I moved from the Middle East to the Netherlands and I can say I have never faced any instances of racism . People are genuinely kind and interested in your culture . I faced more racism in the Middle East as a matter of fact
I am so happy to hear you have good experiences with the Netherlands! But unfortunately we DO have racism in the Netherlands. Let's not delude ourselves about that. But racism is everywhere and it should be countered EVERYWHERE, where ever we come across it, who it is against!
The only racism we kinda have is targetted on people who abuse the system for welth or act criminal. most dutch indeed are fine with normal mixed people for living / working. Mass immigration is a problem , no good check who,s legit refugee or from a safe country. We civillions pay the bills so its kinda logical the respect is low towards the abusing golddiggers. Also the fake refugees take a part of our homes wich make waitinglist for working original dutch people up too 10+ years ! i wished we focus more on the real refugees or people who just wanna live/work here for the normal reasons. less crimials and better moods under the people suffering under this bad goverment.
About the "being rich" lie: This is actually a big frustration for a lot of people here in The Netherlands. The mindset that you can just become rich by coming to the Netherlands is something that almost everybody hates here, and this mindset is one of the biggest reasons why in politics the parties who are against immigration are performing relatively well during elections. Most people are not against immigrants, but they are against immigrants who do not contribute to society. If you intend to move to the Netherlands, be prepared to do your part as well, because laziness is really looked down upon...
I can understand this. However I think a lot of Dutchies focus on immigrants who have come to the Netherlands via the asylum route and need help from the government to at least stand on their feet. In many other case, immigrants come to the Netherlands as experts. They obtained a permit to live in the Netherlands because they have something of value to contribute to the economy. As a matter of fact, you need a sponsor which in most cases is a company that employed you to come work in the Netherlands. These immigrants already contribute to the society, their contribution is the what gave them the legal right to remain in the country..
@@josphineogugua i really believe most are from Asylum and came from safe countries. They get rental homes with urge while origin dutch sometimes wait 10y+ on a home. its a huge problem now , also allot youth are aggresive and wreck the streets like a week ago football worldchampionship. Didnt even mattered loss or win.. cars end up burning. So in my opnion we have 2 groups > Real refugees and working class and the other group are the golddiggers and criminals. Due that blacklive matters BS racism is soooo sensitive that you cant critisize any off them. Also goverment and police hardly helps remove the rotten apples. ergo > i believe 85%+ of dutch people legit dont mind mixed civillazation. But the other group doesnt even get support from us for 1%. And due this bad goverment the moods of people are getting worse and worse. The Netherlands and democratic living are both going towards a ending in fast pace.
@@amorphousalienblob Ahh a tourists opinion of a people who on average work around 60 hours a week to be able to pay ridiculous taxes that are wasted on third world scum leaching of our social system like a true third world parasite.
Said it before, but will say it again. You're a wonderful addition to this country. Well spoken, honest, intelligent, graceful and with a sense of humour. Hope you stay after you finish your studies.
I think it's like this in every country: if you're on holiday you can manage in English, but if you want to live there, it's greatly appreciated if you learn the language (and the customs).
It is a matter of respect to learn the language of the country you live in. Even when I only travel to a country for a short period I always try to know and use a few words at least to show my respect. In particular English native speakers often do not learn any foreign language, they just expect every person on this planet to learn their language. I sometimes feel this being quite disrespectful.
Wow.. I'm Dutch with Indonesian roots.. but born and raised in the Netherlands.. I'll tell you straight up this is the best video about the Netherlands I've ever seen on UA-cam. You are so correct and I want to thank you for clearing these lies up!! Dus.. dankjewel 💋❤️
Some people feel so much a victim that they actually create the racism in a way. You look a lot in your power, I think that's why you experience it not so much, cause racism isn't so much visible in society. There are racists of course, but it's not like the VS. I remember meeting two American woman in Italy and speaking with them about the politics there and stuff and one of them responded, so nice to hear that of someone not of color. I've never ever felt so white in my life, we don't separate on color like that in Holland. We just see the variety of cultures that all the nationalities bring mostly. One thing I should add, there is definitely a culture that is not liked by many Dutch, Moroccans. I think from there perspective the Netherlands isn't much fun, at the other hand they cause a lot of problems too, but not all of them. But you never know if it's a good one, so quite some people exclude them. That's a problem we face in the Netherlands. It gets especially hard when your name is Mohammed, Ali or Omar etc.
@@lo1781 I'm from the Netherlands and the second part my stans is I don't care where you come from Morocco the moon or everything in between I see you as person if that person does me wrong I don't like him/her not his culture or origin yust the person
@@stevenconneh6558 No, most definitely not. Most employers will NOT hire you as it's illegal to hire an 'illegaal', with very steep fines for both you and your employer. However, there are some unscrupulous employers who will exploit (!!) you, by not paying you the legally mandated Dutch minimum wage, cram you in overcrowded, unsafe and illegal housing with too many others, curbing your meager income even further by charging the most outrageous fees for e-ver-y-thing which a Dutch employee would not have to pay for, you'd have no insurance _at_all_ (!!), so if you get injured, you get nothing, and you'd have to pay for medical costs out of your own pocket, etc etc. Basically, a modern form of slavery. Mind, there are countless other countries where people will do exactly the same, so NL is not worse then anywhere else in Europe. If you decide to come and request asylum, you'll be put in a asylum detention centre. The processing of your application often takes years: IND (the immigration service here) is woefully understaffed and the system is full beyond bursting point, mostly with applicants who have no right to reside in NL anyway. Chances are, you won't have a bed to sleep in for weeks after your arrival. During the application process, you are *prohibited to work*. If they find you working illegally, it will have a profoundly negative affect on your application, which is red-tape speak for: you're kicked out indefinitely and if authorities find you in our country again, you'll be arrested on the spot and deported to where-ever you come from 😕 In short: abusing a tourist visa as a shortcut to Dutch residency won't work and will inevitably backfire on you, as you will be found out sooner or later and then you're even worse off. What you *can* do is apply for a job in NL _from your home country_ (!!). If you get hired, then you can come to NL legally as an ex-pat. Realistically, unless you have exceptional skills not available elsewhere in Europe, don't even bother. Unskilled labour is plentiful here and basic education levels here are higher then the average in the rest of the world.
You are such an absolute gem, and I'm so happy that you found your home in this weird, unique, but absolutely beautiful little country. Racism absolutely exists in Europe, and we can't and shouldn't pretend it doesn't. But as a fellow woman of colour who has lived in multiple countries all over the world (from Australia to both South- and North America.. which were all places where I did feel very out of place all the time), I can honestly say that I've always felt "safest" in the Netherlands. They just tend to have that basic "just be a decent person, that's all that matters" mentality. I lived in Rotterdam for a while before moving to the countryside in the East.. and the people over there were actually even better haha!
Glad to hear you felt the people on the eastern countryside were even better! I'm a white Dutch person and I sometimes think people from the countryside are more racist than people in the cities (because they're less likely to encounter people of colour and have conversations with them), but it's good to hear that's not necessarily the case.
@SuAva That is exactly what I always thought and what I learned growing up, and I'm sure that is actually the case in many places all over the World. But I can't help but feel that this is kind of an old and unfair stereotype in many cases? Of course I can only speak about my personal experiences. Yes, (big) cities are always way more diverse, and city people are just used to more "flavours", as I like to call it haha. But I've always found that many of these wonderful, open-minded big city folk have a very different way of connecting to people. It wasn't until I moved to Twente (in the East of The NL) that I actually felt seen and heard; a person with a story that people wanted to hear about? Wherever I go, it's always the small town/countryside people who show you real heart and soul - and who actually teach you the most about a country and culture. Edit: nothing against city folk, btw! Just.. a different way of communicating and connecting.
@@mosovanhe There's definitely more space to personally connect in the smaller towns and villages! It's good to hear that just loving people for being people is still the default!
People like yourself(though we don’t know each other)make this country a better place-I’ve felt ashamed lately for what our country’s state is in,so I’m glad to hear there are lots of positive sides in your view.I love your fresh point of view:thank you for your content,and have a good weekend👍🏼🌷🌈
Buying chocolate in the Jumbo is racist , if your co-workers ask for chocolate, that's racist these days . Everything is racism these days , het gaat nergens meer over .
As a foreigner in the Netherlands, I've never felt any sort of racism from the Dutch, it has always been from the minorities, and they are usually the ones that complain that it's always the whites who are racist. Dutch people get so happy when I speak to them in Dutch, which I love speaking Dutch anyways since it's a wonderful and beautiful language.
There are scientific objective studies that shows NL has one of the highest percentage of people percieves discrimination in the workplace. So it is not only about how you personally experience it. Being positive towards life does not give us the right to ignore the basic realities life with obvious facts.
