Dutch directness: "Say what you mean and do what you say. And be nice to people, even if you disagree with them." A wise lesson learned from my father long time ago while growing up.
I agree. A lot of Dutch folks could'n be frank and open in the past. It might be so for a lot of people even today. No such thing as The Dutchman. There was great emphascise on doing the right thing for the community you would live in. And the so called frankness is being regarded quite differently in different provinces or social groups, but for the most, it's considered good practice to be clear and also be nice. There's no reason to be outspoken and be an asshole. I myself speak out maybe too frankly, but always respecfully (with flaws). And if people seem to react harshfully towards me, it problably couldn't be my fault. Or it could be, not my intention to be hurtfull. So there's always enough room to talk it out. I guess. Sorry for the wrong spelling in some places. It took me quite some time to think about this all and the spelling tool doesn't seem to play along tonight. Wish you all the best!
Yes, be respectful and open to each others thoughts and believes. Discuss it in a polite way. Don't let language be a barrier, errors are acceptable as long as the true meaning is clear. But don't disrespect me or try to force your way of thinking on me, otherwise my Dutch directness will show. Irony and sarcasm are a way of living in the Netherlands and I am quite good at it.
This channel and the stuff you cover are one of the reasons I'm working on my plan to move there. I'm learning Dutch on a few different apps and I'm brushing up on my profession. I'm hoping to move around the early-to-middle of 2026.
You're welcome, but please be open to change some mindsets, convictions and don't make our country more American. It also will be confronting. We don't make new friends as easy as Americans, you'll need to invest longer. Also Amsterdam is overfull so you might try living in another fun city. There are enough. Also the better your Dutch, the better your job options. So many expats work in restaurants and bars, after losing their special job that brought them over and can't find an equal level job, as they have too little choice, not speaking Dutch. Just saying.
One of the reasons the Affordable Care Act (aka 'Obamacare') appear to have flounderd (despite the well-known lack of affordable health care in the US) was apparently the American unwillingness to pay for other people. In general, Americans feel everyone has to pay their own way, refusing to accept a system based on solidarity. Dutch society (still) thinks of such solidarity in an opposite way, not judging the poor as 'lazy'or such. I'm very glad we do that.
The same applies to all insurance: as long as you don't need it, you can think that you are unlucky because you are only paying for others. But if you do not benefit from the insurance, it is because you were lucky....
Four years ago, I came to the Netherlands from the UK. I agree all your comments and think to myself what a horrible place the US must be to live in. The UK is not so different. But I would add to your comments the fact that the cycling here is an absolute joy. And the fact that so many people cycle means that most city centres are traffic free. They are beautifully quiet and unpolluted by traffic fumes. The Netherlands is brilliant, but I am worried about the lurch to the right and the direction the country might go under the current government. I wonder how you are getting on with your Dutch ? Ik kan nu goed Nederlands spreken 😊
I'll tell you directly: what I like about your videos is that there is no unnecessary background music, which in other videos is often a matter of taste and also makes it difficult to understand what is being said.
'Our girl' is not as superficial as she thinks. I think she's actually quite deep, appreciating beauty, instead of just focusing on efficiency. Keep that up, Ava. You're doing great.
The 1970's lefty politics has had such a positive and long lasting effect on Dutch society that nowadays it's taken for granted. For example, all those "liveable cities" are because of left policies. People are not seeing that with our current short-term focused, inward looking, right-wing government we risk breaking down the social fabric that has served us so well, so naturally even, that we stopped thinking about it. Channels like this give dutchies an outside perspective and hopefully the realization that we need to rethink our current trajectory.
Left Wing cities are not livable. Go to Kensington road in philadelphia. Or St. Fransisco and Portland. Only the big dutch cities are Progressive. But the majority and our Dutch governement is Right Wing leaning.
It comes and goes in waves, a few decades with lots of progress, followed by a few with conservatism because it went too fast. Than we look around and see other countries passing us by and progress starts again.
I think Dutch society is so strong that it can not be destroyed by a few years of failed government by those nincompoops. For now they only have been quarreling and not achieved anything whatsoever in more than a year...
I really appreciated and related to all the things you pointed out in this video as a U.S. American myself. I too am an immigrant though not in the Netherlands but in Mexico and the first two reasons you listed really resonated with me: taking time for the little things, especially in the morning and appreciating beauty in your surroundings. I must have both these things in order to feel a sense of satisfaction with my life and I do have them here. I am not going to make this message about my love of Mexico, (I easily could) I just wanted to say that if I were financially better off the Netherlands would have been one of my top choices of places to relocate, but as is with all things you make the most of what you have and I did that and I’m happy with how things have worked out and where I am. Continue to be happy and content in the Netherlands as I am in Mexico! Take care!
If you have a profession then it is possible to come over because we need a lot of good professionals. And they will even pay for the move if you want to come. We need nurses and doctors and lot's more... And I would be contacting company's if I wanted to move over. We are getting people from all over the globe. And you will be a lot saver if I am to believe the media.😀
@ one more thing, don’t believe the media. US media has been pushing the narrative that Mexico is a dangerous and scary place for as long as I can remember and that’s a pretty long time. Yes, there are some dangerous areas of Mexico, but Mexico is a large country and while this maybe anecdotal, in all my time here, which is about 4 years I have never once felt unsafe or been in any danger. I’ve lived in three different cities and visited a fourth in that time as well and I’ve not stayed in some kind of safe protected area either, you know, like a gated community or something. I walk everywhere and I don’t drive and I’ve also taken public transport. I will admit that I don’t go out at night, because I have no reason, I’m a day time person. And I think that my being brown may have something to do with my being safe here, as a brown person I don’t stand out as much, so people tend to overlook me and I don’t look like I have much money either and I’m sure that helps. I feel a bit defensive about Mexico, because it has been good to me and I wanted to point out to you that there is much more to Mexico than what you may see or read in the media. Being brown, I would tend to stand out in the Netherlands I think and I don’t know if that would be a good or bad thing. Well, I think I’ve said enough. Bye!
Being surrounded by beauty feeds the soul. Wanting that is not superficial. (It might just be an extension of wanting to be connected to nature?) Anyway, do not sell yourself short for this want/need. I think it is important and healthy to have beautiful things in sight.
It's funny that when you were talking about the Dutchs favour of aesthetics you showed the flower bike (bloemenfiets) which there are many of in Amsterdam, as you of course know already. But they are made by an American artist (Warren Gregory) in honor of his wife. It's a really sweet story and worth checking out.
I'm planning to move to NL from the US for university, I'm lucky to have EU citizenship and I feel like the cheaper tuition is something I can't pass up. I feel like I'd be making a huge mistake if I didn't take advantage. I visited the Netherlands in October and I absolutely loved it. Every video I see makes me more confident I should continue to go through with it. I think it might be really hard to miss my friends and my family, but I also feel like I'd have serious FOMO if I never gave it a shot. ❤
Good luck and have fun, also make sure you pass. And most dutch people are actually very nice.Direct but nice. Just one little advice sometimes it's a lot cheaper to rent something outside the city (depends where) , with good, decent public transport connections. That is something you have to figure out on your own (or with help from reading). Look at public traffic schemes and how often they run and the starting and end times. (most of them are also in English) All i wanna say is have fun and get what's app for video calling with you family. Do research on it, an hour research can save a lot of money and frustration.
@@erikaverink8418 Yeah, the public transportation system and bike infrastructure was one of my most favorite things. Here it is impossible to live without a car. I don't mind driving too much, but I'd much rather not need to. I'm not planning to get a car in NL.
@@apodexseit's not common that students on the university have a car. The parking is not designed for that. The bike parking and the transit links are
One tip, start looking for living space way before you get to the Netherlands, it is increasingly difficult to find a place to live for students and can get pretty darned expensive
Extra: no weapons!!! So everybody, adults, children and also the police them selves feel secure in public. You can walk on the streets, everywhere and at every time. And it goes for everybody. That makes moving around in public a relaxed thing. Everybody being open, friendly and relaxed……
To be very honest .. shouldn't we say that it's kind of naive to trust your government, police forces, army, and anybody who has the right to be armed ? US constitution second amendment gets it right - a weapon is just a weapon.. weapons don't kill we all know that, and knives don't kill either. Elke massagenocide in de wereld is voorafgegaan door ... precies, zorg ervoor dat ze zich niet meer kunnen verdedigen en vertel ze dat daarmee veiliger zijn. Vadertje staat.. hè ?
