In The Netherlands, you don't have to be a member of a Union to work at a certain business. You can be a Union member, but not all workers at a business have to be. So you don't get hurt if your union is giving you bad health care or benefits, like is the case with some unions in the us. You don't have to be a member to do certain jobs in The Netherlands. If Unions in The Netherlands are powerfull enough, they negotiate working conditions for their members and they will be the same for non Union members. In the USA, you have to be a Union member to do work for certain companies. In The Netherlands each worker can be a union member voluntarily. You could be the only Union member at your company and still benefit form union negotiators.
@@calzeeuw-r7v Even if only ONE of your colleagues is a union member, EVERYONE will benefit from his membership. Personally I'm not a union member, but the union still negotiated a total of 4.5% pay increase for the entire company this year.
When Americans say Freedom: I think they mean: "I want to have a crocodile in my backyard" When Europeans say Freedom, they mean freedom from poverty, disease, unemployment, etc You can not have a crocodile in your backyard in Europe, they will eat the neighbours.
Bij de Rijdende Rechter zitten voldoende Nederlanders, die hun buren graag aan de krokodillen voeren.....🤣😂 En zou deze enthousiaste Amerikaanse jongeman de populaire Nederlandse sport "azijnp*ssen" kennen??
Dutchie here from the areas you were walking through, both Haarlem and Amsterdam. You stood in front of places i lived in, worked at and got married in. This clip was quite the emotional ride for me. Enjoy our wonderful Netherlands and spread the freedom you receive. It will endure as long as we keep it safe.
@@randar1969 yeah, hope the country can turn things around but there are always going to be pockets of discontentment in groups of society. But everyone is feeling the squeeze now.
@@Everlien7184 uiteraard. Maar stel je voor dat je opgroeid in suburbia in een random plaats in de VS. Tot je op je zestiende je rijbewijs haalt kan je eigenlijk nergens heen, tenzij je een lift van je ouders of ouders van een vriend ofzo krijgt.
You are such a fun guy. I've lived in the Netherlands for 46 years!!! Born in Wichita, Kansas, but left the states when I was 21, not planning on permanently living anywhere else, but it happened and I have no regrets. You are right about the freedoms we have here, I do not take them for granted. My child was born here in 1977 and I paid 00.00. Can't believe you have to pay 15,00 bucks to have a child. and the student loan thing is just insane. Thanks for your videos, I like them a lot.
Now, I am Austrian. When our child was born in Austria we got money from the government at the birth and of course all services afterwards (health control, etc) was for free. My wife is Greek and we moved to her place for some reason. And here things are very different in terms of governmental support of children and families.
Even do we do complain about how expensive health care cost these days. It's thank go's not as metal as in the states. I'm so glad I'm was born in the Netherlands. But down side is the waiting list for housing is to long 16 years minimal for the big city's and around them.
Also religious freedom. The average Dutch person does not care what your religion is, as long as you 'doe normaal' (act civil). We don't like people pushing things/opinions in our face. I often say: Be careful what you ask, because you will get an honest answer, that you might not like: Does this dress make me look fat? Yes! ;-)
At the age of 16y I was an exchange student in the US. I stayed with 3 families in 3 different states. The view on freedom in the US is completely different than in Europe. For example I wasn’t allowed to run at night in the US. My exchange parents said it was dangerous. People are scared. In their mind their freedom in carrying a gun. In Italy I run at night, I actually do in every European country and never felt unsafe. For me freedom is being safe, move around without any worries, being able to study in any European country I want, if I want to go partying in Switzerland, I just do it. Freedom for me is being 19y old and speaking 5 languages perfectly thanks to Erasmus. If I want to travel right now, I just pack my bags and travel around Europe.
I was born in the Netherlands and lived there for 40 years. Then I immigrated to the US and lived there for 25 years. Now I am retired and I just moved back to Europe. The reason why I moved back is that in Europe I never have to worry about running out of money. That is an incredible feeling of freedom.
Lately UA-cam has been recommending me videos about foreigners talking about the Netherlands and its always such a refreshing take on the things that we take for granted. This video is no exception to that. Your positive vibes sure brightened my day, even though the sky is grey as usual. I do wonder if there are things that you really miss from living in the states though and American culture. Hope you have a great day!
The nature in America is great; ironically, that is the one thing they don't have a hand in lol. I say this as an American living in Cali for 5 years and currently visiting my Dutch boyfriend. The freedom of movement is huge here. I love being able to not need a car and reliably go within a city and between cities. Don't get me started on the food lol. I can eat the bread! And totally agree with you on the freshness. I am amazed by all the efficiency, even the shopping carts are efficient lol. TLDR: I am trying to move here.
We do have access to all types of food the entire year round in The Netherlands too, but when a fruit or vegetable is out of season, it's a LOT more expensive and far more difficult to get. You might have to place a special order at a local store (not a supermarket), but it's definitely possible. It's just encouraged to buy products that are in season.
honestly with greenhouses around in all of europe, there isn't a lot of produce we don't have. Hell, nowadays we have strawberries and tomatoes in stores during winter. Its just crazy to think of.
@@skunkey9923 They have less flavor, thats true. Thats because they're kept in coolers for too long. A lot of produce does have that issue, sure. But regardless.. we do have access to it and its not THAT bad or inedible.
Welkom in Nederland. Leuke filmpjes maak je. Vind het leuk om de verschillen te horen en te zien hoe jij of Amerikanen kijken of denken over Nederland.
I also wanted to react to the worker's rights thing: Here in The Netherlands the amount of rights workers have is very extensive and one small YT comment won't encompass all that you are entitled to as an employee, but here are some things: - 4 weeks of mandatory paid vacation each year - Up to a maximum of 2 years of paid sick leave (it's not included in the vacation days). - 10 days of paid parental leave for fathers, 3 months for mothers, with the possibility to extend this (at 70% of your salary) for many more months (for both parents btw!). - A minimum of 1 month's notice before being laid off. - A permanent contract after 3 consecutive temporary contracts or after 2 years of being employed. There are many other benefits that companies offer themselves, like extending the paid vacation days to 6 or 7 weeks, but all the above is obligatory by law for any employer.
Good list from the basic thinks. This is correct. Small addition: when it is a permanent contract, the reasons for terminating the contract from the side of the employer, need to be good. So if the company would risk closure, then it's allowed. The employee usually also have a 1 month notice, but without 'reasons'.
Dont forget then when you are laid off (or due to bankrupcy) there is the UWV uitkering that pays 70% of your last earned income for 3-24 months (depending on how long you were employed) . And you get a transitievergoeding (severance pay) most of the times. Employees are much more protected overe here.
As to the paid parental leave for fathers, I think it also depends on the company. My team-leader got a new baby last year and he got a paid day off every day for a year just to be with his wife and his new child.
Actually paternity leave is a lot more now. - 1 week paid partner leave at 100% , to be used in the first month - 5 weeks extended partner leave at 70%, to be used in the first 6 months - 9 weeks paid parental leave (for both parters, so the child bearer gets this on top op the 10 week leave) at 70% to be used in the first year.
The underlying reason for these working rights is that all unions here do collective bargaining on behalf of all employees in their industry and these collective bargaining agreements (CAO) have the force of law behind them. Unlike in the US, the Dutch government, even when it's run by our Right wing, stands on the side of the unions and the suggestion that we limit the power of the unions for the benefit of corporations is unthinkable. (Although the previous few governments have gotten around this by promoting the gig economy where, on paper, workers aren't employees, but 'self-employed' and therefore not protected by CAOs.)
Regarding the differences in food and it being more fresh in NL: As someone who lived in NYC and is born in NL, it's two things. 1: the corn sirup that is added to all and everything incl. the food to feed the meat animals. It's makes everything taste sweet and artificial. And 2: we have way more strict regulations on what they can and can't add into food. Mt. Dew in example is totally prohibited in NL.
The proof regarding point one, is Fanta. The Fanta in NL completely tastes different in the Netherlands compared to America due to the corn sirup which has been added to the American version. Here it is a nice refreshing drink. In America it is too sweet sirup which you actually need to add water to, to make it drinkable.
Another great video Sky! Dutch guy living in the Detroit area and I watch a lot of your videos and others of US American expats living in the Netherlands and the rest of Europe and the things you bring up comparing Nederland with the Verenigde Staten (US) seems to be a very common theme. So happy you, your wife and your children have found a safe and comfortable place to call home.
@@ItzSKYVlogs Hi Sky. Besides your channel I also subscribe to buncharted, NALFVLOGS, exploringtheforeign, DutchAmericano, hidavidwen, and NotJustBikes. They are all Americans living in the Netherlands and Germany, except for NotJustBikes who is a Canadian. They all have similar observations and, for the most part, enjoy many of the same benefits that you see living there in Haarlem. There are many more but those are the channels I subscribe to. Hope you enjoy their content as much as I do.
@@BetjeWolff-v2sonly weapons I have in the Netherlands are decorative (fake katanas and cool knives) or practical (survival knife) and I am perfectly happy with that being my only experience with weapons.
@@BetjeWolff-v2s It is not forbidden at all. It is just made more difficult than to simply walk into a shop and buy a gun. Regulation, not banning. And yes, the idea is to prevent having fire arms in public space, with the exception of law enforcement.
@@marbakker When I was in Houston, I went to a supermarket. At the entrance, there was a message that said something like: please leave your fire arm in your car before entering the building. Private possession of fire arms is held in high regard in the United States, even though many feel that it should be more restricted. I personally do not feel so. People in the US should perhaps be more aware of the dangers of granting children unmonitored access to fire arms. I believe that it is fine for parents to have their children grow up with fire arms, letting them shoot at practice ranges and making them acquainted with arms. This however should also imply that children should be brought up in the awareness of the dangers and the corresponding responsibility to handle fire arms accordingly.
I lived in the US for a couple of years and still have some friends there. I loved living there (awesome nature, living space) at the time and loved the people I met there. However,I never understood why so many over there live under the illusion that the US is the greatest country or that is the land of the free. I’m so happy to live in Europe, where live is so much better.
Low education and the brainwash. Sorry that I sound rude. But as a dutch person looking at how America it makes me sad that fast food is cheaper then healthy food. I would start growing my own food even if I have to do it on a roof I would try and grow it my self from seeds
Een van de prettige dingen in het arbeidsrecht: mijn man heeft een burn-out sinds januari. Hij is wiskunde docent ( havo/ vwo) dus hij heeft een behoorlijk goed salaris. Het 1e jaar dat hij ziek is krijgt hij 100% van zijn salaris door betaald. Kan hij daarna nog niet aan het werk krijgt hij 70% van zijn salaris . Als hij niet meer als docent aan het werk kan maar een baan aan moet nemen die minder betaald dan die 70% dan wordt het verschil bijbetaald vanuit de uwv. Dus hij gaat tot aan zijn pensioen nooit meer minder inkomen krijgen dan 70% van zijn laatst verdiende salaris. Dat is misschien een flinke hap minder maar het geeft ook een geruststelling dat er in iedergeval een behoorlijk inkomen blijft.
