How to upset the locals more than by claiming Holland is the Netherlands: claim Holland is 80-90% of the Netherlands.

@suchendnachwahrheit9143

Жыл бұрын

I spoke to a Dutch guy once and he was okay with me calling the Netherlands Holland. Is that uncommon

@hamish5214

Жыл бұрын

The (western) coastal parts of the Netherlands contains almost 50% of the intire population.

@Jan-Baeke

Жыл бұрын

@@suchendnachwahrheit9143 rather uncommon yes

@Jan-Baeke

Жыл бұрын

​@@hamish5214 the two provinces that make up Holland barely make up a third of the entire population, let alone 80-90%.

@ROMAGNUM45

Жыл бұрын

@@suchendnachwahrheit9143 you mostly piss off people living in the part that is not holland. So only like a dozen or so.

Dear Ugly Tourists, don't worry: there are plenty of Dutch people that do these too and we get angry at them as well.

@woltersworld

Жыл бұрын

Good to know 😀

@Brad_Man

Жыл бұрын

hahahaha

@oscarosullivan4513

Жыл бұрын

@@woltersworld Have you done a Ugly tourists in Ireland.

I woke up today wondering how I can upset the Dutch. Wonderfully, Mark has stepped in with a how-to guide! Thank you - now I’m ready!

@marcusskidmore7290

Жыл бұрын

Hahaha!

@DIDOTV9

Жыл бұрын

LMAO

@gertvanderstraaten6352

Жыл бұрын

You will have bicycle tracks all over you. Soon...

@Hardcore-ws9wz

Жыл бұрын

Kaaskoppen pesten 😍

@buddy1155

Жыл бұрын

We don't get upset .... we get even. Please walk on the bike path, just try.

An important thing to mention in this social media era is that the Dutch do not appreciate you filming people in public spaces, especially inside shops. I've seen a hotly debated video of an American streamer doing a live stream while at a Dutch market. The stall owner told him not to film and the influencer guy gave lip back. The discussion turned heated real quick and the stall owner ended up chasing after the guy wanting to fight him. The American audience sided with the influencer saying that he did nothing wrong and it was his right to film the market stall. But let me tell you, we Dutch are allergic self-important people. So be considerate of others and know that they do not want to be filmed or filming in their shops. Stores in Amsterdam have a No Photo sign at the entrance; this applies to everywhere else in the Netherlands.

@DrVVVinK

Жыл бұрын

I think a lot of people hate streamers like that. They are so narcissistic and looking for "likes". I also think why that is a lot of countries, like the Netherlands, don't make "small talk". All "small talk" is, is talking about one's self, "dude, I don't care about your life, I just want to buy my groceries and leave. Leave me alone".

Haha as a Dutch person I agree with most of what you’re saying. Good job on highlighting that the dutch culture isn’t the same as the tourist culture in Amsterdam. I do think that the Dutch switching to English isn’t because they’re annoyed, it’s because they’re trying to accommodate the other person. Maybe the annoyance thing can be led back to Dutch people being very direct and honest, meaning that it can be misinterpreted as being annoyed. We historically are a trade country so we just are very used to switching languages!

@nogrecords

Жыл бұрын

Well most of us Americans love ya for it! Practicing another language isn't meant for busy lines/ where people are in a hurry. I can't speak for all of *us* , but I imagine that a good majority of us really appreciate that you can speak English so well. It makes traveling there easier, which gets our money in your pockets easier! 🤑

@picobello99

Жыл бұрын

I think it's mostly an efficiency thing. Dutch people are impatient. Speaking in English is probably quicker than having to wait untill you finally constructed a sentence in Dutch. If you really want to practice your Dutch, just pretend you don't know any English 😁

@cernejr

Жыл бұрын

I have been always wondering what is the secret to the Dutch and Swedes speaking English so well. Much better than any other nation.

@bdwon

Жыл бұрын

Thank goodness for your advice! Now I won't even think about learning Dutch.

@pjotrh

Жыл бұрын

Yeah its mostly efficiency. Don’t waste time remember ? But if ur rly interested to learn Dutch, tell them and keep asking them to help you improve ur Dutch (like America self-improvement is a pretty big value in Netherlands)

As a Dutch myself we don't get annoyed by someone trying to speak Dutch, we actually enjoy it . That someone is actually trying , we get really More annoyed by the Germans and French people who visit and don't even try our language they expect us to speak and understand German or French, wich really makes many of our elders get angry. Anyway we speak English and we're happy to teach you Dutch even we sometimes make fun at your mistakes when you're trying 😉

@juuljansbeken

Жыл бұрын

you're so right! i work in a touristic place (mostly dutch, germans second) and i want to say that abut 80%-90% of germans just start talking to me in german and get upset when i don't catch what they're saying the first time. sometimes i wish i could shake them up and yell YOU ARE IN THE NETHERLANDS WE DONT SPEAK GERMAN HERE at them lol

@JJJnl

Жыл бұрын

@juul I know right , if a German speaks German or a French speaks French when we're in the Netherlands I just say in Dutch * spreek Nederlands lul * 😒🤣

@counterleo

5 ай бұрын

I'm bilingual English and French, yet I started learning Dutch. I don't even live in NL, but I visited a friend who works there and you guys have amazing work-life balance, I wouldn't mind trying my luck there in a few years 😀 You all speak amazing English (better English than the UK average if I may say, taking all the immigrants into consideration) yet job offers require Dutch. So here I am.

