Dutch people

Old Oct 14th 2009, 5:36 am
  #16  
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Default Re: Dutch people

Originally Posted by furkew
and that never happened in London of course
Used to train it into London..so don't know...no I think the firm with the road repair contract in The Hague was on to a good thing. A 10 minute rush hour car journey used to take me over 1/2 hour for over a year just because of the roadworks.
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Old Oct 18th 2009, 12:51 pm
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Default Re: Dutch people

We lived in Holland for 5 years in the 80's. Sometimes the Dutch were very blunt, even down right rude, but once they found out we were British and not German, some of them became very friendly. We still have some good friends in Holland, or the Netherlands if you prefer.
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Old Oct 19th 2009, 6:13 pm
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Default Re: Dutch people

Originally Posted by luvwelly
Used to train it into London..so don't know...no I think the firm with the road repair contract in The Hague was on to a good thing. A 10 minute rush hour car journey used to take me over 1/2 hour for over a year just because of the roadworks.
Why not just take the bike then? That'd get around the roadworks.
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Old Nov 30th 2009, 3:34 pm
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Default Re: Dutch people

notathome,

I agree entirely.

Blunt and rude is not an exxagerated statement, at least compared to most other European manners.
I think it gets a bit of getting used to...

Glad there is so many other good things that make up for it though!

Yalla.
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Old Nov 30th 2009, 3:36 pm
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Default Re: Dutch people

on second thought., it takes a LOT of getting used to...

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Old Dec 2nd 2009, 4:42 am
  #21  
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Default Re: Dutch people

Dutch people are practical and plain-spoken but love a good joke just as much as the rest of us. Their idea of a good joke might be more easily fulfilled than a discerning Brit ;-)

This is not an excuse, however, to be downright rude and uncaring. Try to differentiate between the two. An example:

a colleague says: "that colour looks really bad on you."

When you next wear something that you KNOW you look good in, a plain-spoken person might say "that colour looks good on you" or "that colour is better for you", but a rude uncaring person will keep on finding fault.
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Old Dec 2nd 2009, 9:38 am
  #22  
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Default Re: Dutch people

Originally Posted by Casa Santo Estevo
Watch it or Sarah will want to know more about you and why wish to answer this posting!
Long time no hear from. Hope all is well in Australia.
sorry for the very very late reply.

I pop into all my various expat forums, but only glimpse at the threads, and overlooked this one. Thanks for asking, everything is hunky dorey, we have all settled fabulously and no regrets at all. Although we live in "little Holland" in Australia, we have a big group of Aussie friends as well as clog wogs, and are well settled.

Kids have a slight Dutch accent with heavy Aussie twang, and even the wife is throwing more English into her Dutch when chatting to the local Dutchys

Hows things with you both?

Paul
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Old Dec 3rd 2009, 8:43 pm
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Default Re: Dutch people

Originally Posted by furkew
sorry for the very very late reply.

I pop into all my various expat forums, but only glimpse at the threads, and overlooked this one. Thanks for asking, everything is hunky dorey, we have all settled fabulously and no regrets at all. Although we live in "little Holland" in Australia, we have a big group of Aussie friends as well as clog wogs, and are well settled.

Kids have a slight Dutch accent with heavy Aussie twang, and even the wife is throwing more English into her Dutch when chatting to the local Dutchys

Hows things with you both?

Paul
We are just fine, but sometimes miss family and some food items form NL. This year we have fortunately been busy as hell. We have been on Galician TV they want more Dutch immigrants to live here! But the Dutch will never see the programme so how will they know?
The Galicians know a good thing when they see it.
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Old Mar 15th 2010, 10:02 am
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Default Re: Dutch people

I lived in holland for a year and found the people to be a mixed bag really. Some were really helpfull some very arrogant like germans. I also found that at work they seem friendly but wont do anything outside of work with you they have a close group of dutch friends. They are very tolerant but thats it they tolerate you, they dont want to really mix with you.
Also I had a few dates with dutch women, and they want you to get in with their friends and family circle before them, very carefull.
Maybe my views were swung at bit as a worked in a small factory with a group of old men one even wore clogs, so I suppose they were old school.
Also the language is very hard to learn as you cant practice at all as everyone speaks english, which becomes annoying after a while. Because alot expect you to learn Dutch very quickly.
Just one more thing I found the morrocan immigrants very aggressive towards english people and I heard many stories of attacks on young dutch people.
To be honest its got quite alot of the u.ks problems with drugs and immigration, but there is alot more employment opportunity.
I would say the best thing was the cycle paths and the laid back attitude at work.
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Old Mar 15th 2010, 3:57 pm
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Default Re: Dutch people

Originally Posted by Sarah_89
Without stating the obvious, on an ex-pat forum a lot of what people are interested is what the people are like.

From what I have witnessed in the short time I have been here, I like Dutch people. They speak their mind, they are helpful and practical etc. There is much less violent behaviour (almost none) compared to the UK, and they seem to be nice.

But they are so severe. Did any other Brits moving abroad find this difficult to adjust to?

If I walk into a room and smile at people, even saying "please" or "thank you" marks me out immediately as different and it takes a bit of getting used to.

What do other British expats think?

Being polite and friendly is much less valued than being knowledgable and practical I have seen.

I'm university age and I have to say, the guys seem to be much more open and friendlier than the women, whereas British women are more out there.

