Is it your first visit to the Netherlands? Or you’ve just moved here? Either way, here are some things that you might find both shocking and charming!
There’s nothing like a good love-hate relationship. So, let’s talk about it. 👇
1. Whirring bicycles from all directions
At first, I didn’t realise what exactly it was: love or hate. And then it hit me. No, literally — I was hit by a cyclist. 🚲
My friends from the Netherlands told me that when you’re an international in Amsterdam (and throughout the entire country), the chances of being in an accident involving a bicycle are considerably high.
You always hear that Dutch people like to bike their way to… well, everywhere, but still you are never prepared for the chaos of so many cyclists going in so many directions.
You’re used to watching out for the cars on the road, but something might just come and hit you from the other side. Bike paths are equally as important (and scary) as roads in the Netherlands! 👀
READ MORE | Dutch Quirk #3: cycle more than they walk
On my first visit to the Netherlands, I was impressed by the cycling skills of the Dutch and thought it must be great to travel safely by bike.
At the same time, though, I felt extremely annoyed because I wasn’t yet used to how organised everything was. I was under the impression that bikes keep coming randomly from all over the place to mess with my mind. 🤪
2. Ah, the Dutch weather!
Rain, rain and… of course, rain. Unpredictable and constantly shifting from crazy wind to rain to snow and some sun here and there if we’re lucky. That’s the Netherlands for you. Even the Dutchies complain about it all the time as well!
In Romania, the temperature can drop to -24 degrees Celsius in cold winters, but I never felt as frozen as during my first visit to the Dutch kingdom. 🥶
READ MORE | How to survive the Dutch winter: weather, clothing, and more
I’m used to the rain; we have it in our country, and it’s almost always present in the UK. But that wind in the Netherlands is something that enters your soul and doesn’t leave till you’re safe and sound inside. 💨
Oh, but when you manage to catch a beautiful, sunny day, everything changes.
Life is better, coffee is sweeter, cyclists are your new best friends, and the sights are breathtaking: canals, charming houses, world-famous museums, lively art galleries, and colourful markets.
3. Dutch people’s directness
Speaking your mind is something that I value. But filtering is another action I’m fond of. If you have ever dealt with Dutch people, you’ll most likely want to tell them to filter their thoughts before they speak.
READ MORE | We asked readers about their experiences with the infamous Dutch directness
But Dutchies will never fail to tell you exactly what they think or feel. Their directness is something that may truly shock you at first.
Their genuine straightforwardness is something that might first appear as being rude, too honest, just too much. 😤
One piece of advice that I think will come in handy is to make sure you are good at standing up for yourself. Otherwise, you can easily become the victim in a conflict.
Over time, you learn to live with this, and sometimes, when you don’t get their blunt opinion on something, you may even start wondering what’s wrong. 🤷♀️
What are your favourite and least favourite parts about living in the Netherlands? Tell us in the comments below! 💬
All the “negatives” are parts of what makes The Netherlands so special and unique.
My Dutch born and raised Father was very blunt spoken by American standards. I never knew this was a Dutch quirk until later in life when I got to visit NL. The one example of his un filtered directness I always remember was the day I came home with news that one of his co-workers and drinking buddies had died. I told him Red S****r died. My Father’s quick reply was: “Red S****r! There was a real SOB.” (Only he did not abbreviate SOB). It was such a shock because everyone else who heard about the death said something like “Oh that’s sad” or “Poor Red”. None of that phoney sympathy from my old man. He said what he felt. RIP Pop.
We love it all.