A Touch of Dutch

Looking Back: Quirky Things

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Sat, 12 May 2012 17:55:55 PDT

Looking back, I loved these few little quirky things about the Netherlands. OK, so maybe some are not exactly just “Dutch”, and some people probably won't agree that these are really so “quirky”, but either I found it often and/or didn't discover it until I came to the Netherlands. I noticed it for the first time in my life there, and I have only seen it there — Never since. I still talk about it every so often with people and thought that I should finally share about it here too!

Dekbedden uit de ramen...

Duvets/blankets hanging out of windows. This was something I noticed almost immediately after I first arrived in the Netherlands. As I walked through the neighborhood on a sunny spring morning, I looked around at the styles of the homes and how the gardens [nearly all of them in sight], mostly tiny, were neatly groomed and trimmed and it wasn't so unusual — But the homes where I saw duvets or quilts [Dutch: dekbedden] hanging out the windows [note: nearly always without fly screens!] really stood out! They're just simply airing out the quilt in the fresh air [Dutch: frisse lucht], but it was the first time that I'd ever seen it in my life...

Frietzak mannetje...

Then there are the snackbar cafés in the Netherlands where you can buy frikandel, a plethora of battered and fried snacks, broodjes and, of course, fries [Dutch: friet or patat], which is also not an uncommon thing around the world. This little statue, however, I had only seen for the first time in the Netherlands. It is called a frietzak [patatzak] mannetje. I later learned that they have them elsewhere in Europe as well, so it's not specific to the Netherlands. Upon first glance, I found it to be slightly disturbing because, if you notice, he's eating himself and giving the thumbs-up about it.

What is your favorite topping on your friet/patat?

Lekker op de fiets!

Bicycles! But there is nothing wrong with this, and the Netherlands is not the only place in the world where you will find so many bicycles. This photo was taken at one of those bicycle parking garages — All parked above and below, there were hundreds of bicycles, and it was the first time that I'd ever seen this.

My favorite part about bicycling in NL: Often bicycle paths will take you away from areas of heavy traffic to beautiful and serene landscapes nestled between neighborhoods.

Wordt iemand 50?

When someone becomes 50 years old in the Netherlands, the whole neighborhood will probably know about it.

As you see in this photo, a large blow-up old man character [which the Dutch call “Abraham”; for a female, it's “Sarah”] stands outside of a home, as well as a 50 km speed limit sign and vlaggetjes [the little flags on a string]. Someone here wants for everyone to know that the man of the house here is turning 50. I had also seen flyers on light posts hanging in the neighborhood advertising the upcoming birthday [often 50th] of someone living on that street... Of all of these, I'd never seen anything like it until I lived in the Netherlands...

Met een koekje erbij...

Just one little cookie? Well, maybe it's better that way...

With every cup of coffee [in this case, in the photo above, warme Chocomel] in the Netherlands, a café will serve a little cookie. This one in the picture was called a koffiekoekje, which is Dutch for a “little coffee cookie”.

I was never bothered by it, and I got so used to it that I didn't even notice anymore until I looked back at this picture. I've never been served a tiny cookie like this with my hot drink before or after living in the Netherlands... I grew to expect it!

This always seemed to me to be:
"Look inside of my home!
Oh, and notice I have two matching
things in my windows too!"

Last, but not least, the windows of a Dutch home... They're always clean, and you can always nearly always look inside of a Dutch home because they rarely cover the interior of the window during the day. At night, while they're asleep? Yes, drapes are shut. During the hours when they are awake? No, drapes must be wide open. I made this mistake in my last neighborhood... I kept the shades often at least partially closed, for privacy, but this seemed to only raise more question from my neighbors.

However, I did put matching things in my windows [as seen above in the photo here too]. Often this is done in twos or threes [not seen so much in apartment buildings] making some type of symmetry. I grew to love it and expected to see it everywhere I went. I sometimes would buy planters and large candles in pairs for myself and as gifts, which were always excitedly accepted.

Quirky Dutch words for English speakers:

While learning Dutch, I found some words that sometimes made me laugh, blush, think twice and/or all of the above. Here are a few of those words:

Douche — This means shower, both the activity and the shower itself, in Dutch. How awkward it can be for an English-speaking female to tell someone they'll be going to douche... Even stranger to hear a man say it those first few times?! Shower gel/soap in Dutch is douche gel [or douche zeep]. To tell someone you're going to take a shower in Dutch, you say, “Ik ga douchen.”

Jammer — It's pronounced yahm-mer, but to read it for the first time an English speaker simply sees the word jammer and thinks of jam, like what you spread on bread and/or a name that would be given to someone who jams things. In Dutch, this is what someone says when they're disappointed.

Dik — When something is thick or fat, it is called “dik” in Dutch. It's pronounced exactly as it looks.

Kunt — It means exactly not what you think. In Dutch, “kunt” is a form of “can” and is pronounced more like book = koont, instead of the u sounding more like the u in dug. For example, “U kunt uw textiel-, glas-, papier-, en plasticafval naar een kringlooppunt brengen” - English: “You can bring your textile, glass, paper, and plastic waste to a recycling location.”

Vaart — It's pronounced fahrt. I say it with a little added emphasis on the r, and the two a's are also pronounced longer, so you stretch the aar-part out a bit. Either way, it still sounds comical. Vaart means a variety of things, such as a flight, but it has nothing to do with what it seems it would.

Kok — The chef in Dutch is called “de kok”. For example, the Dutch say that Chef Gordon Ramsay is a kok. It's pronounced similarly to cock. You know, a rooster.

If you are or have learned Dutch, which word(s) made you laugh or caught you off-guard?

Also I want to add that many of the sayings you might say daily I learned from TV reclames [English: ads; commercials] on Dutch TV. One example is graag gedaan [English: happy to do so; said in place of “you're welcome”]. Super de Boer supermarket chains had/have a slogan at the end of their ads “Graag gedaan. Super de Boer.” Sometimes I jokingly would say that when telling someone “you're welcome” in Dutch...
OK, so maybe I'm the one who is kind of quirky here...

Have you experienced these things outside of the Netherlands? There are other things I didn't list too — Such as: Have you [almost like it's required] had to bring your own cake to work for your birthday? If so, please leave a comment and share all about it!

Koninginnedag Down Under

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 23:51:06 PDT

Happy Koninginnedag!

Happy Queen's Day! I didn't and haven't gotten out at all to celebrate Koninginnedag here Down Under because I'm a bit too far away from many of the festivities going on [some of which have already taken place], but there were many things happening to celebrate all over Australia in cities like Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney via clubs and through other organized events.

Poffertjes are everywhere too. It actually seems to be very popular down here to sell poffertjes at events in Australia — Just take a look around. I've seen them at two outdoor music festivals [Peats Ridge and Byron Bay Bluesfest] and sold as well from a hot dog-style cart on Australia Day. I was thinking of making some of those tonight for dessert... I do know how to make them from scratch and will add a twist of orange juice to the batter, just because. My recipe is attached below in this entry [click below to expand the blog entry].

Anyway, I have not forgotten what Koninginnedag was like when I lived in the Netherlands... I've remembered it since I left, and I aim to try to remember it each year. It was interesting to go to the center of the city and see how folks dressed in orange [oranjegekte = orange madness] and some sold their goods [vrijmarkt — the free market; more about this here] yard sale-style. It was always a gigantic day with events on TV, as well as events going on around in the cities and villages. If you've never experienced Queen's Day in the Netherlands, click here to learn more about it.

I've created today this mosaic [above], in honor of Queen's Day. I searched around inside and outside of the house to find whatever orange I could to share. I'm curious: those of you who are living outside of the Netherlands, are you celebrating Koninginnedag and how are you going to be doing it? Please do share in the comments here!

Last, but not least, here is my recipe for poffertjes:

Click this image to view it larger in a new window...