The speaking Dutch thing, I actually it depends a bit on the setting. In my workplace I have a lot of international colleagues so yes, we automatically switch to English. And in important conversations where speed is of the essence, we stick to English and indeed wouldn't appreciate it if someone is bumbling along trying to speak Dutch. However, when having a more social, relaxed conversation with that same colleague we are happy to let them try in Dutch and help them find the correct words if needed or with pronounciation. I'm not from Amsterdam, but if you are visiting Amsterdam all I can say is try to remember that people actually have to live there and the loud, drunk and high tourists partying all night are making the city pretty unliveable. So try to think how you would feel if some drunk person was screaming outside of your window all night long. I'm sure it would upset you too. Finally, I can't speak for all Dutch people but I agree that it would upset me if someone is late for an appointment or shows up unanounced. To give an example, my former sister-in-law (also from the Netherlands by the way, so we aren't all the same) has made it a habit to visit me on my birthday with the children. Sounds fine you might think. Thing is that my birthday falls in the summer holidays. As she is a teacher, she has those days off. I don't. I could be working from home, in a Zoom meeting with colleagues or whatever and she's suddenly standing there with the children. I feel bad about having to send them away because it isn't the children's fault and they are excited to bring me their gifts. All of this could be avoided by a single phone call or text message asking when I actually celebrate my birthday.

@pjschmid2251

Жыл бұрын

An American here and that last scenario with your sister just showing up would be rude here as well. I don’t think that’s just uniquely Dutch.

@bryantsteury8910

Жыл бұрын

" So try to think how you would feel if some drunk person was screaming outside of your window all night long. I'm sure it would upset you too." As someone who lived in Nashville for a year, and a mile away from the party zone of downtown, I can't count how many times I was working on my dissertation, doing some studying, etc, and all I could hear as early as 10 am on weekends, was the party buses. So annoying

I've never been in such a situation since i live in a small town but if a tourist tried to speak Dutch i would definitely try to help them in Dutch. Whenever i go to a different country i always try to learn some basis phrases as a sign of respect and effort, so i would love it when someone tried that with me.

The misunderstanding of us immediately switching to English and not appreciating people speaking Dutch, probably has more to do with our wish for efficiency than a distaste for people wanting to learn Dutch. Most tourists will interact with locals as a customer, often in a busy shop/museum/restaurant. Not only do we prefer to speedily help the customer so that we can help others, but we also would want to avoid misunderstandings. In a more relaxed environment, I am sure we appreciate people learning the local language just as much as any other culture, especially from people who are planning to stay here for months or more.

I think I was from the Netherlands in a former life because I like everything you said about them 😂

Absolutely spot on! I worked with Dutch military in Afghanistan, and they are very direct and will in no uncertain terms let you know when you’ve offended them! On a domestic flight in the US, I mistook a Dutch lady for being German. That did not go over well.

Another thing to realize is that when people from different European countries (Lets say for example: a Dutch person, a French person, and a Swedish person) come together, they will speak English. Even if no English or Americans are in the group. A Dutch person doesn't expect the French and Swede to know their language, so English is just the language that all of them know at least enough to get by. It's not only something they do to accommodate American tourists in their country, it's something Dutch people do when on vacation in Spain or Italy or Morocco. If they travel to the same country regularly they might learn some of that language but they aren't likely to be fluent in Arabic for a weekend trip to Morocco, and they know the locals will not speak Dutch, so they speak English.

You should visit the southern part more! We're a bit more relaxed here. I mean, I'm from the Noord-Brabant province, and we're so often late that it is known as a "Brabants kwartiertje". Basically, up to 15 minutes late is acceptable. Don't say Holland though, that's another country, across the rivers. And never say Heineken is any good. It's terrible yet we managed to sell it to the entire world...

@RIZFERD

Жыл бұрын

Flemish beers are the best

@volkerwendt3061

Жыл бұрын

Sounds great to me. Next time I'll visit the Netherlands, I'll go to Noord-Brabant. Any recommendations?

@grootsyt

Жыл бұрын

@@volkerwendt3061 If you're ever looking for some xtc just open up any farmers shed and you'll find a whole lab in it.

@jolanda.c

Жыл бұрын

In Limburg half an hour late is fine. Even more relaxed.

@Paul_C

Жыл бұрын

@@volkerwendt3061 eh, Breda, Tilburg, 's Hertogenbosch and sorry to say some like Eindhoven.

I think the thing about switching to English when a tourist is trying to speak Dutch, really depends on the situation. If noone in the situation is in a hurry and you are in a relaxed setting, sure go for it! We’ll even try to teach you quite happily 🤗 But please, don’t attempt it when at the cash register or placing an order with a queue behind you. We just want to quickly move to the next customer instead of wasting time trying to decipher what it is exactly that you want or what you are trying to say. In those situations just knowing «thank you» and «good day» is good enough and will make us smile too ☺️

7:30 its not just Dutch thing, I am a Czech and its endearing and sorta nice when tourists try to order usually beer in Czech or use Czech please and thank you phrases but I must admit, while I applaud their effort and all that sort of things, I much prefer them to speak English in shops and pubs and if they need to ask something, it saves everyones time and is much more easy and less nerve-wracking to decipher what they want or need than trying to guess what they are trying to say and physically cannot pronounce or even hear the difference between that noise they're making and the actual Czech word for it( no shade, Czech pronunciation can be really hard, depending on ones native language, and if youre genuinely trying to learn Czech then go for it and practice, practice, practice, but for like one time visitor, specially from county with totally incompatible language, id say stick with English). I think the perception is different in small towns where any foreign visitor is rarity but in Prague and other tourist destinations with millions of tourists a year it gets old pretty quickly.

