I am aware we live in one of the safest, happiest and richest countries in the world, but hearing an outsider's perspective makes me appreciate it on another level. There are plenty problems here, but it's just a great example of society actually kind of working! I would be curious to hear your thoughts some other typical Dutch things like stamppot and Andre Hazes. Seriously, winter's coming and you owe it to yourself to make some good boerenkool or hutspot!
One hundred years ago the same was said about the Netherlands especially the richest part. The country was rich but the population wasn't. That was the time when in Drenthe people still lived in "plaggenhutten". Houses made of sods.
"It is a slower-paced life" But at the same time, it is a more productive one ;-) Stressed-out people are not productive, and certainly not creative in improving the way they work or their product.
Gun ownership is illegal. However it is possible to acquire guns legally (it will require special permits and yearly renewal) it is only available for law abiding citizens. For example: Extreme speeding offense might end your license. Criminal friends\ close in house relatives? Exit license and lots more restrictions. It is a rather select group of people, something like 50K total out of 17+ mil. So basically, those who own this 'right' are most likely not an danger for anyone.
People do have credit cards. But mainly to use for booking hotels or when they are abroad where credit cards are more normal. (usually outside Europe). But limits on a credit card are strict and depend on your income. You also have to pay off your credit card regularly to keep using it.
Yup, south Europeans usually call us Northern Europeans workaholics. Even though over the span of a year we enjoy a lot of spare time, which we are pretty satisfied with and why we seem to be very relaxed.
@@sevendam9070 In my experience, southern Europeans work hard enough. But not as efficient. Less efficient telecom, roads, waterways, paying systems, more hierarchy, less freedom to search for solutions, etc. etc.
When you do not have to stand in a traffic jam, and do not need to drive far to get to your work, you have more time to bring your kids to school. Slow life? Certainly not slow.
@@markovermeer1394 When we go to work, we are fit, and work hard, because we know that after eight hours it's done. No other job, no worries about health and financial security. And our directness makes sure that we do not waste a lot of time in meetings, or discussion among co workers.
The Netherlands is most efficient country of Europe maby the world. But Germans efficient? This is the first time I here this all paperwork you need in Germany go there and try its a nightmare
I am from 1954 (Dutch) and really ‘have been around’ never any problems not having a credit card. I learned that everything that I can’t afford i don’t really have to have or need. Keeping up with others? WHY? Not proud of who i am just satisfied ....that is it!
We do have credit cards and it's not hard to get them, but they are tied into your debit card. so it's more like a way to convert debit card transactions to credit card transactions. So when a credit card is your only payment option, you can use it. Dutch people in general do not like credit cards and pretty much hate credit culture, this is because the US has shown how evil they can be. so we try to avoid credit card transactions where possible. about a decade ago you needed one for international payment, but these days 99% of the time there are now other options.
Not all creditcards in the Netherlands are tied to your bankaccount. You can get real credit cards, although most people indeed get a credit card from their bank where they already have an account; most of those are indeed just a debit card in disguise. When I needed a credit card I chose one not tied to my bank account for safety reasons; when it get stolen and used by the thief, money is not automatically taken from my account.
Credit rating in the US compared to the BKR in the Netherlands. In the US you only can get loans (for a house, car) if your credit rating is good, how do you get good credit ratings by paying of your loans and debts. Here we have our bank account and income to get a loan and credit card, i don't have one. Every time you pay with a credit card it's essential a (short time) loan. This is how i see credit cards, they can be useful, but also create a debt.
@@SatumangoTheGreat True you can get a real credit card like amarican express but it's extemly rare for people to own one. I have seen 1 of them in my life. a decade ago from an older buisness man who travelled a lot for buisness. and it was a company card. the process of getting one is also more complicated and more expensive.
Love your talks! Americans living here, and commenting on Dutch society, give plenty of food for thought… On guns: the basic principle here is: "het geweldsmonopolie berust bij de overheid" - the government holds the supreme title to use force, i.e. weapons. So, you have an army for ‘external’ use, and the police to maintain order within the state. To discuss the difference of thought between this, and the Second Amendment, would require lots of study, thought and hours. But for me personally it is best summarized by how the police (and the law) is always campaigning against replica’s or very realistic toys… weapon-lookalikes. Their biggest fear? To shoot a person, probably a kid, who’s holding such a toy.
I once was trolling an American friend: told him that I would be moving to Alabama for work and was wondering what gun to buy for my six year old daughter so that she could defend herself at school there. Would he be able to advise me? I was confident that he would recognize the irony for what it was ... To my total surprise he took my question very seriously and explained for fifteen minutes about several types of guns. And ended up with a well meant advise for my six year old daughter ...
We are used not to look inside someone's living room, but the extra benefit of these open curtains is that, as a woman it feels really safe to walk ore bike the streets here. If something happens to you people will see you.
Yes, it is not accepted if you stop on the sidewalk and take your time to look inside someone’s home for curiosity (unless the house is for sale and you are seriously interested🤣). But glancing at a window while walking is not considered a problem, we wave at people behind their hone window if we know them or just to give a lonely elderly person a great moment.
@@SoultoSoulTravels How do you know someone is an expat? Expat: i Made a mistake, this is how it really is.. please forgive me, i apologize, didn't mean it that way, Dutchman: i Made a mistake, this is how it really is..... It's quite enough here to just indicate you were wrong. (the apology is mostly asumed included).. If we have to apologize for everything we said, then we, as direct as we are, would be saying sorry all day long :D ;)
"Keeping up with the Jones'" That is our Calvinistic background where outward display is frowned upon. Note the country is becoming less Calvinistic, and debt problems are increasing... It may also be our independent nature, where we are deeply convinced that I am as good as the next person, without having to prove anything.
The Dutch sit on top of (one of?) the largest pension funds in the world. I believe it is over a 1000 billion euros. Unfortunately most of them are heavily indebted through their mortgage.
@@highs_and_lows4665 Dutch people need to be indebted to avoid paying too much taxes. And are you really indebted with a €350 000 mortgage on a house that in todays market will easily sell for €425 000?
@@williamgeardener2509 Yes agreed. But only when the market is going up. I remember 2008 when a lot of people ran into trouble as their mortgage was much higher than the value of their house and their Bank asked for the difference
Dutch people have high mortgage debts and some have mortgages higher than their house is worth. Consumer debts are not so prevalent even though there are people who have unpayable debts. Criminals do have guns, its easy to smuggle them from Eastern Europe. There have been several firearm related assinations in the Netherlands recently, most notable the journalist Peter R. de Vries who was shot 5 times including in the head last July. He is know in the US because of the Natalee Holloway case.
@@Ozymandias1 You missed the housing problem and the ridiculous prices that people pay for a house? Everyone who was "under water" now owns a property that at least matches their mortgage.
You can get a credit card here, but what would I use it for? To buy things I cannot afford? I do have a credit card, but I only use it for online purchases, or for a hotel reservation. But most of the times, you have to (re)pay your credit card balance at the end of the month, so it’s much harder to build up a debt using your credit card. We do have some sort of a credit score. All your loans are registered at the credit registration bureau (BKR). So whenever you try to get a new loan (e.g. for a phone with subscription, or a mortgage, or a personal loan) the issuer will check you in the BKR database.
Correct. And unlike the US system where having more debt means you have a better credit score (as long as you're not too far behind on loan payments), in the Netherlands it means you automatically have a worse credit rating with the BKR so it's a lot harder to get very deeply into debt. And of course some forms of loans that in the US are commonplace (like payday loans, loan sharks, etc. etc.) are simply illegal.
Yeah, that's a thing I found funny and kinda twisted when I heard about it. In the US, you get a good credit rating if you can regularly pay your installments. If you don't have to pay any installments because you have no debts, your credit score goes *down*. In the Netherlands, having a debt other than mortgages will prompt a deposit when you sign a contract for a phone or something.
@@Ozymandias1 not really. I used to think so, and it used to be that way. Now you just need to not be in the red for some time. You often need one to travel, so they're no longer toys of the rich.
The "keeping up with the Jones" syndrome is mostly present in wealthy developed countries. After WW2 the Netherlands was quite impoverished and that lifestyle is still present. That explains why people, in general, are satisfied with their lives and the few things they have as they can put things into perspective. On the contrary, The US had the biggest economic boom after WW2 so people expect more and want more.
"Streber" is one of the words we use for people 'keeping up with the Joneses'. They get made fun of. It's viewed as weak rather than anything else. There can be a lot of pride in poverty.
The problem in the US is, they WANT more.. but don't have the money for it, so they are putting themselves in debt. If we WANT more.. we are usually smart enough to know we CAN'T.
It's not a "syndrome", it is natural behaviour. In nature it makes sense to have the same level of comfort / tools as the rest of the tribe. Only in an unnatural environment like a overproduced human society is it a problem.
Hi. I'm a Dutch citizen living in the USA. I find your videos about your new life in the Netherlands insightful and a pleasure to watch. It makes me really think about what I miss most about my little home country that I left 20 years ago. What is true though is that each country has up and down sides. Nature is vast and stunningly beautiful here for example. People are typically warm and inviting (especially in the south east where i landed 20 years ago) and are very open. I don't miss the harshness of the Dutch directness and the fact they always seem to know more about my life than I do myself. Then again, it has helped me a lot too. But keep on doing what you're doing in these videos. Looking forward to the next one.
Please, don't flatter yourself too much. I've been to Netherlands, it's nice but strange and there are too many things that are simply NOT normal there. Let's take for example the famous "restrooms" or I shall call them the "changing rooms" PLACES located in every town and city where the guy can simply go there in the middle of the day for example or night (24/7) and buy a booth for 10 minutes or so, walk in there and pleasure himself because he filled like it in the middle of the day for example....lol What kind of fu situation is that? I just don't get it and I will never understand it. Never. It's not civilized. Only animals act like this because they can't hold their urges. Not too mention other fu things in your country. Sorry, but no country is perfect. I would rather move to South Korea than Netherlands. At least Koreans have some dignity and high morals and ethical standards.
About the privacy: there are no laws against putting some daytime curtains in your apartment even if a lot of Dutch people prefer to live for all to view :)
I have my heavy black curtains always closed during the day. It's not forbidden and i am glad for that. I have a reason though due to brain injury i can't handle bright lights. Especially going from a darker area's to a lighter one, is very uncomfortable for me. If i have to describe it, it's very much like someone waking you up and shine a flashlight directly into your eyes. It's not terrible though i can go outside during the day it's just not very pleasant. I had some questions from neighbours about it , and i invited them over to explain it to them, and also to prevent people thinking i was weird or anti-social or something like that. So all is well and understood by most people in my street some of them i now regular visit for coffee.
Me and my wife used to be gun/rifle owners. We had to be a member of a gunclub for at least a year before we even could own a gun. Regular checks were made by the police at our house where we kept our weapons and if we had any ammunition. They could not be kept in close proximity of each other to avoid certain accidents. You were not allowed to defend your property with that gun. So it was purely for the sport of aiming the weapon at a target and try to get a good score ( sheets of paper with a targetrose on it). Due to my job I could not keep up with the mandatory amount of registerd turns on the range to keep my weapon license so I had to sell my weapon and stop all together with this type of sport to my regret. My wife felt the same so she sold hers too.
the biggest difference on credit is that in the USA you have to proof you can pay of debts so you credit rating improves. In the Netherlands you get a good credit rating when you have no debt.
I really like your videos, I am in the US I am retired I am 64 Years old and I seriously going to take a trip to the Netherlands. I'm considering Zandvoort, Netherlands. I had a stroke and my right arm is paralyzed but other than that I'm doing good. Maybe make a retired video? Thanks a lot for listening and have an excellent day.
Hi George! I guess you’ll probably get all kinds of suggestions from people as to what places to visit in The Netherlands…so here’s mine😆. If you are considering a place at the coast, try on my home town, Katwijk aan zee. A nice place, not hugely touristy and a doable distance away from cities like Leiden, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and so on.
Hey George, Nice to visit the Netherlands. Try to visit the waddeneilanden (most beautiful islands are Terschelling and Ameland) or Giethoorn the town without cars. Overall the cost line is also beautiful.
