Sharing some tips to internationals not familiar with the Netherlands and Dutch culture! When I first visited the Netherlands as a tourist, and then later as an expat in the Netherlands, I definitely made a few mistakes. In this video, I share tips on what not to do in the Netherlands that can be useful to both tourists and other expats alike.
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I like to share my experiences of an American expat in the Netherlands. I describe both the unique and everyday aspects of Dutch culture, and life in Holland while enjoying every bit of it!
Blog website: https://www.dutchamericano.com
Instagram: DutchAmericano
Get in touch: dutchamericanonl@gmail.com
Suggested videos:
9 Things You DON’T Do in the Netherlands: https://youtu.be/L2KBoj0yM9o
6 American Things in the Netherlands (that I didn’t expect to see!): https://youtu.be/5CjiEC9UXwM
5 ways LIFE IS BETTER in the Netherlands than in America!: https://youtu.be/XANIGl_5quo
Spring customs in the Netherlands: https://youtu.be/nvbnMbQSgnM
Going to university in the Netherlands vs the United States — An example of MUCH LARGER differences: https://youtu.be/ocZgxrIejBA
42 Comments
I think with drink bottles and cans these days, you can safely assume that there almost always is a deposit on them. If in doubt, your receipt will tell you.
I think that it's mostly that many people are unfamiliar with the phrase "I'm good", not that it's too indirect.
It's always interesting to look at Dutch culture from a foreign perspective.
Your are very likable. 😉 Thank you for this video
Another one to your list: don’t come to the Netherlands!
Well, The Netherlands is still the highest ranked country on the English Proficiency Index. But that doesn't mean you should assume that every Dutch person is capable of speaking English or capable of speaking it well enough to hold half a decent conversation.
12:00 I'm good, to a Dutch can sound like "goed", what means Yes.
Yeah, be careful on bikes, we get it
Helpful and correct. Most comments are additions. Note that the Dutch are used to tourists and will give a lot of slack.
We don't have cops to deal with non conformaties, we have to deal with it ourselves and usually try to confront without escalation.
after all these years still talking nonsense….
talking shit and don't say .uhm and ehh..sometimes…they can all act and love to hear themselves…greetz to your wife.
reservations 3 months in front…huh…get real girl.
fo
the frist is more a behavior problem of Amsterdam people (often fakers the real Amsterdammer is gone long ago). Its on frustration and cursing. That is the problem of amsterdam inhabitants. With 500.000 bicycle miles on the counter I can only advice to be not gentle on this Gekkies as they curse. Why? All this nasty curses forget they eat from tourists as main source of income. If there is a real problem: just get rid of the ugly tram rails.. this can bring you down.
My friend from Canada speaks dutch because he was born and lived here in Holland for the first 20ish years of his life.
When we went to a restaurant he actually said in Dutch "I'm good" (Ik ben goed) to the waiter and she looked so confused!
So i could not resist in making the comment "Hij is goed maar ik ben beter" meaning "He is good, but I'm better"
So funny that situation 🤣
dutch here, sounds about right 👍
Ah, Ava, you're good
"The customer is always right the customer is King …
but here in the Netherlands the customer is not the King, they have a King here in the Netherlands. And that is not the customer" 🤣
So true!
That symbol is not for the silence area. The silence area always has the words silence and the Dutch word stilte written on the windows. The symbol you show is the area where people do their own thing. Downstairs is for more comfy travel together and with more chatting and interaction.
Dutch locals are one to talk about not following traffic rules lol.
people in the north are more closed and in the south are more open
Ava, thanks for the tips. I'm a 64-year-old American expat (for 24 years) but mostly in Asia, with a couple years in Germany. I'm about to start a 2-year assignment in Alkmaar, so always good to hear the current situation. I'm looking forward to rejoining the 1st world after 5 years in semi-rural Thailand, and I'll welcome the cooler climate too. I cycled to commute to work in Germany so I expect little adjustment for the NL except to enjoy the even better infrastructure. I'm used to Dutch directness as I've worked several Shell projects internationally, and welcome their honesty and efficiency. Looking forward to more of your videos.
