I am really surprised that he complain about learning another language. Is it not normal to learn the language of the country you gonna live in? When I am going to live in the USA I have to learn to speak English. I cannot expect that every American will talk Dutch to me. So why is it a dark side of the Netherlands to learn to speak the local language?

@userxkxmgc

Жыл бұрын

I only know english and everyone here can talk to me although sometimes with difficulties, the people here are wonderful!

@looijz

Жыл бұрын

i guess this is really from an english speaking point of view as english is spoken in a lot of countries worldwide. But for us its really a normal thing to learn a new language if you go somewhere else since Dutch isnt spoken in many countries worldwide.

@Vliegenmepper2377

Жыл бұрын

Seems that the only thing they know is Amsterdam? Every region can be different. Take the "being direct"-part for example...Not everywhere. Take the south for example. Different mentality.

@DidierWierdsma6335

Жыл бұрын

Why do you want to live in America Jan? Have you seen the state of that country way to expensive the quality of life over there sucks many Americans want to leave America and who can blame them. Also healthcare in America not that great once again way to expensive. Seriously there are better country's to live in America is not the greatest country in the world far from it.

@janvanteylingen2323

Жыл бұрын

@@DidierWierdsma6335 I don't want to live in America. It was only to explain that it is not so strange learn to speak the language spoken in the country you are in. Ik ben trots op mijn landje. Ook al is het hier ook niet altijd koek en ei. For all not Dutch speaking and reading people I said above: I am proud of my little country even everything is not always good and great around here either.

There was a really good commentary under the original video describing the creator of the video as "Azijnzeiker". Look that up.

This video is saying more about that person than the country. So he worked in the Netherlands, didn't make a lot of money (otherwise he would have said we had 49.5% tax) but didn't understand the deductible system either. He is a cheap bastard that orders from a German webshop to save a few Euro's (the difference isn't a lot). Probably had himself screwed over a a garage, come in with an attitude and they let you pay double. And he probably has an attitude, at costumer service they treat you like you treat them, the Dutch love to mirror behaviour. Management don't force their employees to be nice to people who don't deserve it. And I love the part about the "appointments" someone clearly told him to be on time and if you promise something you have to follow up as well.

@eddavanleemputten9232

Жыл бұрын

Oh, you made me laugh SO HARD! I believe you hit the nail on the head there. 😂

@Peacefrogg

Жыл бұрын

You are right, but is it a bad thing if arrogant people are warned not to come here?

The dark side living in the Netherlands is mainly that between October and march , you only have between 6 hrs to 8 hrs of day light. in winter and only 4 hrs to 5 hrs of darkness in the summer time .

@Peacefrogg

Жыл бұрын

I hate winter here. It’s dark. Literally. Not sub zero usually though. And snow and ice have become rare.

@Breinschade

Жыл бұрын

indeed, as a skateboarder that sucks!

@lws7394

Жыл бұрын

@@Peacefrogg it were beter if it was more below zero ! At -5°C cold gets dryer and crisper . Not so humid as at +5°C . And there more often blue skies at those temps ...

@Peacefrogg

Жыл бұрын

@@lws7394 you’re so right! These days it’s ‘waterkoud’ which is way worse than sunny with snowmen and skates. But still i’m happier in spring and summer bc of the light.

@jbird4478

Жыл бұрын

@@Peacefrogg Yeah, I prefer snow and cold over the rain and wind we usually have though.

I've been to the Netherlands a few times and honestly I feel the warmth and good vibes I get from the people, the relaxed pleasant feeling of cars not being dominant with cyclists everywhere, fantastic public transport and so many amazing cultural attractions all vastly outweigh any of these so-called dark sides.

@richardhltrp1791

Жыл бұрын

Thx bro for clearing this up 😅

@xanderveldmuisje

Жыл бұрын

Always nice to hear people like my country, were have you been?

@klm20079

Жыл бұрын

taxes; from you salary to food, no housing etc... I born in the Netherlands and I am leaving as manny 30 old I know.

@greenknitter

Жыл бұрын

@@richardhltrp1791 Sis actually 😉

@greenknitter

Жыл бұрын

@@xanderveldmuisje Sadly only Amsterdam and the outskirts. Partner and I have driven through the country a few times though and it looks very pretty. Plan to see somewhere else next time we go, maybe Utrecht.

We also forget or come late Were all human Also, "some" people can come visiting unasked, and i'm happy to see them standing at my front door Don't blame urself charlie Ur a good man

I moved to NL in 1987 and am still here ;-) way better than living in the UK. Tax is 21% It's true the Dutch speak English but if you move to a country you MUST learn the language. I am fluent in Dutch. Hard to make friends might be an issue of the foreigner as the Dutch are friendly and direct.

@danamarcotteseiler7423

Жыл бұрын

Dankjewel

I was, as we say, holding my heart for this one. All in all these "warnings" don't seem unfair, though, and seeing you unphased by a lot of the points is reassuring. Also, if you come to The Netherlands and you need a friend in Utrecht, I'll be there for you. Best wishes for 2023!

@JackSchitt

Жыл бұрын

I agree with Qaz, I also live in Utrecht maybe it'd be a fun idea to go to a park and bbq with a few ppl.

@jsb7975

Жыл бұрын

If you constantly reffer to T.Netherl. being small and one-sided, then you get this constant repeating "facts". But the real fact is that outside the expat-bubbles and tech- uni's there are worlds of social envirements that do not meet these standarts at all. Certainly not in cultural area's as there are many art , fashion ,music and education of science. Just go outside and meet all the other envirements. I have had the privilege to getting known theatre -People Who are the most open and welcomming species on earth. People in rural area's whith local cafés you Will be immediately be accepted as their own. And about cars: i know no one without a car or two who use them for commuting to other cities. Those distances will never be biked ofcource .....

@jazzdirt

Жыл бұрын

Why is everyone in Utrecht?.. And why did I ever leave? ... Utreg me stadzie.. 😭 (I know why... But I would really like to go back, but getting a house in Utrecht for me right now is like winning a lottery without actually buying tickets (in other words: Not going to happen))

@wvd07

Жыл бұрын

I'm not from Utrecht, but I happily stop by for a good bbq!

