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This video makes me painfully aware of how much we Americans have sacrificed over the years. We've surrendered everything precious without even realizing it. Kudos to the Dutch for refusing to give it up.
Very curious statement....exactly what has been sacrificed? The Dutch appreciate diversity, speak many languages, travel, and they are great hosts. I lived there for a year so I know of what I speak. They are not xenophobic as you may be.
I have 2 American uncles who were killed in WW2. Their graves are in Holland and to this day Dutch citizens are assigned to tend to each soldier's grave. In recent years an American father and his sons visited those graves and noticed so many brothers from the war were buried together. He wrote a book about it (Brothers in Arms by Kevin Callahan) and reached out to our family for information. He was so impressed with the respect the Dutch gave to these soldiers.
So many Canadians never made it home from Holland, also. But there is a side to that. Not surprisingly, Dutch are not all that quick to forget those who were traitors during the occupation, and they like to get performative with it, by demonstrative remembrances of the sacrifices of liberators. And this seems to carry over into generations, at the time, not yet born.
I can spend Saturdays just going to the park, having a coffee in my local then going home and ( slowly ) cleaning my apartment. Nothing glamourous, but as I go to bed in the evening between fresh clean sheets, I feel great ; my mind is uncluttered.
I lived and worked in Germany for a while and developed nervous exhaustion. To relieve the symptoms - anxiety, fatigue, depression, sleeplessness - I used to visit Dutch friends just over the border and realised that life was much more than just work.
Live and work in the Netherlands instead. I wonder whether the Dutch are less anal-retentive than the Germans due to their being located right on the coast and having the major seaports of continental Europe to make money for them.
As a German wie have dine as the Dutch do, its called 'es sich gemütlich machen' , (weekends and Sundays) (Danes say: Hygge, to it) in the Middle of the day, doing NOTHING produktive, meeting maybe with friends and enjoying , having Coffee and cake, taking a walk, which a tradition to do. Having a breakfast in bed and reading, dreaming, loving a lovely day for what it is, a Beautiful day or time in live. Golng to the Beach or whatsoever makes your day a really good one and helps xou to DISconnect from daily stresses and worries. And the other beautful thing we gave snd used to gave in Germany are the Saturdays businesses closed at 1.00 pm latest and were closed until Monday mornings. That calmed down everything and opened the doors for Relaxation. That was usually life in Berlin on Weekends and holidays. And a good cup of coffee or Ice cream, beer or so do in between with someone nice for a good time and ' 'Gemütlichkeit' . It is a matter to make it a Tradition to have it. Teach it to your children, put the mobiles aside and be positively activ in a very lazy relaxing way.
I worked for a Dutch company for a while and got burned out. There are happier places like Greece, Italy etc.. where there is more life, Sun, fun in every day and not only on a weekend
My mother immigrated to North America from the Netherlands with her family. Growing up, my Oma and Opa lived right next door. I went with my mom every Saturday at 11 for coffee, and 4pm for tea. Every Sunday evening we ate at their house for dinner. I learned SO MUCH about my family and myself after watching this. 😮😅😂😊 Thank you. ❤
Sunday is my Nikse day. I’ve carefully trained everyone I know to leave me alone on that day, and not contact me unless the world is ending (or maybe even if it is). It’s amazing. 😁❤👍☕
Love this! I hate it when other people find out you have nothing going on and try to get you to do something (as if it's a crime to just "be" and do nothing for a change). I love being and American, but this is something I wish wasn't ingrained in our culture.
I had my relaxation day today. I put on some soft jazz music, opened the window wide to let the breeze blow over me, I sat sipping my herbal tea and just listened to the birds singing outside my window. It was so relaxing I fell asleep! 😄
What really relaxes people who relax like yourself, is that your doing it the way one would do it. Not to much distance between how one does such things and how you are doing them. Your not relaxed you are tranquillised by being disburdened of the need to really choose how to relax.
Anyone can do this at home, in the country they live in. That relaxation is wonderful until it is ruined by the group of tourists who have rented the nearest AIRBNB.
What a gentle nudge of a video ~ thank you from BC, Canada. I, too, and studying Japanese and will incorporate Live XP and niksen today! In the 1980s, My Mother was in the Netherlands on a European bus tour and stopped at a small bakery where she was the 4th person in line. Mom asked a question, and the lady in front of her inquired where she was visiting from. When Mom said, "Canada", all the Dutch people in the line ahead of her moved to the side and insisted Mom step right up to the counter, earnestly thanking her for the service of the Canadian military who'd helped during the war. Mom was not permitted to pay for her purchase. This story of kindness brings a tear to my 63 year old eye, every time I think of it, and that impression of Dutch people never leaves my heart. I'd like to thank them, all these years later...
On Sunday mornings I volunteer at an animal rescue. Honestly I'd rather be home but once there it's all about them. I get out of myself and feel like I'm living out and being true to my values. Then I go home and hang out with my 5 cats and 2 dogs. That is my bliss.
THANK YOU .... for animal lovers, the only folks who would ever volunteer to do that, it can be very psychologically and emotionally demanding so I really really appreciate you doing that for the animals. ♥️
My grandmother lived like a Dutch woman, even though she smoked like a chimney and she was obese. She lived to 103. She never had cancer, diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, nothing. But she was totally calm and laid back. It was her personality. You either have it or you don't.
I'm 72 year old female and have lived in Los Angeles California since I was in second grade. I have been Niksening my whole life!!! Thank you for your video explaining me to me!!! ❤😊
This is desperately needed in America. Always in a rush, never enough to time to spend with friends and family. The Dutch are definitely getting it right!
I’m in the US and practice Niksen almost every weekend. Sadly though the US mindset is to always be busy, most people will think you’re either boring or lazy if you say you did nothing or just relaxed all weekend.
The more I mature, the less I care about what others think. I have come to realize the opinion that matters the most in life is mine ♥️! I am happy for you that you relax on weekends!
I agree, I need my slow time. Most of my life is slow and lovely. I try not to be worried about what others think of me. I am becoming quite good at it.
It’s because the US was founded by quakers for whom sitting idle was basically like allowing the devil into yourself. That mindset stuck I guess. The Dutch are not very religious I noticed when I went there
Your comment made me laugh loudly! . Yes, they do say that, but of course, their head down, scrolling, and meddling in other people's social media life is so not boring or lazy 😂😂😂 Hugs Kate
Dutch DIRECT: "We don't say 'yes' or 'maybe', when we mean 'no'. There is much we cannot and will not do. But honesty is not a weakness, it's a strength. " - FEADSHIP Hoofddorp HQ
I do the same! Even in the Fall when it is chilly. I bundle up in a wool shawl, hat, and fingerless gloves with coffee in a thermal cup and my yarn. If I'm crocheting something large, it covers my legs and keeps me warm. If not, I wear wool Sox and knee warmers...all things I made. The activity calms me and keeps me focused.
I was so grateful when you briefly mentioned "niksen" in a previous video. I'm someone who rests a lot at home during the weekends (l'm an HSP) and I always felt bad when people asked me on Monday morning what I did during my weekend. After you introduced "niksen" I started to say that, at least in my head, and "I just rested" at loud, but it helped me so much to know that "doing nothing" was also a real activity somewhere else in the world, that the word existed and I could say it too! I'm so glad you developed the concept more here today! Thank you! 💛
My grandfather was Dutch and came to San Francisco around 1904 as a child with his family. He became a carpenter, along with all his brothers, and worked on the WWII Liberty ships in Oakland. Eventually he became a building contractor and built many churches and schools here in the Bay Area. My Mom, his daughter, loved Dutch culture and I share that love. Thanks for your video.❤
The English too. My uncle (Indian) was with the RAF and passed in England due to reconstructive surgery that wasn't successful. His grave is marked and tender to by the parish and every year flowers are placed. I didn't even know where he was buried (living as I was in India) but through rellies who were in the Indian Armed Forces we were able to trace the grace about a year ago. We put a headstone saying "Gone but not forgotten" ...he was a swashbuckler. A bit of a wild child ...but very protective of his sisters...my mum was one of his his 3 little sisters
@@jenmorricone4014 Me too, living in the Netherlands in the first half of the seventies. That was such a great time, before most of the rest of the world discovered Amsterdam. There were wonderful classical concerts, ballet, cafes to meet friends at, the best sandy beaches to relax at, old towns and villages, etc, etc. I often wish that I hadn't returned to the UK, but I missed our hills, mountains and rocky coastlines, as well as speaking my own language when very tired. Now in my late seventies, I feel half Dutch, but so many things have changed there, and the pace of life is less relaxed.
