Concerning learning Dutch, my wife said that it really helped her watching two Dutch TV programs for children. One is 'Het Klokhuis' which is a daily fun educational program. Every episode centers around a different subject (cultural, scientific, arts, environmental, technology, history et cetera). The second was 'Het Jeugdjournaal' which is a dailt newsprogramme that shows current affairs with some added children subjects. The language is clear and it is more challenging for adults to watch than for instance Sesame Street. And she learned a lot about the Netherlands. Daily on TV 3 arond 18.30 - 19.. hrs...
Consider visiting the East and the North of The Netherlands, like Twente, de Achterhoek, Drenthe, Groningen and Friesland. It’s more quiet, houses are bigger and it’s beautiful!
And LIMBURG (the south) big big houses and lots of nature. You Guys will love Maastricht! Best of all the borders of Germany and Belgium are just around the corner here in the south.
But don't visit Brabant. We like to think that Brabant is part of Belgium. We tried to move it southwards beyond the borderline but we got stuck halfway and decided that the most rational thing to do was to stop pushing and accept that we only partly succeeded in our queeste. Het was wel welletjes zo. And that's the reason why there are two Brabants.
There is a little trick in restaurants when you think the waiter is not noticing you. Trust me he has! But if you want the waiter to come to you, just politely wave up a finger (do not over do it and yell) and they will either come directly, or give you a head nod to acknowledge they have seen you, but are busy at that time and will come a bit later. You should mostly do this as well when you want the bill. I noticed expats complaining that waiters never come with the bill to you. That is because here in the Netherlands it is custom you signal the waiter when you are done and want to leave and pay. Just do not start waving grotesquely at the waiter and yelling at him or her. Because that is considered extremely rude and unpolite.
So true! It's indeed gentle body language that is used to get the attention of the wait staff. And some patience is helpful. You can also let them know - when ordering ; you want to be leaving pretty quickly, so you'd like to pay right away. They will most of the time accommodate you.
About the medication topic. As far as i understand your talking about medication "for a cold or flue". While you can get things for that here they are no doubt lighter in active ingredients. But the simple reason is that there is nothing to treat a cold or a flue. So its all symptome treatment and we dont use heavy drugs for such mundane discomforts.
I think its for english speaking persons, a great help to know some simple basic "rules", while reading Dutch, in sound. For example, if you come across a dutch word with the letter combination oe, it always sounds like the oe, in the english word 'shoe'. (It's kind of weird for us, that you also give that sound, to the letter combination oo. Like 'cool'.) That combination, here, (oo) always sounds like the o in "oh, go, pro". Combination 'aa', always sounds like the a in "spa". Au always has the pain sound, so does ou.
We have a saying about medication for colds. A cold takes a week without medication and 7 days with medication. About smoking: it really depends on the area. 20% of the Dutch smoke. Laws are berging strickter. For example in 2024 supermarktets are not allowed to sell sigarets anymore. Some are already stopped selling.
If you can't get medicine here that you can simply buy over the counter, I would say: there's probably a very good reason for that: not approved here. Like chlorinated eggs, and many other things we banned.
We know that medicines are almost never harmless. If you don’t really need them, don’t take them. Especially antibiotics, but really, goes for all kinds of drugs. Also be aware that you can’t just bring any kind of medicine with you. Some of the medicines that are not allowed here, will be confiscated unless you have a prescription.
You can always ask your doctor why you don't get certain medicines, because he or she always has your best interest in mind. And doctors are cautious prescribing anti as it may render bacteria resistant. And that would be bad for everybody.
Learning the basics of Dutch will make you feel so much more at home. We like to exchange comments, responses, between strangers, just small talk about everyday things, and you’ll feel excluded.
The Dutch love the stormy wheater. When it storms or there are heavy winds you will see tons of people at the beach or walking along the dikes . There is nothing more beautifull than storm at the coast , Dark Bleu-grey / black skys a brown and pounding north seas with sun hitting the dunes through a mist of salt air and mist . The dutch come alive with this weather , its like the sea is calling the native dutch . The dutch language also uses a lot of expresions ,references and sayings making it more dificult. not to mention words that are old dutch or in old dialects. that can mean things a lot different than what is now modern.
A bit romantically staged but yeah, I can recognize myself in your words. What I find strange you know is that so many people absolutely need one shower per day but go haywire the moment some unforeseen raindrops start falling out of the sky. I think that's odd.
@@marcusfranconium3392 Yes, and we're all familiar with that lot. They already start nagging the very moment a small cumulus cloud suddenly blocks the sun for a short while. "Can you give me my sweater, darling? It's getting colder." "Oh, never mind."
It's the temperature, my dear Frank...;-) I love a good shower, a HOT one. And outside rain always feels like icedrops to me. BRBRBRBR! @@FrankHeuvelman
Don’t know what those medications are that you mentioned, but they are very strict here on two things (at least): your GP is reluctant to prescribe antibiotics, and that’s because we’re running out of options. If we - in person, or as a species - use ‘m too frequently, they’re not effective anymore. And opioids….your condition has to be really, very serious, before you get anything that contains even a trace of morfine, etc. And even then you’ll only get a restricted amount.
This is true. Dutch GP's take medication very seriously. And you look at the opioid crisis in the US, you can see why they should be treated with care. Over the counter medicine might seem convenient to some, but it can be a really dangerous problem. It's really irresponsible to just dose yourself because you feel like it without consulting a doctor.
Maybe you can appreciate this song text by Pokey LaFarge In the U.S.A things get worse each day I hope it's not too late to pack my things and go But where I wanna be is not where you'd expect They have a place for me down on Nieuwe Binnenweg [Chorus] Is this real life or just the way I am I long for The Netherlands And I want to go, back Back to Rotterdam Never felt like a stranger, never felt in danger Ever since I came here I only felt at peace Back home some have to fight just to survive Why do they have to die instead of living free? I know someday the world will come to an end And I'm going to watch it burn from in another land [Chorus] Is this real life or just the way I am I long for The Netherlands And I want to go, back Back to Rotterdam
I agree with you about it's not too late to pack my things and go -- did 50years ago and moved to California = lived in The Hague -10years.I missed the fun and great time in Europe = lived in Munich ~ Brussels and Barcelona. Still enjoying my life in Northern California = BayArea.
just did some number checking; apparently 14.9%of our 18+ population smokes on a daily basis against 15.2% in the US so all in all the numbers are comparable. could be that population density may make it look as if there's alot more smoking overhere?
I found that in the last year or so many adolescents and students have started smoking or doing drugs as a way to escape their boring life while everything was closed.
My guess , as a Dutch speaking American, is that you have more middle class smokers than America, whereas smoking in America has become bit more working class. So it depends where you hang out, go to school, whwre you live, etc. Here in America, I've never seen a college student smoking at a nearby college as I walked by, or at middle class shopping areas.
Rotterdam is a port city and smoking was very much part of the culture and habits die hard. Even today the mentality is very different and only will be found in other port cities in Europe. Here in Den Haag you will hardly see anyone smoking even on the terraces. It is just not done. When I came here 50 years ago smoking was very acceptable even in hospital and GP waiting rooms puffing was the norm. What has amazed me is the speed this has been turned around here compared to other European countries. I think the problem is with Rotterdam which has never been high along with Amsterdam, on my list of favourite Dutch towns and I had worked there for six years.
I laughed so hard at number 9. The Kingsize bed you're missing. And that reminds me of when my wife and I moved in together. We had a bed of only 130 cm. Now we have a wider bed, but my single daughter has a box spring (for her alone) of 200 cm. And then I think: What if you get into a relationship? Then you have to buy an extremely wide bed :-) Number 12 is important to me. It is about a happy and healthy life. And happiness, I always teach my daughters, can be found in a blade of grass by the side of the road.
My grandfather came to the US from NL and I still have family that I have connected with that live there. I am really loving your videos!! I am hoping to move to the NL and connect with the roots there and with the place that my family is from. As a person with anxiety, I have to know everything about everything before making a leap like that on my own. Thank you for all of the information!!
You're very welcome here, and I think you can ship yourself here, and leave the anxiety over there.... ;-) because it's peaceful here. You don't HAVE to live in a bustling city if that is too noisy for you, we have everything in between too. Like more north east of the Netherlands is more rural than the bigger cities, and there are many towns, big and small and smaller and smallest ;-) You might not think so in this tiny country, but yeah, here too, there are places that are quite restful. Friesland and Drenthe being the most quiet and peaceful ones, Groningen an close third. (province, not city)
It’s very funny that you mentioned smoking. You really ought to go to France. You’ll get the shock of your life - everyone, and I mean everyone - smokes. I actually haven’t felt that many people smoke here in the Netherlands. But I live in a very small city (more like a town).
Some of your points are related to living in a big city. Only 20 minutes away from Rotterdam life is much different and wayyyy more quiet and relaxed. Social life is much better and more fun.
It is a misunderstanding that USA medicines are better than the one's in The Netherlands. The Dutch enjoy a better overall health than Americans and over the counter medicines, as in the USA, are available when subscribes by a docter. Maybe the names are different and only safe medication will pass the medical and legal standards. Citizens of the USA, bringing their own medication into the country, may get fined by customs because the medicines are not allowed. If you don't feel well, go to the docters!
About insulting the king: Indeed there where some official articles of law prohibiting insulting the king ('Majesteitsschennis' or 'lese majesty'). These laws where abolished begin 2020. Long before that these articles where already considered antiquated and (as far as I know) never enforced. So today insulting the king is not prohibited anymore in the Netherlands ;)
Thats not 100% true. Insulting the king is still a crime. Yes the arcticles about majesteitsschennis are rejected but its still forbidden to insult somebody, article 266.