@Rose-Dew

Жыл бұрын

@Utrecht too! 🙋‍♀ The flipflops and tepid white wine in plastic glasses in the park in summer is so on point though 😂

Number 8 (The Duch are very direct) is funny. Exactly the same thing is always said about us Germans. As a German, I see this supposed disadvantage rather positively. You know where you stand and rules are good for a functioning society. They give security. And punctuality also has something to do with respect. Perhaps because of this mentality, it is more than a coincidence that the German and Dutch languages have so much in common.

@TheRemyLeBeau

Жыл бұрын

Don't be mistaken, even the Germans consider the Dutch 'blunt' in their directness ;) The Germans are more polite in their direct responses, while the Dutch simply don't care how they come across.

@skillaxxx

Жыл бұрын

@@TheRemyLeBeau We do, it's just that we have a different baseline reference.

@stansmith1304

Жыл бұрын

Dutch people are almost German. And alot of families orginated from Germany. Even myself so maybe we're just the same kind of persons, but with a bit different language. Gutentag!

@stansmith1304

Жыл бұрын

@@TheRemyLeBeau better to be straight forward then walking around the point.

@joostprins3381

Жыл бұрын

@@TheRemyLeBeaucouldn’t say it better.

This video is pretty wrong I would say. Most points that they make are problems in most modern countries, so it really isn't a 'dark side' of the Netherlands alone. Goods are multiple languages so that not an issue either, labels are in Dutch, French, English and sometimes German. FYI: This is just my opinion on the video your watching, your videos are great and keep going!!!!

@Optikification

Жыл бұрын

No import fees via Amazon from Germany to the Netherlands as both are in the EU.

@JaapGinder

Жыл бұрын

@@Optikification Correct. But when I order on the Dutch Amazon, the prices are the same on the German one. And all the Amazon stuff is still send out from Germany.

@timmermansj1300

Жыл бұрын

@Jaap Ginder and soon Antwerpen..

@timmermansj1300

Жыл бұрын

This is from some sh** Ukrainian site. What do they know? LoL

@Kzoiks

Жыл бұрын

@@JaapGinder That's not exactly true, I only use the German Amazon with Prime and they do send a lot of stuff from warehouses in the NL with next day delivery. And I've had items come from Amazon warehouses in France as well. It's just comes from wherever they have it in stock.

Most government websites can be read in English, just go to the bottom of the website and choose English. It is as simple as that. Some Provincial and municipal websites have other nations flags in the right upper corner, those are the language choices.

Making friends here in The Netherlands isn't that hard, but usually you would have to show initiative and plan ahead if you want to meet up. The easiest places to get to meet new people are the bars and the city parks during summer. Usually your direct neighbors will want to be in contact with you in some way or another as well, which can give you a starting point to build on your own personal relationships.

@chubbymoth5810

Жыл бұрын

I'd say finding your local nice interest group club will render the fastest way to make friends. Whether stamp collectors, chess clubs, board games, sports, esoterica or whatever is your fancy,.. there's a club for it.

@arturobianco848

Жыл бұрын

Also sportor other recreatonal clubs are a good way to meet people. As on outsider you just have to remeber the dutch ussualy have a well established friend network and aren't that interested to make new ones. You need to prove to them its worth their time and effort to invest into you as friendship in the Netherlands is not a superficial thing.

@jessicakoster2543

Жыл бұрын

I always join a pub quiz when i want to meet new people.

@nineqwert

Жыл бұрын

Make friends with the neighbours its easy

@Ramon609

Жыл бұрын

Also depends on the type of neighborhood you live in because where i live nobody talks to each other and we don't seek them out and they don't do it either

Oké bare whit me, my english isn't very good and this is gonne be a long one. Fist, as you said, taxes are high but they make it possible we get a lot of benefits so I don't realy mind. Owning a car is expensive but to be true, you don't realy need a car. We have realy good public transportation that gets you everywere. Houseprices in the randstad are high. But tbh who wants to live in the randstad? The Netherlands is so mutch more than just Amsterdam, Rotterdam and the Haeghe. My son lives in Tilburg, witch is in Noord-Brabant but he works in Rotterdam. It takes him less than an hour to get there by train. By car it would take him longer. And his boss pais for the train. The best way to make friends in the Netherlands is joining a club ore like I did do some voluntari work. Going to a bar will also help but in my opinion nothing can be as lonly as a crowded bar. And one more thing. I understand your wife would rather live in germany than in the Netherlands. I have the perfect compromise. In the south of Limburg ther is the town called Vaals. Ther is " de drie landen punt" point of 3 countries. It is wher the dutch, the belgian and the german borders come together. Have a happy, healty and safe 2023 for you and your family

2:59 Tax papers have english translations on the site of the gouverment.

You can crash here,when you visit the Netherlands. Amsterdam born and raised.

Leuk filmpje om te zien als nederlander:) nog de beste wensen voor 2023 en succes met het leren van de nederlandse taal, de groeten uit Groningen👍

@mariarry1966

Жыл бұрын

Groetjes terug vanuit ons mooie Drenthe 👩‍🌾

@hendrikbuijs2641

Жыл бұрын

groeten uit Flevoland

@DutchTunisian

Жыл бұрын

Hey ik kom ook uit provincie Groningen!

If this is the darkest side of the Netherlands, it is pretty decent right? :-D - The Netherlands being expensive: I saw an American couple competing their costs of living and on the whole it was a lot less expensive. The same go for taxation. Taxation is ofset against the benefits and public services. It was also mentioned that the Netherlands was in the middle of all OECD countries. - bad service: service personnel in bars and restaurants tend to let you have your privacy so that you can enjoy your evening with your family and friends. They get a decent wage and do not rely on tips to live. Getting service from organizations can be a bit hard. I prefer to use mail or the online chat and I always get decent service within a reasonable time frame. However you do not get constant updates and at times but even a mail confirming that your questions have been received. - cars being expensive: correct, but try to take a functional look: you can use car sharing services such as Greenwheels, going by bike and public transport is easy as well. When I go work, bike is the fastest, than public transport and only than a car. - making friends might be harder than in other countries, hard to say for me. I lived in the US and spent decent times in other countries. I haven't noticed it. - renting unfurnished apartments is not bad or good in itself but a simple way it is. Unfurnished is more work vs lower rent costs vs more freedom to decorate your home. - bad weather also has a good side: the climate is mild. It did not get very hot in summer and not very cold in winter. One thing Dutch people do is not letting a bit of rain come in the way of plans and activities: "You won't melt, you're not made of sugar" as we like to say. - directness or indirectness is not good of bad either. It is simply different from what you're used to. It takes some getting used to.

