Even for the Dutch , the transit strikes are regarded as excessive this year 😅 As a pharmacy tech, a saying here is, a cold without medication lasts a week, and with medication 7 days. I thought the fireworks this year was less than normally
Yeah, let your body just fight the infection without guzzling lots of unnecessary chemicals. Just drink plenty of fluids, stay warm and maybe a few vitamin supplements. ^^
Yup, a cold or flue just boosts your immune system. But as my GP used to say 'If you don't get rid of it yourself in 2 weeks, you won't get rid of it yourself'. Meaning he'd give you a prescription. From personal experience : don't fight a cold or flue, just let it run it's course, or else it will get worse and take longer,
I'm a bit late but thought I'd add to these good comments here because I've had similar talks with my doctor, who said penicilline is prescribed too much in the States, so much so that it eventually weakens its effect which is why it's not given out easily here...not even when I had a case of strep-throat. Building up your immune system is one of the healthiest things you can do, even though colds and flu are annoying, especially if you have to cancel work because of being so sick. Prevention is best, though, and you can take zinc, Vit C and D3 on a regular basis as well as having a good diet and doing regular exercise. It was interesting too that when we had to wear masks there were fewer cold and flu viruses going around, but when we did get sick we were knocked out more, it seemed, than usual.
Striking when you are being treated like shit for years, when your profession involves getting up at 5am for morning shifts, as well as night shifts, while getting paid barely above minimum wage and being regularly exposed to physical violence from drunk people and football hooligans, is not excessive. And I can say that as someone with a very well paying cushy office job who travels to work by train out of choice. Even after they got a raise theyre still being underpaid for what they do for our country and the risk it involves.
@@aislingbooks I didnt have the flu for 3 years during covid thanks to the preventative measures. Did get covid three times, but the statistics on flu dropping so much is enough proof that masks and hand washing and a bit of distancing actually worked. I got the flu for the first time again this winter and I was out for a full week. So yeah your immune system does forget and the viruses do keep mutating even if I dont get them.
Lol, "I was really really sick"... "having a cold". Women in the Netherlands call that the "man-flu"; when you only have a cold and behave as if you are recovering from a battlefield ;-). Not to say that a good & heavy cold can feel really bad, I know I hate it, with your head filled with everything, some fever maybe and your throat like sandingpaper. But you concluded right, we see it as "only a cold". And there is (as they say to us) no medication for a normal cold-virus, so you just have to wait for it to end. With some help of "easing" from honey for the throat and the paracetamol for hte headache. As the saying goes "With medication (the easing that is) a cold takes a week, without medication it takes 7 days".
Also: the symptoms suppressing medication they use in the US makes it more difficult for your body to learn the right anti viral response. And leaves you more vulnerable to catch a virus from the same string again. So getting through the flu and coldness in full makes you healthier for the longer term.
@@jsb7975 correct, but it are none real medicine, almost all pain killers, and then the so called not opioids, so less chance to addiction. And a lot to make the suffering less, like nose spray or cough sirope with codaine in it. For the rest you need a prescription and get that from a doctor or medical specialist.
Folks, Americans aren’t taking narcotics for a cold or flu. Cold and flu meds in the US are just things to help with the symptoms such as pain relief, fever reduction, cough and runny nose suppressants etc. Basically just non-prescription stuff to help make the symptoms more tolerable so we can keep going to work. American workers typically don’t get to sit home because they feel sick.
As ive seen others mention, the frequency of the strikes is pretty high right now because of inflation. It's usually not this bad and thats coming from a 32 year old who still mostly uses public transport to get around. When it comes to being sick, I think the thoughtproces here is mostly that your body is equipped to deal with a lot of sicknesses/ailments on its own. They give you a paracetamol or ibuprofen to reduce the most severe pain, but let your body do all the work. It can be uncomfortable, but if it gets to much you can always ask your huisarts for something stronger. You can also buy stuf to deal with a sore throat or runny nose at the drogist like kruidvat. Think nosesprays and coughsyrup/cough drops but nothing too strong. When it comes to fireworks and the mess it creates, I feel like this has also gotten way worse in recent years. It used to be the day of and a lil bit the day after to get rid of leftover fireworks, but nowadays its the weeks before and after new years. This year probably had to do with a looming fireworks ban, so people are trying to get it out of their system perhaps. As someone with pets, not the biggest fan. When it comes to the mess, i grew up in a smaller town and the days after new years everyone always came out with brooms and shovels and cleaned up their own mess. But in the city ive lived in for a few years now they just wait for the city to come clean it up, which took quite a bit longer this year compared to others for some reason. Nice to see your overall experience here is still pretty positive! I have a couple of friends from the US that I might have to show your videos to see if I can get them to move over! :)
Even when you go to a doctor, you might not get medicine. Foreigners are often confused by this, because at home they always get medication and go home satisfied. But in the Netherlands, you only get something when it’s really helping. Doctors are also very reluctant with prescribing antibiotica, since viruses are getting more and more immune to antibiotica. Also, if you think there are lot of strikes here, go live for some time in Belgium or France. It seems strikes are part of everyday live, there 😬
Antibiotics don’t cure viruses. They are meant for bacteria related diseases. It’s a common misunderstanding but one that end up making bacteria resistant to our antibiotics.
@@ramonschliszka6332 Ah, I thought it where viruses because flu and cold are caused by viruses. But indeed, bacteria getting more resistant makes more sense.
Anti-biotics don't work against viruses. At all. Only against bacterial infections. So in case of a flue or cold: paracetamol against fevers, and indeed honeykind of products to soften your throat. But that's about it.
The fact is that paracetamol works quite well against symptoms like headaches and overall malaise, but if that’s not enough than one could try ibuprofen. Or even Naproxen or diclifenac (in case of muscle pain for example). Against coughing there’s noscapine tablets. All is available OTC, so not sure what more you could wish for….
I think we in the Netherlands know that when your body is feeling sick, it tells you it needs time and rest. So we try and give it that. And not take medication and just keep working. There is nothing wrong with feeling under the weather. It's a part of life, especially in the Netherlands. And a lot of us also tend to take natural remedies over phamaceuticals. So indeed honey for a painful throat, water and salt for a stuffy nose, etc...
Most American workers don’t have the option of staying home every time they feel sick. They lose their jobs for calling out sick too much. Hence the need for meds which make the symptoms more tolerable to keep working. The meds are not addictive and not narcotics. They just things like acetaminophen to reduce pain and fever, and cough or runny nose suppressant. It’s not like we’re running around grabbing heavy drugs for the sniffles. That’s a very bad assumption. If the average American worker wouldn’t suffer negative consequences for calling out sick, they obviously would prefer to stay home instead of taking meds just to get through the day of work etc.
@@LinnLinnok-fe5tqI travel to the states frequently having two brothers who emigrated there. Quite frankly I always see medication in real large quantities sold over the counter, not always very safe medication. For instance I saw big tubes of a cortison zalf ( ~200 gr tubes) with a fairly high content of cortison. Here I get the same medication with the same % of cortison prescribed by my doctor, the tubes are no larger then 15 grams and they come with a warning to not apply longer then 3 days or else you will damage your skin permanently. It’s a known side effect that cortison makes your skin get thinner and more vulnerable. Also I saw heaps of medication containing antibiotics. That’s really not sensible at all. It’s no wonder so many Americans are addicted to pills, and combine medication in lethal cocktails. Not everybody has a understanding of pharmacy.
LOL. No there are NOT “heaps” of over the counter antibiotics. Those are not sold over the counter period, only prescription. Topical antibiotic cream is sold over the counter which is generally used in very small amounts for preventing infections in wounds or surgical incision sites. Cortisone is NOT sold over the counter period, only hydrocortisone (which is different) in topical form and the maximum allowed is 1% concentration. And no they are not “massive” tubes LOL. This also has nothing to do with what I’m saying. Again, I’m saying this silly notion that Americans are pill popping drug addicts is completely false, AND I’m saying that if we take more simple non-narcotic cold medicine than a bunch of privileged Europeans, it’s because most of us don’t get the luxury of sitting home just because we’re sick. Most still are REQUIRED to get to WORK. So making the symptoms more tolerable is NECESSARY to function. Consider your privilege with regards to being able to just take off work when sick, before getting on your high horse about Americans taking simple cold meds. Good grief. It’s interesting how some internet know it alls think they can school folks about our own country without actually knowing what they’re talking about.
@@LinnLinnok-fe5tq we use the word cortisones as a collective word for all corticosteroids here. Yes the hydro- is used in creams whilst the cortisone shots are used for pain relief and as a anti inflammatory in cases of chronic infections in joints and other body parts. I’ve had those too. But I’m not lying about the things I’ve seen in supermarkets ( in this case Cosco) that you will never see here. Ointments containing anti biotic sis such an example as are the creams containing the hydrocortisone. In the Netherlands those are only available at the pharmacy with a prescription. An other thing is you won’t find bottles with 500 pills or more of painkillers here, most you’ll find is 50 in one box, where the pills come in blisters. If you buy the biggest boxes, only available at drugstores, not in Supermarkets or grocery stores, when checking out you will be asked if you require any information on the medication. I think this is to bring more awareness to the public about using medication.
A great remedy for sore throat is Anta-flu sweets. Besides that, green tea with kurkuma (turmeric) and ginger works amazingly, and honey always helpsas well.
I love these kinds of videos, just to hear what for us is normal and for foreigners is quite weird XD The getting sick or ill and medication part i love about our little country. People almost rather die then see a doctor and accept medication. The flue or a bad cold is just shrugged off, it's mostly a week feeling uncomfortable and then we are build immunity and then mostly don't get sick for a year or longer. Medication is more seen here as a last resort, then a thing to grab if you are feeling something.
i too prefer to avoid the doctor and medication, but when you can't sleep for days because you're coughing all night, a cough suppressant would be nice :)
Traveling Ive gone to get over the counter stuff for illness. And yes, it’s not there. But I found that talking to the pharmacist THEY listen to symptoms and dispense it from behind the counter. They are not just ‘order takers’ from the doctor but have a more active role in dispensing medicine. AND…you can get from them antibiotics and diarrhea stop meds etc. that normally you can only get under doctors care. That’s a culture thing I think you might be missing.
The good thing about being ill/sick in the Netherlands is that you don't have to worry about your job. So if you body can self-heal why use "medicines"? It's good for the farmaceutical industry but bad for your body.
@@buncharted You can buy noscapine over the counter against coughing, but usually coughing has a function. So I'll buy noscapine to be able to sleep while I let my body handle the cold, but I won't take it during the day and if I am too miserable I will just go to my GP (which, in the Netherlands, is a totally free option)
@@MarjoleinNoyceBellingaMobiel ah, thank you - i'll look into that next time! i'm the exact same way. i only take it when i really need it (which is often at night) and let my body take care of it the rest of the time :)
The problem with fireworks trash is that parents don’t care anymore and don’t teach their children to clean the street in front of the house afterwards. We were taught to do so by our parents and at 3:00 in the night we were cleaning fireworks trash with broom, dustpan and trash can. I think that in villages on the countryside the streets will be cleaned by youth or parents.
I HATE spicey food. When you eat really spicey food you don't taste anything anymore. All you have is a burning tongue and mouth but no taste. Nope, hate it.
Totally agree on your encounters with spicy food in the NL. For spicy food visit an Indonesian, Surinamese (madam Jeanette) or Thai restaurant. And even then you explicitly have to ask for spicy food. All other hot and spicy is relatively mild.
I like spiced food (but not "hot"). We have Mexican in-laws and other friends. This is not a concept they readily comprehend. Slightly "picante" to them leaves me laid out on the couch moaning in agony. Same thing tends to happen at a Thai restaurant ("this wasn't NOT SPICY" (which I had specifically asked for). They apologized, but that was as not spicy as it got for them. I have a Dutch name (ancestors came over 400 years ago!), which is traditional in our family. I spent a week there some time ago (thanks US Army) and really enjoyed them. Love your show. Keep it up.
Dont forget about the Mexican restaurants either. I always order extra peppers but most people find it quite challenging ordering from the regular menu.
I think there's two things with spice, first one simply a language issue: it's hard to distinguish for non-native English speakers between "spices" and "spiciness". So if there's a spice mix that they can add, someone may indeed tell you "do you want it spicy?" because they just don't know how to say "do you want spices". Particularly on fries there's a tendency to have an optional "spice mix". As to Surinamese/Turkish/etc food not being that spicy when you'd expect it to be: that's simply because they adjust for what they expect your tolerance to be. If you're used to spices and you're in a minority run establishment, then "yes" is not a good enough answer if they ask if you want sambal. You have to be quite emphatic about it, or they'll just add a little bit, for politeness sake (basically they think you can't handle it). Pro tip: there's a huge difference in spice level between an "Chinees Indisch" restaurant and an "Indonesisch" restaurant. The former are typically quite old establishments that were started when Dutch people weren't used to spicy food at all, that have a lot of colonial heritage. The latter are more accurate actual Indonesian food and can seriously knock your socks off, generally speaking.