As a dutch person, I have a lot of american friends and the freedom of "self" is something that always comes up in conversation. It's really crazy how your work and political alignment becomes your identity in the US. I love seeing your videos and your thoughts on the differences between the States and this small kikkerlandje 🧡
Hey Sky... This episode is a trip down memory lane. I saw spots that used to be important for me. Like the Heilig Hartkerk. The church with the apartments.The primary school I used to go to was around the corner and was related to that church. The school is now named "de Ark" (of Noa) but used to be named "Kardinaal Alfrink school". The preschool was there too. "Ons Kwetternest". Across the street at Cleef still is "Andrea". That electronics store is located at that spot for over 40 years. The water in the park is called Schotersingel. We used to go ice-skating there in winter. Or used the sleight to go down the sides and end up at the ice. I'm talking 35/40 years ago! 😅 The parking garage next to the train station used to have pretty high barriers. I used to drive a 6 cm (2.5") lowered Honda CRX which was able to limbo the barrier. #FreeParking 🤫 I moved to the complete opposite of the Netherlands about 20 years ago. I don't mis Haarlem, but seeing Haarlem gives me warm feelings and good memories. Cops in the Netherlands are one of the most approachable in Europe or maybe even the world IMHO. Just don't be rude and respect the law. I love your video's. You make me realize we shouldn't take everything for granted. It's not all that bad here. You make me fall in love with my country again.
Here are a few more: * Freedom for kids to walk or cycle to school, friends, family, sportsclubs, stores without parents having to drive them everywhere. * Freedom to cross the street wherever we want. Jaywalking doesn't exist here. * Freedom to go somewhere without a specific reason. We don't have laws against loitering, so the police can't arrest us for doing nothing wrong. * Freedom to choose how we go to work; by car, by public transport, walk or cycle. * Freedom to be sick.We don't have "sick days". If you're sick, you're sick. * Freedom to say whatever the f*** we want. Yes, that includes cursing on tv without getting the sound beeped away or worrying about government censorship. * Freedom to live in different types of homes. Instead of the dominance of large areas that only allow single family detached houses like in the usa, we have much more mixed use neighbourhoods.
Also freedom of race. I have lived 25 years in The Netherlands and nobody has ever racially abused me or described me as belonging to a particular race.
You have more freedom of speech in the US than in NL. In the US profanity is protected under the first amendment. This means you can literally give anybody the finger or call them names, including government officials, and they cannot punish you for it by law. In NL, insulting another person is punishable by law, insulting a government official in the process of performing their duty is an even heavier fine.
Jaywalking does kind of exist here... You cannot cross any street you want everywhere you want. But it's generally not called jaywalking, but you'll be fined according to Article 5: It is forbidden to behave so that danger on the road can or will be caused, or traffic on the road can or will be hindered.
@@sweetpea_8472 That's for everyone in traffic and has nothing to do with jaywalking. If you're careful and you watch what you're doing you can pretty much cross the street everywhere. You're not limited to pedestrian crossings (zebrapaden).
@@TicaHikes The idea of human race doesn't exist in science, nor does it in the minds of Europeans. Have you noticed that our passports don't tell your skin color, race, ethnicity or whatever you may call it?
VVE is also for mutual costs on the house. For instance if the roof is leaking and has to be repaired or renewed the botton of the VVE has to pay also. In Haarlem I think it's usual 1/3 for the bottom floor and 2/3 for the top floor. Also when you'll have sewer-problems you split the bill. And bigger VVE's often save money for big repair or maintenance-costst like painting the building or saving up for replacing teh roof or things like that.
I've lived here for over thirty years, and I can't imagine ever living in America again even though I still see Americaas home. It's not perfect living here, but it's as perfect as perfect can be.
To not feel hunted anymore ?? Also , High Fructose Corn Syrup is forbidden in the EU , we do not chlorinate chickens , here we run to the cop for help and not away from them . We are a nation that stands together , because we are not afraid of each other . I hope all you Americans seeing this are registered to vote 💙💙💙 Do not go back !
@@frankhooper7871 geinig de familie stamboom vind zijn oorsprong wel in Brabant. Mijn ouders vonden Hieronymus een mooie naam. Denk niet dat het iets met Hieronymus Bosch te maken heeft. Mijn roepnaam is trouwens wel Jeroen😉🤫 woonachtig in het midden van het land.
9:40 You're completely correct: the HOA equivalent in the Netherlands is the VVE: Vereniging van Eigenaren, and because they are a "vereniging" (association), every member has an equal say in it, and decisions have to be taken by a majority of members, sometimes even by a two third majority if it comes to changing their own rules.
Except that, as far as I've read, many USA HOA's tend to encompass entire neighbourhoods. Dutch VvE's extend only to an apartment building or on something like terraced housing that share a common roof construction or something like that. IOW, a lot smaller.
An important difference that a VVE is for a building and fees are for the upkeep of the building, not the neighborhood. The scope of what rules that can be set by a VVE is much more limited than a HOA.
@@ralfvandeven3155 The average US HOA also grabs tasks that in the Netherlands lie with the "welstandscommissie", which is town/council based, not a private party.
@@heijxje True, liker I said the scope is much more limited here which is a good thing. A VvE should deal with the upkeep of the building and common areas, not with what type of curtain residents want to have.
HOAs are not insurance or savings institutions, not in any way, shape, or form. Whereas, the mutual fund you and the other condo owners pay into in the Netherlands are your communal funds, just strictly reserved for building maintenance. Especially if you've got elevators which need regular maintenance.
Thank you so very much for this. My wife and I are traveling to Amsterdam on Tuesday. Folks are happy for us and I'm stressing missing work and understanding the local culture.......
Have to add some more freedoms you do NOT have in USA. You cannot choose your electricity provider. There is pretty much ONE per state, period. In the most capitalistic country in the world, no competition. In most EU countries, you can chose between 10-20 different ones. The same is true for your internet. There might be 2, one DSL and one cable. In many other countries, I can chose between dozens of internet providers. Next up, how your house is build and how it looks. You usually buy a home from a builder, so most houses in that area look the same with some variations. And if you decide to build to your specs, you have to buy a lot and use an architect to design the house, but than the HOA will have a word in it. The cost for that is astronomical as there are not many independent builders like there are in EU. In addition, the building materials and rules are so antiquated that you could never build a modern, high quality house with tripple pane windows, integrated shutters that close for hurricanes, front doors with keys that look like they are from the future and locks that have like 12 dead bolts. Your freedom of choice is extremely limited in that regard, that is why US houses still look like from 1970, even built just now.
Love your videos, your enthusiasm and creative use of your camera :) I had the same sort of experience when I lived in the US for 2 years, but I couldn't really settle there so I came back to good 'ole Netherlands. Subbed! (I do miss the Rockies though or watching the Broncos live) Btw tip to never lose your umbrella - just hold on to it and it will always be with you. worst you can do is drop it in the bagage compartments (and if it rains others might just take it ... by accident ... of course ...)
On the HOA like being VVE. VVE is an acronim for Vereniging van eigenaren. It's there for distribution off cost to maintain the whole building. Also allowing you to attend meetings to discuss matters.
A VvE (Vereniging v Eigenaren > Union of Owners) is not the same as HOA: a VvE (if it's good) covers costs for maintenance of the building, cleaning of 'community areas' (every hallway, stairwell or lift that can or has to be used by you or anyone else to access your property within the building) and paying the electricity fees for those community areas. Besides that there can be a technical committee within the VvE (depending on the size of the building) and they have to confer at least once a year. A good VvE makes sure the building is well maintained and costs for this maintenance are covered in advance. Recently an estate agent told me that he knew of an apartment building with a VvE in debt for over a million Euro's. That's such a high debt it's very hard to recover from and the VvE usually has to file bankruptcy. Though the VvE usually also covers a set of rules you can and can not do (like: if you want to paint the outside of your apartment in neon-orange, it usually is not allowed, just like performing works of any kind is restricted to certain hours, just for the peace and sake of everyone else in the building. If agreement can not be met on certain areas, this can (sometimes, not always) be voted for, which sounds like a whole different deal then HOA, where non-agreement (and especially no possibility to appeal in any way) apparently has huge consequences, where being evicted by breaching the VvE rules is not that easy. That usually requires multiple complaints of causing nuisance, being a danger to other owners, neglecting maintenance of your property (which could damage the property of other owners or the property as a whole) and such or any other breach of the VvE rules (prostitution within any private property inside the structure the VvE-rules apply to for example can be prohibited, while a municipality can allow this in general). Student debts are pretty real here as well. Not that long ago there was someone who was in debt for 125000 Euro. This has been caused by a time where the loans (That would turn into a gift if you would finish your study in time) were not turned into a donation anymore (and a few other things, I finished my education well before the new system so I don't know the ins and outs) And by the way: when I finished my education, I was in debt for something like 33000 euro, for an MBO-education (not university thus). Scared the shit out of me, as I just didn't have that amount of money to pay it back. I paid a visit to one of the student-company offices to ask what went wrong. And fortunately, it proved to be a computerised letter that was sent 12 seconds before their system got the notice that I finished my education in time and thus it was completely dropped and turned into a donation... Pfew...
There was a shooting in a mall here long time ago, it was so shocking that i know the purpetrator name to this day. Tristan van der Vlies the shooting was in 2012. So i can't say it can't happen here in the Netherlands but i can say it's ultra rare.
VvE (vereniging van eigenaren) is usually for flats, not for houses just connected to each other to the sides (rijtjeshuis). The VvE usually also takes care of building wide maintenance, and shared spaces (like the stairs).
I fully agree on the freedom statements. About the workers rights: An addition that might be very relevant if you are not looking at it as an employee: in the laws from the Netherlands, they try to keep the balance between protecting the employee (social side, not socialist perse) and the room for employers (entrepreneurs) to keep their business healthy. That is a hard to make balance, where one goverment might focus more on 'giving the companies more room' as other goverments might focus more on the 'protecting the employee'. I think the balance is pretty good, although I'm an employee :) Also, there ar structures (for larger companies) that you need to have a 'Ondernemingsraad' that will advice (and more) the employer about the balance between these interest the make/keep the company as health as posible on the long term. This is not a workers council (vakbond), because the OR will look into the full company interest, not the employee interest. There are also 'vakbonden' to, which are large (trade) unions that will protect employees in a specific trade (sector) and negatiate better conditions for workers. These usually exist for sectors (trades) that have companies that don't have the best interest in healthy employees. Not all trades/companies have those unions or the resulting effects. F.e.: IT or consulting has no unions.