Ooooh, Westmalle Triple. That's my favourite. Didn't hear half that was said there. XD

Afspraak is afspraak. Doesnt just mean be on time for a meeting. Afspraak means agreement as well as appointment. So it also means stick to the rules we committed to and agreed on.

O ooo,We have quite a dark past I must admit! Dutch is a difficult language to learn, they say. I disagree with a few things, but that may be because I am Dutch. As far as rent is concerned, it is quite reasonable! Only you should not rent a house in Amsterdam, Rotterdam etc! Driving a car is expensive but I have benefits and yet a car (not new) I save have one beautiful house with solar panels, underfloor heating, etc. I find all this with benefits special! For the possibly haters people you absolutely do not know the background of my story, believe me there is a good reason behind all this! It's nonsense that you can't visit friends unexpectedly, that depends on the kind of friends 🥰❤️

And then most of them are "Labels". In Dutch/French. In connection with. IVM . Our little friend! BELGIUM !!!

11:48 The Dutch proverb here is: "Afspraak is afspraak", which litterally translates to meeting is a meeting but also has the meaning of keeping your word, which is what it is used for more often.

@kaelon9170

Жыл бұрын

Afspraak in the context of 'Afspraak is Afspraak' should be translated as 'A deal is a deal', rather than meeting. Both in Dutch and in English a word can have multiple meanings, and therefore multiple possible translations. Usually only one correct one. 😉

@dubitorleaveit

Жыл бұрын

Except for the politicians..

@xXTheoLinuxXx

Жыл бұрын

@@dubitorleaveit that one is razor sharp :)

I almost felt like he was talking aboute Sweden were i live.

@chubbymoth5810

Жыл бұрын

To this narrator that must be beyond the event horizon.

One benefit: In many European countries movies and series are dubbed in the language of the country. In the Netherlands we have original audio (mostly American English) and subtitles. In my childhood I watched many childrens tv shows in English and I think that is one of the reasons why so many Dutch people are used to hear and speak English. It can be a mix of British and American English though because we learned British English at school but American English is what we mostly hear on tv and read and hear on the internet. Oh and we don't bleep out the bad words. We only add a warning for bad language. Biggest downside I can think of: Finding a place to live in the Netherlands is a huge problem (it could be the same in other countries). I recently got divorced and for 6 months I didn't have a place to call home. I know someone that was in a similar situation and had to live in a tent for months. It's awful, especially when you are already having such a tough time. The average "waiting time" for social housing is 10 years in my area. So if you need a house you should have registered 10 years before that or bring a lot of money. I never thought that I needed to register because I was already living with a family in a beautiful home. And I never realized (or realised 😉) it would be that difficult.

Why are these videos always in Amsterdam. We have a lot of beautiful cities and towns and these guys always showing Amsterdam 🥲

It was better in the Netherlands, Than the blizzard with you. Charlie, there's a Netherlands number. "Friends will by Friends. Look for it?

Its nice to see in the film that people are struggeling. Snow shuffeling like that isnt filmd in the Netherlands and doing the tax isnt how it goes in the Netherlands what yoy see on the film

He made a lot of mistakes. I make friends in winter as well, the Incometax is not very high. At lots of countries it's very much higher. It's funny it's a britt being so negative, they don't really like us. Thankfully I know loads of Britts who are not this negative about us. Have lots of British friends.and oh yeah, we haven't had winters like we had in the 70s and 80s anymore. We DON'T have cold icy and snowy winters anymore

Weather sucks, stay inside . Charlie be like; oh well yeah same here👏🏼😂

You may have unfurnished apartments but you might be in for a shock in the Netherlands. We take our floors out en light fixtures, curtains, washingmachine, stoves it all comes with us. Sometimes you are lucky and there is floors and (some) light fixtures, because previous tennent didn't bother to take them or you can buy it from them.

@agochic

Жыл бұрын

Haha came here to say this, I was shocked my first new home was bare just slabs of concrete not at all like that in the US. I like that Charlie is enthusiastic but there are many things that are shockingly contrasted for a immigrant I feel you won’t know it no matter how much you prepare it’s a journey one has to take lol

I'm from the Netherlands but moved to Sweden , now the Netherlands is a WEF country... (Klaus Schwab is in charge) through Rutte en Kaag I do Not regret !!!!!

First law of van Rossem( Dutch historian) : The higher the taxes the happier the inhabitants

@frankgallagher5786

Жыл бұрын

You mean happy like him?

Perfection does not exist and any ,location has its positives and negatives... One should weigh these and then decide whether it is where you want to live...

@homobohemicus

Жыл бұрын

@@ItsCharlieVest Have a good start of the new year and greetings from beautiful and sunny Prague 🌞 The land of beer :) And by the ways.. I noticed you had some videos about beer so a nice and funny addition to yours about how we take beer foam very seriously :)))) kzread.info/dash/bejne/dKmJwc6GcazdkrQ.html

I am Dutch and I like it when friends come unannounced. I make time for friends regardless of what I was doing before. There are many different cultures in my circle of friends, maybe they taught me to chill a little more, I don't know.

@Timotarius_

Жыл бұрын

I'm dutch and i hate friends coming unannounced because MAYBE i'm in the middle of busting one out and then i have to open the door with a sticky hand , not the sight i want friends to see.

@alicia.3740

Жыл бұрын

@@Timotarius_ Maybe you should put a box of cleaning tissues by the door.

@AssBlasster

Жыл бұрын

@@Timotarius_ A true man of culture!

