I think this is the normal for most of the people here.

[@jbird4478]

In some countries you have to actually be wary that hospitals don't keep you longer than needed, because they can max out the bill knowing your insurance will pay anyway. It's crazy how different healthcare costs are around the world. Dutch healthcare is pretty expensive, so for most places you are covered, but the US is on another level. My insurance provider specifically recommends extra insurance for three countries: the US, Canada and Singapore. Everywhere else is cheaper or similar enough that it won't ruin you.

[@EGO0808]

Singapore’s healthcare is top notch world class for a very decent price. It is nowhere near The USA and cannot be compared.

[@peterc.1618]

One reason for taking out insurance when going abroad is the cost of repatriation. Even if the healthcare you need is affordable, being flown home by air ambulance with a doctor and at least one nurse on board won't be cheap.

[@Alby_Torino]

Generally speaking, people working in service jobs are talkative and genuine friendly, or simply are "tip diggers"?

[@Krystalfaye]

I tipped a girl who cut my son’s hair and even though I know tipping isn’t really a thing I still felt compelled to give her something on top of the price of the haircut. I gave her €5 that I had in my wallet. She was so excited and showed all of her coworkers. 😅 Also I love the in floor heating, it’s so much more cozy than a heater . Glad you made it back safely and you didn’t need to use the US healthcare 😊

[@mirakel2012]

... " so, no we're not moving back to the us anytime soon - we'll stay in the Netherlands as long as the Netherlands will have us". In Belgium they say: "We zien u graag..."

[@irenehabes-quene2839]

I noticed that the system goes to great lengths to discourage walking. I was in Sacremento visiting my brother’s family and went to a mall. The mall was spread out on two sides of a main road and there was no way to cross that road on foot without getting run over. We needed a shop on the other side, we could even see the store but got needed to get into the car to get there!

[@rickherrell9451]

That couldn't possibly be because the USA is 237 TIMES BIGGER ( look it up, it's a fact) than the Netherlands now could it!!! The US is too big for walking everywhere.

[@irenehabes-quene2839]

@@rickherrell9451 what a dumb reply, who cares if it’s 300 or 3000 times bigger, that’s not the point! The shop was on the other side of the road, 2 minute walk, but there was no pedestrian crossing to cross the road and that is just so silly. What is the point is that a 2 minute walk is 2 minutes everywhere no matter how big a country is. Think before you comment.

[@elenite]

@@rickherrell9451 Who said you had to walk everwhere ? Do you know that the average American walks 1.4 miles a week !!! I walk more than that in day !! You lot are damn lazy.

[@Charles-xd6lw]

It happened to me but two fold. I lived in Germany for 5 years and also in the Army. When i came back ot too me a couple years to adjust. I still want to go back.

[@eddys.3524]

Great that you made this video.. After your previous video I forgot to ask you your experiences traveling back to the USA. Anyways, It's always great to see family and friends again. Do some of them also visit you here in the Netherlands?

[@buncharted]

yep, both of our parents visited us here at some point over the past year and a half :)

[@mervinbrown1967]

I feel the same way after living in Germany for several years. I would love to go back. Wish we'd never left.

[@McChrister]

Hello there, this video got recommended to me by KZbin. But I think that is due to the fact that I am Dutch but have been living in Ontario, Canada half my life! I had to laugh at the Dutch NOT tipping or very little….They are notorious for that(cheapskates😬) And the supermarkets are the same here in Canada, huge. I went back to Holland in September 2023 after 5 years not visiting my family(they all still live there) and when I came back I thought the same thing! Too much choice😲 Thanks for sharing your experiences and comparisons with the USA/Holland. I enjoyed your video…..I will subscribe. De groetjes vanuit een koud(met veel sneeuw…)Canada🙏🏼🥶👋🏼🇨🇦

[@stragulus]

I moved back to the Netherlands from the US a couple of months ago, and I do miss the friendly banter, that was my reverse culture shock. I've taken some of that more casual friendliness back with me though and strike up conversations more often than I would have done before I lived in the US. And so far, that's been going fairly well! It helps to be in a smaller city vs. a big city. Another one was the weather. Of course I knew the Netherlands is a lot rainier and overcast than most of the US, but it was worse than I remembered. I do like the faster/more casual restaurants with the more attentive staff. Also, the first few times I tried to go to a restaurant back in NL I didn't make reservations, and that usually means the place will be full, unless it's a tourist area or larger city. People don't eat out here quite as often as they do in the US, so when they do, it has to be more special. Overall I'm happy to be back though, after a decade or so one really learns to appreciate the things we do well in our society.

[@Jacques.dAnjou]

I’m Dutch although my father is American (never seen him again after I was 5).. on behalf of our King Alex, I have good news you can stay here! Did you pledge allegiance to our flag? Do you promise to keep eating Tompouce and bitterballen? 😂😂❤

[@MarceldeJong]

They liked the crompouce, that counts against them. (J/k)

[@Fjodor.Tabularasa]

Allegiance to our flag?? We don't do such silly things in the Netherlands

[@ericstreif2374]

Lived in the UK for 2 years and had to move back to the US and experienced ALL of this. We moved back a little over a year later and DO NOT want to move back. The culture shock is weird, a lot of stuff that I never noticed. The infrastructure is the biggest for me

[@stefaniemoerbeek3050]

I like having some time to decide if I might want dessert after the main course, instead of receiving the bill when the starter is served 🤭 Good to see you back safe and sound! 👍🏻

[@kyssedbyfyre915]

Regarding the MASSIVE variety of products/selections in the USA. Shopped here all my life & I too have remarked abt having TOO MANY CHOICES! It wasn't always this way.