My family emigrated to California when I was a toddler, and I lived there for 20 years. Came home to England in 1973, so I have a fair amount of knowledge of both the US and the UK. I live in a medium sized town and can walk home unafraid at 10 o'clock at night; I have no fear of potential medical debt [atypically for my age, the only times I tend to see a doctor, is once a year for a flu jab LOL]
We have HOA's in the Netherlands. In fact, our house, the people downstairs and next to us are 3 houses that are in one HOA. But we don't come across the problems you're describing. If something needs to get done and is over a set amount of money, we just get together and try to come to an agreement. Usually, that's not a problem.
VvE, ofwel Vereniging van Eigenaren. It is vastly different to an HOA, any HOA is, in first instance, a finance vehicle set up to actually finance a project, and that includes road and infrastructure. Where a VvE is the building is the subject, the HOA is responsible for the whole development. Which means there are vastly different objectives between the two.
Message from the Netherlands, born en alive here, South America is so much better for me. But the mainthing is, so much more JOY there. The energy in the Netherlands is heavy, you know when you are longer here. South America is light, musica, joy and smiles!
I think South America is unique and increasingly so as Europe seems to follow America more and more in every possible way. The main difference is how positive people are. In South America even the poorest seem relaxed and happy, in Europe everyone seems permanently stressed out. Of course there are still drawbacks with regards to living standards and things like corruption, but the gap is closing.
The best here in the Netherlands is that you just not get laid off that easy, it depends about the contract you have, but without a good reason, you as an employee have the right to stay ore fight/ negotiate about a lay off fee so you do not become homeless over night, there are laws about how much fees for the years you work there you get, this does not apply for the seasonal work like summer jobs ect.
I enjoy your videos sooo much, in Holland we say you are a ouwehoer. A ouwehoer is an expression for someone who has a pastime by chatting a chatterbox. I mean it in a positive sense.
@@ItzSKYVlogs that's lucky! when I was a poor student, I travelled by train all the time, and a free umbrella came in handy (Note: if I ever found something of high value, like a laptop or a wallet I would always give them to the lost and found)
Its much better than here in the states, Its hard to explain but I can feel it when im there. I love the Netherlands, it seems like state side, there are predators from all directions, including the police. Ive been laughed at, By my Netherland friends The first few times ive been there, for being so up tight and constantly looking over my shoulder. after you climatize with it. Its like a big weight of your shoulders and friendships are appreciated and the mutual respect is amazing :)
A born and bred Dutchie here. I love the Netherlands (Haarlem is a beautiful town btw, but have you ever been to Amersfoort?) Many Dutch people love to bitch and moan about conditions here, but they don't know how good we (still) have it. Come along to Amersfoort and I'll show you around, maybe do a guided tour. It's amazing.
We have HOA here were I live. It's a lot of things but not everyone pays the same from my understanding. Also, everyone's rent is also different even when living in the same apartment building. It highly depends on income. If you got certain income, the rent is higher, those who cannot afford high rent, pay the lowest but we all pay HOA / services /broken elevators / cleaners etc as part of it and it's not that much. Las year there was a compition "Do we want Vezel internet?" everyone signed "YES!" so we got the great internet and it made me so happy !
I live in the Netherlands and I’ve been in the US a lot. I think you’re right about the specific things you mention. One thing I personally feel as quite different is ‘standing out’. In the Netherlands we go by ‘doe normaal’ too much (act normal, as in don’t stand out too much). Whereas in the US it’s quite normal to be proud of your achievements and letting it show. Not over here. When you build succes by yourself people tend to think that comes with a catch. I would really like to be able to speak out more about accomplishments, being proud of what we have, trying to be better than the day before.
There's quite a big difference between celebrating your achievements & "keeping up with the Joneses"... One I respect, the other is constantly trying to compare others to you & try to prove some tangible superiority over someone else (which a coworker of mine does & it just gets super tiring to even be near them & have a conversation with).
@@MLWJ1993 that’s true. It’s more about celebrating your successes instead of it just to be ‘another day at the office and don’t stand out’ kind of thing. But I feel what you mean. I’ve had a competitive coworker for years and it was very annoying and almost toxic behavior.
Beter van niet, want door al dat ego-gedrag is de rest vd ellende ontstaan daar in de VS. Ik denk dat er al meer trots is in NL dan vroeger en dat is prima, maar maakt je nog steeds niet beter dan anderen.
when it comes to health insurance in the netherlands we have something that is called (Own Risk). Basically what that means is that you pay about 385 euros per year for you're health insurence. and if you have a apointment at a psychologist or poh and you have to pay 1.800 euros you will be over you're own risk that you have to pay for and the rest gets paid for you. meaning that everything else that you get as treatment is for free beyond that point!
The freedom of safety is a big one. Having a low rate of crime, and extremely strict regulations on weapons to commit them with, makes a huge difference. Firearms can be used either for hunting on sport shooting, but you will need to go through background checks, a psychological evaluation, and you need to obtain a license. Then, even if you own a firearm, it needs to be in a safe at all times, with the ammunition stored separately. When you're transporting it, it cannot be on your person, but it needs to be in a secure case or bag, once again, with the ammo stored separately. You also need to subject yourself to mandatory random police house checks. I've never seen the police as anything other than a peacekeeper, or an annoyance, depending on which side of the law I was on. I've never needed to be afraid a policeman or woman might shoot me, abuse me, or treat me in anything but a courteous manner. The police in turn doesn't need to be on edge every time they pull someone over, just in case the person they pulled over might have a gun - which eliminates accidental shootings and escalations. It's safer for everyone. Not being able to trust the police, like is often the case in the US, seems absolutely terrifying to me, and I feel for people who are subjected to that every day. Even more so when you live in a society where most every random Joe could be packing a firearm.
Just adding that when transporting a fire arm, you need to take a direct route. No stopping at a friend's house or the supermarket. Get that weapon back in its safe first
Did you film this around the 12th of november? I swear i saw you underneath the train pass in Haarlem around that time. Could have been someone else but i just had to check
Cars...as long as you live in a city, you don't need one, if you live on a farm, you need one, no public transport, in some areas in the east of the country, you have to get to a buss stop or train station 7 km away from your home first etc..
It heavily depends on your job as well. I work construction and I need my car. Public transport is great, but I don't have a set job site and often wouldn’t be able to get to work in time if I had to wait for the first bus/train of the day. Not to mention it's impractical since I have to bring some simple handheld tools. For office jobs, factory work and especially education it's usually a perfectly fine alternative.
I've seen about that HOA thing. Someone just barged into the garden where a couple was in their swimming pool and this woman started yelling at them because their car wasn't parked straight or something. And she even said something about the size of the dog. I mean, what the heck? Imagine that happening here, I think people would start to laugh in your face. Sure, when your car is blocking the road or something, but on your own drive way? LOLOL. That is WEIRD!
Great video! Where the food is concerned, the EU has far more regulation as to what can and cannot be used to grow the food or what is fed to the farm animals. The FDA has a very sizable list of things that can be included with the food (certain amount of mouse feces, for example) and even that list is not complete. The EU, it's a completely different ball game here. I also agree, the food here in the NL is just higher quality in taste, texture and smell.
The difference is that in the EU, the rule is that only which is proven safe is allowed, in the USA only which is proven unsafe is forbidden, so when in doubt, in the EU it isn't allowed and in the USA it isn't forbidden.
10:10 It's that split of Building vs Apartment owner - VVE is everything with the building (insurance based on the rebuild costs that now always go UP) and the owner does only the insurance inside the apartment.
The strange thing is that fresh food is a lot more expensive than fast food and other unhealthy meals/snacks in the USA....while with unhealthy food a huge amount of chemical junk is added and with healthy you only have to dig it out of the ground....strange world, as if they want people to get sick there.
I could go into a looooong story here - look up the history / story of sugarbeet farming in the US for the reason why lobbying for a sugarbeet industrie of industrial proportions gets you elected , laws changed to make your product as ubiquitously as possible, influence peddled to make sure that the guys you buy get elected and then start the cycle of unhealthy highly processed food , obesity , cardiovascular sicknesses , pharma company gain , diabetes II , more pharma win ... Cheers from Limburg in the Netherlands , where we still cook from scratch . From the marketgarden of Europe . Very happy to be living in Kikkerlandje 🧡
the logic behind that is that the added chemicals make it last longer, and the transport costs are high.. that's why good fresh stuff is so expensive... logistics
The thing is if you get 4 weeks paid vacation, if you get time of to be with your newborns you also imo go to work differently. Plus not living to work until you are 80 is good thing. I feel so bad for my friends in The US.
Your explanation makes it sound like we complain to often haha, seems like its ok to live here. We take it for granted that your profession does not define you as a person (most of the times) and your social status. Nice that this deviates from the way things are in the US. The VVE costs are often around 200 a month, and they are mostly used for maintenance and upgrades of the building. There are a lot more nice coffee places in Haarlem. We live in a great city to roam around the center and beyond.
Ive been to the USA a couple of times. Total time being about 8-10 months I think. Frankly... I never understood the whole "we have freedom" thing. Freedom of what, really? Western Europe isn't exactly consisting out of dictatorships (Eastern Europe might, depending on the country). Sometimes I feel a lot of the mostly conservative people who say that aren't very aware of what life outside the USA is like, believing most of the world is oppressed or under some kind of regime. Its odd.
@@michelvanderlinden8363 You are absolutely right. but they don't know that...And I'm sick and trired of them believing they have the greatest country in the world and we have no rights at all!
@@evastapaard2462 If Im honest, the people who often had this talk with me when I was actually there were usually conservatives and/or republicans. The kind that eat Fox News three times a day. The difference between knowledge of the "world outside the USA" is almost night and day between those people, and the ones that arent those people.
you need to remember how the US came to be. The UK was constantly trying to keep the oversees collonies under control. Many people went to the US to get away from religious authorities repressing them(only to do it to eachother there). Once they broke free that was a huge deal. Americans are obsessed with the past. They'll tell you which boat their great great whatevers arrived on, they tell themselves they're German or Irish down to percentage of DNA, when their family hasn't ever even visited those countries for generations, and they still imagine people in Europe are being repressed and have a lower quality of life, even though basically every metric has shown the opposite for decades....
when I was young (i do not say little, because I am still little 🤣🤣), I looked up to America. Nowadays, with your videos and from others I feel very lpriviliged to live here and not the USA (especially with the orange Blimp 😂)
Workers rights in the Netherlands: lay offs are extremely rare, it only happens when a company goes bankrupt. You can only be fired if the company has a file of misconduct, or you do something unethical/egregious. What does happen is that your contract will not be prolonged. Usually you start on a one year contract, and if they like you you get a second one. But if they want to keep you, they need to permanently hire you. Also vacation days are protected under law. And sick days are different from vacation days.