The most stupid advice is to buy electronics on Amazon Germany ( aside from the fact that no one should buy a thing from Amazon) is that as soon as you buy over €30,= you have to pay taxes over it.

@johnvanderschee6345

Жыл бұрын

And still it is the cheapest option most of the time, it has nothing to do with btw (which is 2 percent point higher in Germany). So not so stupid at all.

@cecilevl

Жыл бұрын

@@johnvanderschee6345 Has nothing tp dp with BTW, do not know the english words, but in dutch it is called Inklaringsrechten.

Love your work bruh!! Hope your life is getting bether for 2023!! Happy newyear btw!!

Higher tax, but no high premiums for insurance. For profit healthcare is crap. Wages are much higher. People are much higher than most other. If I was younger, the Netherlands would be a top choice for me.

The only dark thing about this is the video itself 😂😂

I live in the Netherlands... the dark side is really something else than what was in that video. The taxes might be dark yeah.. above a certain income you pay more than 50% tax.

Official papers and information come in multiple languages. The website of the tax department is in both Dutch and in English.

Me as a Dutch, I say that the Netherlands is a great country, except if you have a mental or physical disability. In addition, the waiting lists, especially mental health care, are really too long. Another downside is if you have a low income but just high enough that you don't get help

I will be your friend too in the Netherlands. No doubt about it. My heart goes out to you, big hug 🫂

As a dutch guy living in Denmark, cars are very expensive in denmark in comparison..

The moment i heard the accent and see a generic all topic channel you know to take it with less than a grain of salt. First of all taxes are high but taxes come all way back so it aint so high. Secondly cost of electronics in NL are not more cheaper or expensive than germany. they tax just a tiny bit lower on base. which isnt even worth the transport costs added. We have also companies like megekko which is basically a electronics depot often for the lower prices. Speaking dutch, well wow how surprising. ofcourse you need to intergrate. even vacations have this basic need to communicate for short periods. The channel you watch is clearly so serverely out of touch with how the world works that this is the kind of nonsense we dutch have to hear only to cringe because how far off relatity it is. Also 99% of what these channels decribe is only 1-3 provinces issues or standards. Beyond the tourism this nonsense crap cities deal with with tourism is almost non-existent. Housing shortages dont mean unreasonable prices. they are subject to limitations on growth based on a housing value. Owning a car is expensive but thats not a bad thing either. It removes useless waste. saying its ineffective in this video is also far from true. they did massive changes, some places more than others. How we live our lives is also nonsense. We do all kind of things, beyond anothers understanding, we have all tons of hobbies. no person is the same. So this is another wrong conclusion. Im at nr 7 now, we are back to taxes again, he discussed this already so with the thousands of things he could choose to fill that up he choose to repeat the same topic. Big fail. The dutch are direct. Well yes how is this a bad thing? Again makes no sense. So we have a video on the dark side of the country. Less resource abuse, more tax but also more safety, directness and fairness, housing is expensive and short is the only one we can agree on, however this shortage is way less if you arent a tourist who comes to only 3 provinces. All other provinces seem to have more options so it depends on the location. All together none of this has to do with any "Dark side". It was a absolute waste for charlie and us to watch this. Please take a note charlie: When you have channels who do mixed information like these. Please get a note of the type of voice they use, the type of topics they use and how the info is presented. Because these channels are almost always wrong, and the issue is most people dont know about facts so they absorb it as truth, while this video has been a flaw from the start. Not yours though, the source it comes from. And I am tired of even hearing these generic channels who all make top lists, usually double topics like taxes here for example. And they tend to be always wrong . just because they say 1 tiny part of something true doesnt mean the rest is true. fact is these channels lie and just copy info from sources. Try message this creator about if he ever visited places here. or what factual data he has researched beyond copy/paste other channels their topics. because all i hear is a different order of the thousands of copy cat top 10 channels or top x channels. who just straightup lie. because they citate sources they dont check. And even if they check them they dont check up with reality. Im sorry i had to write this but these generic channels who copy paste usually absolute nonsense get too much attention spreading false information. None of these are real downsides of a darkness of a country. I can name tons of real problems. Only the housing is a issue in the video and the only true fact. None other are dark side of a nation. Dark sides would be getting robbed in touristic cities. Or seeing violence or accidents happen that could be prevented.

@arturobianco848

Жыл бұрын

Don't know when this clipp was made but some things where a lot cheaper in germany. Nowdays not so much anymore.

Every city in the Netherlands has second hand stores, if you can find them, where furniture is very cheap.

And that is why I suggested the province of Groningen might be a good place to stay at :) There are rural places outside the city, which aren't that expensive compared to the rest of the country. And if you want to rent a home, the waitinglist is shorter. It is close to Germany (so for shopping you moved over the border). In smaller villages it is easier to make friends (in busier cities, people are more busier with them selves). Oh and there is something called 'noaberschap' (neighbourship) and that means help your neighbour in case it is needed. Language? well quite a bunch of them are speaking a dialect which is quite different from standard Dutch, so when you say 'I'm sorry my Dutch isn't that good' they would response with 'well welcome to the club, neither is ours' :)

@dunk92

Жыл бұрын

I actually moved to outside the city Groningen in a village and for me it was very easy to make friends in the city, but to make friends in a village here, I still didn't succeed after 5 years. Most of my friends do live in the city or at my old village. I think it also depends what kind of village. Villages more in the South it starts easier to get friends. For example at Wildervank near Veendam.

@DutchTunisian

Жыл бұрын

@@dunk92 hey i live in veendam lol

@manfredsuttorp3659

Жыл бұрын

talking about dialect: can you translate 'noaberschap' for me please? 😀

@xXTheoLinuxXx

Жыл бұрын

@@DutchTunisian lol and I'm born and raised in Stadskanaal (now living in Nieuw Buinen).

@xXTheoLinuxXx

Жыл бұрын

@@manfredsuttorp3659 there isn't exactly a translation for it. But it is neighbourly help. If you see or hear that you neigbour needs help, you just do it. An example, if you see that your neighbour has some kind of issues with his car, you walk to him and ask if you can help. Or in case he has a broken leg asked him if he need something from the store.. Or if he needs something to be moved that is too heavy for one person, you just walk to him and help him. Those kind of things.