Not true It's quite easy to get a gun licence in the Netherlands if you follow the rules for it and not have a crimminal record. I've had one since I was 18........
@@charlesmartel6103 How would that have been made better if both sides had had guns? Yeah there was a screwup there by authorities (for having such a risky match at all, and having supporters present to boot) but do you know why it got so much attention? Because its so incredibly _rare_ A few years ago a girl got murdered by a psychopath. It made the national news and was the talk of the day for a week. In the US that stuff doesnt even get full state wide coverage, if it made national news you would need a separate channel for it. Fifty+ school shootings every year in the US versus zero over here. The US isnt even in the same ballpark safety wise.
I always enjoy your video's, Ava. It holds up a mirror to quite a few of us Dutch folk. Then again, the way you do that with a lot of humor really appeals, at least to me :) Keep it up!
The way you describe your experience with Dutch directness made me think it's similar but different from the experience Dutch people have with American friendliness. A stranger in America going "Hi, how are you doing? Hope you're having a great day." with a big smile on their face evoces all kind of uncanny feelings in many Europeans. LOL Like "What are you smiling about?" "Why are you being so overly friendly? Do you want something from me?"
That is true, it gives an 'off' feeling. And it comes across that they don't often mean what they say. I usually either ignore it in a friendly/civil way or I reply with a truthfull answer and they often don't know how to react back when I come with a direct and honest reply if I am not doing well that day or didn't have a fun vacation etc. for example. You asked, so I reply🤷♀️ It's a little funny sometimes to see their reaction🙈
I like your videos and please take it in humour when I say. Explaining why the Netherlands is great. Is a bit like explaining why it's a good idea to drink water every once and a while. 😄
You grew up in up-state New York-once part of "Nieuw Nederland". There may be similarities still ? From Martin van Buuren to the Roosevelt-family, Vanderbildt etc. the Dutch are a major foundation of US history...What is your view on that ?
I, have a job at a Prefab concreet factory. And start working at 6:45. But my alarm gos at 4:20. And 4:30/4:45 I make coffee and bread. At 6:00 I'm at my work. 6 minutes by bike. Than sit whit coffee and collega's. And that more than 26 years. Greetings from Bunschoten-Spakenburg.
I always love these videos that make me think: wait, that's not normal in the rest of the world? I only recently discovered that Americans don't eat a lot of sandwiches, don't have a kaasschaaf and now that they don't have coffee at home. I wonder what the next thing is that I'm going to discover is typically Dutch. "Dutch people like to drink water from a glass"?
I'd love to hear more about the immigration process itself. Were there any specific hurdles that were unexpected? Or, did you have to learn or know anything specific? What was the main way to get started?
Come to think of it, why wouldn’t you place value in your private life? Just what would be the reason to have a nice apartment and why have a relationship or marry in the first place…. Isn’t nice to spend time with your love?
Article #1 of the Dutch constitution: "All persons in the Netherlands shall be treated equally in equal circumstances. Discrimination on the grounds of religion, belief, political opinion, race, sex, or any other grounds whatsoever shall not be permitted." This is the very first line of this constitution based on the most recent constitutional review of 1983 but rooted in the 1798 most original text. As you see, no 'originalists' as the constitution is regularly re-written to fit modern day standards and language usage. ;)
About work / spare time: Here we tend to say "Ik heb geen hekel aan werken, maar er gaat zoveel vrije tijd in zitten" / "I don't hate to work, it only comsumes so much spare time". Mindset for Americans (and other breeds)?
The Netherlands isn't a tiny country. The USA just happens to be an oversized country, that you had to split into 50 states. And Russia and Canada are bigger. 🙂 --- Yes, I found some of my best friends at work. One of these friends (we used to have long philosophical and religious talks) emailed me one evening and told me he had been submitted to a psychiatric ward, and told me he contemplated ending his life. I answered as best I could (yikes!) and he replied "Good to hear." Never ever heard from him ever again... 🙁 Another, elderly, Jewish colleague, who's trust I earned, stopped answering my phone calls about a year after I'd moved. I later found his grave at the Jewish burial ground. He'd died of old age, I think. I didn't contact his family; only the Jewish 'office'. I also became a close friend with a Greenlander (Inuit) at work. He died of pneumonia while he was visiting family in Nuuk (Greenland's capital). Yes, you're right. You can find very good friends at your workplace. People even find a wife/husband. Some we loose along the way, though. Greetings. 🇩🇰
Where are you from in the united states or where did you live for the longest time? Im sure you mentioned it in a prior video but i do not remember. Just curious because your opinions of the US are based on living somewhere other than I do and some of what you mentioned isnt how I view culture in the US.
To clarify your statements about life in the US seem very much like those from someone engaged in an ambitious work environment in a top 10 metro area by population. Where I am from people generally do live much more slowly and appreciate many of the little things. I think videos like this could be done by comparing the Netherlands more to where you are from in the US and not to the country as a whole. It's a huge country with many different people that all have their own smaller culture within their region. That's why our national politics can sometimes appear to be a mess to people from other countries. Imagine the country more as 10 or more separate nations with different approaches to life and our national government as more like the EU than one nation that is 1/20th of our population and 200+ times smaller by land mass. Additionally to compare the beauty of the nations you have to do the same. The natural beauty in the United states dwarfs that of much of the countries in the world. Which again, depends where you live in the country. Only posting because I feel like you have influence in how we are viewed to the world and I can say for a fact that the United states is far from a homogeneous nation.
I do miss safety. As in that's what you have mentioned before to. Though I do get why it's not there anymore. But you asked what we miss, this is one thing.
Ava, I am far, I mean far more conservative than you are when it comes to economic issues and how they affect people and that is okay by me, I certainly enjoy watching your videos. But as progressive people hail the wonderful life that is deciding how my earned money is to be spent I often wish that the other side, opinion, argument could be heard in the same take. About the great social network provisions in The Netherlands you specifically mentioned unemployment provisions. I am more proud of a society in which gay people can live their lives with more understanding and acceptance from people around them than I am of unemployment benefits. People used to save part of their earnings and if they became unemployed those saving would tie them over financially until they found new employment. Much of this great social welfare that the Dutch have was created in the 1970's, much of it pushed through by the PvdA under leadership of Minister President Joop den Uil. Unemployment would pay 80% of your salary (seemingly indefinitely) and you were exempt from certain taxes making the benefit even greater netto. Your salary was determined by the money you earned the last 3 months that you did work. And in the late 70's we would often see (not a fluke case but massive) let's say a construction worker who would, in a scheme created with his employer, working massive overtime with an unbelievable high paycheck for 90 days, he would then after 90 days mysteriously become unemployed and receive huge unemployment pay-out. He would proceed by working construction unreported, under the table for even more income. Soon thereafter he would be seen driving his brand new Mercedes from other citizen's money and it would infuriate people around him. And by 1984, when I left the country, The Netherlands had a national debt of over 40 Billion Guilders and unemployment was 16%. This lasted until a MP Ruud Lubbers from a newly created collision party, the CDA brought some sanity in the situation and revived the economy and lowered unemployment by cutting regulations and red tape and created programs that made it easier to start businesses. I believe that The Netherlands these days have better developed programs like unemployment but here's just a slice of the other side of the story. Be well.