I think my DNA is Dutch. As a hsp I do all these but the guilt and shame is strong in a society where productivity is an achievement. Glad to know im not alone 💜
I feel the same way The first time I went to Holland I actually cried when I was taking off I feel more at home in holland than in my own country ( Poland)
This was one of my realizations during and after treatment for breast cancer. It feels very much against the norm that we have in America - Now I celebrate small moments of life, slow down, and make the ordinary special.
I think I may have been Dutch in another life LOL. I have been doing most of these for almost 30 years; I had a health scare 28 years ago and learned very quickly that work-life balance is very important and working efficiantly, so I can have a calm work day, is key. Clocking off work and returning to my "real life" is my goal everyday. My hobbies are reading, cooking, and i recently took up gardening (allthough I'm not very good at it) When we moved to our house, we now have a yard for the first time and we inmediantly got hammocks for lounging under the trees. 🥰
Such a beautiful way of living, All the habits are around the fact that the most important thing is to enjoy your life. Thank you so much for this video! ❤
First generation Canadian here, a son of Dutch immigrants who left the Netherlands for Canada after the devastation of WW2. Thank you for an enjoyable video that reminds me of my ethnic heritage.
What an absolutely beautiful video. This is one of the many reasons why I love RUclips. Thank you for sharing. I feel like I've naturally got a bit of the Dutchie in me.
My Father stayed with a Dutch Family during WW2 and loved them .I was never able to find them but. Always have a soft spot in my heart for the Dutch . He said they moved to New Zealand after the war .🇨🇦
@@lindaanderson279 As a Dutchy, "Christiansen" sounds a bit Scandinavian to me. Maybe it is spelled "Christiaanse", which is an actual Dutch surname. I hope this helps you with your search.
I love your definition of Niksen. I now have a name for my favorite part of life (thanks from the USA 🇺🇸 ❤) Gotta go and daydream now ☺️ I love all your “Dutchie” moments for peace. We have a saying that wind “blows away the cobwebs” and clears your mind. Much love to you Vera, it’s always lovely to spend time with you ❤
"How do you do Nothing," asked Pooh after he had wondered for a long time. "Well, it's when people call out at you just as you're going off to do it, 'What are you going to do, Christopher Robin?' and you say, 'Oh, Nothing,' and then you go and do it."
As a dutchie myself it was really nice to think about our culture. I never realised how typical dutch these things are and the fact that gezellig is so hard to describe was mindblowing. Hihi thanks for showing me our own culture ❤
Ik ben een geboren Amsterdammer, en I live in Americas since I was 9, I still speak Dutch at 80 years of age. I learned English in 6 weeks, I stidied Latin for a year and its role in all languages. Next came German, and travelling led to Spanish. Gezellig roots are a joining of souls and for me, even now, I try hard to keep gezellighijd a priority in my household.
Thank you Vera! And yet again an inspiring and cheering up video. - I understood most of the Dutch words you used there, as I am from Germany and in fact grew up in a town 30km away from the Dutch border. - My father took up learning Dutch since a few years before his retirement to make a gesture of appreciation to all the the Dutchies we met on our day trips and holidays in the Netherlands who spoke perfect German to us. Your description of "Niksen" made me chuckle as it reminded me of a conversation I had had with my daughter. She is eleven years old and was totally confused how much I enjoyed sipping a cup of coffee on our terrace and just watching the laundry dry in the wind. She asked me, if I was done yet, and I told her, "This is nothing I need to get done. Watching the laundry dry in the sunshiny wind is one of my favourtite hobbies." She opened her mouth to verbalise her perplexion, but let it be, as I had contentedly closed my eyes on her and the outside world. So, yes, sunshine, wind and watching someone else "work", while you just do nothing in particular, is definitely an awesome weekend hobby.
My heritage is Scottish and if you want to lay around in bed past when it’s time you’re supposed to get up it’s called to hurkle -durkle! 😉. I am trying to focus on times to do nothing because I just seem like life is past me by and I’m just existing. I want to Live my life with passion and contentment. Thank you for what you do!
I thought it was super cute when you demonstrated how Dutch people will sit out in the sun when it’s nice. After watching this video, I really want to visit the Netherlands!
I lived in England and in Wales for several years. While in England we had a blizzard that kept everyone inside for 2 weeks. But at the first peep of the sun, we walked down to the gardens overlooking the Thames, and we sat there , just like that.... just sitting with our faces to the sun, savoring the warmth. The worst winter was in Wales ! One year we only had 2 weeks of Summer, literally. I sat in my conservatory with a warm cap, jacket, and blankets around me. ! I'm from the US, and now live here again; and would LOVE to feel some of that cool,, cold air on my face ! Summers in the "Deep South" of the US are miserable ! The near 100 degrees temps with humidity of 89% make you feel like you're walking around outside with a heavy, wet wool coat on. ! And Summers here last for around 7 months. ;-( ugh
Oh my goodness, You basically just described me in so many ways! From Pennsylvania, US and have dutchy root. It feels so comforting to hear you say all of these things. My heart's desire is more of this for our culture and society here. I'll be sharing some of your videos soon, thank you, thank you. You've inspired me to want to learn Dutch!
The Netherlands sounds like heaven compared to England 😭😭😭 I actually bought a Dutch phrasebook because your channel really makes me want to visit/live in The Netherlands one day.
England is a beautiful country. The UK is a nice place to live and visit. Everyone is always so nice to me whenever I am in England, and the relaxing afternoon teas are delicious and quite an experience.
All these things Vera talks about depend on the lifestyle you make for yourself, not the country you live in. I live in the UK and i have never subscribed to the rat race. Life is for enjoying daily.
Hi, I do all the things you discussed in the video. You are describing Mediterranean lifestyle but with dutch names. I am from Malta and I have been to the Netherlands many times.
On the West Coast, we call niksen "spacing out", let your thoughts and feelings and memories flow unconstructively, like little white clouds floating across across a big blue sky, you'll be surprised how many great ideas appear when the closed categories are cleared out of the way.
Thank you for this video, I'm used to doing so much productive things every time I'm home, I work a lot and get home and work more, I had an emergency surgery 3 days ago, I can't do anything, I'm having such a hard time on myself, need to learn the art of doing nothing without feeling guilty
Not Dutch but do this frequently. We used to have few to no stores or businesses open on Sunday's, everyone had a day of rest to use as they wished, church, beach, hang out at home, and so forth. Then this changed and now everything runs 24/7. I miss that quiet break in the week, the world where I lived was at Peace.
Fellow Dutchie here!😊 ahhh I love this video! Living in the USA now, seeing this makes me miss our culture and country 🥹 thankyou for making this video, love it!❤
Books 📚📖 Cats 😻😽😹 Coffee ☕ and Crosswords ♥️♥️ I didn't know I have been practicing Niksen for years ‼️ That's my sacred time of the day ✨✨ Thank you for your beautiful video my loveliest ♥️♥️🥰🥰 Have a lovely week ahead 🩷🌸🌷
I am Brazilian and lived 14 months in Leeuwarden (2019-2020) . I loved the Dutch way of living and I learned a lot with you Dutch. Thanks for your insightful video.