@@racingweirdo I know it is not 100% true, because I was simplifying the matter on purpose. There are indeed law articles about insulting people in general, but no separate ones (anymore) concerning only the king. So I should have said 'So today insulting the king is now no different as insulting anybody else in the Netherlands'.
@@aliaguerin1266 That law went the way of the dinosaurs right along with the other. I think it was about Erdogan trying to use that law to sue someone.
Funny how you assume what you see around you in R’dam is the same in the rest of Holland…. Lots of generalisations and also calling BS on a couple… Maybe go around the rest of Holland and then come back to your list and see how much of it still stands! I’m an expat, been living here for over 30 years and I can tell you….there’s a lot more to it than where you are now
the us waged a war on drugs and meanwhile got the whole country addicted to heroin because of those painkillers man here in the nethelrands we love xtc and even coke but at least we don't have a opioid heroine problem
I think you missed a lot, time format (24hours) AM/PM is not used although in speech they say 5pm they write 17:00 A way of boasting --> getting deliveries is a sign of wealth if you have issues and call out for help they do not "ignore" its actually a criminal offence to not offer 1st aid/support. the dutch are not blunt or policitcally correct they are somewhere in between. food: - Bring "Tang" or jello vs dutch licorice aka difference in foods / food prices - The dutch "cuisine" = not US style the dutch do not slow cook (some exceptions) - the oliecork (aka the orgin of donut), pancakes, waffels, poffertjes. - barbeque or cooking = 30 minutes and you should be done .. - Water from the tap is drinkable and just as good as bottled water (NL mostly, other EU countries less) - good meat is exported or you need to go to a butcher/specialty shop/"islamic shops" - a lot less of choices in groceries in general .. except beer / wine usually a couple of flavours. - Traffic: - the dutch do not stick to there lanes (passing right-side is a no-no) getting overtaken by a 18weeler (truck) is a a sign you are going to slow. - its rare to pay first at a gas-station then fill up - public transport can get you nearly everywhere in the country and in general is in on-time and only in peak moments you might not get a seat - a car is not needed in general unless you want to see a lot in a short amount of time. - in general you can get everything by walking(distances) or biking if you want --> groceries, shopping and medical care house: - they do not have have "stock" rooms, mudrooms or a lot of "tools" storage space might be a premium. - utility (water,gas) is 99,999999% ensured its very very rare to have a outage.. power outage depends where you live however a outage for more than 4 hours gets frontpage / news coverage. - internet / or mobile coverage is also 90% coverage /available .. and you pay for all calls, local or within bundles some rare exceptions. - because shops are almost 7 a week open between 8-20:00 - having "room for guests" is a in general reserved for family ... friends do have their own house. - The Dutch are direct, but they provide a lot of translations in other languages and do smile and appriciate being spoken to in dutch. - they are "royalty" proud and show that by dressing in orange having a special day where fairs and other events are organized. - they do not mind you dressing up in a collourful mix, however do dress business casual(ish) if unsure of the event or job at least for the first day. - takeout is less of a thing, either get food deliverd or go out for dinner - When invited do bring a small token of appriciation, and do't overstay your welcome .. (a couple of hours) .. - do not use speaker, or media devices in public / when visiting/visitors (aka be like the background noise) work ../ behavior ..
You could call the King any name you want. But to be safe let it be proceded by "ik vind" or "Ik denk"(I find or I think). In that case you are covered by the Dutch version of the 1st Amendment.
Yes, there is a law that prohibits insulting the king. However Willy has been targeted by comedians so many times over the years and with the typical Dutch directness. Mainly because the king is viewed by the Dutch as “one of use” and not put on a pedestal like for instance the Queen of England. If the Dutch royals would do something about them being joked about, it would go against freedom of speech and the Dutch principle of “doe maar gewoon, dan doe je al gek genoeg.” (Just act normal, that’s crazy enough.)
Don't worry too much about Dutch. If you make an effort that's more than we can hope for. Doesn't matter if your Dutch is not perfect as long as you are understandable. Grammatics is for advanced studies anyways.
I have a German friend. He does not yet speaks Dutch very good, but understands it quite well. I speak Dutch with him, He speaks German. That is already so much more pleasant. You speaking English and your Dutch friends Dutch makes conversation much more comfortable. To understand Dutch is very much easier than speaking it. Try to reach the level of understanding Dutch.
😮 i speak Dutch fluently, but am sometimes answered in English. And waitstaff does not always speak Dutch. In The Hague and Scheveningen I was in restaurants where the wait person only spoke English.
I have checked the medicines you mentioned When you go to a chemist you can get all the stuff you want eccept the anti allergie thing. Just ask for it. Vicks is sold here also only theres no paracetamol in it. on the bottle they call it different but its just paracetamol. so no problem.
Smoking..? mmm. According 2018 WHO data 25% of people smoke in USA vs 23% in Netherlands (down from 27% in 2000). So that is actually more than in NL... There seem to be more heavy smoker though (av. 1456 cigarets per capita/yr in NL vs 1016 in US ). Another thing might be that you 'see' more smokers as I reckon that walking, biking you would see more people on the street than with 'driving' in the US. Also people aren't allowed to smoke in cafés , restaurants etc since 2007 , so they smoke out on the streetwalks where you'll see them. Furhter more : you're from California, which has the lowest smoking rate of the US, after 'Mormon' Utah.. (About safety... you probably don't visit the South Bank of Rotterdam late at night , as they are among the more unsafe neighbourhoods in NL , but that may be safe compared to some US neighbourhoods. Remarkable that you find Dutch so patiently btw.) Happy living in NL for you !
I watched a couple of your videos. I am dutch and I like videos like this as I like yours. But you say "with that being said" too often. What does it mean? Nothing. Slow down cowboy. But the videos are nice I like them. Enjoy being in the Netherlands and enjoy making the videos. Good luck.
Absolutely! Convert a statement into an opinion. Oh, and insulting police or other authorities may get you a fine of 500 euros, often doubled by courts according Artikel 267 Wetboek van Strafrecht.
Watching your video you mentioned being quite ill and I suddenly wondered whether you know the Dutch system for when you are ill, because it works different from what you are probably used to. In the Netherlands you have a fixed GP and as part of the obligatory health insurance all visits to the GP are free - as are the meds they prescribe (except a small co-pay for the chemist). We don't have a 24-7 society, but in the evenings and the weekends hospitals have 'GP posts' (huisartsenpost) and it is most efficient if you call to make an appointment, even when you want to go immediately, because they can tell you where there is the smallest waiting time. The emergency room is really only for emergencies. So if you are ill with terrible throat ache you can also call your GP. But be aware that a lot of foreigners feel that our health system is way more Calvinistic than they are used to. Medical staff tend to see you as someone they are responsible for, not 'paying customers' and we feel that medication needs to be really useful so quite often the Dutch will advice you to take a paracetamol and wait till the illness passes.
So true, don’t expect to get the treatment you ask for. You will more likely get the treatment you need. Or no treatment at all, if it’s something that will likely get better on its own. (The most heard advice from dutch gp’s is : come back in a few days if it gets worse.)
@@joopdesmit most things, yes. But when you know you have a uti and they refuse to give you antibiotics bc ‘test says no’, and the next day you go to ‘huisartsenpost’ and ‘test says bad infection’, it can be pretty annoying. Symptoms are as important as tests. Or when your kid has a huge egg on her ankle so you just know it’s broken and they say you can come in an hour or two then we’re not gonna wait for hours for the doctor to give us permission to take our kid to the hospital when she’s in a lot of pain. Most things pass. But sometimes you just know something needs to be done and you’d like to be taken seriously. Especially when you’re the kind of patient that doesn’t come in every year.
@@joopdesmit try treating bronchitis with anti-inflamatory medication... it was the worst time of my life. the sickness just wouldn't go away. constant coughing with puss, swollen red eyes... i had to pay out of pocket for the medication and it did not do anything. it took 4 months of living with it until I finally went back to my home country and was prescribed the needed antibiotics that could treat it. it was also during corona times so everyone was accusing me of having corona and have me keep getting tested, wasting my time and money.
My student time was several decades ago, but the regular students night out in the city was Thursday night. Because Friday after uni most of us took the train home for the weekend. To see mum and dad, your friends and do your laundry. Also movie premieres used to be at Thursday night.
Thanks for your introspective comments. I think this should be required watching for most Americans, mainly for the reason that they could see 'outside the bubble' as I (as an ex-pat myself) have the feeling that Americans think that whatever is done in the USA is what is done everywhere else in the world - and is the gold standard.
You’re not allowed to honk your car (or use your lichtsignalen) for “nothing” either. Only in case of danger. It’s a €240 fine if you’re unlucky. Before we did honk all the time, by the way; like driving off, waving to friends, b-days and traffic lights 😂😉
Statistics say smoking is more prevalent in the US than in the Netherlands. Smoking numbers are actually relatively low in the Netherlands compared to most of Europe, though there are some countries (Denmark for instance) who do much better. Also bear in mind that the number of smokers is much higher in the major cities (and Amsterdam and Rotterdam in particular) than in other parts of the country. Rotterdam is absolutely not representative in that regard.
I think the main difference is that smoking is more stigmatised in the US, so smokers tend to do it away from other people more often. It is, unfortunately, still more accepted in the Netherlands.