There isn't even really a place in this country called "Holland". There is a province of "Noord-Holland (North Holland)" and a province of "Zuid-Holland (South Holland)". And there are also 10 other provinces. (and the whole carribean part but let's not get into that). Also, if you dont want to fall victim to tourist traps please avoid Amsterdam (and to a lesser extent Utrecht & The Hauge/Den Haag). There are so many beautiful cities that go so much deeper than weed & hookers. Haarlem (about the same distance from Schiphol Airport as Amsterdam), Leiden, Hoorn, Nijmegen, Vlissingen, Breda, Groningen, 's-Hertogenbosch, Zwolle, Maastricht (a pupular tourist destination for locals), Rotterdam (if you like modern architecture), Enkhuizen, Leeuwarden, the village of Franeker with the world's first planetarium, the Veluwe nature reserve, The Oostvaardersplassen nature reserve on the world's biggest artificial island (altough aside from that, the Aviodrome aviation museum & Walibi Holland theme park it's not that great of a place) The South Limburg landscapes, the beaches of Zeeland (again, very popular with locals) the Wadden Islands, the dunes around Zandvoort & Noordwijk, the world renowned Efteling theme park in Kaatsheuvel wich many say rivals Disney Parks, the senic villages in the Achterhoek & Twente area's. Arnhem's Open-Air Museum. There's a lot more this country has to offer than just Amsterdam.

As a good Canadian, I feel obligated to learn to say 'please' and 'thank you' in the native language. But I will never try to go beyond that because I know I'll mess it up.

@paarsgordijn177

Жыл бұрын

That's no problem, especially for you. We've got a massive hard on for any and all things Canadian ever since WW2.

@Lord.Kiltridge

Жыл бұрын

@@paarsgordijn177 That's good to know because I'm coming to visit my Grandfather's grave sometime soon.

@jamesdellaneve9005

Жыл бұрын

I sponsored a Dutch student during his Masters degree. I got to visit and watch him do his oral presentation at Delph University. I loved the country. They are very straight forward and logical. I really liked being there and could easily live there. I’ve never seen so many bikes in my life. Oh yeah and Gouda. Bikes and Gouda. I was sitting next to a Dutch guy on the airplane and believe it or not, he was a Tulip salesman. At first, I thought that he was trolling me but we talked the business and he definitely was a Tulip sales guy. You are correct, the English was excellent. Which is good because as an American everyone should speak American………………………..Oh yeah. Mayonnaise on fries is wrong.

@littleDutchie92

Жыл бұрын

@@Lord.Kiltridge you're always welcome here!! Where are you going? Need some tips?

@Lord.Kiltridge

Жыл бұрын

@@littleDutchie92Thank you very much for the offer. I already have found a local who has not only very graciously promised to help, but visited the grave at the Reichwald Forest war cemetery and sent me video and photos of the grave and surrounding area. The kindness of strangers has been overwhelming. The video is on KZread titled "Visiting a FALLEN WWII pilot on behalf of his GRANDSON." if you are interested.

One other way is to go into the flower field when told not too . They are working farms and the tourists are stepping on their merchandise

As a Dutch person, I have to tell you how refreshing it is to just see some societal/cultural things explained without jumping to "it's sooooo different from *my* country of xyz". So, kudos, all topics mentioned very on point too! I once had the bus I was in stopped for 90 minutes to get police and paramedics because two tourists from India passed out on board from smoking too much weed and drinking too much in Amsterdam earlier. Not a good look.

@counterleo

5 ай бұрын

If India - and other countries - didn't have such idiotic and backward drug laws, they too could watch their crime rate drop, AND their nationals wouldn't need to invade Amsterdam to partake in these activities. Thanks NL for leading the way. Same with bikes. If other cities weren't so car centric, they would realise breathable cities are amazing and cheap to administer, AND tourists would already be used to bike lanes existing.

Visited Amsterdam earlier this year. Absolutely loved it. So much to do and see we must go back again! I found the locals to be extremely friendly and helpful. But yes don't mess with the bikers!

@dpt6849

Жыл бұрын

What locals? Nowadays it is all import from elsewhere

As someone living in Amsterdam I completely agree with this! 1 more thing to add, even though the pedestrian crossings are in favor for the pedestrians, in the centre of Amsterdam it's kind of an unspoken rule that you still let bikers go first. Might sound weird but that's just how it is here. It's easier for a pedestrian to stand still than for a bike to come to a stop and get back on it!

The Dutch are very honest people which I highly respect

@woltersworld

Жыл бұрын

True

@MrJx4000

Жыл бұрын

Yes, they're very honest people until you tell them their canals smell like an open sewer.

@oscarosullivan4513

Жыл бұрын

@@woltersworld The Coffee shops I call Hash browns

We were in Amsterdam this year for the 1st time and absolutely loved it. We found the people to be friendly and helpful. It takes some getting used to with all the bicycle lanes. Public transportation is easily accessible and affordable. Your videos helped us with our trip through Europe this year. Thank you!

You hit them on the spot! I'm Dutch and it's always interesting to see how the tourists act when they are here and think that we all wear clogs, live in windmills and smoke pot all day! Regarding trying to learn the language, it's true: the Dutch will immediately switch to your language where they can and always say "oh, I speak English / German / Spanihs, etc." and you need to continue in Dutch as it's the only way for them to switch to Dutch and avoid having them talk behind your back with comments such as "hmpf, living here how long and hasn't learned the language!"