Because she are such s small country, it's really easy to move around. Alot of expats think they need to live thy really need bto live in the city they are going to work in. But a lot of times they don:t for instance, I live in The Hague an if imI would wannabgo to Amsterdam, it only a one hour trainride away. Dona lot of people just commute
Hi, I'm Roland. Born, raised the Dutch way and still living here. I want to thank you for consequently using 'The Netherlands' instead of 'Holland'. I guess I don't need to explain why... Sort of like if I would say that you're from Dakota. Yet I'd rather would have Anglosaxons and other English-speakers would use 'Netherland', because it's the closest to our domestic name: 'Nederland'. Of course I know where the plural comes from (Het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden (plural) / The Kingdom of the Netherlands). For the same reason one could argue that 'US', representing the USA is not completely adequate, since there are, to my knowledge, at least two other countries that could use 'US' for their country (in English, that is): The United States of Mexico and The United States of Egypt... I don't know the spelling in their home tongue, of course. BTW: Love your entries and therefore subscribed! Go on with your good work. It may get minds together. 👍
While I do agree with most of what you are saying and as a Dutchie was always proud of these aspects even, but we are unfortunately slipping, too.. The whole world is slipping in my opinion. So the things you speak about do resonate with me still, but less since, I don't know, the last 10/15 years or something? We were very progressive in the past but now not anymore, not as well as before that is and it kind of scares me a bit if I am honest where The Netherlands is going, same with the entire world..😟 There is so much division, dissatisfaction, anger and hot tempered agression.. I really hope it will balance out again..
To Americans: Having had discussions with Americans, I've come to realize (as you said) it's the survival of the fittest. But that only applies to animals, imo. Nowadays civilized countries have figured out that we better get 'free' healthcare paid via taxes. Yes, you pay for your neighbor, but he/she pays for you, when you desperately need it. That way you don't go broke when you get ill or have an accident. "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself". The Book of Leviticus 19:18.
The Netherlands and it's people like any other rich western country value individualism the most, so everybody does his own thing, that has as a consequence there isn't much of a culture. We perhaps have some traditions but that is not the same thing. I visited many places on this world and pretty much every western society is the same. Culture is a rare thing but don't pretend we have some...
The fact western countries have shared culture doesn't mean there's no culture. Western culture is literally the most omnipresent culture in the world. Western architecture, languages, ways of thinking, dressing, eating, western festivals - you see it everywhere in the world, from Africa to Japan.
@@andrisk2703 We might have some traditions but culture, not really, well I didn't noticed it... And don't forget the western world population on the whole is a minority... So not so omnipresent as you might want it to be...
@@soberstudy160 Are you serious? Who are world's most renowned philosophers, writers, scientists, musicians? Aren't they westerners? Do people all around the world wear kimono or jeans and western suit? How many people in China know how to play piano (a western instrument) and how many people in the West know how to play any chinese instrument? If you go to Africa, India or China, you will notice the majority of people wearing western clothing, using western technologies, languages and alphabets and generally looking at the world through the western cultural and political prism. Almost every aspect of life everywhere in the world is shaped by the West. Western population is a minority, but it's dominates the world's culture. You don't notice that because western culture is so omnipresent that we see it as something neutral and basic. We got blind to it. Like, we don't get surprised when we see Chinese presidents wearing western suits which is actually a very curious phenomenon, do we?
ik ga er van uit dat je ook Nederlands spreekt , dus nog een voorbeeld > als het goed is dan leven wij niet van de ene naar de andere credit card , wat je vaak ziet in Amerika omdat ze alles willen hebben wat een ander ook heeft of zelfs nog duurder , daar door moeten ze zelfs evt. 3 banen voor hebben om dit af te lossen ( waarom moet een kind van 16 een dure auto krijgen > op de creditcard) dit is wat ons op valt als je div. vlogs of tv volgt
I don’t really agree with the point of ‘caring about the small moments’. I can’t compare the Netherlands with the US, but the Netherlands feels very business oriented. To go school quickly. Go to work quickly. Take a quick break with a quick boterham (instead of a nice, ‘gezellige’ lunch with your family, or something). I don’t feel like Dutch society as a whole cares that much about the little things. It’s just… Take a break as quickly as you can and get going again.
As a Dutch person I absolutely hate to live in a terrible country. I have lived in Poland as well for a short while. And I know Russia. Actually both are financially less capable respectively to the Netherlands. Yet I prefer living in both to the Netherlands. The pure terror of the Netherlands are the taxes. These are just about to say extreme. They control every aspect of life. The Dutch civilian life is based on taxes. Whatever you buy. Can you allow yourselves to purchase it or do taxes disallow it? Are you going to keep your car or is the tax agency going to steal it? So Poland or Russia also have taxes or corruption. But at least you know what to expect. In the Netherlands you can absolutely never live in security. You'll live in a constant fear of the "belastingdienst".
The tax authorities and dying, the two certainties in the Netherlands. But if you have problems with the tax authorities, that sounds more like a 'your problem' than a 'NL problem'. If you just stick to the rules, there is no reason to have problems.
The thingy about Beauty and shallow. Nothing shallow about appriciating beauty everybody likes beauty. It only gets shallow if its only about fashion and trents and the other superficiale things connected with "beauty". Remember Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and can found in the smallest aspects of anything. O and there is nothing wrong with being "fashionable" just as long as you do it for yourself and not for the Johnseys (if thats the correct name).
What we are seeing now in The Netherlands and in the US i.m.o is that when people get scared of the future, they get more conservative. Close down more and try to ward off anything that doesn't fit in their world. That is why we see more racism, more violence and more unhappiness. That"'s a shame in my book because we just need more openness and warmth in these times and more inclusion!
It still happens, you know, but from people who come to your door trying to sell you something. ''Hello sir, how are you today I hope ............'' and then I'd cut them off by saying yeah yeah, just tell me what you want..I know they're not really interested in my day, good or bad, so yeah, just say ''Hi, I'm so and so and I wanted to tell you something you might be interested in, like an energy contract that's way cheaper than you're getting now because we've got the deal for you'' (lol). But let me stop about that, in what you already know, I just heard you say your name and I thought, isn't there a weird (but good) song about your name..and it is. ua-cam.com/video/9uWwvQKGjLI/v-deo.html&ab_channel=SmashingPumpkinsVEVO . About being selfish? Everyone is a bit selfish,in a good more normal way or in a bad way.I'm selfish while seeing that in Dutch society you can protect yourself by letting others expierence the same thing. Bad things can happen in everyone's life, like losing one's job, getting sick, wanting a long holiday, facing a hospital and getting bad news from it.By paying extra taxes,insurance, I am protected, feeling more freedom in life and others as well. Maybe I don't need any of this in my life-time, but maybe my mother, father, sister, brother or other family members or neighbours,friends etc could face bad news, a setback.Why on earth should I even think like the American way of thinking. Something happens to your family and I think, I don't care if they have to pay 80,000 dollars, end up on the street as they have to sell there house,can't afford to pay rent or have to sell other assets.Not my problem. I rather pay some lower taxes.That's the wrong and bad selfishness.Also the reason I just know that there are no Christians living in this country called USA. Self proclaimed Christians, yes , give something to charity and done with it seems to be Christianity. A very very strange way of thinking and even worse, not even believing they are doing something terrible.Towards others,even family members.Not their problem.And ending up with complaining when something bad hits them.
Oh my goodness, you still have a way to go my dear. Thinking about appreciating well designed and beautiful things as a sign of being shallow shocked me a bit 😮 Ignoring those things would be utterly shallow and superficial in my (and most non Americans) eyes. It is one of the reasons most US cities are completely soulless.
The dutch are not progressive, not really anyway. It's like the fable of the tortoise and the hare, the tortoise didn't win because he moved fast, but because he didn't stop moving. the dutch have a social contract where we will only go as slow as our slowest member, but they cannot stop the country moving forward. How progressive a country is, is usually measured by compraring it to others, other countries are (for now) pulling a hare like sprint, which makes us seem like we're slowing down.
I don't think you'll have much luck seeing anything different here, my friend. The whole vibe here is pretty urban cosmopolitan and out-of-the-loop, I'm afraid. Let's hope the international people with no real grasp of what made this country work (calvinism) won't spread out too much over the coming generations. Let them have the Dutch husk that is Amsterdam.