Same here. If ever I am asked if I want to grab lunch with someone on a workday my internal knee-jerk reaction is, "Why would I do that when I only have one hour??" lol
All the photos, videos, etc. that accompanied your video brought back pleasant reminders of my first (and so far only) stop in Amsterdam with my wife about three years ago. We were there for four days and enjoyed every minute. Like all visitors, especially those of us who live in America, we had to quickly learn how to stay out of the way of bicycles. It only took a few near misses to figure out what we had to do and what to not do. We sometimes had trouble finding our way around because Amsterdam street names often appear on the sides of buildings instead of being on a separate sign. The maps on our phones was usually sufficient but we sometimes had to ask for directions. I was initially reluctant to do so, but everyone was very understanding and the directions were usually simple and direct. Instead of saying to turn left or right at a certain street, we were usually told something like, “… stay on this street, go over the next two bridges, and turn left.” We had a great time and look forward to coming again. I look forward to watching your other videos. Thank you.
I lived 11 years in The Netherlands and loved the Dutch art of “gezellig” - although I no longer live in Holland and try to create my own “gezellighed” I really miss the feeling of “gezellig” that is present in everyday Dutch life. Thank you for sharing all things Dutch and reminding me of all the gezellig times I had living in Holland
Growing up in Belgium, we would always notice a lot of the Dutch people who would come to Belgium on Sundays. They would enjoy going to the Sunday market, the zoo, café, restaurant, museums, and other public places. In Italian they say "La dolce far niente" meaning, how sweet it is to do nothing.
Yes, sundays in The Netherlands were awful in the 70ties and 80ties. Everything was closed. Nothing to do and nobody to see. I was always a bit jealous at België people...
Amazing! I was born in Düsseldorf, Germany and my grandfather was Dutch (he died before I was born) and seriously, I found out through this video how much Dutch I am. I love Niksen, I am also direct when communicating, I love socializing as the Dutch do and I am also more interested in people personally than in what they do for work. I guess there are a lot of soft skills transported in genes that one would think! Thank god for that! ❤ and thank you very much for making this video so nicely! It made my day! 😍🥰
We visited the Netherlands last summer for our first trip to Europe. We stayed in an apartment outside the city center in Amsterdam, away from the tourists. For 8 days we got to live like the Dutch- going to the markets for our meals to cook at the apartment, using mass transit and bikes to get around. We saw a few villages and Delft. It was a wonderful experience I will never forget, very different from my life in Texas. The Dutch have it all figured out. I'd live there if I could.
This 100% makes me want to visit the Netherlands, which was never on my wish list! The culture sounds more in alignment with my mindset than the culture I'm in. 😢 Thanks for posting this video. Gave me a weird "hope," for lack of a better word.
Something that surprised me is that Dutch people will do the inviting and provide the cake for their own birthday! They don't wait for someone else to know it is their birthday or organize a party or a cake.
@@LisaCulton The first time someone invited me to their BDay, I thought they were lonely and hinting for me to make them a cake. When I offered, they were insulted that I didn't believe that they could make a good one!
I lived in Amsterdam for seven years, and some of the things you mentioned on your video are the things I appreciated about the Dutch culture, such as niksen and gezellig. :)
I ❤ Niksen, Gazelling and as a whole it seems like Dutch culture is closer to my ideal life than my own. So healthy, focusing on what is really important.
I love going to the beach with the wind blowing. It makes me feel alive with the wind touching my face. I live in the USA worried about this country... and my brother always wanted to move to the Netherlands...Amsterdam. He absolutely loved it there. I believe I'd love it too. ❤
Love the concept of niksen. I am perfectly fine not having plans and enjoying quiet time at home. My favorite is having the house to myself and taking the time to do some organizing or deep cleaning with an audio book in the background, and spending time with my dog. Then napping.
Thank you, in the UK we use the word nix, means nothing, for example, “what are you doing” they answer “nix” thank you for a great video, sometimes I feel guilty after a long week then spending a Day doing nothing, now I have a word for it “Niksen” and I’m now going to embrace it.🙏💚☘️
I am a 58 yo female living on the coast of GA (USA). I was born and raised here. I am of Northern European/Scandanavian decent. I just watched this and realized that I already practice these Dutch habits. It was like you were describing my tribe of peeps.. thank you!
I live in Alabama, about 100 miles from the Gulf Coast, and as I was listening to Vera talk (wonderfully!) about the Dutch lifestyle, it occurred to me that people here in the South live a much similar life -- we like to slow down. Of course, there are the cities with all of the craziness of speeding cars, noise, crowds, etc. But I live in a very rural area where I can walk outside in my pajamas if I want to. Lol I hate the noise , the crowds, all of "city life", so I only go to Birmingham when I have to. I grew up in Birmingham, but back then it was really a slow town.
As a fellow Dutchie I totally agree with this video! Uitwaaien on the beach is one of my favorite things to do and yes everything needs to be gezellig!
I’m a Portuguese leaving in The Netherlands for a while now. You list the biggest reasons why I chose to live here. Even the Dutch directness. No where is perfect but at least in the foreseeable time all of these are the best for me. 💙
Hi Vera, I am a Japanese but I live in Australia. I learn English from your channel. Also, your topics are interesting. I am looking forward to watching your next video!! Thanks
I listen to RUclips videos every day. Thank you for this extra special video. IT IS MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE VIDEO EVER. E.V.E.R. !!!!! So inspiring. Making me think of all the simple things to do and special ways to enhance life ..... while making friends and myself feel better and better and better!
Hello. This is your first video I’ve seen, thank you for sharing the details of your culture. I would fit in with many of your habits and way of life. I’m in the US and I’ve worked very hard most of my life with little thought to these ideas until I became 100% physically disabled. I was no longer able to work and the adjustment was very difficult. Even now, many years later I still struggle with feeling that I should be productive. I love that you don’t ask about a person’s work or career right off after meeting them. That was the biggest adjustment for me. Whenever I meet someone new very first question they ask is what do you do? I laugh now and say what do you mean? I do lots of things. Thank you again for such a lovely video ❤
Lovely, thank you!!! I love the concept of query about others' interests as opposed to their making money career!!! I decided when I was younger, to earn, save, and retire from the business world so that I could engage in niksen as a full-time lifestyle. Therefore, I really appreciate this concept, where one makes one's true life, one's true practice!!! So, my husband and I bought our home early (lived here for 49 years. We live in the Northern hemisphere of USA, Colorado, so, 9 months of winter, basically. When Spring arrives, gardening in our Japanese-inspired garden takes priority for three months, enjoying the early morning cool beauty. Come late August, I drape the garden beds with black tarps to catch all of the trash from the trees that surround our property, lifting them in spring, saving much labor. Of course, that is our favorite "hobby". Wintertime is the respite from the Spring-Fall toil in the large landscape, it feels so, good!!! Winter of course is the time for all to go within, and my winter niksen is walking indoors every a.m., spiritual studies and meditations 3 a.m. to 5 a.m., catching up on the world through RUclips, and of course preparing nutritious meals throughout the year at home. We do not go to restaurants for any reason. Since we both have worked with many, many people in our early careers, we enjoy and life of Zen!!!!
When my husband was in his teens in the late 30's he skated the Zeeder Zee (sorry if not spelled correctly) with Dutch exchange students. I remember he said they would freeze reeds in the ice to mark the route. He was always so proud of that memory.
I live in the Netherlands as an expat, never heard of Niksen yet but could relate to so much in this video. Really love the culture and especially the directness, no going around in polite circles :D And yes, the Netherlands definitely teaches you to appreciate the nice sunny days!
I’m half Dutch living in Canada and practice Niksen daily. I didn’t know it was a Dutch thing😊. I’m also practicing Dutch on Duolingo and a tiny bit of Japanese:)
Your video helped explain so much of my outer Dutchie ( great great grand parents Dutch) . The second the sun is out I need to be out, windy days are truly fun to walk and ride in! Thanks for explaining the Dutch words and all of the language information you shared.
Living in Germany right at the border to NL and I love these tips from your culture which are acutally new to me. 🥰 Niksen is so nice, I will implement that in my vocabulary and my weekend plans. In general, whenever I go to a dutch city, I feel like the people are so open, friendly and seem so happy with their lifes... I really love that. ❤
Hello. I am from America but genetically I am 1/4 Belgian Dutch. I think this aspect of my dna must be strong because I naturally lean towards everything you just taught me. I have always felt out of place in such a rushed culture. Now I just know my genes are pushing me to embrace my dutchie-ness! Thank you for making me feel more at home with myself. ❤
Another nice Dutch habit: eating early family meals! Most people with kids eat family style dinner at 6pm. This is very different in many countries where the kids and parents dont eat their meal together. Its good for kids to learn to eat, its gezellig and I believe its good for digestion to have a longer period over the evening/night where you dont eat.