Wow, just found your channel and I have to tell you, its amazing, loving your videos, they're inspirational and helping us plan next years trip

Sounds like I would enjoy spending more time in the Netherlands, I love the idea of being around people who are honest and straight to the point! I'm like that myself, but I find that I'm not always accepted in my own country of Australia.

@kimberlysoto6864

Жыл бұрын

I must say that sometimes that honesty can cut to the core. Must have a tough skin. 🤷🏻‍♀️😬

@pietersleijpen3662

Жыл бұрын

@@kimberlysoto6864 All too true, although that "fat" example, that is extreme even by Dutch standards. That gets Dutch people angry too.

@mrpddnos

Жыл бұрын

A simple example of Dutch directness and honesty is the “dress question” or “haircut question.” You’ve gone out out bought a new dress, or you’ve gotten a new haircut. And you’re absolutely loving it. You ask a Dutchie what they think. If they don’t like it, they will tell you in no uncertain terms. They will tell you exactly what they don’t like about it. In most other cultures, people would tell you what they think you want to hear. Or say something like “what’s important is that you like it.” Not the Dutchie you asked. They’ll tell you it looks ugly. Or makes you look fat. Or whatever. There is being honest, and then there is being Dutch honest. I’ve heard many foreigners say “I appreciate people being honest to me, them telling me what they think” and then being offended when Dutchies te then what they think. So, if you like people to be really direct, telling you exactly what they think (without sugar coating it in any way), they yes, you might find the Dutch refreshing. But, if you rather have the truth being sugar coated, easier to swallow, then be careful what you wish for.

Only Dutch get to complain about the Dutch, seems to be very true from my limited interactions with the Dutch. Or at least the part about them liking to complain. The hostel I stayed in while in Costa Rica had one Dutch woman and she was sitting with me and a German guy at a table at night, and we were talking about German food and then I remarked that I also admired how Dutch dishes were simple and practical. The Dutch (and many tourists also) tend to put down their own cuisine and she even seemed embarrassed by it, though she laughed through it. I did get her to admit that the pea soup (erwtensoep) is delicious, especially since I had made it one time for a Christmas party and people still talk about it *years* later.

@anouk6644

Жыл бұрын

I think the attitude towards complaining is a bit similar to a family. You, as part of the family, can complain all you want about them, but as an outsider your not allowed to do that and they’ll close ranks. Thank you for understanding our ‘cuisine’ 😄

I've been to Netherlands a bunch of times for business. Great night life in Amsterdam and Delft. I walked a zillion miles and loved every second of it. I'm looking forward to going back in a few months soon! I made some very good friends there. The GPS in the rental was almost useless. By the time the voice says the name of the street, you've already driven past it. Definitely walk or bike.

Yes, spot on about Dutch culture. Summarized: be punctual, be honest, follow rules, no crazy stuff. It is all summarized in 1 saying: 'just act normal... that is crazy enough'. The origin of this culture can be traced to Reformed / Protestant (specifically Calvinistic) religious roots. For centuries Dutch culture has frowned upon excessive behaviour, or showing wealth, showing arrogance, or breaking rules. The religious part is mostly gone in Netherlands, but the cultural roots are still there.

@cherylvanepps66

5 ай бұрын

I am researching my family who came to New York from Amsterdam in 1600s and am very interested in what their day to day lifestyles were like back then. I'm also curious about how much they continued to carry on their culture and how much they adapted to living with the Indigenous Peoples here (Crailo State Museum has artifacts from the 1600s: terra cotta roof shingles, stained glass and ceramic floor tiles from when they dug the interstates near Albany.) I'm replying to your comment because from what I see in oil painting portraits from that era is ladies dressed in high fashion, silk gowns and pearls and in their best jewelry. Are we talking about different classes: the farming and tradesmen class vs. the upper class (lawyer, merchant and banking class)? Did they dress in their finery only in certain company? Or for the portrait sitting, or for a ball? I plan to visit Amsterdam and several canal houses that were kept in 1600s style - but I'm guessing their decor were styled by someone with wealth. Yet I hear some historians say they all would eat together -the homeowner along with their servants at dinner table. Would you know of some books/ resources to help me to get a better feel for Dutch life back then? Would very much appreciate any leads. Having tons of fun learning!

This is so true! I met a Dutch person traveling in Central America & everyone thought she was mean for being blunt & brutally honest if someone asked her something & as an American that tries not hurting feelings or making others mad yet still does for being too honest (contrary to most Americans) I really found her refreshing & felt like I wasn’t alone. Like if someone was like “does this shirt look good?” I’m the type to say it fits them horribly & I think the design is ugly, but you’d look better in this design & size. Not even trying to be mean or hurtful yet failing

Would love a video on Dutch food if you haven’t. Cheers, thanks for all the small trips to Europe I’m able to take with your videos!

Mostly accurate, but 80-90% of the country is not Holland. North and South Holland are 2 of the provinces out of 12. Plus I think the airport is pronounced more like Skip-pull...which means ship's hell as they found a number of boats when they drained the land for the airport.

@anouk6644

Жыл бұрын

Actually Schiphol is pronounced more like Sgip-haul (with the infamous Dutch G) and kuddos for knowing the origine of the name.

Yay! I’m headed that way soon! Love the update!

Thanks for sharing this Mark. Great tips!

@woltersworld

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Leo!

love your videos. They are all incredibly accurate including this one!

Regarding speaking Dutch, if you are trying to learn it, just keep trying. Even if the person you are talking to tries to switch to English. Just battle through with your broken or not so perfect Dutch. The other person is likely only switching to English because they are trying to be polite.