Realize the dutch been riding bicycles since their like 3 or 4 y/o.
So don't think you can ride a bicycle like they do.
i aim dutch you tell my new things
I'm a Dutch expat. Whenever I return to the Netherlands I get really annoyed by all the international people working in stores not speaking one word of Dutch and ONLY English. Sure, historicaly speaking, the Netherlands has always been very diverse and there are a lot of exchange students too. But the Dutch themselves don't realize that the Dutch language, and by extention it's culture is slowly dying out. Both of them deserve to be protected! So,
if you're a tourist or student intending on staying in the Netherlands for a couple of weeks or more, then please put in a little effort and learn a couple of Dutch courtesy words and expressions at least.
This is not about the Netherlands, this is about Amsterdam. The sewer of the Netherlands.
ALSO be extra careful when a dutch person shows you their teeth. We might think they are smiling but in fact they are showing off their chompers, lion style, getting reading to go for the throat. If we have a slump in tourism this year I blame you and I don't want to go outside anymore.
I just want to just add that the Dutch only speak English to each other to have some fun. They never speak English professionally against each other unless the job requires them to do so and let me add to this, won't happen much if ever. We just are just enough enabled to profoundly speak some English when necessary.
English is fun to us. It's almost Dutch but in a weird way if you're not Dutch 😛
One advice: If you visit Holland, avoid Amsterdam! Try Zwolle, it’s much more fun!
I'm guessing that "I'm good" will be interpreted as "Da's goed" (that's ok). Especially with such a friendly smile.
The customer is king, but the server is the emperor. So shut up and be grateful that the server will serve you.
Statiegeld good for nature and the environment 💚
Aa a dutch person i do get the context of i'm good. It is kinda lazy for like no thank you, i am good. Because of so much American films and series i have watched. But being clear is always helpfull.
Sure, customer is king, but we DO NOT like entitled behaviour. As soon as you show us that, we'll let you know. So statements like "I'm a paying customer" will not impress us, it will likely do the opposite. We have a saying in Dutch, translated: "if you act normal, you're acting crazy enough" and we expect that from anyone, regardless of who/what you are.
About the restaurants is True but if you go to smaller place more to the countryside you can reserve the day before or at som just walk inside and ask (if its not an friday or saturday) 😊
love your reaction.. I am Dutch.. most things are so normal for me… nice you are pointing them out. We can learn something from it as dutch people that somethings are NOT . Always saw the fox on your sofa.. do you still have it ?, this was your mascotte.. 🙂Love to learn more about us dutches…told by an american girl. followed you from step one and love it. Groetjes aan je vrouw van mij en mijn man.
I'm dutch, from the north, I do not make reservations. Do not like that.
Reservations has been made common because of the stupid Covid.
You lived in Amsterdam, not in the Netherlands. Different universe.
Yes, turn a burger upside down before eating it. The bread on the bottom is typically a lot thinner than the top, so it soaks through rather quickly. Eat it upside down, and you have a slightly higher chance of being able to finish it without it turning into a mess.
Good tips, I coming back to the Netherlands after beeing 25 years abroad in a few years. Nothing changed that much and I never thought, even when I was young growing up in Utrecht, that biking in Amsterdam was a good idea
Dutch working in hospitality have the motto THE CUSTOMER IS KING, BUT I AM THE EMPEROR. Now, imagine an American couple with checkered trousers and blue hair walk into a restaurant or café, thinking they are God's gift to mankind because they earn $200,000 a year and voted Republican all of their lives regardless of the degree of insanity or criminality of the candidate. These people will feel indignant because of the complete disregard of them by personnel, and worse, they will be looked down upon as in "Oh jeez, another crazy couple rich but misers."
in dutch you say often instead of "that's okay" good instead. so: dat is goed.