According to your description I live a “Dutch” life and attitude. I’d really fit in there. I understand I have Dutch blood but never explored this part of my heritage. GREAT VIDEO!
My boyfriend is Dutch & I live in Germany so multiple times a week I’m in the Netherlands & I love the country, the culture & the people so much. I love learning more about the Dutch culture. Thank you so much for this video❤
I am not Dutch but many of these things matter a lot to me. In particular, loving windy weather and being out in the wind. I have always loved it, it makes me feel very calm, free, peaceful and at ease, as if everything is being put back into its proper perspective.
Oh I love this video ♥ My husband and I live in Germany about 40 minutes from the Netherlands. At least two times a month we come over to enjoy a day in a country, that is SO unlike ours (apart from being direct, that is SO us, too) :) As soon as we enter the Netherlands, our mood changes, our stress levels go down and we don´t rush through the day as we normlly do (we could definitely use more niksen, I think... ;) ). I don´t know what it is, but it certainly happens every single time! Next step is learning Dutch together, as we hope to live in the Netherlands some day! My favourite part of this video ist the Gezelligheid, which I will try to focus on more from now on :) Thank you for your inspirational videos, please keep on making them ♥
Dag! I lived in Nederland from 1992-94 with the USAF, Soesterberg. I loved it there and the relaxed lifestyle. I’m so happy I found your channel! It brings back nice memories and I can hopefully learn to relax again now that I’m retired from the work life! Thanks!
I love this video! Even though I am 100% Dutch my ancestors came to USA so this country and culture is really all I’ve known... that said, whenever I’ve had the chance to visit the Netherlands, I’ve felt more at home than ever. I’ve been trying to connect to my inner Dutch-ness so it’s curious? that this video popped up! Thank you dear!!💖✌️🌷
I am surprized upon realizing i have a natural dutchy mindset and attitude omg! I am from philippines and i naturally do all this stuff most of the time 🥰
As a Dutchie I love all of our typical behaviors but I really love the niksen on Sunday. I roll out of bed onto the couch and enjoy my day in pajamas with a book and some snacks. And I really appreciate the directness of us as well. Just glad to be Dutch and living in the Netherlands, I would not want to live anywhere else.
@@wittesneeuw No you can’t live anywhere as we live in the Netherlands. Our freedom, social security, cultural behaviors are specifically something for the Netherlands, I never found that somewhere else. I love my life here and I just live the way I want to live.
What’s your favorite of these habits? 🌱 Also, a big thanks to LiveXP for sponsoring today's video! Book your first $0,99 trial lesson here: livexp.biz/HAPPYZEN and get 30% off your subscription by using this link: livexp.biz/HAPPYZEN30
loved this video!
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Always have a little something with coffee or tea 🥰
Taking time for yourself and not feeling guilty about it because we all deserve that! Priceless ❤
Uh the dutch are rioting.
ruclips.net/video/2xgB1ep7Iog/видео.htmlsi=xkW8NUv6MGAVQ1ww
This video makes me painfully aware of how much we Americans have sacrificed over the years. We've surrendered everything precious without even realizing it. Kudos to the Dutch for refusing to give it up.
So true! We’ve missed that boat in the US.
Exactly
Because we take care of the world so they can relax.
@@brendachilders4879 This is true…we’re the World Police! 20-years….USAF MSgt (Ret)
Very curious statement....exactly what has been sacrificed? The Dutch appreciate diversity, speak many languages, travel, and they are great hosts. I lived there for a year so I know of what I speak. They are not xenophobic as you may be.
I have 2 American uncles who were killed in WW2. Their graves are in Holland and to this day Dutch citizens are assigned to tend to each soldier's grave. In recent years an American father and his sons visited those graves and noticed so many brothers from the war were buried together. He wrote a book about it (Brothers in Arms by Kevin Callahan) and reached out to our family for information. He was so impressed with the respect the Dutch gave to these soldiers.
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So many Canadians never made it home from Holland, also. But there is a side to that. Not surprisingly, Dutch are not all that quick to forget those who were traitors during the occupation, and they like to get performative with it, by demonstrative remembrances of the sacrifices of liberators. And this seems to carry over into generations, at the time, not yet born.
I'm😅😮 TV@@tacticalskiffs8134
THAT! is an amazing story!
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I can spend Saturdays just going to the park, having a coffee in my local then going home and ( slowly ) cleaning my apartment. Nothing glamourous, but as I go to bed in the evening between fresh clean sheets, I feel great ; my mind is uncluttered.
That is a basic of any nationality.
@SIERRATREES, this is what I call living a life of LUXURY!
Absolutely! The key word is SLOWLY. Rushing just adds to the stress. Even the most awful chores if done slowly can be much less stressful.
"In my local" 😂 Not "my local coffee shop," just "my local." Slang is getting sooo weird. As long as you feel trendy, I'll support it I guess.
How lovely.
I lived and worked in Germany for a while and developed nervous exhaustion. To relieve the symptoms - anxiety, fatigue, depression, sleeplessness - I used to visit Dutch friends just over the border and realised that life was much more than just work.
Live and work in the Netherlands instead. I wonder whether the Dutch are less anal-retentive than the Germans due to their being located right on the coast and having the major seaports of continental Europe to make money for them.
Agree. We live in Netherlands just 1.5 km from Germany. Love visiting Düsseldorf but very happy to live like the Dutch in Netherlands!
I have had two German friends who are completly driven. I observe this and wonder what the deal is.
As a German wie have dine as the Dutch do, its called 'es sich gemütlich machen' , (weekends and Sundays) (Danes say: Hygge, to it) in the Middle of the day, doing NOTHING produktive, meeting maybe with friends and enjoying , having Coffee and cake, taking a walk, which a tradition to do. Having a breakfast in bed and reading, dreaming, loving a lovely day for what it is, a Beautiful day or time in live. Golng to the Beach or whatsoever makes your day a really good one and helps xou to DISconnect from daily stresses and worries. And the other beautful thing we gave snd used to gave in Germany are the Saturdays businesses closed at 1.00 pm latest and were closed until Monday mornings. That calmed down everything and opened the doors for Relaxation. That was usually life in Berlin on Weekends and holidays. And a good cup of coffee or Ice cream, beer or so do in between with someone nice for a good time and ' 'Gemütlichkeit' . It is a matter to make it a Tradition to have it. Teach it to your children, put the mobiles aside and be positively activ in a very lazy relaxing way.
I worked for a Dutch company for a while and got burned out.
There are happier places like Greece, Italy etc.. where there is more life, Sun, fun in every day and not only on a weekend
My mother immigrated to North America from the Netherlands with her family. Growing up, my Oma and Opa lived right next door. I went with my mom every Saturday at 11 for coffee, and 4pm for tea. Every Sunday evening we ate at their house for dinner. I learned SO MUCH about my family and myself after watching this. 😮😅😂😊 Thank you. ❤
Ben ook in Nederland geboren maar woon hier in Canada al 70 jaar als een 71 jong vent. Heb wat Nederlands leren lezen en ook schrijven.
Wonderful, my oma is now 100 from the Netherlands. Of course there is always time for tea…
Sunday is my Nikse day. I’ve carefully trained everyone I know to leave me alone on that day, and not contact me unless the world is ending (or maybe even if it is). It’s amazing. 😁❤👍☕
@thepainteduniverse3648 brilliant.
Oh I hope it's not Sunday...
Have a beautiful Nikse day!
Best thing!!!
😂 and if it's ending... a call won't help, right? I send you Hugs(it's not Sunday) Kate
Hugs are welcome any day!! 🤗❤️
Love this! I hate it when other people find out you have nothing going on and try to get you to do something (as if it's a crime to just "be" and do nothing for a change). I love being and American, but this is something I wish wasn't ingrained in our culture.