A refugee from Trump will find here mister president Schoof and his puppet master Wilders, so yeah it’s a lot conservative nowadays. I’ll get being anxious about the holidays season here but I’m curious if Pete is been around for the little one?
Wait a minute nice woman. One question to you, but where are your American thouhts go over into Europan state of mind? Becacause it will never be the Empire State of mind.. ( that New York promises you either). I guess I am still a wanderer for knowing Americans... how ever!
We have our own Trump, you know who... Since 2007, the law stipulates that before the soil is disturbed, it must first be investigated whether archaeological values are threatened. And if it turns out that there are (preservable) archaeological values present, then efforts must be made to preserve these values. This can be done by leaving the archaeological remains in place and adjusting the plans, or by excavating them. The law also stipulates that the initiator is responsible for the costs of the investigation.
Yeah but you live in Amsterdam. Try living in Not Amsterdam. It's Hell On Earth. Like Deventer... Ugh. Or Oss. Yuck... Or Voorburg. Holy darn, that is pure infernal dystopian.
I'm sorry, but I find you mentioning dystopia and leaving Amsterdam OUT of it highly comical. Amsterdam is the most superficial hellish landscape you will find here in The Netherlands. I should know, I go there a lot. Much to my dismay, my brother who lives there is denied acting jobs or actively kept out of the fold because he stands up for his own conservative ideas. Truly a mini-state of its own that only accomodates to those who adopt certain politics. It is the single most predictable city as far as stereotypes go among its demography. Intolerance of the so-called "tolerable" is the policy there. To claim the opposite shows you lost touch with the majority of the people in the countryside or the smaller cities that you mentioned. Tell me you're a city person, at least in spirit, without telling me you're a city person. TRUMP 2024. You may not like it, but the shift is happening here too. Best get prepared! It exists to deny your ludicracy and of what is really happening right now. People don't want any more progressive policies, especially when your nation is on the brink of collapse, and the collective mentality is one of aimlessness and growing derangement.
After your Trump remark i stopped following you, if you like him or not he was elected democraticly, typical left behaviour, enjoy amsterdam while it lasts.... i live in amsterdam and starting to hate it. you should be here 25 years ago, paradise!!!!
Every time you give me the impression you are living/working in a leftist bubble. Best be aware that's not what most (older) people believe in because the country used to be pretty conservative. Politicians have and still are literally messing this country up and many are very unhappy with how it 's all going. You may soon experience some 'Dutch directness' you may not like. Het is niet allemaal rozengeur en maneschijn.
Because that's what it clearly is. Come on, it's not hard to tell. And thank f*ck that we still have those conservative pillars to stand on. I get the idea these people don't truly understand the relevance and force that calvinism is. Expats seem to think it's merely a cultural element which comes with some customs, but it's so much more than that. It is the root of all sanity and what keeps us from straying on the path of mass (modern) confusion.
the populist left/right now rule, common sense lives in the middle how ever...Not much difference between the left and the right populists, same materialism and fear rule both sides.. PVV, Dutch-AfD, GL, BBB, SP.. same same...
What people forget, is that Amsterdam is a special progressive city. Just like San Fransisco and Portland. But outside Dutch big cities people don't recognise Amsterdam as really Dutch. The biggest political party in the Netherlands is the radical right party PVV. An islam and EU sceptic party. Especially after the attack on Israel and pro-Palestine demonstrations, the PVV spiked from 24 seats in the polls, to 37 at the elections. PVV is very much pro Trump.
The progressive minority in the Netherlands is rather stable, not increasing or decreasing. They are very much in positions of power though, by far most media, as well as state media, serve the progressive ideology. In elections though, most votes are conservative. There was a progressive government from elections for a short while in the 1970's, but this government did so much damage to the country in their rule, that this large labor left-wing party has become a very small party today.
Lol, you clearly didn't live in, or learned about the 70s.... or recognise political reality around PvdA's resurgence (never mind that after your fictional account of the 70s, Kok was one of the more prominent PMs before conservative morons like Balkenende and Rutte ruined a lot)
That the social-democratic party lost lots of votes was because in the 90s, as so many left leaning parties in Europe, it sold its soul to the neoliberal ideology that claims the "the market" can do everything better than any government. Which destroyed public transport, health care and housing, compared to what it was before. Of course it's still not as bad as the USA, but capitalism has been destroying everything over there since the days of Reagan, with little or no opposition, because there never was any socialist movement to speak of to oppose it.
@@KeesBoons Indeed, it's a extremely biassed right wing view. One example "state media, serve the progressive ideology." When in fact this these "state media" where blockaded by leftist activists today for being too right wing in their reporting. He has no clue that him calling neutral middle media "left wing" is only because he himself is so far right. People to the far left see it as "right wing". Also calling it "state" media when we don't have any state media, we have media that can apply for state funding when they meet certain criteria, like having enough members of the public and upholding basic journalistic standards. When these media meet these criteria they can do whatever they like without any government involvement. There for we have a wide variety of "state" media left, middle, right, far right, religious, senior citizens and many regional ones, beside the many commercial ones who only broadcast things you can make money with.
Our national broadcasting companies are almost all leftwing, center left at best. And most newspapers are also leftwing. Leftish people don’t notice that because it is their view which is broadcasted. But rightwing and center right people do notice. It also crept into the judiciary system and education system as well as healthcare. I stopped watching NOS news programs and I’m on the brink of ending my prescription of NRC newspaper, which used to be a rightwing liberal conservative newspaper and is now a leftwing newspaper actively campaigning against this rightwing government. Which is not a government of my choice, I didn’t vote for any of this parties. I’m a lifetime christian democrat voter (all the way to the bottom at the last election).
You know what a 'Dutch wife" means in English I hope.. because methinks you misspoke there.. 4 those who might be wondering: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_wife
Dutch directness: "Say what you mean and do what you say. And be nice to people, even if you disagree with them." A wise lesson learned from my father long time ago while growing up.
I agree. A lot of Dutch folks could'n be frank and open in the past. It might be so for a lot of people even today. No such thing as The Dutchman. There was great emphascise on doing the right thing for the community you would live in. And the so called frankness is being regarded quite differently in different provinces or social groups, but for the most, it's considered good practice to be clear and also be nice. There's no reason to be outspoken and be an asshole. I myself speak out maybe too frankly, but always respecfully (with flaws). And if people seem to react harshfully towards me, it problably couldn't be my fault. Or it could be, not my intention to be hurtfull. So there's always enough room to talk it out. I guess. Sorry for the wrong spelling in some places. It took me quite some time to think about this all and the spelling tool doesn't seem to play along tonight. Wish you all the best!
And be nice and respectfull to them because you never know when you happen to need them (without even really knowing them now)
@@AbeIJnst Quran: "Be kind to eachother but hard to the unbeliever."☝️
Yes, be respectful and open to each others thoughts and believes. Discuss it in a polite way. Don't let language be a barrier, errors are acceptable as long as the true meaning is clear. But don't disrespect me or try to force your way of thinking on me, otherwise my Dutch directness will show. Irony and sarcasm are a way of living in the Netherlands and I am quite good at it.
@@AbeIJnst Ja, daar heb je dan weinig aan.
This channel and the stuff you cover are one of the reasons I'm working on my plan to move there. I'm learning Dutch on a few different apps and I'm brushing up on my profession. I'm hoping to move around the early-to-middle of 2026.
You're welcome, but please be open to change some mindsets, convictions and don't make our country more American. It also will be confronting. We don't make new friends as easy as Americans, you'll need to invest longer. Also Amsterdam is overfull so you might try living in another fun city. There are enough. Also the better your Dutch, the better your job options. So many expats work in restaurants and bars, after losing their special job that brought them over and can't find an equal level job, as they have too little choice, not speaking Dutch. Just saying.
One of the reasons the Affordable Care Act (aka 'Obamacare') appear to have flounderd (despite the well-known lack of affordable health care in the US) was apparently the American unwillingness to pay for other people. In general, Americans feel everyone has to pay their own way, refusing to accept a system based on solidarity. Dutch society (still) thinks of such solidarity in an opposite way, not judging the poor as 'lazy'or such. I'm very glad we do that.
and the over 200 Republican Amendments that watered it down horribly.