Germany is quite similar in certain topics. Patience : If it is not fast enough for you, you might order nothing that is the fastest of all. Wheather: It is windy when a lamb looses its curls. But take warnings seriously. Parties: Usually start at 1am and can last multiple days if you are in Berlin. Safety: Yes things happen. Fortunately that is the exception. Smoking: Most do not like it but do also not care if they are not harassed. Material things: Some are nice to have, some are essential but collecting experiences is much more precious.
Picknick is amazing. One thing though, they're cheaper than a supermarket and don't charge delivery fees. Another thing is that they give free stuff at times and they have weekly discounts on certain items. They're shown in the app. I've compared Picknick to jumbo and Aldi and Lidl and they're cheaper than any of them on A brand products and most house brands. They're even developing their own brand now and those are even cheaper than most lidl brands.
Great overview. Thanks a lot for those insights. I am just curious about the weather in Netherlands, because this winter in Europe the weather is just crazy. In Poland for example there was no snow, just strong wind, rain and storms - just strangest winter in my life.
Hi Bart… no snow as well…crazy wind storms and rains most days, just for a few hours at a time and from what I understand that’s pretty normal. But we liked it, it’s better than Southern California!! Looking forward to spring and summer!!
@@SoultoSoulTravels The weather has changed a lot, I'm in my 30's, Dutch born and raised. Our climate was never stable, having a sea climate instead of a land climate, but it has been becoming more and more violent. Eunice was yet another big storm in a short time, where before we had reasonable storms but nothing this crazy, so often. It would often be that summer was the wettest season, but it would 2 to 3 days of sun and 1 or 2 days of rain, fairly consistently. In winter we often had light snow and frozen canals, which hasn't really happened for over a decade. We notice climate change really quickly here as our weather is being created by several system and if one is off, the weather is off. The Gulf Stream hits Ireland and the cold waters, goes north past Scotland and hits Norway. There is deep water coming in from the north, being pushed to the surface by the Doggerbank. Along with the really cold air hitting the warm air above the Gulf Stream. All travel from a long distance, so changes in other parts of the world, are felt here. The Polish weather is also influenced by this, hence the violent storms and no snow. Weather is such a weird but interesting thing.
In the Netherlands you have to 1. Eat raw fish every day. 2. Walk around in wooden shoes. 3. Watch soccer. 4. Listen to terrible singers. 5. Have a basket on your bicycle by law. 6. Learn ice skating even if there is never ice. 7. Learn German. 8. Learn how to be rude although you don't mean it. 9. Learn where hagelslag is cheapest. 9. Learn how to count till 10.
Awesome video ! Planning on going there with family next year out of Canadian currency (lol). I have a hold of basic German language thinking Dutch would be easy for me. Nee !!!!!
@SoultoSoulTravels 2 main reasons for the medicine thing are: 1 The Netherlands/The EU refuses to pay the insane amounts of money the USA asks for those meds to be imported and available here 2 : All High risk drugs of addiction are controlled, so only a Doctor from a hospital (Arts) can write a prescription for them.
Thanks for all your effort to put this together each time! I really enjoy it. I’m looking for a 3 mo stay next Spring somewhere in Rotterdam & also buying a bike! Have you read the book called In the City of Bikes? Good read.
Hi Linda…thanks for watching! If you are coming for three months I strongly recommend Swapfiets for a bike. It’s a rental company that rents bikes by the month. They have a blue tire on the front and they are very popular around here. My wife and I have them and I believe it is about €17 euro a month. Check them out on the internet for different models. Something happened to my bike and the tire got bent slightly, they changed the tire out two mins, no charge, and I’m on my way. It a big company and a reliable one. Have fun!!!
I want Going to Netherlands, ad soon as possible. But no any SLANDER and defamation because get information from specific country. From Susul Tetrabuana Soeryo.
In the US about 14% of the population smokes tobacco, and in the Netherlands about 17% of the population smokes. Not that much of a difference as you seem to think. Also cannabis use in the US is much higher than in the Netherlands: 18.7% in the US in the last month vs. 7.8% in the Netherlands in the last year.
Hi! Loving your content I’m looking at starting a business in NL from the US using DAFT. I would love to know which attorney you used as well as how you found your apartment. Most people said finding an apartment was the hardest part but it sounds like it was pretty easy for you?
The weather? Thanks for reminding me of one of the reasons why I emigrated back in the 80s. Americans trying to speak Dutch? Yeah we Dutch appreciate a good laugh. Those pesky waiting courier or construction drivers will get you out of the way in a hurry if you honk your horn and tell you where to go and what to do with yourself. Told you, be careful with those canals! Medications. The Dutch are pretty good at chemistry and we'll find a way to convert those OTCs into something more profitable.
As an Englishman, the Dutch are really polite and helpful. The Netherlands is really clean..Ive always found them really ok to deal with when i saw them while i was at work.
About your number 10. Since a few years they change the law. So for call or whistle to a person, mostly woman, is not aloud anymore. What happens in my time often. Construction workers in summer whistle or calling something like "nice chick" to women. Now they can go to the police and file a complaint.
Als je het correct wilt doen....schrijf je verhaal in het Nederlands. Hij woont in Nederland dus ik ga er vanuit dat hij ook de moeite neemt om de taal te begrijpen. 😉
Nice video, just about insulting the king. You can make insults to extend of a degree. Because the king can't talk openly, (every statement needs to be checked by the government) they are also protected. So you can complain, or be against. But it is limited.
You are allowed to say what you like of don't like about the king and queen of Yrup, only one thing is not done, that is looking at his thesis from when he studied "Water Management" at the university. Those papers are completely off limits. You can talk about his beer belly and the rase in salary he got from the Dutch government, you can talk but there is no way it can be changed. He is not that bright, but he is trustworthy. Although I would not trust him to do any water management, that is for the Waterschap, the oldest still functioning democratic institution in the world.
I believe the law that forbids insulting the king (and foreign heads of states of befriended nations) was revoked a few years ago but I'm not sure. The law concerning the king was defended with the argument that he can't defend himself, which kind of make sense because of his legal position.
Its not revoked.. officially its stil active.. its just not something our monarchy actually does something against because clearly they don't care ... Doesn't get more dutch then that.
We actually have a superking size bed 6' x 6'6" in our apartment, but you are correct you have only so much room left on both sides between the wall and the bed. It's worth it though
Yes people smoke. But the goverment tries to discourage people. At certain places you can only smoke in a designated area We are actually proud of when we bought something cheap. We will brag about that. But if you brag about having a lot of money, you will be frowned upon
the problem with learning dutch in the netherlands is that if you live in a big city or close to one people will not let you try and even speak dutch they will switch to english strate away if you are in spain you learn a lot quicker because you have to i have friends that where here for 10 years from egland or america and they where like fuck it i am goign to go to school to learn and when they did speak dutch it took us 2 years before we would speak english to the guy was normal for us to just speak english when he was around
Whats an old dude doing in The NL ?? leave some space for the younger ones that need to grow and work.. and the latam people that want to find a cute dutch over there.. theres no room to find homes.. gee
Funny the weather talk yeah. I went to a restaurant last sunday, to relax and read a book. It was "bad" weather. Well bad is in the eye of the beholder. It was raining averagely and a bit windy. So every guest after me that came in first said after closing the door: "Zo! Wat een weertje hé?" (So! What a weather we are having hey?). LOL made me smile,...as I noticed that is indeed THE THING you expats on youtube notice as well when you arrive here in my country. Funny!
Oh yeah the smoking, it is something you will see a lot in certain European countries, also France, Spain, Italy etc. There are also countries where people don't smoke as openly at least, like Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. I really wish to see more done about that, and make it a lot less prevalent at least. Especially in crowded places, and especially where there will be kids around. Just one person smoking will easily affect twenty others in such situations. The person that does not smoke is also very limited in their options to avoid breathing it in there, for example we were in a rampacked Efteling once and finally got a spot in the outside seating with our kids, and right when dinner was served about five people next to us all started smoking at once. And you can not even speak up to them about it, because they feel they are in their right being outside and all. I find it a really horrible habit and kinda feel like I need to be carrying fart spray or something to do my own part of non illegal stench on them for a change.
You're too kind for the people living here, actually made me laugh, the Dutch are not judgemental?? :D :D They/we tolerate a lot as long as it doesn't bother us that's right but for sure we love to judge, people, countries, race, religion, whatever, we love to judge. (and for me personally that's ok because it doesn't bother me :))
Me (Dutch) and me international friends here in the Netherlands liked that 'non-judgemental' too. I worked in USA before and the difference - I believe - is not the judgemental so much but more the lack of politic correctness / being blunt. We discuss here whatever we want also if we know the other side thinks different about it. At the other hand, comparing to USA, here people from different cultures more easily truly mix including really accepting each other dressing standards, the example provided here.
Oh and that food delivery has become bigger quite quick since the pandemic! Before that is was more of a luxury thing that was sort of seen as ‘i am too lazy to carry my own groceries.’ But since the pandemic people use it more and more because its just very convenient. I always use it when i am buying 20 bottles of cassis and they are heavy… 🙃
It depends on whether you can avoid places that would generate debris. As long as there are not too many rooftiles crashing around and you can avoid the falling trees it is fine to get to the beach to go "blow out".
Dutch doctors will be hesitant to prescribe medication unless it is really really necessary, simply because a lot of medication have many negative effects as well, so the good réally must outweigh the bad. I had Americans friends asking what we use for ‘cold medication’ and I was like ‘you use medication for thát? Just stay in bed and rest!’ Only medication most people use are paracetamol and ibuprofen.
