I’ve lived in the Netherlands for a couple of years and I think in this time, I have been able to see a good variety of Dutchness. There are plenty of things I like, but there are some things I find simply vervelend. I decided to compose a list of 4 things I dislike about the Netherlands. Which ones do you agree with? Which would you add?
I know this is perhaps the most cliché of all complaints, but I just simply cannot get used to not seeing the sun for 7 days in a row. January was a particularly sunless month, and I’ve certainly suffered it. Two weeks ago, when the sun finally came out here in Limburg, I ran outside just to soak on it.
There are definitely food varieties in the Netherlands that I love like stroopwafels, poffertjes and haring, but I absolutely hate a lot more than I love. Dutch food, for me, is too greasy (do we need to fry everything), or I cannot see what it has (like the mushed up soups…I personally like to see the veggies I eat). I think stampot isn’t that bad, but I cannot understand why vegetables need to be stomped or mushed up to the point of no recognition.
I can’t say I hate this phrase, but I find it so bizarre that I just cannot bring myself to say it. What does that even mean to do normal or act normal. What is normal? I tried it once with a student and it just felt awful coming out of my mouth. I don’t want people to act normal (whatever that means), I want people to be themselves! Maybe I would like a student to stop being silly, but is silly not part of being normal?
I must say I am someone who likes to plan ahead and hates for people to cancel plans at the last minute. But….planning dinners and activities one month in advance (even two!) is something I hate. How do I know if I will be in the mood for it in a month? Will we even be talking then? What if something more important comes up? We Mexicans tend to be very very spontaneous by making plans an hour or two before said event, so this idea of agendas and long-term planning is very too much for me. Is planning two weeks at a time too much to ask?
What things do you dislike about the Netherlands?
Comments:
Hart:
I definitely agree with het weer! Can’t get used to the brrrrrr koud, and why is it also cold in summer??
Add to the list: directness of some Dutch people. Hahaa! Guess that’s some getting used to, but defintely better than the characters I have to deal with while in Asia!
Kathryn:
I hate having to constantly watch the sidewalk or roads, because people don’t clean up after their dogs. Consequently, there is dog s**t everywhere…. even in front of schools!
yvonne:
I’m sorry you don’t like some of the things in Holland. I would love to spend time there as I was born in Rotterdam. Try living in Australia where you can’t breathe in the summer months, because it is too hot and it sucks up your energy and you become lethargic and unable to do anything. I love bike riding, but it is too dangerous here. Stampot is our winter food in Holland, especially zuurkool and boerekool. So yummy on a cold night with rookworstje. In Oz we have greasy sausages dripping in fat which was our first meal here. Quite a favourite as they are being sold outside main shops. I miss the friendliness in Holland and knowing you belong.
Carla Henrichsen:
Having lived in Holland for 21 years, and visited it many times after my marriage to an US Army officer, your post made me smile.
“Doe maar normaal, dan doe je al gek genoeg” is indeed a typical Dutch expression, but I am not sure if it is meant to be “profound” in any way. It’s something a mother would tell herrestless teenage daughter… I was told several times as I recall.
What I have come to really dislike in Holland is the free use of profanities, on TV, as people converse or in print. I cannot tolerate it and it makes me uncomfortable.
Smoking in restaurants, though less prevalent than before, is always a negative for me.
I love the food, but find that mostly quick snacks, like patat frites, kroketten, nassi ballen etc. are greasy indeed. But I have no memory of doing much deep frying at home. Growing up with meat as a condiment,small pieces and Dad got more LOL, was something I still remember and appreciate to this day. And of course…there are no better cakes, pastries and of course….moorkoppen are divine. Have one for me today!!! En bedankt. PS: Have you read the book “The UnDutchables”, a great read and very funny.
Barbara:
So sad that she had to find things SHE did not like, as if the world is about her. I lived in the Netherlands for ten years, and learned to accept THEIR way of life and eating, just as I would like them to do if they moved to America. This is a very unfair article, as no one really cares what SHE likes or dislikes. The Dutch like it, apparently. The food is delicious is prepared correctly. Never an abundance, as in USA where we throw away so much. So MANY lovely things in Holland…look for the positive. You find what you look for…
Danielle:
@Barbara Amen would love an opportunity to live where my dad is from
barbara:
So offensive. Nobody should go to any other country to criticize that country and its cultures, traditions, and foods.
Gerben:
As a native even I hate the rainy weather and the Dutch food. The “Doe normaal” thing is so ingrained that I have no preference either way. However I can really find myself in the way you describe to let people be themselves.
Now the planning thing is something I’ve never heard of or seen in any of these lists. It’s funny and I have no other experiences to compare it with. I guess it is part of the culture, as you can also see in the many meetings we create as part of the ‘poldermodel’.