Depends on your tolerance, when I go to an authentic Mexican restaurant (with real Mexican waiters and cooks) in the Netherlands, I always ask for extra peppers. They look at me like, are you sure, I say yes, and I get delicious extra spicy food.
My Dutch great-aunt was married to a French man. Whenever they came to The Netherlands, he always LOVED to have an evening walk after dark and enjoy taking a peak into all these well-lit living rooms thanks to the ‘open curtain’- tradition. 😂
My wife and I might be moving to Rotterdam (from Atlanta) in a few months! It seems a little daunting! Your videos are really helpful to give us some context and help us feel more comfortable with the idea! Might need to meet with you when we get there so that we can have a guide to the city
I love these videos u guys! Regarding the fireworks (trash): In areas with a 'higher level of social awareness', people will pick it up afterwards. Some do it right after the piece was finished, others will sleep in on januari 1st and go on the streets removing their fireworks waste. In some social circles, leaving it out seems normal but a lot will find that kind of behaviour absolutely anti social. Regarding medication, yeah. Being sick sucks but you'll just have to go through it. At least you'll appreciate being well afterwards ;)
Where I grew up in the seventies - Amsterdam Geuzenveld (new West) - we had fireworks 'battles' with other families that originated from Indonesia. Before Indonesia's independence and a lot of 'indo's' migrating to The Netherlands, there was some fireworks but mostly people welcomed the New Year making noise with pots and pans. Most likely the Indonesians got their fireworks tradition from Chinese migrants. Anyways: we would cheer at eachother's fireworks displays, have some nice Indonesian 'makan makan' at eachother's homes the next morning and clean up eachother's mess the next morning, on a full stomach and giving eachother compliments on their amazing fireworks from the night before. Us kids would pick up and diffuse - usually by simply pouring water over them - any duds. Because we believed our parents when they told us they were not safe to try to lit them again. Good times. 🥰
New Yorker here. Hah, I was NOT warned about the fireworks before, during and after New Year’s back in 2019 so imagine my surprise when I settled into my airbnb in Haarlem for a cozy night in and ended up feeling I was trapped in a war zone. This past New Year’s wasn’t as bad because of the lousy weather. I was back in the same cozy airbnb in Haarlem suffering badly from RSV which I probably caught in a bar on Christmas Eve. And yeah, paracetimol just didn’t help AT ALL. Heh heh. P.S. I have watched Naked Attraction while in the UK and…ewww…just ewww. Maybe they’re more attractive in the Dutch version?
You both look very healthy, your color is good and your hair looks lovely. I have noticed this with other people from the US once they have lived in the Netherlands for a year or so. I am from the US and I suspect it is the quality of the food in the Netherlands. I would love to hear your thoughts.
oh, that's just my amazing color grading while editing the video. 😉 joking aside, we definitely feel healthier, mostly due to a healther diet and walking a LOT more!
The fireworks were illegale, but when something is illegale in the Netherlands, that is more reason to do it! It was illegale in the whole of the Netherlands so there was fireworks in the whole of the Netherlands! 😅😅😥😥🥳🥳
Spicy food in Netherlands is always a big gamble. In a lot of restaurants the 'spicy/hot' menu items will not be hot, but that tends to make the visits to the restaurants that do extra painful. Most Surinamese places I've visited give you some Madame Jeannette sambal that'll make you regret your life choices, but I've yet to see a Mexican or Thai place serve items that are actually hot.
this is so true! we’ve become accustomed to just ordering things as spicy as we can, which works 90 percent of the time, but every now and then we get something that is 🔥🔥🔥
There are two major topics/arguments when it comes to medication here: 1) You are most probably not a doctor and when you're not you should not be able to self diagnose and treat certain illnesses with (sometimes pretty heavy) stuff that you don't know anything about. That's why there are doctors and pharmacy employees: they're trained in giving you what you need and how much you need of it. 2) There are loads of illnesses (like a severe cold) that can be cured by your body itself. If you numb yourself with medication, you can't feel the difference when you're getting better. When they ask you how you feel or what you feel, they don't want it to be influenced by drugs, which results in you telling them you feel fine because of medication. Is it uncomfortable? Heck yeah. Should you throw every chemical at it known to man? No. Let your body solve it (but you should visit a doctor if things don't improve obviously). Only when you break a leg, go to the a hospital and the doctor tells you to "neem een paracetamolletje", then you can have second thoughts about Dutch healthcare :'D
The nudity on tv is way less then it used to be, the prude police has been acting here as well. It’s a reverse to the “truttigheid” in this country and it’s despicable because it’s people deciding for the majority. Indonesian food at a good place has spicy dishes, look for a good Indian place and order Vindaloo.
I lived in the US for 6 months. I felt American food was really bland. I went to a Thai restaurant with 6 levels of spiciness with the final level being ‘Thai’. I opted for the level below that and that was ok but still not terribly spicy. So my experience is pretty much the other way around :-) It also reminds me of the Monty Python joke that ‘American Beer is like make love in a canoe’ which I agree with when it comes to the mainstream brands of US beer :-) I agree people should pick up after themselves. It doesn’t matter if the city should clean it up: you shouldn’t trash the place.
Funny thing is, even Americans are now figuring out their beer is pisswater. Over here even Heineken which is a premium brand abroad is considered pisswater, or average at best. The only Budweiser I drink is from Czech :)
Als je echt ziek bent, ga je naar de dokter of hij komt langs en geeft een recept voor een sterk geneesmiddel. Dat kost erg weinig maar je moet wel even langs voor het onderzoek.
The health care shock is so recognizably American. Over here you are not expected to buy over the counter symptom suppressors just so you can keep going to work and avoid going bankrupt on a visit to the GP. When you are sick, you go to the GP (no charge) to get a sick leave note (to avoid infecting your colleagues) and real medication (no charge) as needed.
@@shortkari Employer isn't allowed to have contact with any of your doctors at all, it's against privacy laws. Employer can get in trouble for it. If you're sick, employer isn't legally allowed to ask why you are sick or what it is that you got either, most do, you don't have to answer it.
If I as a Dutch person would say that if I am in the United States, travelling on a train, and getting irritated that announcements are only in English and not in Dutch, would you say that irritation is fair? Probably not. So the same is the case the other way around. Specially when you go live in another country, don't expect things to be your way, but adept yourself, by for instance working on learning the language, and in the meantime, if you are unsure what an announcement says because you aren't good enough in the language yet, just ask another traveller, there's always someone willing to help. Regarding the strikes, I agree that they serve a good purpose, and yes, there have been a lot recently, but that is not how it always is. At the moment it's just taking so long to reach an agreement that they have more strikes. Spicy food, indeed not easy to find in NL, but if you go to Indian or Thai, or Surinamese restaurants, and you specify you want it extra spicy, they are usually able to provide you with what you want.
And I forgot the over the counter medication. In the USA, that's a for profit business, making billions by creating customers rather than cures. In The Netherlands, you can just go to a doctor, get a prescription and have something that actually suits your needs, and it won't cost you a fortune, because it will just be covered by the insurance.
As a Dutch person I seriously have to respond to this. First... get rid of the stupid and appalling tourist Unox "gosh I jumped into the sea in januari" hat. No body cares (in the Netherlands). It is utterly corny. I'm sure the Unox company loves it. But you will never see a Dutch person wear such a hat, unless they are a complete idiot. Second... Open curtains... is actually an area thing. If you will go to other parts of the Netherlands you will see that every one will have their curtains closed. I have seen this "open curtains" mentioned numerous times by expats. But as a Dutch person I can tell you that NOBODY in my area of the Netherlands has their curtains open at dark times. I suspect, though as a Dutch person I am not even sure about it,... it has to do with religious backgrounds. I was once told by a Dutch protestant that it is a religious cultural "requirement" to have curtains to stay open at night, so the neighbors could see if you were not doing something mischievous,... like watching TV on sunday and such. I am from a catholic part of the Netherlands, Brabant,... and everybody that I know,... will close their curtains at night times. So it is a cultural religious background thing,... not a DUTCH thing. Third... Nudity... I do not see a problem with this. We all look the same beneath the fake modern fashionable clothes. It is funny though,... because I - as a Dutch person - can get actually very frustrated to see an USA made show or movie where they actually do NOT show nudity. I mean seriously you watch some romantic movie and the 2 protagonists prepare to have sex,... NEXT SCENE and they jump out of bed after having sex,... with their undies on. I mean seriously????? You JUST HAD sex, and are wearing your undergarments whilst getting out of bed? That is just utterly ridiculous! You'd be in your adam or eve costumes,... not in cloth. Fourth... Transit Strikes... Myeah you just happen to come to The Netherlands during some specific period in time were State verses Union negotiation are a thing. But in general these are NOT a thing. NOT A THING! Fifth.. Spicy food. ROFL!!! I hate spicy food. I guess I am Dutch. Sixth... Over the counter medicine.... Why? Just go to your freaking local Doctor to get a truly helpful medicine. GO TO YOUR LOCAL DOCTOR, FFS!!! Self medication is not a thing here in the Netherlands. Because our healthcare is affordable and you do not have to pay much if any. You hardly ever self medicate. But also,... noooo, we hardly ever get a bad cold like you did,... because we do not have AC's in our house in The Netherlands and are very used to our local weather. 😉 Seventh... Fireworks and trash. Yes,... I think people who go ALL OUT on fireworks but DO NOT CLEAN UP their own trash,... should be flogged seriously. I think this is an utter disgusting practice. I think only a specific disgusting human being would dirty their own neighborhood like this and not clean up. Especially as THEIR trash will end up in MY garden as well. So FnCK them! Those disgusting people are utter fncking assholes. Screw them! Anyway... love your content and channel. Keep it up. P.S. Question... Are you guys learning Dutch? Though yes most of the Dutch speak english very well.... If you are NOT even trying to blend in... it will not be appreciated by most Dutch folk. I do not think I have seen some kind of "let us try dutch words" video or something like that.
When you go to a Surinam restaurant and you ask them for spicy,.. you will probably get the white guy treatment and they keep it light. You really have to put some emphasis on wanting it really spicy. Indonesian from the Sumatran cuisine is also quite spicy. So it is available, but the locals are not that into it in general, so you really have to insist. For a special experience on spicy I suggest Sichuan peppers. You can get a fresh variant imported from Thailand these days on the West Kruiskade in Rotterdam.
Again, some insights of the shocking things about living in the Netherlands, which I really not have noticed as a grown up Dutch man 😊. Maybe I can contribute to get faster out of state two of the culture shock. Knowing why sometimes makes acceptation bigger. Because, all I want, is to let you guys feel at home in the Netherlands, with it goods things, and bad things. By the way, integration goes OK with the Unox cap. I like to see how things that are so normal to me surprise you. And with some items I think 'damn, never noticed, but indeed'. Good to see. I see that you mainly look from an 'An Americain in Rotterdam' perspective, and although the Netherlands is small, there are considerable differences per province and area. By the way, I don't want to come across as pedantic or defensive, but we Dutch are quite direct :-) 6) Open curtains. Only like the most recent generations keep the curtains open. However, when you go to Brabant, Zeeland or Limburg, most houses does have ‘rolluiken’ (blinds) on the outside, making their house some kind of a closed fort. I think it is part of the “I don’t care what other people think of our interior” state of mind. If you close to curtains, nobody can look inside, but you also block your view to the outside! 5) Nudity on TV. Since the sexual revolution in the sixties, nudity on TV is normal. The first nudity (breast only) was on 9 October 1967. (google on Phil Bloom, VPRO, I hope you find something in English) It was revolutionary than, and has sparked quite a bit of discussion in the Christian Netherlands. I do think that it is becoming a bit more conservative at the moment. I remember in the 1980s, even a shower foam commercial showed a naked woman with bare breasts (www.falder.nl/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/4581453976_072dcfcfa9_c.jpg) . But the Netherlands is quite liberal and free in this kind of things and we (Dutch) call the Americans (no offense) prude 4) Transit Strikes. Like the comments below, strikes are on the rise at the moment because of the great dissatisfaction with the inflation that has started since the war in Ukraine. Energy prices are skyrocketing, two years ago I paid 16 cents for 1 kWh, now there were months when it cost more than 80 cents. Particularly the lower paid jobs are in trouble. However, in France they strike much more, and much longer. Striking in the Netherlands is a right, and if you are a member of a trade union, you will continue to be paid. 3) Spicy food. So true, Dutch people don’t like spicy food. For instance, the spicy chicken mac nuggets from Mc Donald's, are not spicy at all! In general, Dutch food is pretty flat, and I even find it tasteless. Which is strange, because the VOC (Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie) has become rich with spices and pepper! 2) Cold, There is no medicine that shortens the duration of a cold, but there is one that treats the symptoms, as you said in the video. Many medicines in the Netherlands can only be dispensed with a doctor's prescription. For example, the use of antibiotics is limited so that the culprits become resistant less quickly. Indeed, you are stuck with Paracetamol, Ibuprofen and all kinds of remedies with menthol and painkillers. For your throat, you can get ‘Strepsils’ and other good working things. 1) Fireworks. Personally, I hate fireworks, especially the firecrackers. It has grown historically, and the fans consider it a tradition. Some can't hold back and blast off too early. There is a considerable discussion in the Netherlands whether fireworks should be banned. However, last year fireworks were sold for 110 million euros.
