Dutch Culture Shock: An American’s First Week In The Netherlands

Dutch Culture Shock: An American’s First Week In The Netherlands

hi I’m Dennis hi hi and this is Peter 
my friend from New York city in America and   you visited us for the first time in the 
Netherlands for one week and we want to   talk about your first impressions of the 
Netherlands I’ll do that but how was my   high high you didn’t do a high high this 
time I think did you do a high high high   high oh yeah I that’s what I’ve been 
hearing everyone say to me and I like   it so I’m going to do it yeah keep it keep 
it going bring it into America like yeah so first impressions First Impressions 
um I’m going to use the word quirky Chic oh   I think everything in Amsterdam that I saw when 
I was walking around was very stylish but also   very geometric so things look organized and 
neat but then something’s tilted or something’s   a little special and I like that because it’s a 
major city but there’s little nuances that make   it very special so I enjoyed that um Dutch people 
I mean I’ve known these guys but Dutch people some   people say hi they smile but as soon as soon as 
you say hi to someone it’s a smile and a high   back so I liked that um I thought the Dutch people 
would made this trip wonderful I had a really   nice time um so overall it’s been a great trip um 
have you noticed because like we visited Amsterdam   in the beginning it was the first day but then 
you got to the other side like to the east of the   country where it’s more Rural and stuff do you 
see the the people say that we are very direct   did you see that during this week yes you 
know just in little instructions it wasn’t oh   let me help you with that or let me do that just 
like no go that way this you know do you want a   big receipt a little receipt which is something 
different you know it wasn’t you know wasn’t a   big conversation but people were very friendly 
um direct I think more with the people you know   I don’t think like people in public were more 
direct a little bit no yeah but you got to see   some of our friends our family I saw you guys be 
more direct with each other I think everyone knew   I was the tourist and was maybe a little nicer 
but everyone’s very direct um were you were you   scared by it as a tourist or what how what did it 
make you feel not scared um but I like small talk   you know I’m American I say hi to everybody um so 
I was a little apprehensive like should I say hi   to these people but everyone was friendly you know 
did you know said things here and there tried to   speak that was one thing that I really appreciated 
if you tried to say something people responded   back not like when you go other countries and 
they’ll just cuz everyone here speaks English   and they speak English very very well but you know 
they would try to let you butcher their language   like I’ll try wait I think we dankjewel there we go 
very good what other words do you remember leer   yeah you had the shirt leer when you came through 
the on the airport you had the shirt well you   told me that meant hi it does hi and welcome yeah 
welcome it means tasty yeah um good good goed goed   Van Gogh instead of Van Gogh um yeah you’re halfway 
there that’s I’m it’s it’s okay what is it let   me sorry see you can do it you can do it but I 
think it was interesting because I was at this   great museum that I went to coolest Museum which 
one was it the Kroller Moller that was   it was really beautiful um and I’m listening to 
the audio guide and I said who is Van Gogh who is Van Gogh  said I don’t understand and then I then I figured 
out and then you saw the paintings like oh it’s   go yeah all right can we talk about European 
air conditioning talk about the air conditioning   it’s actually not as bad as Americans might say 
like when you watch TikTok like I literally saw   one today where someone was in the US had like a 
window unit checking into the airport but they’re   probably going to Italy Greece somewhere like that 
here it’s pretty good you go into stores you go   into the supermarket fine even houses have it um 
is it on as much as Americans not really not at   all it’s only when it’s really really hot I’m used 
to Subzero like you walk in and you need a jacket   so it’s a little different I’m sweating right now 
I’m a little bit. our air conditioning has   not been on as much in since the like three years 
that we got it since for for this week yes like we   would be sitting in our house and it would be just 
perfect and was he was like can we turn on the   I was like yeah sure but it’s like for us Dutch 
people not all houses have air conditionings okay   it’s getting more and more because summers are 
getting hotter but we don’t turn it on unless we   really feel like H but I think it’s also a little 
bit Dutch cheapness which I appreciate you know   what that’s the main thing that I appreciate about 
Dutch culture I think there’s a Simplicity but a   sophistication with it too meaning that you don’t 
need a lot and you know just going to to leadle or   other grocery stores you could have a very good 