Peter Simon:
Dear Barbara,
I must defend Karoly here I’m afraid. She’s definitely not come to the Neth. to criticize it or its culture, but she hasn’t come here to praize what she doesn’t like either, neither have you I suppose. The purpose of the article I assume was to keep a sort of balance. It would be great if we could find a country we absolutely and totally adore but is there a country that completely suit us? If an author only idolizes everything there is in a blog, do you think that would strike the readers as completely authentic and believable? Besides, a blog is basically about what the AUTHOR thinks and feels, how SHE finds the way of things and the culture, not about YOU. The world is not about her, but her blog is. She has a right to express how she feels. If YOU don’t care, it’s YOUR business, I don’t really care (and possibly neither does she). If you criticize her, you have no place here. If you argue with her and debate what her opinion is, you are welcome I presume.
I for one definitely came here owing to a lot of things I liked about here back 8 years ago but that hasn’t stopped me from disliking some other things – and food is definitely among such things. You must be blind not seeing that there are negative things here too. So yes, Dutch food is bland and boring if I compare it with a lot of other kinds of cuisine. So I avoid it and make my own with a lot of variation, spices and herbs. And so does my best friend who happens to be from China. Eating preferences and the palate are among things one can’t change just like that, especially not after several decades of living elsewhere. You must be very young not to see that, probably that’s where your self-assurance is coming from – the arrogance of youth (but after 10 years living here you may have completely assimilated, right? poor you, having forgotten all about your happy childhood). And there are a number of other basic tastes and instincts that don’t dissipate at the whip of the magic wand either. One doesn’t become a catholic or a protestant coming here, does one, depending on which village or town one settles down in?
You also don’t seem to be an advocate of multiculturalism or even to recognize the advantages. Why do you think so many people go to pizzerias or eat kebabs or sushi so often? You may not have done so but they are obviously frequented by masses for a reason. And that changes eating habits of Dutch people as well as catering for other nations (there are few Japanese here so it must be others who like sushi, though I don’t). Do you remember what people used to say about food in Britain? Same as here. Well, not any more, it has changed so much and serves now all palates comfortably and happily. That’s the path the Netherlands are walking down as well for the good of all concerned because, to be honest, only to eat the tasteless mashed stuff they originally come up with would only benefit the sick and tired. One reason I lost so many kilos when I had to stay in the hospital for a month once.
As to waste, you can’t say much – you apparently haven’t seen how much prepared food restaurants here have to throw away if they haven’t sold it after 2 hours! Health regulations! I’ve seen what it means in practice as I used to work in one. Absolutely disgusting to see although one understands the reason. Those doing the same in the USA may be more aware of health issues associated with old food than the average Dutch household, that’s all.
So you look for the positive, we go on looking for reality and the truth as far as we can see it. That’s the way we find a lot more than we look for.
thesmallgirl:
Haha, your article is quite entertaining, thank you for posting it! 😀 I’m a buitenlander myself as well, and although I love the food here (at home we have food with vegies even more mashed than here – yes, it IS possible! :D),and our friends plan events just as spontaneously as you do, I enjoyed reading your thoughts, they were like Poirot complaining about the English weather and food etc. :)))
“Doe normaal” is strange for me only in a way that it is considered normaal here to make all train seats and tables dirty: people even put their shoes on the seats here, and the tables are usually spilled with something, and not cleaned afterwards. But it’s ok, I’m used to it now, and I just clean the table myself, and put a handkerchief to the stains of the seat – just like Poirot. 😀
Btw although where I came from there is no 24/7 sunny weather, and we have cold winters, we also have warm summer nights for about a month length, when you can go out to an open air pub/club, and sit/dance there till the sun comes up, and you don’t need more clothes than a short dress and a short cardigan – I miss it tremendously as well.
Finally I want to mention that just as Poirot, although I’m complaining, I love this land. <3
chieta:
Nice comment Peter Simon. Liberty of speech is the thing that I love the most in the Netherlands. Telling the truth gives ways to be constructive and making things better – as opposed to things going in Russia or China. Even in everyday life. Let’s say you are trying dress yourself fabulous for your date. Do you prefer a polite friend, or someone who tells you the truth, that your jeans is too small for your buttocks, so you can choose something else to wear and do look fabulous at the end?
Peter Simon:
Hi folks again! Thanks to chieta, and Kathryn for suggesting dog turd for dislike. This latter is exceedingly and already exceptionally infuriating because it’s all over the place. It’s especially disturbing on grass – my grandchildren would love to run about, after all, they’re 2 and 4, would like to play in the sand and love the glijbaan, but no, there’s turd even in the sand of the playground for god’s sake!!! This leads mother to practically forbid the kids to play outside the sidewalks – absurd, and, though I understand her (I hate having to clean my shoes off the stuff too), I hate to explain it to the kids again and again and keep telling them to be exceptionally careful. This is supposed to be a kid-friendly country, but it’s seriously hampered by dogs of the careless.