The problem with nudity on TV is not Europe showing it, the real problem is America censoring it. About the use of medicine: It it is much better to let the body cure itself rather than to use medication for every time you get a cold. It’s much better for our auto-immune system and it lowers the risk of humans becoming resistant to medication. And fireworks are controversial. They cause a lot of injuries and a lot of people are against it.
There’s a good reason not to dispose of your fireworks the night they’re used. Fireworks burn extra hot and have a dangerous habit of smoldering for hours, unnoticed. This caused my trash bin to go up in flames one Fourth of July.
If you feel deadly sick you go to the doctor if you are too sick the Doktor will come to you.if its a virus you are have to ride it out if its bacterial you can get an anti biotic you also can get stronger pain medication if needed. Its logically that in the US more meds are over the counter because people don't go to the doctor in fear of the cost. Here the regulations of what you can buy is more strikter if you need those stronger meds you also need a docter.....so go to the doctor 🤣
Food's can be very spicy in the Netherlands, but for that you have to go to the more foreign kitchens or restaurants like indonesian, indian, etc. Dutch people actually eat a lot of those.
First of, I like you. You look like a crazy funny couple, in a good way. I like to see how you experience the differences between the USA and the Netherlands. This is the first time I see people explain what culture shock actually is and can totally understand it. You are excited about all the nice new things, then you miss all the things you used to have and then you settle and get used to it. Those are the short term effects but as smart as you are, you know what the important things are. You have learned a lot so far about the Netherlands but be prepared for a whole lot more. You are on the right track and I have the feeling you will fit right in! Let me respond real quick on topic: 1. Open curtains - For me this is like a 50-50 situation, some do and some don't but if you are not used to it, it might be a shock. A lot of the people don't care if you see them, if you don't do strange things you have nothing to hide. If you want to look at people sitting on the couch watching TV you will get bored pretty fast. 2. naked people on TV - Ever since 1967 there is nudity on public television. Not a lot of people care about it, it is not porn it is just how people are. If you grow up with nudity it is the same as uncovered ears or hands, just normal. 3. Transit strikes - Yes this is hot nowadays. This is a result of something that started with the start of Covid until now. People lost their jobs, remaining workers got overloaded. Not just Covid but the whole global situation has contributed to it. And not just transit, waste collectors are going on strike, and more services may follow. The dutch are not known to go on strike very fast (like the French) but sometimes it happens. It is an inconvenience for all of us but they only do it if it is serious so we share the pain for a few days and then it is all over. We are not yet in the "I want to speak to your manager" and "My lawyer will make you unemployed" civilization (thank God). 4. Spice food - 100% true. I don't know why this is but everyone I know agrees that "spicy" in the Netherlands doesn't mean anything. If you want it spicy you have to do it yourself. 5. Over the counter medication - I think this is to protect the "below average smart" people to buy and use a lot of meds that could harm them a lot, because they heard on tiktok or facebook that it would cure all the symptomes of whatever they have. If you are a little bit smarter, you can find all the meds you are used to in the USA, digitally or abroad. And if you are really smart you can prevent a lot of this with keeping your resistance up at the first place. 6. Fireworks - Yes! you just came at the right moment! In the Netherlands we always go a little crazy on new year's eve. But last NYE was a little special: First, with Covid and all, we could not fire any (serious) firework for a few years. Secondly, there is a lot of talking to ban fireworks totally. That is why we all went bananas. Loved this episode. I always 'like' you and I will keep following you on your journey to Europeanize or maybe even Dutchize :) Happy Life 😙!
Americans are overal really prude with both language and nudity (yet blood and murder are somehow not so bad 🤷) About the cold thing, this year it was a particular hefty one. I was sick for over a week as well where it normally a 2 or 3 days. The thing is the 'cold medicine' realy don't do alot to get you better, just let your body take care of it and build up an immune system, just use paracetamol/ibuprofen for your fever and maybe some cough drops/syrup to soften the throat. And you'll be fine in a week (it also helps you can just take the week off sick and just get paid without having to take days off) The strikes are alot this year, especially the last half year and they suck! It's of course couse of the high inflation etc. But they can plan it better and announce it way more in advance and fe not plan it in 'exam week' for students. If it's so often you also loose the sympathy of the populous.
it's hard to take a week off when you're self-employed 😅 honestly, it was more about just wanting something that actually made my cough bearable so i could sleep. i should have just gone to the doctor after the first week!
what concerns you being sick and the time it lasted, you're an american, and they're on too much medication. here in europe we let the children solve the disease themselves from an early age so that their immune system becomes stronger. in your case you would get sick a few more times before your immune system gets stronger
I can't believe you haven't mentioned being sent a Tikkie for 0.45 euro by *a friend* because you ordered joppie sauce on your bram and they paid for it😂 15 years in Rotterdam and I am still not used to it.
The solution for this is to always have some cash change in your pockets, or find friends who are wealthy enough to shrug it off. If I ask my friends to spot me 150 euro they dont complain and never ask about it. Then I buy them something else in return.
@@TheSuperappelflap Totally agree! The issue isn't people not being able to afford it, in which case this is totally normal. The Dutch are just tight as hell🤣
If you Come from texes usa, do you miss the Guns? And the gun culture? There are legal Guns whitin this country, and al lot of shouting ranges. If you know where to look!
@@harmsenjeroen legale wapens zijn er gewoon, de regels zijn in Nederland gewoon veel strenger. Maar je mag als particulier in Nederland vrijwel alle vuurwapens met bijbehorende minutie hebben. Mits je de juiste vergunningen bezit. Vol automatisch is verboden .50 en groter is verboden ( met uitzondering van hagel) Maar buiten dit mag je gewoon alles in Nederland bezitten. Er zijn dan ook volledig ingerichte wapenwinkels door het hele land, waar ze alles wat in Nederland te koop is gewoon hebben liggen. Je mag als Nederlander max 5 vuurwapens bezitten En je mag max. 10 000 stuks minutie thuis hebben. Wapen dient thuis altijd in een kluis te liggen, geschieden van de minutie ( deze moet in een aparte kluis) Je dient min. 18 schietbeurten per jaar te maken En je moet mee doen aan min. 5 wedstrijden per jaar.
All is unsettled since the covid measures and the inflation. People have lost their financial security, they can't predict whether they will able to pay the bills, they can't count on goverment to keep the energy bill affordable as was shown clearly. Before negatiations would be successful well before any possible strike, but government has allowed so much incertainty in the mix that the famous Dutch 'labour peace', a very valuable asset for investment, has been broken.
Once you get over the initial culture shock, you graduate to "acculturative stress", which is the kind of stress immigrants experience from having to adjust and function in a new culture. There's a lot to learn. It's intense. If you're planning on staying long term, you're going to get an invitation to do the mandatory immigration course where you have to go to classes and learn enough Dutch to pass your exams. They also cover Dutch cultural and social norms partly to help alleviate the culture shock. It helps you to get used to something if you're being told what to watch out for.
Hey Michelle and Alex, I gradually start to appreciate your videos more and more and more :-) I love the humor and once you started about nudity on tv I just knew Naked Attraction going to be mentioned. Yes it is quite outrageous but I still kinda like it for just putting things out in the open. They discuss issues that usually are not spoken out into the public sphere 🙂 I did not see the Dutch version (yet) but I saw Adam zoekt Eva 😛 They had even a Celebrity -edition. With a female olympic gold medallist and some lesser known people Men and Women. Can you imagine this program in the USA with a gold olympic medallist? hahahaha.. The amount of nudity on Dutch tv has enormously DECREASED by the way... In the 80ties a dutch movie used to have at least one nudity scene... Maybe the influence of the "#Metoo" campaign? Visiting the USA I sometimes was amazed by the censorship on tv with a "builders-cleavage" blurred away and cursing beeped away which some programmes just made into a beeping concert.. And this versus the amount of violence portraited ... Very disturbing in my honest opinion. But I know and acknowledge The Netherlands are sometimes pretty weird... Absolutely including the Fireworks fetish that goes around on New Years Eve. It is absolutely crazy. It is a night of ANARCHY! And I once was part of it... And now I think.. What happened to me ;-)
I think the word you were looking for is binge-watching or binge-viewing 😄 When it comes to strikes: I lived in the Netherlands for 45 years and used public transport very often. In my view they happened for just two or three days, once in every five years and then most often just the trains or buses. It won’t be something you will see every year. I have to partly disagree with the spicy food comments. Yes, in the Netherlands it’s more mild, but I think it’s the same way in the USA. Food in the USA just contains more salt, more sugar and more artificial flavoring and coloring. Maybe it’s just the places i’m going to or you’re going to, but in my opinion I could find spicier food in the Netherlands than the USA. I totally agree with your view on fireworks and the trash people leave behind. I always cleaned up my mess and usually the trash at my neighbors, who didn’t lit any fireworks, but lots of it was left behind by people passing by and throwing it on the ground and left. I don’t know if you watch the channel of Soul to Soul travels but it might help to get in touch with them. American couple, who moved to Rotterdam. They very recently made comments about the grocery stores and the over-the-counter medicine in the Netherlands. Also the channel of T & T go Dutch, about a couple from Texas who moved to Leiden, the Netherlands might be interesting for the two of you. They are always looking for the best food around and find the best places to eat.
With the curtain open thing. Its not rude to look into peoples house when walking by. Some people even make walk around the neighborhood in look at front gardens. In summer i was trying to watch tv but it was too bright to see the tv so i closed the cutrains. My dad said to not do that since then the neighborhood might think im trying to watch porn on tv or shagging on the kitchen counter. Because why else would you have the cutrains closed??? Having big windows in winter is nice since then the sun warms the house for free :)
What surprised me about strikes in Europe (except the UK) are political strikes, sympathy/secondary strikes, the lack of notice and strikes called without a ballot of union members. The "political strikes" are the strangest - calling a strike because unions don't like the government's policies, not about specific issues that affect members like terms&conditions or salary. In the UK and USA people express their political view about the government by voting the government back in/out, but in Europe unions will call a strike because they don't like government policies!!
For spicey it is only available at authentic restaurant. Like authentic Indonesia restaurant. There are some authentic Indonesian restaurant like in Rotterdam (Emjay Restaurant) and Den Haag... And some in Amsterdam. They keep the spicy level like Indonesian usually do (not like typical Dutch sambal😂) Which usually only full by Indonesia people.. 😬
I can relate to all 6 points. I hate fireworks though. We lose a lot of eyes and fingers around new year. Even worse 😮. When I am still sick after a while I will go to the huisarts to get some antibiotics. Happened a couple of times and I am 51 years old. Most of the time you have to ride it out… The strikes are more frequently these days. Well these at difficult times. Oh, and I am still into the irritating phase at some points and I was born here 😁
Haha i guess its because we dont see “having a cold” as being sick. You just have to go to bed a nd take some rest and nature will fix it in a few days..no medicine needed 😂 regarding the nudity… well i guess we see naked as something normal here in europe. So for us its not a shock to see people nude on tv. When i watch a us tv show im always shocked why they blur some of the most innocent body parts..its unreal for us europeans haha.
I lived in Rotterdam for 18months for work. The fireworks and celebration is a definite thing. Have you noticed that most Dutch work M-Thursday, maybe half day Friday morning. Or the holidays, I would go into work only to find out there was a holiday and my colleagues would not be available. The have town, city, district, region, and national holidays. They can be on a random Tuesday because they take the same day regardless of day of the week.
Never have I seen the fireworks trash not been cleaned in 48 hours. Ususally I wake up late in the day after partying all night and it's already cleaned off the streets.
Love ur culture shock item My largest culture shock in the USA ,as a European, was......GUNS and the US gun addiction.. If fireworks here are the biggest culture shock for Americans in the Netherlands how happy you must be😅
Open curtains is relatively new in the Netherlands, in my youth literally every house closed curtains at dawn and opened them when the last person went to bed. It's changed over time, no clue why. Naked people on TV yeah, that European vs American I guess, in here nudity is normal violence is not due to concerns about kids over there violence is normal and nudity is not due to concerns about kids. I know what approach I prefer.... Transit strikes, the one on this list I'm actually ashamed of, it simply is outrageous with so many people dependent on public transport. Spicy food, so true. Luckily I have an Indonesian wife. Over the counter medication, it's public health policy, the population over- and mis-using anti-biotics creates resistance, leading to unavailability of anti-biotics for the few that actually need it, that's why we're quite strict on it. Fireworks, yes, beautiful, also getting less popular, there is a significant lobby to ban private fireworks with environmental concerns combined with concerns about stress for pets and people with respiratory problems. In a few decades it'll be city-organized events only. If you DO like Fireworks check out the annual fireworks competition at Scheveningen in the summer.
the spicy thing drives me mental, sambal is REALLY salty and not spicy at all...BUT if you try Surinamese yellow pepper sauce...it'll blow your socks off
Fireworks was a lot more in my youth and also to a later time on new years night. There was also a lot of loud illegal fireworks. I always bought the illegal ones, they much louder and I found them safer to use. For instance strijkers (strikers are extremely loud) are safely put on using the back of a match box. Since you don't see an outside fuse, you definitely throw them as soon as you strike them on.