@@GUITARTIME2024 There are also studies that shows the discrimination in housing and employment which are fact based. So it is bad news for your perception but discrimination and racism are still big problems in Netherlands. I understand it is hard to accept for you but this is a reality unfortunately.
@@GUITARTIME2024 Looks like you are struggling to accept the racism and discrimination in Netherlands which is understandable. Denial is the most common reaction about racism and discrimination. But feel free to contact and work with these universities and prove the contrary. 😉
As a Dutch person with a very mixed roots group of friends love to see videos like this 😄 Keep up the good work. You have a very lovely voice to listen to. You got yourself a new subscriber 🙂 Groetjes uit Apeldoorn
Regarding needing to know Dutch. Sure we will help you get arround if you speak English. Also, to be close you dont need to fully speak Dutch. Showing that you are making an effort to learn Dutch also goes a very long way. We will gladly help you even if what you ask is half Dutch half English. Dont be shy trying out your best Dutch, we will even help you if you struggle with that. Its the people who live here for years and dont even bother to learn Dutch because most of us also speak english that will have a hard time.
Yes it annoys me a bit when people live here for 20+ years and never learn the language, it's like admitting they don't care about our culture. When Dutch people speak English with foreigners here they are making an effort and we expect them to return that effort over time by learning Dutch, if they intend to stay. So it is a bit strange when people use our English level as an excuse to never learn the language. I don't think it's necessarily a requirement or anything but it does annoy occasionally.
@@chenandorlandoaroundtheworld It depends. Back in the nineties Vietnamese refugees enter out country. Their children and young adult learned dutch quickly despite dutch is a extreme hard language to learn form a Vietnamese tongue. So the elderly people had a lot of problems to learn it. In that case i don't care.
Dutch language spoken in the Nederlands is not a secret code. Dutch is a dialect of the German language. Suggestion for any English speaker interested in learning Dutch and not proficient at learning foreign languages. Recommend taking a basic German language course first.
@@leimertseptimius1836 This is terrible advice. First Dutch is not a dialect of German, it is a much older language than German. Second, most people learn Dutch because they live in the Netherlands so it would be stupid to learn German before as it is grammatically and phonetically very different despite shared roots, this would just waste time.
So glad you have such good experiences in the Netherlands. I love and value diversity so much and I hate to hear when people say they are feeling unwanted because of their ethnicity. Everyone should be valued for who they are as a person, because where all human at the end of the day. Being able to be yourself without judgment is a right I’m willing to defend anytime.
Thank you for your comment. I really agree and hope people are able to feel confident and happy. I share my experience to help others like me so they realise that no one should have the power to make them feel less than human. They are amazing and should walk with their heads up high 🤗.
One addition about healthcare in the Netherlands: a visit to the family doctor is completely free of charge, but the medication they prescribe to cure you falls under the "own risk" regulation.
Systemic racism is when the racism is ingrained in a society and its rules. It's different from blatant racism and rather than people going out of their way to be racist, it has people often not even being aware that something is racist. It often features laws or habits that have been passed down that have racist effects, even if at first sight, someone might not realize these effects are there. At least, that's what I understand from it as someone who is part of the majority race. I absolutely believe your attitude of assuming the best from people is admirable. And while I am often skeptical of people who claim racism when they only show the adversity of what they have experienced, not how the adversity is related to their race, I do also believe it is important not to minimize the experience of people who experience systemic racism.
It’s so true. I went to as visitor from the UK 3 months ago. I loved it so much. I’ve never felt so safe. I have a friend who lives there. We met up with other friends and had a great time going around Amsterdam. I went to Rotterdam alone and had a lot of fun. The Dutch were so friendly. I learnt to read Dutch. As a native English speaker and having experience with other foreign languages like German, I find Dutch straightforward to learn
Thank you that was interesting. I was born Dutch and my parents migrated to Australia when I was 14. In my 30's at work I too was told to go back to my own country and leave my job for someone born here. It seemed odd considering this man's parents had migrated from the UK before he was born. I was told the same thing by a young girl I worked with, she was born after I arrived here so I'd been Australian longer then her but no I didn't belong! You get ignorant people everywhere. It's never easy to live in a foreign country and make it your own, and how well off we are is always up to our own efforts.
Thank you so much for sharing your story. It’s definitely not easy to settle in a foreign country and make it your home. I agree that people can be ignorant and mean regardless of the country. I hope you were able to look past their ignorance and move on with your head high… 🤗
@@josphineogugua Yes absolutely, I was proud of my heritage and the experience of having lived in three countries. We did find the majority of our friends were fellow migrants from around the world. We formed an International club and gave monthly talks about our home countries and tried all the various foods from each country. That was fun and I learned so much, most migrants had had a tough time but some had horrible experiences in there home countries and had fled.
It boggles my mind how a country like Australia has racism of that form. Literally everyone there except for aboriginals is a foreigner, like in the USA.
The fact that people actually need to explain that being indifferent and et cetera towards a person is, well, personal and not being racist is a terrifying thing. It's discriminative, at worst.
Good video! There has been some cases of (institutional) racism. But then some conclude racist views dominate all the time, which would be nonsense. And yes there are some expats living here for 10-15 years and not speaking any word of Dutch so yes I think it is normal that a few people would react irritable to that because it shows that person not putting in any effort towards the new culture they moved to. Therefore it is great you are learning some Dutch! And yes the Dutch are Direct and can be a little rude but the plus side to this is they are less likely to say what they don't like behind your back as they are more likely to tell you directly.
I am currently in London and I am moving to the Netherlands in two weeks and I have been wondering what the health system is like in comparison to the NHS. Thanks for the video, very informative.
It is not completely free of charge, you pay a small amount (about 100 euro a month) and will pay a max of 380 euro's own risk a year if the shit hits the fan. It is however much better than the NHS in many regards. Well staffed, modern equipment, not run into the ground by a Tory government for a decade,
You pay a monthly fee of about €125-150 per adult for basic insurance. You can pay a bit less if you take a bigger “eigen risico” (amount you pay out of pocket. Standard is €385 a year per person, but it can go up to maximum of €885). You can take an extra insurance for things like fysio therapy and dental. But paying out of pocket is sometimes cheaper. Kids up to 18 are fully covered for free under the parents health plan.
Great video! I think it is very good you said that the person telling you to go back to your country was probably having a bad day. People say hurtful things sometimes, especially when they are stressed, without considering how it makes the other person feel. We don’t always need to take those things to hart and escalate the situation even more. Kudos for doing just that! What that person said was very rude, but you managed to take a positive lesson from it and understand how important using the Dutch language can be sometimes. Keep up the good work!
@@fabiennemare284 “Go back to your own country” is a phrase commonly used against anyone with a different skin color, including people whose families have lived here for generations that often don’t even speak another language than Dutch and only eat cheese on their sandwich might get such comments directed towards them.
Would you consider a cooking program where you show Nigerian dishes to the Dutch? That would be interesting to see on your channel. I am looking for new recipes 😁.
I'm white and I've been told to go back to my country when visiting other countries. It's not racist, it's xenophobic. Worst experience I've had with that was in Belgium, where especially in Brussels shops and restaurants would simply refuse to help us simply because we spoke Dutch. Going into the same place the next day we spoke German or English and were welcomed with open arms. We had similar experiences in Austria where speaking German to staff we were shunned. Switching to English they were helpful. While there is overlap, it's a different concept. I'm sure there is racism in the Netherlands, there is racism in every country. Same with xenophobia. But it's not widespread or common, certainly not mainstream or institutionalised. If anything Dutch people and institutions go out of their way to NOT be perceived as racist, to the degree that Dutch natives often feel disenfranchised as a result (e.g. mandatory hiring quota for non-whites leading to natives being passed over for being hired or promoted can lead to bad blood, and those things definitely exist).
I experienced this in Brussel has well in 2015-2017 I was in Brussels and when I spoke dutch I was treated unwelcome but when I spoke English specially with Brits accent people were very friendly I am originally from Somalia horn of Africa.however I didnt experience anything bad in Antwerpen Belgium but only in Brussels
There’s a significant difference between being told this as a tourist and being told this as a person of color. Plenty of born and raised Dutch people have heard this sentence before, including adopted people, and they’re not comparable with foreigners that don’t share the culture or language.
@@kawazaki23 But it seems to me that Dutch is one of the two official languages in Brussels (the other is French). Furthermore, I understood that it was the Flemings who had a very bad opinion of people who speak French and that the Flemish right-wing parties were strongly anti-French.
The government does not exist. You don’t get your stipends etc from the government. The government is an intermediary between the tax payers and people who need assistance. You get your stipends from the Dutch tax payers. Please don’t ever forget this. It is of utmost importance for the success of our society.