If you have a poffertjes pan, even better! My recipe instructs those who don't have one...

Ik wens jullie allemaal een fijne Koninginnedag!

I wish you all a great Queen's Day!

Expat Living: Before and After the Netherlands

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 16:49:14 PDT

10 years ago: I was still living in the United States of America. I had traveled abroad, but I had no clue what it actually felt like to live in another culture. It's just not the same traveling to a new place, when compared to living in a new place. There is so much that you don't see or experience as a tourist... Nothing can really prepare you for what you might encounter during the ins and outs of life each day... Not even a blog written by an expat, but I'd like to at least try my best to help!

I'd like to share here a few pointers for those who are thinking of taking the big step of moving across the ocean. What I learned after I arrived... And what I had to do when I left.

Coming to the Netherlands

Visas: It was much easier to come to the Netherlands from America, than it was for me to come to Australia from America. In the Netherlands, I was able to apply in the Netherlands for a residence permit [Dutch: verblijfsvergunning] at a local gemeentehuis [city/town hall; also known in Dutch as a raadhuis or a stadhuis]. I could remain in the Netherlands while this process took place [I recall this was also the case for citizens of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and EU countries, as well as possibly a few more countries]. All I had to do was apply with my passport, my birth certificate [with apostille], and my then-partner had to prove that he could support me financially. I've heard that the rule now also includes that a couple must provide some proof of relationship [registering their relationship, for example].

Finding work: Ha. I wish it had been so simple for me. It took me a while before I had work. Many companies in the Netherlands require that you have a diploma of some sort to prove that you can do the job you're applying for. Work experience alone just doesn't cut it. You should get a credential evaluation of your diploma done in the Netherlands to see if your education is suitable for the job you wish to apply for because the educational system in the Netherlands differs greatly from educational systems elsewhere in the world. More information about that here. First, you'll need to get yourself a sofi-nummer or BSN [Dutch social security number], and you can learn how to do that here. When applying for work, even if it's an international company that you're applying to [like Philips, for example], you will want to apply in Dutch. More information about that here. Otherwise, you can find work through an uitzendbureau [employment agency] like Randstad... Or you can set up your own business [tips on that here] through the Kamer van Koophandel [aka: KvK]... Or perhaps you know someone who would be able to employ you. Basically, this whole website here will help you figure some of it out, but no matter how you go about getting a job, ik wens je veel succes [English: I wish you good luck]!

Daily life: It gets interesting living in the Netherlands. I found myself doing things daily that I never did before, and I adopted many of those things into my daily life. Even now, while I live in Australia, I still do a lot of these things... In hindsight, I loved living in the Netherlands. Yes, I had my days when I thought to myself, “What on earth am I doing here anyway?!” But I loved it overall. I loved learning the language. I loved experiencing new things. It was exciting. I just didn't really care for my neighbourhood... Going through culture shock twice sucked. And I was not happy overall in my relationship. But you — You might find yourself doing what I found myself doing daily, like bicycling to the supermarket. In the rain. And doing it often because your refrigerator is too small to store more than a 2 day supply of food. Or hoping someone with a car can just drive you because you're frankly pooped of doing the bicycle-to-supermarket-jaunt. Trying to translate written Dutch to English, or listening to Dutch being spoken. Often. Sometimes it will annoy you, and you might find your mind wandering off while you're listening to people speaking Dutch. Broodjes [sandwiches], kaas [cheese], or both combined broodjes kaas [cheese sandwiches], koffie... Héél véél koffie drinken [English: drinking lots of coffee], that is. Rain. Nosy neighbours [leave your curtains open all day so that they can see everything you do, and then hopefully they won't be so nosy anymore]. Learn how to clean your windows and often while you're at it. Hanging all of your clothes out on the line to dry, underwear and all, in the backyard achtertuin. Your neighbours do it, so when in Rome... You'll learn how to automatically dodge doggy droppings on the sidewalks without thinking twice... You'll adjusted your lifestyle to the store hours. You might not be tall, but you'll come to accept that nearly every single Dutch person is taller than you, and it will no longer hurt your neck to look upwards for long periods of time when conversing with someone. You'll get used to the furniture. You will know how to open and pour a juice container without it spilling all over. You'll succumb to believing that Chocomel is just about the greatest chocolate drink on the planet [or replace Chocomel with some other favourite brand that you've embraced since living in the Netherlands]. Someone has hopefully taught you how to make groentesoep met balletjes [recipe here; English: vegetable soup with meatballs] properly [or replace groentesoep with some other favourite Dutch cuisine]... Uitjes [English: bits of onion] as a condiment? Mayonnaise with your fries? You might learn to love that too.

Learning Dutch: I chose to learn it on my own daily through practice/immersion, but I also paid for classes at a language school. Then, after living in the Netherlands for nearly 2 years, I learned that I could do an inburgering [English: becoming a citizen] program, available through the gemeente. Rather ridiculously, I'd fallen between the cracks of the gemeente's books and was overlooked when this originally was supposed to be flung at me, but I would have found out the hard way later on during my residency permit process when I could have been handed fines for not having done the program. I know some people who somehow avoided this process all together, but I found it highly useful and helpful in my personal integration process to go through the inburgering classes. I learned Dutch a lot more easily, and I also I made some very good friends! Outside of this, you can learn Dutch through books, CDs, websites and more, but honestly the best way is to do it as often as possible and with native Dutch speakers. I did so for nearly 6 years, and now I can think and speak and read Dutch without even thinking twice now almost fluently.

When I left: I didn't know what was next. I was on a mission to just get away from my circumstances, and the last thing I wanted to worry about was how on earth to get things from point A to point B. I had to contact the gemeentehuis to let them know via the bevolkingsregister that I was no longer living in the Netherlands. I also had to contact the IND [immigration] and mail to them my verblijfsvergunning [residence permit] card. Thankfully I could do these things via email and through the regular post. I had to figure out how to do my final taxes myself too and the Expatax website helped a lot! Becoming clear from my bank, however... That is annoying! I had ABN-AMRO, and the balance on your account needs to be zero in funds when you close it, but you have to mail to them a written statement that you wish to close the bank account. During that time, your account may or may not remain at zero. Save yourself a lot of trouble and go to a branch in person before you leave the Netherlands. You also can't change your address so easily through them either on the other side of the globe, so again go in person while you can!

Coming to Australia!

How did I go from living in the Netherlands to living in Australia? I got in touch with a very old boyfriend of mine, someone who I hadn't seen in nearly 13 years. We met back in 1994 while he was visiting America from Australia, and we kept in touch after he left to return back to Australia. We did so for about 4 years, but sadly we lost contact over time, and that was back when there was literally no internet in every household [I didn't get an email address until late-1998!]. So in late-2010 I thought of him and decided to look for him and see how he was doing. After I found him again, it was exciting! We basically picked up where we left off many years ago, and he invited me to Australia for just a visit. The rest is history, and I'll share more about this soon.

For now, I hope some of my tips shared here will help some future expats who wish to make the Netherlands their new home.

The button above in this blog entry is available for purchase at Dutch Design online shop. You can buy it as a hat, t-shirt, neck tie, etc. Plus they have plenty more items available — Check them out!

My New Gezellig

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:08:43 PDT

A gezellige sfeer is created by the light of a theelichtje.

Remembering back to colder days in the Netherlands, I remember I should have bought stock in theelichtjes [English: tea candles] because I went through nearly a bag of 100 each month. The sfeer [English: atmosphere or mood] that was created by the little candles was gezellig.

To be gezellig is:

1. Having enjoyable company; experiencing a very friendly and pleasant ambiance.
2. An warm feel about surroundings; a sense of belonging; a cozy atmosphere.
3. The warm-hearted feeling felt when seeing something nice or pleasing.