If you go to Chinny's (which I suspect you're referrinh to when you talk about getting Surinam food in Rotterdam) you specificly have to ask for the real, "none white people" sambal. The stuff they put on their sandwiches normally is pretty tasteless. If you go to Chinnys, order the Dynamite sandwich. It's a secret menu item and it's so good.
When you speak about Spicy not being spicy, you have NOT eaten actual Dutch Indonesian or Surinamese food. If they ask you if you want it spicy - then that's already a red flag if they ask if you want "PEPPER or HOT" on your food - THAT is when you know its proper spice you will change that opinion real quick lmao. Because alot of Dutch peopel don't really handle spicy food that well - "spicy" is more like a little "bite" instead of actually spicy. even the standard Sambal Oelek, you need to ask for real pepper if you want it spicy.
the reason wy there is so mutch fireworks at new years eve is it is only alowed at new years eve. in america you cen fire it when ever but in the netherlands fireworks are prohibited with the exeption of new years eve, se we (the dutch) go all out at that time, some even get iligal fireworks from acros the border in germany
9:11 we do not have much different self medication on the shelves because our healthcare is affordable and you can get better stuff through the docter.
The fact is that paracetamol works quite well against symptoms like headaches and overall malaise, but if that’s not sufficient then one could try ibuprofen. Or even Naproxen or diclofenac (in case of muscle pain for example). Against coughing there’s noscapine tablets. All is available OTC for example at Kruidvat, so not sure what more you could wish for….
Green tea with turmeric and ginger, possibly a teaspoon of honey, is enough to alleviate most coughs and sore throats. Its naturally antibacterial. Putting a lot of peppers in your food also helps a lot.
Have you seen "Gewoon Bloot"? It's a kid's show with totally naked people. Personally I find Dutch TV to be refreshing. Except that it reminds me how backward we can be here in the U.S.
Buying meds over the counter isn't a Dutch thing. You need a perscription from a doctor. Buying meds over the counter is typical North American, my wife does the same who's Canadian.
I live in a village in the middle of the country and you’ll find that most of the firework trash is removed and cleaned up the next day by the same villagers who lit up the fireworks. All that remains is what teenagers illegally used in public areas away from the houses. E.g. (bicycle) footpaths between suburbs. That gets cleaned up later by council workers doing their cleanup rounds.
When you have a bad cold, you'll be sick for around 7 days without medication. With medication, it's around a week. In other words, those over the counter american meds, nonsense. You just needs to stay in bed, stay hydrated, eat as much as you can, keep the temperature low with paracetamol, and you'll be fine. Only if your temperature keeps rising thru max paracetamol you'll need a doctor.
The open curtain thing is actually a remnant of religious beliefs. If your curtains are open and people are able to look inside, you signify that there is no ungodly business going on in your home. That you have nothing to hide. Though nowadays it's just common for Dutch people (and less about virtue-signaling), and many will only close them when they go to bed, or earlier, to signify they no longer wish to receive unexpected visitors. Do not be surprised, when unexpectedly visiting your Dutch neighbour at night, that even if you see a light on inside but the curtains are shut, they might not even answer the door unless you made a call first or a prior appointment. They don't mean anything bad, it's usually a safety thing, especially with elderly people.
Transit strikes are because the transit companies want to run their companies like American companies do: Employees have no rights, no securities and they are overworked and underpaid. Most of the employees are on a zero hour-contracts which means that companies only pay them when they are working. That's not common in the Netherlands and I've been surprised that people working in public transport haven't been striking more often. As to OTC-medicines, doctors will almost never prescribe you any anti-biotics for a flu or a cold. The common attitude towards a common cold or the flue is that hot soup, sleep and a lot of sweating will cure you. There's no need for anti-biotics and by letting your body heal itself you will be less susceptible to colds and flu in the future. I remember that my mother gave us a small glass of hot whiskey and send us to bed. Cold was over in less than 5 days.
I don't hear anything about the Pilgrim fathers. The Netherlands is the ancestral home of Americans , Yankee means Jan Kees , they played korfbal which is like basketball.
Nudity on tv? There is even sex on tv, and its not porn... there was in "Big Brother", and way back in "Sex voor de Buch". And you should see Dutch made movies...
Self medication is not good! The vast majority of people have no or only very limited knowledge of medicine. Getting a cold is not funny and there are a lot of different "colds". If you catch a cold you stay at home and get a paracetamol against the headache you may have, but for the rest you just endure it. Stay in bed, read a book, watch some tv, play a game on your computer or just sleep. It will take a day or two, maybe three and you will start feeling better. After a week or so you will be better and you can go back to work. Doing it the American way you get some over the counter anti cold medicine and take a large dose. If it does not seem to help you take an other dose a couple of hours later. The "medicines" suppress the symptoms and sometimes dull your feelings. You think you are ok so the next day you go back to work. You don't realise that you are still very much ill. The virus still rages through your body. With every breath you exhale you are spreading the virus in the air around you. This can, and often will spread to your collegues. One person catches a cold and less than a week later almost everybody working with or close to that person will catch that cold as well. This means it is not a very good practise to go to work with a cold. Just take your time to get better. You may have to stay at home for a week or ten days but you won't spread the cold around your colleagues. And you don't need all those "medicines" they sell in the US. Most of these medicines don't cure the illness, they just suppress the symptoms and/or dull your senses. As a matter of fact, there is no cure for the common cold! Ok, you can feel really miserable for one or two days but that will be it. You will get over it! And then you can really catch a very bad cold, I mean really bad. That is when you call your doctor! Don't start self medication, chances are you make it worse! Call your doctor!!! He or she may be able to help you on the phone but it is more likely the doctor will ask you to come to the practice. If you are really bad the doctor can even make a house call. He or she will assess the situation prescribe medicine when appropriate and will ask you to stay indoors and in bed most likely. Don't be alarmed when you will not get any medicine at all. As I already wrote, there is no cure for a cold, not even for a heavy cold. You may get some medicine that will help you to get more comfortable. You may have trouble breathing or you may have a very sick feeling in your guts. There are some medicines that will help you with those kinds of things. If it is really bad the doctor will notice that and send you to a hospital. That does not happen very often but it can. At the hospital you will get all the attention, medicine and help you need. But you are ill and that is something your body has to overcome by itself. Medicine, the right medicine, will help your body to overcome that illness quicker. Getting to the pharmacy and buy a bunch of medicines that claim they will cure you quick and with as little pain and discomfort as possible will not do you much good. You don't know which medicines are the best suited for you and the illness you have. You can be lucky and get the right one but, because there are so many to choose from you may just as easy get the wrong one. Here in the Netherlands commercials for not over the counter medicines are banned. Also these so called healthy foods or additives may not claim they are healthy without any clinical proof. Just some doctor or professor claiming it is very good for your bones or guts or what ever is not enough. These commercials are banned except with a clear disclaimer. Not just small print or a quick passing unreadable line at the bottom of the screen. Here in the Netherlands the doctors don't prescribe medicine because you ask for it. They will assess the whole situation and then decide if medicines are needed and which one to prescribe. Self medication problems are rear here in the Netherlands. The main reason for this is, most of the medicines are not available over the counter. You do need a prescription from your doctor. And the doctor will not give you any medicine without a proper consult. Here you can not go to your doctor and say "I want this or that medicine because I have a cold". That is absolutely not the way it works here.
to your over the counter medication, well getting sick enough that you feel you need stronger medications than you can get over the counter, you go to your "huisarts" GP/doctor. If you are so sick that you need medication, they will write you a prescription for that. If you are not that ill, you need to get healthy the Dutch way, plenty of rest, water, painmeds and soup, easily ingestible food (like your chinese food for example" and you have to "uitzieken" get healthy the old fashioned way. That is why we do not have sick days but sick leave. If you are that sick that you need 10 days of rest, you take 10 days or rest and go back to work when you are healthy enough. That is what "uitzieken" truly means, get better as naturally as possible.
Don't try to play doctor yourself - you were probably to afraid for medical costs but that would have been your real shock! That vIsiting a doctor in the Netherlands doesn't make you bankrupt 🙂
as a Dutchy myself, I really don't understand that open curtain thing either, I hate it when people can look inside and see me, I truly value my privacy.
The number two...over the counter medication.. Well....when you are sick, what you do, is you go to the doctor and they prescribe you the correct medication to make you better You don't have to go and try to work out what you have wrong with you, and what you need to make you better that you can buy over the counter. Did you go to medical collage for 6 or 7 years?......no?
Over the counter medication: Come on you are big boy you get over a cold without medication :-) . I guess that in America you have so many addicted people because there is so much "over the counter medication". You don't need it your body will take care of a cold by itself
There is cursing on Americain tv maybe even more then in the Netherlands but you guys just Fubeeeeeep beep over it. But it is not like nobody knows what is said. You can fubeeep beep all you fbeeeep want to the beeeep people watching know what the beeeep is said. See I started with fubee... and later I just typed beep and all your mind did is filling in the blanks. So beeping doesnt make it go away It is just silly. Or the cursing on Dutch tv is intentional or unwanted and if unwanted the host or guests will address that. 😉
Staring in someone houses is rude and even creepy. You can take a glance though, and even give a friendly wave is you see someone. But definitely do not stare. As for flu meds, yes we don't have the same things like in the states. But there are some pretty good things to help you overcome the symptoms, you just need to try things out. Try to find out what ingredients there is in us medicines you like to use.( you usually have a combo of things in one medicine) If you know these ingredients you can much easily ask for the same meds (at the better drugstores(kruidvat has employed people that are somewhat educated on medicine) or at a farmacy), but they are usually sold separately. How ever there are some ingredients here you just can't get over the counter, there for some of your flu medication is banned here.
I hope you go to a doctor next time cause a month sick is long. The system of huisartsen is meant to be close to home literally and also personal, low threshold&free. They can get you antibiotics or other, even over the counter meds but higher dosage. It takes the pressure off hospitals. So make use of their service :)
I feel like we are the only country that changes in the end of december from nice christmas holiday in to a god damn warzone and if you see groups of 12/13 year olds then walk arround them with a save distance
what nudity on tv is for us, is guns in houses with children for the US. And when you are sick, just go to the doctor, its free! then you get the correct pharmacy medication for next to nothing!
about the self-medicating stuff, going to a doctor and get a educated diagnosis is free, and if you need medication then it will be prescribed to you. self medication sounds foolish, get checked and get the right meds 😄
Naked attraction is car crash television that makes you think all the contestants must have a gun to their head. But no, exhibitionists are far more common than normal people think!
i mean why use medication when you can just lie on your bed (hallucinating and near death) for a week or two? better then getting bacteria immune to antibiotics in my opinion.
Even for the Dutch , the transit strikes are regarded as excessive this year 😅 As a pharmacy tech, a saying here is, a cold without medication lasts a week, and with medication 7 days. I thought the fireworks this year was less than normally
Yeah, let your body just fight the infection without guzzling lots of unnecessary chemicals.
Just drink plenty of fluids, stay warm and maybe a few vitamin supplements. ^^
Yup, a cold or flue just boosts your immune system.
But as my GP used to say 'If you don't get rid of it yourself in 2 weeks, you won't get rid of it yourself'. Meaning he'd give you a prescription.
From personal experience : don't fight a cold or flue, just let it run it's course, or else it will get worse and take longer,
I'm a bit late but thought I'd add to these good comments here because I've had similar talks with my doctor, who said penicilline is prescribed too much in the States, so much so that it eventually weakens its effect which is why it's not given out easily here...not even when I had a case of strep-throat. Building up your immune system is one of the healthiest things you can do, even though colds and flu are annoying, especially if you have to cancel work because of being so sick. Prevention is best, though, and you can take zinc, Vit C and D3 on a regular basis as well as having a good diet and doing regular exercise. It was interesting too that when we had to wear masks there were fewer cold and flu viruses going around, but when we did get sick we were knocked out more, it seemed, than usual.
Striking when you are being treated like shit for years, when your profession involves getting up at 5am for morning shifts, as well as night shifts, while getting paid barely above minimum wage and being regularly exposed to physical violence from drunk people and football hooligans, is not excessive.
And I can say that as someone with a very well paying cushy office job who travels to work by train out of choice.
Even after they got a raise theyre still being underpaid for what they do for our country and the risk it involves.
@@aislingbooks I didnt have the flu for 3 years during covid thanks to the preventative measures. Did get covid three times, but the statistics on flu dropping so much is enough proof that masks and hand washing and a bit of distancing actually worked.
I got the flu for the first time again this winter and I was out for a full week. So yeah your immune system does forget and the viruses do keep mutating even if I dont get them.