From what it sounds to me US HOA's are lead by wanna-be totlitarianists that can fine you for not mowing your lawn often enough and can even toss you out of your home. Shit like that would never fly in the Netherlands
the reason a lot of food is much fresher is because we have a LOT stricter control/standards. while i personally don't buy veg at Dirk or Lidl a lot, because Albert Heijn is just BETTER, i still buy a lot of other stuff at those. Aldi same thing, and i'm happy they have the sporadic stuff from Trader Joe's (yes i know it's the same set of brothers behind it, but it's still more american aldi, dutch / german aldi are TOTALLY different XD) in general, dutch people are direct, sober, down to earth. at least around Rotterdam where i live XD did i see some bits of The Hague in your video ?
I think our (Dutch) concept of freedom is 'your personal freedom ends when it endangers the others' personal freedom' ... not sure if thats completely true , but at least i was raised with this principal.. Best example to compare is guns: In the USA you have the freedom to own a gun , but actually everybody gets forced to get one in order to feel safe ... is it a freedom then? Im happy here .. please dont be to positive about this tiny country, since i would love to keep some breathing space the coming 50 years ;-)
Not related to the content of the vid. But as a Dutchie this is a quick tip that, especially in big cities, you will need :-). A Coffeeshop in the Netherlands is a place where you go to get the MJ, not coffee (we call those koffietenten). So if you ask someone in Rotterdam or The Hague where you can find a coffeeshop. You might end up in a place where you will be getting the green stuff instead of a cup of coffee 😅 Amazing video tho! Lot of these points also really crossed my mind when I was thinking about moving to the states from here! Yes the space in the USA is nice, but all these plusses are just too nice to let go!
I am sorry, but the US is that insecure kid continuously claiming that he is cool. If you are cool, you don't have to say it. If you are really free, you don't feel the need to say that you are free.
- You don't need 2 or 3 jobs to get by - Workers rights differ per job/sector. - Depending on what's in your C.A.O you must have an X amount of free hours between shifts and have a weekend off every so often. - true freedom of speech: no fake hugs, compliments, sucking up etc. but direct, transparent and to the point communication.
When going to the states it always makes me feel belittled. All the signs warning not to do dumb stuff... So not dive in shallow water... Don't drive into the river... Warning, hot tea /coffee? Common sense things.... Many grachten here don't have fences or signs to warn you about the chance of falling or driving in... It's common sense. Like hot food from the grill and only diving in deep water. It's a freedom not to have to warn people to do dumb stuff. And not having to read those signs 😅
There are special organisations in the USA diving for missing people . They find tons of vehicles in rivers and lakes, sometimes with the driver in it.
@@evastapaard2462 There are also many vehicles used for crimes or insurance fraud. Maybe they think a sign will deter people from using rivers and lakes as dumping waters.
I think that might actually be due to how relatively easy it is to sue someone in the US compared to here. And so companies post all possible dangers on packaging, playsets, cars, etc. to just not be liable for anything stupid
I was born in 1969. Growing up in the Netherlands it was hard to imagine what is not allowed. Basically we could do everything you can imagine as long as you don't bother someone else. We had no environmentalists at that time either. I have been stopped by the police 2 times in my life. Once I overtook a tractor on a crossing and the police warned me that it was not a safe move on a crossing, no ticket. And once I drove 80 on a 60 road. The police asked me how fast I was driving and I told him I was drifting perfectly 80. He said that was correct but it was actually a 60 road so he warned me to drive 60, again no ticket. On TV if someone swears it will not be beeped away and even the niplegate with Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake would not have existed in the Netherlands. It would have been broadcasted and no one would have made a drama about it. Abortion is no problem within a certain period and you get good doctor care. Even if you want to end your life because you are suffering unbearably, like cancer patients that have no treatment options anymore, they can get help. Also alcohol and soft drugs are no issue. And because it is not forbidden we don't care for it. Soft drugs are seen as not cool because losers and tourists use them.
Healthcare in the Netherlands is indeed arranged differently than in the US. However, there are still problems. The Dutch government has paid the lowest price for medicines for many years. Now the pharmaceutical industry supplies the medicines to governments of other countries that pay more. Currently, 20% of the medicines are not available. These medicines are available in Belgium. A Belgian pays an amount for his health insurance for one year. We pay the same amount for a month........
About the not needing a car thing here. I live in a village (in the Netherlands) where the bus only comes around once every half hour and in the evening once every hour. There's also no, trains, trams or subways here. So there's a difference between living in a city or living in a village here. Just like safety also depends on where you live. Plus, even small towns and villages are starting to get less and less safe over the years.
About the safety, you are right of course, but i live in the bad part of Rotterdam, and its still very safe. Now ive been to the NY, and i would not leave my rbnb at night.
@@FatbirdsdontflyWhere in NY did you stay? Cause I know there's certain neighbourhoods you don't want to be. But I always thought Manhathan was kinda safe🤔🗽
@@Iamsanni Dat is helemaal niet vaak. In Rotterdam gaan ze elk kwartier. Als ik mensen uit een stad spreek zijn vaak verbaast als ik vertel dat mijn bus maar 1 × per uur gaat🤷♂️. We leven hier in een rijk westers land. Daar horen bussen gewoon vaker te gaan🤷♂️.
Yoooo Happy Monday!! So both countries have things to work on. But I do love the freedoms I have in the netherlands and hope america adopts these!
In The Netherlands, you don't have to be a member of a Union to work at a certain business. You can be a Union member, but not all workers at a business have to be. So you don't get hurt if your union is giving you bad health care or benefits, like is the case with some unions in the us. You don't have to be a member to do certain jobs in The Netherlands. If Unions in The Netherlands are powerfull enough, they negotiate working conditions for their members and they will be the same for non Union members. In the USA, you have to be a Union member to do work for certain companies. In The Netherlands each worker can be a union member voluntarily. You could be the only Union member at your company and still benefit form union negotiators.
@@calzeeuw-r7v Even if only ONE of your colleagues is a union member, EVERYONE will benefit from his membership. Personally I'm not a union member, but the union still negotiated a total of 4.5% pay increase for the entire company this year.
Wonder where Amerika got its constitution idea from, or hear me out copy somebody's homework
"is it tho0o????" immediate thumbs up.
That walk you're doing, I walk almost every day from home to the library. And that's my wife's coffeeshop.
When Americans say Freedom: I think they mean: "I want to have a crocodile in my backyard"
When Europeans say Freedom, they mean freedom from poverty, disease, unemployment, etc
You can not have a crocodile in your backyard in Europe, they will eat the neighbours.
Or to own a gun which is kinda the same as having a crocodile..or worse
You are in fact allowed to have a crocodile as a pet in the Netherlands.
@@Windall-s4hYou’re really not though, maybe Kaaimans but that’s more of a big lizard then a crocodile, but classifies as one, hope this helps!
Bij de Rijdende Rechter zitten voldoende Nederlanders, die hun buren graag aan de krokodillen voeren.....🤣😂 En zou deze enthousiaste Amerikaanse jongeman de populaire Nederlandse sport "azijnp*ssen" kennen??
Well said , Sir .
Is it bad that I watch these as a Dutch person to hear how cool our country is. That's bad isn't it.
Nah, just a sanity check 😊
Nee hoor! I do the same! Grew up in America... left because of gun violence. Became a dutchie (through marriage) and never looked back!
Hahahahahahah
Oh my gosh! This is the best comment on the video so far! Hahahaa really made my day lol
@@amytipker331awwwww wow.. you left due to gun violence…? Oh my gosh.. i hope nothing happened.. and glad your save.
Universal rule number 37: if you bring an umbrella, it will not rain,
Universal rule number 38: if you lose your umbrella, it will rain
Preach 😂
no, no, that's the 1st rule of the umbrella 😁
if you carry an umbrella, it's sunny outside
if you forget your umbrella, it rains
In the Netherlands, if it's not raining at the moment, it will rain in 15 minutes.
If it's raining at the moment, it will stop in 15 minutes.
Go to England , the rain is worse….
@@tihomirrasperic The First rule of the umbrella is, you do not talk about the umbrella.
Dutchie here from the areas you were walking through, both Haarlem and Amsterdam.
You stood in front of places i lived in, worked at and got married in. This clip was quite the emotional ride for me.
Enjoy our wonderful Netherlands and spread the freedom you receive. It will endure as long as we keep it safe.
Yeah man... The new American Dream is to get the hell out of America. Sad but true.
I can't wait to retire from the Army in 5 years and move back to Europe.
"The American Dream is everywhere...just not in America" - Michael Moore in "Where to invade next"
Like the deceased comedian Carlin said 'It's called the American dream, because you have to be asleep to believe it!'
@@randar1969 yeah, hope the country can turn things around but there are always going to be pockets of discontentment in groups of society. But everyone is feeling the squeeze now.
Not if Trump gets elected.
Children playing outside without parents is freedom.
I used to walk to school since I was 6.
Dat hangt in mijn ogen wel af van de leeftijd van de kinderen
@@Everlien7184 uiteraard. Maar stel je voor dat je opgroeid in suburbia in een random plaats in de VS. Tot je op je zestiende je rijbewijs haalt kan je eigenlijk nergens heen, tenzij je een lift van je ouders of ouders van een vriend ofzo krijgt.
@@Everlien7184eh ja, duh, als baby laat je ze niet alleen buiten. Maar…vanaf vrij jong toch wel, in vergelijking met Amerika zeker.
Riding home safely on the bike in the middle of the night as a young woman alone, that's freedom too :)
The freedom of ‘self’, very well phrased mate, never could find the right words but this is spot on!
Aww wow thanks!!! Dude I almost cut that whole part out because I was like… does this make sense? 🤣
I felt like it was a bit confusing. So happy I didn’t cut it out :)
@@ItzSKYVlogs It totally made sense! I too am so happy you didn't cut it out 🤗
@@ItzSKYVlogs Glad you didn't, it was enlightening
Freedom of self makes perfect sense - In the USA you are your job, your salary, which party you support, ...and ethnicity ... but never just you ...
Another nice thing about our trains, you often get a free umbrella ;-)
haha omg dude!
I have one or two umbrellas here at home that I found in a train😅
And when you're late the train is also late!
💀
You're welcome!
You are such a fun guy. I've lived in the Netherlands for 46 years!!! Born in Wichita, Kansas, but left the states when I was 21, not planning on permanently living anywhere else, but it happened and I have no regrets. You are right about the freedoms we have here, I do not take them for granted. My child was born here in 1977 and I paid 00.00. Can't believe you have to pay 15,00 bucks to have a child. and the student loan thing is just insane. Thanks for your videos, I like them a lot.