There are so many ways to use the word gezellig. An object can be gezellig. A room can be gezellig. Friends can be gezellig. An evening out can be gezellig. A party can be gezellig... It might also be used sarcastically: “We're driving an hour and a half to Eindhoven to see my mother-in-law today... oh, how gezellig.” No matter how it's used, you will hear the Dutch say it often, and it's one of those words which is difficult to translate from Dutch to English because the word conveys a sense or a tone.

If you want to know how to pronounce gezellig, click here and listen to Marjolijn's version.

Gezellig was one of those things that I clung to whenever I got a bit sad or tired of the standard Dutch weather [it rains often in the Netherlands], but I also often tried to create a gezellig atmosphere at home for either myself or friends and loved ones for many happy occasions. For example, Friday and Saturday evenings meant the theelichtjes would be lit, hapjes [English: snacks] and drinks would be klaar [English: ready to go], and my company could enjoy kletsen [English: chatting] or televisie kijken [English: watching TV]. Now that I live in a climate which is prone to be more sunny and warm, I find myself almost instinctively looking for new ways to introduce gezellig. It's interesting to try to find it in my new surroundings because people generally celebrate together differently than they would in the Netherlands. In Australia, they note to me how “stiff” the Dutch seem to be, which makes sense when they're compared to the laid-back Aussie. Australians are more like Americans or Canadians, which makes adjusting far more easy for me, but it also makes me appreciate the styles I learned in the Netherlands because I notice more often those things around me that I might normally take for granted. I have been exposed to more in life than many of those around me down here, so I therefore see my having been exposed to the Dutch culture as a very good thing; very enriching and not “stiff” at all!

Australia-shaped burgers on the barby.

How do I find or create
a gezellige sfeer here Down Under?

I combine things I enjoy from all of the cultures I've ever lived in, or else I simply embrace the pleasures in the culture around me. This could be even simply:

· Firing up the barby [barbecue] and invite friends over for bangers [sausages; Dutch: worsten] or banger sangers [sausage sandwiches; Dutch: worstenbroodjes].
· Going to the beach to relax or to play in the surf.
· Going to the park and have a picnic.
· Playing tourist and do a little bit of sightseeing.
· Shopping with a friend, especially in shops that are in an area of the city that I've never visited.
· Going to a party [birthdays here are celebrated generally how the Americans celebrate it].
· Enjoying an evening out.
· Meeting a friend for coffee or lunch at a café in a different area of town.
· Meeting up with friends in a pub for drinks after work.
· A weekend away up in the Blue Mountains or the Hunter Valley.

I'll be mostly offline for the month of April, as I'm going on a gezellig trip to visit friends who are getting married, plus much more. If you wish to leave a comment, please keep in mind that it might take me a few days to get to it. Thanks and ik wens jullie allemaal een fijne maand! [I wish you all a nice month!]

Pinterest: A Touch of Dutch Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 22:42:09 PDT

Just a quick message to share with you all that I've hopped onto the Pinterest bandwagon for this blog, so if you're on Pinterest and would like to join me, click here. All things Dutch that I think of or stumble upon, I'll be sharing it there too.

I like Pinterest's visual-pinboard-ness — Easy to find favorite links and other various ideas online all in one place... A bit geeky, yet quite addictive! I spent over an hour yesterday “pinning” a few of the first Dutch things that came to mind. While I did so, I found some great links via Google...

· Ellen in Amerika: A Dutch woman who emigrated to America; recipes and tips here.
· Amsterdamize: Bicycling, bicycling, bicycling! Click here to see more.
· Karin Engelbrecht is the guide to Dutch foods on About.com. Click here to see more.

A glimpse of some of the Nederlandse gewoontes that I've found...

My blog was also mentioned in an article on The Hague Online.com at this link [a personal honor!] in an article about Insego and Insego Tips, where my several of my blog posts are also featured.

If you don't find me blogging lately, it's because I'm very busy — But when I have time, I'll also be having fun keeping all things updated via Pinterest [here]. I've also been on the Facebook bandwagon with my blog, and I post randomly there about Nederlandse gewoontes [typical/normal Dutch things] as well — You'll find this blog on Facebook here.

Going Dutch Down Under: Stuyvesant's House

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 22:13:39 PDT

Stuyvesant's House Restaurant
[as seen on Google Streetview].

I was somewhere in the middle of Sydney in an area called Crows Nest, getting into my car on the rooftop parking of a supermarket, when I looked toward the street below and noticed this unmistakably Dutch-style structure. Curious, I walked closer to the side and caught a glimpse that the name of the place was Stuyvesant's House. Perhaps it was named after Peter Stuyvesant, I thought to myself, but obviously it seemed to be a restaurant where Dutch cuisine might be served...

Dutch cuisine?
You'll most likely never overhear a conversation between a group of people discussing going out for dinner at a restaurant which serves Dutch cuisine, rather than something like Thai or Indian, but this I definitely had to check out for the sake of my blog! And I wondered, “Will there be hutspot on the menu?”

To answer that question, no, there is no hutspot on the menu... And it's not entirely a restaurant featuring Dutch cuisine. It is more like German cuisine tweaked towards Australian taste buds, but you will find on the menu bitterballen, Dutch pea soup, Indonesian dishes, as well as a few Dutch-inspired dishes like Garnalen Amsterdam, Schnapper Zuiderzee and Veal Scheveningen.

About Stuyvesant's House?
The Ditzles, Rudi and Max, are originally from small villages outside of the Black Forest in Germany, and they've been running Stuyvesant's House in Crows Nest for more than 30 years. Read more about them here.

What are people saying about this restaurant?
I personally know a couple who had dined there, and they told me they had an OK experience. Except for the shock that one of my friends was left with from the host [be prepared for the possibility, if you visit! She overheard some wild things being said — Some things being said to her as well.], they felt it was good.

Others, taken from reviews on Eatability.com.au, say:

“The service is very `direct´ in that special German/European way, but I quite liked it. Their style is not for everyone. I will definitely eat here again... ”

“Seems you either love it or hate it, depending on your sense of humour. What we did witness was great "comfort" food and wine dished up in a warm, cosy — if not a little kitsch — restaurant... ”

“...An episode of Fawlty Towers from start to finish... ”

One warns of food placed on the table which was not complimentary [this did not happen to us]:

“When our bill came, we were charged for pretzels, which we did not order. They were placed at our table by a quiet waiter at the beginning, just as we arrived, so we assumed they were complimentary. Something should have been mentioned or asked of us!”

The best review, which I agree with completely:

“I have been here twice. I think it is probably not everyone's cup of tea, but if you like traditional European style food served with character, then this is your place. The owner Rudi might seem a bit obnoxious to some (e.g., he drank from my husband's wine glass and repeatedly ask me to kiss him!), but if you have a sense of humour then he's fine. We had a great night with many laughs.

The food is expensive but very tasty and flavoursome (might be too flavoursome and rich for some). All of that said, it is our kinda place! On our last visit, my husband and I shared the nasi goreng as an entree. I had the lobster as my main (splurge!). All of the food was very good. A great place to go if you like big European style meals, a perfect wintertime restaurant.

If you like to eat big, drink big and laugh big, then this is your place.”

My experience...
I give it a 7 out of 10. And I'll go again sometime during the winter months in Sydney. We booked our table in advance, which is basically a must-do for pretty much any Sydney-area restaurant, so we were seated immediately. We ordered the Veal Scheveningen and the Medley of homemade German sausages, sharing each other's main course, and each tasted nice. The food came quick. The mustachioed co-owner/host [Rudi] played music for each table — When he got to our table, he turned Roy Orbison's “Pretty Woman” up so loud, that he blew the speaker out. That was crazy! We laughed.

The prices were somewhat higher than I had expected, but going out for a decent dinner usually has throws us that curve ball, and we felt we were given more than enough for the amount that we were paying. The Dutch bitterballs for a starter was nice, but I can't remember if we ordered wine or not... I'm sure we at least had some Erdinger.