Lol, "I was really really sick"... "having a cold". Women in the Netherlands call that the "man-flu"; when you only have a cold and behave as if you are recovering from a battlefield ;-). Not to say that a good & heavy cold can feel really bad, I know I hate it, with your head filled with everything, some fever maybe and your throat like sandingpaper. But you concluded right, we see it as "only a cold". And there is (as they say to us) no medication for a normal cold-virus, so you just have to wait for it to end. With some help of "easing" from honey for the throat and the paracetamol for hte headache. As the saying goes "With medication (the easing that is) a cold takes a week, without medication it takes 7 days".
Also: the symptoms suppressing medication they use in the US makes it more difficult for your body to learn the right anti viral response. And leaves you more vulnerable to catch a virus from the same string again. So getting through the flu and coldness in full makes you healthier for the longer term.
I believe we got a less people on average who are addicted to meds or painkillers, so it can’t be that bad how we do things.
Still you have a lot of choise in medication here though, except for penicilline, for which a prescription is needed...
@@jsb7975 correct, but it are none real medicine, almost all pain killers, and then the so called not opioids, so less chance to addiction. And a lot to make the suffering less, like nose spray or cough sirope with codaine in it. For the rest you need a prescription and get that from a doctor or medical specialist.
Folks, Americans aren’t taking narcotics for a cold or flu. Cold and flu meds in the US are just things to help with the symptoms such as pain relief, fever reduction, cough and runny nose suppressants etc. Basically just non-prescription stuff to help make the symptoms more tolerable so we can keep going to work. American workers typically don’t get to sit home because they feel sick.
As ive seen others mention, the frequency of the strikes is pretty high right now because of inflation. It's usually not this bad and thats coming from a 32 year old who still mostly uses public transport to get around.
When it comes to being sick, I think the thoughtproces here is mostly that your body is equipped to deal with a lot of sicknesses/ailments on its own. They give you a paracetamol or ibuprofen to reduce the most severe pain, but let your body do all the work. It can be uncomfortable, but if it gets to much you can always ask your huisarts for something stronger. You can also buy stuf to deal with a sore throat or runny nose at the drogist like kruidvat. Think nosesprays and coughsyrup/cough drops but nothing too strong.
When it comes to fireworks and the mess it creates, I feel like this has also gotten way worse in recent years. It used to be the day of and a lil bit the day after to get rid of leftover fireworks, but nowadays its the weeks before and after new years. This year probably had to do with a looming fireworks ban, so people are trying to get it out of their system perhaps. As someone with pets, not the biggest fan. When it comes to the mess, i grew up in a smaller town and the days after new years everyone always came out with brooms and shovels and cleaned up their own mess. But in the city ive lived in for a few years now they just wait for the city to come clean it up, which took quite a bit longer this year compared to others for some reason.
Nice to see your overall experience here is still pretty positive! I have a couple of friends from the US that I might have to show your videos to see if I can get them to move over! :)
Even when you go to a doctor, you might not get medicine. Foreigners are often confused by this, because at home they always get medication and go home satisfied. But in the Netherlands, you only get something when it’s really helping. Doctors are also very reluctant with prescribing antibiotica, since viruses are getting more and more immune to antibiotica.
Also, if you think there are lot of strikes here, go live for some time in Belgium or France. It seems strikes are part of everyday live, there 😬
Antibiotics don’t cure viruses. They are meant for bacteria related diseases. It’s a common misunderstanding but one that end up making bacteria resistant to our antibiotics.
@@ramonschliszka6332 Ah, I thought it where viruses because flu and cold are caused by viruses. But indeed, bacteria getting more resistant makes more sense.
Anti-biotics don't work against viruses. At all. Only against bacterial infections. So in case of a flue or cold: paracetamol against fevers, and indeed honeykind of products to soften your throat. But that's about it.
@@joopdesmitindeed
The fact is that paracetamol works quite well against symptoms like headaches and overall malaise, but if that’s not enough than one could try ibuprofen. Or even Naproxen or diclifenac (in case of muscle pain for example). Against coughing there’s noscapine tablets. All is available OTC, so not sure what more you could wish for….
I think we in the Netherlands know that when your body is feeling sick, it tells you it needs time and rest. So we try and give it that. And not take medication and just keep working. There is nothing wrong with feeling under the weather. It's a part of life, especially in the Netherlands. And a lot of us also tend to take natural remedies over phamaceuticals. So indeed honey for a painful throat, water and salt for a stuffy nose, etc...
Most American workers don’t have the option of staying home every time they feel sick. They lose their jobs for calling out sick too much. Hence the need for meds which make the symptoms more tolerable to keep working. The meds are not addictive and not narcotics. They just things like acetaminophen to reduce pain and fever, and cough or runny nose suppressant. It’s not like we’re running around grabbing heavy drugs for the sniffles. That’s a very bad assumption. If the average American worker wouldn’t suffer negative consequences for calling out sick, they obviously would prefer to stay home instead of taking meds just to get through the day of work etc.
@@LinnLinnok-fe5tqI travel to the states frequently having two brothers who emigrated there. Quite frankly I always see medication in real large quantities sold over the counter, not always very safe medication. For instance I saw big tubes of a cortison zalf ( ~200 gr tubes) with a fairly high content of cortison. Here I get the same medication with the same % of cortison prescribed by my doctor, the tubes are no larger then 15 grams and they come with a warning to not apply longer then 3 days or else you will damage your skin permanently. It’s a known side effect that cortison makes your skin get thinner and more vulnerable. Also I saw heaps of medication containing antibiotics. That’s really not sensible at all.
It’s no wonder so many Americans are addicted to pills, and combine medication in lethal cocktails. Not everybody has a understanding of pharmacy.
LOL. No there are NOT “heaps” of over the counter antibiotics. Those are not sold over the counter period, only prescription. Topical antibiotic cream is sold over the counter which is generally used in very small amounts for preventing infections in wounds or surgical incision sites. Cortisone is NOT sold over the counter period, only hydrocortisone (which is different) in topical form and the maximum allowed is 1% concentration. And no they are not “massive” tubes LOL. This also has nothing to do with what I’m saying. Again, I’m saying this silly notion that Americans are pill popping drug addicts is completely false, AND I’m saying that if we take more simple non-narcotic cold medicine than a bunch of privileged Europeans, it’s because most of us don’t get the luxury of sitting home just because we’re sick. Most still are REQUIRED to get to WORK. So making the symptoms more tolerable is NECESSARY to function.
Consider your privilege with regards to being able to just take off work when sick, before getting on your high horse about Americans taking simple cold meds. Good grief.
It’s interesting how some internet know it alls think they can school folks about our own country without actually knowing what they’re talking about.
@@LinnLinnok-fe5tq we use the word cortisones as a collective word for all corticosteroids here. Yes the hydro- is used in creams whilst the cortisone shots are used for pain relief and as a anti inflammatory in cases of chronic infections in joints and other body parts. I’ve had those too.
But I’m not lying about the things I’ve seen in supermarkets ( in this case Cosco) that you will never see here. Ointments containing anti biotic sis such an example as are the creams containing the hydrocortisone. In the Netherlands those are only available at the pharmacy with a prescription. An other thing is you won’t find bottles with 500 pills or more of painkillers here, most you’ll find is 50 in one box, where the pills come in blisters. If you buy the biggest boxes, only available at drugstores, not in Supermarkets or grocery stores, when checking out you will be asked if you require any information on the medication. I think this is to bring more awareness to the public about using medication.
A great remedy for sore throat is Anta-flu sweets. Besides that, green tea with kurkuma (turmeric) and ginger works amazingly, and honey always helpsas well.
I love these kinds of videos, just to hear what for us is normal and for foreigners is quite weird XD
The getting sick or ill and medication part i love about our little country. People almost rather die then see a doctor and accept medication.
The flue or a bad cold is just shrugged off, it's mostly a week feeling uncomfortable and then we are build immunity and then mostly don't get sick for a year or longer.
Medication is more seen here as a last resort, then a thing to grab if you are feeling something.
i too prefer to avoid the doctor and medication, but when you can't sleep for days because you're coughing all night, a cough suppressant would be nice :)
Traveling Ive gone to get over the counter stuff for illness. And yes, it’s not there. But I found that talking to the pharmacist THEY listen to symptoms and dispense it from behind the counter. They are not just ‘order takers’ from the doctor but have a more active role in dispensing medicine. AND…you can get from them antibiotics and diarrhea stop meds etc. that normally you can only get under doctors care. That’s a culture thing I think you might be missing.
The good thing about being ill/sick in the Netherlands is that you don't have to worry about your job. So if you body can self-heal why use "medicines"?
It's good for the farmaceutical industry but bad for your body.
@@buncharted You can buy noscapine over the counter against coughing, but usually coughing has a function. So I'll buy noscapine to be able to sleep while I let my body handle the cold, but I won't take it during the day and if I am too miserable I will just go to my GP (which, in the Netherlands, is a totally free option)
@@MarjoleinNoyceBellingaMobiel ah, thank you - i'll look into that next time! i'm the exact same way. i only take it when i really need it (which is often at night) and let my body take care of it the rest of the time :)
The problem with fireworks trash is that parents don’t care anymore and don’t teach their children to clean the street in front of the house afterwards. We were taught to do so by our parents and at 3:00 in the night we were cleaning fireworks trash with broom, dustpan and trash can. I think that in villages on the countryside the streets will be cleaned by youth or parents.
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Instead of having to guess and see what others do when there are Dutch announcements, you COULD try and learn the Dutch language yourself you know :D
Americans will never learn Dutch. They're to entitled. We have to obey them. That's why you should always talk Dutch
I HATE spicey food. When you eat really spicey food you don't taste anything anymore. All you have is a burning tongue and mouth but no taste. Nope, hate it.
Totally agree on your encounters with spicy food in the NL. For spicy food visit an Indonesian, Surinamese (madam Jeanette) or Thai restaurant. And even then you explicitly have to ask for spicy food. All other hot and spicy is relatively mild.
Indian food can be very spicy as well. A vindaloo is very spicy.
I like spiced food (but not "hot"). We have Mexican in-laws and other friends. This is not a concept they readily comprehend. Slightly "picante" to them leaves me laid out on the couch moaning in agony. Same thing tends to happen at a Thai restaurant ("this wasn't NOT SPICY" (which I had specifically asked for). They apologized, but that was as not spicy as it got for them. I have a Dutch name (ancestors came over 400 years ago!), which is traditional in our family. I spent a week there some time ago (thanks US Army) and really enjoyed them. Love your show. Keep it up.
Korean food is also a solid pick. (My favorite😊)
Dont forget about the Mexican restaurants either. I always order extra peppers but most people find it quite challenging ordering from the regular menu.
I think there's two things with spice, first one simply a language issue: it's hard to distinguish for non-native English speakers between "spices" and "spiciness". So if there's a spice mix that they can add, someone may indeed tell you "do you want it spicy?" because they just don't know how to say "do you want spices". Particularly on fries there's a tendency to have an optional "spice mix". As to Surinamese/Turkish/etc food not being that spicy when you'd expect it to be: that's simply because they adjust for what they expect your tolerance to be. If you're used to spices and you're in a minority run establishment, then "yes" is not a good enough answer if they ask if you want sambal. You have to be quite emphatic about it, or they'll just add a little bit, for politeness sake (basically they think you can't handle it). Pro tip: there's a huge difference in spice level between an "Chinees Indisch" restaurant and an "Indonesisch" restaurant. The former are typically quite old establishments that were started when Dutch people weren't used to spicy food at all, that have a lot of colonial heritage. The latter are more accurate actual Indonesian food and can seriously knock your socks off, generally speaking.
Depends on your tolerance, when I go to an authentic Mexican restaurant (with real Mexican waiters and cooks) in the Netherlands, I always ask for extra peppers. They look at me like, are you sure, I say yes, and I get delicious extra spicy food.
My Dutch great-aunt was married to a French man. Whenever they came to The Netherlands, he always LOVED to have an evening walk after dark and enjoy taking a peak into all these well-lit living rooms thanks to the ‘open curtain’- tradition. 😂
I knew a guy with a French grandmother and she was always confused coming here, why we didnt shoot the ducks in the ponds for eating.
My wife and I might be moving to Rotterdam (from Atlanta) in a few months! It seems a little daunting! Your videos are really helpful to give us some context and help us feel more comfortable with the idea! Might need to meet with you when we get there so that we can have a guide to the city
I love these videos u guys! Regarding the fireworks (trash): In areas with a 'higher level of social awareness', people will pick it up afterwards. Some do it right after the piece was finished, others will sleep in on januari 1st and go on the streets removing their fireworks waste. In some social circles, leaving it out seems normal but a lot will find that kind of behaviour absolutely anti social.