Now, I am Austrian. When our child was born in Austria we got money from the government at the birth and of course all services afterwards (health control, etc) was for free. My wife is Greek and we moved to her place for some reason. And here things are very different in terms of governmental support of children and families.
Even do we do complain about how expensive health care cost these days. It's thank go's not as metal as in the states. I'm so glad I'm was born in the Netherlands. But down side is the waiting list for housing is to long 16 years minimal for the big city's and around them.
Also religious freedom. The average Dutch person does not care what your religion is, as long as you 'doe normaal' (act civil). We don't like people pushing things/opinions in our face. I often say: Be careful what you ask, because you will get an honest answer, that you might not like: Does this dress make me look fat? Yes! ;-)
As long as you do normaal..😂 hahaha oh geweldig
100% this. I don't even know what my friends' beliefs are half the time. Just doesn't come up.
At the age of 16y I was an exchange student in the US. I stayed with 3 families in 3 different states. The view on freedom in the US is completely different than in Europe. For example I wasn’t allowed to run at night in the US. My exchange parents said it was dangerous. People are scared. In their mind their freedom in carrying a gun. In Italy I run at night, I actually do in every European country and never felt unsafe. For me freedom is being safe, move around without any worries, being able to study in any European country I want, if I want to go partying in Switzerland, I just do it. Freedom for me is being 19y old and speaking 5 languages perfectly thanks to Erasmus. If I want to travel right now, I just pack my bags and travel around Europe.
Je bent echt een positief mens. Vind je filmpjes echt geweldig
Je wordt er zelf vrolijk van.
Ja is wel een voorbeeld om te volgen. Hij ziet alle positieve dingen in het leven. Klaagt nergens over.
I was born in the Netherlands and lived there for 40 years. Then I immigrated to the US and lived there for 25 years. Now I am retired and I just moved back to Europe. The reason why I moved back is that in Europe I never have to worry about running out of money. That is an incredible feeling of freedom.
Could you elaborate? How don't you run out of money in Europe?
@@DittersGustav You can run out of money, but I think he’s referring to social security. Here, it’s more of a safety net than a hard landing.
I'm Dutch and i'm constantly running out of money....😅
@@deniseservaas8027 je bent een vrouw, bekend om de gat in de hand 😂😂
But in the US you are fcked sideways and not in a good way
Lately UA-cam has been recommending me videos about foreigners talking about the Netherlands and its always such a refreshing take on the things that we take for granted. This video is no exception to that. Your positive vibes sure brightened my day, even though the sky is grey as usual. I do wonder if there are things that you really miss from living in the states though and American culture.
Hope you have a great day!
The nature in America is great; ironically, that is the one thing they don't have a hand in lol. I say this as an American living in Cali for 5 years and currently visiting my Dutch boyfriend. The freedom of movement is huge here. I love being able to not need a car and reliably go within a city and between cities. Don't get me started on the food lol. I can eat the bread! And totally agree with you on the freshness. I am amazed by all the efficiency, even the shopping carts are efficient lol. TLDR: I am trying to move here.
It's wise to buy a mini-umbrella you can extend. You can carry it in your bag and always be prepared.
Ooh good idea!!! I’ll definitely get a mini one next.
I’ll pick up one after work today ;)
Get a storm umbrella, the foldable one.
I cary a rain poncho folded small.. because all my umbrellas were lost in trains.
Don't forget the bag though!
The way you edit these vids, talking walking and stopping once in a while, is great! Love your format.
Yes it is. Its a trick some movie directors use if the movie character has to explain something
We do have access to all types of food the entire year round in The Netherlands too, but when a fruit or vegetable is out of season, it's a LOT more expensive and far more difficult to get. You might have to place a special order at a local store (not a supermarket), but it's definitely possible. It's just encouraged to buy products that are in season.
honestly with greenhouses around in all of europe, there isn't a lot of produce we don't have. Hell, nowadays we have strawberries and tomatoes in stores during winter. Its just crazy to think of.
@@michelvanderlinden8363 Its just strawberries in winter taste horendous compared to ones in summer grown on Dutch soil
@@skunkey9923 They have less flavor, thats true. Thats because they're kept in coolers for too long. A lot of produce does have that issue, sure. But regardless.. we do have access to it and its not THAT bad or inedible.
@@skunkey9923 Absolutely.
Welkom in Nederland. Leuke filmpjes maak je. Vind het leuk om de verschillen te horen en te zien hoe jij of Amerikanen kijken of denken over Nederland.
I also wanted to react to the worker's rights thing: Here in The Netherlands the amount of rights workers have is very extensive and one small YT comment won't encompass all that you are entitled to as an employee, but here are some things:
- 4 weeks of mandatory paid vacation each year
- Up to a maximum of 2 years of paid sick leave (it's not included in the vacation days).
- 10 days of paid parental leave for fathers, 3 months for mothers, with the possibility to extend this (at 70% of your salary) for many more months (for both parents btw!).
- A minimum of 1 month's notice before being laid off.
- A permanent contract after 3 consecutive temporary contracts or after 2 years of being employed.
There are many other benefits that companies offer themselves, like extending the paid vacation days to 6 or 7 weeks, but all the above is obligatory by law for any employer.
Good list from the basic thinks. This is correct.
Small addition: when it is a permanent contract, the reasons for terminating the contract from the side of the employer, need to be good. So if the company would risk closure, then it's allowed. The employee usually also have a 1 month notice, but without 'reasons'.
Dont forget then when you are laid off (or due to bankrupcy) there is the UWV uitkering that pays 70% of your last earned income for 3-24 months (depending on how long you were employed) . And you get a transitievergoeding (severance pay) most of the times. Employees are much more protected overe here.
As to the paid parental leave for fathers, I think it also depends on the company. My team-leader got a new baby last year and he got a paid day off every day for a year just to be with his wife and his new child.
Actually paternity leave is a lot more now.
- 1 week paid partner leave at 100% , to be used in the first month
- 5 weeks extended partner leave at 70%, to be used in the first 6 months
- 9 weeks paid parental leave (for both parters, so the child bearer gets this on top op the 10 week leave) at 70% to be used in the first year.
The underlying reason for these working rights is that all unions here do collective bargaining on behalf of all employees in their industry and these collective bargaining agreements (CAO) have the force of law behind them.
Unlike in the US, the Dutch government, even when it's run by our Right wing, stands on the side of the unions and the suggestion that we limit the power of the unions for the benefit of corporations is unthinkable. (Although the previous few governments have gotten around this by promoting the gig economy where, on paper, workers aren't employees, but 'self-employed' and therefore not protected by CAOs.)
Regarding the differences in food and it being more fresh in NL: As someone who lived in NYC and is born in NL, it's two things. 1: the corn sirup that is added to all and everything incl. the food to feed the meat animals. It's makes everything taste sweet and artificial. And 2: we have way more strict regulations on what they can and can't add into food. Mt. Dew in example is totally prohibited in NL.
The proof regarding point one, is Fanta. The Fanta in NL completely tastes different in the Netherlands compared to America due to the corn sirup which has been added to the American version. Here it is a nice refreshing drink. In America it is too sweet sirup which you actually need to add water to, to make it drinkable.
@@Roszalief thats insane 😳
Another great video Sky! Dutch guy living in the Detroit area and I watch a lot of your videos and others of US American expats living in the Netherlands and the rest of Europe and the things you bring up comparing Nederland with the Verenigde Staten (US) seems to be a very common theme. So happy you, your wife and your children have found a safe and comfortable place to call home.
Ayyyeeee wow you’re in Detroit!!?? I’ll be there in December
Love going to Detroit
Awww wow!! Really!!??? I didn’t realize people were saying the same things.
Is there a creator you recommend I watch
@@ItzSKYVlogs Hi Sky. Besides your channel I also subscribe to buncharted, NALFVLOGS, exploringtheforeign, DutchAmericano, hidavidwen, and NotJustBikes. They are all Americans living in the Netherlands and Germany, except for NotJustBikes who is a Canadian. They all have similar observations and, for the most part, enjoy many of the same benefits that you see living there in Haarlem. There are many more but those are the channels I subscribe to. Hope you enjoy their content as much as I do.
@@ItzSKYVlogs Where abouts in Detroit? I live just west of Pontiac.
Als Nederlander hou ik van m’n vrijheid niet neergeschoten te worden 🤗
Posession of weapons is forbidden in the Netherlands. Thank God.
@@BetjeWolff-v2sonly weapons I have in the Netherlands are decorative (fake katanas and cool knives) or practical (survival knife) and I am perfectly happy with that being my only experience with weapons.
It’s not forbidden actually, you can get a permit for sporting or hunting but it is highly regulated with very strict rules.
@@BetjeWolff-v2s It is not forbidden at all. It is just made more difficult than to simply walk into a shop and buy a gun. Regulation, not banning. And yes, the idea is to prevent having fire arms in public space, with the exception of law enforcement.
@@marbakker When I was in Houston, I went to a supermarket. At the entrance, there was a message that said something like: please leave your fire arm in your car before entering the building. Private possession of fire arms is held in high regard in the United States, even though many feel that it should be more restricted. I personally do not feel so. People in the US should perhaps be more aware of the dangers of granting children unmonitored access to fire arms. I believe that it is fine for parents to have their children grow up with fire arms, letting them shoot at practice ranges and making them acquainted with arms. This however should also imply that children should be brought up in the awareness of the dangers and the corresponding responsibility to handle fire arms accordingly.
I lived in the US for a couple of years and still have some friends there. I loved living there (awesome nature, living space) at the time and loved the people I met there. However,I never understood why so many over there live under the illusion that the US is the greatest country or that is the land of the free. I’m so happy to live in Europe, where live is so much better.
Low education and the brainwash. Sorry that I sound rude. But as a dutch person looking at how America it makes me sad that fast food is cheaper then healthy food. I would start growing my own food even if I have to do it on a roof I would try and grow it my self from seeds
Een van de prettige dingen in het arbeidsrecht: mijn man heeft een burn-out sinds januari. Hij is wiskunde docent ( havo/ vwo) dus hij heeft een behoorlijk goed salaris. Het 1e jaar dat hij ziek is krijgt hij 100% van zijn salaris door betaald. Kan hij daarna nog niet
aan het werk krijgt hij 70% van zijn
salaris . Als hij niet meer als docent aan het werk kan maar een baan aan moet nemen die minder betaald dan die 70% dan wordt het verschil bijbetaald vanuit de uwv. Dus hij gaat tot aan zijn pensioen nooit meer minder inkomen krijgen dan 70% van zijn laatst verdiende salaris. Dat is misschien een flinke hap minder maar het geeft ook een geruststelling dat er in iedergeval een behoorlijk inkomen blijft.