@woltersworld

Жыл бұрын

True

One of the best things is to break very hard and loud just behind tourists. That hard that the back wheel flips off of the street. It gets them very scared. Even better is it to say/ shout something in Dutch with a lot of ‘gr’ sounds. I think I gave many tourists a unique ‘Amsterdam’ experience…:)

Less than 25 percent of the Netherlands is actually Holland. It is only 2 provinces of 12

@Fundakilla

Жыл бұрын

I mean of course square inches

@Warriorcats64

Жыл бұрын

What about the population though?

@Fundakilla

Жыл бұрын

@@Warriorcats64 North and South Holland, are the provinces with the most people in the Netherlands, combined they have 6 million people. The total amount of people is about 17 million. So the majority of the people in the Netherlands live in other provinces

@davidlally592

Жыл бұрын

Ah yes- the 🇳🇱 Netherlands (excl the micro states) is the most densly populated country in Europe.

Still love watching you. Enjoy your honesty and opinions!

you are bang on about the bike lanes. Well done for such a helpful video.

Awesome video

Standing in the bike lane is one thing, at least you can see that coming, but stepping in to it without looking is obviously way worse. Just want to say: Pay attention in traffic even as a pedestrian and dont use your phone while walking, i think that actually the biggest culprit. If you really need to check something, looking for directions whatever, make sure you do it standing still in a safe place. I swear to God, almost everytime somebody just jumps in front of me a phone is involved. Bonus: Dont expect service to be like in the US. People over here serving actually earn a living wage and dont need your tip, they appreciate it, but they are certainly not prepared to take s*** for it. Dont expect to be overly friendly or intruduce themselves or anything like that, they wont try and dont want to be your friend, at least not in that capacity so no need to take that personal. They take your order, bring your food and thats that. Other than that they are just like other normal people, some are nice and super friendly, others might be tired and not in the mood for a chat. Just respect that staff are not your personal servant and are just doing their job like any other and everything will be fine.

Most of the museums and other attractions are to be found in Amsterdam. You really need to look out for bikes and the red bike lanes. Well as the saying goes it takes all sorts. The Dutch are the Dutch with a very direct approach to things, ie just so. They can appear to come across as blunt, but on the whole I find them warm and outgoing. If Amsterdam is your type of stay, by all means, but 15 minutes away by train is a gem, its Haarlem with two outstanding museums . From Schiphol Airport bus 300 to the bus station and town. Seaside nearby. As an Englishman we are used to the rain which is both shared with us and the Dutch.

Mark, you are pretty spot on regarding the things which annoy the Dutch. Nearly 50 years ago. I married into a Dutch Family here in Western Australia. One thing that always amused me and my mainly Australian wife she was born in Rotterdam but came to Australia when she was only two with her parents is that if my wife and I said we are going out in two days time so I can’t meet you my mother-in-law would put us through 20 questions. Where are you going, who are you going to see, what are you going to be doing etc It was a bit annoying to start with, but we got to Understand why she was asking those questions. It was not as though she was being nosy. She was just being curious. Another thing is, when they invite friends to their house, the very first thing they do is offer the guest coffee and probably cake. In Australia, where I am, The first thing that an Aussie would do for a guest is, do you want a beer or a glass of wine. The last thing that happens at an Australian party or dinner is that the guests are offered coffee. The hidden meaning behind doing that is that “hey guest, it’s time to go”!

Perfect video!

I have Dutch friends and yes, they are very direct. A good book on the Netherlands is “Why The Dutch Are Different,” by Ben Coates, a Brit who lives there. If I hadn’t read that before a Dutch friend criticized the way my den is decorated, I’d have been kind of offended. 😂 Haven’t had a chance to get out into the city or the rest of the country, but Schiphol is far and away my favorite airport.

@woltersworld

Жыл бұрын

They are a bit direct for sure :)

@ESUSAMEX

Жыл бұрын

Being direct is one thing, but someone criticizing your den is just plain rude. As a native New Yorker, I know what it means to be direct and rude. And there is a huge difference. Direct means stating the truth and the facts, while rude means that their opinion is being passed off as fact. A fact would be: this is my land so get off my lawn, while the opinion is that house is so ugly. Someone's opinion is only a fact in their mind and that's it. It's not backed up with reality.

@picobello99

Жыл бұрын

@@ESUSAMEX What is seen as a positive or negative comment is different too. Americans are often over the top positive, which means that if they call something "okay" they probably didn't like it. Whereas Dutch people tend to tone everything down and try not to be too enthousiastic. If they call something "okay" they actually did like it. Frisians are the worst in this regard. "It (the food) didn't make me throw up" is a compliment.

@liminalspace1382

Жыл бұрын

@@ESUSAMEX A nice , short tips on efficient communication whatever one is!

@pietersleijpen3662

Жыл бұрын

@@ESUSAMEX It depends. Even in the Netherlands it is considered rude to comment on somebodies home or tastes unasked (assuming you are not good friends). It is just that if you ask, you will get an honest opinion, although most would answer with something like "not my taste" and not a fully detailed rant. At times when I watch these videos by immigrants/visitors on Dutch culture, I get the feeling people take advantage of our reputation for bluntness, because there are limits to our own directness.

So why is it that in the Netherlands they don't like it if you as a foreigner complain about something ,but when the Dutch are in the USA they complain about our traditions . And that's allright.

@JootjeJ

Жыл бұрын

Because we're no less hypocritical than anyone else 😉

@brozius

Жыл бұрын

Actually we, the Dutch, complain about everything and if we don't have something to complain about then we complain about that. complaining is our favorite pass time.