meal good cheese good wine for much cheaper in   the US everyone can enjoy good quality stuff so 
I appreciate that that’s one thing I think I’m   going to take home where you don’t need to go 
to the fanciest shop and do this and you know   just getting together with friends and family 
it’s not you know I don’t know I just got to   appreciate but you know was also you know it’s not 
similar I mean it was vacation for me but I was   living with people versus being in a hotel and the 
beach or something like that so I appreciate it [Music] talking about groceries and food that we had we 
had a lot of Dutch food this week right yeah I   thought I was coming here to lose weight because 
I heard about Dutch portions but I don’t know   about that one we I don’t know it’s been pretty 
good we wanted to give you American approved   what were kind of like your favorite items that 
you tasted over the week oh a lot um can I have   a few or just one yeah a few go ahead um I really 
like just I do this any European city or anywhere   around the world that I go it’s just going to a 
supermarket and getting cheese and other stuff   um little weird but I really liked the the ooor 
oo is like ox sausage it’s not Ox sausage it’s Ox   raw meat it’s like tarar yeah it’s raw meat yeah 
and in the US do we have that yes but you have to   go to a very expensive shop or the fine dining you 
know French restaurant you don’t you can’t go into   the store into the CT jelli section and get it at 
first I was like what is that do we have to cook   it and it was really good so if I could find it at 
home I’ll I’ll eat it I maybe a Polish market or   something um the cheese was good you guys have um 
the toothpaste style large sauces that I like oh   the the yeah that’s so unique like cuz you could 
just squeeze it on things it makes it much easier   because you’re not like taking knives and stuff 
but I really enjoyed going to the cafeteria Len   is that what it’s called yeah well that’s just 
our but we have the cafeterias and the snack bars   where you get like the fries and the deep fried 
snacks yeah and let me tell you about that so at   first he’s like we’re going to the cafeteria and 
I I first thought of some you know going to the UK   I’m like oh it’s probably like a chip shop maybe 
a few different things it’s going to be like not   my best meal but it’ll be good it’ll be like nice 
greasy food it was so good it was so good it is   it was cuz cuz it wasn’t just you know here’s your 
fried food it was um things put together that you   wouldn’t normally put so they would take french 
fries and we had three different kinds one had   like a beef stew on it one had a peanut sauce 
a saté sauce and um mayonnaise mayonnaise on   everything there’s some that’s why the mayonnaise 
is this big it’s bigger than American say I’ve   even at Costco I’ve never seen mayonnaise that big 
crazy right um oh a cool thing about Dutch culture   which I’m curious if you’re an American viewer 
comment below is um did you know that there’s   like an indones an Indonesian influence one of the 
colonies it’s something that I didn’t know maybe   other people do you know the Caribbean you know 
you know other places obviously New York there   was you know um colonization but um the Indonesian 
culture you see it come in where Chinese food has   a little more of what we eat like Thai food you 
know there’s the satate and the peanut sauce um   but the Chinese soup was cool it’s more noodles 
I don’t know I thought that was cool and um the   other cool can I keep going please cuz I talk 
a lot I love it that’s why we’re here we want   to hear your experience but I’ve met my match um 
we went to the open air mum Museum but how do you   say it yeah open air museum no but open museum 
open L Museum and you know everything there was   windmills and stuff but there was a whole section 
about the Indonesian influence and you got to go   around and see the flowers and the things and 
I appreciated that because it uh I don’t know   it spoke to something different but you see 
it it’s not just like oh it happened like you   see it in the food similar to like Indian food 
in the UK a lot of the Dutch people don’t even   realize that it’s the influence from the time 
that we colonized Indonesia like the sa sauce   peanut sauce and the noodle disc that you loved 
as well right the yeah the bami inside is it’s   all comes from that culture and a lot of people 
don’t even realize because it’s so common here I   also never knew it until I was older because we 
would eat like those types of things weekly the   bami dishes or or rice dishes from Indonesia 
is it taught in school you know the influence   and of course the the like the history is taught 
but never the connection was for me at least it   didn’t click foodwise like that whole thing yeah 
wait we have to stop the whole video no the best   food oh what was your mom’s meatballs oh I was 
like what where’s he going I forgot about that   I was thinking when we went out and other stuff 
but um just real quick cuz I feel like well it’s   stuffer it’s it’s you know Foods involved we also 
did a little pancake n which I am definitely going   to do at home um panakin panacan panacan yeah I 