I loved watching your videos, please don't feel you have to apologise for your views, we have freedom of speech in this country. LOL I grew up near Rotterdam and have family living there. As a kid I loved watching the lights coming from the living room windows in the evening. While riding the metro we would count the number of Christmas trees we would see while passing by.
There are a lot of criminals that own guns here in the Netherlands. But not many carry them always everywhere. There is gun crime here, but the chance you will get involved in it as a normal citizen is incredible small. I been a sport shooter for 34 years, had a gun lisence for 33 years and used to have guns in the house. There are around 70.000 people here who own guns legally on a population of 17.4million. We can not use our guns for home defense, they have to be in a gunsafe at all times. And i never felt the need to have them available fur such tasks.
@@bandijk5934 Yes, its an assumption. Criminals are not always walking around with a sign saying they are criminals, so every number regarding them are educated guesses. In 2002 some researchers estimated there were 85000 to 125000 illegal guns in the country. I dont think they are held by just a few people, and everyone having an illegal weapon is by definition a criminal, so i call that a lot. Other papers suggested 54000 illegal gun owners based on captured criminals added with an estimation based on the number of suspects of gun crimes.
I love what you guys are doing, but I just have to say that you're completely wrong about some things here. First is guns, there's no gun problem in the US. There are just a bunch of social problems that may be exaggerated by guns. But removing guns from the equation won't solve the underlying issues, it may in fact make them worse. And that's the second point where you're wrong, we have more than our fair share of social problems and the violence that comes with it. One big difference is that over here only the bad guys have guns, and the rest of us are just potential victims. Maybe it's difficult to keep up with the news in a new language and country. But there's plenty of fights, stabbings, murders, robberies, gang wars, shootings, bombings and whatever other unpleasantness you can imagine to go around in the Netherlands. Don't make the mistake of thinking that people over here don't hurt each other, or that you're safer, just because you can't see it as directly. All I'm saying is that it's not all milk and honey over here either.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I wonder if the superficial nature of American society can be attributed to the gun culture. Be nice and kind because someone can be armed, don’t try to have deeper relations with people cause they may pass away in the blink of an eye, so Americans don’t tend to form deeper bounds even if they seem to want them. Maybe it’s exaggerated but I tried to connect the dots somehow and I ended up with this conculsion.
Not quite. I know a lot of Americans who own guns. They're the most friendly and kind Americans I know. As they say, an armed society is a polite society. And that's not because people shoot each other if they don't like what the other is saying, it's because they become more thoughtful. Most US gun crime is between criminals, as it is in the Netherlands. Most of the rest is criminals against people who are pretty much guaranteed to be unable to defend themselves, where in the Netherlands the criminals would use a cheaper alternative like a knife (which is just as effective at injuring or killing, and a lot less noisy). Where things are different because of the common availability of firearms is that in the US police are far more cautious when approaching you than in the Netherlands, and are more likely to do so either with weapons drawn or with a colleague in the background with a drawn weapon. Does mean fewer of them get stabbed than happens in the Netherlands though.
A creďitcard is a debt. We don't like debts. We save money en then we buy something. We are not keeping up with the Jones family. We are satisfied with our own stuff. If the neighbour has a very expensive car, we are glad voor him, but we can't afford it. We are happy with our 10 year old car.
Leave the violence monopoly to the police and military. That's shameful enough. It's worrying the violence spiral in Rotterdam. There was a time in The Netherlands that Ajacieden en Feijenoord-supporters went to the café together after the match and took a beer or an erwtensoep.
Re-watching a video sometimes might be useful once in a while. At 16:00 you mentioned 'the slower pace of life'. I really think that is not true at all. Slower pace is maybe the perception you have because we tend to stay put most of the times. Why would you want to drive to work 25 miles to make a dollar more? Time spent on the road is a tremendous waste of time, you can't do anything productive at all. There is this perceived pace of live in the USA because everyone is busy doing 'something'. The sad thing, most of it isn't helping anything productive in the long run. You might look up the statistics of productivity per country on world population review. They seem to place Ireland at 1, the USA at 6 and the Netherlands at 9. Not really the slow lane I think.
Absolutely no worries, my friend. You've only recently moved to the netherlands so it's not surprising you would instinctively think that there's no privacy, I mean, you're born and bread with that being true for the USA. So, don't worry about it. I understand completely! Enjoy your residence in the netherlands! (Even though I moved to Sweden) Also, Rotterdam (Or Rotjeknor) is my favourite Dutch city, Feyenoord for life!
Debt levels are controlled by law, credit institutions may not provide debt if you cannot show how your budget can pay the debt back. All consumer debt is registered, including car leases, the data open to credit providers who are mandated to perform a due diligence. Still want to borrow money? Many people have a mortgage and newer vehicles have some form of financing in general. Not much credit card usage.
On credit cards, in The Netherlands, only those who cannot afford to pay use credit card. If you can afford it, you pay cash for it. It's a very sensible approach to life, and we don't like to spend money we don't have. Gewoon doen ben je al gek genoeg.
I got my first one two years ago when I was 29, only because I drove across Europe in my old unreliable car, and I might need it to get a replacement if it would break down :')
Thank you for your very pleasant and well thought-out nuanced reflections of an American in the Netherlands, and so positive! It makes me happy. I would love to go to the USA one day and experience your culture and customs there
Credtcard. You don't need to explain why you want one, but you need to have a positive amount on your bank. It's not a way to get extra credit. But our system of banking is very diverent than in the US. I needed it on the pay-roads in france and on vacations outside Europe.
12:00 'Jammer' (pronounced 'yah-murr')means 'too bad' or 'tough luck', 'Rotjeknor' is pronounced 'rot-yuh.kuh-norr' and is a common nickname for Rotterdam. Hadn't heard the 'got an issue? take a tissue' line before but I like it and it very much fits the Dutch and especially Rotterdam attitude. I really enjoy these reports on how you experience settling here. It gives me a fresh perspective on my own country. And I wish you and Tammy the strength and perseverance to keep up your spirits throughout the Dutch fall and winter (expect endless rain and cherish every minute of sunshine).
Also in the Netherlands credit cards are easy to det, no questions then a check if you have registered debts, I have 3 credit cards and a bank card but the difference is that most Europeans don’t like debts although the younger generation is more relaxed about it. 7:23
no, it is not hard at all to get a credit card if you have a regular income, . but you don't need them - debit cards are far more practical. I get around with just my debit card in nearly every shop, restaurant, museum, whatever, in almost all of europe. I use a credit card maybe twice a year to make a hotel reservation or for an online purchase, but usually I could pay online using my debit card as well, and never pay any rent on credit card debt.
You can get a creditcard if you want. You just need to apply for it as it is a loan. Which it is. If you wouldn't get a loan you won't get a credit card either.
Credit cards are easy to get, all you need is a steady income and a bank account. I have one, only because it's convenient for internet purchases. It really is a culture thing: we only spend what we have. Also, we are direct, very direct. If you have an opinion and you feel like sharing, expect a Dutchman to respect your statement as your opinion, but also expect them to see that statement as an invitation to start a discussion about that. Everyone is equal, so all opinions are equal and can therefor be discussed. Never apologize for having an opinion, and feel free to share your opinion, just be aware that someone with a different opinion will tell you what their opinion is.
You don't even need a steady income. I was able to get one as a student. It had a low limit and the money was take out of my bank account at the start of the next month but I was a credit card and worked perfectly fine for some random annoying international companies that only allow credit cards.
To be able to own a gun, you need to go to a shooting range for a year, at least 19 times and pass a couple psych tests, that will nett you a .22 another year and 19 times later you can either pick a permit for a “big caliber” pistol or rifle. Once you have the permit you need to pick a gun from a gun store (have never seen one and do not know where to find em) if you have picked the gun you get a piece of paper you need to take to the police, the police will then come look at the vault you have installed. If it’s wrong, not safe enough, easy to steal. No gun for you. And if the vault is okay, you can buy the gun. Guns are only carried in the open with a certain job, Or a certain licence. And of you have neither, you can only take a gun in a case or bag, separate from the ammunition, and only to and from the shooting range. And owning a gun without a licence or transporting a gun off route from your home to the range can get you in jail. That’s all I know
In the UK at least, credit cards are used like a safeguard. i.e. you get some inherent protections when making big purchases via credit card. So people will often pay for holidays with a credit card, then immediately pay off the credit card as they are usually zero interest if you pay it within the month.
Credit cards are not hard to come by. Your bank will give you one if you have an income and haven't run a foul of the BKR in recent years. The main reason credit card debt is not much of a thing here is because the need for credit cards is low in The Netherlands. We were early in getting electronic payments through PIN in stores and later iDeal on the web. Unless you are ordering online from abroad you pretty much don't need a money loan mechanism which charges exorbitant interest.
I was surprised at hearing how comparatively few people had one. If nothing else, just something like Netflix needs a credit card. Obviously not everyone uses Netflix, but there are always a few things that you'd need one for.
@@mikepictor Companies that want to deal with people in the netherlands quickly start supporting ideal, there are third party providers that enable this for most companies.
@@mikepictor Netflix doesn't require a credit card in NL, but for example the less popular in NL Amazon video "rival" does, or at least did when i subscribed, it's been a while since i checked. Also, just about everyone in NL uses Netflix, Amazon video is a lot less known (and will probably lose the battle in NL if they don't change a few things)
Hello from Argentina, I have another questions for you. Why you call Americans, when millions of other peoples live in the continent, and America is a continent of a lot of countries? In spanish we have the word "Estadounidenses" for named americans. And here we learn that is only one continent America, and you split in 2 or 3 (south america, north america and central america) Here that are regions of one continent.
That is a great question and I don't know the answer other than that's how we were taught in the early years in school and it has just carried on...you make an excellent point!!
On credit cards. For me it's simple ( and my friends) we do not have one because if you ain't have the money for something.... You do not buy it. And just save up for it.
Jullie zijn nu lang genoeg in Nederland om dit te kunnen lezen (anders doen jullie je best maar) . Stop eens om je de hele tijd, bij voorbaat, te verontschuldigen voor je mening. Hier stappen we niet bij het minste of geringste naar de rechter om emotionele schadevergoeding te eisen.
Well, you do have a point regarding privacy. But its more of a practical issue rather than a cultural one in my opinion. Its just a fact that The Netherlands is much more densely populated than the US. For example, to live in a free standing house here you either need to be very wealthy or live very rurally. Most people live in apartments or row houses with a modest garden. Also, because of the concentrated population, public transport is more of a thing. In general, people are just more in your face, a bit like you would expect in New York City. After living here you'll get used to it and almost stop noticing other people. As a general rule, people leave each other alone, read their paper, browse their phone, listen to music or close their curtains at home. People are not unfriendly, I mean, if you need help most are more than happy to, but most like to keep to themselves.
It's easy to get a creditcard (if you have an income and are not registered at the bkr office which checks debt) but for day to day life you will hardly need it. I only use on holidays, car rentals and the webshops which don't support PayPal or ideal (Dutch paying standard).
you can own a gun in the Netherlands but it is more a sport here not a way of life. people do not own them for protection and of course, there are strict rules and not easy to get.(legally)
You can get a gun pretty easily if you are a law-abiding citizen. The requirements aren't too strict for people liking guns for guns or using them. You would meet those if you use a gun for just liking shooting or hunting. For criminals however if you use one then expect for the full force of the law to focus on you. That's why they aren't a problem.
I know a fair few people that own guns and I've known people in the past that owned guns and in my opinion, the laws could be a bit more strict. Two people that I know that own guns are suicidal and have considered using it on themselves. The difference is that they didn't let anyone know, they're not known at the GGZ or something. Commit small crimes you can get away with, keep your ideas to yourself etc. I know one of them had prepared a schoolshooting, with the whole school worked out on a map. And he enjoyed shooting strangers (elderly grandma's) on the ankles with airsoftbullets whenever they cycled past in the evening. Playing sniper in the dark, he enjoyed hearing their surprised screams. No regard for their safety or the fact that old peoples wounds don't heal properly. Another had threathened his friend and girlfriend with an airsoftgun and used to talk about daydreams that involved dipping people in boiling oil and shooting them in the neck. I'm glad that I don't hang out with the type often, I always feel like they might snap one day. But a person that doesn't ask for help of GGZ, won't be helped by GGZ. (Not to mention the yearlong waitinglist for people that dó ask for help.)