@vmoses1979

Жыл бұрын

Because Americans are much more tolerant of criticism in general by others since they know their country has many faults. Americans for the most part are easy going and take offense much less quickly than certain other nationalities especially in Northern Europe.

@brozius

Жыл бұрын

@@vmoses1979 That's not my experience here on KZread. Many people from the US get angry if foreigners criticize the US, their politics, laws and their horrible gun rights.

@vmoses1979

Жыл бұрын

@@brozius KZread brings out the crazies. There's something about the anonymity that makes many behave like jerks. If you travel to the US - you will see what I mean. BTW I'm Canadian so not biased here. I think the main difference is that US problems are obvious to all - guns, healthcare lacking etc. But the Netherlands and other northern European countries do a much better job for their citizens. Things are generally so well run that paradoxically it makes natives take offense quite easily when say something isn't quite optimal and foreigners express an opinion - say zwarte piet.

basically, if you come to Amsterdam, you will upset everyone in amsterdam for being in amsterdam, and also the rest of the country for not having seen anything that represents this country well

I loved the Netherlands and can't wait to go back. Thanks for your videos

Are you in the Netherlands right now? Damn.. I just left the country haha. Hope you're well. Loved my 3 years spent in the Netherlands! :D My advice is just to get out of Amsterdam after a couple of days there. Den Haag, Utrecht, Leiden, Kinderdijk, Delft, Rotterdam (not the prettiest but still an important port city), etc. Also.. the most underrated town - MARKEN! Such a pretty island north of amsterdam. Entirely walkable.

@woltersworld

Жыл бұрын

Filmed this earlier in the year. I believe you were away

@davidlally592

Жыл бұрын

Ah yes Marken ...int place..

Love visiting and I do so many times a year staying for lengthy visits. Definitely need a gear switch to be in Netherlands, regarding many things.

My goodness. You just made me fall in love with the Dutch. I didn’t hear a thing I didn’t like. I will have to add this to my Europe trip next year.

@huitase313

Жыл бұрын

Definitely worth to visit if you travel in Europe

Funny thing is, when the Dutch come to Antwerp or other Belgian cities, they're actually the loud drunk tourists. There's irony.

@thomastakesatollforthedark2231

Жыл бұрын

Well it's Belgium so...

@AMedia-xf8zf

11 ай бұрын

That's just the loud drunk tourists who happen to be Dutch. You won't notice the ones that behave. Which will be the vast majority of them.

11 ай бұрын

@@AMedia-xf8zf probably true ;-)

Dank U wel, meneer, voor die informatie!

I found 99% of the Dutch to be very friendly. I learned about 3 words in Dutch and some more that I couldn't pronounce. When I said "thank you", their eyes lit up and one store keeper told me he felt acknowledged. I only ran into one sour Dutch person at a hotel when I asked for help finding something. They told me to use google maps because they had no idea where I was going and went on about how they couldn't know where I was going so how could I expect them to help. I just told them where I was going but they just didn't have time or didn't want to do anything but yell at me. I checked out the next day and the people at the next hotel were kind and helpful. The bikers are rude. I said what I said. How can you cross the street at an intersection? The bike lanes don't go through intersections, yet they barrel on through. There's no way to cross any street without making them mad. I loved Amsterdam, don't get me wrong, but they need to get over themselves. Hopefully, they don't travel to other countries.

Me, a native speaker from Belgium, once ordered a frozen yoghurt in Utrecht, and the girl replied me in English (and yes, she was also a native Dutch speaker). By the way, in my experience Belgians get a pass on complaining about Dutch beers, as most Dutch tend to agree with us on that (In the South, bars even tend to sell mostly Belgian beer)

Yes the bikes.... ding ding....I got a kick out of the fact I saw all ages riding from grey haired seniors to parents with small children propped up on the handle bars. They really didn't care about helmets either. They are known to be frugal and we all bought bottle scrapers to take home for gifts so every morsel is taken out of every container. I tried the raw herring with onions and onda was enough. I used to date a man from the Netherlands and he joked that he didn't do badly for English as a second language.

An Englishman abroad. I was in Haarlem in September 2022, as a base , a great place and people. I didn’t mince my words and yes they do like plain speaking, and are willing to discuss any issue. For instance the war in Eastern Europe between two countries. Well there was a definitely two points of view, even supporters asked where has all the aid money gone. That’s plain enough. And then your comments regarding Zwarte Piet , well its only a problem if you make it one. Understanding the history of a country is a really good start. Don’t judge them by some small minded woke and ignorant people in your own country. Dutch society is just so, really. 12th September 2022 four hours before my flight. Two and a half hours in the security line, no water or food, no staff help at Schiphol Airport. You could not leave the line unless you made friends to return to your place, there were fights and abuse also . After the wait I had missed my flight, oh wait a minute I got to a point looking forward, it was another one and a half hours to get through security. I had to leave and travel all the way back to Haarlem for another night. I booked a 1600 flight the next day. I arrived at 1030 with the intension to get to Airside and wait. Less people, One and a half hours later I got through security. The flight took off at 1650. So if you do another video re the Airport fiasco, with no change for 2023 then we wont be going back over.

@vmoses1979

Жыл бұрын

Love how Zwart Piet is so easily dismissed by saying 'woke' and appealing to 'understanding' their history. This is an abhorrent tradition that needs to be discarded. For all their directness they can't seem to take it when foreigners criticize this.

I love Amsterdam my parents live there ,my first time i feel at home/lekker thuis (dutch language)

Been to the NL many times and they do speak excellent English, but they can get confused by accents. Despite being from the U.S. I've been asked if I were from England at least once every time.