Unfortunately, because of the terrible, and often nonexistent, sick time at most jobs, most people can't afford to take the time off work to rest. So those people have to take a cocktail of over the counter drugs to dull their symptoms so they can still work their job even while sick. And even if a person could take sick time, if they had to see a doctor many people experience a 1 to 3 month waitlist before being able to get in with their GP. This leads to a lot of people self medicating. It's just bad all around.
I lived in Rdam 20 yrs ago for a year. The demographics skew poorer and more "immigrant" than much of the country, and criminal issues are a concern. I regret not choosing a better and smaller city, honestly. Maybe it has improved.
Realize that you can be detained by customs with non-prescribed medication. You can prevent this by having a medical passport. Some medication can be classified as drugs here. We, the dutch citizen, don't let us tell what we may or may not. A lot of people are quiting smoking, but it need some time. We like more to go for a diner with friends, then have an expensive dress.We are also less and less fond of the throwaway culture.
Fun perspective, I enjoyed watching it! About students partying: maybe the partying during the week happens elsewhere in Rotterdam, because some of my neighbours party on working days.... :( Fortunately it's less now, but it has become quite a problem in recent years in Rotterdam, due to rich parents buying their children an apartment (especially in Kralingen) and due to corona, so they don't party in clubs.
Nice video and really good points. The last one is very true. We say: 'Collect memories and moments not things' Because at the end of your life your memories are the best and precious things you have. I'm happy you love my favourite city and I also hope nice weather is coming soon so everyone is going enjoy their lifes outside 😉
I like this video. I follow your channel because I can reflect on how we are doing things over here. Your observations help me with that. Thank you two for posting this. I wish you a fine and healthy stay over here. Well done 👍🏼
At nr.9 you talked about the police showing up and how things went smoothly. Police here are are well trained in de-escalating situations where tension could cause trouble. You will not see a police officer draw a gun here unless a fire-weapon is in use. a tazer-gun or mace will be deployed first. i've seen many body cam videos of American police immediately drawing their weapon without even knowing what is happening upon arrival. that is not de-escalating but rather provoking an angered response. most situations would be handled different here, thats why you wont find any headlines here about so called "suspects" being shot or killed. and lets be honest, the term suspect is used for every police call they get. An American police officer would probably call our police "soft".. but there is a difference in being soft and being tactical. its not the wild west.
@@OdinsSage correct. But he's lived both in Canada and in the US. He writes about experiences and observations in both countries, besides the Netherlands.
i had the chance to be in belgium and netherlands last summer for a month. truly that is when you get familiar with local 'ways'. i, like you guys, find it very pleasant on so many levels. your closing statement was spot on too. my dutch friend from high school were my first exposure and we got along splendidly. weather? who cares. language? oh ya, niet makkelijk but yes, well worth the effort. got rid of so much stuff already. patients? fabulous. non judgemental? we people watch too. riot! thankful for that. meds? ok but the otc aspirin there is like scripted stuff back here. usually only take one if needed. always stubbing my toes. lol. you do a great service. just got my apostille. step one is done. be back over in april sometime hitting job prospects. so it begins.
Americans often suffer from a decease called ego. Especially the ones who feel superior over Europeans. But living in the Netherlands for a while is often a good remedy against egocentric obnoxious behavior. "Doe maar gewoon, dan doe je gek genoeg..." as the Dutch saying goes.
@@GUITARTIME2024 I was told to believe that My country is as good as bilingual because over 95% of the Dutch population know English well enough to be able to hold a serious conversation. English as such is no problem. It's the different and sometimes heavy accents that cause problems.
funny. I feel quite the opposite on many things you mentioned. :) People are extremely judgmental. If you walk around town in a pink tutu, you will most likely be smacked in the face. :O Also, you can only go into discussions on politics if you are White. I wouldn't recommend talking about politics if you are Latin American, African American or even Asian American, let alone Arab American. They won't accept your opinion, and probably will not want to meet you again. The same goes for Dutch people of migrant background. We can't talk about politics with friends, because they will drop you in a heartbeat. Dutch people self-identify with the country in all its facets, including politics. If you criticize the government or municipality, they will see this as a personal attack on their integrity.
Maybe you do not understand Dutch people well than. Its maybe the only country where even foreigners have their OWN political parties on national level (like DENK en BIJ1). They are considered blunt and by some even rude, but they DO accept your opinion. There is not many places on the world where everything can be critised so much and so easily as in Holland, even in corporate culture. Making jokes about your manager is very accepted. Claiming that only white people are allowed in political discussions give me the feeling that you have some racist attitude against whites, both politics as theatre discussions are FULL of people of color discussing politics.
@@Inferi0r By the way, we aren't "foreigners". We are Dutch. This mentality is exactly the problem. Why do you think they had to establish their parties in the first place? Because as persons of color you are expected to keep your mouth shut and quietly accept and repeat what your white colleagues say. And the way in which politicians from these parties have been treated, not just by the media, but also by other parliamentarians is just disgusting. They have been repeatedly called traitors, servants of foreign powers. Without any evidence! They have even been excluded from some classified parliamentary meetings, while real traitors such as Wilders and Baudet were welcome!!
It's not jus the king you can't insult. You can also not insult a civil servant on duty, such as a cop. For instance just wearing a t-shirt with 'ACAB' or '1312' on it can get you fined or even arrested. We don't have free speech laws like you have in the states.
Rotterdam is the best place in europe...niet lullen maar poetsen! Straight forward honest town...got to love Rotterdam and the Rotterdammers. (Yes Rotterdammer is a race....could be any colour)
We have the same weather in Flanders and we say: if you don't like the weather, wait for half an hour, it will change. And I often hear that Dutch is difficult. What do you compare it with, can you compare? How many other languages did you learn? And how difficult is the non phonetic English do you think? Being a Flemish, neighbor thus, it al is familiair to me. But you are right.
About insulting the King: you may now, although I won't encourage you to do so, you might get in trouble with the local population. The "majesteitsschennis" (crimen laesae maiestatis) articles have been removed from our criminal law ("Wetboek van Strafrecht") in 2020. 😱
Regarding safety: As a teacher I feel very safe at school. I don't have to worry about a possible school shooting nor have to 'train' my pupils how to respond in the event of one. The only safety drill we have is the occasional fire drill.
I used to think like you. But now I also think the USA never had a Hitler. Maybe you prevent school shootings but if in the end you get cattle cars filled with men women and children who get sent to gas chambers with no way to defend themselves. Maybe freedom comes at a cost ?
@@eddys.3524 Totalitarian regimes have murdered hundreds of millions. Look how they treat the COVID protestors. There is no natural respect for the individual or their rights. Freedom is not free and you cannot exchange freedom for security. Also if you look some European countries allow their citizens to be armed. Czech republic , Switzerland. You don't hear much about mass shootings there. Ukraine is arming its citizens. It is better if you already know how to shoot. Ukraine's history is one where both communist and nazi power murdered millions of people. Look up the Holodomor where communist gangs litterally stole every grain of food. Better to pick up a rifle , drive a tractor or a truck and teach these WEF f'ers to fear you. Put them in their place.
Concerning learning Dutch, my wife said that it really helped her watching two Dutch TV programs for children. One is 'Het Klokhuis' which is a daily fun educational program. Every episode centers around a different subject (cultural, scientific, arts, environmental, technology, history et cetera). The second was 'Het Jeugdjournaal' which is a dailt newsprogramme that shows current affairs with some added children subjects. The language is clear and it is more challenging for adults to watch than for instance Sesame Street. And she learned a lot about the Netherlands. Daily on TV 3 arond 18.30 - 19.. hrs...
also did this! helped me build a lot of basic vocabulary. now living here for 2y and already fluently speaking :)
Consider visiting the East and the North of The Netherlands, like Twente, de Achterhoek, Drenthe, Groningen and Friesland. It’s more quiet, houses are bigger and it’s beautiful!
And ZEELAND!!!
And LIMBURG (the south) big big houses and lots of nature. You Guys will love Maastricht! Best of all the borders of Germany and Belgium are just around the corner here in the south.
I kind of agree. At this point Rotterdam is there only reference. Go out and see the rest, there's so much more!
But don't visit Brabant. We like to think that Brabant is part of Belgium. We tried to move it southwards beyond the borderline but we got stuck halfway and decided that the most rational thing to do was to stop pushing and accept that we only partly succeeded in our queeste. Het was wel welletjes zo. And that's the reason why there are two Brabants.
@@FrankHeuvelman Brabant is the best... :D
There is a little trick in restaurants when you think the waiter is not noticing you. Trust me he has! But if you want the waiter to come to you, just politely wave up a finger (do not over do it and yell) and they will either come directly, or give you a head nod to acknowledge they have seen you, but are busy at that time and will come a bit later. You should mostly do this as well when you want the bill. I noticed expats complaining that waiters never come with the bill to you. That is because here in the Netherlands it is custom you signal the waiter when you are done and want to leave and pay. Just do not start waving grotesquely at the waiter and yelling at him or her. Because that is considered extremely rude and unpolite.
So true! It's indeed gentle body language that is used to get the attention of the wait staff. And some patience is helpful. You can also let them know - when ordering ; you want to be leaving pretty quickly, so you'd like to pay right away. They will most of the time accommodate you.
About the medication topic. As far as i understand your talking about medication "for a cold or flue". While you can get things for that here they are no doubt lighter in active ingredients. But the simple reason is that there is nothing to treat a cold or a flue. So its all symptome treatment and we dont use heavy drugs for such mundane discomforts.