@@Widdekuu91 I had a friend that shot himself through the head. let us not forget the Alphen aan den Rijn shooting with Tristan van der Vlis he had permits too. but I think things became more strict after that or at least the checks were taken more seriously.
@@Widdekuu91 Yeah, two license holding friends of a student I lived with on campus (also license) were pill poppin' crazies. Like one of them threw a empty bottle to my head out of nowhere, unprovoked aggressive behavior, etc. Couldn't believe they still had a license. House mate was chill though. (not that ppl taking pills are bad, just them behavior temperament in combination with it)
@@boxie001 Well, I hope so. I wouldn't mind if they ónly had sportsguns on the shooting-range and did not allow any to be taken home. And that anyone with suicidal thoughts or anger-issues needs a permit from the psychologist or at least a qualified person. Not just for suicidal situations, because killing yourself can be done with many things, but mainly because a gun has the option to take a whole office, school or street out and people that seek 'revenge on the world' are not to be given that sortof power.
I've been watching all of you videos in the last 2 days, and I reeaaally like the content. As you might have noticed, Dutch people love watching (videos of) expats/outsiders give their opinion on our little country. I'm guessing after 2 months you have found your own way in adapting to our culture, and for the coming months/years you will still have remarkable and new experiences. I just want to give you a warm welcome to a very happy, progressive, relaxed but direct lifestyle/culture and country. I have some questions (maybe for a different video). What are some places you have already visited? Or sill want to visit? I live in The Hague (Den Haag), and seriously reccomend you to visit our Hofstad ((Den Haag) is where the parlement is, the supreme court is, our king lives etc). Have you already been to the beach? Are there any differences with being on the beach in the USA? Keep it up!!!
Thank you for the kind words and thank you for watching…we are going to be getting out and doing some videos in our explorations Den Haag is defiantly in that list!
I've been enjoying your videos. My husband and I visited the NL five years ago, and we fell in love with the people, culture, and architecture. We also met several cousins, which helped my husband really connect to the place his dad was born. We would love to move, in a couple of years, but we're already in our early 50's. I'm concerned about working there and being able to afford living there after retirement. What words of wisdom do you have? I'm going to continue watching your videos. Keep up the great work!
Luckily we have debitcards, so much better to use imo. And I don't have to have better or more expensive things than my neighbours, don't need to even have the same, they're probably less expensive! I have a low income and I stay within my limits. I don't mind at all. If you receive hate comments, just ignore them and don't answer them. Discussing is always useless in these cases so don't waste any energy on them.
Just for to help you - as you mentioned in one of your video you miss the church.... but did you know you can enjoy it MOST LIKELY in the Netherland as well. Just ask a catholic or protestant priest in the church and they have USUALY in all European country all of the kind of church and most likely there phone nr as they usually use to have meetings with each other or/and they could call them and tell you would be interested for to enjoy them.
On guns: licences for sporting usage on gunranges can be had. The rules are very strict from a US perspective but very reasonable from dutch perspective. Main points: membership of gunclub is required. Minimum of 1 year membership and training + positive referral before you can apply for a lincence to own. Ownership requires a gunsafe bolted down and approved after local inspection by police. Licence needs renewal each year with a number of required of proven time on the range. Licenceholders can expect unannounced police inspections of gunstorage etc. And no carry of guns of course. You only can travel to and from the gunrange with the gun in a case and taking the shortest route possible. So i would say a very friendly rulebook to play by if you are a serious sporter.
Hi there, saw your video in my UA-cam feed and liked it 👍🏼 About buying the big tv screens fast cars and stuff, in the Netherlands we say ‘doe maar gewoon dan doe je gek genoeg’. Wat i like more from the US is that you all are very proud on your country. You don’t see that much here. And also our army is not respected. That’s a shame…. Your not even allowed to travel in your uniform in public transport. Thanks for your insight in our country. Following you now 👋🏼
I Just read that the NL is in the top 4 richest countries in the world with an average net worth of 129k euros. Let’s stay away from the credit cards. Then again the US is the richest country but the average person is in debt, Go figure.
Europe in general not just the Netherlands is a great place to live. And no offense i personally see no benefit in migrating to the United States i only see downsides in living there right now. America is crazy expensive so i don't get it why so many people want too migrate there? once again no offense. Americans in general are good hard working people but sadly they have shitty politician's and they don't deserve that America can become a great country. God bless America and the Netherlands. Other than that a great video keep it up👍
@@timdettmann4067 you are more than welcome here good luck with you're Journey. Also in what country here in Europe do you want to live in just courius? I would recomend my country the Netherlands and why many of us here speak english perfectly so it would be easier for you just a suggestion. Once again good luck with you're Journey.
@@DidierWierdsma6335The Netherlands is at the top of my list, truth be said I would be willing to move to any EU country. The United States is not so wonderful. I have been to Amsterdam and Rotterdam twice. I have been to most all of the EU countries, they are all wonderful. Over here guns, politics, hatred, racism, tribalism, no living wages, no health care, no public transport, I could go on and on. It's not easy at all for an American to move there. If it were as easy as flying there and staying I would do that. I am trying to figure the best way, that is why I follow channels like this one.
Japanese artwork on the back of a laptop is quit unusual for an American to have. I am interested about the story behind that, if any. I have some myself btw. Lovely.
Love to hear your view on different topics....really enjoying that ! Question though...... I may have missed it (and if so, straighten me out please ;-) ) but I am curious to hear why you folks have come to NL in the first place and what your intentions are, short term, long term...anything ? ;-). Mind you...just curiousity and nothing else.....as far as I'm concerned you're most welcome here and hope you will enjoy staying in this country for many years to come !! :-)
@@chubbymoth5810 yep he is clearly the perfect person for one 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂but not the only one I am afraid because there are more leaders in this world now who need to locked up in a mental institution!!!!
When it comes to politics and religion, the only time you might know someone's politics and who they voted for is the short time before elections, apart from that you would never know, you might hear them occasionally complain about foreigners or drugs and things like that but it stays very general, you might get a decent idea who they might have voted for but you wouldn't be able to tell for sure. Politics and the political party isn't a part of a person here as it is in the US. It's somewhat the same deal with religion, people might follow a certain religion, but unless you happen to catch them going to their religious building you would not know, there are also a lot of Atheist, Agnostics and non practitioners here so even though you might think that someone fits into a certain religion you might be wrong simply because they don't believe or practice any religion.
the thing I always found so weird is that the US' argument for having guns is "well criminals will have em anyway so we should protect yourself" when..... making it more difficult to get guns as a whole, will also mean that less criminals will have guns. like ofc criminals will have guns when you can just buy em at a wallmart together with your weekly groceries
It’s also an issue not just of access to weapons in America, but normalized desperation. Deteriorating material conditions and the need to help your family survive are powerful motivators
America has already learn that baning something dosent work look how banning alcohol end up in the USA you cant play to be god and tell everyone not to have something just cuse your scare of it
Yea I never got the point of keeping up with the Jones'. What do I care about what they have that I dont? Anyway creditcards exist but are mostly used online. And going into the red on them is not a standard possibility i think.
In the US more lives are saved by guns than taken. It's also why the police has guns. So here in The Netherlands if you have a home invasion and lucky enough to be able to call 112 you are still a sitting duck till the police arrives. And you call the police because they have guns. You're not calling some counselor to come and talk to the home invaders. Guns are also the great equalizer. A tiny fragile woman with a gun can successfully fight off an attack from a large strong guy. So I'm very pro 2nd amendment and most of all the 'shall not be infringed' part. Granted there's not that much crime going on here but still leaving your protection up to the government is a dangerous game. We did that and have been invaded by the French, Spanish and Germans. Criminals will have guns since they don't obey the law. For the record I don't have a gun. But as former police officer, army officer and sport shooter I am used to having and handling guns in the past. I do have a credit card but just one and only for travel emergencies and sometimes for buying online abroad but I always balance the credit card by a money transfer from my debit account. I did not pay any interest on the credit card so far. So the part of not living above our means and not caring what car the neighbor has is very true. In that way it is a very different culture indeed.
Because of the absence of guns, the Rotterdam kids are still enjoying themselves stabbing each other to death. There, your daily dose of Dutch cynicism. (Apologies, it's tragic, really.) You're a cool guy and keep the stories about the US coming. I learn a lot. On the other hand, I wasn't interested in the first five minutes of the video, exactly because it is not an issue. I was like: why are you talking about it? Lol. But you never know. They say that most US trends also reach The Netherlands but with a 10 year delay. Let's hope I'm wrong.
The gun violence in the leftwing run cities in the US has been going on for 30-40 years at least. It's somewhat reached the Netherlands but it's very much limited here to criminal gangs shooting each other. Cheaper to buy a knife at Blokker or HEMA and use that to stab someone, then simply discard it and buy another if the intended victim is pretty much guaranteed to be incapable of defending himself after all.
@@jwenting I fail to see how gun violence is related to leftwing politics, seeing it's the conservatives holding on to an outdated amendment? (Outdated in the sense that it was ment for militia to defend themselves from oppression in the early days of the constitution, not regular citizens to shoot each other with).
@@Mafke it's leftwingers who want to abolish freedom and the right to self defense, leaving people at the mercy of the state. Which went oh so well in the USSR, Cambodia, China, Venezuela, Cuba, Vietnam, 1930s Germany...
@@jwenting abolish freedom? You are aware that the American leftwing would be considerd conservative and therefor be on the right in the Netherlands, right? We're not doing so bad on freedom, happiness... well anything
Also, no need to apologize for everything you say :) as you may have noticed a lot of dutchies say what comes up in their mind. It doesnt mean they are mad at you.. we are just straight forward and blunt :)
Helo again from Roelof. Looking to videos about the USA I do not want to go to the USA. Even not on a Holiday trip. I never liked to go to the USA so it is not about the videos, but, I do not know why, but I never liked to go to the USA. Greetings.
6:45 It's funny i visited NY twice, and last December you guys had commercials about apps to help you with your debt on tv... And i was like, how weird. You buy a app to help you not spend more than you have. While the dutch (pin pas) just stops when your account hit's 0. It's possible to enable "rood staan" that means you can draw more from your bank account then you have availble but that also has it's limits and manny people turn it off. I feel like you get your salary, and that's your spending money (bills,food,car and fun things). I bought a credit card for when i visit to US because our cards don't work overthere, but i really don't use it as a credit/debit card. I pay for dinner in NY, and when i go home i go to my ING (bank app) and transfer money to the credit card. So the card has no debt.
The big mis-understanding in the USA (due to the mighty weapon industry) is that people think they are safer WITH a weapon than WITHOUT a weapon, which simply is complete bullshit!! I never had a weapon and I always felt safe here. In fact, the MORE weapons the MORE chances that things escalate, and the fact that people in the USA can even buy machine-guns in a supermarket is really too sad for words!! Don't get me wrong, I was in the army, in my time we were still drafted, I have shot with a machine-gun, but my army period made me a pacifist!!! When it comes to debts, I never had many lessons from my parents, but ONE lesson they always gave me was to NEVER go to a bank for a loan because you pay at least the double amount back to that bank. Privacy............I know we have big windows in our houses here in The Netherlands, but another lesson my parents told me was to NEVER look inside because it is inpolite to do so!!
Nice videos! Its really cool to hear your thoughts about Rotterdam and the Netherlands in general. I have a question for you about the USA : is there a general reason/ way of thinking why someone is allowed to drive a car from an age of 16, but isn’t allowed to drink until he/she is 21? I have always been amazed at how young a drivers can be in the USA. Especially since I suspect that car crashes due to inexperienced drivers are more deadly than having to much to drink (which is also dangerous of course, don’t get me wrong 😬) For us in the Netherlands, driving a car is possible from an age of 17, but you have to drive with a supervisor (parent, grandparent etc) until you are 18. The minimum drinking age is also 18.
but privacy laws, especially in the digital space, are actually way more focused on the people and their safety. Companies like Google (which includes UA-cam) actually breach a bunch of EU safety laws. On several levels. But I know most about data collection. The reason why it's not actually illegal is because Google is located in the US so the EU can't really do a thing about it.