@woltersworld

Жыл бұрын

New England? 😀

@ratflama8369

Жыл бұрын

@@woltersworld Yep, Connecticut.

@ericfisher1360

Жыл бұрын

I get something Similar but they all think I am from Texas. LOL

My daughter studied for 2 years in the Netherlands , she did even work there without speaking Dutch . I was surprised , she did say it was not necessary - everybody spoke English ! 😊

@picobello99

Жыл бұрын

It's okay to not speak Dutch when you're staying here for a short time, let's say up to 3 months. If you're going to stay here for longer you most definitely should learn the language - it's just rude not to. Yes, we will still speak English to you, but that doesn't mean we aren't silently judging you.

@miriamzajfman4305

Жыл бұрын

@@picobello99 I did live in four countries had learn seven languages. It was easy I was young attended schools - no choice. As a adult now I couldn't do that. My daughter was a adult ,her post graduate studies were in English not in Dutch. She work in English did not have enough contact with Dutch 🤷‍♀️ She knows four languages ( in Montreal alone we do speak French and English ) .

And it is one important thing which you have not mention. It is not allowed to sleep in the car or wild camping in the Netherlands! It is unlawful and you can upset with unlawful not just the Dutch friends, business partners or potential employers but police and handweg too! Just the recent experience when I was observing birds...

Holland is not 80% of the Netherlands, it's only two provinces of the twelve.

Ever been to Rotterdam? The biggest harbour of Europe. We are well known of our business vibe. Cause of our harbour vibe we are multi cultured. Our burgemeester has a Moroccan background, but his heart is for Rotterdam. Rotterdam has lost his heart in WW2, that is the reason why our city is kinda modern. If you want to see a harbour App Spido they give tours in our harbour. If you want to eat kinda cheap go to the market (NOT the markethall, cause that is for tourists + it is very expensive.) Tuesday and Saterday the market .

About the "coffeeshops" and window prostitutes. Most Dutchies have tried weed or marijuana, mostly when they were young and they don't use it later on or not regulary. A few have tried the prostitutes but those numbers a really low. Because it is available doesnot mean You will use it. For those who want to; You can, and do it supervised if You want to. But for the most Dutchies the coffeeshops and window prostitutes do are for the tourists.

Spot on! Excellent observations, I'll watch your videos before visiting a new country, sure to get some good advice. Personally the only thing that really gets me mad is tourists walking on the cycle path. He's right, don't expect anyone to feel sorry for you when you get hit by a bike on the cycle path.

Visited Amsterdam in 2018 before the pandemic and absoubtly loved it!The Dutch are so freakin nice and hospitable!As long as you are polite and follow the rules they will not have any problems or issues with you!

What's interesting is that I am a Belgian, known for its people beating-around-the-bushes more, but I love the Netherlands. It takes adapting though.

I think you are spot on about most of these subjects. Especially the one about critisizing our country. We do that very well and often i think, but when a foreigner does that, it is all wrong.

@anouk6644

Жыл бұрын

It’s just like it’s okay to criticize your own family members, but not for outsiders to do the same.

It used to be amusing back in the late 80s/early 90s when I was part of the Magnolia coffeeshop in Amsterdam. We'd get the American tourists (I'm American also) who would come in, buy a bag of something far stronger than anything they had in the US and then roll a joint using the whole bag. We would tell them up front that it wasn't a good idea, that they'd soon be gibbering like an ape and have the coordination of a total drunk and that if they fell on the floor we'd just drag them off to the side so nobody would trip on them. It happened many times.

@lestranged

Жыл бұрын

cannabis is legal in many US states now, so American tourists are less likely to be uneducated/novice consumers of cannabis these days.

the best advice I can give to anyone that wants to practice their Dutch without the local you're speaking to immediately switching to English, is to come out and tell them you're practicing your Dutch. Ask them to be patient as you're trying to learn the language but would prefer to speak Dutch. 95/100 people will likely slow down a bit for you and speak to you in Dutch. Fortrightness is a compliment, that much is true, but a person's inability to deal with it is generally seen as their problem, it won't annoy the Dutch very much. I do understand that it can be confusing, because even to me, if I hear two friends having a conversation with eachother, it can get a bit difficult to ascertain whether they're actually friends having a normal conversation, or whether they're engaged in a rather heated argument. Friends here tend to interact by flinging insults at eachother, yes, you read that right, friends can use insults as terms of endearment towards one another. On the whole, I get why it's difficult for tourists to deal with the fortrightness, because your culture doesn't interact in that way, but it is best to remember, we're not mindreaders, so if you don't ask, you don't get. If what you ask falls outside of what we feel is something you should ask for, we won't hesitate to let you know, but again, like the guy said, don't take it personal, it's not.

well professor, thx for the heads up... i shall strive not be stupid when i visit the Netherlands. Great stuff as always!

Calling it Sheephole Airport is a good start 😉 Makes a change from the usual 'Skiphole' I guess😁

I have heard the stories about the Netherland Coffee Shops and you know, I thought it was real. I always wanted to go to this country, but after hearing the rumours and stories, I was afraid that I would get second hand wasted, like the actors get on TV when they visit. I am glad you set the record straight here.

@anouk6644

Жыл бұрын

You definitely won’t get second hand wasted when you come to the Netherlands. Unless you go into a coffeeshop and sit there for a while. There are many Dutch people who have never even tried it and the number of people who do is pretty low compared to the availability and most of them know their limits. It’s the tourists that overdo it.