This is my first time on your channel and 3 minutes into the video now and I really feel the need to comment: wow, what an awesome human you are for not going with the media flow regarding rasicm and what a beautifull mindset! This is what we need in our country that is based on open-mindedness, but sadly is in decline. If you ever will encounter racist behaviour be assured that the majority of us Dutchmen would rather see that accuser gone out of the country rather then you! Now back to the video :)
i'm mixed race, lived a year in indonesia as a kid. i remembered that i had to put a lot of effort in making friendships with local kids, due to racist views of their parents toward europeans...had to fight and defend myself multiple times just for the fact of being "dutch". here in the netherlands i never felt out of place, never felt different. was always welcome at the home of my "white" dutch friends. was being treated the same as all other kids by parents. and that was the eighties. when i was the only coloured kid at school. but just like every other society i experienced you get people thinking in a more tribalistic way and experience other cultures as a threat for themselves. racism exists in every culture and every colour of skin. it's a human flaw, and not a specific racial or cultural one. that would actually be racist thinking, wouldn't it. no there is no systemic racism here! can't directly project "american" societal problems to dutch society! for one we never had a by law segregated society like the us had till, i believe, the 50/60ties. which in my opinion is one of the reasons of the problems in the USA. fun fact, after the netherlands activated abolisment of slavery in 1860 in the dutch indies, some indigenous sultanates, i.e. on sumbawa, still kept trading slaves locally. but only from non muslim islands like flores, as they themselves were muslim. it was a cultural thing for centuries, thus not imported by "white earopeans". hear often "colored people can't be racist!" well i know a lot of colored people that have initial problems with white people. unless they get to know them, then they are often "cool" and one of the few "good ones". funny as it is the same mechanic i see with some of those white people . or like the lightskin/darkskin bs that is prevalent between colored people is also "racist". we all have prejudice, it's a mechanism that helped us survive in neolithic periods ;) when everything that was different could end you, for just not belonging to the tribe. didn't had a sophisticated society with social laws and a justice system back then. if we understand why racism is a thing, we could actually try and solve it. instead of pointing and condemning people for their rudimental thoughts on "others". positive feedback helps a lot more than condemning a person. at least from my experience.
On healthcare: 'eigen bijdrage"(annual deductible) is EUR 385. And on top of the standard premium for the insurance you have to pay a fixed percentage (5,5% )of you gross income for healthcare. This percentage is calculated over a maximum income of around EUR 60K (so this implies a maximum of around EUR 3K extra).
Xenophobic refers to fear of strangers, especially those from unfamiliar cultures. It’s really a variant of fear of the unknown. Though xenophobia can cause racism it is not the same thing, at least not by her definition. She also said she was unable to speak Dutch at the time, which is clear indicator she has not lived in the Netherlands her whole life, it was not just because of her skin color. I do agree that “go back to your country” is not something anyone should say, or that it is fine to say something like that to anyone, even if they haven’t lived in the country their whole lives.
I think the Netherlands are much more open minded than Germany - I enjoyed my vacations I´ve done to this country. I fear, my favorite vacation country France is here much more behind....
I wish people would say, my is experience has been blah blah blah. I really hate it when people say, it's not true what other people have experienced. Don't discredit people who have experienced racism. With all due respect, you don't have to say that someone else's is a lie. I respect your positive attitude, but we will not combate racism if we don't acknowledge racism where it's being practiced. Someone who speaks the language and know the culture would be able to better speak on the subject.
I visited Amsterdam a while back and can tell you that I had no problems with racism or being treated poorly because of my race. Now, that well could be because I was obviously an American....and they get so few of us over there (especially African Americans)....that they viewed me more as a novelty than a threat. But I had a wonderful time there, and love the city.
So few Americans? They get plenty. And there are a fair amount of black people (brown, etc) living in the Netherlands but they don't live in tourist areas, generally.
Black people are discriminated to an incredibly high degree in the workforce and in education. You just need to look at the disproportionately few black people in higher education, well paid jobs and positions of power. This is due to racism as you defined it, but of course, the Dutch know not to make the racism blatant in your face though. 15% of the Dutch voted for Thierry Baudet when he was saying that there are racial differences in IQ and that white IQ is higher than black. So, plenty of white Dutch think their race is superior to others and are white supremacist. So, that makes a significant number no better than Nazis. What is also disturbing is that this is institutionalised in the media, who gave these racist views mainstream coverage to the point that newspapers were even treating them as a legitimate debate, even though they have been scientifically disproven. Of course, this all took place in Dutch, in a country that is a relatively small player on the world stage, so it went largely unnoticed in foreign media. But, if only foreign countries knew what goes on in the Netherlands!
Glad you did not have any racist experiences! I think it depends on where you live. I basically grew up here in the North in Drenthe and I have so many racist experiences. Once from someone punching me a black eye to refusing jobs because I am black and so on. Yes. This is your experience and maybe not true for others, maybe others experienced racism. This is why I prefer to live in the city, it is usually way more culturally diverse 😁!
I'm an African, and I'm considering coming to the netherlands. My profession is teaching. Are you saying that Blacks are hardly considered for good jobs ?
@@onyekachinwachukwu7108 you’ll be fine in any of the big cities and most of the smaller cities as well, it’s beautiful how they don’t care about your skin color at all. I quit my job once and got a new one in two weeks 😊I love the Netherlands 🇳🇱 the diversity is amazing
Mee eens. Het gaat er om wat voor werk je doet. Als jij werkt in een vakgebied waar heel veel vraag naar is dan kan je eisen gaan stellen. Met jij een communicatiecoach waar al zoveel van zijn dan wordt het een heel stuk lastiger.
Ignoring racism prevents progress in racial reconciliation by allowing harmful stereotypes and systemic inequalities to persist. It’s okay to share positive experiences, but presenting them as the universal standard dismisses the diverse realities of others. Everyone’s experience with racism is different, and assuming one experience applies to all undermines efforts to create understanding and equality. This approach stalls meaningful progress.
Hi Josphine - wow! What a great attitude towards my birth country. I moved to Canada as an adult, but visit regularly. Loved your video and will subscribe. 🥰
Great video, I live in Germany for 10 years, without any criminal records. Finally my asylum was rejected, ask to leave the country Please what are my chances in the Netherlands
Very informative video! It looks the lifestyle is really expensive considering about the cost of childcare, health insurance (that doesn't cover any expenses until the cost exceed 360 euro).
Beste Josephine, Goed dat u benadrukt dat het erg belangrijk is om Nederlands te leren als je in Nederland woont. Want als ouders de Nederlandse taal niet beheersen, heeft dat nadelige gevolgen voor hun kinderen. Die leren de taal minder goed doordat ze het thuis niet spreken, en moeten noodgedwongen mee met afspraken die hun ouders hebben met de huisarts, om als tolk te fungeren. Maar daar krijg je toch geen kinderen voor, als taalhulpje? Immigranten moeten zichzelf zien te redden en niet hun kinderen met zulke lasten opzadelen.
I am born in Nederland and I must admit we are so kind and Beautyfull and honest. You are beautiful Lady. My Wife is from Suriname. Means 43 years Trouble in da house.🙂🌀💪
Thanks for this video. I know some people in the Netherlands they thought the Netherlands was racist until they came to South Africa and experienced real racisme.
Just because some people have it worse than others doesn’t mean they aren’t allowed to complain. Systemic racism exists in the Netherlands, period. Just because people don’t get killed over it doesn’t mean it doesn’t need fixing. This is like saying poverty doesn’t exist in the Netherlands because the Liberian homeless have it worse. Sure, they have it worse; but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do something about the poverty we have here.
@@roy_hks ofcourse it's more complicated. But as a person from another culture as myself I just don't experience it like that. Don't know if you are dutch or not. But for myself I experience it different. The people I know are also black and experience it that way in South Africa.
Words spoken in anger are meant to hurt the other person as much as possible. An insult is usually also about the first thing somebody can think of when they are mad. If you're fat they will take that opportunity to call you fat. If you're poor they will call you poor. If you're black they will call you black. Its the easiest way out for a person to insult somebody and they can do it by just looking at you. Its an in the moment thing to happen. Often its not personal, the person insulting you probably doesnt even know you. Like you said, they have a bad day or the situation at the moment creates the insult. It doesnt come from a deep hatred but from frustration.
Thank you for giving a different perspective than the one that's been dominating the main stream media and politics these past few years, where the Netherlands is this "systemically racist" country where people all hate foreigners. Yes racism exists, even in the Netherlands, but racism exists everywhere and it's probably better here than in 95% of the rest of the world. One has to see things in perspective. Maybe someday you could get into Dutch politics, and give some counter perspective to people like Sylvana Simons, who tends to see racism everywhere and wants to import American Critical Race Theory-based (where everyone is put into boxes of "victim" and "oppressor" according to your skin color) politics into the Netherlands. You seem like a great person with a great mindset.
Wow I agree with you so much on the fact that the word "racism" shouldn't be thrown around so easily. Thank you for pointing this out. There's a fair amount of problems over here but most of it is misunderstanding, prejudice, bigotry or bias. We don't need to call everything racism because that just waters down the meaning of actual racism and obscures the public perspection with tangentially related problems.