Never had any problems with customerservice to be honest.

Man, you should have been born in the Netherlands (or maybe you lived there in another life lol). Your behavior and way of thinking ARE dutch 😊

I'm from Belgium and I don't agree with it being hard to befriend Dutch people. They are friendly and jovial. Also, this video makes it sound like we have arctic winters. And he made it sound like Dutch people become hermits during winter and don't leave their home.

As a Belgium, I have the feeling that this kind of videos are a counter for other films. In 2022, Europe had a record of US citizens ho moved over. A lot of them educated middle class people. I wonder if there is a link.

Hi Charlie, calling this "the dark side" is not so accurate, but you know that. I am sure you will find friends when you move here, I think you already have so many contacts. The thing about the weather and the winter is so exaggerated, it is not so bad. I walk to work 4 days a week, so I do notice the weather. The times I have to take my umbrella because of the rain is once a month. And it is not true that people stay inside in the wintertime, and get depressed. A lot of people go out in the winter to walk and see other people.

@Erika1965

Жыл бұрын

And did you see the amount of snow in the clip 🤣 Haven't seen that in the last 10 years! Well maybe a day or 2 at the most... And sub zero temperatures... we wish!!!

@TervuerenAgility

Жыл бұрын

Where do you live? I have a house filled with drying coats and trousers this last week. It doesn’t let up! Please, give me the cold over the rain any day

@maidenekker

Жыл бұрын

@@TervuerenAgility I live in Groningen. Today was quite bad, I have to admit.

to be fair, the "a meeting is a meeting" saying is more like: 'An agreemant is an agreement' meaning if you say you'll come around at 9pm, you will come around at 9pm and not earlier/later/not at all

Funny, how these things are labeled “the dark side”… and smelling of clickbait when you compare the title to the content. I took some quick notes while watching, just for kicks. Here is my take on it. Expensive due to taxes, electronics and rent costs: erm… The taxes come back to you. I have friends working for large multinationals, and those companies some times provide their expatriate employees with a cost of living vs income analysis. Factoring in healthcare, education, possible repairs on your car due to bad roads, VAT vs sales tax for US based employees and countless other factors, living in the Netherlands will actually offer you a higher standard of living and the possibility to save up more for your retirement in the long run. Provided you decide to stay in the Netherlands after retirement or that your employer provides you with a proper retirement plan should you decide to return to the US, you’ll actually get more out of living in The Netherlands (or Belgium, although the system is different). It’s what might he called in Dutch “vestzak-broekzak”: what is spent in one area/at one time , is saved in another. What is saved in one area/moment in time , is spent in another. You need to look at the big picture. It also depends very much on your income. If you’re in a higher income bracket, you’ll be taxed more. If you accumulate a lot of wealth, you’ll be taxed a lot on it. A lot of Dutch people will actually buy a house as soon as they can afford it because the loan is tax deductible. They start of with a small loan on a tiny property, and gradually as their wealth increases, they’ll upgrade both their loan and their living space by selling the old property and buying a new one. There are specialised advisory companies you can consult and, should something happen to your income, you have two options: either take a special insurance that will take care of your payments for you in case of loss of income, or downgrade to a smaller property. Those companies will calculate it all for you. In addition, the Dutch are used to re-negotiate their loans on a regular basis. Loans and financial institutions are under very strict rules and guidelines, which makes it quite safe to take out a loan in order to buy a house. Except for buying a house or a car, the average Dutch person tends to shy away from taking out loans or to buy on credit. Most Dutch don’t own more than one credit card… if any. They prefer their debit card. This avoids A LOT of unnecessary costs. Language: thanks to the European union, most labels do include English. I have friends who found it hard to learn Dutch because of lack of practice. People kept speaking English with them. It’s more of an issue in Belgium (Flanders) than in The Netherlands though. If you want to learn Dutch whilst living in The Netherlands, simply ask and say you need the practice. And keep repeating that. They’ll love you for it and will help you enthusiastically. And… why expect an entire country to bow to your needs instead of making the effort to learn? Service being bad: erm… not my experience and neither is it the experience of my friends and acquaintances. The Dutch are direct and won’t take any crap. But they’ll go out of their way to help you and provide assistance. Weaponised incompetence will however not be tolerated. And neither should it he. And for those US based tourists traveling to Europe and expecting restaurant staff to fall over them every five seconds! It’s a cultural thing. You’re given the tile to enjoy your meal and drinks in the privacy of your chosen company (or chosen solitude). You’ve left the comfort of your home for a meal or a drink. That’s what you’re there for. Not to be pestered every few seconds by a server. If you want something, you’re big enough and smart enough to ask. Politely, because servers are people too. Accomodation/housing: yes, there is a shortage. As it is in plenty of places. The guy obviously hasn’t tried finding a home in New York, London, Paris, or any other major urban area. Cars being expensive: A while ago I came across a study on the affordability of cars compared to the past, and compared between countries. Back in the sixties and seventies less people were able to afford a car in The Netherlands than now and public transportation wasn’t as efficient. Add to that the comments of a few teacher friends of mine, who remarked that a teacher who is single in the US can barely afford a car (if at all), whereas a teacher in The Netherlands can, if (s)he wants to. I wouldn’t know as I’m not a teacher and live in Belgium (where teachers can afford their own car as well). I found that an interesting point. And public transport in The Netherlands is awesome and extremely affordable. Most people do not experience the need for a car as they can get anywhere by public transport or on their bicycles. Shops are close, grocery shopping is done almost daily. Why then, own a car? Renting a car for the occasional time you need one, or stepping into a car-sharing system makes more sense. Weather: Depends in where you’re coming from. If you’re from Florida, you might find The Netherlands chilly. If you’re from one of the more Northern states or from Canada, you will find Dutch winters positively balmy. The Netherlands and Belgium do have a lot of rain and wind. Dress for it, and download Buienradar. Almost every Dutchie I know will refer to Buienradar and to their phone’s various weather apps to plan their outings. They’re also familiar with the expression “je bent niet van suiker, je zult niet smelten” (You’re not made out of sugar, you won’t melt). Dutch directness: similar to German directness. View it as constructive criticism, and the comfort of always knowing where you stand. It might he a bit of a culture shock but makes life so much easier. Belgians aren’t as direct. Either move to Belgium, or adapt. This directness is never unkind. Learn to say “I’m 100% committed to giving it my all and will do my best to (insert commitment) but won’t make a promise.” Instead of saying “I promise I will” or “I’m going to (…) by (insert date).” And if things look like they’re not going to work out, communicate an update. Problem solved. Punctuality and planning: yes, the Dutch are attached to their agendas/planners. Similarly to what I wrote above, communication is key. You’re going to be late? Tell those you’ve agreed to meet. It’s common courtesy. Make use of the maps feature on your phone to see what your ETA (estimated time of arrival) might be or temporarily share your location and ETA. They’ll love you for it. As living in The Netherlands is more ‘on schedule’ compared to other countries and as everyone and everything is more punctual, so will you over time. Moving back to your own country might drive you slightly insane afterwards because you got ‘Dutchified’. Be prepared for that! Difficult to make friends: Huh? Has this man been behaving badly? It’s easy to get invited into Dutch people’s homes if you show a willingness to love their country and culture. Before you know it they’ll mention when it’s their birthday and that means you’re probably expected to drop in, congratulate EVERYONE present on your friend’s birthday and bring a little present which you will promptly be told you shouldn’t have brought (do so anyway), have cake and coffee, and leave after an hour unless asked to stay. After the fireworks at midnight in New Year’s Eve, neighbours will invite you in and you’re expected to invite them in as well. Have drinks ready. And in a lot of neighbourhoods, moving into a new place leans you will need to have coffee and cake ready as soon as you hang up your curtains because that’s the signal for people to drop in and introduce themselves. When it’s your birthday, bring something to share to work, say “I’m having my birthday open house on X date from (insert time) to (insert time), with coffee and cake. You’re welcome if you want to.” They will come. It’s an old Dutch tradition. They’ll like it that you’re honouring it as well. Especially anyone in their thirties and older. Outside of birthdays and New Year’s Eve, harness other things Dutchies love, like their football team (google Oranje-gekte), start with meeting outside the home at a set time and date, and join a club. Before you know it you’ll have plenty of friends. Real ones who will tell you when you’re wrong and help you when you need it. Or when THEY think you need it. Don’t worry, they’ll tell you. The video isn’t bad. Some of the information feels slightly outdated, some definitely from a one-sided perspective of someone who forgets it’s way ‘worse’ elsewhere. On the whole, I’m not shocked. A little saddened that they called it ‘the dark side’ though.