I think its for english speaking persons, a great help to know some simple basic "rules", while reading Dutch, in sound. For example, if you come across a dutch word with the letter combination oe, it always sounds like the oe, in the english word 'shoe'. (It's kind of weird for us, that you also give that sound, to the letter combination oo. Like 'cool'.) That combination, here, (oo) always sounds like the o in "oh, go, pro". Combination 'aa', always sounds like the a in "spa". Au always has the pain sound, so does ou.
We have a saying about medication for colds. A cold takes a week without medication and 7 days with medication.
About smoking: it really depends on the area. 20% of the Dutch smoke. Laws are berging strickter. For example in 2024 supermarktets are not allowed to sell sigarets anymore. Some are already stopped selling.
If you can't get medicine here that you can simply buy over the counter, I would say: there's probably a very good reason for that: not approved here. Like chlorinated eggs, and many other things we banned.
We know that medicines are almost never harmless. If you don’t really need them, don’t take them. Especially antibiotics, but really, goes for all kinds of drugs. Also be aware that you can’t just bring any kind of medicine with you. Some of the medicines that are not allowed here, will be confiscated unless you have a prescription.
You can always ask your doctor why you don't get certain medicines, because he or she always has your best interest in mind. And doctors are cautious prescribing anti as it may render bacteria resistant. And that would be bad for everybody.
Learning the basics of Dutch will make you feel so much more at home. We like to exchange comments, responses, between strangers, just small talk about everyday things, and you’ll feel excluded.
The Dutch love the stormy wheater. When it storms or there are heavy winds you will see tons of people at the beach or walking along the dikes . There is nothing more beautifull than storm at the coast , Dark Bleu-grey / black skys a brown and pounding north seas with sun hitting the dunes through a mist of salt air and mist . The dutch come alive with this weather , its like the sea is calling the native dutch .
The dutch language also uses a lot of expresions ,references and sayings making it more dificult. not to mention words that are old dutch or in old dialects. that can mean things a lot different than what is now modern.
A bit romantically staged but yeah, I can recognize myself in your words.
What I find strange you know is that so many people absolutely need one shower per day but go haywire the moment some unforeseen raindrops start falling out of the sky.
I think that's odd.
@@FrankHeuvelman those are the same people that cancel a diving trip becouse it rains,.
@@marcusfranconium3392
Yes, and we're all familiar with that lot. They already start nagging the very moment a small cumulus cloud suddenly blocks the sun for a short while.
"Can you give me my sweater, darling? It's getting colder."
"Oh, never mind."
It's the temperature, my dear Frank...;-) I love a good shower, a HOT one. And outside rain always feels like icedrops to me. BRBRBRBR! @@FrankHeuvelman
@@SwirlingSoul
You like your rain hot, you say?
Ever thought of throwing an Olympic sized swimming pool of water in to a lava lake?
Don’t know what those medications are that you mentioned, but they are very strict here on two things (at least): your GP is reluctant to prescribe antibiotics, and that’s because we’re running out of options. If we - in person, or as a species - use ‘m too frequently, they’re not effective anymore. And opioids….your condition has to be really, very serious, before you get anything that contains even a trace of morfine, etc. And even then you’ll only get a restricted amount.
Also keep in mind that some medications are illigal here and can be or will be confiscated at customs. In the wurst case you may get a fine for that.
This is true. Dutch GP's take medication very seriously.
And you look at the opioid crisis in the US, you can see why they should be treated with care. Over the counter medicine might seem convenient to some, but it can be a really dangerous problem. It's really irresponsible to just dose yourself because you feel like it without consulting a doctor.
I do not know the medictions either. Fines for illegal import are really high. If it is for personal use, you need a special form, signed by a doctor.
Maybe you can appreciate this song text by Pokey LaFarge
In the U.S.A things get worse each day
I hope it's not too late to pack my things and go
But where I wanna be is not where you'd expect
They have a place for me down on Nieuwe Binnenweg
[Chorus]
Is this real life or just the way I am
I long for The Netherlands
And I want to go, back
Back to Rotterdam
Never felt like a stranger, never felt in danger
Ever since I came here I only felt at peace
Back home some have to fight just to survive
Why do they have to die instead of living free?
I know someday the world will come to an end
And I'm going to watch it burn from in another land
[Chorus]
Is this real life or just the way I am
I long for The Netherlands
And I want to go, back
Back to Rotterdam
I agree with you about it's not too late to pack my things and go -- did 50years ago and moved to California = lived in The Hague -10years.I missed the fun and great time in Europe = lived
in Munich ~ Brussels and Barcelona. Still enjoying my life in Northern California = BayArea.
just did some number checking; apparently 14.9%of our 18+ population smokes on a daily basis against 15.2% in the US so all in all the numbers are comparable. could be that population density may make it look as if there's alot more smoking overhere?
I found that in the last year or so many adolescents and students have started smoking or doing drugs as a way to escape their boring life while everything was closed.
My guess , as a Dutch speaking American, is that you have more middle class smokers than America, whereas smoking in America has become bit more working class. So it depends where you hang out, go to school, whwre you live, etc. Here in America, I've never seen a college student smoking at a nearby college as I walked by, or at middle class shopping areas.
The quote about Dutch weather I grew up with is "The Netherlands is the only country where even in between showers it keeps raining"
Rotterdam is a port city and smoking was very much part of the culture and habits die hard. Even today the mentality is very different and only will be found in other port cities in Europe. Here in Den Haag you will hardly see anyone smoking even on the terraces. It is just not done. When I came here 50 years ago smoking was very acceptable even in hospital and GP waiting rooms puffing was the norm. What has amazed me is the speed this has been turned around here compared to other European countries. I think the problem is with Rotterdam which has never been high along with Amsterdam, on my list of favourite Dutch towns and I had worked there for six years.
I laughed so hard at number 9. The Kingsize bed you're missing. And that reminds me of when my wife and I moved in together. We had a bed of only 130 cm.
Now we have a wider bed, but my single daughter has a box spring (for her alone) of 200 cm. And then I think: What if you get into a relationship? Then you have to buy an extremely wide bed :-)
Number 12 is important to me. It is about a happy and healthy life. And happiness, I always teach my daughters, can be found in a blade of grass by the side of the road.
I agree very much! Thanks for watching.
My grandfather came to the US from NL and I still have family that I have connected with that live there. I am really loving your videos!! I am hoping to move to the NL and connect with the roots there and with the place that my family is from. As a person with anxiety, I have to know everything about everything before making a leap like that on my own. Thank you for all of the information!!
You are very welcome in the Netherlands.
You're very welcome here, and I think you can ship yourself here, and leave the anxiety over there.... ;-) because it's peaceful here. You don't HAVE to live in a bustling city if that is too noisy for you, we have everything in between too. Like more north east of the Netherlands is more rural than the bigger cities, and there are many towns, big and small and smaller and smallest ;-)
You might not think so in this tiny country, but yeah, here too, there are places that are quite restful. Friesland and Drenthe being the most quiet and peaceful ones, Groningen an close third. (province, not city)
It’s very funny that you mentioned smoking. You really ought to go to France. You’ll get the shock of your life - everyone, and I mean everyone - smokes. I actually haven’t felt that many people smoke here in the Netherlands. But I live in a very small city (more like a town).
Dutch weather can be all seasons in one day! ⛈☀️🌬🌨
Some of your points are related to living in a big city.
Only 20 minutes away from Rotterdam life is much different and wayyyy more quiet and relaxed.
Social life is much better and more fun.
But Picknick will definitely not deliver here though
It is a misunderstanding that USA medicines are better than the one's in The Netherlands. The Dutch enjoy a better overall health than Americans and over the counter medicines, as in the USA, are available when subscribes by a docter. Maybe the names are different and only safe medication will pass the medical and legal standards. Citizens of the USA, bringing their own medication into the country, may get fined by customs because the medicines are not allowed. If you don't feel well, go to the docters!
About insulting the king: Indeed there where some official articles of law prohibiting insulting the king ('Majesteitsschennis' or 'lese majesty'). These laws where abolished begin 2020. Long before that these articles where already considered antiquated and (as far as I know) never enforced. So today insulting the king is not prohibited anymore in the Netherlands ;)
Thats not 100% true. Insulting the king is still a crime. Yes the arcticles about majesteitsschennis are rejected but its still forbidden to insult somebody, article 266.
The reason it was abolished was the "befriended head of state" addendum though.
@@therealdutchidiot So i can call our king a dick, but i cannot call Macron an ass? Lol
@@racingweirdo I know it is not 100% true, because I was simplifying the matter on purpose. There are indeed law articles about insulting people in general, but no separate ones (anymore) concerning only the king. So I should have said 'So today insulting the king is now no different as insulting anybody else in the Netherlands'.
@@aliaguerin1266 That law went the way of the dinosaurs right along with the other. I think it was about Erdogan trying to use that law to sue someone.
Funny how you assume what you see around you in R’dam is the same in the rest of Holland…. Lots of generalisations and also calling BS on a couple… Maybe go around the rest of Holland and then come back to your list and see how much of it still stands! I’m an expat, been living here for over 30 years and I can tell you….there’s a lot more to it than where you are now
the us waged a war on drugs and meanwhile got the whole country addicted to heroin because of those painkillers man here in the nethelrands we love xtc and even coke but at least we don't have a opioid heroine problem
I think you missed a lot,
time format (24hours) AM/PM is not used although in speech they say 5pm they write 17:00
A way of boasting --> getting deliveries is a sign of wealth
if you have issues and call out for help they do not "ignore" its actually a criminal offence to not offer 1st aid/support.
the dutch are not blunt or policitcally correct they are somewhere in between.
food:
- Bring "Tang" or jello vs dutch licorice aka difference in foods / food prices
- The dutch "cuisine" = not US style the dutch do not slow cook (some exceptions)
- the oliecork (aka the orgin of donut), pancakes, waffels, poffertjes.