I'm from Turkey. We have millions of refugees or immigrants from various social and ethnic backgrounds but I never ever told anyone to go back home even though our economy is hardly holding on and we are having difficult times. I hope that person apologized for what he did to you. I understand from your video that there is some unspoken intolerance against minorities in Netherlands. I get that essence from the comments below as well, what a shame for a so called civilized country that lacks manpower in almost every industry...
I was born in the Netherlands and my father is Dutch(American mother) and at school I was told many times to go back to my own country, meaning the US... as a blond white kid who speaks fluent Dutch. Ignorance is not always in the form of racism I guess. Though I have to admit there are some harmful stereotypes in Dutch society, Zwarte Piet for example... Maybe you could make a video on your first experience with Zwarte Piet?
@@Jack-Hands She probably lived here through the period that it still existed and her perspective would be interesting as she is of African descent. If you want to neglect how this period of Dutch history affected people at the time that is on you, I think it is important to hear what it was like from their perspective.
Hi Jimo, I really don’t know much about asylum here in the Netherlands but if I find someone who has this experience and is willing to share then I’ll make a video about it.
Hi Mrs Ogugua, please I need a clarification from you about family reunion. Esp., legalisation of doc. from Nigerian Fed. Ministry of foreign affairs. I did it, but it seemed the legalisation stamp isn’t showing when I scan the documents to upload for my family reunion application. Please, did you had to also legalise at Nigerian embassy in Hague or IND accepted the one from Nigeria? I would be glad for your prompt reply
Hi Ademiji, I faced exactly the same issue and had to scan the copies to my school up to 10 times to no avail. What I did was to call IND. With the V number of my application, I could speak directly to the person handling my application. When I did, the representative explained that in my case, the stamp was not the issue but that the document( my marriage certificate wasn’t showing up clearly), he gave me an email to send the documents directly to him. Alas, that was how I solved mine. If you have the V-number of your application, you can call the IND directly and understand exactly what the issue is and what you must do. I hope this helps🤗
I wouldn't want it any other way. I have high functioning autism and I would prefer us Dutchies being even more blunt and to the point. Don't think us wierd, reflect on cultures that rather talk around the bush or almost lie to your face with the intention of not hurting your feelings, whilst most people would agree with me that when the intentions are pure, truth is the best way to really bond with people and appriciate their company without having to doubt their intentions.
Someone saying "go back to your country!" is racism. I fully agree with having an open mind and not going into situations with a victim mindset for no reason, but at the same time I don't believe in being delusional and sticking my head in the sand. But whatever you need to do to survive and cope, I guess. If pretending helps you, good for you. I need realism.
Compared to the United States, going by what was said, Health care is indeed free in the Netherlands 😂. I think we have the worst cost / benefit ratio in the entire world...
I'm an immigrant, moved here 22 years ago with nothing. I now own 3 properties (two large single family homes and a 2 bed apartment) in desirable areas, work as a European Director in a global multinational and am on the top 3% of income earners. So... make your own conclusions
I respect everyone no matter which colour but if you are on a visit/trip or whatever and you commit crimes you should be deleted and for everyone who can adapt you are welcome. What i did noticed that 75% of the crimes committed in the Netherlands are not committed by Dutch people. I followed for 1 year all the crime news etc etc. That does not mean i hate every outsider 👍
The 'eigen risico' threshold is stupid and i believe it shouldn't be a fixed amount but rather a dynamic amount that's based off income and age. Because its mandatory to get healthcare from the age of 18 but many people at a young age especially students cant afford allot so they straight up never go to the hospital because they don't wanna pay 'eigen risico'.
03:15 This also applies to White foreigners, I met an Englishman who was physically attacked because he didn't speak Dutch, thankfully security people saw the event.
I'm a Nigerian girl but I'm trying to relocate to the Netherlands 🇳🇱 with a Schengen visa, can I work too? What's the best city to leave in the Netherlands? Please sis help me with this information 🙏
Hi Florence. You can’t permanently relocate to the Netherlands with a Schengen visit visa. It doesn’t work that way. You need a sponsor in other to get a permit that allows you to settle and work in the Netherlands.
You'll need a work visa for that. A Schengen visa will only allow you to travel as a tourist or for business for 90 days per half year in the ENTIRE Schengen area and you are not allowed to work in the area..
A proved way is to get a student visa and enrollment in a dutch university (masters). When you successfully finish your masters, you have one year to find a job. Next you need to keep your job (to prove you can provide for yourself) for several years. When youre legally for 5 years in NL you can apply for citizenship.
Hi Faith, all my extensions are from AliExpress… I style them myself. If you go all the way down to the first videos I posted on my channel, you will see a few styling videos and some links🤗
I moved from the Middle East to the Netherlands and I can say I have never faced any instances of racism . People are genuinely kind and interested in your culture . I faced more racism in the Middle East as a matter of fact
I am so happy to hear you have good experiences with the Netherlands! But unfortunately we DO have racism in the Netherlands. Let's not delude ourselves about that. But racism is everywhere and it should be countered EVERYWHERE, where ever we come across it, who it is against!
Grapjas.
The only racism we kinda have is targetted on people who abuse the system for welth or act criminal. most dutch indeed are fine with normal mixed people for living / working. Mass immigration is a problem , no good check who,s legit refugee or from a safe country. We civillions pay the bills so its kinda logical the respect is low towards the abusing golddiggers.
Also the fake refugees take a part of our homes wich make waitinglist for working original dutch people up too 10+ years !
i wished we focus more on the real refugees or people who just wanna live/work here for the normal reasons. less crimials and better moods under the people suffering under this bad goverment.
@@jeffp2935 vind je?
@@jeffp2935 Iedereen weet dat Nederlanders een van de minst racistische mensen zijn. Ten goede of ten kwade
About the "being rich" lie: This is actually a big frustration for a lot of people here in The Netherlands. The mindset that you can just become rich by coming to the Netherlands is something that almost everybody hates here, and this mindset is one of the biggest reasons why in politics the parties who are against immigration are performing relatively well during elections. Most people are not against immigrants, but they are against immigrants who do not contribute to society. If you intend to move to the Netherlands, be prepared to do your part as well, because laziness is really looked down upon...
I can understand this. However I think a lot of Dutchies focus on immigrants who have come to the Netherlands via the asylum route and need help from the government to at least stand on their feet. In many other case, immigrants come to the Netherlands as experts. They obtained a permit to live in the Netherlands because they have something of value to contribute to the economy. As a matter of fact, you need a sponsor which in most cases is a company that employed you to come work in the Netherlands. These immigrants already contribute to the society, their contribution is the what gave them the legal right to remain in the country..
Have you ever observed how many lazy Dutch people there are? Laziness can be turned into a form of art...
@@josphineogugua i really believe most are from Asylum and came from safe countries. They get rental homes with urge while origin dutch sometimes wait 10y+ on a home. its a huge problem now , also allot youth are aggresive and wreck the streets like a week ago football worldchampionship. Didnt even mattered loss or win.. cars end up burning.
So in my opnion we have 2 groups > Real refugees and working class and the other group are the golddiggers and criminals. Due that blacklive matters BS racism is soooo sensitive that you cant critisize any off them. Also goverment and police hardly helps remove the rotten apples. ergo > i believe 85%+ of dutch people legit dont mind mixed civillazation. But the other group doesnt even get support from us for 1%. And due this bad goverment the moods of people are getting worse and worse. The Netherlands and democratic living are both going towards a ending in fast pace.
@@amorphousalienblob Ahh a tourists opinion of a people who on average work around 60 hours a week to be able to pay ridiculous taxes that are wasted on third world scum leaching of our social system like a true third world parasite.
either be clever or a hard worker and you'll make it
Said it before, but will say it again. You're a wonderful addition to this country. Well spoken, honest, intelligent, graceful and with a sense of humour. Hope you stay after you finish your studies.
Thank you so much. I do appreciate your comment🤗
I can only agree with Eliane!🤩
I agree. We need positive thinking, hard working, friendly people like you :)
I think it's like this in every country: if you're on holiday you can manage in English, but if you want to live there, it's greatly appreciated if you learn the language (and the customs).
Yes I think so too. It’s seen as a way of integrating into the culture you are now a part of.
BS
It is a matter of respect to learn the language of the country you live in. Even when I only travel to a country for a short period I always try to know and use a few words at least to show my respect.
In particular English native speakers often do not learn any foreign language, they just expect every person on this planet to learn their language. I sometimes feel this being quite disrespectful.
@@josphineogugua Exactly!