Regarding medication, yeah. Being sick sucks but you'll just have to go through it. At least you'll appreciate being well afterwards ;)
Where I grew up in the seventies - Amsterdam Geuzenveld (new West) - we had fireworks 'battles' with other families that originated from Indonesia. Before Indonesia's independence and a lot of 'indo's' migrating to The Netherlands, there was some fireworks but mostly people welcomed the New Year making noise with pots and pans. Most likely the Indonesians got their fireworks tradition from Chinese migrants. Anyways: we would cheer at eachother's fireworks displays, have some nice Indonesian 'makan makan' at eachother's homes the next morning and clean up eachother's mess the next morning, on a full stomach and giving eachother compliments on their amazing fireworks from the night before. Us kids would pick up and diffuse - usually by simply pouring water over them - any duds. Because we believed our parents when they told us they were not safe to try to lit them again. Good times. 🥰
New Yorker here. Hah, I was NOT warned about the fireworks before, during and after New Year’s back in 2019 so imagine my surprise when I settled into my airbnb in Haarlem for a cozy night in and ended up feeling I was trapped in a war zone. This past New Year’s wasn’t as bad because of the lousy weather. I was back in the same cozy airbnb in Haarlem suffering badly from RSV which I probably caught in a bar on Christmas Eve. And yeah, paracetimol just didn’t help AT ALL. Heh heh. P.S. I have watched Naked Attraction while in the UK and…ewww…just ewww. Maybe they’re more attractive in the Dutch version?
i thought americans loved fireworks but it really is on another level here 😆
You don't need over the counter drugs for a cold. All you need is some chicken soup and a blanket. Your body will take care of your cold by itself.
You both look very healthy, your color is good and your hair looks lovely. I have noticed this with other people from the US once they have lived in the Netherlands for a year or so. I am from the US and I suspect it is the quality of the food in the Netherlands. I would love to hear your thoughts.
oh, that's just my amazing color grading while editing the video. 😉
joking aside, we definitely feel healthier, mostly due to a healther diet and walking a LOT more!
@@buncharted Great looking hair is definitely a US thing, most certainly not a Dutch thing.
The fireworks were illegale, but when something is illegale in the Netherlands, that is more reason to do it! It was illegale in the whole of the Netherlands so there was fireworks in the whole of the Netherlands! 😅😅😥😥🥳🥳
So true hahaha
Spicy food in Netherlands is always a big gamble. In a lot of restaurants the 'spicy/hot' menu items will not be hot, but that tends to make the visits to the restaurants that do extra painful. Most Surinamese places I've visited give you some Madame Jeannette sambal that'll make you regret your life choices, but I've yet to see a Mexican or Thai place serve items that are actually hot.
this is so true!
we’ve become accustomed to just ordering things as spicy as we can, which works 90 percent of the time, but every now and then we get something that is 🔥🔥🔥
There are two major topics/arguments when it comes to medication here:
1) You are most probably not a doctor and when you're not you should not be able to self diagnose and treat certain illnesses with (sometimes pretty heavy) stuff that you don't know anything about. That's why there are doctors and pharmacy employees: they're trained in giving you what you need and how much you need of it.
2) There are loads of illnesses (like a severe cold) that can be cured by your body itself. If you numb yourself with medication, you can't feel the difference when you're getting better. When they ask you how you feel or what you feel, they don't want it to be influenced by drugs, which results in you telling them you feel fine because of medication. Is it uncomfortable? Heck yeah. Should you throw every chemical at it known to man? No. Let your body solve it (but you should visit a doctor if things don't improve obviously).
Only when you break a leg, go to the a hospital and the doctor tells you to "neem een paracetamolletje", then you can have second thoughts about Dutch healthcare :'D
US medicine advertising is really off the charts in suggesting people medicate themselves or seek self-healing with no knowledge.
The nudity on tv is way less then it used to be, the prude police has been acting here as well. It’s a reverse to the “truttigheid” in this country and it’s despicable because it’s people deciding for the majority.
Indonesian food at a good place has spicy dishes, look for a good Indian place and order Vindaloo.
I lived in the US for 6 months. I felt American food was really bland. I went to a Thai restaurant with 6 levels of spiciness with the final level being ‘Thai’. I opted for the level below that and that was ok but still not terribly spicy. So my experience is pretty much the other way around :-)
It also reminds me of the Monty Python joke that ‘American Beer is like make love in a canoe’ which I agree with when it comes to the mainstream brands of US beer :-)
I agree people should pick up after themselves. It doesn’t matter if the city should clean it up: you shouldn’t trash the place.
Funny thing is, even Americans are now figuring out their beer is pisswater.
Over here even Heineken which is a premium brand abroad is considered pisswater, or average at best.
The only Budweiser I drink is from Czech :)
Als je echt ziek bent, ga je naar de dokter of hij komt langs en geeft een recept voor een sterk geneesmiddel. Dat kost erg weinig maar je moet wel even langs voor het onderzoek.
The health care shock is so recognizably American. Over here you are not expected to buy over the counter symptom suppressors just so you can keep going to work and avoid going bankrupt on a visit to the GP. When you are sick, you go to the GP (no charge) to get a sick leave note (to avoid infecting your colleagues) and real medication (no charge) as needed.
GPś dont give sick notes. !
GP don't give sick notes, at all.
@@dutchgamer842A GP prescribes the sick leave in Finland. Why not in Netherlands?
@@shortkari Employer isn't allowed to have contact with any of your doctors at all, it's against privacy laws. Employer can get in trouble for it. If you're sick, employer isn't legally allowed to ask why you are sick or what it is that you got either, most do, you don't have to answer it.
If I as a Dutch person would say that if I am in the United States, travelling on a train, and getting irritated that announcements are only in English and not in Dutch, would you say that irritation is fair? Probably not. So the same is the case the other way around. Specially when you go live in another country, don't expect things to be your way, but adept yourself, by for instance working on learning the language, and in the meantime, if you are unsure what an announcement says because you aren't good enough in the language yet, just ask another traveller, there's always someone willing to help.
Regarding the strikes, I agree that they serve a good purpose, and yes, there have been a lot recently, but that is not how it always is. At the moment it's just taking so long to reach an agreement that they have more strikes.
Spicy food, indeed not easy to find in NL, but if you go to Indian or Thai, or Surinamese restaurants, and you specify you want it extra spicy, they are usually able to provide you with what you want.
And I forgot the over the counter medication. In the USA, that's a for profit business, making billions by creating customers rather than cures. In The Netherlands, you can just go to a doctor, get a prescription and have something that actually suits your needs, and it won't cost you a fortune, because it will just be covered by the insurance.
As a Dutch person I seriously have to respond to this.
First... get rid of the stupid and appalling tourist Unox "gosh I jumped into the sea in januari" hat. No body cares (in the Netherlands). It is utterly corny. I'm sure the Unox company loves it. But you will never see a Dutch person wear such a hat, unless they are a complete idiot.
Second... Open curtains... is actually an area thing. If you will go to other parts of the Netherlands you will see that every one will have their curtains closed. I have seen this "open curtains" mentioned numerous times by expats. But as a Dutch person I can tell you that NOBODY in my area of the Netherlands has their curtains open at dark times. I suspect, though as a Dutch person I am not even sure about it,... it has to do with religious backgrounds. I was once told by a Dutch protestant that it is a religious cultural "requirement" to have curtains to stay open at night, so the neighbors could see if you were not doing something mischievous,... like watching TV on sunday and such. I am from a catholic part of the Netherlands, Brabant,... and everybody that I know,... will close their curtains at night times. So it is a cultural religious background thing,... not a DUTCH thing.
Third... Nudity... I do not see a problem with this. We all look the same beneath the fake modern fashionable clothes. It is funny though,... because I - as a Dutch person - can get actually very frustrated to see an USA made show or movie where they actually do NOT show nudity. I mean seriously you watch some romantic movie and the 2 protagonists prepare to have sex,... NEXT SCENE and they jump out of bed after having sex,... with their undies on. I mean seriously????? You JUST HAD sex, and are wearing your undergarments whilst getting out of bed? That is just utterly ridiculous! You'd be in your adam or eve costumes,... not in cloth.
Fourth... Transit Strikes... Myeah you just happen to come to The Netherlands during some specific period in time were State verses Union negotiation are a thing. But in general these are NOT a thing. NOT A THING!
Fifth.. Spicy food. ROFL!!! I hate spicy food. I guess I am Dutch.
Sixth... Over the counter medicine.... Why? Just go to your freaking local Doctor to get a truly helpful medicine. GO TO YOUR LOCAL DOCTOR, FFS!!! Self medication is not a thing here in the Netherlands. Because our healthcare is affordable and you do not have to pay much if any. You hardly ever self medicate. But also,... noooo, we hardly ever get a bad cold like you did,... because we do not have AC's in our house in The Netherlands and are very used to our local weather. 😉
Seventh... Fireworks and trash. Yes,... I think people who go ALL OUT on fireworks but DO NOT CLEAN UP their own trash,... should be flogged seriously. I think this is an utter disgusting practice. I think only a specific disgusting human being would dirty their own neighborhood like this and not clean up. Especially as THEIR trash will end up in MY garden as well. So FnCK them! Those disgusting people are utter fncking assholes. Screw them!
Anyway... love your content and channel. Keep it up.
P.S.
Question... Are you guys learning Dutch? Though yes most of the Dutch speak english very well.... If you are NOT even trying to blend in... it will not be appreciated by most Dutch folk. I do not think I have seen some kind of "let us try dutch words" video or something like that.
When you go to a Surinam restaurant and you ask them for spicy,.. you will probably get the white guy treatment and they keep it light. You really have to put some emphasis on wanting it really spicy. Indonesian from the Sumatran cuisine is also quite spicy. So it is available, but the locals are not that into it in general, so you really have to insist. For a special experience on spicy I suggest Sichuan peppers. You can get a fresh variant imported from Thailand these days on the West Kruiskade in Rotterdam.
Just tell them you want to eat it like they do and you get something really different than they serve the normal customer.
Again, some insights of the shocking things about living in the Netherlands, which I really not have noticed as a grown up Dutch man 😊. Maybe I can contribute to get faster out of state two of the culture shock. Knowing why sometimes makes acceptation bigger. Because, all I want, is to let you guys feel at home in the Netherlands, with it goods things, and bad things.
By the way, integration goes OK with the Unox cap.
I like to see how things that are so normal to me surprise you. And with some items I think 'damn, never noticed, but indeed'. Good to see. I see that you mainly look from an 'An Americain in Rotterdam' perspective, and although the Netherlands is small, there are considerable differences per province and area. By the way, I don't want to come across as pedantic or defensive, but we Dutch are quite direct :-)
6) Open curtains. Only like the most recent generations keep the curtains open. However, when you go to Brabant, Zeeland or Limburg, most houses does have ‘rolluiken’ (blinds) on the outside, making their house some kind of a closed fort. I think it is part of the “I don’t care what other people think of our interior” state of mind. If you close to curtains, nobody can look inside, but you also block your view to the outside!
5) Nudity on TV. Since the sexual revolution in the sixties, nudity on TV is normal. The first nudity (breast only) was on 9 October 1967. (google on Phil Bloom, VPRO, I hope you find something in English) It was revolutionary than, and has sparked quite a bit of discussion in the Christian Netherlands. I do think that it is becoming a bit more conservative at the moment. I remember in the 1980s, even a shower foam commercial showed a naked woman with bare breasts (www.falder.nl/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/4581453976_072dcfcfa9_c.jpg) . But the Netherlands is quite liberal and free in this kind of things and we (Dutch) call the Americans (no offense) prude
4) Transit Strikes. Like the comments below, strikes are on the rise at the moment because of the great dissatisfaction with the inflation that has started since the war in Ukraine. Energy prices are skyrocketing, two years ago I paid 16 cents for 1 kWh, now there were months when it cost more than 80 cents. Particularly the lower paid jobs are in trouble. However, in France they strike much more, and much longer. Striking in the Netherlands is a right, and if you are a member of a trade union, you will continue to be paid.
3) Spicy food. So true, Dutch people don’t like spicy food. For instance, the spicy chicken mac nuggets from Mc Donald's, are not spicy at all! In general, Dutch food is pretty flat, and I even find it tasteless. Which is strange, because the VOC (Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie) has become rich with spices and pepper!
2) Cold, There is no medicine that shortens the duration of a cold, but there is one that treats the symptoms, as you said in the video. Many medicines in the Netherlands can only be dispensed with a doctor's prescription. For example, the use of antibiotics is limited so that the culprits become resistant less quickly. Indeed, you are stuck with Paracetamol, Ibuprofen and all kinds of remedies with menthol and painkillers. For your throat, you can get ‘Strepsils’ and other good working things.
1) Fireworks. Personally, I hate fireworks, especially the firecrackers. It has grown historically, and the fans consider it a tradition. Some can't hold back and blast off too early. There is a considerable discussion in the Netherlands whether fireworks should be banned. However, last year fireworks were sold for 110 million euros.
Those strikes are something of the last year, sadly. There were more strikes than in the last twenty years combined
The problem with nudity on TV is not Europe showing it, the real problem is America censoring it. About the use of medicine: It it is much better to let the body cure itself rather than to use medication for every time you get a cold. It’s much better for our auto-immune system and it lowers the risk of humans becoming resistant to medication. And fireworks are controversial. They cause a lot of injuries and a lot of people are against it.