- barbeque or cooking = 30 minutes and you should be done ..
- Water from the tap is drinkable and just as good as bottled water (NL mostly, other EU countries less)
- good meat is exported or you need to go to a butcher/specialty shop/"islamic shops"
- a lot less of choices in groceries in general .. except beer / wine usually a couple of flavours.
- Traffic:
- the dutch do not stick to there lanes (passing right-side is a no-no) getting overtaken by a 18weeler (truck) is a a sign you are going to slow.
- its rare to pay first at a gas-station then fill up
- public transport can get you nearly everywhere in the country and in general is in on-time and only in peak moments you might not get a seat
- a car is not needed in general unless you want to see a lot in a short amount of time.
- in general you can get everything by walking(distances) or biking if you want --> groceries, shopping and medical care
house:
- they do not have have "stock" rooms, mudrooms or a lot of "tools" storage space might be a premium.
- utility (water,gas) is 99,999999% ensured its very very rare to have a outage.. power outage depends where you live however a outage for more than 4 hours gets frontpage / news coverage.
- internet / or mobile coverage is also 90% coverage /available .. and you pay for all calls, local or within bundles some rare exceptions.
- because shops are almost 7 a week open between 8-20:00
- having "room for guests" is a in general reserved for family ... friends do have their own house.
- The Dutch are direct, but they provide a lot of translations in other languages and do smile and appriciate being spoken to in dutch.
- they are "royalty" proud and show that by dressing in orange having a special day where fairs and other events are organized.
- they do not mind you dressing up in a collourful mix, however do dress business casual(ish) if unsure of the event or job at least for the first day.
- takeout is less of a thing, either get food deliverd or go out for dinner
- When invited do bring a small token of appriciation, and do't overstay your welcome .. (a couple of hours) ..
- do not use speaker, or media devices in public / when visiting/visitors (aka be like the background noise)
work ../ behavior ..
You could call the King any name you want. But to be safe let it be proceded by "ik vind" or "Ik denk"(I find or I think). In that case you are covered by the Dutch version of the 1st Amendment.
Yes, there is a law that prohibits insulting the king. However Willy has been targeted by comedians so many times over the years and with the typical Dutch directness. Mainly because the king is viewed by the Dutch as “one of use” and not put on a pedestal like for instance the Queen of England. If the Dutch royals would do something about them being joked about, it would go against freedom of speech and the Dutch principle of “doe maar gewoon, dan doe je al gek genoeg.” (Just act normal, that’s crazy enough.)
Don't worry too much about Dutch. If you make an effort that's more than we can hope for. Doesn't matter if your Dutch is not perfect as long as you are understandable. Grammatics is for advanced studies anyways.
I have a German friend. He does not yet speaks Dutch very good, but understands it quite well. I speak Dutch with him, He speaks German. That is already so much more pleasant. You speaking English and your Dutch friends Dutch makes conversation much more comfortable. To understand Dutch is very much easier than speaking it. Try to reach the level of understanding Dutch.
😮 i speak Dutch fluently, but am sometimes answered in English. And waitstaff does not always speak Dutch. In The Hague and Scheveningen I was in restaurants where the wait person only spoke English.
I have checked the medicines you mentioned When you go to a chemist you can get all the stuff you want eccept the anti allergie thing. Just ask for it. Vicks is sold here also only theres no paracetamol in it. on the bottle they call it different but its just paracetamol. so no problem.
Smoking..? mmm. According 2018 WHO data 25% of people smoke in USA vs 23% in Netherlands (down from 27% in 2000). So that is actually more than in NL... There seem to be more heavy smoker though (av. 1456 cigarets per capita/yr in NL vs 1016 in US ). Another thing might be that you 'see' more smokers as I reckon that walking, biking you would see more people on the street than with 'driving' in the US. Also people aren't allowed to smoke in cafés , restaurants etc since 2007 , so they smoke out on the streetwalks where you'll see them.
Furhter more : you're from California, which has the lowest smoking rate of the US, after 'Mormon' Utah..
(About safety... you probably don't visit the South Bank of Rotterdam late at night , as they are among the more unsafe neighbourhoods in NL , but that may be safe compared to some US neighbourhoods. Remarkable that you find Dutch so patiently btw.)
Happy living in NL for you !
Sudafed, NyQuil, Advil, Tylenol and Benadryl are always on our shopping list when we visit the US!!
I watched a couple of your videos. I am dutch and I like videos like this as I like yours. But you say "with that being said" too often. What does it mean? Nothing. Slow down cowboy. But the videos are nice I like them. Enjoy being in the Netherlands and enjoy making the videos. Good luck.
You pretty much can say anything about anyone, including the king, as long as you add in front of your statement "in my opinion" the king is ...
Absolutely! Convert a statement into an opinion. Oh, and insulting police or other authorities may get you a fine of 500 euros, often doubled by courts according Artikel 267 Wetboek van Strafrecht.
Watching your video you mentioned being quite ill and I suddenly wondered whether you know the Dutch system for when you are ill, because it works different from what you are probably used to. In the Netherlands you have a fixed GP and as part of the obligatory health insurance all visits to the GP are free - as are the meds they prescribe (except a small co-pay for the chemist). We don't have a 24-7 society, but in the evenings and the weekends hospitals have 'GP posts' (huisartsenpost) and it is most efficient if you call to make an appointment, even when you want to go immediately, because they can tell you where there is the smallest waiting time. The emergency room is really only for emergencies.
So if you are ill with terrible throat ache you can also call your GP. But be aware that a lot of foreigners feel that our health system is way more Calvinistic than they are used to. Medical staff tend to see you as someone they are responsible for, not 'paying customers' and we feel that medication needs to be really useful so quite often the Dutch will advice you to take a paracetamol and wait till the illness passes.
Thank you!
So true, don’t expect to get the treatment you ask for. You will more likely get the treatment you need.
Or no treatment at all, if it’s something that will likely get better on its own. (The most heard advice from dutch gp’s is : come back in a few days if it gets worse.)
@@Peacefrogg and for most things, that is the correct advice.
@@joopdesmit most things, yes. But when you know you have a uti and they refuse to give you antibiotics bc ‘test says no’, and the next day you go to ‘huisartsenpost’ and ‘test says bad infection’, it can be pretty annoying. Symptoms are as important as tests.
Or when your kid has a huge egg on her ankle so you just know it’s broken and they say you can come in an hour or two then we’re not gonna wait for hours for the doctor to give us permission to take our kid to the hospital when she’s in a lot of pain.
Most things pass. But sometimes you just know something needs to be done and you’d like to be taken seriously. Especially when you’re the kind of patient that doesn’t come in every year.
@@joopdesmit try treating bronchitis with anti-inflamatory medication... it was the worst time of my life. the sickness just wouldn't go away. constant coughing with puss, swollen red eyes... i had to pay out of pocket for the medication and it did not do anything. it took 4 months of living with it until I finally went back to my home country and was prescribed the needed antibiotics that could treat it. it was also during corona times so everyone was accusing me of having corona and have me keep getting tested, wasting my time and money.
My student time was several decades ago, but the regular students night out in the city was Thursday night. Because Friday after uni most of us took the train home for the weekend. To see mum and dad, your friends and do your laundry. Also movie premieres used to be at Thursday night.
Thanks for your introspective comments. I think this should be required watching for most Americans, mainly for the reason that they could see 'outside the bubble' as I (as an ex-pat myself) have the feeling that Americans think that whatever is done in the USA is what is done everywhere else in the world - and is the gold standard.
You’re not allowed to honk your car (or use your lichtsignalen) for “nothing” either. Only in case of danger. It’s a €240 fine if you’re unlucky.
Before we did honk all the time, by the way; like driving off, waving to friends, b-days and traffic lights 😂😉
Good lord. Stop doing that. Rude.
“We” as in the Dutch… fyi 😅
Statistics say smoking is more prevalent in the US than in the Netherlands. Smoking numbers are actually relatively low in the Netherlands compared to most of Europe, though there are some countries (Denmark for instance) who do much better.
Also bear in mind that the number of smokers is much higher in the major cities (and Amsterdam and Rotterdam in particular) than in other parts of the country. Rotterdam is absolutely not representative in that regard.
I think the main difference is that smoking is more stigmatised in the US, so smokers tend to do it away from other people more often. It is, unfortunately, still more accepted in the Netherlands.
Medicine for a sore throat? we drink tea with honey? and if it's really bad a couple of paracetamol
Thank you for answering the question of safety. It’s a relief for women to be able to live a safe life in the Netherlands 🇳🇱.
Germany is quite similar in certain topics.
Patience : If it is not fast enough for you, you might order nothing that is the fastest of all.
Wheather: It is windy when a lamb looses its curls. But take warnings seriously.
Parties: Usually start at 1am and can last multiple days if you are in Berlin.
Safety: Yes things happen. Fortunately that is the exception.
Smoking: Most do not like it but do also not care if they are not harassed.
Material things: Some are nice to have, some are essential but collecting experiences is much more precious.