I had my relaxation day today. I put on some soft jazz music, opened the window wide to let the breeze blow over me, I sat sipping my herbal tea and just listened to the birds singing outside my window. It was so relaxing I fell asleep! 😄
That sounds so lovely...
What really relaxes people who relax like yourself, is that your doing it the way one would do it. Not to much distance between how one does such things and how you are doing them. Your not relaxed you are tranquillised by being disburdened of the need to really choose how to relax.
Wow! Just your description alone was so beautifully relaxing.
@@MtmonaghanComplicated! Could you please simplify?
Anyone can do this at home, in the country they live in. That relaxation is wonderful until it is ruined by the group of tourists who have rented the nearest AIRBNB.
What a gentle nudge of a video ~ thank you from BC, Canada. I, too, and studying Japanese and will incorporate Live XP and niksen today! In the 1980s, My Mother was in the Netherlands on a European bus tour and stopped at a small bakery where she was the 4th person in line. Mom asked a question, and the lady in front of her inquired where she was visiting from. When Mom said, "Canada", all the Dutch people in the line ahead of her moved to the side and insisted Mom step right up to the counter, earnestly thanking her for the service of the Canadian military who'd helped during the war. Mom was not permitted to pay for her purchase. This story of kindness brings a tear to my 63 year old eye, every time I think of it, and that impression of Dutch people never leaves my heart. I'd like to thank them, all these years later...
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On Sunday mornings I volunteer at an animal rescue. Honestly I'd rather be home but once there it's all about them. I get out of myself and feel like I'm living out and being true to my values. Then I go home and hang out with my 5 cats and 2 dogs. That is my bliss.
❤
I am German and I also think that life is better in the Netherlands.
Sounds perfect!!
THANK YOU .... for animal lovers, the only folks who would ever volunteer to do that, it can be very psychologically and emotionally demanding so I really really appreciate you doing that for the animals. ♥️
😊😁 yay...sounds fun... animals are the best 🐕🐶😻😺🐇🐷🐰🐭🐺🐨🐐🐑🐦🐿️🕊️🦀🐞🐝🕷️🐧
Gosh, the internet is like having friends! Thank you for being lovely!
My grandmother lived like a Dutch woman, even though she smoked like a chimney and she was obese. She lived to 103. She never had cancer, diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, nothing. But she was totally calm and laid back. It was her personality. You either have it or you don't.
An advert for her language classes 😂
Doctors always say that obesity causes different health problems, especially smoking.
We can train our mind to do better, and people change when they choose to change.
she must have been awesome!
great to hear😊🎉
I'm 72 year old female and have lived in Los Angeles California since I was in second grade. I have been Niksening my whole life!!! Thank you for your video explaining me to me!!! ❤😊
Hello joy
Same here😊
65 yo female American meditator and enjoy and love this lifestyle! Thanks for letting me know your entire culture does this too. Much healthier!❤
Hanging out with my cats brings me joy
Give them a pet from me! 💕
@@SimpleHappyZen I hope you will adopt one or two cats for yourself and your boyfriend
Absolutely...my cat or dogs keep me grounded and calmer.
Same….😊
Animals are the best for snuggling with. Give your kitties a kiss from Gwen in western Washington (state).
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This is desperately needed in America. Always in a rush, never enough to time to spend with friends and family. The Dutch are definitely getting it right!
I’m in the US and practice Niksen almost every weekend. Sadly though the US mindset is to always be busy, most people will think you’re either boring or lazy if you say you did nothing or just relaxed all weekend.
The more I mature, the less I care about what others think. I have come to realize the opinion that matters the most in life is mine ♥️! I am happy for you that you relax on weekends!
I agree, I need my slow time. Most of my life is slow and lovely. I try not to be worried about what others think of me. I am becoming quite good at it.
Agreed. The economic system cultivates this sensibility and surveillance.
It’s because the US was founded by quakers for whom sitting idle was basically like allowing the devil into yourself. That mindset stuck I guess. The Dutch are not very religious I noticed when I went there
Your comment made me laugh loudly! . Yes, they do say that, but of course, their head down, scrolling, and meddling in other people's social media life is so not boring or lazy 😂😂😂 Hugs Kate
Dutch DIRECT: "We don't say 'yes' or 'maybe', when we mean 'no'. There is much we cannot and will not do. But honesty is not a weakness, it's a strength. " - FEADSHIP Hoofddorp HQ
Honesty is always a strength. It promotes trust between people.
@@denisemarino3021 Honesty uncluttered relationships between people.
Yes to Direct Answer, in good way..
"There's is much we cannot and will not do." Like what? Can you give some examples? Just trying to learn more.
I love this so much. Ambiguity is my pet peeve. Tell me no. Please. Maybe is the worst.
Crocheting on the balcony with tea is my favourite
I do the same! Even in the Fall when it is chilly. I bundle up in a wool shawl, hat, and fingerless gloves with coffee in a thermal cup and my yarn. If I'm crocheting something large, it covers my legs and keeps me warm. If not, I wear wool Sox and knee warmers...all things I made. The activity calms me and keeps me focused.
Gezellig reminds me a little bit of the old fashioned, pre internet, businesses closing down for the day, sunday dinner vibe
Oh man, before internet sunday dinner vibe was every day. Nowadays business actually never close
@@Spungebobonicerocks That's exactly right. The phone makes people accessible to business 24-7.
I was so grateful when you briefly mentioned "niksen" in a previous video. I'm someone who rests a lot at home during the weekends (l'm an HSP) and I always felt bad when people asked me on Monday morning what I did during my weekend. After you introduced "niksen" I started to say that, at least in my head, and "I just rested" at loud, but it helped me so much to know that "doing nothing" was also a real activity somewhere else in the world, that the word existed and I could say it too!
I'm so glad you developed the concept more here today! Thank you! 💛
Ah I love that! Sometimes it helps to have a word for something :) Definitely okay to take time to rest during the weekends, it's so important! :)
I got tired of people asking me what I did on the weekend so resorted to saying “nothing exciting.”
People in the USA would typically say they "just chilled" on the weekend😄
HSP tip. Listening to podcasts is great way of ‘niksen’
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My grandfather was Dutch and came to San Francisco around 1904 as a child with his family. He became a carpenter, along with all his brothers, and worked on the WWII Liberty ships in Oakland. Eventually he became a building contractor and built many churches and schools here in the Bay Area. My Mom, his daughter, loved Dutch culture and I share that love. Thanks for your video.❤
i lived in NL for several years. Some of the best experiences in my life, in the 80s.
The English too. My uncle (Indian) was with the RAF and passed in England due to reconstructive surgery that wasn't successful. His grave is marked and tender to by the parish and every year flowers are placed. I didn't even know where he was buried (living as I was in India) but through rellies who were in the Indian Armed Forces we were able to trace the grace about a year ago. We put a headstone saying "Gone but not forgotten" ...he was a swashbuckler. A bit of a wild child ...but very protective of his sisters...my mum was one of his his 3 little sisters
Me too
@@jenmorricone4014 Me too, living in the Netherlands in the first half of the seventies. That was such a great time, before most of the rest of the world discovered Amsterdam. There were wonderful classical concerts, ballet, cafes to meet friends at, the best sandy beaches to relax at, old towns and villages, etc, etc. I often wish that I hadn't returned to the UK, but I missed our hills, mountains and rocky coastlines, as well as speaking my own language when very tired. Now in my late seventies, I feel half Dutch, but so many things have changed there, and the pace of life is less relaxed.
I think my DNA is Dutch. As a hsp I do all these but the guilt and shame is strong in a society where productivity is an achievement. Glad to know im not alone 💜
What is an hsp?
@@typower9 highly sensitive person
Couldn't have said it better, my thoughts exactly.....A Canadian HSP who uses knitting and walking as a tranquilizer🧶🌲
I feel the same way
The first time I went to Holland I actually cried when I was taking off
I feel more at home in holland than in my own country ( Poland)
I feel you ❤
When my husband and I worked, we set aside every Friday night to order some food, turn on music, and we'd dance for hours. ❤
Sweet.