[@jasp19]

Yay, nice to hear ya'll be staying for a while. Plenty left to see and experience! 😄

[@hkamps6246]

You two are very welcome in the Netherlands, greetings from Groningen.

[@mattgiant8836]

Aren't the servers extra friendly because it's tip-dependable?

[@buncharted]

i think it’s partially a cultural thing but yes, that absolutely plays a part in it

[@mattgiant8836]

@@buncharted My mind would be suspicious of such overfriendliness...but I guess that might be a very Dutch thing lol

[@Harry_PP030]

US-people are generally very friendly in my opinion. Perhaps waiters try a little extra for more tip money...

[@sarahdano55]

Looking at the photos you showed, you are probably shopping in a small city-centre or proximity grocery shop, where there is a somewhat limited selection. In a supermarket, you will find a lot more choice. All the supermarkets I go to (even the small organic one or discount ones like Lidl) have a big cheese section (or at least a bigger one than showed in your video). Then again I live in France and we do love our cheese... Maybe it's a Dutch thing ?

[@jennybertenshaw7694]

Well I lived in the Netherlands for 30 yrs *i am a Brit...It was also a culture shock for me At that time the country was almost closed to foreigners we were rarities We however lived near Eindhoven which with Philips was growing into a multicultural city I wouldn't-t recognise it today as it attempts to pull in over 355,000 new citizens, mostly foreigners .I appreciated the way Dutch were so professional as wait staff ,well trained and often speaking other languages than Dutch and English They had decent wages and therefore didn-t rely on tips. It was difficult at first to chat to people when we didn-t speak Dutch...We did notice however that Americans were becoming flavour of the month and wait staff sometimes fell over themselves to be extra nice.. probable knowing the tipping that was common in the USA...Once we learned Dutch however * 3yrs* everything changed and we could have good conversations. Whilst I found the Dutch a somewhat -hard nation I will never regret bringing up my two daughters there They had a magical childhood

[@deadkodo]

Reasons 3 and 5 are totally related to the tipping culture. They appear more friendly and helpful in USA because they are hoping for a bigger tip. I am an Aussie and when I first visited in 2000 tipping was around 10%. Now it is usually 25% which is just insane to a visitor to the USA.

[@elsbethfongers4476]

You can take out travel insurance, which costs a few euros per day of your trip or you can choose a continuous one that provides coverage all year round. If necessary, travel insurance will pay the difference between what your Dutch insurance reimburses and the actual costs

[@buncharted]

yeah, it was just expensive to have the travel insurance cover the US and we’re cheap

[@elsbethfongers4476]

@@buncharted typically Dutch 😜

[@highs_and_lows4665]

My travel insurance covers the US and costs next to nothing for the whole family.

[@highs_and_lows4665]

Even my Amex gold card provides me with global medical assistance.

[@buncharted]

my chase card does too, but it's not unlimited, and health care costs in the US can be expensive. you'll easily exceed the limit of what your amex gold card would cover, i'm sure @@highs_and_lows4665

[@Snaakie83]

Ok, ik got into your trip from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport trip to Lindenwald Ohio... That's a 65km trip (40miles). * By car 45/50 mins which is pretty decent. * By public transport is 8hr30m * 10hr walk *3hr by bicycle I'm going to create a comparable Dutch trip. Schiphol airport to Amersfoort (Which is VERY well connected). (64 kilometers or 39 miles) * 49m by car * 40m by public transport * 13hr walk *3hr30m by bicycle The difference for public transport is ridiculous. 510 mins in the US, 40 in the Netherlands. The Dutch train ride, without any reduction is €12, most used reduction is -40% which reduces the price to €7,20. And for some ridiculous reason, from the US international airport to the nearest bus service takes a 23 min walk (1,6 miles). 😮 Not sure why, but here you go.

[@fjslfhalfhkdjfh]

But the walk/bike ride to Starbucks can be done, in the same time, on S. Main St. with only a 100 metres or so w/o sidewalk (still a pleasant enough street, traffic-wise). Well, there's always next time:)

[@historianKelly]

I'm a historian, and I've often told people that the revolution that had a more lasting impact on the United States was not the American Revolution, it was the Bolshevik Revolution. The reason we continue to have the horrible healthcare system we have is because "socialized medicine is communist," whines a certain element in Congress and their supporters. Anything that smacks of communism - AS DEFINED BY THEM - won't get far in the USA. It doesn't matter that it's NOT communist or socialist, they call it that, and that's all that matters. It also doesn't matter that the alternative is inhumane, insultingly evil, or plainly inadequate. They can justify it as somehow upholding their social and religious virtues, without a hint of hypocrisy. They say ignorance is bliss.