High tax en expensive for owning a car is true. But also we have one of the best roads in the world constantly being repaired. About friends, dont know about that. Im dutch and very open to new people. Specialy foreign. Always trying to help. For that matter. Need a house charlie? Mine is for sale 🤪 Ps. Good to see you smile a little bit.

And it's not that cold now. The warmest year exchange ever. 15.8°c , in Spakenburg. The middle of the Netherlands!

@chubbymoth5810

Жыл бұрын

I saw a confused flower bloom already.

@Hadewijch_

Жыл бұрын

Yes, very concerning, especially considering our- vulnerability as a densily populated, river delta country.

I do. If I can pay even more Taxes. Preferably 2 or 3 million. Then, did I earn 6 or 7??? What's bad about paying taxes? at € 750000, - they get it from me. A bunch of flowers.

Point 2: You'll have to learn te speak Duch if you live in the Netherlands since it is the language that social life is in. People might speak English to you as an individual but as soon as they are in a group they will speak Dutch and you'll be left out. You'll will be condemned to living in an immigrant bubble if you don't learn Dutch while living here. There is no integration into Dutch society without speaking Dutch. Job and carreer opportunities require ussually a workable level of Dutch language skills and if you want to know what is happening in the country you'll have to be able to understand Dutch media. Most government information and forms are available in English with the exception of those of the immigration services, or at least that's what I am told. As for the accomodation problems, we are 279.000 houses short at the moment. And this number is expected to rise to 316.000 houses short in 2024 because of a higher immigration than emigration. With more parts of the Netherlands expected to become non-housing zones because of increased flooding risk this number is expected to rise further in the coming decennia.

@HeikoEbeling

Жыл бұрын

I was about to write the same. KZread has a lot of videos by English speaking immigrants who live in basically all non-English speaking countries in the world, who call themselves "expats" (an imaginary extra special kind of immigrant) and who can't be bothered to learn the local language (let alone dialect) and - surprise! - haven't made any local friends after several years. Of course, that is because the local people are particularly difficult to befriend. It's certainly not the "expat's" fault, because he/she definitely doesn't have that problem in any English speaking country! Copy, paste and there's another "expat" video.

@ericdpeerik3928

Жыл бұрын

It's simply not true. People are required to learn Dutch if NON-EU, but EU citizens just stroll in and are fine. Yeah, they might not make friends like you, but you're "that type" with "that opinion". You would learn the language either way, that's how it is. Also, I've lived in another EU country with obscure language and I picked up the language by myself. If you speak English, you'll get by. The whole government speaks English, often French and Spanish too.

@Hadewijch_

Жыл бұрын

@@ericdpeerik3928 I am not talking about what the law requires but about what society requires. “Getting by” is not the same as becoming part of a society. The first can be done without learning Dutch. The second one requires Dutch language skills.