YOUR GARDEN/YARD BACK AND FRONT NEEDS TO BE "NETJES" !!!!!!!!!!!!!😂😂😂😂😂😂 Trust me, tabs being kept.
Picknick is amazing.
One thing though, they're cheaper than a supermarket and don't charge delivery fees.
Another thing is that they give free stuff at times and they have weekly discounts on certain items. They're shown in the app.
I've compared Picknick to jumbo and Aldi and Lidl and they're cheaper than any of them on A brand products and most house brands. They're even developing their own brand now and those are even cheaper than most lidl brands.
That's really Ducht😂
@@wimschiphorst8541 * Dutch
Not sure what you mean by that, did I say something inaccurate? Pretty sure I didn't.
I mean more as a small joke . Tipical Dutch. Look for and compare the bonus😂
@@wimschiphorst8541 lol true but groceries get more expensive nowadays and I can't afford many things. That's why I hunt for good deals hahaha
The same do I. But that I ment more as a joke. "You are integrated looking for bonus". I never see that so much in other countries.
Great overview. Thanks a lot for those insights. I am just curious about the weather in Netherlands, because this winter in Europe the weather is just crazy. In Poland for example there was no snow, just strong wind, rain and storms - just strangest winter in my life.
Hi Bart… no snow as well…crazy wind storms and rains most days, just for a few hours at a time and from what I understand that’s pretty normal. But we liked it, it’s better than Southern California!! Looking forward to spring and summer!!
@@SoultoSoulTravels The weather has changed a lot, I'm in my 30's, Dutch born and raised. Our climate was never stable, having a sea climate instead of a land climate, but it has been becoming more and more violent. Eunice was yet another big storm in a short time, where before we had reasonable storms but nothing this crazy, so often.
It would often be that summer was the wettest season, but it would 2 to 3 days of sun and 1 or 2 days of rain, fairly consistently. In winter we often had light snow and frozen canals, which hasn't really happened for over a decade.
We notice climate change really quickly here as our weather is being created by several system and if one is off, the weather is off. The Gulf Stream hits Ireland and the cold waters, goes north past Scotland and hits Norway. There is deep water coming in from the north, being pushed to the surface by the Doggerbank. Along with the really cold air hitting the warm air above the Gulf Stream. All travel from a long distance, so changes in other parts of the world, are felt here.
The Polish weather is also influenced by this, hence the violent storms and no snow. Weather is such a weird but interesting thing.
In the Netherlands you have to
1. Eat raw fish every day.
2. Walk around in wooden shoes.
3. Watch soccer.
4. Listen to terrible singers.
5. Have a basket on your bicycle by law.
6. Learn ice skating even if there is never ice.
7. Learn German.
8. Learn how to be rude although you don't mean it.
9. Learn where hagelslag is cheapest.
9. Learn how to count till 10.
Great points, so true 👍😊
Awesome video ! Planning on going there with family next year out of Canadian currency (lol). I have a hold of basic German language thinking Dutch would be easy for me. Nee !!!!!
@SoultoSoulTravels 2 main reasons for the medicine thing are: 1 The Netherlands/The EU refuses to pay the insane amounts of money the USA asks for those meds to be imported and available here 2 : All High risk drugs of addiction are controlled, so only a Doctor from a hospital (Arts) can write a prescription for them.
Patient in Netherlands? I am born here...get hunked at all day long when distracted for one second..
Thanks for all your effort to put this together each time! I really enjoy it.
I’m looking for a 3 mo stay next Spring somewhere in Rotterdam & also buying a bike!
Have you read the book called In the City of Bikes? Good read.
Hi Linda…thanks for watching! If you are coming for three months I strongly recommend Swapfiets for a bike. It’s a rental company that rents bikes by the month. They have a blue tire on the front and they are very popular around here. My wife and I have them and I believe it is about €17 euro a month. Check them out on the internet for different models. Something happened to my bike and the tire got bent slightly, they changed the tire out two mins, no charge, and I’m on my way. It a big company and a reliable one. Have fun!!!
I want Going to Netherlands, ad soon as possible. But no any SLANDER and defamation because get information from specific country. From Susul Tetrabuana Soeryo.
In the US about 14% of the population smokes tobacco, and in the Netherlands about 17% of the population smokes. Not that much of a difference as you seem to think.
Also cannabis use in the US is much higher than in the Netherlands: 18.7% in the US in the last month vs. 7.8% in the Netherlands in the last year.
Hi! Loving your content I’m looking at starting a business in NL from the US using DAFT. I would love to know which attorney you used as well as how you found your apartment. Most people said finding an apartment was the hardest part but it sounds like it was pretty easy for you?
The weather? Thanks for reminding me of one of the reasons why I emigrated back in the 80s. Americans trying to speak Dutch? Yeah we Dutch appreciate a good laugh. Those pesky waiting courier or construction drivers will get you out of the way in a hurry if you honk your horn and tell you where to go and what to do with yourself. Told you, be careful with those canals! Medications. The Dutch are pretty good at chemistry and we'll find a way to convert those OTCs into something more profitable.
As an Englishman, the Dutch are really polite and helpful. The Netherlands is really clean..Ive always found them really ok to deal with when i saw them while i was at work.
About your number 10. Since a few years they change the law. So for call or whistle to a person, mostly woman, is not aloud anymore. What happens in my time often. Construction workers in summer whistle or calling something like "nice chick" to women. Now they can go to the police and file a complaint.
Regarding parties: most student gatherings are on Thursday. Friday after colleges, they'll take the train home.
Als je het correct wilt doen....schrijf je verhaal in het Nederlands. Hij woont in Nederland dus ik ga er vanuit dat hij ook de moeite neemt om de taal te begrijpen. 😉
Nice video, just about insulting the king. You can make insults to extend of a degree. Because the king can't talk openly, (every statement needs to be checked by the government) they are also protected. So you can complain, or be against. But it is limited.
You are allowed to say what you like of don't like about the king and queen of Yrup, only one thing is not done, that is looking at his thesis from when he studied "Water Management" at the university. Those papers are completely off limits. You can talk about his beer belly and the rase in salary he got from the Dutch government, you can talk but there is no way it can be changed. He is not that bright, but he is trustworthy. Although I would not trust him to do any water management, that is for the Waterschap, the oldest still functioning democratic institution in the world.
I believe the law that forbids insulting the king (and foreign heads of states of befriended nations) was revoked a few years ago but I'm not sure. The law concerning the king was defended with the argument that he can't defend himself, which kind of make sense because of his legal position.
Its not revoked.. officially its stil active.. its just not something our monarchy actually does something against because clearly they don't care ... Doesn't get more dutch then that.
We actually have a superking size bed 6' x 6'6" in our apartment, but you are correct you have only so much room left on both sides between the wall and the bed. It's worth it though
I got lost in Rotterdam .... Urm scary ...
I locked the car doors... And tried to get out of the rough end with ladies in the windows. Asap
Number five depends on what you look like. If you are a person of color, prepare to be judged. That's just the way it is.
Yes people smoke. But the goverment tries to discourage people. At certain places you can only smoke in a designated area
We are actually proud of when we bought something cheap. We will brag about that. But if you brag about having a lot of money, you will be frowned upon
the problem with learning dutch in the netherlands is that if you live in a big city or close to one people will not let you try and even speak dutch they will switch to english strate away if you are in spain you learn a lot quicker because you have to i have friends that where here for 10 years from egland or america and they where like fuck it i am goign to go to school to learn and when they did speak dutch it took us 2 years before we would speak english to the guy was normal for us to just speak english when he was around
Whats an old dude doing in The NL ?? leave some space for the younger ones that need to grow and work.. and the latam people that want to find a cute dutch over there.. theres no room to find homes.. gee
The non-judgemental thing is something most of us are really proud of. We call it dutch tolerance. Although not all of us are equally good at it.
Funny the weather talk yeah. I went to a restaurant last sunday, to relax and read a book. It was "bad" weather. Well bad is in the eye of the beholder. It was raining averagely and a bit windy. So every guest after me that came in first said after closing the door: "Zo! Wat een weertje hé?" (So! What a weather we are having hey?).
LOL made me smile,...as I noticed that is indeed THE THING you expats on youtube notice as well when you arrive here in my country. Funny!
lol lol
We in general dont have the space to collect lots of stuff, we buy what we really need and there we can spend a lot of money on.
Oh yeah the smoking, it is something you will see a lot in certain European countries, also France, Spain, Italy etc. There are also countries where people don't smoke as openly at least, like Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. I really wish to see more done about that, and make it a lot less prevalent at least. Especially in crowded places, and especially where there will be kids around. Just one person smoking will easily affect twenty others in such situations. The person that does not smoke is also very limited in their options to avoid breathing it in there, for example we were in a rampacked Efteling once and finally got a spot in the outside seating with our kids, and right when dinner was served about five people next to us all started smoking at once. And you can not even speak up to them about it, because they feel they are in their right being outside and all. I find it a really horrible habit and kinda feel like I need to be carrying fart spray or something to do my own part of non illegal stench on them for a change.
Rotterdam is definitely not the city you want to go to when you visit the netherlands. Amsterdam is even worse
You're too kind for the people living here, actually made me laugh, the Dutch are not judgemental?? :D :D They/we tolerate a lot as long as it doesn't bother us that's right but for sure we love to judge, people, countries, race, religion, whatever, we love to judge. (and for me personally that's ok because it doesn't bother me :))
Me (Dutch) and me international friends here in the Netherlands liked that 'non-judgemental' too. I worked in USA before and the difference - I believe - is not the judgemental so much but more the lack of politic correctness / being blunt. We discuss here whatever we want also if we know the other side thinks different about it.