Privacy is not the same as privacy. Dutch people value privacy perhaps on different aspects. For example, i heard it is normal in the USA to know the salary your co-workers earn. That is considered private info here in the Netherlands.
The funny thing is, it's probably the reverse. Many USA companies try to discourage people from discussing salaries (there was a big commotion not too long ago about game developers sharing a big list with everybody's salary precisely because it's so unheard of). It puts the advantage on the company when discussing salary and raises. While not to the dime, I know the salary of most of my co-workers and I have known it for most of the companies I've worked for. The difference is, it's not something that would come up in casual conversation so you can work for multiple departments at multiple companies and never hear and know it. Plus it has a little to do with our Calvinist roots; you don't brag about things and outright declaring your salary could be considered bragging. So we're careful to bring it up.
you dont live long enough here.. there are shooting every day so, mostly crimes.. but because we mainland getting illegal guns is faster/easier than legal way is too much paper work. my town had the first mall shooting and day before 2 drugcriminals shootout. got robbed by guns... Problem is you cant defend your house if I now enter it, you hurt me... You can get in trouble 70% home invaders will never get caught.
Oh, but did you know about Dutch *gunclubs?* In short, any adult who is not a felon (sounds familiar?) and does the neccessary paperwork, which is just a confirmation document from the Justice Department and may take a month or so, can legally become a member of a gunclub or schietvereniging ('shooting association'). For members who wish to, it is possible to own and keep guns at home in a dedicated gunsafe, which is inspected once or twice by the local police. If you google for schietvereniging, you'll be surprised how guncrazy some Dutch really are! But it's a tradition, dating from the times of the Eighty Years' War and before when local cities and towns relied on local volunteers of militias to defend the town in times of war. Have you seen "De Nachtwacht" by Rembrandt? That also depicts a local militia as it is about to march out. And we do have shootings on occasion. *Schietpartij in Alphen aan den Rijn op 9 april 2011*
Successful people in the US buy the biggest car the biggest building put their name on top of the building and everybody says with respect 'wow, look how much he must be making'. In The Netherlands, successful people live modestly to buy a cheap car and everybody says with respect 'wow, look how much he must be saving'. That's a difference.
As a photographer I have to have to deal with privacy a lot. But people think they do live in China nowadays and that annoys me. Like they think the AVG wet is for all/everything. While as a photographer you are allowed to take photographs of everything/anything and everyone, wherever you go on public streets, whenever you want. Certainly if it's journalis But people think they can threaten me or demand me not to do so, making my work hard or even impossible. And it annoys me a hole lot. Stupid ass people. As a photographer, certainly a professional one, you always take a hold on what you're photographing and keep everyones privacy in mind. But work is work. Also it's quite annoying that you need to say yes to everything, while I think I don't give a damn. I don't have anything to hide. And as long as it helps me, I can't say no.
As a Dane we very early started to exchange money in 1983 with a - common debit card for most Danish Banks, The DanCard. So we are among the most Card using countries in the world, and if your credit is fine it is also a Visa/Dancard, or Master-. It gives a profit for all by removing actual use of money and the risks of handling it.
Nice observation. It's a pity you don't want to touch politics & religion. But... interesting topics to dig in are: soft drugs policy, judicial system, prison system, abortion, same-sex marriage, euthansia, parlementary vs presidential voting, representative voting vs winner-takes-all.... to name a few
I understand, no politics, no religion. But not even about the differences in systems, without talking about specific political parties? I find the different political systems extremely intriguing. Just like, for example, the differences in the judiciary: independent vs political appointments of judges in the US.
In comparison to ‘keeping up with the Jones’s’ the Dutch have a saying ‘act normal, that’s crazy enough’ (doe normaal dan doe je al gek genoeg). That sums it up quite nice. (Also related, je kop boven het maaiveld uitsteken, just look it up). But then you realize.. there is nothing normal about the Dutch 😄 The part about the open curtains, that’s an old cultural thing, it comes from the Protestant Calvinist teaching that honest citizens have nothing to hide. With open curtains you are saying “look, we have nothing to hide’.
Have you come across Dutch Hells Angels? Meet up on a Saturday ride in large numbers wearing their colors from point A to point B.. then back home take the colors off and return to being a bus driver/ lawyer/ shipyard worker etc. They are just like children playing in the dressing-up box. I met one bad biker, he wanted to join The Outlaws, but there are no Outlaw chapters in Holland, he had to cross the border into Belgium to find one.
im not saying our way is better or worse, but i agree there is a huge difference in mindset when it comes to money and success. Here in the Netherlands probably the first thing that you get teached as a kid is: “dont spend money that you dont have” and “dont think you are better then somebody else”. So we get teached that creditcards are a bad thing. we only use them if we dont have another option, for example when booking a hotel in another country. Also having a bigger car then your neighbor isnt a good thing here...bragging or showing off is a big turnoff for a lot of dutchies. So, being number 1 isnt important...besides sports... Thats also why you dont see many lamborghinis or ferraris on the road. As a millionaire you get more respect if you show up on your bike :)
The main thing with guns and the credit/keeping up with the Joneses stuff is all due to society there being run by marketing. Heck, UA-cam is a marketing/advertising platform. Privacy is funny in the US for sure.
nice video👍🏻😄 have you ever seen gun control from jim jeferies? And don't make excuses about something you think, you can certainly have an opinion. no one in the Netherlands will be offended if you give your opinion in a decent way😉
On the topic of guns and gun ownership… In the Netherlands only criminals and government branches (I.e. police, army etc) have guns. Given the open borders guns are pouring in from the Middle East, Russia and former Eastern European counties. Of course our situation is different compared to the US, but guns are a serious issue here as well.
calling guns a problem is in itself making a political statement... Guns are a problem in the Netherlands, very much so. The problem is that only criminals have guns, and they can get them very easily. Gun crime is relatively common, especially given the size of the population. Not as bad as the socialist hellholes in the US like Chicago and San Francisco, but it is definitely there. Luckily it's mostly limited to criminals shooting each other, as criminals don't need a gun to threaten a citizen and knives are much cheaper. Knife crime is therefore MUCH more prevalent, so prevalent in fact that there are programs for people to turn in outlawed knives without penalty at times. And not the Netherlands but close: last night a guy shot 5 people in Norway using a bow and arrows. You don't need a gun to commit mass shootings. Yes, overall it's a good place to live. The main problem many people in the Netherlands have is with the political upper class and the way they're trying to change society into a globalist hellhole, not with the core of Dutch society.
It's easy to get a credit card here with your bank, however, generally they are limited to a specific balance (mine is limited to 1000 for instance) and you can choose whether you want to pay them off once per month or pay them off in installments (with percentage). I just pay mine off each month, it's easy to use for online purchases so that's why I have it and if I travel it's nice to have it handy, but it's not a card I can go in debt with basically, I can't just put 25k on it as a purchase.
I'm Dutch, and guns aren't really banned here. About 40,000 people have 1 to 5 firearms at home. You must have no criminal record, be 18 years or older and be a member of an association and can only use the weapons on a shooting range. So we can't use the firearms for self-defense like in the United States and other countries in the world, only for sports purposes. Also hunters have firearms of course.
Guns for me if many criminals have them i would want them too for protection. In the Netherlands most criminals don't have guns except perhaps for hardest criminals but those almost never shoot ordinary civilians if that happens it's on the news, it's that rare. Keeping up with the Jones is more important in the USA. I have the feeling that in the states people judge you way more for income and being able to keep up with the neighbourhood. Here that's totally not important, in fact in the Netherlands showing of wealth is frowned upon. I don't judge other cultures for what they do or don't do. There are differences and i am totally fine with that. Would be boring if every country would be more or less the same.
Guns in the Netherlands. If you want a gun or even more you can get totally five, if you want that is the maximum. You have to become a member of a shooting club. The minimum is that you have to be a member for a year and make a minimum of 18 shooting rounds that year. After that year you can apply for a permit through your shooting club. The first year you cat get a permit for a small caliber. 22 pistol or bolt gun and have no conviction of violence on your name. Then you have to wait another year and a minimum of 18 shooting rounds for the next level. Then you can apply for a bigger caliber gun or an bigger caliber bolt gun. After another year and minimum 18 shooting rounds you can apply for a semi automatic ar15 or another rifle. The ammunition may have a maximum caliber of 19,1mm. If you apply for a the permit and that is every year they screen you. You have to bring your shooting club card and must have prove that you have shot at least 18 times that year. You have to do this every year. If you have a conviction for a violent offence they take away your guns. The first time before you get your first gun the police checks your vaults, a separate vaults for your guns and one for your ammunition. The vaults must be bolted to a concrete wall and floor with chemical anchor, six, four in de wall two in the floor. The guns and the ammunition must be in separate vaults. The first time you want a gun permit you have to take a psychological test at the police station. This is new and just about three years in practice now. And every two years you get a visit from two police officers unnoticed for a check of your vaults. If you are nearby you have to come to your home. If anything is wrong, your weapon is loaded in the vault or whatever than they take all your guns away. And you don't get a permit in the near future. And there are about 40.000 members of shooting clubs in the Netherlands. A lot of rules in the Netherlands but if you want gun control do it good. There was an incident on 9 April 2011 when a idiot whit a gun permit shot 6 people dead and wounded 17 people in Alphen aan den rijn. After that incident the rules for guns in the Netherlands changed a lot. For the better we think so.
The gun laws in the USA are the reason I don't like my son to go there, he has dual citizenship. His mother is African American and the family on her side live in Florida (yeah I know, worst place ever) Here I don't like police to have guns, the usually are terrible shooters. The second amendment is the right to bear arms when in an organized militia. Sadly the second part is usually overlooked I have a credit card, but haven't used it in years, ridiculous interest rates, we dutch know better 😂
I am aware we live in one of the safest, happiest and richest countries in the world, but hearing an outsider's perspective makes me appreciate it on another level. There are plenty problems here, but it's just a great example of society actually kind of working!
I would be curious to hear your thoughts some other typical Dutch things like stamppot and Andre Hazes. Seriously, winter's coming and you owe it to yourself to make some good boerenkool or hutspot!
Stampot, Andre Hazes and even football, you can get around. I'm concerned about the global stuff. I guess I have to move to NZ ...?
so funny how people still think is the richest for corps yes.. people not
One hundred years ago the same was said about the Netherlands especially the richest part. The country was rich but the population wasn't. That was the time when in Drenthe people still lived in "plaggenhutten". Houses made of sods.
ik ben blij dat ik een nederlander ben niks mis mee!
@@bloedblarre the us ??ore the netherlands?
"It is a slower-paced life"
But at the same time, it is a more productive one ;-)
Stressed-out people are not productive, and certainly not creative in improving the way they work or their product.
Gun ownership is illegal. However it is possible to acquire guns legally (it will require special permits and yearly renewal) it is only available for law abiding citizens. For example: Extreme speeding offense might end your license. Criminal friends\ close in house relatives? Exit license and lots more restrictions. It is a rather select group of people, something like 50K total out of 17+ mil. So basically, those who own this 'right' are most likely not an danger for anyone.
We are raised, with the saying when you don't have one euro you can't spend two.
It used to be like that.....I think times are changing.
Or: twee bezwete balzakken maken nog geen zomer. Blijft een klassieker.
@@wilcoschipstal6417 als je een idioot bent, ja… ik voed mijn kinderen wel zo op!
People do have credit cards. But mainly to use for booking hotels or when they are abroad where credit cards are more normal. (usually outside Europe). But limits on a credit card are strict and depend on your income. You also have to pay off your credit card regularly to keep using it.
We seem relaxed, but the funny thing is, that labour productivity is extremely high in the Netherlands (and Belgium, Germany and Scandinavia).
Yup, south Europeans usually call us Northern Europeans workaholics. Even though over the span of a year we enjoy a lot of spare time, which we are pretty satisfied with and why we seem to be very relaxed.