I live in the Netherlands. The Netherlands are an international country within Europe. People in the Netherlands buy from neighboring countries and also directly from China. Especially German and Belgium companies very often have a Dutch website as well and are used to deliver in the Netherlands. You do not need Amazon. Amazon is not that popular in the Netherlands. You do not need to be able to speak Dutch. But if you do not speak Dutch, your English has to be good. Every official website in the Netherlands has an English version. Every official document is available in English. The real problem with living in the Netherlands is affordable housing, and maybe in the future also affordable driving with your own car. If you live near the border with Germany, it is possible to tank affordable gasoline. If you know where to shop, the country is not expensive comparing with its neighboring countries. In the Netherlands, you will in most cases not be able to speak to the manager for custom service issues. That is not in our culture. He would not be able to help you anyway. It does not work like that in the Netherlands. You speak to the customer service department, or you e-mail or chat to them. It will take you a while to get through the waiting line, but they will help you. I order a lot in the Netherlands and never is a problem with the shipment if you order with a good company (not Amazon in the Netherlands). It is difficult to make friends due to the affordable housing problem and due to affordable driving a car. When you do not have space, you cannot invite people. If you do not have a car, and you cannot reach your destination with public transport, you cannot visit anyone. Dutch people like to have friends, but it is more and more difficult to afford a lifestyle with friends.

High taxes , low costs 👍 its a fact after paying and doing same stuff as here in the Netherlands , Americans actually pay more .

Labels on products are often in Dutch, French, English, Spanish and German. If not more languages. In the Netherlands the products are supplied by the same global firms as everywhere else.

i live in the netherlands, we pay to much for what we get, millions of euros dissapear to other countries in the european union. everytime another country in the EU fucks up their economy, we got to pay for it. dont come here unless u want to pay half ur money to other countries.

@Primegirl

Жыл бұрын

HAHAH this is the real dark side

@LiLLy-mh9tc

Жыл бұрын

True!

@LiLLy-mh9tc

Жыл бұрын

@@Primegirl only the tip of the iceberg...😉

And again you only see A'dam and that place has nothing to do with the real Netherlands !

being helped badly is mostly a experience you get in amsterdam where most tourist and expats are and amsterdam is infamous for that in the rest of NL

Heyah, about the making friends; when ppl DO put in the effort, like u do Charlie, of getting to know our culture and us as persons I feel the friendships are more real than in cultures where there is more pretending from the get go. Oh and when it rains we often put on a (drumrolll) raincoat, when it snows some boots, when it freezes some ice skates and we actually still do go out! Lol

Or you are already making contacts in the Netherlands. Which can help you. Also with furniture and everything around it. Friends help Friends.

Difficult to make friends??? ILMAO..

As a Dutch guy, these videos just crack me up. It's all a matter of where you are. The "directness" of the Dutch is mostly found in the North parts. Same goes for the high prices of houses. A problem mostly found in the Randstad. I live in a city with approximateky 170.000 residents. I rent an inner city apartment with 5 large rooms for €780 a month. What the video also fails to mention is that the government will subsidise up to a 3rd of your rent if needed. If your funds aren't sufficient you can get government funding for almost everything, including health insurance. Cars and motorbikes could be expensive to own but the taxation and insurance are factor based. E.g, you pay road tax depending on the weight of your car. Insurance is based on value and driver. No accidents means lower rates. I own a motorcycle and a car that combined cost me about €600 in tax and insurance combined per year. To the part of following rules and being organized........ 😂😂😂 Not the average Dutch way.

As a dutchy i have to say they are fair points if you wanna come over. It bothered me in the beginning a bit because it was provided i feel from a very negative vieuw point. The ending of the video makes it clear it shoudn't be taken that way and so like i said there pretty fair points i do think calling it the darkside is a bit heavy handed then again if thats the dark side i supose i should be very happy i'm a dutchy.

As a former Customer Service rep I take offence to the point this video makes. Not all of us suck, but granted you do have to be lucky to get a good agent on the phone...no matter where you call to.

Difficult to make friends is the biggest joke ever hahaha.

Dutch directness is exaggerated. And the temperatures almost never drop below 0º

The Netherlands is the best of the U.S.A. and the best of Europe.....complaining is living and communicating, we just love that...

I moved 7 years ago this is all true but doesn't always apply and it's good to check you can do it but overall I wouldn't say it was horrible or hard, I enjoyed the experience. I think you'd enjoy it too.

maybe another downside will be that alot of shops and restaurants will be closed in a early evening like on 8pm

I think we could become friends easily. Greets from Utrecht

Watching this video as a Dane: So Holland/The Netherlands is just Denmark with legal weed... cool 😎

@lindaraterink6451

Жыл бұрын

Sums it up pretty much. ;) Your bike roads are even better though, so I have heard.

@flemmingpedersen567

Жыл бұрын

@@lindaraterink6451 I don't know if they are better - in cities/towns they're usually raised to sidewalk level and made with black asphalt. That seems to be the main difference.

The guy is from England, and he thinks he knows everything about us dutchies from watching other videos. Come on man 90% of it is bullshit. We dutchies are open, well behaved, and say what we need to. It is not rude its honesty. Love the vids man greetings from Lelystad.

LOL, he's speaking about the level of service of trying to contact a company by phone or e-mail: partly true, e,g. my wife and I went to a shoe-shop recently and totally no employer was coming to help us. Well, we left, because that is what the Dutch do when they get no service. Believe me, the next shop was 100% better. And trying to contact by phone/mail: well, Dutch can complain a lot, so they phone and e-mail, constipating that all. And the last two years a lot of employees left. E,g, the NS (Dutch Railroad) is advertising for people to come to work, because otherwise trains won't run. Same situation for a lot of companies. Is it all good in the NL? No, but I know countries who can do a lot better! Taxes: yes high, but no one has to live on the streets. And because of the Ukrain war, prices ran up, that is in the whle world. Do I like my country? Yes, absolutely, I've been in several countries, US too, but still stay where I live!

His 1st response is that although it is expensive to live in you also get a lot of benefits like infrastructure, education and health care. His 2nd response is that taxes suck. How does he think those benefits get paid for? Taxes dude.

Topics covered here were over exaggerated. The weather is not that bad and making friends is easy. Showing up unannounced is also never a problem, as long as you don't make a habit out of it, but that's universal.

The Black Forest family did a comparison between US and Germany of what you take home from your job. They used 2 singles in both countries and 2 couples with 2 kids. If none of them had any issues of health or anything, it was very similar. Of course it's hard to compare everything, but she selected her own health plan etc from when she lived in the US etc. It's what I thought, as long as you don't have any problems, it will be very similar, it's the moment you have issues like you break a leg or have more serious issues you will see the real difference. I live in Norway.