@@josphineogugua And we're very lucky with new Nederlanders like you enriching our culture! ❤
Wow.. I'm Dutch with Indonesian roots.. but born and raised in the Netherlands.. I'll tell you straight up this is the best video about the Netherlands I've ever seen on UA-cam. You are so correct and I want to thank you for clearing these lies up!! Dus.. dankjewel 💋❤️
Hello and Welcome to the Netherlands. I just want to say thank you for speaking out against the modern "everything is racism" mindset
Thank you.
I’m happy to speak out on it, because I believe it’s creating more divide and causing more harm than good.
Some people feel so much a victim that they actually create the racism in a way. You look a lot in your power, I think that's why you experience it not so much, cause racism isn't so much visible in society. There are racists of course, but it's not like the VS. I remember meeting two American woman in Italy and speaking with them about the politics there and stuff and one of them responded, so nice to hear that of someone not of color. I've never ever felt so white in my life, we don't separate on color like that in Holland. We just see the variety of cultures that all the nationalities bring mostly.
One thing I should add, there is definitely a culture that is not liked by many Dutch, Moroccans. I think from there perspective the Netherlands isn't much fun, at the other hand they cause a lot of problems too, but not all of them. But you never know if it's a good one, so quite some people exclude them. That's a problem we face in the Netherlands. It gets especially hard when your name is Mohammed, Ali or Omar etc.
@@lo1781 I'm from the Netherlands and the second part my stans is I don't care where you come from Morocco the moon or everything in between I see you as person if that person does me wrong I don't like him/her not his culture or origin yust the person
Hello, can I move to the Netherlands as a tourist and get a job to stay
@@stevenconneh6558 No, most definitely not. Most employers will NOT hire you as it's illegal to hire an 'illegaal', with very steep fines for both you and your employer. However, there are some unscrupulous employers who will exploit (!!) you, by not paying you the legally mandated Dutch minimum wage, cram you in overcrowded, unsafe and illegal housing with too many others, curbing your meager income even further by charging the most outrageous fees for e-ver-y-thing which a Dutch employee would not have to pay for, you'd have no insurance _at_all_ (!!), so if you get injured, you get nothing, and you'd have to pay for medical costs out of your own pocket, etc etc. Basically, a modern form of slavery. Mind, there are countless other countries where people will do exactly the same, so NL is not worse then anywhere else in Europe.
If you decide to come and request asylum, you'll be put in a asylum detention centre. The processing of your application often takes years: IND (the immigration service here) is woefully understaffed and the system is full beyond bursting point, mostly with applicants who have no right to reside in NL anyway. Chances are, you won't have a bed to sleep in for weeks after your arrival. During the application process, you are *prohibited to work*. If they find you working illegally, it will have a profoundly negative affect on your application, which is red-tape speak for: you're kicked out indefinitely and if authorities find you in our country again, you'll be arrested on the spot and deported to where-ever you come from 😕
In short: abusing a tourist visa as a shortcut to Dutch residency won't work and will inevitably backfire on you, as you will be found out sooner or later and then you're even worse off.
What you *can* do is apply for a job in NL _from your home country_ (!!). If you get hired, then you can come to NL legally as an ex-pat. Realistically, unless you have exceptional skills not available elsewhere in Europe, don't even bother. Unskilled labour is plentiful here and basic education levels here are higher then the average in the rest of the world.
You are such an absolute gem, and I'm so happy that you found your home in this weird, unique, but absolutely beautiful little country. Racism absolutely exists in Europe, and we can't and shouldn't pretend it doesn't. But as a fellow woman of colour who has lived in multiple countries all over the world (from Australia to both South- and North America.. which were all places where I did feel very out of place all the time), I can honestly say that I've always felt "safest" in the Netherlands. They just tend to have that basic "just be a decent person, that's all that matters" mentality. I lived in Rotterdam for a while before moving to the countryside in the East.. and the people over there were actually even better haha!
Glad to hear you felt the people on the eastern countryside were even better! I'm a white Dutch person and I sometimes think people from the countryside are more racist than people in the cities (because they're less likely to encounter people of colour and have conversations with them), but it's good to hear that's not necessarily the case.
@SuAva That is exactly what I always thought and what I learned growing up, and I'm sure that is actually the case in many places all over the World. But I can't help but feel that this is kind of an old and unfair stereotype in many cases? Of course I can only speak about my personal experiences. Yes, (big) cities are always way more diverse, and city people are just used to more "flavours", as I like to call it haha. But I've always found that many of these wonderful, open-minded big city folk have a very different way of connecting to people. It wasn't until I moved to Twente (in the East of The NL) that I actually felt seen and heard; a person with a story that people wanted to hear about? Wherever I go, it's always the small town/countryside people who show you real heart and soul - and who actually teach you the most about a country and culture.
Edit: nothing against city folk, btw! Just.. a different way of communicating and connecting.
@@mosovanhe There's definitely more space to personally connect in the smaller towns and villages! It's good to hear that just loving people for being people is still the default!
@@SuAva You said it, sister!
People like yourself(though we don’t know each other)make this country a better place-I’ve felt ashamed lately for what our country’s state is in,so I’m glad to hear there are lots of positive sides in your view.I love your fresh point of view:thank you for your content,and have a good weekend👍🏼🌷🌈
Hi Rich.
Thank you for your kind comment🤗
@@josphineogugua You’re welcome☺️Have a good weekend!
Josephine, your positivity and beauty shines through. You are an asset to any country, any place, any group, any society!
Thank you for explaining what the definition of racism is. Nowadays the word racism is abused.
Exactly. Every little disagreement is termed racism and that’s just ridiculous.
Buying chocolate in the Jumbo is racist , if your co-workers ask for chocolate, that's racist these days .
Everything is racism these days , het gaat nergens meer over .
@@XboxNL30180 It's like a mass hysteryia.. But a useful tool for the people who control us the tried and tested devide and rule.
As a foreigner in the Netherlands, I've never felt any sort of racism from the Dutch, it has always been from the minorities, and they are usually the ones that complain that it's always the whites who are racist. Dutch people get so happy when I speak to them in Dutch, which I love speaking Dutch anyways since it's a wonderful and beautiful language.
There are scientific objective studies that shows NL has one of the highest percentage of people percieves discrimination in the workplace. So it is not only about how you personally experience it. Being positive towards life does not give us the right to ignore the basic realities life with obvious facts.
"Perceives", not proven.
@@GUITARTIME2024 There are also studies that shows the discrimination in housing and employment which are fact based. So it is bad news for your perception but discrimination and racism are still big problems in Netherlands. I understand it is hard to accept for you but this is a reality unfortunately.
@ssp99077 those stats can have multiple causations
@@GUITARTIME2024 Looks like you are struggling to accept the racism and discrimination in Netherlands which is understandable. Denial is the most common reaction about racism and discrimination. But feel free to contact and work with these universities and prove the contrary. 😉
As a Dutch person with a very mixed roots group of friends love to see videos like this 😄 Keep up the good work. You have a very lovely voice to listen to. You got yourself a new subscriber 🙂 Groetjes uit Apeldoorn
Regarding needing to know Dutch. Sure we will help you get arround if you speak English. Also, to be close you dont need to fully speak Dutch. Showing that you are making an effort to learn Dutch also goes a very long way. We will gladly help you even if what you ask is half Dutch half English. Dont be shy trying out your best Dutch, we will even help you if you struggle with that. Its the people who live here for years and dont even bother to learn Dutch because most of us also speak english that will have a hard time.
Yes it annoys me a bit when people live here for 20+ years and never learn the language, it's like admitting they don't care about our culture. When Dutch people speak English with foreigners here they are making an effort and we expect them to return that effort over time by learning Dutch, if they intend to stay. So it is a bit strange when people use our English level as an excuse to never learn the language. I don't think it's necessarily a requirement or anything but it does annoy occasionally.
I really not like that people not speak Dutch when they live here
@@chenandorlandoaroundtheworld It depends. Back in the nineties Vietnamese refugees enter out country. Their children and young adult learned dutch quickly despite dutch is a extreme hard language to learn form a Vietnamese tongue. So the elderly people had a lot of problems to learn it. In that case i don't care.
Dutch language spoken in the Nederlands is not a secret code. Dutch is a dialect of the German language.
Suggestion for any English speaker interested in learning Dutch and not proficient at learning foreign languages. Recommend taking a basic German language course first.
@@leimertseptimius1836 This is terrible advice. First Dutch is not a dialect of German, it is a much older language than German. Second, most people learn Dutch because they live in the Netherlands so it would be stupid to learn German before as it is grammatically and phonetically very different despite shared roots, this would just waste time.
So glad you have such good experiences in the Netherlands. I love and value diversity so much and I hate to hear when people say they are feeling unwanted because of their ethnicity. Everyone should be valued for who they are as a person, because where all human at the end of the day. Being able to be yourself without judgment is a right I’m willing to defend anytime.