Or, at least, I am sure that I did...

Sharing My Expat Experience

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:00:00 PST

Yep, that's my head.

Recently I was asked to give an interview for a website; I obliged, but while I responded to the questions, I felt inclined to open up even more to readers about who I really am — Including my real name! You see, I have been going by a pen name on this blog since I had decided to begin it, choosing to do so for my personal privacy; for example, reasons like in case I referred to my neighbors [e.g., to point out Dutch traits, random Dutch things I notice, etc]. But now, for the first time ever, here you go!

Before I copy + paste the interview below, here is a bit about me:

Now located in Australia, I'm an American who had lived in the Netherlands for over half a decade. I decided to put this blog together back in February of 2008 to share with others my experiences living abroad, with the hope that it might help someone who might be about to do the same in their life or for those who were curious what it is like for a foreigner to live, love and learn in the Netherlands.

Interview here after the jump...

Amy Williams, also known by her pen name Isabella, is the creator, writer and photographer behind the popular expat blog A Touch of Dutch. Now living in Australia, she recently shared about her experience living abroad and opened up about how she copes when adapting to a new country. It’s a first time she reveals her real name and a story of her life.

Amy, you have lived in 3 different countries on 3 different continents. Where do you feel at home?

Even though I am branching out more easily in Australia than I did in the Netherlands and am enjoying everything new around me, I actually don’t yet feel like I fit in down here. When I visit America, apart from visiting very international cities like San Francisco or New York City, I also don’t feel like I fit in with Americans anymore; therefore I do the best I can to learn what all is around me in my new environment (I find that very exciting!), and I make within my own home a retreat where I can unwind with foods and other things which are familiar to me.

Do you have a fear of the unknown, living among another culture?

Not so much anymore. I did once, but I guess living among other cultures and trying to do even the most mundane tasks within them has helped to break that down. In addition, I’ve added these experiences, as well as other positive survival methods that I have learned to use, to put things into perspective. For example, when having to confront another who somehow attacks my American roots, I use a bit of the Dutch directness for honesty, while keeping an American smile, as well as a tone of laid-back Australian-ness.

Each time you have followed your heart and moved abroad, did you make the decision based upon intuition or through research?

Intuition, really. It’s a bit difficult to force myself to not love someone and/or curb the desire to be with them when I discover I may need to travel in order to continue being with them. If that means moving abroad as well, as I’ve had to do, and if it’s been the right time for me in my life, then I have gone for it and have done my best to adapt.

What is the best way to get used to a new country?

Total immersion. As they say: ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do.’ I suggest you should just get out there and try those things that the locals enjoy, and do everything you can to learn how to communicate and get by as the locals do, but you should join clubs and do the things you used to always do and enjoy as well. Also you should be prepared for ‘culture shock’ — Google that, if you don’t know what it is already; this will help prepare you for what you will experience. From my own personal experience, I can tell you that once the ‘honeymoon’ is over, reality settles in and sometimes it’s difficult. There are very few people who I have met who have not experienced this at least slightly, even if they were only away for a 6-month period for work and knew they’d be returning to their hometown soon. Talking to others who are going through the same situation is also quite helpful!

How has living abroad changed you?

It’s been eye-opening. Even my political stance changed enormously when I began to adapt to an entirely different culture. I also was never much of a risk-taker, trying to always stay within a safe distance from my own comfort zone, but now I (still safely) will find myself trying new things and eager to learn more. I feel my horizons broadening within me with every step I take.

Advice to people in long-distance relationships?

If you meet someone who is not from your neck of the woods, and if the feeling is right, continuously, and if you’ve given yourself enough time to get to know them (you’ve got to be safe!), check out what all is possible if you relocate or if they can relocate. The timing needs to be right too — you can’t just quit your job and pull up your roots, nor should you ever expect for anyone to so easily do the same for you. Visa applications often also take much time and preparation, so be ready for delays; you might need to spend more time apart while visa applications process. Once you are moved and begin to settle in, it could also take time to feel comfortable in your new circumstances. Many move in immediately with their new partner and this can add additional pressure, and due to your circumstances, you may realize that it is not like a typical courtship, so be prepared as well for different feelings than what you’ve known or heard about in a common relationship. Also, be prepared for the above mentioned ‘culture shock’ and talk to your partner about this. Hopefully they will be caring enough to help walk through this together with you. In addtion, I would advise that you make your own friends, apart from your partner’s friends, because this helps you to become settled in better and can be a great help for you sometimes; you might need to turn to a friend, and your partner’s friends are not always the best option!

In case it doesn’t work out for you and your partner, once you have relocated, be prepared with another option to fall back on because travel expenses and moving across an ocean is not cheap.

{Interview source here}

Here are my top 5 favorite blog posts that I've shared on this blog — These are those which also seem to have been the most helpful to other expats in some manner as well:

· My Expat Life in the Netherlands: Pros and Cons
· Before and After Meme for Expats
· Diagnosis: Culture Shock
· Celebrating Birthdays
· One Year Later: What I Do and Don't Miss

And, because spring is about to begin in the Netherlands, click here for a blog entry I'd written about spring — It was my last spring in the Netherlands as well!

Learning Dutch via Music

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:24:56 PST

Remembering back to when I first began learning Dutch, it was suggested to me to listen to some Dutch music. Now, I have to admit it was awfully confusing to listen to a Dutch song and not really understand a word or when each word began or ended! But —eventually— it did help! It was indeed another great way to help me learn Dutch.

This particular song above that I'm sharing today is “Over de Muur” by Klein Orkest. This Dutch song from 1984 might sound a bit somber to those who don't yet understand it, but it sounds serious because it's about former-East and West Berlin and the influences once found on each side [East = Socialism; West = Western Culture]. The point of this song is that the birds there could fly from East to West Berlin, never not called back or shot at, pointing out how one city is separated down the middle by the Berlin Wall and how the birds were not affected by this military influence. Built in 1961, the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, but this song is an excellent resource for those who like to use a bit of history and/or something to relate to while learning Dutch. I also can imagine this song would be used in schools to teach Dutch children about that part of 20th century history.

When I first finally understood this song, it was amazing! To understand a song in another language for the first time... It's something I strongly suggest you try to do when learning a new language too.

The video added here has the tekst [English: lyrics] for the song in Nederlands [English: Dutch], but I have included here as well the lyrics translated to English [with my best translation], in hopes that it might help out those who are beginning to learn Dutch.

“Over the Wall”

East Berlin `Unter den Linden´
There are people walking past flags and banners
Where Lenin and Marx are still standing on a pedestal

And everyone works, hammers and sickles
In the meantime, in a parade-step, the guard is being changed
40 years of Socialism, there is a lot achieved in that time

But what is a perfect state
If there are walls surrounding it?
If you must be scared and careful with your opinion?
Oh, well what is that perfect state, tell me what is it worth,
When someone who differs is declared crazy?

And only the birds fly from East to West Berlin,
They're not called back and not shot at
Over the Wall
Over the Iron Curtain
Because sometimes they want to be in the West,
Sometimes they also want to be in the East
Because sometimes they want to be in the West,
Sometimes they also want to be in the East

West Berlin `The Kurfürstendamm´
There people are walking past porn and peepshows
Where Mercedes and Cola are still standing on a pedestal

And the neon advertisements are flashing and luring:
`Come dancing! Come eating! Come drinking! Come gambling!´
That's now 40 years of freedom, there is a lot achieved in that time

But now what is that freedom without a home, without a job
So many Turkish people in Kreuzberg who can barely survive
Good! You can demonstrate, but with your back to the Wall
And if you have money, then the freedom is not expensive

And the birds fly from West to East Berlin,
They're not called back and not shot at
Over the Wall
Over the Iron Curtain
Because sometimes they want to be in the East,
Sometimes they also want to be in the West
Because sometimes there is bread on the ground near the Gedächtniskirche,
Sometimes on Alexanderplatz

[Note to readers: My translations might not be 100% correct. If you feel a lyric needs tweaking, please leave me a comment and I will fix the lyric — It will be very helpful to those who are learning Dutch!]