Great❤
@@Clutching.My.Pearls that’s so cool
I love this idea😊
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As a cancer survivor I even more realize the importance of Gezellig❤
I'm in active treatment for IDC breast cancer, and I totally agree!
This was one of my realizations during and after treatment for breast cancer. It feels very much against the norm that we have in America - Now I celebrate small moments of life, slow down, and make the ordinary special.
Finished treatment the beginning of 24. All this is important and beneficial. Hugs to all BC surviving and survivors.
I think I may have been Dutch in another life LOL. I have been doing most of these for almost 30 years; I had a health scare 28 years ago and learned very quickly that work-life balance is very important and working efficiantly, so I can have a calm work day, is key. Clocking off work and returning to my "real life" is my goal everyday. My hobbies are reading, cooking, and i recently took up gardening (allthough I'm not very good at it) When we moved to our house, we now have a yard for the first time and we inmediantly got hammocks for lounging under the trees. 🥰
Such a beautiful way of living, All the habits are around the fact that the most important thing is to enjoy your life. Thank you so much for this video! ❤
So glad you enjoyed it, thanks for being here and have a wonderful day!
I have to say I actually like how the Dutch are direct. Not in a rude way but I like their honest communication style.
Yes, it’s not arrogance, but we prefer honesty above hypocrisy. Love niksen.
Seeing someone talking about happiness and doing nothing these days in this world feels weird.
@@IM02424 I would rather directness than fakeness, at least you know where you stand with them. Or better yet honesty with tact would be ideal imo.
@@annia2960 Honesty is great. But you idealize Dutch "honesty", love.
@@alexeykulikov2739 The slaves did enough for the Dutch!
Gezellig: NO screens allowed! Yes! Thank you! I wish the American culture would adopt gezellig! ❤
Die Geselligkeit kennt keine Zeit aber wohin ging unsre Zeit ?
My father was Dutch
He lived to be over 90
He lived by the principles in this video
First generation Canadian here, a son of Dutch immigrants who left the Netherlands for Canada after the devastation of WW2. Thank you for an enjoyable video that reminds me of my ethnic heritage.
What an absolutely beautiful video. This is one of the many reasons why I love RUclips. Thank you for sharing. I feel like I've naturally got a bit of the Dutchie in me.
I love learning about Niksen. I call it “pajama day” when I get to do it!
That's how a lot of dutchies call it too. Pyama day is a niksen day without even get dressed 😊.
My Father stayed with a Dutch Family during WW2 and loved them .I was never able to find them but. Always have a soft spot in my heart for the Dutch . He said they moved to New Zealand after the war .🇨🇦
My father's family from Arnhem hid a Jewish family for the duration of WW2. He his sister moved to New Zealand in about 1950.
3zr@@Williamottelucass5sazhzzxfzgc 😅ďcx the best xrF
@@Williamottelucas their name was Christiansen as far as I know .
@@lindaanderson279 As a Dutchy, "Christiansen" sounds a bit Scandinavian to me.
Maybe it is spelled "Christiaanse", which is an actual Dutch surname. I hope this helps you with your search.
@@Rubber_Ring Thanks !
I love your definition of Niksen. I now have a name for my favorite part of life (thanks from the USA 🇺🇸 ❤) Gotta go and daydream now ☺️ I love all your “Dutchie” moments for peace. We have a saying that wind “blows away the cobwebs” and clears your mind. Much love to you Vera, it’s always lovely to spend time with you ❤
I love it! 🤗🥰
What part of the USA are you from? Also USA here- Midwest 😅
@@cassieAre Northeast
I'm a first generation Australian and both my parents are Dutch. This video explained so much to me about my parents and even myself. Thank you.
"How do you do Nothing," asked Pooh after he had wondered for a long time.
"Well, it's when people call out at you just as you're going off to do it, 'What are you going to do, Christopher Robin?' and you say, 'Oh, Nothing,' and then you go and do it."
Wonderful. Thanks
💙💙💙
Wonderful quote
My Mom the English Teacher, born in 1923, read Winnie The Pooh, taught me the wonder of Pooh.
@@galloping3265 My mother, born in 1925, who could have been an English teacher, read Pooh to me and my sisters.
Im recently 'retired'. Im enjoying life so much -- perfecting the Art of Leisure! ❤️
Do NOT ever let anyone make you feel guilty for doing for you, first. Enjoy every day! 🙏🏻❤
You should visit Kenya, Africa!
As a dutchie myself it was really nice to think about our culture. I never realised how typical dutch these things are and the fact that gezellig is so hard to describe was mindblowing. Hihi thanks for showing me our own culture ❤
Ah you're so welcome, happy you enjoyed it!! :)
Ik ben een geboren Amsterdammer, en I live in Americas since I was 9, I still speak Dutch at 80 years of age. I learned English in 6 weeks, I stidied Latin for a year and its role in all languages. Next came German, and travelling led to Spanish. Gezellig roots are a joining of souls and for me, even now, I try hard to keep gezellighijd a priority in my household.
Thank you Vera! And yet again an inspiring and cheering up video. - I understood most of the Dutch words you used there, as I am from Germany and in fact grew up in a town 30km away from the Dutch border. - My father took up learning Dutch since a few years before his retirement to make a gesture of appreciation to all the the Dutchies we met on our day trips and holidays in the Netherlands who spoke perfect German to us.
Your description of "Niksen" made me chuckle as it reminded me of a conversation I had had with my daughter. She is eleven years old and was totally confused how much I enjoyed sipping a cup of coffee on our terrace and just watching the laundry dry in the wind. She asked me, if I was done yet, and I told her, "This is nothing I need to get done. Watching the laundry dry in the sunshiny wind is one of my favourtite hobbies." She opened her mouth to verbalise her perplexion, but let it be, as I had contentedly closed my eyes on her and the outside world.
So, yes, sunshine, wind and watching someone else "work", while you just do nothing in particular, is definitely an awesome weekend hobby.
Aw I love that!! 🥰💕🍵
My heritage is Scottish and if you want to lay around in bed past when it’s time you’re supposed to get up it’s called to hurkle -durkle! 😉.
I am trying to focus on times to do nothing because I just seem like life is past me by and I’m just existing. I want to Live my life with passion and contentment.
Thank you for what you do!
Hello mary
It’s ok to be alone with your thoughts.
I thought it was super cute when you demonstrated how Dutch people will sit out in the sun when it’s nice. After watching this video, I really want to visit the Netherlands!
tbh people in all countries in Europe do that, it's nothing specific to the Netherlands
I lived in England and in Wales for several years. While in England we had a blizzard that kept everyone inside for 2 weeks. But at the first peep of the sun, we walked down to the gardens overlooking the Thames, and we sat there , just like that.... just sitting with our faces to the sun, savoring the warmth. The worst winter was in Wales ! One year we only had 2 weeks of Summer, literally. I sat in my conservatory with a warm cap, jacket, and blankets around me. ! I'm from the US, and now live here again; and would LOVE to feel some of that cool,, cold air on my face ! Summers in the "Deep South" of the US are miserable ! The near 100 degrees temps with humidity of 89% make you feel like you're walking around outside with a heavy, wet wool coat on. ! And Summers here last for around 7 months. ;-( ugh
@@mp-ch2ws When you enjoyed the sunshine in the gardens overlooking the Thames, were you by any chance living in Richmond?
@@judithmaca1570 Hi Judith ! No, no... not in that Postcode. lol Down in Westcliff-on-Sea.
Oh my goodness, You basically just described me in so many ways! From Pennsylvania, US and have dutchy root. It feels so comforting to hear you say all of these things. My heart's desire is more of this for our culture and society here. I'll be sharing some of your videos soon, thank you, thank you. You've inspired me to want to learn Dutch!
The Netherlands sounds like heaven compared to England 😭😭😭
I actually bought a Dutch phrasebook because your channel really makes me want to visit/live in The Netherlands one day.
England is a beautiful country.
The UK is a nice place to live and visit. Everyone is always so nice to me whenever I am in England, and the relaxing afternoon teas are delicious and quite an experience.
All these things Vera talks about depend on the lifestyle you make for yourself, not the country you live in. I live in the UK and i have never subscribed to the rat race. Life is for enjoying daily.