Thank you for your comment. I really agree and hope people are able to feel confident and happy. I share my experience to help others like me so they realise that no one should have the power to make them feel less than human. They are amazing and should walk with their heads up high 🤗.
This is a beautiful comment.
I love how you explained everything! ❤ You have given so much insight!
You're a open positive person, if the hole world are like you there will be peace all over the world.
Thank You Gerard. I’ve made my own share of mistakes but I’m happy to keep learning and growing.🤗
@gerardoostindie6491 hi how are you
Can you give me your email?
One addition about healthcare in the Netherlands: a visit to the family doctor is completely free of charge, but the medication they prescribe to cure you falls under the "own risk" regulation.
True, the visit to the family doctor is directly covered by the insurance. But the medication falls into the “own risk”.
And healthcare for kids is free from birth untill they are 18.
@@josphineogugua up to the limit of €375 I think...
@@Paul_C size of the "own risk" depends on your healthcare insurance
@@YannickTG 375 is pretty standard though
Im adopted and lived for 27 years in the netherlands, i left mainly because of the racism. But its good that not everyone has the same experience.
I'm very curious, but can you tell me where you used to live in NL?
@@annekekramer3835 Zeeland.
Systemic racism is when the racism is ingrained in a society and its rules. It's different from blatant racism and rather than people going out of their way to be racist, it has people often not even being aware that something is racist. It often features laws or habits that have been passed down that have racist effects, even if at first sight, someone might not realize these effects are there. At least, that's what I understand from it as someone who is part of the majority race.
I absolutely believe your attitude of assuming the best from people is admirable. And while I am often skeptical of people who claim racism when they only show the adversity of what they have experienced, not how the adversity is related to their race, I do also believe it is important not to minimize the experience of people who experience systemic racism.
It’s so true. I went to as visitor from the UK 3 months ago. I loved it so much. I’ve never felt so safe. I have a friend who lives there. We met up with other friends and had a great time going around Amsterdam. I went to Rotterdam alone and had a lot of fun. The Dutch were so friendly. I learnt to read Dutch. As a native English speaker and having experience with other foreign languages like German, I find Dutch straightforward to learn
I’m so glad you enjoyed your time in the Netherlands 🤗🤗
I'd love to see where you find ingredients when shopping. Thanks for your videos!
really appreciated thank you so much for your perspective on the Netherlands also the video is well organized and put together
Thank you that was interesting. I was born Dutch and my parents migrated to Australia when I was 14. In my 30's at work I too was told to go back to my own country and leave my job for someone born here. It seemed odd considering this man's parents had migrated from the UK before he was born. I was told the same thing by a young girl I worked with, she was born after I arrived here so I'd been Australian longer then her but no I didn't belong! You get ignorant people everywhere.
It's never easy to live in a foreign country and make it your own, and how well off we are is always up to our own efforts.
Thank you so much for sharing your story. It’s definitely not easy to settle in a foreign country and make it your home. I agree that people can be ignorant and mean regardless of the country. I hope you were able to look past their ignorance and move on with your head high… 🤗
@@josphineogugua Yes absolutely, I was proud of my heritage and the experience of having lived in three countries. We did find the majority of our friends were fellow migrants from around the world. We formed an International club and gave monthly talks about our home countries and tried all the various foods from each country. That was fun and I learned so much, most migrants had had a tough time but some had horrible experiences in there home countries and had fled.
It boggles my mind how a country like Australia has racism of that form. Literally everyone there except for aboriginals is a foreigner, like in the USA.
Were those Aussies Aboriginals ? Coz thén i get it. Otherwise: Nuts.
It seems to me really strange that a Dutch person could be discriminated against in an Anglo-Saxon country.
You are so charismatic!. Love your videos, very informative.
Great explanation! Your more then welcome in our little country! Make the best of it!
You are so awesome & thinking. Perfect explain. Morre people think same about you, about immigration & explain about NL. Bless you beautiful soul 🙏🏼🌺
The fact that people actually need to explain that being indifferent and et cetera towards a person is, well, personal and not being racist is a terrifying thing. It's discriminative, at worst.
Lovely videos! Shout out from Spain!!!
Thank youuuu. Good to have you here🤗
Thx for your positive mindset 🥰 and being real
Thanks for watching too🤗
I love your mindset and really respect you we are blunt but it saves time we you are direct
Good video! There has been some cases of (institutional) racism. But then some conclude racist views dominate all the time, which would be nonsense. And yes there are some expats living here for 10-15 years and not speaking any word of Dutch so yes I think it is normal that a few people would react irritable to that because it shows that person not putting in any effort towards the new culture they moved to. Therefore it is great you are learning some Dutch! And yes the Dutch are Direct and can be a little rude but the plus side to this is they are less likely to say what they don't like behind your back as they are more likely to tell you directly.
Some people being here for over 10 years and I'm like, my French, Spanish and German is better than your Dutch, what went wrong?
the problem is that they are often the ones to address you in English if you don't speak Dutch well, which can be a bit of a stumbling block.
Institutions in NL mainly discriminate against white men.
I am currently in London and I am moving to the Netherlands in two weeks and I have been wondering what the health system is like in comparison to the NHS. Thanks for the video, very informative.
You’re welcome🤗. I’m glad the video helped in some way.
About the Dutch Health Care system, check the vlog of Jovie's Home. An American lady who came to The Netherlands.
It is not completely free of charge, you pay a small amount (about 100 euro a month) and will pay a max of 380 euro's own risk a year if the shit hits the fan. It is however much better than the NHS in many regards. Well staffed, modern equipment, not run into the ground by a Tory government for a decade,
You pay a monthly fee of about €125-150 per adult for basic insurance. You can pay a bit less if you take a bigger “eigen risico” (amount you pay out of pocket. Standard is €385 a year per person, but it can go up to maximum of €885).
You can take an extra insurance for things like fysio therapy and dental. But paying out of pocket is sometimes cheaper.
Kids up to 18 are fully covered for free under the parents health plan.
@@Nitzpitz its very expansive free health care should come back like before 1999
Great video! I think it is very good you said that the person telling you to go back to your country was probably having a bad day. People say hurtful things sometimes, especially when they are stressed, without considering how it makes the other person feel. We don’t always need to take those things to hart and escalate the situation even more. Kudos for doing just that! What that person said was very rude, but you managed to take a positive lesson from it and understand how important using the Dutch language can be sometimes. Keep up the good work!
The person certainly was rude. Actually it was an incredible douchbag if you ask me. I don't say stuff like that when having a bad day :)
I had a very similar interaction with a Dutch lady and I'm a white girl from Germany so yeah don't think that was racism 😄
@@fabiennemare284 “Go back to your own country” is a phrase commonly used against anyone with a different skin color, including people whose families have lived here for generations that often don’t even speak another language than Dutch and only eat cheese on their sandwich might get such comments directed towards them.
You are a powerlady.
The first 4 minutes is spot on. Wish more people would think
Ike you
Would you consider a cooking program where you show Nigerian dishes to the Dutch? That would be interesting to see on your channel. I am looking for new recipes 😁.
Please which cities are best for students
I'm white and I've been told to go back to my country when visiting other countries. It's not racist, it's xenophobic.
Worst experience I've had with that was in Belgium, where especially in Brussels shops and restaurants would simply refuse to help us simply because we spoke Dutch. Going into the same place the next day we spoke German or English and were welcomed with open arms.
We had similar experiences in Austria where speaking German to staff we were shunned. Switching to English they were helpful.
While there is overlap, it's a different concept.
I'm sure there is racism in the Netherlands, there is racism in every country. Same with xenophobia.
But it's not widespread or common, certainly not mainstream or institutionalised. If anything Dutch people and institutions go out of their way to NOT be perceived as racist, to the degree that Dutch natives often feel disenfranchised as a result (e.g. mandatory hiring quota for non-whites leading to natives being passed over for being hired or promoted can lead to bad blood, and those things definitely exist).
Thank you for this sharing your own experience. I have had a few people tell similar stories too
I experienced this in Brussel has well in 2015-2017 I was in Brussels and when I spoke dutch I was treated unwelcome but when I spoke English specially with Brits accent people were very friendly I am originally from Somalia horn of Africa.however I didnt experience anything bad in Antwerpen Belgium but only in Brussels
There’s a significant difference between being told this as a tourist and being told this as a person of color.
Plenty of born and raised Dutch people have heard this sentence before, including adopted people, and they’re not comparable with foreigners that don’t share the culture or language.
@@kawazaki23 But it seems to me that Dutch is one of the two official languages in Brussels (the other is French). Furthermore, I understood that it was the Flemings who had a very bad opinion of people who speak French and that the Flemish right-wing parties were strongly anti-French.
The government does not exist. You don’t get your stipends etc from the government. The government is an intermediary between the tax payers and people who need assistance. You get your stipends from the Dutch tax payers. Please don’t ever forget this. It is of utmost importance for the success of our society.