To learn more about the history of the Berlin Wall, click here.

What I Do & Don't Miss, Part Two

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:09:33 PST

Een blauwe fiets.
A blue bicycle.

Recently I had lunch with a friend who was here visiting all of the way from the Netherlands. Her, her husband [he's Dutch] and I spoke nearly ¾ of the time in Dutch, which was great! I felt my Dutch was a bit rusty, but it was truly great to do it again. While we visited, we spoke about some of the things that I miss/don't miss about the Netherlands, and I showed them my blog post with the list [click here] of what I had shared about so far.

One thing that I miss but hadn't yet listed was the directness of the Dutch. Expats in the Netherlands reading this might find that shocking! But it's true. Well — I miss it partially, and I'll explain why. Outside of the Netherlands, I have not personally had experience with a culture who is as direct as the Dutch. Looking back, I feel it is honest. An excuse for them to be mean? Maybe. But at least there is no doubt about how they feel. Outside of the Netherlands, there is nothing more annoying than bumping into someone who I know and having that chance that I'll be listening to them go on about how “we should meet up soon” — But when is “soon”? Sometimes it's an excuse... You're safe to assume that “soon” = “never”, not unless you are the one who is always initiating the contacting and making the plans. So, due to my experiences in the Netherlands, I appreciate it when someone is direct immediately, rather than allowing someone to make me read between the lines in order to understand them, or having to tolerate them being a flake. I've already had a few heavily annoying experiences with grown adults in Australia who lack the ability to be honest and up-front about their thoughts or feelings. Regardless of how I try to approach it, they're always going to do it — And they're overly sensitive about it as well. They don't want to “offend” me, and they don't want for it to be pointed out that they are cowering away from the issues — Kind of like how it can be in America, they think that they're just being polite by avoiding the confrontation... And are there flakey people in Australia? Yes, and they're just as bad as the flakes in America.

But what I didn't like about the Dutch directness, while living in the Netherlands, was the fact that the Dutch always will want share their opinion with you — Even if you don't want to hear it and/or haven't asked for their opinion!

A few other things I miss/don't miss about the Netherlands:

· As pointed out by another friend's husband, who is Dutch, I too feel there is a lack of excitement heard on the radio or TV whenever someone wins a prize in the Netherlands. It's as if they're afraid to get too excited... They say in reaction something typically like “geweldig” or “mooi” and without very much enthusiasm. To compare what I'm talking about, think of the Nationale Postcode Loterij ads on TV. They've just won €25,000, but all they have to say is “wow”. Or you should just have a listen to Dutch radio in the mornings or afternoons when prizes are awarded on the air, especially during the spitsuur [heavier traffic hour].

On the other hand, I notice that a great deal of Australians and Americans are very loud in public. I am annoyed by this, especially whenever I visit America again. It's all walks of life behaving like this, talking loudly on the airplane or in a restaurant. Australians are just as guilty of it, and they'll even admit it themselves — It's especially the traveling Americans and Aussies who are the loud-talkers. The Dutch don't seem to do this as much, and they travel just as frequently as the Australians do [or more] abroad to other nations. This is when their reservedness is good. Apart from World Cup and other sporting events, where the Dutch show their true colors, I still feel that the Dutch could use some more enthusiasm.

Twee dingen in de ramen.
Two things in the windows.

· Two things in every window. As you're driving through a Dutch neighborhood, see how many windows you can spot that have two identical items [eg: vases] strategically placed together on the window sill. Very symmetrical. I've never seen it so often anywhere else in my life!

· I can't miss many Dutch TV programs because they're available nearly everywhere in the world on the internet via uitzending gemist [missed programming].

· I see orange clothes or fun orange costume ideas everywhere now, and I want to buy what I find and wear it on 30 April, regardless of where I am in the world.

· Favorite words that used to make me laugh whenever I heard them said: Rotzooi, verschrikkelijk, sjonge-jonge...

Speaking of which, if you're just beginning to learn Dutch, here are some of the first phrases that I personally feel you really ought to learn first because you'll either use many of these and often -or- you'll hear these things in conversation on a regular basis in the Netherlands — And this list is the clean-version:

· “Wil je een kopje koffie?” - Would you like a cup of coffee?
· “Een beetje...” - A little bit...
· “Wat vies weer vandaag.” - What disgusting weather today.
· “Iemand heeft mijn fiets gestolen.” - Someone's stolen my bicycle.
· “Op is op!” - [Said in the ads for a store.] When it's gone, it's gone!
· “Hup Holland Hup!” - [If team Holland plays soccer.] Go Holland Go!
· “De buurman/buurvrouw is gek.” - The neighbor guy/lady is crazy.
· “Wat een onzin!” - What nonsense; what rubbish!
· “Dat kan niet.” - It can't be done.
· “Even rondkijken.” - [Said to a shopkeeper] I'm just having a look around.
· “...in de gaten houden.” - Keeping an eye on [something].
· “Sjonge-jonge.” - [Sometimes said with an extra “-jonge” added on the end.] Often this is said when someone can't believe something has happened and usually it's meant in disappointment.
· “Mag ik een broodje kaas?” - May I have a cheese sandwich?
· “Dat is veel te duur!” - That's way too expensive! [The Dutch typically don't like to pay a lot for something.]
· “Mag ik hier pinnen?” - Can I pay here with my bank debit card?
· “Lekker.” - Nice; good; delicious. It is used in many different ways to describe something good, whether it be the weather, food, the way a piece of clothing fits, or even a way to describe how good someone feels.
· “Net een kind.” - Just like a child.
· “Wat gezellig!” - [Task for the newcomer to the Netherlands: ask any Dutch citizen what “gezellig” means and they'll give you terrific examples.] How cozy/comfortable/quaint!
· “Ik vind het niet mooi/leuk.” - I don't think it's pretty/nice.
· “Ik vind dat niks [of: niets] aan!” - I don't like that.
· “Ik liever niet.” - I prefer not [to].
· “Dat is niet leuk.” - That is not nice.
· “Wil je nog een biertje?” - Would you like another beer?
· “Ik heb geen zin.” - I have no desire [to do something].
· “Dat klopt.” - That's correct.
· “Volgens mij...” - I reckon...
· “Ik schrok me dood!” - I was frightened to death! [I laugh whenever I think of this one — The person who always said it around me had such a sassy sense of humor!]
· “Geen dank.” - No need to thank me [I got the feeling from some Dutch that they didn't ever want to be thanked, as I heard this repeatedly within the first few years that I lived in the Netherlands from various people...]
· “Niets aan de hand.” - No problem here; nothing's going wrong.
· “Nou...” - Well...
· “Wat vervelend.” - How annoying.
· “Wat prachtig!” - How wonderful!
· “Weet ik veel!” - I have no idea!
· “Schattig.” - Adorable; Sweet.
· “Ik kan er niets aan doen.” - I can't do anything about it.
· “Doe maar gewoon, dan doe je al gek genoeg.” - Just act normal, and then you're already acting crazy enough.
· “Doei!” - Bye!

Toeristen bij de Keukenhof.
Tourists at the Keukenhof.

And here are some more great sources online for typical [typisch] Dutch phrases and good things to know about the Dutch:

· Lekker Dutch Words and Phrases.
· Easy Dutch.
· 10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About the Dutch.
· Dutch Word of the Day.
· Stuff Dutch People Like.

Windmills: Wilpermolen

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 17:06:08 PST

The Wilpermolen in Wilp-Posterenk

Even after being in the Netherlands for as long as I already had been, I never become jaded by the sight of a windmill. They dot the Dutch landscape, and I hope they will for many generations to come.