At the other hand, comparing to USA, here people from different cultures more easily truly mix including really accepting each other dressing standards, the example provided here.
Oh and that food delivery has become bigger quite quick since the pandemic! Before that is was more of a luxury thing that was sort of seen as ‘i am too lazy to carry my own groceries.’ But since the pandemic people use it more and more because its just very convenient. I always use it when i am buying 20 bottles of cassis and they are heavy… 🙃
Join all yhr dutch course nl is most important thing i psy too mych money obly for the language
Where are some good sites to find rentals?
That experience is why you should not be out 'enjoying' the wind. They tell you to stay at home for a reason..
lol lol…so true!
It depends on whether you can avoid places that would generate debris. As long as there are not too many rooftiles crashing around and you can avoid the falling trees it is fine to get to the beach to go "blow out".
I wear heels as a male and nobody cares lol
Dutch doctors will be hesitant to prescribe medication unless it is really really necessary, simply because a lot of medication have many negative effects as well, so the good réally must outweigh the bad. I had Americans friends asking what we use for ‘cold medication’ and I was like ‘you use medication for thát? Just stay in bed and rest!’
Only medication most people use are paracetamol and ibuprofen.
Unfortunately, because of the terrible, and often nonexistent, sick time at most jobs, most people can't afford to take the time off work to rest. So those people have to take a cocktail of over the counter drugs to dull their symptoms so they can still work their job even while sick. And even if a person could take sick time, if they had to see a doctor many people experience a 1 to 3 month waitlist before being able to get in with their GP. This leads to a lot of people self medicating.
It's just bad all around.
it's not the rain it's the WIND I can't stand here.😣
I lived in Rdam 20 yrs ago for a year. The demographics skew poorer and more "immigrant" than much of the country, and criminal issues are a concern. I regret not choosing a better and smaller city, honestly. Maybe it has improved.
on 50kmph or less roads you can park where you want for loading and unloading except when its paid parking but to load you can do whatever
Five seasons in one day, allthough nr 5, the monsoon season is not a regular season here it can be in a day.
Realize that you can be detained by customs with non-prescribed medication. You can prevent this by having a medical passport. Some medication can be classified as drugs here. We, the dutch citizen, don't let us tell what we may or may not. A lot of people are quiting smoking, but it need some time. We like more to go for a diner with friends, then have an expensive dress.We are also less and less fond of the throwaway culture.
Fun perspective, I enjoyed watching it! About students partying: maybe the partying during the week happens elsewhere in Rotterdam, because some of my neighbours party on working days.... :( Fortunately it's less now, but it has become quite a problem in recent years in Rotterdam, due to rich parents buying their children an apartment (especially in Kralingen) and due to corona, so they don't party in clubs.
Nice video and really good points. The last one is very true. We say: 'Collect memories and moments not things' Because at the end of your life your memories are the best and precious things you have. I'm happy you love my favourite city and I also hope nice weather is coming soon so everyone is going enjoy their lifes outside 😉
I like this video. I follow your channel because I can reflect on how we are doing things over here.
Your observations help me with that.
Thank you two for posting this.
I wish you a fine and healthy stay over here.
Well done 👍🏼
You ordered an 'uitsmijter'! 😂😂
At nr.9 you talked about the police showing up and how things went smoothly. Police here are are well trained in de-escalating situations where tension could cause trouble. You will not see a police officer draw a gun here unless a fire-weapon is in use. a tazer-gun or mace will be deployed first. i've seen many body cam videos of American police immediately drawing their weapon without even knowing what is happening upon arrival. that is not de-escalating but rather provoking an angered response. most situations would be handled different here, thats why you wont find any headlines here about so called "suspects" being shot or killed. and lets be honest, the term suspect is used for every police call they get. An American police officer would probably call our police "soft".. but there is a difference in being soft and being tactical. its not the wild west.
The law on insulting the king was scrapped several years ago.
Correct.
Recommended: another American RUclipsr, living in and writing about the Netherlands: Not just bikes.
Guy from Not Just Bikes is from Canada
@@OdinsSage correct. But he's lived both in Canada and in the US. He writes about experiences and observations in both countries, besides the Netherlands.
PICNIC is GREAT !!!
i had the chance to be in belgium and netherlands last summer for a month. truly that is when you get familiar with local 'ways'. i, like you guys, find it very pleasant on so many levels. your closing statement was spot on too. my dutch friend from high school were my first exposure and we got along splendidly. weather? who cares. language? oh ya, niet makkelijk but yes, well worth the effort. got rid of so much stuff already. patients? fabulous. non judgemental? we people watch too. riot! thankful for that. meds? ok but the otc aspirin there is like scripted stuff back here. usually only take one if needed. always stubbing my toes. lol. you do a great service. just got my apostille. step one is done. be back over in april sometime hitting job prospects. so it begins.
Well, good luck! And we do use capital letters at the beginning of sentences, by the way....
Americans often suffer from a decease called ego. Especially the ones who feel superior over Europeans. But living in the Netherlands for a while is often a good remedy against egocentric obnoxious behavior.
"Doe maar gewoon, dan doe je gek genoeg..." as the Dutch saying goes.
I think most Americans act ok in Europe. If anything, it's the locals assuming we ate being difficult because of language issues.
@@GUITARTIME2024
I was told to believe that My country is as good as bilingual because over 95% of the Dutch population know English well enough to be able to hold a serious conversation.
English as such is no problem. It's the different and sometimes heavy accents that cause problems.
Learn Dutch !!!
F. the king.
Adres en telefoonnummer?
funny. I feel quite the opposite on many things you mentioned. :) People are extremely judgmental. If you walk around town in a pink tutu, you will most likely be smacked in the face. :O Also, you can only go into discussions on politics if you are White. I wouldn't recommend talking about politics if you are Latin American, African American or even Asian American, let alone Arab American. They won't accept your opinion, and probably will not want to meet you again. The same goes for Dutch people of migrant background. We can't talk about politics with friends, because they will drop you in a heartbeat. Dutch people self-identify with the country in all its facets, including politics. If you criticize the government or municipality, they will see this as a personal attack on their integrity.
Maybe you do not understand Dutch people well than. Its maybe the only country where even foreigners have their OWN political parties on national level (like DENK en BIJ1). They are considered blunt and by some even rude, but they DO accept your opinion.
There is not many places on the world where everything can be critised so much and so easily as in Holland, even in corporate culture. Making jokes about your manager is very accepted.
Claiming that only white people are allowed in political discussions give me the feeling that you have some racist attitude against whites, both politics as theatre discussions are FULL of people of color discussing politics.
@@Inferi0r I'm talking about private conversations, not public ones.
@@Inferi0r By the way, we aren't "foreigners". We are Dutch. This mentality is exactly the problem. Why do you think they had to establish their parties in the first place? Because as persons of color you are expected to keep your mouth shut and quietly accept and repeat what your white colleagues say. And the way in which politicians from these parties have been treated, not just by the media, but also by other parliamentarians is just disgusting. They have been repeatedly called traitors, servants of foreign powers. Without any evidence! They have even been excluded from some classified parliamentary meetings, while real traitors such as Wilders and Baudet were welcome!!
It's not jus the king you can't insult. You can also not insult a civil servant on duty, such as a cop. For instance just wearing a t-shirt with 'ACAB' or '1312' on it can get you fined or even arrested. We don't have free speech laws like you have in the states.
Rotterdam is the best place in europe...niet lullen maar poetsen! Straight forward honest town...got to love Rotterdam and the Rotterdammers. (Yes Rotterdammer is a race....could be any colour)
We have the same weather in Flanders and we say: if you don't like the weather, wait for half an hour, it will change.
And I often hear that Dutch is difficult. What do you compare it with, can you compare? How many other languages did you learn? And how difficult is the non phonetic English do you think?
Being a Flemish, neighbor thus, it al is familiair to me. But you are right.
Ehm... hoi? (Kijkt om zich heen maar ziet niemand)
About insulting the King: you may now, although I won't encourage you to do so, you might get in trouble with the local population. The "majesteitsschennis" (crimen laesae maiestatis) articles have been removed from our criminal law ("Wetboek van Strafrecht") in 2020. 😱
Regarding safety: As a teacher I feel very safe at school. I don't have to worry about a possible school shooting nor have to 'train' my pupils how to respond in the event of one. The only safety drill we have is the occasional fire drill.
I used to think like you.
But now I also think the USA never had a Hitler.
Maybe you prevent school shootings but if in the end you get cattle cars filled with men women and children who get sent to gas chambers with no way to defend themselves.
Maybe freedom comes at a cost ?
@@rolandxor179 Being scared that an idiot may start a mass shooting isn't freedom.
@@eddys.3524 There are measures you could take
.
Still..maybe a bigger threat is out there.
@@rolandxor179 The Threat you're afraid of is the boogy man...
@@eddys.3524 Totalitarian regimes have murdered hundreds of millions. Look how they treat the COVID protestors. There is no natural respect for the individual or their rights.
Freedom is not free and you cannot exchange freedom for security.
Also if you look some European countries allow their citizens to be armed.
Czech republic , Switzerland. You don't hear much about mass shootings there.
Ukraine is arming its citizens.
It is better if you already know how to shoot.
Ukraine's history is one where both communist and nazi power murdered millions of people.
Look up the Holodomor where communist gangs litterally stole every grain of food.
Better to pick up a rifle , drive a tractor or a truck and teach these WEF f'ers to fear you. Put them in their place.