The same applies to all insurance: as long as you don't need it, you can think that you are unlucky because you are only paying for others. But if you do not benefit from the insurance, it is because you were lucky....
True, even our conservative politicians are in favor of affordable healthcare for everyone.
Four years ago, I came to the Netherlands from the UK.
I agree all your comments and think to myself what a horrible place the US must be to live in.
The UK is not so different. But I would add to your comments the fact that the cycling here is an absolute joy. And the fact that so many people cycle means that most city centres are traffic free. They are beautifully quiet and unpolluted by traffic fumes.
The Netherlands is brilliant, but I am worried about the lurch to the right and the direction the country might go under the current government.
I wonder how you are getting on with your Dutch ?
Ik kan nu goed Nederlands spreken 😊
I'll tell you directly: what I like about your videos is that there is no unnecessary background music, which in other videos is often a matter of taste and also makes it difficult to understand what is being said.
And again Ava..., you're such a welcoming successful Dutchy now...I do must say that your English is very good for a Dutchy that is ;-)
Hahaha, thanks 😀
Mm yes. Very good English indeed 😆
Jokes aside, she is certainly very gifted rhetorically.
'Our girl' is not as superficial as she thinks. I think she's actually quite deep, appreciating beauty, instead of just focusing on efficiency. Keep that up, Ava. You're doing great.
We have a saying in Dutch: 'ik werk om te leven, ik leef niet om te werken.' I work to live, I don't live to work.
The 1970's lefty politics has had such a positive and long lasting effect on Dutch society that nowadays it's taken for granted. For example, all those "liveable cities" are because of left policies. People are not seeing that with our current short-term focused, inward looking, right-wing government we risk breaking down the social fabric that has served us so well, so naturally even, that we stopped thinking about it. Channels like this give dutchies an outside perspective and hopefully the realization that we need to rethink our current trajectory.
Lefty politics is a pestilence.
Left Wing cities are not livable. Go to Kensington road in philadelphia. Or St. Fransisco and Portland. Only the big dutch cities are Progressive. But the majority and our Dutch governement is Right Wing leaning.
It comes and goes in waves, a few decades with lots of progress, followed by a few with conservatism because it went too fast. Than we look around and see other countries passing us by and progress starts again.
I think Dutch society is so strong that it can not be destroyed by a few years of failed government by those nincompoops. For now they only have been quarreling and not achieved anything whatsoever in more than a year...
Spreek je ook Nederlands you life there
I really appreciated and related to all the things you pointed out in this video as a U.S. American myself. I too am an immigrant though not in the Netherlands but in Mexico and the first two reasons you listed really resonated with me: taking time for the little things, especially in the morning and appreciating beauty in your surroundings. I must have both these things in order to feel a sense of satisfaction with my life and I do have them here. I am not going to make this message about my love of Mexico, (I easily could) I just wanted to say that if I were financially better off the Netherlands would have been one of my top choices of places to relocate, but as is with all things you make the most of what you have and I did that and I’m happy with how things have worked out and where I am. Continue to be happy and content in the Netherlands as I am in Mexico! Take care!
If you have a profession then it is possible to come over because we need a lot of good professionals. And they will even pay for the move if you want to come. We need nurses and doctors and lot's more... And I would be contacting company's if I wanted to move over. We are getting people from all over the globe. And you will be a lot saver if I am to believe the media.😀
@ thank you for the suggestion, but I’m retired and have no interest in returning to work and besides my skills are out of date too I’m sure.
@ one more thing, don’t believe the media. US media has been pushing the narrative that Mexico is a dangerous and scary place for as long as I can remember and that’s a pretty long time. Yes, there are some dangerous areas of Mexico, but Mexico is a large country and while this maybe anecdotal, in all my time here, which is about 4 years I have never once felt unsafe or been in any danger. I’ve lived in three different cities and visited a fourth in that time as well and I’ve not stayed in some kind of safe protected area either, you know, like a gated community or something. I walk everywhere and I don’t drive and I’ve also taken public transport. I will admit that I don’t go out at night, because I have no reason, I’m a day time person. And I think that my being brown may have something to do with my being safe here, as a brown person I don’t stand out as much, so people tend to overlook me and I don’t look like I have much money either and I’m sure that helps. I feel a bit defensive about Mexico, because it has been good to me and I wanted to point out to you that there is much more to Mexico than what you may see or read in the media. Being brown, I would tend to stand out in the Netherlands I think and I don’t know if that would be a good or bad thing. Well, I think I’ve said enough. Bye!
Being surrounded by beauty feeds the soul. Wanting that is not superficial. (It might just be an extension of wanting to be connected to nature?)
Anyway, do not sell yourself short for this want/need. I think it is important and healthy to have beautiful things in sight.
It's funny that when you were talking about the Dutchs favour of aesthetics you showed the flower bike (bloemenfiets) which there are many of in Amsterdam, as you of course know already. But they are made by an American artist (Warren Gregory) in honor of his wife. It's a really sweet story and worth checking out.
I'm planning to move to NL from the US for university, I'm lucky to have EU citizenship and I feel like the cheaper tuition is something I can't pass up. I feel like I'd be making a huge mistake if I didn't take advantage. I visited the Netherlands in October and I absolutely loved it. Every video I see makes me more confident I should continue to go through with it. I think it might be really hard to miss my friends and my family, but I also feel like I'd have serious FOMO if I never gave it a shot. ❤
Good luck and have fun, also make sure you pass. And most dutch people are actually very nice.Direct but nice.
Just one little advice sometimes it's a lot cheaper to rent something outside the city (depends where) , with good, decent public transport connections.
That is something you have to figure out on your own (or with help from reading).
Look at public traffic schemes and how often they run and the starting and end times. (most of them are also in English)
All i wanna say is have fun and get what's app for video calling with you family. Do research on it, an hour research can save a lot of money and frustration.
@@erikaverink8418 Yeah, the public transportation system and bike infrastructure was one of my most favorite things. Here it is impossible to live without a car. I don't mind driving too much, but I'd much rather not need to. I'm not planning to get a car in NL.
@@apodexseit's not common that students on the university have a car. The parking is not designed for that. The bike parking and the transit links are
One tip, start looking for living space way before you get to the Netherlands, it is increasingly difficult to find a place to live for students and can get pretty darned expensive
Make sure you can ride a bike. It’s not that other systems don’t work, but cycling in the Netherlands is a joy.
Extra: no weapons!!! So everybody, adults, children and also the police them selves feel secure in public. You can walk on the streets, everywhere and at every time. And it goes for everybody. That makes moving around in public a relaxed thing. Everybody being open, friendly and relaxed……
To be very honest .. shouldn't we say that it's kind of naive to trust your government, police forces, army, and anybody who has the right to be armed ? US constitution second amendment gets it right - a weapon is just a weapon.. weapons don't kill we all know that, and knives don't kill either. Elke massagenocide in de wereld is voorafgegaan door ... precies, zorg ervoor dat ze zich niet meer kunnen verdedigen en vertel ze dat daarmee veiliger zijn. Vadertje staat.. hè ?
Go look up what happened the 7the of november. People were hunted like animals.
True.
But even then with zero shootings
Not true
It's quite easy to get a gun licence in the Netherlands if you follow the rules for it and not have a crimminal record.
I've had one since I was 18........
@@charlesmartel6103 How would that have been made better if both sides had had guns?
Yeah there was a screwup there by authorities (for having such a risky match at all, and having supporters present to boot) but do you know why it got so much attention?
Because its so incredibly _rare_
A few years ago a girl got murdered by a psychopath. It made the national news and was the talk of the day for a week. In the US that stuff doesnt even get full state wide coverage, if it made national news you would need a separate channel for it.
Fifty+ school shootings every year in the US versus zero over here. The US isnt even in the same ballpark safety wise.
Another great vlog from you. Talking about directness. You're really so open about things. Refreshing. Go on girl, go !
As a Dutch man, i say well spoke 😊
Like always, I also liked this video, Ava !