Good way to see this… 👌🏾
Good insight. Kindly talk about weather and how to cope with if you come from Africa
Thanks!! I hope your vids reaches a lot of people!
It depends on the lens to which you look at life. It also depends on how much you know and what you want.
This is my first time on your channel and 3 minutes into the video now and I really feel the need to comment: wow, what an awesome human you are for not going with the media flow regarding rasicm and what a beautifull mindset! This is what we need in our country that is based on open-mindedness, but sadly is in decline. If you ever will encounter racist behaviour be assured that the majority of us Dutchmen would rather see that accuser gone out of the country rather then you! Now back to the video :)
i'm mixed race, lived a year in indonesia as a kid.
i remembered that i had to put a lot of effort in making friendships with local kids, due to racist views of their parents toward europeans...had to fight and defend myself multiple times just for the fact of being "dutch".
here in the netherlands i never felt out of place, never felt different.
was always welcome at the home of my "white" dutch friends.
was being treated the same as all other kids by parents.
and that was the eighties. when i was the only coloured kid at school.
but just like every other society i experienced you get people thinking in a more tribalistic way and experience other cultures as a threat for themselves.
racism exists in every culture and every colour of skin.
it's a human flaw, and not a specific racial or cultural one.
that would actually be racist thinking, wouldn't it.
no there is no systemic racism here!
can't directly project "american" societal problems to dutch society!
for one we never had a by law segregated society like the us had till, i believe, the 50/60ties.
which in my opinion is one of the reasons of the problems in the USA.
fun fact, after the netherlands activated abolisment of slavery in 1860 in the dutch indies, some indigenous sultanates, i.e. on sumbawa, still kept trading slaves locally.
but only from non muslim islands like flores, as they themselves were muslim.
it was a cultural thing for centuries, thus not imported by "white earopeans".
hear often "colored people can't be racist!"
well i know a lot of colored people that have initial problems with white people.
unless they get to know them, then they are often "cool" and one of the few "good ones".
funny as it is the same mechanic i see with some of those white people .
or like the lightskin/darkskin bs that is prevalent between colored people is also "racist".
we all have prejudice, it's a mechanism that helped us survive in neolithic periods ;)
when everything that was different could end you, for just not belonging to the tribe.
didn't had a sophisticated society with social laws and a justice system back then.
if we understand why racism is a thing, we could actually try and solve it.
instead of pointing and condemning people for their rudimental thoughts on "others".
positive feedback helps a lot more than condemning a person.
at least from my experience.
On healthcare: 'eigen bijdrage"(annual deductible) is EUR 385. And on top of the standard premium for the insurance you have to pay a fixed percentage (5,5% )of you gross income for healthcare. This percentage is calculated over a maximum income of around EUR 60K (so this implies a maximum of around EUR 3K extra).
Ohhh woww. I didn’t know about the fixed percentage. Thanks for sharing, I’ll read up on it🤗. And yes eigen bijdrage is EUR385
@@josphineogugua You can find the exact amount you pay on the specification of your salary (gross to nett). Look for the line that has ZKV in it.
@@24SoulDark thanks for sharing 🤗
You are sims STUNNING and BRILLIANT ! Thank You
"Go back to your country" is xenophobic racism no question. Your too nice. Having a bad day is no excuse.
I agree
Xenophobic refers to fear of strangers, especially those from unfamiliar cultures. It’s really a variant of fear of the unknown. Though xenophobia can cause racism it is not the same thing, at least not by her definition. She also said she was unable to speak Dutch at the time, which is clear indicator she has not lived in the Netherlands her whole life, it was not just because of her skin color. I do agree that “go back to your country” is not something anyone should say, or that it is fine to say something like that to anyone, even if they haven’t lived in the country their whole lives.
I think the Netherlands are much more open minded than Germany - I enjoyed my vacations I´ve done to this country. I fear, my favorite vacation country France is here much more behind....
I wish people would say, my is experience has been blah blah blah. I really hate it when people say, it's not true what other people have experienced. Don't discredit people who have experienced racism. With all due respect, you don't have to say that someone else's is a lie.
I respect your positive attitude, but we will not combate racism if we don't acknowledge racism where it's being practiced. Someone who speaks the language and know the culture would be able to better speak on the subject.
I visited Amsterdam a while back and can tell you that I had no problems with racism or being treated poorly because of my race. Now, that well could be because I was obviously an American....and they get so few of us over there (especially African Americans)....that they viewed me more as a novelty than a threat. But I had a wonderful time there, and love the city.
So few Americans? They get plenty. And there are a fair amount of black people (brown, etc) living in the Netherlands but they don't live in tourist areas, generally.
Black people are discriminated to an incredibly high degree in the workforce and in education. You just need to look at the disproportionately few black people in higher education, well paid jobs and positions of power. This is due to racism as you defined it, but of course, the Dutch know not to make the racism blatant in your face though. 15% of the Dutch voted for Thierry Baudet when he was saying that there are racial differences in IQ and that white IQ is higher than black. So, plenty of white Dutch think their race is superior to others and are white supremacist. So, that makes a significant number no better than Nazis. What is also disturbing is that this is institutionalised in the media, who gave these racist views mainstream coverage to the point that newspapers were even treating them as a legitimate debate, even though they have been scientifically disproven. Of course, this all took place in Dutch, in a country that is a relatively small player on the world stage, so it went largely unnoticed in foreign media. But, if only foreign countries knew what goes on in the Netherlands!
Thierry Baudet is not white and has Indonesian roots!
Baudet, Klaver,Wilders and Jetten have Indonesian roots!
don't dismiss someone else's experience as a lie, you could just tell people your own experience
Nice that you have such positive experiences.
Glad you did not have any racist experiences! I think it depends on where you live. I basically grew up here in the North in Drenthe and I have so many racist experiences. Once from someone punching me a black eye to refusing jobs because I am black and so on. Yes. This is your experience and maybe not true for others, maybe others experienced racism. This is why I prefer to live in the city, it is usually way more culturally diverse 😁!
I'm an African, and I'm considering coming to the netherlands. My profession is teaching. Are you saying that Blacks are hardly considered for good jobs ?
@@onyekachinwachukwu7108 you’ll be fine in any of the big cities and most of the smaller cities as well, it’s beautiful how they don’t care about your skin color at all. I quit my job once and got a new one in two weeks 😊I love the Netherlands 🇳🇱 the diversity is amazing
@@okututoju1062
Thank you so much for this. My spirit and soul is there already, what's left is my body. I'm trying hard to make it materialize.
Beautiful attitude you have! Keep going on😁
Thank you Leo🤗
Visits to the family doctor do not fall under the 'own risk' clause. All of these costs are covered by the basic insurance.
True👌🏾
06:44 This is relatively true, you can make as much money with relatively little work as you can do with a lot of work in poorer countries.
Mee eens. Het gaat er om wat voor werk je doet. Als jij werkt in een vakgebied waar heel veel vraag naar is dan kan je eisen gaan stellen. Met jij een communicatiecoach waar al zoveel van zijn dan wordt het een heel stuk lastiger.
I love you Josphine! Great vlog! 🙏👍
Thank you Jack🤗
Ignoring racism prevents progress in racial reconciliation by allowing harmful stereotypes and systemic inequalities to persist. It’s okay to share positive experiences, but presenting them as the universal standard dismisses the diverse realities of others. Everyone’s experience with racism is different, and assuming one experience applies to all undermines efforts to create understanding and equality. This approach stalls meaningful progress.
Hi Josphine - wow! What a great attitude towards my birth country. I moved to Canada as an adult, but visit regularly. Loved your video and will subscribe. 🥰
Thanks Chris. 🤗
Great video, I live in Germany for 10 years, without any criminal records. Finally my asylum was rejected, ask to leave the country Please what are my chances in the Netherlands
Very informative video! It looks the lifestyle is really expensive considering about the cost of childcare, health insurance (that doesn't cover any expenses until the cost exceed 360 euro).
Beste Josephine,
Goed dat u benadrukt dat het erg belangrijk is om Nederlands te leren als je in Nederland woont. Want als ouders de Nederlandse taal niet beheersen, heeft dat nadelige gevolgen voor hun kinderen. Die leren de taal minder goed doordat ze het thuis niet spreken, en moeten noodgedwongen mee met afspraken die hun ouders hebben met de huisarts, om als tolk te fungeren. Maar daar krijg je toch geen kinderen voor, als taalhulpje? Immigranten moeten zichzelf zien te redden en niet hun kinderen met zulke lasten opzadelen.
Wonderful honest content. Thank you for sharing.
I am born in Nederland and I must admit we are so kind and Beautyfull and honest. You are beautiful Lady. My Wife is from Suriname. Means 43 years Trouble in da house.🙂🌀💪
Thanks for this video. I know some people in the Netherlands they thought the Netherlands was racist until they came to South Africa and experienced real racisme.