There’s a good reason not to dispose of your fireworks the night they’re used. Fireworks burn extra hot and have a dangerous habit of smoldering for hours, unnoticed. This caused my trash bin to go up in flames one Fourth of July.
You don't have 'cold medicine' here because doctors are actually competent and don't give you stuff that doesn't help.
87% of the Dutch people dont want fireworks to be like this anymore, but we are unable to stop fanatics as it seems🤮
I'm surprised they didnt mention the random dog poops on side walks and pavements in the Netherlands tho 😂
If you feel deadly sick you go to the doctor if you are too sick the Doktor will come to you.if its a virus you are have to ride it out if its bacterial you can get an anti biotic you also can get stronger pain medication if needed.
Its logically that in the US more meds are over the counter because people don't go to the doctor in fear of the cost.
Here the regulations of what you can buy is more strikter if you need those stronger meds you also need a docter.....so go to the doctor 🤣
Food's can be very spicy in the Netherlands, but for that you have to go to the more foreign kitchens or restaurants like indonesian, indian, etc. Dutch people actually eat a lot of those.
First of, I like you. You look like a crazy funny couple, in a good way. I like to see how you experience the differences between the USA and the Netherlands. This is the first time I see people explain what culture shock actually is and can totally understand it. You are excited about all the nice new things, then you miss all the things you used to have and then you settle and get used to it. Those are the short term effects but as smart as you are, you know what the important things are.
You have learned a lot so far about the Netherlands but be prepared for a whole lot more. You are on the right track and I have the feeling you will fit right in!
Let me respond real quick on topic:
1. Open curtains - For me this is like a 50-50 situation, some do and some don't but if you are not used to it, it might be a shock. A lot of the people don't care if you see them, if you don't do strange things you have nothing to hide. If you want to look at people sitting on the couch watching TV you will get bored pretty fast.
2. naked people on TV - Ever since 1967 there is nudity on public television. Not a lot of people care about it, it is not porn it is just how people are. If you grow up with nudity it is the same as uncovered ears or hands, just normal.
3. Transit strikes - Yes this is hot nowadays. This is a result of something that started with the start of Covid until now. People lost their jobs, remaining workers got overloaded. Not just Covid but the whole global situation has contributed to it. And not just transit, waste collectors are going on strike, and more services may follow. The dutch are not known to go on strike very fast (like the French) but sometimes it happens. It is an inconvenience for all of us but they only do it if it is serious so we share the pain for a few days and then it is all over. We are not yet in the "I want to speak to your manager" and "My lawyer will make you unemployed" civilization (thank God).
4. Spice food - 100% true. I don't know why this is but everyone I know agrees that "spicy" in the Netherlands doesn't mean anything. If you want it spicy you have to do it yourself.
5. Over the counter medication - I think this is to protect the "below average smart" people to buy and use a lot of meds that could harm them a lot, because they heard on tiktok or facebook that it would cure all the symptomes of whatever they have. If you are a little bit smarter, you can find all the meds you are used to in the USA, digitally or abroad. And if you are really smart you can prevent a lot of this with keeping your resistance up at the first place.
6. Fireworks - Yes! you just came at the right moment! In the Netherlands we always go a little crazy on new year's eve. But last NYE was a little special: First, with Covid and all, we could not fire any (serious) firework for a few years. Secondly, there is a lot of talking to ban fireworks totally. That is why we all went bananas.
Loved this episode. I always 'like' you and I will keep following you on your journey to Europeanize or maybe even Dutchize :)
Happy Life 😙!
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Americans are overal really prude with both language and nudity (yet blood and murder are somehow not so bad 🤷)
About the cold thing, this year it was a particular hefty one. I was sick for over a week as well where it normally a 2 or 3 days. The thing is the 'cold medicine' realy don't do alot to get you better, just let your body take care of it and build up an immune system, just use paracetamol/ibuprofen for your fever and maybe some cough drops/syrup to soften the throat. And you'll be fine in a week (it also helps you can just take the week off sick and just get paid without having to take days off)
The strikes are alot this year, especially the last half year and they suck! It's of course couse of the high inflation etc. But they can plan it better and announce it way more in advance and fe not plan it in 'exam week' for students. If it's so often you also loose the sympathy of the populous.
it's hard to take a week off when you're self-employed 😅
honestly, it was more about just wanting something that actually made my cough bearable so i could sleep. i should have just gone to the doctor after the first week!
Fireworks? 😅 The real deal fireworks is in the U.S. 😪
what concerns you being sick and the time it lasted, you're an american, and they're on too much medication.
here in europe we let the children solve the disease themselves from an early age so that their immune system becomes stronger.
in your case you would get sick a few more times before your immune system gets stronger
When you’re sick, you’re sick. So you’ll suffer some headaches for a while. That’s called life. You’re not dying. Welcome to the Netherlands!
I can't believe you haven't mentioned being sent a Tikkie for 0.45 euro by *a friend* because you ordered joppie sauce on your bram and they paid for it😂 15 years in Rotterdam and I am still not used to it.
The solution for this is to always have some cash change in your pockets, or find friends who are wealthy enough to shrug it off. If I ask my friends to spot me 150 euro they dont complain and never ask about it. Then I buy them something else in return.
@@TheSuperappelflap Totally agree! The issue isn't people not being able to afford it, in which case this is totally normal. The Dutch are just tight as hell🤣
If you Come from texes usa, do you miss the Guns? And the gun culture?
There are legal Guns whitin this country, and al lot of shouting ranges. If you know where to look!
Yeah. Guns are legal. Ammo not so much though... that's why they all scream BLAM BLAM BLAM on the shouting ranges so much.
@@harmsenjeroen legale wapens zijn er gewoon, de regels zijn in Nederland gewoon veel strenger. Maar je mag als particulier in Nederland vrijwel alle vuurwapens met bijbehorende minutie hebben. Mits je de juiste vergunningen bezit.
Vol automatisch is verboden
.50 en groter is verboden ( met uitzondering van hagel)
Maar buiten dit mag je gewoon alles in Nederland bezitten.
Er zijn dan ook volledig ingerichte wapenwinkels door het hele land, waar ze alles wat in Nederland te koop is gewoon hebben liggen.
Je mag als Nederlander max 5 vuurwapens bezitten
En je mag max. 10 000 stuks minutie thuis hebben.
Wapen dient thuis altijd in een kluis te liggen, geschieden van de minutie ( deze moet in een aparte kluis)
Je dient min. 18 schietbeurten per jaar te maken
En je moet mee doen aan min. 5 wedstrijden per jaar.
@@ikkezelfdoemaar snap ik, en je hebt gelijk. Maar het ging me meer over “shouting range” wat vertaald “schreeuwbaan” betekent(?)… PIEW! BLAM! BOEM! 😜
Most bus lines here are circular, so they only go in one direction. Some very busy lines will have circles in 2 directions.
gewoon naar de dokter lopen oen!!!
As a Dutch-American who grew up eating Mexican, you can get spicy food, you just have to go to an Indonesian restaurant and order it ‘Indonesian hot’
The strikes are just at this moment, if they agree with new salaris, transport can go good for many years. There wasn’t a strike in twenty years!
oh wow - i had no idea!
The strikes are due to inflation, which didn’t take place last years. 10:35
All is unsettled since the covid measures and the inflation. People have lost their financial security, they can't predict whether they will able to pay the bills, they can't count on goverment to keep the energy bill affordable as was shown clearly. Before negatiations would be successful well before any possible strike, but government has allowed so much incertainty in the mix that the famous Dutch 'labour peace', a very valuable asset for investment, has been broken.
For the number 2. For everything you think your body feels not good. Call your so called Huisarts, GP. And make an appointment.
Once you get over the initial culture shock, you graduate to "acculturative stress", which is the kind of stress immigrants experience from having to adjust and function in a new culture. There's a lot to learn. It's intense. If you're planning on staying long term, you're going to get an invitation to do the mandatory immigration course where you have to go to classes and learn enough Dutch to pass your exams. They also cover Dutch cultural and social norms partly to help alleviate the culture shock. It helps you to get used to something if you're being told what to watch out for.
Hey Michelle and Alex, I gradually start to appreciate your videos more and more and more :-) I love the humor and once you started about nudity on tv I just knew Naked Attraction going to be mentioned. Yes it is quite outrageous but I still kinda like it for just putting things out in the open. They discuss issues that usually are not spoken out into the public sphere 🙂 I did not see the Dutch version (yet) but I saw Adam zoekt Eva 😛 They had even a Celebrity -edition. With a female olympic gold medallist and some lesser known people Men and Women. Can you imagine this program in the USA with a gold olympic medallist? hahahaha..
The amount of nudity on Dutch tv has enormously DECREASED by the way... In the 80ties a dutch movie used to have at least one nudity scene... Maybe the influence of the "#Metoo" campaign?
Visiting the USA I sometimes was amazed by the censorship on tv with a "builders-cleavage" blurred away and cursing beeped away which some programmes just made into a beeping concert.. And this versus the amount of violence portraited ... Very disturbing in my honest opinion. But I know and acknowledge The Netherlands are sometimes pretty weird... Absolutely including the Fireworks fetish that goes around on New Years Eve. It is absolutely crazy. It is a night of ANARCHY! And I once was part of it... And now I think.. What happened to me ;-)
I think the word you were looking for is binge-watching or binge-viewing 😄
When it comes to strikes: I lived in the Netherlands for 45 years and used public transport very often. In my view they happened for just two or three days, once in every five years and then most often just the trains or buses. It won’t be something you will see every year.
I have to partly disagree with the spicy food comments. Yes, in the Netherlands it’s more mild, but I think it’s the same way in the USA. Food in the USA just contains more salt, more sugar and more artificial flavoring and coloring. Maybe it’s just the places i’m going to or you’re going to, but in my opinion I could find spicier food in the Netherlands than the USA.
I totally agree with your view on fireworks and the trash people leave behind. I always cleaned up my mess and usually the trash at my neighbors, who didn’t lit any fireworks, but lots of it was left behind by people passing by and throwing it on the ground and left.
I don’t know if you watch the channel of Soul to Soul travels but it might help to get in touch with them. American couple, who moved to Rotterdam. They very recently made comments about the grocery stores and the over-the-counter medicine in the Netherlands.
Also the channel of T & T go Dutch, about a couple from Texas who moved to Leiden, the Netherlands might be interesting for the two of you. They are always looking for the best food around and find the best places to eat.
With the curtain open thing. Its not rude to look into peoples house when walking by. Some people even make walk around the neighborhood in look at front gardens.
In summer i was trying to watch tv but it was too bright to see the tv so i closed the cutrains. My dad said to not do that since then the neighborhood might think im trying to watch porn on tv or shagging on the kitchen counter. Because why else would you have the cutrains closed???
Having big windows in winter is nice since then the sun warms the house for free :)
What surprised me about strikes in Europe (except the UK) are political strikes, sympathy/secondary strikes, the lack of notice and strikes called without a ballot of union members. The "political strikes" are the strangest - calling a strike because unions don't like the government's policies, not about specific issues that affect members like terms&conditions or salary. In the UK and USA people express their political view about the government by voting the government back in/out, but in Europe unions will call a strike because they don't like government policies!!
For spicey it is only available at authentic restaurant. Like authentic Indonesia restaurant. There are some authentic Indonesian restaurant like in Rotterdam (Emjay Restaurant) and Den Haag... And some in Amsterdam. They keep the spicy level like Indonesian usually do (not like typical Dutch sambal😂) Which usually only full by Indonesia people.. 😬
I can relate to all 6 points. I hate fireworks though. We lose a lot of eyes and fingers around new year. Even worse 😮. When I am still sick after a while I will go to the huisarts to get some antibiotics. Happened a couple of times and I am 51 years old. Most of the time you have to ride it out…
The strikes are more frequently these days. Well these at difficult times. Oh, and I am still into the irritating phase at some points and I was born here 😁
we don’t love fireworks either. and our cats really really hate them 🙈
In Amsterdam. The cleaning of the fireworks. Will be the next day.
Haha i guess its because we dont see “having a cold” as being sick. You just have to go to bed a nd take some rest and nature will fix it in a few days..no medicine needed 😂 regarding the nudity… well i guess we see naked as something normal here in europe. So for us its not a shock to see people nude on tv. When i watch a us tv show im always shocked why they blur some of the most innocent body parts..its unreal for us europeans haha.
I'm curious what kind of over the counter medication do you get in the USA when you got the flu you can't get here without a dr. description?
I lived in Rotterdam for 18months for work. The fireworks and celebration is a definite thing.
Have you noticed that most Dutch work M-Thursday, maybe half day Friday morning. Or the holidays, I would go into work only to find out there was a holiday and my colleagues would not be available. The have town, city, district, region, and national holidays. They can be on a random Tuesday because they take the same day regardless of day of the week.
Never have I seen the fireworks trash not been cleaned in 48 hours. Ususally I wake up late in the day after partying all night and it's already cleaned off the streets.
Love ur culture shock item
My largest culture shock in the USA ,as a European, was......GUNS and the US gun addiction..