You hit it exactly on the nail, man. 👍👍US people are not free, they are on their own. Which is for me not free.
As a dutch person, I have a lot of american friends and the freedom of "self" is something that always comes up in conversation. It's really crazy how your work and political alignment becomes your identity in the US. I love seeing your videos and your thoughts on the differences between the States and this small kikkerlandje 🧡
It does me so good to see more and more Americans appreciate the Netherlands for what it is. Makes me so proud of my country!
Great video! It looks nice there.
Hey Sky... This episode is a trip down memory lane. I saw spots that used to be important for me. Like the Heilig Hartkerk. The church with the apartments.The primary school I used to go to was around the corner and was related to that church. The school is now named "de Ark" (of Noa) but used to be named "Kardinaal Alfrink school". The preschool was there too. "Ons Kwetternest".
Across the street at Cleef still is "Andrea". That electronics store is located at that spot for over 40 years. The water in the park is called Schotersingel. We used to go ice-skating there in winter. Or used the sleight to go down the sides and end up at the ice. I'm talking 35/40 years ago! 😅
The parking garage next to the train station used to have pretty high barriers. I used to drive a 6 cm (2.5") lowered Honda CRX which was able to limbo the barrier. #FreeParking 🤫
I moved to the complete opposite of the Netherlands about 20 years ago. I don't mis Haarlem, but seeing Haarlem gives me warm feelings and good memories.
Cops in the Netherlands are one of the most approachable in Europe or maybe even the world IMHO. Just don't be rude and respect the law.
I love your video's. You make me realize we shouldn't take everything for granted. It's not all that bad here. You make me fall in love with my country again.
Here are a few more:
* Freedom for kids to walk or cycle to school, friends, family, sportsclubs, stores without parents having to drive them everywhere.
* Freedom to cross the street wherever we want. Jaywalking doesn't exist here.
* Freedom to go somewhere without a specific reason. We don't have laws against loitering, so the police can't arrest us for doing nothing wrong.
* Freedom to choose how we go to work; by car, by public transport, walk or cycle.
* Freedom to be sick.We don't have "sick days". If you're sick, you're sick.
* Freedom to say whatever the f*** we want. Yes, that includes cursing on tv without getting the sound beeped away or worrying about government censorship.
* Freedom to live in different types of homes. Instead of the dominance of large areas that only allow single family detached houses like in the usa, we have much more mixed use neighbourhoods.
Also freedom of race. I have lived 25 years in The Netherlands and nobody has ever racially abused me or described me as belonging to a particular race.
You have more freedom of speech in the US than in NL. In the US profanity is protected under the first amendment. This means you can literally give anybody the finger or call them names, including government officials, and they cannot punish you for it by law. In NL, insulting another person is punishable by law, insulting a government official in the process of performing their duty is an even heavier fine.
Jaywalking does kind of exist here... You cannot cross any street you want everywhere you want. But it's generally not called jaywalking, but you'll be fined according to Article 5: It is forbidden to behave so that danger on the road can or will be caused, or traffic on the road can or will be hindered.
@@sweetpea_8472 That's for everyone in traffic and has nothing to do with jaywalking. If you're careful and you watch what you're doing you can pretty much cross the street everywhere. You're not limited to pedestrian crossings (zebrapaden).
@@TicaHikes The idea of human race doesn't exist in science, nor does it in the minds of Europeans. Have you noticed that our passports don't tell your skin color, race, ethnicity or whatever you may call it?
I love your relentless positivity. 😊
You really use a good vlogging camera, the background is so well vague as it should be and your so sharp. Great sound and colours to.
VVE is also for mutual costs on the house. For instance if the roof is leaking and has to be repaired or renewed the botton of the VVE has to pay also. In Haarlem I think it's usual 1/3 for the bottom floor and 2/3 for the top floor. Also when you'll have sewer-problems you split the bill. And bigger VVE's often save money for big repair or maintenance-costst like painting the building or saving up for replacing teh roof or things like that.
I've lived here for over thirty years, and I can't imagine ever living in America again even though I still see Americaas home. It's not perfect living here, but it's as perfect as perfect can be.
To not feel hunted anymore ?? Also , High Fructose Corn Syrup is forbidden in the EU , we do not chlorinate chickens , here we run to the cop for help and not away from them . We are a nation that stands together , because we are not afraid of each other . I hope all you Americans seeing this are registered to vote 💙💙💙 Do not go back !
The not afraid of each other is rapidly changing in the past 2-3 years.
Ooooh I didn’t know that!!!
Wow. No wonder the food doesn’t make me sick! I’ve been really trying to figure out what is put in the foods in America that make me sick when I visit
Also yea I loooove going to the cops here! They are super nice!
oh really.. do you think less people are going outside.? I feel like being outside is a big factor or not being afraid of each other
Every Dutchie who hears you will complain less. Thank you!
But complaining is their hobby!🤣
@@tinekejoldersma In your environment maybe. Not in mine.
@@truebluewonderful1139 Sourpuss, it is a joke.
@@tinekejoldersma Wat? Zure kut? Nou, ik ga me niet verlagen tot jouw niveau.
i doubt that, i have been living i rotterdam for 20 years...we LOVE to complain!
When you say you want to go to a coffeeshop in the Netherlands, nobody is thinking you want to get a cup of coffee..🙈
Yes we do… 🇳🇱👊🏼
@@hieronymus6691nee gap, echt niemand denkt dat
@@hieronymus6691I'm wondering from your username if you might be from Den Bosch? 😊
@@frankhooper7871 geinig de familie stamboom vind zijn oorsprong wel in Brabant. Mijn ouders vonden Hieronymus een mooie naam. Denk niet dat het iets met Hieronymus Bosch te maken heeft. Mijn roepnaam is trouwens wel Jeroen😉🤫 woonachtig in het midden van het land.
as a dutch person I assumed he was going to get a coffee
9:40 You're completely correct: the HOA equivalent in the Netherlands is the VVE: Vereniging van Eigenaren, and because they are a "vereniging" (association), every member has an equal say in it, and decisions have to be taken by a majority of members, sometimes even by a two third majority if it comes to changing their own rules.
I think the HOA is also an association.. home owners association... i think..🙈
Except that, as far as I've read, many USA HOA's tend to encompass entire neighbourhoods. Dutch VvE's extend only to an apartment building or on something like terraced housing that share a common roof construction or something like that. IOW, a lot smaller.
An important difference that a VVE is for a building and fees are for the upkeep of the building, not the neighborhood. The scope of what rules that can be set by a VVE is much more limited than a HOA.
@@ralfvandeven3155 The average US HOA also grabs tasks that in the Netherlands lie with the "welstandscommissie", which is town/council based, not a private party.
@@heijxje True, liker I said the scope is much more limited here which is a good thing. A VvE should deal with the upkeep of the building and common areas, not with what type of curtain residents want to have.
HOAs are not insurance or savings institutions, not in any way, shape, or form.
Whereas, the mutual fund you and the other condo owners pay into in the Netherlands are your communal funds, just strictly reserved for building maintenance. Especially if you've got elevators which need regular maintenance.
I love your videos man! I’ve lived in LA 10 years and am making the move to Amsterdam next year. Thanks for your insights 🙌🏾
EVERY SINGLE THING you mentioned used to be normal in the USA as well.
The US has gone downhill so much in the last, at least, thirty years. So sad.
Thank you so very much for this. My wife and I are traveling to Amsterdam on Tuesday. Folks are happy for us and I'm stressing missing work and understanding the local culture.......
Have to add some more freedoms you do NOT have in USA.
You cannot choose your electricity provider. There is pretty much ONE per state, period. In the most capitalistic country in the world, no competition. In most EU countries, you can chose between 10-20 different ones.
The same is true for your internet. There might be 2, one DSL and one cable. In many other countries, I can chose between dozens of internet providers.
Next up, how your house is build and how it looks. You usually buy a home from a builder, so most houses in that area look the same with some variations. And if you decide to build to your specs, you have to buy a lot and use an architect to design the house, but than the HOA will have a word in it. The cost for that is astronomical as there are not many independent builders like there are in EU. In addition, the building materials and rules are so antiquated that you could never build a modern, high quality house with tripple pane windows, integrated shutters that close for hurricanes, front doors with keys that look like they are from the future and locks that have like 12 dead bolts.
Your freedom of choice is extremely limited in that regard, that is why US houses still look like from 1970, even built just now.
Love your videos, your enthusiasm and creative use of your camera :)
I had the same sort of experience when I lived in the US for 2 years, but I couldn't really settle there so I came back to good 'ole Netherlands. Subbed! (I do miss the Rockies though or watching the Broncos live)
Btw tip to never lose your umbrella - just hold on to it and it will always be with you. worst you can do is drop it in the bagage compartments (and if it rains others might just take it ... by accident ... of course ...)
On the HOA like being VVE.
VVE is an acronim for Vereniging van eigenaren. It's there for distribution off cost to maintain the whole building. Also allowing you to attend meetings to discuss matters.
VVE's are often still overbearing.
Love the energy man!
"Gold is the money of kings, silver is the money of gentlemen, barter is the money of peasants - but debt is the money of slaves."
Norm Franz.
That's why they apply debt trapping
Wauw! Die moet ik onthouden…
Dank!
Always high quality content and original informative way of creating convo! Keep up the great work Sky! ❤
You can get your umbrella back probably via NS lost and found :)
It is also freedom
A VvE (Vereniging v Eigenaren > Union of Owners) is not the same as HOA: a VvE (if it's good) covers costs for maintenance of the building, cleaning of 'community areas' (every hallway, stairwell or lift that can or has to be used by you or anyone else to access your property within the building) and paying the electricity fees for those community areas. Besides that there can be a technical committee within the VvE (depending on the size of the building) and they have to confer at least once a year.
A good VvE makes sure the building is well maintained and costs for this maintenance are covered in advance. Recently an estate agent told me that he knew of an apartment building with a VvE in debt for over a million Euro's. That's such a high debt it's very hard to recover from and the VvE usually has to file bankruptcy.
Though the VvE usually also covers a set of rules you can and can not do (like: if you want to paint the outside of your apartment in neon-orange, it usually is not allowed, just like performing works of any kind is restricted to certain hours, just for the peace and sake of everyone else in the building.