I am happy you choose my country to make this video's in :)
Thanks for explaining!
I always enjoy your video's, Ava. It holds up a mirror to quite a few of us Dutch folk. Then again, the way you do that with a lot of humor really appeals, at least to me :) Keep it up!
Nice to see that the fox is still around. And late congratulations on becoming a MOM!
The way you describe your experience with Dutch directness made me think it's similar but different from the experience Dutch people have with American friendliness.
A stranger in America going "Hi, how are you doing? Hope you're having a great day." with a big smile on their face evoces all kind of uncanny feelings in many Europeans. LOL
Like "What are you smiling about?" "Why are you being so overly friendly? Do you want something from me?"
That is true, it gives an 'off' feeling. And it comes across that they don't often mean what they say. I usually either ignore it in a friendly/civil way or I reply with a truthfull answer and they often don't know how to react back when I come with a direct and honest reply if I am not doing well that day or didn't have a fun vacation etc. for example. You asked, so I reply🤷♀️ It's a little funny sometimes to see their reaction🙈
I like your videos and please take it in humour when I say. Explaining why the Netherlands is great. Is a bit like explaining why it's a good idea to drink water every once and a while. 😄
You grew up in up-state New York-once part of "Nieuw Nederland". There may be similarities still ? From Martin van Buuren to the Roosevelt-family, Vanderbildt etc. the Dutch are a major foundation of US history...What is your view on that ?
I, have a job at a Prefab concreet factory. And start working at 6:45. But my alarm gos at 4:20. And 4:30/4:45 I make coffee and bread. At 6:00 I'm at my work. 6 minutes by bike. Than sit whit coffee and collega's. And that more than 26 years.
Greetings from Bunschoten-Spakenburg.
I always love these videos that make me think: wait, that's not normal in the rest of the world? I only recently discovered that Americans don't eat a lot of sandwiches, don't have a kaasschaaf and now that they don't have coffee at home. I wonder what the next thing is that I'm going to discover is typically Dutch. "Dutch people like to drink water from a glass"?
I'd love to hear more about the immigration process itself. Were there any specific hurdles that were unexpected? Or, did you have to learn or know anything specific? What was the main way to get started?
The website of the IND, the immigration office is very educational.
Come to think of it, why wouldn’t you place value in your private life? Just what would be the reason to have a nice apartment and why have a relationship or marry in the first place…. Isn’t nice to spend time with your love?
Article #1 of the Dutch constitution: "All persons in the Netherlands shall be treated equally in equal circumstances. Discrimination on the grounds of religion, belief, political opinion, race, sex, or any other grounds whatsoever shall not be permitted." This is the very first line of this constitution based on the most recent constitutional review of 1983 but rooted in the 1798 most original text. As you see, no 'originalists' as the constitution is regularly re-written to fit modern day standards and language usage. ;)
I can think of a few more things, though this goes for most of the 🇪🇺.
We work to live, not the other way around.
Materialism isn't appreciated.
About work / spare time: Here we tend to say "Ik heb geen hekel aan werken, maar er gaat zoveel vrije tijd in zitten" / "I don't hate to work, it only comsumes so much spare time". Mindset for Americans (and other breeds)?
The Netherlands isn't a tiny country. The USA just happens to be an oversized country, that you had to split into 50 states.
And Russia and Canada are bigger. 🙂
---
Yes, I found some of my best friends at work.
One of these friends (we used to have long philosophical and religious talks) emailed me one evening and told me he had been submitted to a psychiatric ward, and told me he contemplated ending his life. I answered as best I could (yikes!) and he replied "Good to hear."
Never ever heard from him ever again... 🙁
Another, elderly, Jewish colleague, who's trust I earned, stopped answering my phone calls about a year after I'd moved. I later found his grave at the Jewish burial ground. He'd died of old age, I think. I didn't contact his family; only the Jewish 'office'.
I also became a close friend with a Greenlander (Inuit) at work. He died of pneumonia while he was visiting family in Nuuk (Greenland's capital).
Yes, you're right. You can find very good friends at your workplace. People even find a wife/husband.
Some we loose along the way, though.
Greetings. 🇩🇰
Do you travel to other country than Netherlands
Where are you from in the united states or where did you live for the longest time?
Im sure you mentioned it in a prior video but i do not remember.
Just curious because your opinions of the US are based on living somewhere other than I do and some of what you mentioned isnt how I view culture in the US.
To clarify your statements about life in the US seem very much like those from someone engaged in an ambitious work environment in a top 10 metro area by population.
Where I am from people generally do live much more slowly and appreciate many of the little things.
I think videos like this could be done by comparing the Netherlands more to where you are from in the US and not to the country as a whole. It's a huge country with many different people that all have their own smaller culture within their region. That's why our national politics can sometimes appear to be a mess to people from other countries. Imagine the country more as 10 or more separate nations with different approaches to life and our national government as more like the EU than one nation that is 1/20th of our population and 200+ times smaller by land mass.
Additionally to compare the beauty of the nations you have to do the same. The natural beauty in the United states dwarfs that of much of the countries in the world. Which again, depends where you live in the country.
Only posting because I feel like you have influence in how we are viewed to the world and I can say for a fact that the United states is far from a homogeneous nation.
I often wonder if the fact we are mostly a debit-society versus the credit society in the US makes us feel more in charge of our life.
I do miss safety. As in that's what you have mentioned before to. Though I do get why it's not there anymore. But you asked what we miss, this is one thing.
After a couple years of watching your vids I just now found the courage to ask: What is that horizontal red line on your chest? A birthmark? A scar?
Ava,
I am far, I mean far more conservative than you are when it comes to economic issues and how they affect people and that is okay by me, I certainly enjoy watching your videos. But as progressive people hail the wonderful life that is deciding how my earned money is to be spent I often wish that the other side, opinion, argument could be heard in the same take.
About the great social network provisions in The Netherlands you specifically mentioned unemployment provisions. I am more proud of a society in which gay people can live their lives with more understanding and acceptance from people around them than I am of unemployment benefits. People used to save part of their earnings and if they became unemployed those saving would tie them over financially until they found new employment.
Much of this great social welfare that the Dutch have was created in the 1970's, much of it pushed through by the PvdA under leadership of Minister President Joop den Uil. Unemployment would pay 80% of your salary (seemingly indefinitely) and you were exempt from certain taxes making the benefit even greater netto. Your salary was determined by the money you earned the last 3 months that you did work. And in the late 70's we would often see (not a fluke case but massive) let's say a construction worker who would, in a scheme created with his employer, working massive overtime with an unbelievable high paycheck for 90 days, he would then after 90 days mysteriously become unemployed and receive huge unemployment pay-out. He would proceed by working construction unreported, under the table for even more income. Soon thereafter he would be seen driving his brand new Mercedes from other citizen's money and it would infuriate people around him. And by 1984, when I left the country, The Netherlands had a national debt of over 40 Billion Guilders and unemployment was 16%. This lasted until a MP Ruud Lubbers from a newly created collision party, the CDA brought some sanity in the situation and revived the economy and lowered unemployment by cutting regulations and red tape and created programs that made it easier to start businesses. I believe that The Netherlands these days have better developed programs like unemployment but here's just a slice of the other side of the story.
Be well.
Because she are such s small country, it's really easy to move around. Alot of expats think they need to live thy really need bto live in the city they are going to work in. But a lot of times they don:t for instance, I live in The Hague an if imI would wannabgo to Amsterdam, it only a one hour trainride away. Dona lot of people just commute
Its because, we built the country ❤and we are the america of europe ❤
But I don't want to be the America of Europe.
Hi, I'm Roland. Born, raised the Dutch way and still living here. I want to thank you for consequently using 'The Netherlands' instead of 'Holland'. I guess I don't need to explain why... Sort of like if I would say that you're from Dakota. Yet I'd rather would have Anglosaxons and other English-speakers would use 'Netherland', because it's the closest to our domestic name: 'Nederland'. Of course I know where the plural comes from (Het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden (plural) / The Kingdom of the Netherlands).