@@sevendam9070 In my experience, southern Europeans work hard enough. But not as efficient. Less efficient telecom, roads, waterways, paying systems, more hierarchy, less freedom to search for solutions, etc. etc.
When you do not have to stand in a traffic jam, and do not need to drive far to get to your work, you have more time to bring your kids to school. Slow life? Certainly not slow.
@@markovermeer1394 When we go to work, we are fit, and work hard, because we know that after eight hours it's done. No other job, no worries about health and financial security. And our directness makes sure that we do not waste a lot of time in meetings, or discussion among co workers.
The Netherlands is most efficient country of Europe maby the world. But Germans efficient? This is the first time I here this all paperwork you need in Germany go there and try its a nightmare
I am from 1954 (Dutch) and really ‘have been around’ never any problems not having a credit card.
I learned that everything that I can’t afford i don’t really have to have or need.
Keeping up with others? WHY?
Not proud of who i am just satisfied ....that is it!
We do have credit cards and it's not hard to get them, but they are tied into your debit card. so it's more like a way to convert debit card transactions to credit card transactions.
So when a credit card is your only payment option, you can use it.
Dutch people in general do not like credit cards and pretty much hate credit culture, this is because the US has shown how evil they can be. so we try to avoid credit card transactions where possible. about a decade ago you needed one for international payment, but these days 99% of the time there are now other options.
I got a credit card for the emergenies on travel or like If I need a rental car outside the Netherlands.
And when you encounter that 1 % it's very annoying....
Not all creditcards in the Netherlands are tied to your bankaccount. You can get real credit cards, although most people indeed get a credit card from their bank where they already have an account; most of those are indeed just a debit card in disguise. When I needed a credit card I chose one not tied to my bank account for safety reasons; when it get stolen and used by the thief, money is not automatically taken from my account.
Credit rating in the US compared to the BKR in the Netherlands.
In the US you only can get loans (for a house, car) if your credit rating is good, how do you get good credit ratings by paying of your loans and debts.
Here we have our bank account and income to get a loan and credit card, i don't have one. Every time you pay with a credit card it's essential a (short time) loan. This is how i see credit cards, they can be useful, but also create a debt.
@@SatumangoTheGreat True you can get a real credit card like amarican express but it's extemly rare for people to own one. I have seen 1 of them in my life. a decade ago from an older buisness man who travelled a lot for buisness. and it was a company card. the process of getting one is also more complicated and more expensive.
Love your talks! Americans living here, and commenting on Dutch society, give plenty of food for thought… On guns: the basic principle here is: "het geweldsmonopolie berust bij de overheid" - the government holds the supreme title to use force, i.e. weapons. So, you have an army for ‘external’ use, and the police to maintain order within the state. To discuss the difference of thought between this, and the Second Amendment, would require lots of study, thought and hours. But for me personally it is best summarized by how the police (and the law) is always campaigning against replica’s or very realistic toys… weapon-lookalikes. Their biggest fear? To shoot a person, probably a kid, who’s holding such a toy.
I once was trolling an American friend: told him that I would be moving to Alabama for work and was wondering what gun to buy for my six year old daughter so that she could defend herself at school there. Would he be able to advise me? I was confident that he would recognize the irony for what it was ...
To my total surprise he took my question very seriously and explained for fifteen minutes about several types of guns. And ended up with a well meant advise for my six year old daughter ...
My 8 year old carries a glock 19 to school
@@RazPerignon please tell me you're joking ._.
@@AnymMusic it’s part of the culture here please don’t be so close minded
@@RazPerignon lolol .. by here do you mean Syria or Afghanistan ?
@@RazPerignon my man "culture" isn't being forced to send your kid to school with a fucking gun. This has to be some satire
We are used not to look inside someone's living room, but the extra benefit of these open curtains is that, as a woman it feels really safe to walk ore bike the streets here. If something happens to you people will see you.
That is great insight and comforting at the same time...thanks for watching!
Yes, it is not accepted if you stop on the sidewalk and take your time to look inside someone’s home for curiosity (unless the house is for sale and you are seriously interested🤣). But glancing at a window while walking is not considered a problem, we wave at people behind their hone window if we know them or just to give a lonely elderly person a great moment.
@@SoultoSoulTravels
How do you know someone is an expat?
Expat: i Made a mistake, this is how it really is.. please forgive me, i apologize, didn't mean it that way,
Dutchman: i Made a mistake, this is how it really is.....
It's quite enough here to just indicate you were wrong. (the apology is mostly asumed included).. If we have to apologize for everything we said, then we, as direct as we are, would be saying sorry all day long :D
;)
so untrue ... lots of Dutch people like to walk around and peek on the inside, they are just discrete about it ...
@@Gunnl not exacly common Dutch, just people who are not considered being thoughtfull in general.
I do not have any debt, do not own a creditcard, Just live from the money I earn and not reaching beyond my financial reach...
"Keeping up with the Jones'"
That is our Calvinistic background where outward display is frowned upon.
Note the country is becoming less Calvinistic, and debt problems are increasing...
It may also be our independent nature, where we are deeply convinced that I am as good as the next person, without having to prove anything.
Dutch people do get envious, but they are too smart to get in debt to buy things they don't need to impress other people.
The Dutch sit on top of (one of?) the largest pension funds in the world. I believe it is over a 1000 billion euros. Unfortunately most of them are heavily indebted through their mortgage.
@@highs_and_lows4665 Dutch people need to be indebted to avoid paying too much taxes. And are you really indebted with a €350 000 mortgage on a house that in todays market will easily sell for €425 000?
@@williamgeardener2509 Yes agreed. But only when the market is going up. I remember 2008 when a lot of people ran into trouble as their mortgage was much higher than the value of their house and their Bank asked for the difference
Dutch people have high mortgage debts and some have mortgages higher than their house is worth. Consumer debts are not so prevalent even though there are people who have unpayable debts.
Criminals do have guns, its easy to smuggle them from Eastern Europe. There have been several firearm related assinations in the Netherlands recently, most notable the journalist Peter R. de Vries who was shot 5 times including in the head last July. He is know in the US because of the Natalee Holloway case.
@@Ozymandias1 You missed the housing problem and the ridiculous prices that people pay for a house? Everyone who was "under water" now owns a property that at least matches their mortgage.
You can get a credit card here, but what would I use it for? To buy things I cannot afford? I do have a credit card, but I only use it for online purchases, or for a hotel reservation. But most of the times, you have to (re)pay your credit card balance at the end of the month, so it’s much harder to build up a debt using your credit card. We do have some sort of a credit score. All your loans are registered at the credit registration bureau (BKR). So whenever you try to get a new loan (e.g. for a phone with subscription, or a mortgage, or a personal loan) the issuer will check you in the BKR database.
Correct. And unlike the US system where having more debt means you have a better credit score (as long as you're not too far behind on loan payments), in the Netherlands it means you automatically have a worse credit rating with the BKR so it's a lot harder to get very deeply into debt.
And of course some forms of loans that in the US are commonplace (like payday loans, loan sharks, etc. etc.) are simply illegal.
Yeah, that's a thing I found funny and kinda twisted when I heard about it. In the US, you get a good credit rating if you can regularly pay your installments. If you don't have to pay any installments because you have no debts, your credit score goes *down*. In the Netherlands, having a debt other than mortgages will prompt a deposit when you sign a contract for a phone or something.
Can't subscribe to Curiosity Stream because I can't get a credit card. You need a high paying fixed income to get one in the Netherlands.
@@Ozymandias1 not really. I used to think so, and it used to be that way. Now you just need to not be in the red for some time. You often need one to travel, so they're no longer toys of the rich.
The "keeping up with the Jones" syndrome is mostly present in wealthy developed countries. After WW2 the Netherlands was quite impoverished and that lifestyle is still present. That explains why people, in general, are satisfied with their lives and the few things they have as they can put things into perspective. On the contrary, The US had the biggest economic boom after WW2 so people expect more and want more.
"Streber" is one of the words we use for people 'keeping up with the Joneses'. They get made fun of. It's viewed as weak rather than anything else. There can be a lot of pride in poverty.
Even more and more is not enough
The problem in the US is, they WANT more.. but don't have the money for it, so they are putting themselves in debt. If we WANT more.. we are usually smart enough to know we CAN'T.
It's not a "syndrome", it is natural behaviour. In nature it makes sense to have the same level of comfort / tools as the rest of the tribe.
Only in an unnatural environment like a overproduced human society is it a problem.
Hi. I'm a Dutch citizen living in the USA. I find your videos about your new life in the Netherlands insightful and a pleasure to watch. It makes me really think about what I miss most about my little home country that I left 20 years ago. What is true though is that each country has up and down sides. Nature is vast and stunningly beautiful here for example. People are typically warm and inviting (especially in the south east where i landed 20 years ago) and are very open. I don't miss the harshness of the Dutch directness and the fact they always seem to know more about my life than I do myself. Then again, it has helped me a lot too. But keep on doing what you're doing in these videos. Looking forward to the next one.
Please, don't flatter yourself too much. I've been to Netherlands, it's nice but strange and there are too many things that are simply NOT normal there. Let's take for example the famous "restrooms" or I shall call them the "changing rooms" PLACES located in every town and city where the guy can simply go there in the middle of the day for example or night (24/7) and buy a booth for 10 minutes or so, walk in there and pleasure himself because he filled like it in the middle of the day for example....lol What kind of fu situation is that? I just don't get it and I will never understand it. Never. It's not civilized. Only animals act like this because they can't hold their urges. Not too mention other fu things in your country. Sorry, but no country is perfect. I would rather move to South Korea than Netherlands. At least Koreans have some dignity and high morals and ethical standards.
About the privacy: there are no laws against putting some daytime curtains in your apartment even if a lot of Dutch people prefer to live for all to view :)
We have curtains drawn (overgordijnen) by night and glass curtains (vitrage) by day, which is normal in the Netherlands.
I have my heavy black curtains always closed during the day. It's not forbidden and i am glad for that. I have a reason though due to brain injury i can't handle bright lights. Especially going from a darker area's to a lighter one, is very uncomfortable for me. If i have to describe it, it's very much like someone waking you up and shine a flashlight directly into your eyes. It's not terrible though i can go outside during the day it's just not very pleasant. I had some questions from neighbours about it , and i invited them over to explain it to them, and also to prevent people thinking i was weird or anti-social or something like that. So all is well and understood by most people in my street some of them i now regular visit for coffee.
Me and my wife used to be gun/rifle owners. We had to be a member of a gunclub for at least a year before we even could own a gun. Regular checks were made by the police at our house where we kept our weapons and if we had any ammunition. They could not be kept in close proximity of each other to avoid certain accidents. You were not allowed to defend your property with that gun. So it was purely for the sport of aiming the weapon at a target and try to get a good score ( sheets of paper with a targetrose on it). Due to my job I could not keep up with the mandatory amount of registerd turns on the range to keep my weapon license so I had to sell my weapon and stop all together with this type of sport to my regret. My wife felt the same so she sold hers too.
the biggest difference on credit is that in the USA you have to proof you can pay of debts so you credit rating improves. In the Netherlands you get a good credit rating when you have no debt.
I really like your videos, I am in the US I am retired I am 64 Years old and I seriously going to take a trip to the Netherlands. I'm considering Zandvoort, Netherlands. I had a stroke and my right arm is paralyzed but other than that I'm doing good. Maybe make a retired video? Thanks a lot for listening and have an excellent day.
Go to Callantsoog, Castricum aan Zee, Bergen aan Zee. Zandvoort is so crowded. Zeeland is beautiful and Limburg also
@@j.playstation9163 There are several beautiful historic Hanseatic cities (Hanzesteden) in the east of the Netherlands
Hi George! I guess you’ll probably get all kinds of suggestions from people as to what places to visit in The Netherlands…so here’s mine😆. If you are considering a place at the coast, try on my home town, Katwijk aan zee. A nice place, not hugely touristy and a doable distance away from cities like Leiden, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and so on.