remember no yeah yeah you remember um but they   put the pancake and the bacon was inside but you 
put it actually in the batter and then you flip it   and then um there was one that we made with sugar 
and I think the lemon was your touch right no it’s   a French touch oh okay yeah um but it was good and 
then the syrup I I do like maple syrup better but   I do the syrup was good mhm but it it definitely 
went with it like I would buy it and and do it   it goes very well with the bacon the sweetness 
of this syrup this type of syrup with the bacon   Heaven what were the puffy ones called puffers the 
puffers little round puffy pancak I mean that you   can’t beat oh and ‘s Cake let me tell you about’s 
cake the apple pie oh it was so good that was the   best apple anything I’ve ever tasted in my life 
Dutch apple pies are something else you’ll have   the French T which is amazing I have to say but 
the Dutch I also love it it’s very cinnamony and   it has raisin thick you could tell someone it 
takes a long time for someone to make and um   it’s layered it’s not just like American apple pie 
is good but this was this was better sorry sorry   this was much better I you might be shipping me 
an Oma pie or recipe oh recipes there are plenty   on online but it’s really something else I also 
love it’s my one cake that I always love have you   made it before I have but not recently I did in 
the past I have but it’s not that complicated I   have to say but it just takes a little bit of 
time so that’s why I prefer buying it [Music] BR had to be silent for 10 minutes she need to 
leave out a little rolling over oh sorry he’s   very stri see I’m not the strict one Tim is very 
strict as well anyway I’m German sorry take three   so another thing um I mean I know a little French 
Italian people talk with their hands they pointing   at stuff German lovely people language is hard to 
understand but Dutch is really hard to understand   because it’s you hear a few words here and there 
and like I can understand what you’re saying   but it has to be in context it’s not I don’t I’m 
not hearing the words I just hear like someone’s   name like they’re coming over like you can kind of 
piece together if you know what’s happening if you   threw me in the middle of someone’s house that I 
never met i’ have no idea it’s um a lot of people   say Americans are loud Dutch people are loud too 
and not in a bad way it’s just I I I wouldn’t say   it’s like a very like oh hello how are you like 
it’s loud and it’s um it’s a an emotive language   mhm like where people Express themselves um but 
it’s a little harder to pick up as a tourist I   will say it’s not as um but I think like you said 
earlier in the video I think we appreciate it if a   person tries at least to say duny or if few words 
we love that that’s perfect you don’t need to do   more than that because we’ll adapt to we have 
we are very used to adapting because we’re such   a small country so we learn other languages too 
and everyone knows English so I think it’s like   kind of you know you don’t have to you can kind of 
just but you try but at first that was something   very funny at first I was like if if you know me 
I talk not a lot but I talk and I’m friendly but   I was afraid to talk because like I didn’t know 
what to say like if you know French or you know   a few words I was just like so I’d be in a store 
like I’ve never done this in my life like paying   without seeing anything it looked like like like 
I was unfriendly and I was just like putting up my   card and like walking away but then then I got 
used to it yeah I think we glamorize European   cultures Americans glamorize like oh it’s dutch 
oh it’s French it’s British like it’s so cool   it’s it’s normal things are normal you know you 
talk a lot about Dutch frugality know I I see   it um but I also see it’s I think you took you 
explained it to an extreme where I thought I’d   be like you know reusing towels for 3 months like 
it was or like I couldn’t you know turn on the   air conditioner like it it wasn’t like that and I 
think people can still like the restaurants like   you saw people go out and have a nice meal which 
price-wise was very comparable to like a high-end   American restaurant so it’s not like you know 
everyone’s sitting at home with like pasta and   ramen like people you know there are you know 
things um but I think I appreciate it a little   more because I think that Dutch people value 
certain things and you know like you can’t have   a big car and you can’t you know certain there’s 
no space there’s no space but I’m starting to like   it made me think about those things like do I need 
that I need that Wine’s a lot cheaper do you need   the 30 Bott dollar bottle of wine like it’s it’s 
just you know like things are simple and they’re   not the quality is good I think that’s what it is 
if the quality for lower price items in America m   were as good as Dutch lower pric items I think 
it would be a lot easier to be frugal in America   yeah yeah so what would be the one thing you 
would want to tell a foreign tourist or somebody   thinking about maybe moving here even what would 