Just because some people have it worse than others doesn’t mean they aren’t allowed to complain. Systemic racism exists in the Netherlands, period. Just because people don’t get killed over it doesn’t mean it doesn’t need fixing.
This is like saying poverty doesn’t exist in the Netherlands because the Liberian homeless have it worse. Sure, they have it worse; but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do something about the poverty we have here.
@@roy_hks ofcourse it's more complicated. But as a person from another culture as myself I just don't experience it like that. Don't know if you are dutch or not. But for myself I experience it different. The people I know are also black and experience it that way in South Africa.
I wish I had this type of content, but for Sweden instead😅😅
Thanks for your work in spreading useful information 😊
Definitely planes are so safe, but my problem is I have fear of height, not dying or crashin, which sometimes become a nightmare for me
You are a good person, you will be welcome in every country!!!
Welcome to the Netherlands, I'm glad you like our country.
Only blacks welcome in holland
Words spoken in anger are meant to hurt the other person as much as possible. An insult is usually also about the first thing somebody can think of when they are mad. If you're fat they will take that opportunity to call you fat. If you're poor they will call you poor. If you're black they will call you black. Its the easiest way out for a person to insult somebody and they can do it by just looking at you. Its an in the moment thing to happen. Often its not personal, the person insulting you probably doesnt even know you. Like you said, they have a bad day or the situation at the moment creates the insult. It doesnt come from a deep hatred but from frustration.
Thank you for this Video.
You’re so welcome 🫶
Thank you for giving a different perspective than the one that's been dominating the main stream media and politics these past few years, where the Netherlands is this "systemically racist" country where people all hate foreigners. Yes racism exists, even in the Netherlands, but racism exists everywhere and it's probably better here than in 95% of the rest of the world. One has to see things in perspective. Maybe someday you could get into Dutch politics, and give some counter perspective to people like Sylvana Simons, who tends to see racism everywhere and wants to import American Critical Race Theory-based (where everyone is put into boxes of "victim" and "oppressor" according to your skin color) politics into the Netherlands. You seem like a great person with a great mindset.
Hello am from Ghana,l am planning on coming to the Netherlands and l want to ask if l can get easy access to salons
Hi Mercy,
There are salons that cater to Afro hair here.
@@josphineogugua ok thanks
Wow I agree with you so much on the fact that the word "racism" shouldn't be thrown around so easily. Thank you for pointing this out. There's a fair amount of problems over here but most of it is misunderstanding, prejudice, bigotry or bias. We don't need to call everything racism because that just waters down the meaning of actual racism and obscures the public perspection with tangentially related problems.
For me as a native Netherlander, everybody with a good soul is welcome in our county !!
Dutch person here. I like your take on racism and i agree 100%
You are a big addition to this country. We are more than willing to welcome people with a mindset like you. 💪🏼
No it is not a lie..it is true...so beware !
It is 385 euro! The monthly cost vary
I'm from Turkey. We have millions of refugees or immigrants from various social and ethnic backgrounds but I never ever told anyone to go back home even though our economy is hardly holding on and we are having difficult times. I hope that person apologized for what he did to you. I understand from your video that there is some unspoken intolerance against minorities in Netherlands. I get that essence from the comments below as well, what a shame for a so called civilized country that lacks manpower in almost every industry...
I was born in the Netherlands and my father is Dutch(American mother) and at school I was told many times to go back to my own country, meaning the US... as a blond white kid who speaks fluent Dutch. Ignorance is not always in the form of racism I guess. Though I have to admit there are some harmful stereotypes in Dutch society, Zwarte Piet for example... Maybe you could make a video on your first experience with Zwarte Piet?
Seeing as Zwarte Piet is quickly disappearing, I don't believe it will make a good video subject.
@@Jack-Hands She probably lived here through the period that it still existed and her perspective would be interesting as she is of African descent. If you want to neglect how this period of Dutch history affected people at the time that is on you, I think it is important to hear what it was like from their perspective.
This video helped me alot ✨ tnx 😊
Hi josephine, please can you make a video talking About the asylum in Netherlands ?🙏
Hi Jimo, I really don’t know much about asylum here in the Netherlands but if I find someone who has this experience and is willing to share then I’ll make a video about it.
@@josphineogugua ok,thank you love..I will Really do Appreciate you 💋
Hi Mrs Ogugua, please I need a clarification from you about family reunion. Esp., legalisation of doc. from Nigerian Fed. Ministry of foreign affairs. I did it, but it seemed the legalisation stamp isn’t showing when I scan the documents to upload for my family reunion application. Please, did you had to also legalise at Nigerian embassy in Hague or IND accepted the one from Nigeria?
I would be glad for your prompt reply
They use special ink for those official stamps, it can't be scanned or photocopied. That is because ONLY the original is valid, copies are worthless.
@@buddy1155 Thanks for your reply. I think I’ll have to opt in for paper submission of my application then.
Hi Ademiji,
I faced exactly the same issue and had to scan the copies to my school up to 10 times to no avail. What I did was to call IND. With the V number of my application, I could speak directly to the person handling my application. When I did, the representative explained that in my case, the stamp was not the issue but that the document( my marriage certificate wasn’t showing up clearly), he gave me an email to send the documents directly to him. Alas, that was how I solved mine.
If you have the V-number of your application, you can call the IND directly and understand exactly what the issue is and what you must do.
I hope this helps🤗
@@josphineogugua I’m really grateful for your reply. Thanks so much
Stories (Lies) are too often epic until you discover them on your own - sometime it is like religion.
Ik was geschokt. Gelukkig heb ik verder geluisterd. Ben het helemaal met j eens😘
As a European foreigner I know that rudeness (directness) is a philosophy in the NL and they are proud of it 😅
I wouldn't want it any other way. I have high functioning autism and I would prefer us Dutchies being even more blunt and to the point. Don't think us wierd, reflect on cultures that rather talk around the bush or almost lie to your face with the intention of not hurting your feelings, whilst most people would agree with me that when the intentions are pure, truth is the best way to really bond with people and appriciate their company without having to doubt their intentions.
I love how you recognised someones unkindness as a "them" problem. ❤
🥰🥰🥰🥰 WOW!!! You could definitely be a good ambassador for the Netherlands 🥰🥰🥰🥰
Someone saying "go back to your country!" is racism. I fully agree with having an open mind and not going into situations with a victim mindset for no reason, but at the same time I don't believe in being delusional and sticking my head in the sand. But whatever you need to do to survive and cope, I guess. If pretending helps you, good for you. I need realism.
Compared to the United States, going by what was said, Health care is indeed free in the Netherlands 😂.
I think we have the worst cost / benefit ratio in the entire world...
I'm an immigrant, moved here 22 years ago with nothing. I now own 3 properties (two large single family homes and a 2 bed apartment) in desirable areas, work as a European Director in a global multinational and am on the top 3% of income earners. So... make your own conclusions
how did you migrate school? work permit?
I respect everyone no matter which colour but if you are on a visit/trip or whatever and you commit crimes you should be deleted and for everyone who can adapt you are welcome. What i did noticed that 75% of the crimes committed in the Netherlands are not committed by Dutch people. I followed for 1 year all the crime news etc etc. That does not mean i hate every outsider 👍
The 'eigen risico' threshold is stupid and i believe it shouldn't be a fixed amount but rather a dynamic amount that's based off income and age. Because its mandatory to get healthcare from the age of 18 but many people at a young age especially students cant afford allot so they straight up never go to the hospital because they don't wanna pay 'eigen risico'.
Go girl Go ! :) You are ok. Welcome.
03:15 This also applies to White foreigners, I met an Englishman who was physically attacked because he didn't speak Dutch, thankfully security people saw the event.
I'm a Nigerian girl but I'm trying to relocate to the Netherlands 🇳🇱 with a Schengen visa, can I work too? What's the best city to leave in the Netherlands? Please sis help me with this information 🙏
Hi Florence. You can’t permanently relocate to the Netherlands with a Schengen visit visa. It doesn’t work that way. You need a sponsor in other to get a permit that allows you to settle and work in the Netherlands.
You'll need a work visa for that. A Schengen visa will only allow you to travel as a tourist or for business for 90 days per half year in the ENTIRE Schengen area and you are not allowed to work in the area..
A proved way is to get a student visa and enrollment in a dutch university (masters). When you successfully finish your masters, you have one year to find a job. Next you need to keep your job (to prove you can provide for yourself) for several years. When youre legally for 5 years in NL you can apply for citizenship.
Or you need to find a Dutch partner. then you can also move to my country.
Good observations!
Thank you🤗
Hey I love your videos but could you share your wig purchase points because they always look neat and nice.
Greetings from Maastricht.
Hi Faith, all my extensions are from AliExpress… I style them myself. If you go all the way down to the first videos I posted on my channel, you will see a few styling videos and some links🤗
Thank you!