If fireworks here are the biggest culture shock for Americans in the Netherlands how happy you must be😅
Open curtains is relatively new in the Netherlands, in my youth literally every house closed curtains at dawn and opened them when the last person went to bed. It's changed over time, no clue why.
Naked people on TV yeah, that European vs American I guess, in here nudity is normal violence is not due to concerns about kids over there violence is normal and nudity is not due to concerns about kids. I know what approach I prefer....
Transit strikes, the one on this list I'm actually ashamed of, it simply is outrageous with so many people dependent on public transport.
Spicy food, so true. Luckily I have an Indonesian wife.
Over the counter medication, it's public health policy, the population over- and mis-using anti-biotics creates resistance, leading to unavailability of anti-biotics for the few that actually need it, that's why we're quite strict on it.
Fireworks, yes, beautiful, also getting less popular, there is a significant lobby to ban private fireworks with environmental concerns combined with concerns about stress for pets and people with respiratory problems. In a few decades it'll be city-organized events only. If you DO like Fireworks check out the annual fireworks competition at Scheveningen in the summer.
the spicy thing drives me mental, sambal is REALLY salty and not spicy at all...BUT if you try Surinamese yellow pepper sauce...it'll blow your socks off
Fireworks was a lot more in my youth and also to a later time on new years night. There was also a lot of loud illegal fireworks. I always bought the illegal ones, they much louder and I found them safer to use. For instance strijkers (strikers are extremely loud) are safely put on using the back of a match box. Since you don't see an outside fuse, you definitely throw them as soon as you strike them on.
If you go to Chinny's (which I suspect you're referrinh to when you talk about getting Surinam food in Rotterdam) you specificly have to ask for the real, "none white people" sambal. The stuff they put on their sandwiches normally is pretty tasteless.
If you go to Chinnys, order the Dynamite sandwich. It's a secret menu item and it's so good.
When you speak about Spicy not being spicy, you have NOT eaten actual Dutch Indonesian or Surinamese food. If they ask you if you want it spicy - then that's already a red flag if they ask if you want "PEPPER or HOT" on your food - THAT is when you know its proper spice you will change that opinion real quick lmao. Because alot of Dutch peopel don't really handle spicy food that well - "spicy" is more like a little "bite" instead of actually spicy. even the standard Sambal Oelek, you need to ask for real pepper if you want it spicy.
the reason wy there is so mutch fireworks at new years eve is it is only alowed at new years eve. in america you cen fire it when ever but in the netherlands fireworks are prohibited with the exeption of new years eve, se we (the dutch) go all out at that time, some even get iligal fireworks from acros the border in germany
9:11 we do not have much different self medication on the shelves because our healthcare is affordable and you can get better stuff through the docter.
The fact is that paracetamol works quite well against symptoms like headaches and overall malaise, but if that’s not sufficient then one could try ibuprofen. Or even Naproxen or diclofenac (in case of muscle pain for example). Against coughing there’s noscapine tablets. All is available OTC for example at Kruidvat, so not sure what more you could wish for….
Green tea with turmeric and ginger, possibly a teaspoon of honey, is enough to alleviate most coughs and sore throats. Its naturally antibacterial.
Putting a lot of peppers in your food also helps a lot.
Have you seen "Gewoon Bloot"? It's a kid's show with totally naked people. Personally I find Dutch TV to be refreshing. Except that it reminds me how backward we can be here in the U.S.
When I woke up around midnight???? Reallly??? On new years eve????
Buying meds over the counter isn't a Dutch thing. You need a perscription from a doctor. Buying meds over the counter is typical North American, my wife does the same who's Canadian.
I live in a village in the middle of the country and you’ll find that most of the firework trash is removed and cleaned up the next day by the same villagers who lit up the fireworks. All that remains is what teenagers illegally used in public areas away from the houses. E.g. (bicycle) footpaths between suburbs. That gets cleaned up later by council workers doing their cleanup rounds.
When you have a bad cold, you'll be sick for around 7 days without medication. With medication, it's around a week. In other words, those over the counter american meds, nonsense. You just needs to stay in bed, stay hydrated, eat as much as you can, keep the temperature low with paracetamol, and you'll be fine. Only if your temperature keeps rising thru max paracetamol you'll need a doctor.
The open curtain thing is actually a remnant of religious beliefs. If your curtains are open and people are able to look inside, you signify that there is no ungodly business going on in your home. That you have nothing to hide. Though nowadays it's just common for Dutch people (and less about virtue-signaling), and many will only close them when they go to bed, or earlier, to signify they no longer wish to receive unexpected visitors. Do not be surprised, when unexpectedly visiting your Dutch neighbour at night, that even if you see a light on inside but the curtains are shut, they might not even answer the door unless you made a call first or a prior appointment. They don't mean anything bad, it's usually a safety thing, especially with elderly people.
Transit strikes are because the transit companies want to run their companies like American companies do: Employees have no rights, no securities and they are overworked and underpaid. Most of the employees are on a zero hour-contracts which means that companies only pay them when they are working. That's not common in the Netherlands and I've been surprised that people working in public transport haven't been striking more often.
As to OTC-medicines, doctors will almost never prescribe you any anti-biotics for a flu or a cold. The common attitude towards a common cold or the flue is that hot soup, sleep and a lot of sweating will cure you. There's no need for anti-biotics and by letting your body heal itself you will be less susceptible to colds and flu in the future. I remember that my mother gave us a small glass of hot whiskey and send us to bed. Cold was over in less than 5 days.
2:20 you could just ask aloud if anyone would translate what the voice just said to you.
no need to ask anyone personally.
I don't hear anything about the Pilgrim fathers. The Netherlands is the ancestral home of Americans , Yankee means Jan Kees , they played korfbal which is like basketball.
Nudity on tv? There is even sex on tv, and its not porn... there was in "Big Brother", and way back in "Sex voor de Buch". And you should see Dutch made movies...
Self medication is not good! The vast majority of people have no or only very limited knowledge of medicine.
Getting a cold is not funny and there are a lot of different "colds". If you catch a cold you stay at home and get a paracetamol against the headache you may have, but for the rest you just endure it. Stay in bed, read a book, watch some tv, play a game on your computer or just sleep. It will take a day or two, maybe three and you will start feeling better. After a week or so you will be better and you can go back to work.
Doing it the American way you get some over the counter anti cold medicine and take a large dose. If it does not seem to help you take an other dose a couple of hours later. The "medicines" suppress the symptoms and sometimes dull your feelings. You think you are ok so the next day you go back to work. You don't realise that you are still very much ill. The virus still rages through your body. With every breath you exhale you are spreading the virus in the air around you. This can, and often will spread to your collegues.
One person catches a cold and less than a week later almost everybody working with or close to that person will catch that cold as well.
This means it is not a very good practise to go to work with a cold. Just take your time to get better. You may have to stay at home for a week or ten days but you won't spread the cold around your colleagues.
And you don't need all those "medicines" they sell in the US. Most of these medicines don't cure the illness, they just suppress the symptoms and/or dull your senses. As a matter of fact, there is no cure for the common cold! Ok, you can feel really miserable for one or two days but that will be it. You will get over it!
And then you can really catch a very bad cold, I mean really bad. That is when you call your doctor! Don't start self medication, chances are you make it worse! Call your doctor!!!
He or she may be able to help you on the phone but it is more likely the doctor will ask you to come to the practice. If you are really bad the doctor can even make a house call. He or she will assess the situation prescribe medicine when appropriate and will ask you to stay indoors and in bed most likely.
Don't be alarmed when you will not get any medicine at all. As I already wrote, there is no cure for a cold, not even for a heavy cold. You may get some medicine that will help you to get more comfortable. You may have trouble breathing or you may have a very sick feeling in your guts. There are some medicines that will help you with those kinds of things.
If it is really bad the doctor will notice that and send you to a hospital. That does not happen very often but it can. At the hospital you will get all the attention, medicine and help you need. But you are ill and that is something your body has to overcome by itself. Medicine, the right medicine, will help your body to overcome that illness quicker.
Getting to the pharmacy and buy a bunch of medicines that claim they will cure you quick and with as little pain and discomfort as possible will not do you much good. You don't know which medicines are the best suited for you and the illness you have. You can be lucky and get the right one but, because there are so many to choose from you may just as easy get the wrong one.
Here in the Netherlands commercials for not over the counter medicines are banned. Also these so called healthy foods or additives may not claim they are healthy without any clinical proof. Just some doctor or professor claiming it is very good for your bones or guts or what ever is not enough. These commercials are banned except with a clear disclaimer. Not just small print or a quick passing unreadable line at the bottom of the screen.
Here in the Netherlands the doctors don't prescribe medicine because you ask for it. They will assess the whole situation and then decide if medicines are needed and which one to prescribe.
Self medication problems are rear here in the Netherlands. The main reason for this is, most of the medicines are not available over the counter. You do need a prescription from your doctor. And the doctor will not give you any medicine without a proper consult. Here you can not go to your doctor and say "I want this or that medicine because I have a cold". That is absolutely not the way it works here.
to your over the counter medication, well getting sick enough that you feel you need stronger medications than you can get over the counter, you go to your "huisarts" GP/doctor. If you are so sick that you need medication, they will write you a prescription for that. If you are not that ill, you need to get healthy the Dutch way, plenty of rest, water, painmeds and soup, easily ingestible food (like your chinese food for example" and you have to "uitzieken" get healthy the old fashioned way. That is why we do not have sick days but sick leave. If you are that sick that you need 10 days of rest, you take 10 days or rest and go back to work when you are healthy enough. That is what "uitzieken" truly means, get better as naturally as possible.
Don't try to play doctor yourself - you were probably to afraid for medical costs but that would have been your real shock! That vIsiting a doctor in the Netherlands doesn't make you bankrupt 🙂
as a Dutchy myself, I really don't understand that open curtain thing either, I hate it when people can look inside and see me, I truly value my privacy.
Ever tried Hot Coldrex for the cold/flu? It's a mix of vitamin C and paracetemol with other stuff. It doesn't clear it up right away but it does help
The number two...over the counter medication..
Well....when you are sick, what you do, is you go to the doctor and they prescribe you the correct medication to make you better
You don't have to go and try to work out what you have wrong with you, and what you need to make you better that you can buy over the counter.
Did you go to medical collage for 6 or 7 years?......no?
Spicy food can trigger Afib which may lead to cardiovascular problems such as stroke.
I have celebrated NYE in Rotterdam once, and I can confirm that it's absolutely crazy there 😛
Over the counter medication: Come on you are big boy you get over a cold without medication :-) . I guess that in America you have so many addicted people because there is so much "over the counter medication". You don't need it your body will take care of a cold by itself
There is cursing on Americain tv maybe even more then in the Netherlands but you guys just Fubeeeeeep beep over it. But it is not like nobody knows what is said. You can fubeeep beep all you fbeeeep want to the beeeep people watching know what the beeeep is said. See I started with fubee... and later I just typed beep and all your mind did is filling in the blanks. So beeping doesnt make it go away It is just silly. Or the cursing on Dutch tv is intentional or unwanted and if unwanted the host or guests will address that. 😉
Staring in someone houses is rude and even creepy. You can take a glance though, and even give a friendly wave is you see someone. But definitely do not stare.
As for flu meds, yes we don't have the same things like in the states. But there are some pretty good things to help you overcome the symptoms, you just need to try things out. Try to find out what ingredients there is in us medicines you like to use.( you usually have a combo of things in one medicine) If you know these ingredients you can much easily ask for the same meds (at the better drugstores(kruidvat has employed people that are somewhat educated on medicine) or at a farmacy), but they are usually sold separately. How ever there are some ingredients here you just can't get over the counter, there for some of your flu medication is banned here.
I hope you go to a doctor next time cause a month sick is long. The system of huisartsen is meant to be close to home literally and also personal, low threshold&free. They can get you antibiotics or other, even over the counter meds but higher dosage. It takes the pressure off hospitals. So make use of their service :)
‘I got deathly ill’ -> ‘I got what Basicly everyone had’
You were not deathly ill… you got a heavy cold.
10:47 that's when you go to the doctor. They'll prescribe something stronger. Self-medication isn't really a thing here as that can be dangerous.
I feel like we are the only country that changes in the end of december from nice christmas holiday in to a god damn warzone and if you see groups of 12/13 year olds then walk arround them with a save distance
what nudity on tv is for us, is guns in houses with children for the US. And when you are sick, just go to the doctor, its free! then you get the correct pharmacy medication for next to nothing!
about the self-medicating stuff, going to a doctor and get a educated diagnosis is free, and if you need medication then it will be prescribed to you. self medication sounds foolish, get checked and get the right meds 😄
Staying home with a cold helps to prevent others from getting it, as it usually has a viral cause.
Naked attraction is car crash television that makes you think all the contestants must have a gun to their head. But no, exhibitionists are far more common than normal people think!
Go to kruidvat you can buy all the medication you need.
i mean why use medication when you can just lie on your bed (hallucinating and near death) for a week or two?
better then getting bacteria immune to antibiotics in my opinion.