[@markopinteric]

What is funny is that universal health care in Germany was introduced by staunch conservative Otto von Bismarck in 1883. So much about socialism and communism.

[@kaunas888]

The last time that I was in the California a few years ago the waiter service was only mediocre...but of course the tips were high. In Spain the service seems about as good...but no tips, so I know what I have to pay before I get a meal, because the price indicated is the final price.

[@WoutervanJoolingen]

My experience was, even in a "fine dining" restaurant, the staff did their best to get us out a.s.a.p. Great video as always. And I have a similar picture of my hip. Has been removed now to make place for a total hip prosthetic. Currently in a "zorghotel" recovering from that surgery.

[@buncharted]

so true! honestly, at the fine dining restaurants, it's even moreso

[@JustMe-sh8nd]

ik wens je beterschap en veel sterkte met de revalidatie

[@WoutervanJoolingen]

​@@JustMe-sh8nddankjewel!

[@MrBjornov]

I also experienced during my visit in NY and DC 30 years ago, americans are very friendly.

[@iekue]

The tipping culture indeed is quite insane in the US, and my experience is that even having a discussion about that with a lot of Americans is impossible. Its so drilled into the culture that they think "but restaurants and such that pay their staff more will go bankrupt" and "staff earns more this way"... Meanwhile.... why isnt this the case then in basicly all the rest of the world... 🤷. Its just a dumb system to let customers pay for the staff (forced) instead of the employer.... ugh. It also causes the whole pushy/clingy waitress/waiter constantly coming by. And lets not forget how dumb percentage based tipping is... The same amount of work gets more tip just because u ordered something more expensive? 😂

[@spvdijk]

You could buy a travel insurance at ANWB (Algemene Nederlandse Wielrijders Bond), covers all kinds of hazards, also health care. And normally your health insurance also covers healthcare costs abroad. But it safer to buy extra insurance. Note when you travel to USA the insurance cost double that to other countries. The travel insurance covers only for trips lasting no longer than 3 months.

[@aislingbooks]

Welcome home and Happy New Year 2024! I went back to California to visit family over the Thanksgiving holiday and immediately came down with that horrible RSV virus. So, I was mostly self-quarantined with the person I was staying with during my whole stay. I have medicare and travel insurance for when I return to see friends and family. Also, Dutch health insurance will reimburse you if you keep your medical receipts. I don't know how much though, as I've only used the medicare system once during the Pandemic when I needed a test done before flying home to the NL. And medicare paid for the whole test, which was expensive... I think $250. I agree with you about the high costs of food and tipping, which gets annoying. Did you also know that the wait staff have to declare a portion of their tips to the IRS? An unbelievable as well as antiquated system for the commonly employed. Other costs, such as gas and clothing, are much cheaper in the States than in the EU. And, yes, service people are friendlier in the States but are also motivated by tips and, well, getting customers seated and gone for a higher turnover and more tips.

[@buncharted]

our health care here in the netherlands only covers us up to the equivalent dutch costs, unfortunately. unless we want to pay for an add-on (which we don't, haha).

[@aislingbooks]

So there was no snowboarding on Mad River Mountain? 🤣

[@aislingbooks]

Yipes, so no skiing, snowboarding, skating or cycling while in the States!

[@MatzeMumpitz]

You forgot the most obvious one: bicycles! The Netherlands are bicycle rider's paradise.

[@joostkamphuis85]

This is so spot on! Thanks for making this content

[@leonardoluc6362]

We have been in the USA for 40 years and really enjoyed it, part adventure / challenge but omg since we are back in the Netherlands yeah we are now realizing standard of living is higher more social and being in Amsterdam no brainer with all the services we did not have in the USA. Yes higher taxes, means more social services, fab public transportation, super healthcare for all. Hardly any homeless living on the street to be ashamed for as in the USA. If any they can get help but don’t want for a reason we cant imaging, being mental, alcoholics and or drug users 90% are not Dutch, even they can get help if wanted. Very nice to live in a society like the Netherlands is. Also the city is car free and bike friendly because the public transportation.

[@derkjalink3788]

Regarding medical Costs: you could take a separate travel Insurance which will coverage the refund gap between Dutch rates and the much higher rates in the States.

[@familiezeijen]

Or get a health care insurance supplement with world coverage so that all health care costs are covered.

[@fionaalgera3391]

Always make sure you have a travel insurance with world coverage of medical costs.

[@terjemullerkarlsen3028]

This was so much fun:) Regarding sevice USA vs Europe. Me and my bf was i NYC in the ´90ties and at our first night out at dinner. We ordered our food, starters and entrees planning to get dessert. Hold be hold, suddenly before the starter a huge salad was presented to us. And as you say, during the meal we where constantly checked up on until the edge of where I had the urge to scream: COULD YOU PLEASE LET US ENJOY OUR MEAL IN PEACE:)))) I didn´t. And when we where done eating, relaxing finishing our wine, all of a sudden our check arrives..... And as I at that time where fairly uneducated, we where actually really offended. Feeling that we should get the h.... out of there. So funny to think about this today, and how different our cultures are in some regards.