Wilpermolen, is located in Wilp-Posterenk in the province Gelderland. Wilpermolen, also called “De mölle van de Posterenk”, is visible from the A1. The original mill at this location was first mentioned in 1360, but it was destroyed by a fire. In 1736 the Wilpermolen was built to replace that mill and four grindstones were fitted inside to grind different types of grains. In 1975 they added an electric motor for days when the wind doesn't create enough power. It is currently used to grind grains to make feed for animals and is open for viewing —

Click here for contact information to make an appointment.
Click here to view the location via Google Maps.

Here are a few links where you can find more information about Wilpermolen:

◌ Wilpermolen.nl
◌ Wilpermolen via The Agenda.nl
◌ Wilpermolen via Molens.nl

Wilpermolen - Photo: Groucho M | Wikipedia

To learn more about korenmolen [English: flourmill] like this featured windmill, watch this video [in Dutch].

It is great to see the windmills are all being well taken care of and have been or are being restored; however, some need help to keep many of the windmills running. If you would like to help, click here for a list of windmill foundations who will appreciate your generosity.

If you'd like to visit or learn more about a nearby windmill in the Netherlands, here are some extra links about windmills and locations:

◌ Molens.nl
◌ Allemolens.nl
◌ Molen Database
◌ Gemalen.nl
◌ Molen Educatief.nl
◌ Molen Pagina

Click here for more information about becoming a supporter of windmill restoration.
This blog post can also be seen here.

Rewind: Winter in Holland

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:15:39 PST

Rewinding back to when I lived in the Netherlands, every so often I want to pull some old photos off of my hard drive to share here of random events I had never shared about...

These few photos were taken during my last winter in the Netherlands, and since it's winter there now I thought it was a proper time to revisit.

Mutsen te koop in Nederland.
[Sock hats for sale in the Netherlands.]

This first photo: Mutsen. I never owned one of these hats in the Netherlands, but I did see a lot of kids/teens wearing them — Especially when they were riding their bike on the icy streets [seriously] or ice skating on a frozen pond.

Pronounced “moots”, muts is the name for one of these hats and mutsen is plural. A “muts” is also something you call someone who is basically an idiot — To learn more about that, you can read all about it here.

Een gans in de sneeuw.
[A goose in the snow.]

This goose — In Dutch, gans, seemed to be “camouflaged” in the snow. There is a park near where I lived, and on that day I had to stop and see because there were so many geese [ganzen] hanging out near the frozen pond.

Snert or erwtensoep.
[Dutch pea soup.]

This is possibly one of the best soups I've ever eaten — Snert. That name makes it seem... Unappetizing. But, really, it is good! Especially if you love pea soup, this one is a very thick version. It's very hearty and perfect for a Dutch winter day. I've covered about it here on my blog before, with a recipe.

Rood met witte stippen.
[Red with white polka dots.]

I saw this red van one afternoon — It was hard to miss, this vehicle parked in a snowy parking lot all bright red with white polka dots [Dutch: rood met witte stippen] next to the other plain blue, silver and black cars...

Een mooie oprit.
[A beautiful driveway.]

I had never seen so many beautiful things in the most unlikely places! This driveway [Dutch: oprit] was one of those things...

Deze fietser durft het wel aan.
[This bicyclist dares to do it.]

Every once in a while, I found myself having to ride my bicycle in some pretty uncomfortable weather. Since I did not own a car, I often found myself getting rides from others or taking the bus. Sometimes I also had to ride my bicycle to get to where I wanted to go. It rains a lot in the Netherlands, so I became used to those conditions. Riding in the snow or ice was something I never would've tried — Not until I lived there because, other than walking, sometimes it was a must...

In closing, a little video I made of some various things which remind me of winters in the Netherlands. Some of the images are my own — Some taken in my old neighborhood!

Catching Up!

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 20:18:02 PST

I have been taking note of many things since I first landed in Australia, and I'm very observant so not much has squeezed past me. Here's a checklist of things I've done so far, just to shed light on how far I've come within only a matter of months —

If I haven't written it down here, I probably haven't yet experienced it:

View of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge in Sydney from Mrs. Macquarie's Chair.

✓ Ate a picnic lunch at Mrs. Macquarie's Chair with a view of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge [as seen in the photo above].
✓ Been to a few birthday parties — Birthday parties are nothing like those in the Netherlands. This, for myself, is such a welcome relief!
✓ I've already driven on a few long road trips up and down the east coast.
✓ Been to an Australian rules football match.
✓ I've surfed... OK, sort of.

Koalas at Symbio Wildlife Park.

✓ I've fed and pet kangaroos and koalas [at Symbio].
✓ Been to Bondi Beach. If you're in the Netherlands, do you watch Bondi Rescue on TV [op Net 5]?

✓ I've visited several wineries, including many in the Hunter Valley.
✓ I have played lawn bowling.
✓ I've had a sunburn down here so far this summer — Not good! I got it quickly too. The Aussie sun is definitely strong, just like they say!
✓ I've already taken the train and bus down here many times and alone... A small feat which took me longer than expected to do in the Netherlands.

Kangaroo crossing.

✓ I've seen families of kangaroos together in the wild.
✓ I've also eaten kangaroo meat a few times... It's good! They sell it at the supermarket with the other meats and loads of Australians eat it.
✓ I've been to so many beaches and more times than I can count. I rarely visited the beaches in the Netherlands...
✓ I've shopped at Kmart and Target... And a store identical to Walmart called Big W.
✓ I've eaten at the Outback Steakhouse down here — I had to see if it was similar! Same menu...
✓ I have visited many different RSLs and surf clubs for dinner...

Three Sisters near Katoomba, New South Wales.

✓ I've seen a few notable landmarks: Three Sisters, Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the Big Banana... And these are just a few of the many things to see here.
✓ Visited the Gold Coast.
✓ Discovered a website for the Dutch living in Australia and a blog written by a Nederlander in Australia.
✓ I now put tomato sauce [it's just like ketchup and pronounced tuh-mah-toe sauce] on foods I'd never dreamed of putting it on...
✓ I've eaten more beetroot lately than I ever had in my life — And love it!
✓ I love burgers Aussie style — They call it with “the lot”.

Byron Lighthouse.

✓ Visited Byron Bay.
✓ Been to Paddington Markets and Darling Harbour.
✓ I've made stamppot and hutspot, and I have eaten bitterballen at a restaurant in Australia, all of which I'll cover more about in another blog entry soon...
✓ I visited a man-made glow worm cave at Tamborine Mountain.
✓ I've tried over a dozen different Australian beers. Note: They don't drink Foster's here. Ask any Aussie.
✓ I've done some volunteer work.
✓ I've taken a class at a college.

The National Museum of Australia.

✓ I've visited Australia's capital city, Canberra, where I also visited two museums: National Museum of Australia and National Gallery of Australia.
✓ I've cooked ~~shrimp~~ prawns on the ~~grill~~ barby.
✓ I also love the bacon and egg roll for ~~breakfast~~ brekky.
✓ Learning Aussie slang has been just as fun as learning Dutch — And sometimes just as complicated.
✓ Driven through a town called Woy Woy and another called Bong Bong.
✓ I've watched countless beautiful sunrises and sunsets.
✓ I have fallen in love with frangipani flowers.

Cars drive on the left side of the road Down Under.

✓ Driven over 100 times on the ~~wrong~~ other side of the road.
✓ Shopping malls in Australia are identical to American shopping malls.
✓ Some Australians really, really love Dutch violinist, conductor and composer André Rieu.
✓ I've seen and heard plenty of times the kookaburras sitting in the old gum tree.
✓ I've eaten Vegemite, Lamington, Pavlova and have even tried mint sauce on my peas.
✓ I love meat pies with mash and peas from Harry's Cafe de Wheels.