Hi, I do all the things you discussed in the video. You are describing Mediterranean lifestyle but with dutch names. I am from Malta and I have been to the Netherlands many times.
@@siany123the mentality of your surroundings do strongly affect how you live your life though :)
On the West Coast, we call niksen "spacing out", let your thoughts and feelings and memories flow unconstructively, like little white clouds floating across across a big blue sky, you'll be surprised how many great ideas appear when the closed categories are cleared out of the way.
Thank you for this video, I'm used to doing so much productive things every time I'm home, I work a lot and get home and work more, I had an emergency surgery 3 days ago, I can't do anything, I'm having such a hard time on myself, need to learn the art of doing nothing without feeling guilty
It can happen! Be gentle with yourself .
Not Dutch but do this frequently. We used to have few to no stores or businesses open on Sunday's, everyone had a day of rest to use as they wished, church, beach, hang out at home, and so forth. Then this changed and now everything runs 24/7. I miss that quiet break in the week, the world where I lived was at Peace.
I remember ❤
Fellow Dutchie here!😊 ahhh I love this video! Living in the USA now, seeing this makes me miss our culture and country 🥹 thankyou for making this video, love it!❤
OMG! I just realized I need to move to The Netherlands!
Same
That was the first thought that struck me too! 🍻
If you can do it - great.
Me too
Let me know how you manage that. I don’t think they will be willing to let us all in tho.
I am Dutch, Irish, and English American, I want to go to Netherlands, All of what you said resonated with me.
You should google DAFT visa, it's easy to come here for US citizens.
I told my boss at work I learned.
“The Dutch Art of Doing Nothing”
He said great.
“From now on you can practice it at home indefinitely”
Hahaha- good one!
😂😂😂😂
😂😂
Books 📚📖 Cats 😻😽😹 Coffee ☕ and Crosswords ♥️♥️ I didn't know I have been practicing Niksen for years ‼️ That's my sacred time of the day ✨✨ Thank you for your beautiful video my loveliest ♥️♥️🥰🥰 Have a lovely week ahead 🩷🌸🌷
I am Brazilian and lived 14 months in Leeuwarden (2019-2020)
. I loved the Dutch way of living and I learned a lot with you Dutch. Thanks for your insightful video.
The habit I like the most is savoring a cup of coffee or tea in a bakery with a friend!
Me too 😃
Same here. If ever I am asked if I want to grab lunch with someone on a workday my internal knee-jerk reaction is, "Why would I do that when I only have one hour??" lol
Netherlands is noticeably super chill. I love the vibe out there
All the photos, videos, etc. that accompanied your video brought back pleasant reminders of my first (and so far only) stop in Amsterdam with my wife about three years ago. We were there for four days and enjoyed every minute. Like all visitors, especially those of us who live in America, we had to quickly learn how to stay out of the way of bicycles. It only took a few near misses to figure out what we had to do and what to not do. We sometimes had trouble finding our way around because Amsterdam street names often appear on the sides of buildings instead of being on a separate sign. The maps on our phones was usually sufficient but we sometimes had to ask for directions. I was initially reluctant to do so, but everyone was very understanding and the directions were usually simple and direct. Instead of saying to turn left or right at a certain street, we were usually told something like, “… stay on this street, go over the next two bridges, and turn left.” We had a great time and look forward to coming again. I look forward to watching your other videos. Thank you.
I lived 11 years in The Netherlands and loved the Dutch art of “gezellig” - although I no longer live in Holland and try to create my own “gezellighed” I really miss the feeling of “gezellig” that is present in everyday Dutch life. Thank you for sharing all things Dutch and reminding me of all the gezellig times I had living in Holland
Growing up in Belgium, we would always notice a lot of the Dutch people who would come to Belgium on Sundays.
They would enjoy going to the Sunday market, the zoo, café, restaurant, museums, and other public places.
In Italian they say "La dolce far niente" meaning, how sweet it is to do nothing.
Hi, this is so true ! It's "la dolce vita" sweet life and "il dolce far' niente " sweet doing nothing . cari saluti 😊
Yes, sundays in The Netherlands were awful in the 70ties and 80ties. Everything was closed. Nothing to do and nobody to see. I was always a bit jealous at België people...
Amazing! I was born in Düsseldorf, Germany and my grandfather was Dutch (he died before I was born) and seriously, I found out through this video how much Dutch I am. I love Niksen, I am also direct when communicating, I love socializing as the Dutch do and I am also more interested in people personally than in what they do for work. I guess there are a lot of soft skills transported in genes that one would think! Thank god for that! ❤ and thank you very much for making this video so nicely! It made my day! 😍🥰
I aim to become President Niksen.
This deserves more likes
Brilliant!!!!!
Ich auch Präsidentin von gar Nixon!!! 😁
Guess somebody had to say it, lol
Great!! I’ll be your VP!!! I was born for this!!🥰
🤟
We visited the Netherlands last summer for our first trip to Europe. We stayed in an apartment outside the city center in Amsterdam, away from the tourists. For 8 days we got to live like the Dutch- going to the markets for our meals to cook at the apartment, using mass transit and bikes to get around. We saw a few villages and Delft. It was a wonderful experience I will never forget, very different from my life in Texas. The Dutch have it all figured out. I'd live there if I could.
This 100% makes me want to visit the Netherlands, which was never on my wish list! The culture sounds more in alignment with my mindset than the culture I'm in. 😢 Thanks for posting this video. Gave me a weird "hope," for lack of a better word.
Thank you, glad you enjoyed the video! I hope you get to visit the Netherlands some day :) Wishing you a lovely day
Something that surprised me is that Dutch people will do the inviting and provide the cake for their own birthday! They don't wait for someone else to know it is their birthday or organize a party or a cake.
It's the same in Switzerland and Germany as well. The birthday person provides the treats to everyone at work, for example.
@@LisaCulton The first time someone invited me to their BDay, I thought they were lonely and hinting for me to make them a cake. When I offered, they were insulted that I didn't believe that they could make a good one!
In the UK you bring your own cake to work, but normally in a family setting someone else would get you a cake.
I lived in Amsterdam for seven years, and some of the things you mentioned on your video are the things I appreciated about the Dutch culture, such as niksen and gezellig. :)
I ❤ Niksen, Gazelling and as a whole it seems like Dutch culture is closer to my ideal life than my own. So healthy, focusing on what is really important.
I love going to the beach with the wind blowing. It makes me feel alive with the wind touching my face. I live in the USA worried about this country... and my brother always wanted to move to the Netherlands...Amsterdam. He absolutely loved it there. I believe I'd love it too. ❤
Gezellig! I strive for this in my home, and hearing that my home is cozy and welcoming is the biggest compliment.
❤❤❤
Love the concept of niksen. I am perfectly fine not having plans and enjoying quiet time at home. My favorite is having the house to myself and taking the time to do some organizing or deep cleaning with an audio book in the background, and spending time with my dog. Then napping.
Thank you, in the UK we use the word nix, means nothing, for example, “what are you doing” they answer “nix” thank you for a great video, sometimes I feel guilty after a long week then spending a Day doing nothing, now I have a word for it “Niksen” and I’m now going to embrace it.🙏💚☘️
Zo leuk om Nederland op deze manier door de ogen van een ander te bekijken en ik vond het heel herkenbaar. Ben benieuwd naar je volgende video.
I am a 58 yo female living on the coast of GA (USA). I was born and raised here. I am of Northern European/Scandanavian decent. I just watched this and realized that I already practice these Dutch habits. It was like you were describing my tribe of peeps.. thank you!
I live in Alabama, about 100 miles from the Gulf Coast, and as I was listening to Vera talk (wonderfully!) about the Dutch lifestyle, it occurred to me that people here in the South live a much similar life -- we like to slow down. Of course, there are the cities with all of the craziness of speeding cars, noise, crowds, etc. But I live in a very rural area where I can walk outside in my pajamas if I want to. Lol I hate the noise , the crowds, all of "city life", so I only go to Birmingham when I have to. I grew up in Birmingham, but back then it was really a slow town.