Nice💖💖💖💖

The last point is so accurate hahaha

"Because now your corpse will be in the bike lane." I am laughing so hard now right now because you are so right. If you ever come to the North (Friesland), let me know because I can show your family around.

It takes a bit to dial into the bike lanes. We don’t have them elsewhere. So it does take some thought. I would also like to know when you exactly do the pedestrians have right of way?? Light is green for walk and they still cut a person off with their bikes.🤷🏻‍♀️

Just wondering where did you go to in the Netherlands? Have you seen al the provinces? There are so many nice places to visit and see overhere. For example there is a place in a small village called Oudewater where there is an authentic witch weigh house. Here you can stay on the scale to find out if you are a witch or not. Now it is a museum. Then Barle Nassau/ Barle Hertog is a fun place to just look it up on the map and you know why.

Thanks Wolter for the heads up. 👍😊🇮🇪🇺🇲🇳🇱

i do like to visit this country again to see beautiful keukeunhoof garden ..

I don't pretend to speak Dutch so my first line is usually: 'Do you speak English?' If I'm in a bar, I'll try 'Mag ik nog een bier?' after the first drink and if I'm asked whether I like the local brew, I can reply with, Het is lekker. The real stumbling block for me is pronouncing the letter 'G' and I mentioned this in a bar in Enkhuizen, they took pleasure in recommending beers with lots of 'G's in the name and waiting for me to pronounce them. It was fun and it became very friendly, so I'm not so sure about your comment about trying to speak Dutch. Maybe pretending to speak it offends their directness, but making it clear you're trying to learn is another part of honesty. So far I've avoided Amsterdam, but I might try it after visiting Groningen and Gouda.

@woltersworld

Жыл бұрын

I could understand your Dutch perfectly! I need to memorize those lines

@MikuHatsune12

Жыл бұрын

To pronounce the throat g just impersonate a rabid animal

@weetikissa

Жыл бұрын

Don't bother to ask people if they speak English. It's a bit of a funny question.

@PeterApps

Жыл бұрын

@@weetikissa It's me; it seems wrong assuming, and although most do, I have met one or two who don't. It's a little awkward.

Yes! This is so true! And you make it hysterical Mark! 🤣

@woltersworld

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Gerry!

@euroschmau

Жыл бұрын

hysterical yes, my favorite part was the "Why are you so fat and why aren't you in Spain" 🤣🤣🤣

Showing at your dutch friends house without letting them know….. 😂😂😂😂 so true…. They wont even let you in, and send you straight home at the doorstep😂

There are a few things the Dutch and the German have in common: punctuality and efficiency (make a plan and stick to it).

It's strange because I have been living in the Netherlands for nearly 5 years, and I haven't seen much difference between the Dutch and a random guy from Ohio. I suspect it has something to do with me never spending time in any major cities.

When visiting l have learned to compliment their culture and l also bring a little something from my culture to share.

Het is ook de reden waarom ik in eerste instantie Nederlands praat. It’s the reason why I initially talk Dutch. And where necessary Switch to english.

Maybe I am living in a bubble in Den Haag, but I never felt unwelcome here as an expat.

Attending the U of I was great training for staying off the. Bike paths in Europe.

@woltersworld

Жыл бұрын

Hahahahah YES!!!

I am traveling through Japan, ran into a Dutch group being highly disrespectful to a point some folks left where they were at. One decided to be particularly racist towards me. I called them out on it. They laughed and continued being jerks.

@MikuHatsune12

Жыл бұрын

Awful

@mapostma866

Жыл бұрын

I have felt embarrassed many times by my fellow Dutch people outside of the Netherlands. They don't do the country proud.

So I've heard similar things about Germans as far as punctuality, directness, and scheduling. This makes me wonder what country is the opposite of that?

@anglobostonian

Жыл бұрын

Spain, Portugal, and most of Latin America.

@AA123TD

Жыл бұрын

the trains are so much on time unlike the UK

Holland is not 80-90% mate. It's closer to 20% of the total surface area and 35% of the population. Oh and I will NEVER be annoyed if anyone tries to speak Dutch to me, I see it as a sign of respect and will just ask you what you prefer.

@facelessqueenie8873

Ай бұрын

That's so awesome, I'm learning how ti speak Dutch so I can come work there, I am already fascinated with Dutch culture and if I can speak Dutch, I think it will be an even better experience. I think the most important part is that I will have no problem at work. Proud to be working in The Netherlands soon.

The Dutch are awesome people

@woltersworld

Жыл бұрын

They are fun and funny too

lol the way I knew exactly where you were in less than a second, had a breakdown in that hallway haha

I must be part Dutch. I will not answer my door to spontaneous visitors. GO DUTCH

I'm glad I saw this because if I ever had found myself there I would have made half of these mistakes.

Standing on the bike lane is probably something akin to parking your car sideways on the road for an American. Really the biggest no no! Practicing your Dutch in a line is just not the right moment. Best way is to have/make some Dutch friends and tell them you want to practice Dutch. Most of us do appreciate it, but you need to have a certain level before we just automatically switch to make things easier.

The complaining stuff is absolutely the same in Italy!! We are like masters at criticising our country but if the critic comes for outside, we are like extra-difensive 😅😅

If you have a appointment at 8.00 your expected to be there at 7.50. Holland is not 80% of the country its much smaller 😤😉 Naming it holland is the same as visiting the country New York. Where I live the tourist are 80% Germans and its very much appreciated for them to try speaking Dutch, I think it's a Amsterdam thing to skip and go to English. One tip from me, don't visit Amsterdam at all, go to Utrecht.