For the same reason one could argue that 'US', representing the USA is not completely adequate, since there are, to my knowledge, at least two other countries that could use 'US' for their country (in English, that is): The United States of Mexico and The United States of Egypt... I don't know the spelling in their home tongue, of course.
BTW: Love your entries and therefore subscribed! Go on with your good work. It may get minds together.
👍
While I do agree with most of what you are saying and as a Dutchie was always proud of these aspects even, but we are unfortunately slipping, too.. The whole world is slipping in my opinion. So the things you speak about do resonate with me still, but less since, I don't know, the last 10/15 years or something? We were very progressive in the past but now not anymore, not as well as before that is and it kind of scares me a bit if I am honest where The Netherlands is going, same with the entire world..😟 There is so much division, dissatisfaction, anger and hot tempered agression.. I really hope it will balance out again..
I Really prefer the Weather in the Netherlands Antilles.
You could go back...
How about Dutch language? I'm teaching Dutch conversation to migrants and I just now sart realizing how rich it is.
Ah! Mr. Fox is back. 🙂
I guess there are still some humanistic values in these parts of the world. Also, you're so pretty.
Just NL, no politics
I appreciated your video. However, the one issue I miss, is 'safety'!
To Americans:
Having had discussions with Americans, I've come to realize (as you said) it's the survival of the fittest. But that only applies to animals, imo. Nowadays civilized countries have figured out that we better get 'free' healthcare paid via taxes. Yes, you pay for your neighbor, but he/she pays for you, when you desperately need it. That way you don't go broke when you get ill or have an accident.
"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself".
The Book of Leviticus 19:18.
Ava, people here can be very provocative. "Bemoeje met je eige zâke... (Amsterdams direct)" Try it and see what happens 👘🥰
…taking away all the fluff…fantastic!
Beautiful eyebrows BTW.
You didn't mention Dutch cyvling culture (snif snif).
The Netherlands and it's people like any other rich western country value individualism the most, so everybody does his own thing, that has as a consequence there isn't much of a culture. We perhaps have some traditions but that is not the same thing. I visited many places on this world and pretty much every western society is the same. Culture is a rare thing but don't pretend we have some...
The fact western countries have shared culture doesn't mean there's no culture. Western culture is literally the most omnipresent culture in the world. Western architecture, languages, ways of thinking, dressing, eating, western festivals - you see it everywhere in the world, from Africa to Japan.
@@andrisk2703 We might have some traditions but culture, not really, well I didn't noticed it... And don't forget the western world population on the whole is a minority... So not so omnipresent as you might want it to be...
@@soberstudy160 Are you serious? Who are world's most renowned philosophers, writers, scientists, musicians? Aren't they westerners? Do people all around the world wear kimono or jeans and western suit? How many people in China know how to play piano (a western instrument) and how many people in the West know how to play any chinese instrument?
If you go to Africa, India or China, you will notice the majority of people wearing western clothing, using western technologies, languages and alphabets and generally looking at the world through the western cultural and political prism. Almost every aspect of life everywhere in the world is shaped by the West.
Western population is a minority, but it's dominates the world's culture. You don't notice that because western culture is so omnipresent that we see it as something neutral and basic. We got blind to it. Like, we don't get surprised when we see Chinese presidents wearing western suits which is actually a very curious phenomenon, do we?
ik ga er van uit dat je ook Nederlands spreekt , dus nog een voorbeeld > als het goed is dan leven wij niet van de ene naar de andere credit card , wat je vaak ziet in Amerika
omdat ze alles willen hebben wat een ander ook heeft of zelfs nog duurder , daar door moeten ze zelfs evt. 3 banen voor hebben om dit af te lossen ( waarom moet een kind van 16 een dure auto krijgen > op de creditcard)
dit is wat ons op valt als je div. vlogs of tv volgt
Ze spreekt heel goed nederlands, ze heeft een video gemaakt waar ze alleen maar Nederlands praat..
What's wrong with Trump? He wants to put America first. Nothing wrong with that and I wished our leaders would do the same.
I don’t really agree with the point of ‘caring about the small moments’. I can’t compare the Netherlands with the US, but the Netherlands feels very business oriented. To go school quickly. Go to work quickly. Take a quick break with a quick boterham (instead of a nice, ‘gezellige’ lunch with your family, or something). I don’t feel like Dutch society as a whole cares that much about the little things. It’s just… Take a break as quickly as you can and get going again.
So , for a couple of years I've watched your fox being NOT-stuffed. I still can't believe you two can be this cruel to a (stuffed) animal.
We had the idiot goverment first. So we cann't complain about americans anymore.
The Netherlands is AWESOME. Most of the times.
I noticed you're starting to have a Dutch twang in English.
As a Dutch person I absolutely hate to live in a terrible country.
I have lived in Poland as well for a short while. And I know Russia.
Actually both are financially less capable respectively to the Netherlands.
Yet I prefer living in both to the Netherlands.
The pure terror of the Netherlands are the taxes.
These are just about to say extreme. They control every aspect of life.
The Dutch civilian life is based on taxes.
Whatever you buy. Can you allow yourselves to purchase it or do taxes disallow it?
Are you going to keep your car or is the tax agency going to steal it?
So Poland or Russia also have taxes or corruption. But at least you know what to expect. In the Netherlands you can absolutely never live in security. You'll live in a constant fear of the "belastingdienst".
The tax authorities and dying, the two certainties in the Netherlands.
But if you have problems with the tax authorities, that sounds more like a 'your problem' than a 'NL problem'. If you just stick to the rules, there is no reason to have problems.
More Americans will be moving here in the next 4 years, I'm very sure.
Hope not. Full already...
The thingy about Beauty and shallow. Nothing shallow about appriciating beauty everybody likes beauty. It only gets shallow if its only about fashion and trents and the other superficiale things connected with "beauty". Remember Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and can found in the smallest aspects of anything. O and there is nothing wrong with being "fashionable" just as long as you do it for yourself and not for the Johnseys (if thats the correct name).
The Dutch are anti hierarchy, so that's why the directness is coming from. Equality for humanitaire, I suppose...
What we are seeing now in The Netherlands and in the US i.m.o is that when people get scared of the future, they get more conservative. Close down more and try to ward off anything that doesn't fit in their world. That is why we see more racism, more violence and more unhappiness. That"'s a shame in my book because we just need more openness and warmth in these times and more inclusion!
It still happens, you know, but from people who come to your door trying to sell you something. ''Hello sir, how are you today I hope ............'' and then I'd cut them off by saying yeah yeah, just tell me what you want..I know they're not really interested in my day, good or bad, so yeah, just say ''Hi, I'm so and so and I wanted to tell you something you might be interested in, like an energy contract that's way cheaper than you're getting now because we've got the deal for you'' (lol). But let me stop about that, in what you already know, I just heard you say your name and I thought, isn't there a weird (but good) song about your name..and it is. ua-cam.com/video/9uWwvQKGjLI/v-deo.html&ab_channel=SmashingPumpkinsVEVO .
About being selfish? Everyone is a bit selfish,in a good more normal way or in a bad way.I'm selfish while seeing that in Dutch society you can protect yourself by letting others expierence the same thing. Bad things can happen in everyone's life, like losing one's job, getting sick, wanting a long holiday, facing a hospital and getting bad news from it.By paying extra taxes,insurance, I am protected, feeling more freedom in life and others as well. Maybe I don't need any of this in my life-time, but maybe my mother, father, sister, brother or other family members or neighbours,friends etc could face bad news, a setback.Why on earth should I even think like the American way of thinking. Something happens to your family and I think, I don't care if they have to pay 80,000 dollars, end up on the street as they have to sell there house,can't afford to pay rent or have to sell other assets.Not my problem. I rather pay some lower taxes.That's the wrong and bad selfishness.Also the reason I just know that there are no Christians living in this country called USA. Self proclaimed Christians, yes , give something to charity and done with it seems to be Christianity. A very very strange way of thinking and even worse, not even believing they are doing something terrible.Towards others,even family members.Not their problem.And ending up with complaining when something bad hits them.