Hey George, Nice to visit the Netherlands. Try to visit the waddeneilanden (most beautiful islands are Terschelling and Ameland) or Giethoorn the town without cars. Overall the cost line is also beautiful.
No, no, they are not DRIVING home on their bikes, they are riding home. 😀
I loved watching your videos, please don't feel you have to apologise for your views, we have freedom of speech in this country. LOL
I grew up near Rotterdam and have family living there. As a kid I loved watching the lights coming from the living room windows in the evening. While riding the metro we would count the number of Christmas trees we would see while passing by.
There are a lot of criminals that own guns here in the Netherlands.
But not many carry them always everywhere.
There is gun crime here, but the chance you will get involved in it as a normal citizen is incredible small.
I been a sport shooter for 34 years, had a gun lisence for 33 years and used to have guns in the house.
There are around 70.000 people here who own guns legally on a population of 17.4million.
We can not use our guns for home defense, they have to be in a gunsafe at all times.
And i never felt the need to have them available fur such tasks.
Your narrative is full of assumptions: what is 'a lot', or 'many'?
@@bandijk5934 Yes, its an assumption.
Criminals are not always walking around with a sign saying they are criminals, so every number regarding them are educated guesses.
In 2002 some researchers estimated there were 85000 to 125000 illegal guns in the country. I dont think they are held by just a few people, and everyone having an illegal weapon is by definition a criminal, so i call that a lot. Other papers suggested 54000 illegal gun owners based on captured criminals added with an estimation based on the number of suspects of gun crimes.
You work to live, you don't live to work.
I love what you guys are doing, but I just have to say that you're completely wrong about some things here.
First is guns, there's no gun problem in the US. There are just a bunch of social problems that may be exaggerated by guns. But removing guns from the equation won't solve the underlying issues, it may in fact make them worse.
And that's the second point where you're wrong, we have more than our fair share of social problems and the violence that comes with it. One big difference is that over here only the bad guys have guns, and the rest of us are just potential victims. Maybe it's difficult to keep up with the news in a new language and country. But there's plenty of fights, stabbings, murders, robberies, gang wars, shootings, bombings and whatever other unpleasantness you can imagine to go around in the Netherlands.
Don't make the mistake of thinking that people over here don't hurt each other, or that you're safer, just because you can't see it as directly. All I'm saying is that it's not all milk and honey over here either.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I wonder if the superficial nature of American society can be attributed to the gun culture. Be nice and kind because someone can be armed, don’t try to have deeper relations with people cause they may pass away in the blink of an eye, so Americans don’t tend to form deeper bounds even if they seem to want them. Maybe it’s exaggerated but I tried to connect the dots somehow and I ended up with this conculsion.
Not quite.
I know a lot of Americans who own guns. They're the most friendly and kind Americans I know.
As they say, an armed society is a polite society. And that's not because people shoot each other if they don't like what the other is saying, it's because they become more thoughtful.
Most US gun crime is between criminals, as it is in the Netherlands. Most of the rest is criminals against people who are pretty much guaranteed to be unable to defend themselves, where in the Netherlands the criminals would use a cheaper alternative like a knife (which is just as effective at injuring or killing, and a lot less noisy).
Where things are different because of the common availability of firearms is that in the US police are far more cautious when approaching you than in the Netherlands, and are more likely to do so either with weapons drawn or with a colleague in the background with a drawn weapon. Does mean fewer of them get stabbed than happens in the Netherlands though.
A creďitcard is a debt. We don't like debts. We save money en then we buy something. We are not keeping up with the Jones family. We are satisfied with our own stuff. If the neighbour has a very expensive car, we are glad voor him, but we can't afford it. We are happy with our 10 year old car.
Leave the violence monopoly to the police and military. That's shameful enough.
It's worrying the violence spiral in Rotterdam.
There was a time in The Netherlands that Ajacieden en Feijenoord-supporters went to the café together after the match and took a beer or an erwtensoep.
Re-watching a video sometimes might be useful once in a while. At 16:00 you mentioned 'the slower pace of life'. I really think that is not true at all. Slower pace is maybe the perception you have because we tend to stay put most of the times. Why would you want to drive to work 25 miles to make a dollar more? Time spent on the road is a tremendous waste of time, you can't do anything productive at all. There is this perceived pace of live in the USA because everyone is busy doing 'something'. The sad thing, most of it isn't helping anything productive in the long run.
You might look up the statistics of productivity per country on world population review. They seem to place Ireland at 1, the USA at 6 and the Netherlands at 9. Not really the slow lane I think.
Absolutely no worries, my friend. You've only recently moved to the netherlands so it's not surprising you would instinctively think that there's no privacy, I mean, you're born and bread with that being true for the USA. So, don't worry about it. I understand completely! Enjoy your residence in the netherlands! (Even though I moved to Sweden) Also, Rotterdam (Or Rotjeknor) is my favourite Dutch city, Feyenoord for life!
Debt levels are controlled by law, credit institutions may not provide debt if you cannot show how your budget can pay the debt back. All consumer debt is registered, including car leases, the data open to credit providers who are mandated to perform a due diligence. Still want to borrow money? Many people have a mortgage and newer vehicles have some form of financing in general. Not much credit card usage.
On credit cards, in The Netherlands, only those who cannot afford to pay use credit card. If you can afford it, you pay cash for it. It's a very sensible approach to life, and we don't like to spend money we don't have. Gewoon doen ben je al gek genoeg.
The credit card thing seems so true. I’m 20 years old and have never even used a creditcard
50 hier...en nooit een credit card nodig gehad
I got my first one two years ago when I was 29, only because I drove across Europe in my old unreliable car, and I might need it to get a replacement if it would break down :')
Thank you for your very pleasant and well thought-out nuanced reflections of an American in the Netherlands, and so positive!
It makes me happy. I would love to go to the USA one day and experience your culture and customs there
Credtcard. You don't need to explain why you want one, but you need to have a positive amount on your bank.
It's not a way to get extra credit.
But our system of banking is very diverent than in the US.
I needed it on the pay-roads in france and on vacations outside Europe.
12:00 'Jammer' (pronounced 'yah-murr')means 'too bad' or 'tough luck', 'Rotjeknor' is pronounced 'rot-yuh.kuh-norr' and is a common nickname for Rotterdam. Hadn't heard the 'got an issue? take a tissue' line before but I like it and it very much fits the Dutch and especially Rotterdam attitude.
I really enjoy these reports on how you experience settling here. It gives me a fresh perspective on my own country. And I wish you and Tammy the strength and perseverance to keep up your spirits throughout the Dutch fall and winter (expect endless rain and cherish every minute of sunshine).
Also in the Netherlands credit cards are easy to det, no questions then a check if you have registered debts, I have 3 credit cards and a bank card but the difference is that most Europeans don’t like debts although the younger generation is more relaxed about it.
7:23
no, it is not hard at all to get a credit card if you have a regular income, . but you don't need them - debit cards are far more practical. I get around with just my debit card in nearly every shop, restaurant, museum, whatever, in almost all of europe. I use a credit card maybe twice a year to make a hotel reservation or for an online purchase, but usually I could pay online using my debit card as well, and never pay any rent on credit card debt.
You can get a creditcard if you want. You just need to apply for it as it is a loan. Which it is.
If you wouldn't get a loan you won't get a credit card either.
Credit cards are easy to get, all you need is a steady income and a bank account. I have one, only because it's convenient for internet purchases. It really is a culture thing: we only spend what we have.
Also, we are direct, very direct. If you have an opinion and you feel like sharing, expect a Dutchman to respect your statement as your opinion, but also expect them to see that statement as an invitation to start a discussion about that. Everyone is equal, so all opinions are equal and can therefor be discussed. Never apologize for having an opinion, and feel free to share your opinion, just be aware that someone with a different opinion will tell you what their opinion is.
How's that work out when certain folks' opinions dehumanize others?
You don't even need a steady income. I was able to get one as a student. It had a low limit and the money was take out of my bank account at the start of the next month but I was a credit card and worked perfectly fine for some random annoying international companies that only allow credit cards.
So the Dutch invented a new kind of exhibitionism : windows without curtains.
To be able to own a gun, you need to go to a shooting range for a year, at least 19 times and pass a couple psych tests, that will nett you a .22 another year and 19 times later you can either pick a permit for a “big caliber” pistol or rifle.
Once you have the permit you need to pick a gun from a gun store (have never seen one and do not know where to find em) if you have picked the gun you get a piece of paper you need to take to the police, the police will then come look at the vault you have installed. If it’s wrong, not safe enough, easy to steal. No gun for you.
And if the vault is okay, you can buy the gun. Guns are only carried in the open with a certain job, Or a certain licence. And of you have neither, you can only take a gun in a case or bag, separate from the ammunition, and only to and from the shooting range. And owning a gun without a licence or transporting a gun off route from your home to the range can get you in jail.
That’s all I know
We do have a track record of paying our bills, we have the highest mortgage paying reliability, we are a Calvinist society
And we have a very good registration, once you have ID'ed yourself, credit companies can find you easily.
In the UK at least, credit cards are used like a safeguard. i.e. you get some inherent protections when making big purchases via credit card. So people will often pay for holidays with a credit card, then immediately pay off the credit card as they are usually zero interest if you pay it within the month.
The people here are very good at saving money. Saving money is a national sport. 😆
Credit cards are not hard to come by. Your bank will give you one if you have an income and haven't run a foul of the BKR in recent years.
The main reason credit card debt is not much of a thing here is because the need for credit cards is low in The Netherlands. We were early in getting electronic payments through PIN in stores and later iDeal on the web. Unless you are ordering online from abroad you pretty much don't need a money loan mechanism which charges exorbitant interest.
I was surprised at hearing how comparatively few people had one. If nothing else, just something like Netflix needs a credit card. Obviously not everyone uses Netflix, but there are always a few things that you'd need one for.
@@mikepictor Companies that want to deal with people in the netherlands quickly start supporting ideal, there are third party providers that enable this for most companies.
@@mikepictor Netflix doesn't require a credit card in NL, but for example the less popular in NL Amazon video "rival" does, or at least did when i subscribed, it's been a while since i checked.
Also, just about everyone in NL uses Netflix, Amazon video is a lot less known (and will probably lose the battle in NL if they don't change a few things)
@@Rob_van_der_Linden Amazon uses iDeal paying system now. I also had to wait for a subscription as I do not have a credit card.
@@StudioHasenaar That's good to know :-)
Hello from Argentina, I have another questions for you. Why you call Americans, when millions of other peoples live in the continent, and America is a continent of a lot of countries? In spanish we have the word "Estadounidenses" for named americans. And here we learn that is only one continent America, and you split in 2 or 3 (south america, north america and central america) Here that are regions of one continent.
That is a great question and I don't know the answer other than that's how we were taught in the early years in school and it has just carried on...you make an excellent point!!
Appreciate your channel! Ignore the hateful comments they are not worth your time.
On credit cards. For me it's simple ( and my friends) we do not have one because if you ain't have the money for something.... You do not buy it. And just save up for it.
Jullie zijn nu lang genoeg in Nederland om dit te kunnen lezen (anders doen jullie je best maar) . Stop eens om je de hele tijd, bij voorbaat, te verontschuldigen voor je mening. Hier stappen we niet bij het minste of geringste naar de rechter om emotionele schadevergoeding te eisen.
Well, you do have a point regarding privacy. But its more of a practical issue rather than a cultural one in my opinion. Its just a fact that The Netherlands is much more densely populated than the US. For example, to live in a free standing house here you either need to be very wealthy or live very rurally. Most people live in apartments or row houses with a modest garden. Also, because of the concentrated population, public transport is more of a thing.
In general, people are just more in your face, a bit like you would expect in New York City. After living here you'll get used to it and almost stop noticing other people. As a general rule, people leave each other alone, read their paper, browse their phone, listen to music or close their curtains at home. People are not unfriendly, I mean, if you need help most are more than happy to, but most like to keep to themselves.