you tell them about the Netherlands that you would   say this is what you this is like in one senses or 
whatever get to know the people they’re what make   the country um you know I think that the people 
here they’re funny and and I say quirky and that’s   mhm um they’re funny and they’re quirky but not 
in a bad way it’s like it’s not like boring and   rigid and Rule following it’s you know it’s 
people that enjoy life get along with each   other family is important friends um but it’s I 
use the word quirky because people just I don’t   know they made me laugh like they were personable 
there was charm to it it wasn’t standoffish at   all um very opinionated as well but in their 
own way maybe like like you said everybody has   their own opinion and allowed to be everyone 
has a strong personality where people aren’t   chameleons you know and people have a sense of 
identity that’s what I’ve learned where I saw   very different people within the same town but 
everyone gets along so it’s not very like uniform   mhm no not at all but there’s a commonality like 
people look different they sound different they   you know do different jobs but I I really think 
that’s a really perfect way of saying it the way   you just said it there’s a lot of personality but 
also within like a community kind of field so you   are allowed to be who you are I think that is yeah 
yeah I think that is a perfect way of summing it   up like and also Dutch culture too I think there 
there is an American influence there’s a British   influence you know you can get what you need it’s 
not like you’re coming here and you’re going to   be without X Y and Z or you can’t go to this type 
of restaurant or you know um I think I don’t know   what do you think do you think like let’s say I 
was an American that moved to a Dutch town do you   think people would welcome me would I feel like an 
outsider um it all depends on the town there are   also towns that find it hard to let new people in 
but that doesn’t need to be a foreigner just need   if if I would move to that town they would also 
have a hard time letting me in it depends on the   village on the town on the people the community 
also what what you do yourself and work like if   you are very open like you are you met some of our 
friends some of our family you are very open and   you would go and do initiative and take you you 
would put effort into it everything takes effort   but also for a Dutch person to move to a new town 
right so it all depends I think you would be fine   but of course it’s like I think Americans are 
open and friendlier a little bit easier like when   we came to America it was like it was so super 
super friendly and easy to connect with for the   Dutch it might take a little bit longer like it’s 
like a little first layer you need to peel off or   something but then I see that I see that look I’ve 
known you guys for a long time and I think I even   know some members of your family I think I have 
the same advice that I give to move to any country   too you can’t come and you can compare it 
you can’t say oh why are the cars too small   why are you know you have to embrace it too and 
appreciate it so it’s not you know you may find   some things that are different just the same as 
someone you know Dutch that came to America so   exactly perfect wow wow thanks I loved it well you 
know what we have to do at the end which is so the   most interesting thing that I heard on this you 
know everyone I’ve he I’ve heard a lot of noises   at the end of conversations when people leave 
the house you know in America it will just be   like all right see you later bye here um maybe 
we could do the range of them I’ve heard I’ve heard woo but like and I was like what is 
that I thought it was like a bird sanctuary   it is no but it but it’s but at first I 
was like this is a little weird but like   it’s not weird like oh my god get me out 
of here I’m afraid but it was kind of cute   it’s kind of cute and now I do it like when 
people leave they go that’s the perfect   ending to this video right do I’m just going 
to sit here thanks for watching subscribe if   you haven’t already I’m just going to let him 
make one of a few more of those noises and I   can’t wait to see you again or to come back to 
America of course to see more of the American   culture yourself but you do go [Music] 
go you have more I’ll do a mask on one very masculine thanks bro b high 
five come to the Netherlands yes

Dutch Culture Shock: An American’s First Week In The Netherlands

Our American friend visited the Netherlands for the first time. At the end of the week we talked about his experiences and first thoughts on Dutch Culture. Did he experience culture shock? What was his first reaction? We share it all in this honest discussion.

Here on STUFR we stuff our faces with amazing food all over the world. We love traveling the world and discovering new places and cultures. We bring you travel guides, we share new and unique food tips with you and we also love to talk about culture. We hope you enjoy our content.
Tim & Dennis.

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