Oh my goodness, you still have a way to go my dear. Thinking about appreciating well designed and beautiful things as a sign of being shallow shocked me a bit 😮 Ignoring those things would be utterly shallow and superficial in my (and most non Americans) eyes. It is one of the reasons most US cities are completely soulless.
The dutch are not progressive, not really anyway. It's like the fable of the tortoise and the hare, the tortoise didn't win because he moved fast, but because he didn't stop moving.
the dutch have a social contract where we will only go as slow as our slowest member, but they cannot stop the country moving forward. How progressive a country is, is usually measured by compraring it to others, other countries are (for now) pulling a hare like sprint, which makes us seem like we're slowing down.
You have a great wife,
work to live don't live to work
How about the flowers..😂😂😂
The Trump bashing in the Netherlands is ridiculous!! Our media are biased insanely!
I don't think you'll have much luck seeing anything different here, my friend. The whole vibe here is pretty urban cosmopolitan and out-of-the-loop, I'm afraid. Let's hope the international people with no real grasp of what made this country work (calvinism) won't spread out too much over the coming generations. Let them have the Dutch husk that is Amsterdam.
A refugee from Trump will find here mister president Schoof and his puppet master Wilders, so yeah it’s a lot conservative nowadays.
I’ll get being anxious about the holidays season here but I’m curious if Pete is been around for the little one?
:)
knuffels
Wait a minute nice woman. One question to you, but where are your American thouhts go over into Europan state of mind? Becacause it will never be the Empire State of mind.. ( that New York promises you either).
I guess I am still a wanderer for knowing Americans... how ever!
Ava arent u Mexican?
We have our own Trump, you know who...
Since 2007, the law stipulates that before the soil is disturbed, it must first be investigated whether archaeological values are threatened. And if it turns out that there are (preservable) archaeological values present, then efforts must be made to preserve these values. This can be done by leaving the archaeological remains in place and adjusting the plans, or by excavating them. The law also stipulates that the initiator is responsible for the costs of the investigation.
Sweet women like your content❤❤
Yeah but you live in Amsterdam. Try living in Not Amsterdam. It's Hell On Earth. Like Deventer... Ugh. Or Oss. Yuck... Or Voorburg. Holy darn, that is pure infernal dystopian.
She doesn't live in Amsterdam. She lived in Utrecht and now she lives in a smaller city near Utrecht, I believe.
I'm sorry, but I find you mentioning dystopia and leaving Amsterdam OUT of it highly comical. Amsterdam is the most superficial hellish landscape you will find here in The Netherlands. I should know, I go there a lot. Much to my dismay, my brother who lives there is denied acting jobs or actively kept out of the fold because he stands up for his own conservative ideas. Truly a mini-state of its own that only accomodates to those who adopt certain politics. It is the single most predictable city as far as stereotypes go among its demography. Intolerance of the so-called "tolerable" is the policy there. To claim the opposite shows you lost touch with the majority of the people in the countryside or the smaller cities that you mentioned.
Tell me you're a city person, at least in spirit, without telling me you're a city person.
TRUMP 2024. You may not like it, but the shift is happening here too. Best get prepared! It exists to deny your ludicracy and of what is really happening right now. People don't want any more progressive policies, especially when your nation is on the brink of collapse, and the collective mentality is one of aimlessness and growing derangement.
After your Trump remark i stopped following you, if you like him or not he was elected democraticly, typical left behaviour, enjoy amsterdam while it lasts.... i live in amsterdam and starting to hate it. you should be here 25 years ago, paradise!!!!
"Progressive mindset"...
That's why we have current government.
Yeah, that didn't quite work out right
@@tns5044 It does and als will for the USA....
De ZZPer Wilders met zijn eenmans bedrijf.
Zijn verdienmodel is haatzaaien.
not everbody is so smart as us sweetypie love u
thx ur soooooooo sweeet
is ur wife nice or she sounds
Every time you give me the impression you are living/working in a leftist bubble. Best be aware that's not what most (older) people believe in because the country used to be pretty conservative. Politicians have and still are literally messing this country up and many are very unhappy with how it 's all going. You may soon experience some 'Dutch directness' you may not like. Het is niet allemaal rozengeur en maneschijn.
Because that's what it clearly is. Come on, it's not hard to tell. And thank f*ck that we still have those conservative pillars to stand on.
I get the idea these people don't truly understand the relevance and force that calvinism is. Expats seem to think it's merely a cultural element which comes with some customs, but it's so much more than that. It is the root of all sanity and what keeps us from straying on the path of mass (modern) confusion.
Dutch Architecture ? She is going to have heart attack if she visit Italy or France, Austria, Sweden… lmao 😂❤
the populist left/right now rule, common sense lives in the middle how ever...Not much difference between the left and the right populists, same materialism and fear rule both sides.. PVV, Dutch-AfD, GL, BBB, SP.. same same...
I STILL unsubscribe.
News for you; most of us support Trump too!
Nope
Who is us?
What people forget, is that Amsterdam is a special progressive city. Just like San Fransisco and Portland. But outside Dutch big cities people don't recognise Amsterdam as really Dutch. The biggest political party in the Netherlands is the radical right party PVV. An islam and EU sceptic party. Especially after the attack on Israel and pro-Palestine demonstrations, the PVV spiked from 24 seats in the polls, to 37 at the elections. PVV is very much pro Trump.
where on earth did you pick up that information, it's obvious not true
@@elsotto3314 I myself am Dutch. I live in the Netherlands and I have lived in Amsterdam for eight years. I follow the news and Dutch politics daily.
The progressive minority in the Netherlands is rather stable, not increasing or decreasing.
They are very much in positions of power though, by far most media, as well as state media, serve the progressive ideology.
In elections though, most votes are conservative.
There was a progressive government from elections for a short while in the 1970's, but this government did so much damage to the country in their rule, that this large labor left-wing party has become a very small party today.
I believe some dude has to brush up on his history.
Lol, you clearly didn't live in, or learned about the 70s.... or recognise political reality around PvdA's resurgence (never mind that after your fictional account of the 70s, Kok was one of the more prominent PMs before conservative morons like Balkenende and Rutte ruined a lot)
That the social-democratic party lost lots of votes was because in the 90s, as so many left leaning parties in Europe, it sold its soul to the neoliberal ideology that claims the "the market" can do everything better than any government.
Which destroyed public transport, health care and housing, compared to what it was before. Of course it's still not as bad as the USA, but capitalism has been destroying everything over there since the days of Reagan, with little or no opposition, because there never was any socialist movement to speak of to oppose it.
@@KeesBoons Indeed, it's a extremely biassed right wing view. One example "state media, serve the progressive ideology." When in fact this these "state media" where blockaded by leftist activists today for being too right wing in their reporting. He has no clue that him calling neutral middle media "left wing" is only because he himself is so far right. People to the far left see it as "right wing". Also calling it "state" media when we don't have any state media, we have media that can apply for state funding when they meet certain criteria, like having enough members of the public and upholding basic journalistic standards. When these media meet these criteria they can do whatever they like without any government involvement. There for we have a wide variety of "state" media left, middle, right, far right, religious, senior citizens and many regional ones, beside the many commercial ones who only broadcast things you can make money with.
Our national broadcasting companies are almost all leftwing, center left at best. And most newspapers are also leftwing. Leftish people don’t notice that because it is their view which is broadcasted. But rightwing and center right people do notice. It also crept into the judiciary system and education system as well as healthcare. I stopped watching NOS news programs and I’m on the brink of ending my prescription of NRC newspaper, which used to be a rightwing liberal conservative newspaper and is now a leftwing newspaper actively campaigning against this rightwing government. Which is not a government of my choice, I didn’t vote for any of this parties. I’m a lifetime christian democrat voter (all the way to the bottom at the last election).
You know what a 'Dutch wife" means in English I hope.. because methinks you misspoke there..
4 those who might be wondering:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_wife
Looking at the yellow tip of your plant, I would say he/she needs bio minerals (just saying 🪴🌱🫠)