I've only been here for a short time though. Anybody have any experiences/advice?
Lol, you are used to girls being significantly softer than men, I guess. Girls here are truly "dude" kinds, they go out in group, have their own life, go for a career and, except for the many lesbian around, they don't have "reason" to be polite with you, more than they already are.
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Old Jul 31st 2010, 11:48 pm
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Default Re: Dutch people

Originally Posted by Casa Santo Estevo
If you read the parts in red you seem to contricict yourself



If you read the parts in red you seem to contradict yourself. How can speaking their mind be severe when they speak their mind and be helpful and practicable too?

The parts in blue are showing you up to be very British; you seem to like that part of politeness in the British. And also do not seem understand why the Dutch do not do the same. The Dutch have other forms of civility that you have yet to discover.

There are no rules as to who can reply to your postings. If you felt my posting was pointed at you, then why was that?

BTW as you can see we live in Galicia, Spain, we took an opportunity to live somewhere different for a change. And as you are being inquisitive-- one of us is Dutch, the other English and yes we have both live in The Netherlands.
I would also like to mention that when you say Holland it is like say every Brit is English to a lot of Dutch as Holland is a province in The Netherlands.
Maybe read this bit from WIKIPEDIA.

http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holland

Hmmm... your posts are all seeming quite aggressive towards me.

I find it rather childish to argue over the internet, does my opinion of the Dutch offend you or are you Dutch yourself?

Come now, child, let's all get along . Where do you have the time/passion/energy to highlight all my points which are contradictory?

Everyone else seemed to understood them - and I don't even have the time to explain them to you, sorry . But if they are logically incorrect, my deepest apologies to you .

As you wrote quite a large reply to my post and I don't have time to answer all of your points (which all seem to be derisive - why I have produced such passion in you, I am not sure), I will merely state that I asked a totally valid question whilst raising some positive and negative points about Dutch people. It may not have been 100% logically sound but it's not a school essay - just my random thoughts. They seem to offend you, but I should point out that I am an unbiased person and I could also name a lot of negative traits about British people.

I would like to know why you posted because I am thinking about moving to Holland, and want to assess whether I would fit in with the people and if you were going to contribute to that or just troll/criticise.

If you continue to find fault with my posts (they're not exact school essays, merely random questions I put together)... I will have to chalk you off as a troll and won't reply.

I was being a bit sarcastic here in response, but in sincerity, ) kindly and respectfully assure you that I predominantly like Dutch people, if you want to post anything you know about them please feel free , so you have no need to write negative points back to me .

There is no need whatsoever to be negative when I am just asking for helpful responses. If you are very patriotic and do not wish to hear any negative points about the Dutch (who are from the Netherlands, not Holland you are quite right - yet I did not realize I would be getting marked for accuracy), please go to another post.


Now, back to the other more helpful replies.

I totally recognized some of the scenarios that people pointed out.

The thing that I like about Dutch people is that they are for the most part extremely helpful and efficient. They are also self-confident and ambitious.

The best thing about the Netherlands is the relatively low income discrepancy, it creates a great social atmosphere as there seems to be less extreme poverty/extreme wealth. I would say this is one of my favourite things.

I would also say that there are very positive relations between the sexes and the men are quite sensitive and inclined to help with childcare/housework! RESULT!

They are totally the opposite of Brits when it comes to attitudes towards sex, however. They are not as willing to get as many notches on their bedposts as possible and very traditional in terms of being very selective women.

I am still finding the lack of politeness to be a bit difficult as I am naturally a polite person. They can indeed come across as a bit snobby, and I really dislike snobs. They seem to lack charm/charisma.

The bluntness is actually likeable though. You know you are getting an honest opinion when you ask a dutch person and they're not being malicious.

They're my observations so far. Feel free to post any more .

Last edited by Sarah_89; Jul 31st 2010 at 11:51 pm.
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Old Aug 1st 2010, 12:00 am
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Default Re: Dutch people

Originally Posted by GrecoRomano
Lol, you are used to girls being significantly softer than men, I guess. Girls here are truly "dude" kinds, they go out in group, have their own life, go for a career and, except for the many lesbian around, they don't have "reason" to be polite with you, more than they already are.
LOL. I actually like that. The men are quite soft and the women are quit hard. Makes a refreshing change.

When I say rude, I mean the people in general.

They don't talk about something unless they see necessity to speak, which takes a bit of time in getting used to. They don't do small talk.

I call it "rudeness" but it's not really rude - it's not malicious - it's just a different way of being, which I have to adapt to.
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Old Aug 1st 2010, 12:05 am
  #28  
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Default Re: Dutch people

The dutch Po Po are my favorite...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRfluaMKoOY

Follow their lead and you will be fine...
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Old Aug 1st 2010, 3:47 am
  #29  
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Default Re: Dutch people

Originally Posted by Sarah_89

I am still finding the lack of politeness to be a bit difficult as I am naturally a polite person. They can indeed come across as a bit snobby, and I really dislike snobs. They seem to lack charm/charisma.
where as you, on the other hand, are a prime example of someone with charm and charisma...the irony of it all.
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Old Aug 2nd 2010, 3:26 pm
  #30  
 
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Default Re: Dutch people

Sarah, many thanks for coming back after a long absence from this forum. I agree it can childish to disagree over the internet, so why come back and stir the pot again.?


Maybe after all of this time living in the Dutch society you should have mellowed a wee bit, but maybe not.

Last edited by Casa Santo Estevo; Aug 2nd 2010 at 3:48 pm.
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