@dutchman7623

Жыл бұрын

Correct! But if you are a settled inhabitant of the Netherlands, with permanent stay and work, you will enjoy health insurance, child support, social security, etc. So if something bad happens, you will not end in the gutter. And there will be help to get things going again. And there is a shortage of housing here, but if you are willing to commute for half an hour by car or transit, there are enough houses and apartments for rent. Not in city center in the bigger cities, but around them.

@Lars_erik

Жыл бұрын

That’s a bit too optimistic if you can’t pay €1200,- plus monthly rent. Not even to speak about the salary you’ll need to have to get that house (most of the time at least 3 or 4 times as high as the rent). People with a regular job don’t have such salaries.

@dutchman7623

Жыл бұрын

@@Lars_erik As I said within a commute of half an hour. Take Amsterdam, within that range there are Almere, Amstelveen, Zaandam, Haarlem all with acceptable rent levels. Around Den Haag there are Zoetermeer, Leidschendam, Leiden and Delft. What kind of apartment can you rent in Manhattan for €1200 or $1300? People will live in New Jersey or Long Island and commute to Manhattan for work with the subway. It's the same in the Netherlands, living in city center is expensive, a little away, in a bit boring towns, there are enough possibilities. And the best paid jobs in the Netherlands are found in the south, with plenty of housing and space. Like High Tech center Eindhoven.

You're not perfect like everyone you're forgiven 💞

Well he has a few points like the lack of housing, but some subjects I feel like he's nitpicking because they apply to the majority of counties

Nice video man. I’m German but live in Den Haag. Saw mich of it in your video. It’s quiet nice, people are definitely not connecting very quick. In summer we’re all at the beach. Food is super expensive. But compared to Germany I pay less taxes in here. I’m a retail store manager and make much more in here, plus they have to pay vocation money.

That was so dark,... Those taxes man,.. 22nd? Which are those other 21 countries I wonder?

Happy New year Charlie.👍😉,.....Oh,and not Only the Dutch speak English, perfectly....but also the North-Arctic countries speak fluently english like Sweden or Norway.

@xXTheoLinuxXx

Жыл бұрын

True, but if you know a bit about languages and you are Dutch, you can understand some Norwegian or Swedish too. And ofcourse the other way around. I've seen plenty of reactions about the Dutch language where people from Sweden reacted too and understand almost everything they were talking about :) I guess it is a thing in countries like Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium and The Netherlands to see what we have in common with our languages and easily adapt to other languages who aren't that difficult to us :)

If there's one thing the Dutch do not do, it's following the rules. Yes, we like keeping appointments and sticking to promises. But we do not follow the rules blindly.

Government/tax stuff should all be available in English and several other languages. I just pointed a Greek colleague to the multi-language options on the belastingdienst website to help him with his mortgage interest tax return.

@metalvideos1961

Жыл бұрын

everything we have in the netherlands is in english as well. should be plenty enough

It's easy to meet people in The Netherlands. Choose a hobby and join a club. Play chess, play basketball, collect stamps, sing in a choir, join a political party, whatever. Before you know you're busy five evenings a week.

Maybe you should start to understand that the Nederlands is more than just Amsterdam. Once you've learned that, the picture changes completely.

Making friends is always process in progress. Even if you are use to make easily acquaintances everywhere, the transition to the "friends"-level is usually dependent on a lot bunch of things, circumstamnces and may be walking on a long road of patience. Also i didn't get the dark side.

It's almost impossible to learn Dutch without going to school. Everyone will switch to English as soon as they hear you speaking English or they hear your accent It is just easier and maybe a form of laziness. It takes a lot of energie than repeating yourself or explain what you really mean when you speak Dutch to someone that is still learning the language. Most Dutch people are as good as fluent in English. For certain young people who get English at school from the age of 4 When they chat during online games they do it in English as well. A lot of Dutch people also read English books

Sorry, but you can't just say "high tax sucks" when you have no idea what you are talking about. The Dutch actively choose to pay more tax (it's called democracy) and as a result poverty rates are low compared with other countries and public services, state of repair of public infrastructure and the amount of social security, again compared to other countries, is very good. Depending a bit on which stats you check, the Netherlands has around the 3rd lowest risk of poverty in the EU, significantly below the average. Wages are also much better than in other countries, which compensates for higher prices. In fact by paying better prices for goods and services, the people who produce or provide these goods and services are getting better pay. Generally speaking people are happier in the Netherlands than in a lot of other countries. A recent happiness index shows the Netherlands ranks number 5 in the world, 11 places above the US.

@chubbymoth5810

Жыл бұрын

There are people that equate lower taxes to happiness.

Happy New Year Charlie✨🥂🌟🇳🇱

I work in customer service for an insurance company and that part about waiting for weeks on an email is not true. 2 to 3 days max is the work load as for phone 80 to 90 percent is answered within 1 minute daily. So it depends on the company

@norasmith4939

Жыл бұрын

Added, snow is mostly rare, the temperature now is 2 degrees and it is sunny. Though there was rain but go to a gym or something so that helps.

The Dark Side is a bit of a click bait title as they even state in the video itself it is more a list of things to be aware of if you want to move to the Netherlands. Most points apply to most of western (European) countries or in general to moving to a new country. The housing market is not in a good state though. I'll give them that, but The Netherlands is the most densely populated country in the world I believe or close to it, so it's a challenge. And being direct and time management are indeed more of a typical Dutch thing, but not a bad thing necessarily, just a characteristic to be aware of and get used to.

I got a nice Dutch saying just for this video :, Wie de hond wilt slaan kan altijd wel een stok vinden. Translation :, iff u wanna hit a dog , u can always find a bar to hit him with . Meaning :, U can always find a reason when you are looking for it . 👍

Nice to see you spot some of the inconsistencies right away.

it's nor really 'a meeting is a meeting' in which he means 'afspraak is afspraak'. It's when you said you would do something, that you also do it (not just being on time).

Tax on income till like 80k is 37,74% Most grocery’s have 21%, unless they are like vegetables etc.