As a fellow Dutchie I totally agree with this video! Uitwaaien on the beach is one of my favorite things to do and yes everything needs to be gezellig!
Nice to hear you agreed with these points! :) Have a nice weekend!
I’m a Portuguese leaving in The Netherlands for a while now. You list the biggest reasons why I chose to live here. Even the Dutch directness. No where is perfect but at least in the foreseeable time all of these are the best for me. 💙
I call it “ me time “ when I can lay low and do nothing !
Love it ! ! !
Thank you , Vera
😊👋
The hobby I' ve just raken up is watching your videos. I' m learning English and I love the way you're speaking.
Hi Vera, I am a Japanese but I live in Australia.
I learn English from your channel.
Also, your topics are interesting.
I am looking forward to watching your next video!!
Thanks
Thank you so much, glad you enjoy my videos! :) Have a wonderful day!
I listen to RUclips videos every day. Thank you for this extra special video. IT IS MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE VIDEO EVER. E.V.E.R. !!!!! So inspiring. Making me think of all the simple things to do and special ways to enhance life ..... while making friends and myself feel better and better and better!
Lovely ideas Vera. Wouldn't it be great if we could take the best from each country's culture 😊
Hello. This is your first video I’ve seen, thank you for sharing the details of your culture.
I would fit in with many of your habits and way of life.
I’m in the US and I’ve worked very hard most of my life with little thought to these ideas until I became 100% physically disabled. I was no longer able to work and the adjustment was very difficult. Even now, many years later I still struggle with feeling that I should be productive. I love that you don’t ask about a person’s work or career right off after meeting them. That was the biggest adjustment for me. Whenever I meet someone new very first question they ask is what do you do? I laugh now and say what do you mean? I do lots of things.
Thank you again for such a lovely video ❤
Lovely, thank you!!! I love the concept of query about others' interests as opposed to their making money career!!! I decided when I was younger, to earn, save, and retire from the business world so that I could engage in niksen as a full-time lifestyle. Therefore, I really appreciate this concept, where one makes one's true life, one's true practice!!! So, my husband and I bought our home early (lived here for 49 years. We live in the Northern hemisphere of USA, Colorado, so, 9 months of winter, basically. When Spring arrives, gardening in our Japanese-inspired garden takes priority for three months, enjoying the early morning cool beauty. Come late August, I drape the garden beds with black tarps to catch all of the trash from the trees that surround our property, lifting them in spring, saving much labor. Of course, that is our favorite "hobby". Wintertime is the respite from the Spring-Fall toil in the large landscape, it feels so, good!!! Winter of course is the time for all to go within, and my winter niksen is walking indoors every a.m., spiritual studies and meditations 3 a.m. to 5 a.m., catching up on the world through RUclips, and of course preparing nutritious meals throughout the year at home. We do not go to restaurants for any reason. Since we both have worked with many, many people in our early careers, we enjoy and life of Zen!!!!
When my husband was in his teens in the late 30's he skated the Zeeder Zee (sorry if not spelled correctly) with Dutch exchange students. I remember he said they would freeze reeds in the ice to mark the route. He was always so proud of that memory.
I live in the Netherlands as an expat, never heard of Niksen yet but could relate to so much in this video. Really love the culture and especially the directness, no going around in polite circles :D And yes, the Netherlands definitely teaches you to appreciate the nice sunny days!
That's lovely :) Good to hear you're not shocked by our directness haha :) Hopefully we'll have some actual sunny days soon...
From the Philippines. I love niksen. A new word for me that takes the guilt of doing nothing.
I’m half Dutch living in Canada and practice Niksen daily. I didn’t know it was a Dutch thing😊. I’m also practicing Dutch on Duolingo and a tiny bit of Japanese:)
Your video helped explain so much of my outer Dutchie ( great great grand parents Dutch) . The second the sun is out I need to be out, windy days are truly fun to walk and ride in! Thanks for explaining the Dutch words and all of the language information you shared.
I'm 25% Dutch and the more I learn about Dutch culture, the more I wish I lived in Holland.
as someone who lived in NL fo a bit, it was awful. Lot of the things we hear is just a propaganda.
The Netherlands is an amazing place to live! I do miss my homeland
Having lived in several different countries, I say GO FOR IT! The people are amazing and the culture is wonderful.
Come on over and joint he good life
@@easygii I lived in Holland for 2 years and did not want to return to the USA, loved it there.
Living in Germany right at the border to NL and I love these tips from your culture which are acutally new to me. 🥰 Niksen is so nice, I will implement that in my vocabulary and my weekend plans.
In general, whenever I go to a dutch city, I feel like the people are so open, friendly and seem so happy with their lifes... I really love that. ❤
Hello. I am from America but genetically I am 1/4 Belgian Dutch. I think this aspect of my dna must be strong because I naturally lean towards everything you just taught me. I have always felt out of place in such a rushed culture. Now I just know my genes are pushing me to embrace my dutchie-ness! Thank you for making me feel more at home with myself. ❤
I Gezellig every time I watch your video. It’s like listening to friend which makes the day better! Thanks for all you do!
This was such a great breath of air. I’m Dutch (geboren en getogen) but now live in Canada 🇨🇦. I forget my roots sometimes.
I love this… my son’s girlfriend is Dutch and I adore her, it’s so nice to learn about her culture, I love it too!
Another nice Dutch habit: eating early family meals! Most people with kids eat family style dinner at 6pm. This is very different in many countries where the kids and parents dont eat their meal together. Its good for kids to learn to eat, its gezellig and I believe its good for digestion to have a longer period over the evening/night where you dont eat.
According to your description I live a “Dutch” life and attitude. I’d really fit in there. I understand I have Dutch blood but never explored this part of my heritage. GREAT VIDEO!
My boyfriend is Dutch & I live in Germany so multiple times a week I’m in the Netherlands & I love the country, the culture & the people so much. I love learning more about the Dutch culture. Thank you so much for this video❤
So nice to hear you enjoyed the video and find it nice here when visiting! :)
I am not Dutch but many of these things matter a lot to me. In particular, loving windy weather and being out in the wind. I have always loved it, it makes me feel very calm, free, peaceful and at ease, as if everything is being put back into its proper perspective.
Oh I love this video ♥ My husband and I live in Germany about 40 minutes from the Netherlands. At least two times a month we come over to enjoy a day in a country, that is SO unlike ours (apart from being direct, that is SO us, too) :) As soon as we enter the Netherlands, our mood changes, our stress levels go down and we don´t rush through the day as we normlly do (we could definitely use more niksen, I think... ;) ). I don´t know what it is, but it certainly happens every single time! Next step is learning Dutch together, as we hope to live in the Netherlands some day! My favourite part of this video ist the Gezelligheid, which I will try to focus on more from now on :) Thank you for your inspirational videos, please keep on making them ♥
Dag! I lived in Nederland from 1992-94 with the USAF, Soesterberg. I loved it there and the relaxed lifestyle. I’m so happy I found your channel! It brings back nice memories and I can hopefully learn to relax again now that I’m retired from the work life! Thanks!
I love this video! Even though I am 100% Dutch my ancestors came to USA so this country and culture is really all I’ve known... that said, whenever I’ve had the chance to visit the Netherlands, I’ve felt more at home than ever. I’ve been trying to connect to my inner Dutch-ness so it’s curious? that this video popped up! Thank you dear!!💖✌️🌷
I am surprized upon realizing i have a natural dutchy mindset and attitude omg! I am from philippines and i naturally do all this stuff most of the time 🥰
As a Dutchie I love all of our typical behaviors but I really love the niksen on Sunday. I roll out of bed onto the couch and enjoy my day in pajamas with a book and some snacks. And I really appreciate the directness of us as well. Just glad to be Dutch and living in the Netherlands, I would not want to live anywhere else.
You can live this lifestyle anywhere in the world...Just do it...
@@wittesneeuw No you can’t live anywhere as we live in the Netherlands. Our freedom, social security, cultural behaviors are specifically something for the Netherlands, I never found that somewhere else. I love my life here and I just live the way I want to live.
Apart from Sydney, Australia - Amsterdam is my No 1 City.