It's easy to get a creditcard (if you have an income and are not registered at the bkr office which checks debt) but for day to day life you will hardly need it. I only use on holidays, car rentals and the webshops which don't support PayPal or ideal (Dutch paying standard).
you can own a gun in the Netherlands but it is more a sport here not a way of life.
people do not own them for protection and of course, there are strict rules and not easy to get.(legally)
You can get a gun pretty easily if you are a law-abiding citizen. The requirements aren't too strict for people liking guns for guns or using them. You would meet those if you use a gun for just liking shooting or hunting. For criminals however if you use one then expect for the full force of the law to focus on you. That's why they aren't a problem.
I know a fair few people that own guns and I've known people in the past that owned guns and in my opinion, the laws could be a bit more strict. Two people that I know that own guns are suicidal and have considered using it on themselves. The difference is that they didn't let anyone know, they're not known at the GGZ or something. Commit small crimes you can get away with, keep your ideas to yourself etc.
I know one of them had prepared a schoolshooting, with the whole school worked out on a map. And he enjoyed shooting strangers (elderly grandma's) on the ankles with airsoftbullets whenever they cycled past in the evening. Playing sniper in the dark, he enjoyed hearing their surprised screams. No regard for their safety or the fact that old peoples wounds don't heal properly.
Another had threathened his friend and girlfriend with an airsoftgun and used to talk about daydreams that involved dipping people in boiling oil and shooting them in the neck.
I'm glad that I don't hang out with the type often, I always feel like they might snap one day. But a person that doesn't ask for help of GGZ, won't be helped by GGZ. (Not to mention the yearlong waitinglist for people that dó ask for help.)
@@Widdekuu91 I had a friend that shot himself through the head.
let us not forget the Alphen aan den Rijn shooting with Tristan van der Vlis he had permits too.
but I think things became more strict after that or at least the checks were taken more seriously.
@@Widdekuu91 Yeah, two license holding friends of a student I lived with on campus (also license) were pill poppin' crazies. Like one of them threw a empty bottle to my head out of nowhere, unprovoked aggressive behavior, etc. Couldn't believe they still had a license. House mate was chill though.
(not that ppl taking pills are bad, just them behavior temperament in combination with it)
@@boxie001 Well, I hope so. I wouldn't mind if they ónly had sportsguns on the shooting-range and did not allow any to be taken home. And that anyone with suicidal thoughts or anger-issues needs a permit from the psychologist or at least a qualified person. Not just for suicidal situations, because killing yourself can be done with many things, but mainly because a gun has the option to take a whole office, school or street out and people that seek 'revenge on the world' are not to be given that sortof power.
I've been watching all of you videos in the last 2 days, and I reeaaally like the content. As you might have noticed, Dutch people love watching (videos of) expats/outsiders give their opinion on our little country. I'm guessing after 2 months you have found your own way in adapting to our culture, and for the coming months/years you will still have remarkable and new experiences. I just want to give you a warm welcome to a very happy, progressive, relaxed but direct lifestyle/culture and country.
I have some questions (maybe for a different video).
What are some places you have already visited? Or sill want to visit? I live in The Hague (Den Haag), and seriously reccomend you to visit our Hofstad ((Den Haag) is where the parlement is, the supreme court is, our king lives etc). Have you already been to the beach? Are there any differences with being on the beach in the USA?
Keep it up!!!
Thank you for the kind words and thank you for watching…we are going to be getting out and doing some videos in our explorations Den Haag is defiantly in that list!
I've been enjoying your videos. My husband and I visited the NL five years ago, and we fell in love with the people, culture, and architecture. We also met several cousins, which helped my husband really connect to the place his dad was born. We would love to move, in a couple of years, but we're already in our early 50's. I'm concerned about working there and being able to afford living there after retirement. What words of wisdom do you have? I'm going to continue watching your videos. Keep up the great work!
Luckily we have debitcards, so much better to use imo. And I don't have to have better or more expensive things than my neighbours, don't need to even have the same, they're probably less expensive! I have a low income and I stay within my limits. I don't mind at all.
If you receive hate comments, just ignore them and don't answer them. Discussing is always useless in these cases so don't waste any energy on them.
Just for to help you - as you mentioned in one of your video you miss the church.... but did you know you can enjoy it MOST LIKELY in the Netherland as well. Just ask a catholic or protestant priest in the church and they have USUALY in all European country all of the kind of church and most likely there phone nr as they usually use to have meetings with each other or/and they could call them and tell you would be interested for to enjoy them.
On guns: licences for sporting usage on gunranges can be had.
The rules are very strict from a US perspective but very reasonable from dutch perspective.
Main points: membership of gunclub is required. Minimum of 1 year membership and training + positive referral before you can apply for a lincence to own.
Ownership requires a gunsafe bolted down and approved after local inspection by police.
Licence needs renewal each year with a number of required of proven time on the range.
Licenceholders can expect unannounced police inspections of gunstorage etc.
And no carry of guns of course. You only can travel to and from the gunrange with the gun in a case and taking the shortest route possible.
So i would say a very friendly rulebook to play by if you are a serious sporter.
So, I think it would be a pleasant experience for you to discuss politics and religion with some Dutch people at a party or in a pub ;-)
Hi there, saw your video in my UA-cam feed and liked it 👍🏼 About buying the big tv screens fast cars and stuff, in the Netherlands we say ‘doe maar gewoon dan doe je gek genoeg’. Wat i like more from the US is that you all are very proud on your country. You don’t see that much here. And also our army is not respected. That’s a shame…. Your not even allowed to travel in your uniform in public transport. Thanks for your insight in our country. Following you now 👋🏼
I Just read that the NL is in the top 4 richest countries in the world with an average net worth of 129k euros. Let’s stay away from the credit cards. Then again the US is the richest country but the average person is in debt, Go figure.
Europe in general not just the Netherlands is a great place to live.
And no offense i personally see no benefit in migrating to the United States i only see downsides in living there right now. America is crazy expensive so i don't get it why so many people want too migrate there? once again no offense.
Americans in general are good hard working people but sadly they have shitty politician's and they don't deserve that America can become a great country.
God bless America and the Netherlands.
Other than that a great video keep it up👍
As an American I am trying to figure a way to move to Europe.
@@timdettmann4067 you are more than welcome here good luck with you're Journey.
Also in what country here in Europe do you want to live in just courius?
I would recomend my country the Netherlands and why many of us here speak english perfectly so it would be easier for you just a suggestion.
Once again good luck with you're Journey.
@@DidierWierdsma6335The Netherlands is at the top of my list, truth be said I would be willing to move to any EU country. The United States is not so wonderful. I have been to Amsterdam and Rotterdam twice. I have been to most all of the EU countries, they are all wonderful. Over here guns, politics, hatred, racism, tribalism, no living wages, no health care, no public transport, I could go on and on. It's not easy at all for an American to move there. If it were as easy as flying there and staying I would do that. I am trying to figure the best way, that is why I follow channels like this one.
Japanese artwork on the back of a laptop is quit unusual for an American to have.
I am interested about the story behind that, if any.
I have some myself btw. Lovely.
Do not try to impress people you don’t like.
Love to hear your view on different topics....really enjoying that !
Question though...... I may have missed it (and if so, straighten me out please ;-) ) but I am curious to hear why you folks have come to NL in the first place and what your intentions are, short term, long term...anything ? ;-).
Mind you...just curiousity and nothing else.....as far as I'm concerned you're most welcome here and hope you will enjoy staying in this country for many years to come !! :-)
Maybe if Donald Trump would stay in our country for a year?……he would be much more relaxed with words🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣just a thought of a Dutchie😍👍
Pretty sure he'd be locked up in a mental institute within a week.
@@chubbymoth5810 yep he is clearly the perfect person for one 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂but not the only one I am afraid because there are more leaders in this world now who need to locked up in a mental institution!!!!
When it comes to politics and religion, the only time you might know someone's politics and who they voted for is the short time before elections, apart from that you would never know, you might hear them occasionally complain about foreigners or drugs and things like that but it stays very general, you might get a decent idea who they might have voted for but you wouldn't be able to tell for sure. Politics and the political party isn't a part of a person here as it is in the US.
It's somewhat the same deal with religion, people might follow a certain religion, but unless you happen to catch them going to their religious building you would not know, there are also a lot of Atheist, Agnostics and non practitioners here so even though you might think that someone fits into a certain religion you might be wrong simply because they don't believe or practice any religion.
the thing I always found so weird is that the US' argument for having guns is "well criminals will have em anyway so we should protect yourself" when..... making it more difficult to get guns as a whole, will also mean that less criminals will have guns. like ofc criminals will have guns when you can just buy em at a wallmart together with your weekly groceries
It’s also an issue not just of access to weapons in America, but normalized desperation. Deteriorating material conditions and the need to help your family survive are powerful motivators
Nope the 2nd amendment is about baring arms being a right & freedom against the possibility of a tyrannical government.
America has already learn that baning something dosent work look how banning alcohol end up in the USA you cant play to be god and tell everyone not to have something just cuse your scare of it
Yea I never got the point of keeping up with the Jones'. What do I care about what they have that I dont?
Anyway creditcards exist but are mostly used online. And going into the red on them is not a standard possibility i think.
In the US more lives are saved by guns than taken. It's also why the police has guns. So here in The Netherlands if you have a home invasion and lucky enough to be able to call 112 you are still a sitting duck till the police arrives. And you call the police because they have guns. You're not calling some counselor to come and talk to the home invaders. Guns are also the great equalizer. A tiny fragile woman with a gun can successfully fight off an attack from a large strong guy.
So I'm very pro 2nd amendment and most of all the 'shall not be infringed' part. Granted there's not that much crime going on here but still leaving your protection up to the government is a dangerous game. We did that and have been invaded by the French, Spanish and Germans. Criminals will have guns since they don't obey the law.
For the record I don't have a gun. But as former police officer, army officer and sport shooter I am used to having and handling guns in the past.
I do have a credit card but just one and only for travel emergencies and sometimes for buying online abroad but I always balance the credit card by a money transfer from my debit account. I did not pay any interest on the credit card so far. So the part of not living above our means and not caring what car the neighbor has is very true. In that way it is a very different culture indeed.
Because of the absence of guns, the Rotterdam kids are still enjoying themselves stabbing each other to death.
There, your daily dose of Dutch cynicism. (Apologies, it's tragic, really.)
You're a cool guy and keep the stories about the US coming. I learn a lot.
On the other hand, I wasn't interested in the first five minutes of the video, exactly because it is not an issue. I was like: why are you talking about it? Lol.
But you never know. They say that most US trends also reach The Netherlands but with a 10 year delay. Let's hope I'm wrong.
The gun violence in the leftwing run cities in the US has been going on for 30-40 years at least. It's somewhat reached the Netherlands but it's very much limited here to criminal gangs shooting each other.
Cheaper to buy a knife at Blokker or HEMA and use that to stab someone, then simply discard it and buy another if the intended victim is pretty much guaranteed to be incapable of defending himself after all.
@@jwenting I fail to see how gun violence is related to leftwing politics, seeing it's the conservatives holding on to an outdated amendment? (Outdated in the sense that it was ment for militia to defend themselves from oppression in the early days of the constitution, not regular citizens to shoot each other with).
@@Mafke it's leftwingers who want to abolish freedom and the right to self defense, leaving people at the mercy of the state.
Which went oh so well in the USSR, Cambodia, China, Venezuela, Cuba, Vietnam, 1930s Germany...
@@jwenting abolish freedom? You are aware that the American leftwing would be considerd conservative and therefor be on the right in the Netherlands, right? We're not doing so bad on freedom, happiness... well anything
Also, no need to apologize for everything you say :) as you may have noticed a lot of dutchies say what comes up in their mind. It doesnt mean they are mad at you.. we are just straight forward and blunt :)
Helo again from Roelof. Looking to videos about the USA I do not want to go to the USA. Even not on a Holiday trip. I never liked to go to the USA so it is not about the videos, but, I do not know why, but I never liked to go to the USA. Greetings.
6:45 It's funny i visited NY twice, and last December you guys had commercials about apps to help you with your debt on tv...
And i was like, how weird. You buy a app to help you not spend more than you have. While the dutch (pin pas) just stops when your account hit's 0.
It's possible to enable "rood staan" that means you can draw more from your bank account then you have availble but that also has it's limits and manny people turn it off.
