{"id":184,"date":"2008-10-07T19:06:27","date_gmt":"2008-10-07T23:06:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/dutch\/?p=5"},"modified":"2008-10-07T19:06:27","modified_gmt":"2008-10-07T23:06:27","slug":"going-dutch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/dutch\/going-dutch\/","title":{"rendered":"Going Dutch"},"content":{"rendered":"

The last couple of days I\u2019ve been searching the internet, trying to find an interesting topic to write about. Since I usually write short fiction stories and not non-fictional articles, I find it takes a bit of readjusting, similar to some kind of cultural shock! <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I stumbled across a website about non-Dutch people living in the Netherlands. I never knew what a negative image most people have about the Netherlands or the Dutch!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Overall the members of that website were really generalising the Dutch, as if we are all the same. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Now, I can tell you right now, that in the eyes of the Dutch, I\u2019m an oddball as well. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

An outsider. On the other hand, Urkers feel the same way about all the other various Dutch people. Outsiders. Not one of the group. It\u2019s a battle between regions.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

When I went to school in Emmeloord, it was a given that Urkers would not get along with Lemsters (people living in the village Lemmer) or other Frisians. <\/span>True, most of the kids from the concerned regions acted that way, but there certainly were notable exceptions. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I could get along quite well with certain girls from Lemmer, there were also a few girls I could not get along with. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Look at the different states in America. Aren\u2019t some people from one state biased about people in another state? Isn\u2019t it really the same everywhere?<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

So, if people can be so different, even when living in the same country, why do so many people think we are al alike? <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Stereotyping. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

An American guy is usually pictured with big sunglasses, a cowboy hat, cowboy boots and a godawfull over the top accent. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

English are pictured in immaculate suits, bowler hats and a stiff upper lip <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Japanese are almost always pictured with squinted eyes, yellow tan and a huge photo camera. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Think about the Netherlands and you immediately picture those grand mills, rustic farms, tulips, wooden shoes (clogs) and hashish. Yeah, you did, didn\u2019t you!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I guess there\u2019s just not really a way around stereotyping. I think it happens everywhere around the globe and to be honest, the Dutch really do have some quirky habits. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Some even I find strange, others seem just so normal to me I can\u2019t understand why other people would find them strange.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

One example? <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Okay, how about the famous: Going Dutch?<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

You must have heard about it. Friends go to a restaurant and at the end of the evening, when it\u2019s time to pay, each person pays their part of the total amount. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Call me a dumb or quirky Dutch person, but can someone explain to me why this is so strange, even frowned upon by so many people? <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I mean, lets say you go to a restaurant with a bunch of friends (say, seven) and each friend orders at least a 50 euro plate and each friend orders for about 50 euro\u2019s of drinks. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The bill would be 700 euro\u2019s. I don\u2019t know about you, but I don\u2019t even have that kind of money sitting idly about in my bank account! At the end of my salary, there\u2019s still a large portion of month to go. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

So out of real and honest curiosity; at the end of the evening, who picks up the tab or should pick up the tab?<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

And yes, when I answer the phone, I don\u2019t say \u2018Hello\u2019, I say my family name. If I received a nickel for every person who dialled the wrong number, or asked my name in the rare case I did say \u2018Hello\u2019, I\u2019d be a very wealthy woman right now!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The last couple of days I\u2019ve been searching the internet, trying to find an interesting topic to write about. Since I usually write short fiction stories and not non-fictional articles, I find it takes a bit of readjusting, similar to some kind of cultural shock! I stumbled across a website about non-Dutch people living in…<\/p>\n

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