If agreement can not be met on certain areas, this can (sometimes, not always) be voted for, which sounds like a whole different deal then HOA, where non-agreement (and especially no possibility to appeal in any way) apparently has huge consequences, where being evicted by breaching the VvE rules is not that easy. That usually requires multiple complaints of causing nuisance, being a danger to other owners, neglecting maintenance of your property (which could damage the property of other owners or the property as a whole) and such or any other breach of the VvE rules (prostitution within any private property inside the structure the VvE-rules apply to for example can be prohibited, while a municipality can allow this in general).
Student debts are pretty real here as well. Not that long ago there was someone who was in debt for 125000 Euro. This has been caused by a time where the loans (That would turn into a gift if you would finish your study in time) were not turned into a donation anymore (and a few other things, I finished my education well before the new system so I don't know the ins and outs) And by the way: when I finished my education, I was in debt for something like 33000 euro, for an MBO-education (not university thus). Scared the shit out of me, as I just didn't have that amount of money to pay it back.
I paid a visit to one of the student-company offices to ask what went wrong. And fortunately, it proved to be a computerised letter that was sent 12 seconds before their system got the notice that I finished my education in time and thus it was completely dropped and turned into a donation... Pfew...
There was a shooting in a mall here long time ago, it was so shocking that i know the purpetrator name to this day. Tristan van der Vlies the shooting was in 2012. So i can't say it can't happen here in the Netherlands but i can say it's ultra rare.
9:10 oh my god, the background getting more blurry when you move your head towards the camera to accentuate your reaction is perfect
All of our 3 sons were born in the hospital. The oldest is 28 now. We never got a bill for any one of them.
VvE (vereniging van eigenaren) is usually for flats, not for houses just connected to each other to the sides (rijtjeshuis). The VvE usually also takes care of building wide maintenance, and shared spaces (like the stairs).
I fully agree on the freedom statements.
About the workers rights: An addition that might be very relevant if you are not looking at it as an employee: in the laws from the Netherlands, they try to keep the balance between protecting the employee (social side, not socialist perse) and the room for employers (entrepreneurs) to keep their business healthy. That is a hard to make balance, where one goverment might focus more on 'giving the companies more room' as other goverments might focus more on the 'protecting the employee'. I think the balance is pretty good, although I'm an employee :) Also, there ar structures (for larger companies) that you need to have a 'Ondernemingsraad' that will advice (and more) the employer about the balance between these interest the make/keep the company as health as posible on the long term. This is not a workers council (vakbond), because the OR will look into the full company interest, not the employee interest. There are also 'vakbonden' to, which are large (trade) unions that will protect employees in a specific trade (sector) and negatiate better conditions for workers. These usually exist for sectors (trades) that have companies that don't have the best interest in healthy employees. Not all trades/companies have those unions or the resulting effects. F.e.: IT or consulting has no unions.
My family emigrated to California when I was a toddler, and I lived there for 20 years. Came home to England in 1973, so I have a fair amount of knowledge of both the US and the UK. I live in a medium sized town and can walk home unafraid at 10 o'clock at night; I have no fear of potential medical debt [atypically for my age, the only times I tend to see a doctor, is once a year for a flu jab LOL]
We have HOA's in the Netherlands. In fact, our house, the people downstairs and next to us are 3 houses that are in one HOA. But we don't come across the problems you're describing. If something needs to get done and is over a set amount of money, we just get together and try to come to an agreement. Usually, that's not a problem.
VvE, ofwel Vereniging van Eigenaren. It is vastly different to an HOA, any HOA is, in first instance, a finance vehicle set up to actually finance a project, and that includes road and infrastructure. Where a VvE is the building is the subject, the HOA is responsible for the whole development. Which means there are vastly different objectives between the two.
I really like the way you conversate. You seem like a real nice guy. Real good and funny vid props
Message from the Netherlands, born en alive here, South America is so much better for me. But the mainthing is, so much more JOY there. The energy in the Netherlands is heavy, you know when you are longer here. South America is light, musica, joy and smiles!
Is maar net in welk deel vh land je woont ;)
I think South America is unique and increasingly so as Europe seems to follow America more and more in every possible way.
The main difference is how positive people are. In South America even the poorest seem relaxed and happy, in Europe everyone seems permanently stressed out.
Of course there are still drawbacks with regards to living standards and things like corruption, but the gap is closing.
It depends which country in South America though! I wouldn’t feel safe in every country in South America
@@shanti3310 Not sure if you can categorise it by country. All of them have good places and tricky ones.
@@samil5601 yeah that’s true!
Haarlem ❤ just found you channel, really like your videos! You got a new subscriber 🎉
The best here in the Netherlands is that you just not get laid off that easy, it depends about the contract you have, but without a good reason, you as an employee have the right to stay ore fight/ negotiate about a lay off fee so you do not become homeless over night, there are laws about how much fees for the years you work there you get, this does not apply for the seasonal work like summer jobs ect.
I enjoy your videos sooo much, in Holland we say you are a ouwehoer. A ouwehoer is an expression for someone who has a pastime by chatting a chatterbox. I mean it in a positive sense.
you can always check lost and found for your umbrella., i'll bet they have tons out there, you are not the only one, ( speaking out of experience 🙃🤣
@@eobi-edobi4275 yea I checked and gonna pick it up tomorrow hahahah
@@eobi-edobi4275 this is like my forth time leaving something on the train.. and it’s always there lol
@@ItzSKYVlogs that's lucky! when I was a poor student, I travelled by train all the time, and a free umbrella came in handy (Note: if I ever found something of high value, like a laptop or a wallet I would always give them to the lost and found)
@@ItzSKYVlogs You can get a collapsible umbrella that you can put in your backpack so you won't lose it so easily.
whenever you leave a train or bus, just take a look at your seat before you leave. That helps
Its much better than here in the states, Its hard to explain but I can feel it when im there. I love the Netherlands, it seems like state side, there are predators from all directions, including the police. Ive been laughed at, By my Netherland friends The first few times ive been there, for being so up tight and constantly looking over my shoulder. after you climatize with it. Its like a big weight of your shoulders and friendships are appreciated and the mutual respect is amazing :)
A born and bred Dutchie here. I love the Netherlands (Haarlem is a beautiful town btw, but have you ever been to Amersfoort?) Many Dutch people love to bitch and moan about conditions here, but they don't know how good we (still) have it. Come along to Amersfoort and I'll show you around, maybe do a guided tour. It's amazing.
We have HOA here were I live. It's a lot of things but not everyone pays the same from my understanding. Also, everyone's rent is also different even when living in the same apartment building. It highly depends on income. If you got certain income, the rent is higher, those who cannot afford high rent, pay the lowest but we all pay HOA / services /broken elevators / cleaners etc as part of it and it's not that much. Las year there was a compition "Do we want Vezel internet?" everyone signed "YES!" so we got the great internet and it made me so happy !
@@eiliyahrd9119 yea I know what you mean… but I think they are different… the US Hoa’s are a lot more predatory… which is kinda sad in the states :/
I live in the Netherlands and I’ve been in the US a lot.
I think you’re right about the specific things you mention.
One thing I personally feel as quite different is ‘standing out’.
In the Netherlands we go by ‘doe normaal’ too much (act normal, as in don’t stand out too much). Whereas in the US it’s quite normal to be proud of your achievements and letting it show. Not over here. When you build succes by yourself people tend to think that comes with a catch. I would really like to be able to speak out more about accomplishments, being proud of what we have, trying to be better than the day before.
There's quite a big difference between celebrating your achievements & "keeping up with the Joneses"...
One I respect, the other is constantly trying to compare others to you & try to prove some tangible superiority over someone else (which a coworker of mine does & it just gets super tiring to even be near them & have a conversation with).
@@MLWJ1993 that’s true. It’s more about celebrating your successes instead of it just to be ‘another day at the office and don’t stand out’ kind of thing. But I feel what you mean. I’ve had a competitive coworker for years and it was very annoying and almost toxic behavior.
Doe normaal! Be modest ... don't brag ... we're all equal ... a very useful Calvinistic heritage that keeps us down to earth.
Beter van niet, want door al dat ego-gedrag is de rest vd ellende ontstaan daar in de VS. Ik denk dat er al meer trots is in NL dan vroeger en dat is prima, maar maakt je nog steeds niet beter dan anderen.
when it comes to health insurance in the netherlands we have something that is called (Own Risk). Basically what that means is that you pay about 385 euros per year for you're health insurence. and if you have a apointment at a psychologist or poh and you have to pay 1.800 euros you will be over you're own risk that you have to pay for and the rest gets paid for you. meaning that everything else that you get as treatment is for free beyond that point!
The freedom of safety is a big one. Having a low rate of crime, and extremely strict regulations on weapons to commit them with, makes a huge difference. Firearms can be used either for hunting on sport shooting, but you will need to go through background checks, a psychological evaluation, and you need to obtain a license. Then, even if you own a firearm, it needs to be in a safe at all times, with the ammunition stored separately. When you're transporting it, it cannot be on your person, but it needs to be in a secure case or bag, once again, with the ammo stored separately. You also need to subject yourself to mandatory random police house checks.
I've never seen the police as anything other than a peacekeeper, or an annoyance, depending on which side of the law I was on. I've never needed to be afraid a policeman or woman might shoot me, abuse me, or treat me in anything but a courteous manner. The police in turn doesn't need to be on edge every time they pull someone over, just in case the person they pulled over might have a gun - which eliminates accidental shootings and escalations. It's safer for everyone.
Not being able to trust the police, like is often the case in the US, seems absolutely terrifying to me, and I feel for people who are subjected to that every day. Even more so when you live in a society where most every random Joe could be packing a firearm.
Just adding that when transporting a fire arm, you need to take a direct route. No stopping at a friend's house or the supermarket. Get that weapon back in its safe first
Did you film this around the 12th of november? I swear i saw you underneath the train pass in Haarlem around that time. Could have been someone else but i just had to check
Cars...as long as you live in a city, you don't need one, if you live on a farm, you need one, no public transport, in some areas in the east of the country, you have to get to a buss stop or train station 7 km away from your home first etc..
It heavily depends on your job as well.
I work construction and I need my car. Public transport is great, but I don't have a set job site and often wouldn’t be able to get to work in time if I had to wait for the first bus/train of the day. Not to mention it's impractical since I have to bring some simple handheld tools.
For office jobs, factory work and especially education it's usually a perfectly fine alternative.
Not only the east, the southwest as well.
I've seen about that HOA thing. Someone just barged into the garden where a couple was in their swimming pool and this woman started yelling at them because their car wasn't parked straight or something. And she even said something about the size of the dog. I mean, what the heck? Imagine that happening here, I think people would start to laugh in your face. Sure, when your car is blocking the road or something, but on your own drive way? LOLOL. That is WEIRD!