I feel like you get your salary, and that's your spending money (bills,food,car and fun things). I bought a credit card for when i visit to US because our cards don't work overthere, but i really don't use it as a credit/debit card. I pay for dinner in NY, and when i go home i go to my ING (bank app) and transfer money to the credit card. So the card has no debt.
The big mis-understanding in the USA (due to the mighty weapon industry) is that people think they are safer WITH a weapon than WITHOUT a weapon, which simply is complete bullshit!! I never had a weapon and I always felt safe here. In fact, the MORE weapons the MORE chances that things escalate, and the fact that people in the USA can even buy machine-guns in a supermarket is really too sad for words!! Don't get me wrong, I was in the army, in my time we were still drafted, I have shot with a machine-gun, but my army period made me a pacifist!!!
When it comes to debts, I never had many lessons from my parents, but ONE lesson they always gave me was to NEVER go to a bank for a loan because you pay at least the double amount back to that bank. Privacy............I know we have big windows in our houses here in The Netherlands, but another lesson my parents told me was to NEVER look inside because it is inpolite to do so!!
Nice videos! Its really cool to hear your thoughts about Rotterdam and the Netherlands in general. I have a question for you about the USA : is there a general reason/ way of thinking why someone is allowed to drive a car from an age of 16, but isn’t allowed to drink until he/she is 21?
I have always been amazed at how young a drivers can be in the USA. Especially since I suspect that car crashes due to inexperienced drivers are more deadly than having to much to drink (which is also dangerous of course, don’t get me wrong 😬)
For us in the Netherlands, driving a car is possible from an age of 17, but you have to drive with a supervisor (parent, grandparent etc) until you are 18. The minimum drinking age is also 18.
We got the puritans! We can die for our country at 18 but no drinking or smoking…… messed up.
but privacy laws, especially in the digital space, are actually way more focused on the people and their safety. Companies like Google (which includes UA-cam) actually breach a bunch of EU safety laws. On several levels. But I know most about data collection. The reason why it's not actually illegal is because Google is located in the US so the EU can't really do a thing about it.
Don't be sorry😊 it's oke... there are more worse things to say.. dutch people are not that difficult❤
Dutch people have the habit of colonizing UA-cam channels that even remotely talk about them. So here it is…SUBBED!
Privacy is not the same as privacy. Dutch people value privacy perhaps on different aspects. For example, i heard it is normal in the USA to know the salary your co-workers earn. That is considered private info here in the Netherlands.
The funny thing is, it's probably the reverse.
Many USA companies try to discourage people from discussing salaries (there was a big commotion not too long ago about game developers sharing a big list with everybody's salary precisely because it's so unheard of). It puts the advantage on the company when discussing salary and raises.
While not to the dime, I know the salary of most of my co-workers and I have known it for most of the companies I've worked for. The difference is, it's not something that would come up in casual conversation so you can work for multiple departments at multiple companies and never hear and know it.
Plus it has a little to do with our Calvinist roots; you don't brag about things and outright declaring your salary could be considered bragging. So we're careful to bring it up.
@@tiaxanderson9725 Thank you for your information!
you dont live long enough here.. there are shooting every day so, mostly crimes.. but because we mainland getting illegal guns is faster/easier than legal way is too much paper work. my town had the first mall shooting and day before 2 drugcriminals shootout. got robbed by guns... Problem is you cant defend your house if I now enter it, you hurt me... You can get in trouble 70% home invaders will never get caught.
Oh, but did you know about Dutch *gunclubs?*
In short, any adult who is not a felon (sounds familiar?) and does the neccessary paperwork, which is just a confirmation document from the Justice Department and may take a month or so, can legally become a member of a gunclub or schietvereniging ('shooting association').
For members who wish to, it is possible to own and keep guns at home in a dedicated gunsafe, which is inspected once or twice by the local police.
If you google for schietvereniging, you'll be surprised how guncrazy some Dutch really are!
But it's a tradition, dating from the times of the Eighty Years' War and before when local cities and towns relied on local volunteers of militias to defend the town in times of war.
Have you seen "De Nachtwacht" by Rembrandt?
That also depicts a local militia as it is about to march out.
And we do have shootings on occasion.
*Schietpartij in Alphen aan den Rijn op 9 april 2011*
Successful people in the US buy the biggest car the biggest building put their name on top of the building and everybody says with respect 'wow, look how much he must be making'. In The Netherlands, successful people live modestly to buy a cheap car and everybody says with respect 'wow, look how much he must be saving'. That's a difference.
As a photographer I have to have to deal with privacy a lot. But people think they do live in China nowadays and that annoys me. Like they think the AVG wet is for all/everything.
While as a photographer you are allowed to take photographs of everything/anything and everyone, wherever you go on public streets, whenever you want. Certainly if it's journalis
But people think they can threaten me or demand me not to do so, making my work hard or even impossible. And it annoys me a hole lot. Stupid ass people.
As a photographer, certainly a professional one, you always take a hold on what you're photographing and keep everyones privacy in mind. But work is work.
Also it's quite annoying that you need to say yes to everything, while I think I don't give a damn. I don't have anything to hide. And as long as it helps me, I can't say no.
As a Dane we very early started to exchange money in 1983 with a - common debit card for most Danish Banks, The DanCard. So we are among the most Card using countries in the world, and if your credit is fine it is also a Visa/Dancard, or Master-. It gives a profit for all by removing actual use of money and the risks of handling it.
Nice observation. It's a pity you don't want to touch politics & religion. But... interesting topics to dig in are: soft drugs policy, judicial system, prison system, abortion, same-sex marriage, euthansia, parlementary vs presidential voting, representative voting vs winner-takes-all.... to name a few
I understand, no politics, no religion.
But not even about the differences in systems, without talking about specific political parties? I find the different political systems extremely intriguing. Just like, for example, the differences in the judiciary: independent vs political appointments of judges in the US.
In comparison to ‘keeping up with the Jones’s’ the Dutch have a saying ‘act normal, that’s crazy enough’ (doe normaal dan doe je al gek genoeg). That sums it up quite nice.
(Also related, je kop boven het maaiveld uitsteken, just look it up).
But then you realize.. there is nothing normal about the Dutch 😄
The part about the open curtains, that’s an old cultural thing, it comes from the Protestant Calvinist teaching that honest citizens have nothing to hide. With open curtains you are saying “look, we have nothing to hide’.
Have you come across Dutch Hells Angels? Meet up on a Saturday ride in large numbers wearing their colors from point A to point B.. then back home take the colors off and return to being a bus driver/ lawyer/ shipyard worker etc. They are just like children playing in the dressing-up box. I met one bad biker, he wanted to join The Outlaws, but there are no Outlaw chapters in Holland, he had to cross the border into Belgium to find one.
im not saying our way is better or worse, but i agree there is a huge difference in mindset when it comes to money and success. Here in the Netherlands probably the first thing that you get teached as a kid is: “dont spend money that you dont have” and “dont think you are better then somebody else”. So we get teached that creditcards are a bad thing. we only use them if we dont have another option, for example when booking a hotel in another country. Also having a bigger car then your neighbor isnt a good thing here...bragging or showing off is a big turnoff for a lot of dutchies. So, being number 1 isnt important...besides sports... Thats also why you dont see many lamborghinis or ferraris on the road. As a millionaire you get more respect if you show up on your bike :)
The main thing with guns and the credit/keeping up with the Joneses stuff is all due to society there being run by marketing. Heck, UA-cam is a marketing/advertising platform. Privacy is funny in the US for sure.
nice video👍🏻😄 have you ever seen gun control from jim jeferies?
And don't make excuses about something you think, you can certainly have an opinion. no one in the Netherlands will be offended if you give your opinion in a decent way😉
On the topic of guns and gun ownership… In the Netherlands only criminals and government branches (I.e. police, army etc) have guns. Given the open borders guns are pouring in from the Middle East, Russia and former Eastern European counties. Of course our situation is different compared to the US, but guns are a serious issue here as well.
calling guns a problem is in itself making a political statement...
Guns are a problem in the Netherlands, very much so. The problem is that only criminals have guns, and they can get them very easily.
Gun crime is relatively common, especially given the size of the population. Not as bad as the socialist hellholes in the US like Chicago and San Francisco, but it is definitely there.
Luckily it's mostly limited to criminals shooting each other, as criminals don't need a gun to threaten a citizen and knives are much cheaper. Knife crime is therefore MUCH more prevalent, so prevalent in fact that there are programs for people to turn in outlawed knives without penalty at times.
And not the Netherlands but close: last night a guy shot 5 people in Norway using a bow and arrows. You don't need a gun to commit mass shootings.
Yes, overall it's a good place to live. The main problem many people in the Netherlands have is with the political upper class and the way they're trying to change society into a globalist hellhole, not with the core of Dutch society.
It's easy to get a credit card here with your bank, however, generally they are limited to a specific balance (mine is limited to 1000 for instance) and you can choose whether you want to pay them off once per month or pay them off in installments (with percentage).
I just pay mine off each month, it's easy to use for online purchases so that's why I have it and if I travel it's nice to have it handy, but it's not a card I can go in debt with basically, I can't just put 25k on it as a purchase.
I'm Dutch, and guns aren't really banned here. About 40,000 people have 1 to 5 firearms at home. You must have no criminal record, be 18 years or older and be a member of an association and can only use the weapons on a shooting range. So we can't use the firearms for self-defense like in the United States and other countries in the world, only for sports purposes. Also hunters have firearms of course.
Guns for me if many criminals have them i would want them too for protection. In the Netherlands most criminals don't have guns except perhaps for hardest criminals but those almost never shoot ordinary civilians if that happens it's on the news, it's that rare. Keeping up with the Jones is more important in the USA. I have the feeling that in the states people judge you way more for income and being able to keep up with the neighbourhood. Here that's totally not important, in fact in the Netherlands showing of wealth is frowned upon. I don't judge other cultures for what they do or don't do. There are differences and i am totally fine with that. Would be boring if every country would be more or less the same.
Guns in the Netherlands. If you want a gun or even more you can get totally five, if you want that is the maximum. You have to become a member of a shooting club. The minimum is that you have to be a member for a year and make a minimum of 18 shooting rounds that year. After that year you can apply for a permit through your shooting club. The first year you cat get a permit for a small caliber. 22 pistol or bolt gun and have no conviction of violence on your name. Then you have to wait another year and a minimum of 18 shooting rounds for the next level. Then you can apply for a bigger caliber gun or an bigger caliber bolt gun. After another year and minimum 18 shooting rounds you can apply for a semi automatic ar15 or another rifle. The ammunition may have a maximum caliber of 19,1mm. If you apply for a the permit and that is every year they screen you. You have to bring your shooting club card and must have prove that you have shot at least 18 times that year. You have to do this every year. If you have a conviction for a violent offence they take away your guns. The first time before you get your first gun the police checks your vaults, a separate vaults for your guns and one for your ammunition. The vaults must be bolted to a concrete wall and floor with chemical anchor, six, four in de wall two in the floor.
The guns and the ammunition must be in separate vaults. The first time you want a gun permit you have to take a psychological test at the police station. This is new and just about three years in practice now. And every two years you get a visit from two police officers unnoticed for a check of your vaults. If you are nearby you have to come to your home. If anything is wrong, your weapon is loaded in the vault or whatever than they take all your guns away. And you don't get a permit in the near future.
And there are about 40.000 members of shooting clubs in the Netherlands. A lot of rules in the Netherlands but if you want gun control do it good. There was an incident on 9 April 2011 when a idiot whit a gun permit shot 6 people dead and wounded 17 people in Alphen aan den rijn. After that incident the rules for guns in the Netherlands changed a lot. For the better we think so.
The gun laws in the USA are the reason I don't like my son to go there, he has dual citizenship. His mother is African American and the family on her side live in Florida (yeah I know, worst place ever)
Here I don't like police to have guns, the usually are terrible shooters.
The second amendment is the right to bear arms when in an organized militia. Sadly the second part is usually overlooked
I have a credit card, but haven't used it in years, ridiculous interest rates, we dutch know better 😂