Redback spider.

✓ Found both a Huntsman spider and a Redback spider where I live recently...
✓ I've seen no snakes, but I did see a blue tongue lizard recently.
✓ I've visited a rainforest.
✓ I had a picnic lunch at the lookout at Saddleback Mountain.
✓ The way Aussies celebrate Australia Day [coming up on 26 January] seems almost like how Americans celebrate Independence Day or how the Dutch celebrate Koninginnedag... Except garage sales are not part of the party, like the Dutch. By the way, Aussies can have garage sales whenever they want, just like Americans.
✓ Visited the Dutch Club in Sydney.
✓ Worn my Havaianas [thongs/flip-flops] so often that they are already almost worn out!
✓ I say “no worries” often now without thinking about it...

So, as you can see, I've been quite busy — A lot going on since I arrived here, and I hadn't had much time to blog or go online even. Everything's been fantastic and I look forward to sharing more soon!

In the meantime, I'm on the hunt for things Dutch in Australia and have already found a few things that I will soon share. For now, ik wens jullie allemaal een prettig nieuwjaar [I wish you all a Happy New Year]!

On the Other Side of the World...

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:05:57 PST

With clogs of a different kind...

After sharing about what I do and don't miss about living in the Netherlands [thanks again to those who left feedback!], I took a month-long vacation away and also left the internet behind as well. But I've been basically absent from this blog for a year as well, leaving a few of you probably still wondering what on earth I've been up to. Where am I? What's repatriation been like for me? I'll get to all of that!

First of all, I missed going to a Weihnachtsmarkt [Christmas market] in Germany again this year. It was a tradition I had begun while living in the Netherlands. I'd go across the border from the Netherlands into usually a different city than the year before and, whether it was a good Christmas market or not, I'd just enjoy the experience. I'm so very glad I did that back when I lived in Nederland.

As for the holidays, I spent some time in the States with friends and family. Otherwise, I have not been living in the United States...

I've been living in Australia! It's taken a while for me to get to this on here because there is literally so much to share and I've had very little time to do so.

Living here is quite a contrast to living in the Netherlands because Australia, to me, is surprisingly like America in some specific ways. I wonder if I can easily sum this up because, of course, America and Australia are not completely alike. Something more along the line of Australia and America being cousins, I guess this is a good way to make the comparison. Australian culture, for example, is a lot more like American or Canadian culture than the culture found in the Netherlands. A recent example I shared in my last blog entry here: Showing up at someone's house without organizing to do so ahead of time is something the Dutch don't normally do, but Americans do. So do Australians. I'm still used to the way the Dutch do it. I call in advance or try to plan a few days in advance...

I find in many cases that Australians and Canadians have more in common than Australians and Americans. Healthcare in Australia, for example, is like the Canadian system.

What does Australia have in common with U.S.A., apart from speaking English?
A lot. A few of the easiest points to share: Australia features not only the same fast food joints [which I avoid] as what you'd find in both America [and in the Netherlands], but they also have Target, Kmart, 7-Eleven, Costco and... drum roll... Sizzler. Carl's Jr and Arby's are a few of the others which are coming soon to Oz. Supermarkets in Australia are also a lot like American supermarkets too...

Can I use the Dutch language in Australia?
I love speaking English to get my way around and learning Australian slang, but Dutch... I miss it and try to use it whenever I can, even if it means just thinking to myself in Dutch. Perhaps I could use it in some Dutch club or maybe I can help teach children and adults who wish to learn... Or write a blog in Dutch about Australia. We'll see.

Are Dutch foods available Down Under?
Yes. You can buy online here within Australia, but also I went out of my way to this Dutch Club in the Sydney-area recently [website] and bought a few treats for myself. They didn't have any Calvé pindakaas in stock, which is what I went there to find, but I did manage to pick myself up a pack of Douwe Egberts koffie. Lekker ― en de beste ter wereld!

Are people interested in the Dutch/the Netherlands in Australia?
Yes. Australians tend to travel abroad often and most are curious about other cultures, so I often find myself sharing with people what life was like for me in the Netherlands. I've met some people personally whose family came from the Netherlands. I enjoy meeting people who do know and/or care about their Dutch heritage, and I have met a few who would fit into this category.

Name one thing that you enjoy daily in Australia?

Vroooooom!
I can drive in Australia! Of course, I had to learn how to drive on the other side of the road [they drive on the left side of the road down here], but I could just go in and exchange my driver's license. This was not possible in the Netherlands for me to do so easily...

Australia with "a touch of Dutch"...

Has it been difficult getting used to living in Australia?
Not at all. Apart from learning how to drive on the other side of the road and understanding some slang, I find it much easier to get around and feel more at home here than I did while living in the Netherlands. To be honest, for a while I was afraid to leave my home in the Netherlands to do even simple tasks, like grocery shopping [seriously]. I haven't faced this at all Down Under. I went through a great deal of culture shock [twice!] while living in the Netherlands. In Australia, I've only been confronted by a very small number of small-minded people who have negative things to say about America/Americans, but that was the only "culture shock" I faced. Read here for more about the culture shock I faced while living in the Netherlands.

Do I regret having lived in the Netherlands?
Not at all. Although I had my days, I'll never regret it because I learned a lot ― especially about myself. Priceless. It's an experience that I think I'll treasure for the rest of my life!

What have I learned so far while living in Australia about Australia?
I've learned a lot. I could write a book, actually... But here is one fun fact that I'd like to share: Australia is roughly the same size as America in land mass, but the population is rather small. The population of California is larger than the total population of Australia! There are currently over 36 million people in the state of California vs. only roughly 22 million people in all of Australia.

Did the Dutch also play a part in Australian history?
Interesting! Australia was once called New Holland. Read all about it here!

I'll share more soon. For now...

Other tidbits:
· This is the 3rd country I've lived in whose flag is red, white and blue.
· I don't have any immediate plans to travel to the Netherlands again, but I'd love to one day.
· I don't plan on living in the United States for a long time. Perhaps for retirement?
· I have not grown homesick for the U.S.A. while living in Australia.
· I've found the Newport Beach and Avalon-areas of New South Wales remind me a lot of Newport Beach, California and Laguna Beach, California-areas. In California there is a Newport Beach and an Avalon relatively close to each other, just as in New South Wales. Avalon in California is located on Catalina Island, which can be reached via ferry from mainland Newport Beach, California.
· I still visit the United States for the holidays. I enjoy, most of all, road trips. I enjoy visiting places I once took for granted. My next trip to America might involve driving to Montana, for example.
· I feel living in the Netherlands and those experiences involved better prepared me for my move to Australia.
· Getting used to eating Vegemite has been similar to how I got used to eating the Dutch drop [or dropje] licorice candy. These both require for many an acquired taste...
· Australia in Dutch is Australië.

Now a few questions for you, Dear Reader ― Have you lived in two or more countries, other than your own? If so, did you find adjustment to the next new country easier than the adjustment you made to the first new country? Have you been to Australia? If so, what did you think?

I've been putting together bits and pieces of what all I'm learning and observing in Australia, and I'll share that here soon. Until then, ik wens jullie allemaal prettige feestdagen!

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One Year Later: What I Do & Don't Miss

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:08:06 PST

It's been nearly a year since I left the Netherlands and, remembering back on when I first read this one great list online, I feel it's time for me to share what I miss and don't miss about the country and the culture. I'll add to this list as things come to mind...

What I miss:

Calvé pindakaas. In my opinion, it's the best peanut butter on earth. My taste changed over the time I lived in the Netherlands, as I now find American brands of peanut butter to be far too sweet and/or processed-tasting.

Speaking Dutch. I didn't ever think I'd find myself thinking that way, but truly I do miss it! I practice it still whenever I can and even try to think in Dutch, so that I won't lose what I worked so hard to learn.