Great video! Where the food is concerned, the EU has far more regulation as to what can and cannot be used to grow the food or what is fed to the farm animals. The FDA has a very sizable list of things that can be included with the food (certain amount of mouse feces, for example) and even that list is not complete. The EU, it's a completely different ball game here. I also agree, the food here in the NL is just higher quality in taste, texture and smell.
The difference is that in the EU, the rule is that only which is proven safe is allowed, in the USA only which is proven unsafe is forbidden, so when in doubt, in the EU it isn't allowed and in the USA it isn't forbidden.
10:10 It's that split of Building vs Apartment owner - VVE is everything with the building (insurance based on the rebuild costs that now always go UP) and the owner does only the insurance inside the apartment.
The strange thing is that fresh food is a lot more expensive than fast food and other unhealthy meals/snacks in the USA....while with unhealthy food a huge amount of chemical junk is added and with healthy you only have to dig it out of the ground....strange world, as if they want people to get sick there.
@@thedutchhuman yea I agree!!! Its nuts!!!
I could go into a looooong story here - look up the history / story of sugarbeet farming in the US for the reason why lobbying for a sugarbeet industrie of industrial proportions gets you elected , laws changed to make your product as ubiquitously as possible, influence peddled to make sure that the guys you buy get elected and then start the cycle of unhealthy highly processed food , obesity , cardiovascular sicknesses , pharma company gain , diabetes II , more pharma win ... Cheers from Limburg in the Netherlands , where we still cook from scratch . From the marketgarden of Europe . Very happy to be living in Kikkerlandje 🧡
the logic behind that is that the added chemicals make it last longer, and the transport costs are high.. that's why good fresh stuff is so expensive... logistics
Went to a fall fest here in Colorado yesterday and on our 15 min drive home I counted 19 fast food places! 19!!!!
@@dux_bellorum and no one does anything about it...or thinks about how you can eat differently/better
Honestly, "who you voting for" might be a topic of conversation in the single week surrounding the actual date of voting. Sometimes.
The thing is if you get 4 weeks paid vacation, if you get time of to be with your newborns you also imo go to work differently. Plus not living to work until you are 80 is good thing. I feel so bad for my friends in The US.
Your explanation makes it sound like we complain to often haha, seems like its ok to live here. We take it for granted that your profession does not define you as a person (most of the times) and your social status. Nice that this deviates from the way things are in the US.
The VVE costs are often around 200 a month, and they are mostly used for maintenance and upgrades of the building.
There are a lot more nice coffee places in Haarlem. We live in a great city to roam around the center and beyond.
Ive been to the USA a couple of times. Total time being about 8-10 months I think. Frankly... I never understood the whole "we have freedom" thing. Freedom of what, really? Western Europe isn't exactly consisting out of dictatorships (Eastern Europe might, depending on the country). Sometimes I feel a lot of the mostly conservative people who say that aren't very aware of what life outside the USA is like, believing most of the world is oppressed or under some kind of regime. Its odd.
freedom to own guns i gues...
@@evastapaard2462 we have the freedom to own guns too.. you just need to get a permit first.
@@michelvanderlinden8363 You are absolutely right. but they don't know that...And I'm sick and trired of them believing they have the greatest country in the world and we have no rights at all!
@@evastapaard2462 If Im honest, the people who often had this talk with me when I was actually there were usually conservatives and/or republicans. The kind that eat Fox News three times a day. The difference between knowledge of the "world outside the USA" is almost night and day between those people, and the ones that arent those people.
you need to remember how the US came to be. The UK was constantly trying to keep the oversees collonies under control. Many people went to the US to get away from religious authorities repressing them(only to do it to eachother there). Once they broke free that was a huge deal. Americans are obsessed with the past. They'll tell you which boat their great great whatevers arrived on, they tell themselves they're German or Irish down to percentage of DNA, when their family hasn't ever even visited those countries for generations, and they still imagine people in Europe are being repressed and have a lower quality of life, even though basically every metric has shown the opposite for decades....
You have a bit of the voice like Billy Porter as "Pray Tell" in the series "Pose", i like it.
when I was young (i do not say little, because I am still little 🤣🤣), I looked up to America. Nowadays, with your videos and from others I feel very lpriviliged to live here and not the USA (especially with the orange Blimp 😂)
Workers rights in the Netherlands: lay offs are extremely rare, it only happens when a company goes bankrupt. You can only be fired if the company has a file of misconduct, or you do something unethical/egregious. What does happen is that your contract will not be prolonged. Usually you start on a one year contract, and if they like you you get a second one. But if they want to keep you, they need to permanently hire you. Also vacation days are protected under law. And sick days are different from vacation days.
Vereniging van Eigenaars (VvE) = Association of Owners
Apparently an association in the USA has a less democratic form than in the Netherlands.
From what it sounds to me US HOA's are lead by wanna-be totlitarianists that can fine you for not mowing your lawn often enough and can even toss you out of your home. Shit like that would never fly in the Netherlands
the reason a lot of food is much fresher is because we have a LOT stricter control/standards. while i personally don't buy veg at Dirk or Lidl a lot, because Albert Heijn is just BETTER, i still buy a lot of other stuff at those.
Aldi same thing, and i'm happy they have the sporadic stuff from Trader Joe's (yes i know it's the same set of brothers behind it, but it's still more american aldi, dutch / german aldi are TOTALLY different XD)
in general, dutch people are direct, sober, down to earth. at least around Rotterdam where i live XD
did i see some bits of The Hague in your video ?
I think our (Dutch) concept of freedom is 'your personal freedom ends when it endangers the others' personal freedom' ... not sure if thats completely true , but at least i was raised with this principal..
Best example to compare is guns: In the USA you have the freedom to own a gun , but actually everybody gets forced to get one in order to feel safe ... is it a freedom then?
Im happy here .. please dont be to positive about this tiny country, since i would love to keep some breathing space the coming 50 years ;-)
VVE is not only for insurance, but also for maintenance of elevators, the roof and cleaning of te building
What about a sidewalk with ‘tegels’, I really missed that visiting the USA hahahah😂🥷🥷☕️
Not related to the content of the vid. But as a Dutchie this is a quick tip that, especially in big cities, you will need :-). A Coffeeshop in the Netherlands is a place where you go to get the MJ, not coffee (we call those koffietenten). So if you ask someone in Rotterdam or The Hague where you can find a coffeeshop. You might end up in a place where you will be getting the green stuff instead of a cup of coffee 😅
Amazing video tho! Lot of these points also really crossed my mind when I was thinking about moving to the states from here! Yes the space in the USA is nice, but all these plusses are just too nice to let go!
I am sorry, but the US is that insecure kid continuously claiming that he is cool. If you are cool, you don't have to say it. If you are really free, you don't feel the need to say that you are free.
- You don't need 2 or 3 jobs to get by
- Workers rights differ per job/sector.
- Depending on what's in your C.A.O you must have an X amount of free hours between shifts and have a weekend off every so often.
- true freedom of speech: no fake hugs, compliments, sucking up etc. but direct, transparent and to the point communication.
When going to the states it always makes me feel belittled. All the signs warning not to do dumb stuff... So not dive in shallow water... Don't drive into the river... Warning, hot tea /coffee? Common sense things.... Many grachten here don't have fences or signs to warn you about the chance of falling or driving in... It's common sense. Like hot food from the grill and only diving in deep water.
It's a freedom not to have to warn people to do dumb stuff. And not having to read those signs 😅
because we have the freedom of not being sued for stupid things
There are special organisations in the USA diving for missing people . They find tons of vehicles in rivers and lakes, sometimes with the driver in it.
@@flitsertheo Yes, amazing right? but that is mostly because of an accident or suicid*
@@evastapaard2462 There are also many vehicles used for crimes or insurance fraud. Maybe they think a sign will deter people from using rivers and lakes as dumping waters.
I think that might actually be due to how relatively easy it is to sue someone in the US compared to here. And so companies post all possible dangers on packaging, playsets, cars, etc. to just not be liable for anything stupid
625 a month?!? speechless...
sky, once again. great production.
I was born in 1969. Growing up in the Netherlands it was hard to imagine what is not allowed. Basically we could do everything you can imagine as long as you don't bother someone else. We had no environmentalists at that time either. I have been stopped by the police 2 times in my life. Once I overtook a tractor on a crossing and the police warned me that it was not a safe move on a crossing, no ticket. And once I drove 80 on a 60 road. The police asked me how fast I was driving and I told him I was drifting perfectly 80. He said that was correct but it was actually a 60 road so he warned me to drive 60, again no ticket. On TV if someone swears it will not be beeped away and even the niplegate with Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake would not have existed in the Netherlands. It would have been broadcasted and no one would have made a drama about it. Abortion is no problem within a certain period and you get good doctor care. Even if you want to end your life because you are suffering unbearably, like cancer patients that have no treatment options anymore, they can get help. Also alcohol and soft drugs are no issue. And because it is not forbidden we don't care for it. Soft drugs are seen as not cool because losers and tourists use them.
You have helped me out tremendously in my decision thank you.
@@Royal_roy21 awwwww wow!!!!! I’m so happy!!!
@@Royal_roy21 are you thinking of making the move!!??
We had an American lady to stay with us for three months She arrived with really bad skin after a few months she looked much better
Healthcare in the Netherlands is indeed arranged differently than in the US. However, there are still problems. The Dutch government has paid the lowest price for medicines for many years. Now the pharmaceutical industry supplies the medicines to governments of other countries that pay more. Currently, 20% of the medicines are not available. These medicines are available in Belgium. A Belgian pays an amount for his health insurance for one year. We pay the same amount for a month........
Currently, we have the same problem in Germany. Seems to be no local problem of NL.
About the not needing a car thing here. I live in a village (in the Netherlands) where the bus only comes around once every half hour and in the evening once every hour. There's also no, trains, trams or subways here. So there's a difference between living in a city or living in a village here.
Just like safety also depends on where you live. Plus, even small towns and villages are starting to get less and less safe over the years.
About the safety, you are right of course, but i live in the bad part of Rotterdam, and its still very safe. Now ive been to the NY, and i would not leave my rbnb at night.
@@FatbirdsdontflyWhere in NY did you stay? Cause I know there's certain neighbourhoods you don't want to be. But I always thought Manhathan was kinda safe🤔🗽
Haha elk half uur of 1x in het uur is toch best vaak?! Dan kan je toch ergens heen. Als ie nou 3x per dag ging...Beter dan helemaal geen ov
@@Iamsanni Dat is helemaal niet vaak. In Rotterdam gaan ze elk kwartier. Als ik mensen uit een stad spreek zijn vaak verbaast als ik vertel dat mijn bus maar 1 × per uur gaat🤷♂️. We leven hier in een rijk westers land. Daar horen bussen gewoon vaker te gaan🤷♂️.
Affordable healthcare and affordable education are Freedoms indeed. Very well said.