This was my refrigerator in the Netherlands...

Eating fresh foods. Simple, right? Well, there are so many conveniences when it comes to cooking these days, and the temptation to cook frozen food or food from a box is definitely there. I think because my refrigerator [above] was so tiny in the Netherlands and my freezer space was limited, I was forced to buy fresher foods constantly, and this of course was a good thing. Also, as you can see, I was forced to keep it tidy because of the small space. No rotten old leftovers could fit in that thing!

Having to have that “gezellig” feeling. On the colder evenings in the house with candles lit, some warme Chocomel, TV and hapjes [snacks] = Perfection! I would always buy the large 100-count bags of theelichtjes [tea light candles] from places like Blokker or Albert Heijn, keeping plenty on hand for whenever guests came over or if I just felt like lighting a few. I can recreate this “gezellig” feeling elsewhere in the world, of course, but in the Netherlands it simply was a must-do on a cold, winter evening.

Broodje shoarma met knoflooksaus en aardappelschijfjes! I loved ordering the shawarma meat in a pita pocket with garlic sauce and potato slices. I haven't found a place nearby me now who sells anything like it [yet].

Free gift wrapping of items. Available at the cashier in stores like Douglas, Etos, etc., just tell the cashier “Het is een cadeau” [“It is a gift”] and they'll most likely gift wrap it for you at no charge. Also there were always rolls of gift wrap, tape and often ribbon for customers to use as well at stores like Intratuin, Toys 'R Us and Blokker. So convenient! Just buy the gift and then go wrap it in the store.

Everything's old. I loved walking past a building and learning that it was built over two centuries ago. This is true, unless the town either suffered a massive fire or had been bombed during World War II. Comparing this to many parts of America, where things often were built later than 1850 [unless it's in a former colonial area], you might be drawn to think about the history of the building, who built it, with what and why...

Stained glass windows. Similar to loving the old buildings, I loved the stained glass seen in many windows of Dutch homes.

Two things in the windows. I loved seeing pairs [sometimes threes] of things in the windows. Whether it was candles, plants or small statues, I noticed in the windows of many Dutch homes items displayed symmetrically.

Ondertitels helpt altijd met mijn Nederlandse taal leren.
[Subtitles always helps with my Dutch language learning.]
This subtitle text says:
You're not doing it right, it's not perfect.
Get out of my kitchen.

Subtitles. While watching TV shows, I actually miss seeing the Dutch ondertitels. I learned how to read Dutch better with this feature. In the Netherlands, they don't dub over a TV show with Dutch. Instead they just add subtitles and allow you to enjoy the show as it should be.

Cows. The Dutch say that cows say “boe” [said “boo”], while Americans say that cows say “moo.” No matter what the cows are saying, I loved seeing them dotting the flat landscape as I whizzed past in the car or on my bicycle. Every once in a while I might shout out the window at them, speaking Cow Dutch, “Boo!”

Summer sunsets. Somewhere around 10pm in the summertime!

Planning get-togethers. The Dutch are organized people. They plan things in advance, even a lunch date. Spontaneous happenings like showing up at their front door out of the blue are usually unwelcome. I got used to this — And I grew to appreciate it! It's been difficult adjusting back after this. Friends call and want to invite me for dinner at the last minute, or someone is in the neighborhood so they drop by without calling me first... I've got to somehow infiltrate this Dutchism to the people around me...

De bioscoop. Going to the movies in the Netherlands was awesome. There is an intermission in the middle of each movie = People aren't getting up all of the time during the film — They wait for the intermission. You can drink beer or wine, if you please. Sweet or salty popcorn. Assigned seating, so no need to throw your coat over a few seats to save seats for your friends. Plus if you called to order seating in advance, you would know if the show was already sold out or not before bothering to get there. Movies are left alone — Only Dutch subtitles are added.

Shows like this. Especially when I could finally understand both the Dutch language and Dutch humor —

I not only liked watching shows like RTL Forens, but I also thought Chris Zegers was cool, so this clip from Koefnoen made me laugh. And I knew the Almere Muziekwijk train station really well too, so... I can remember when I first saw this on TV in the Netherlands and could understand about 70% of it. Thanks to the internet, I can still watch it — And I understand it all now as well!

The bakery. The plethora of choices of taartjes and gebakjes! I think I gained weight just looking at them, but — Yum-o!

Bicycling adventures. I lived very close to the German border, and I remember when I finally rode my bicycle across the border by myself one day. Apart from that, when the weather was decent and I felt like it, I had plenty of beautiful places where I could ride my bicycle. Bicycle paths in the rural areas of the Netherlands often lead you away from the busy streets, taking you to places where you might never venture otherwise! I wish I had taken advantage of that more often... So if you're in the Netherlands, get out there and try it!

Train trips. Equally, I miss going places on the train. I really should have done it more often! I loved when places like Blokker had specials for the train in the Netherlands, so I suggest that you ought to take advantage of any NS train ticket deals available too! Explore where you live.

Clean water. As long as they haven't already done this [I don't remember this taking over in the part of the Netherlands where I lived], the water from the tap was unbelievably clean and wonderful in the Netherlands!

Free coffee. Or tea. Good or bad quality coffee, it didn't matter. Wherever you go shopping in the Netherlands, or if you go to, say, a real estate agency or a car dealership, someone possibly will offer you free coffee. Even at the Albert Heijn supermarket, you can [or could] get free coffee while you shop around.

Douwe Egberts. Their coffee + the very clean-tasting water the Dutch have coming out of their taps = The best coffee I've ever drank! However I find Douwe Egberts does not taste so good with most American tap water, and — by the way — After living in the Netherlands, I notice the tap water in most American cities smells and tastes a lot like it's got too much chlorine in it.

What I don't miss:

The birthday parties. UGH! I once wrote about it here, and I still feel the same way about it.

Having to ride my bicycle in the rain. Sometimes it's OK. Or necessary. And sure, it's fun if you rarely do it or don't really have to do it... But it rains a lot in the Netherlands. Even with a regenpak [rain suit], I really grew to dislike it if I had to get on my bicycle to go somewhere while it was raining.

Not having a Dutch driver license.

Dear Netherlands Ministerie van Misery,

For those non-30 percent rule expats who come to Nederland and want to drive, after driving for at least 10 years of their adult life, holding a valid driver license in their home country, and without making expats pay an arm and a leg & jump through several hoops —

LET. US. [BLEEPING.] DRIVE.

Hartelijk bedankt,
ALL expats who come from countries other than Aruba, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Iceland, Italy, [States of] Jersey, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Isle of Man, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands Antilles, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Sweden and Switzerland... Or Taiwan, Israel, Japan, Singapore, Andorra, South Korea, and Canadian Province of Quebec.

Bad manners in public. Not all Dutch people have poor manners in public, of course. And you could just chalk it up as me just having a bad attitude. And, honestly, I began to look around for people using bad habits in public for a while, during my culture shock-phases. I understand that how someone behaves often depends on their opvoeding [upbringing] because I did hear every so often “sorry” or “pardon” [“excuse me”] whenever someone bumped into me... But it was rare! Take for example the way that some people push their shopping carts in the grocery store in the Netherlands. As well as the number of stories I've heard from other expats, I can't even count how many times I had the back side of my legs crashed into by well-dressed, capable Dutch citizens. And then the look they'd give me, while I reacted to the pain, as if it was all my fault that I was standing there in the first place. [!]

Paying for things that I never paid for [or at least I think I didn't]. Water at a restaurant [we're talking tap water, folks] and sturdy plastic shopping bags at the supermarket are two things that instantly come to mind.

The customer service. I missed the over-the-top customer service I was used to in America when I first began to exit the “honeymoon phase” of my life in the Netherlands. I don't have a terrible customer service story to share, but I also can't count how many times the service was either dry, completely absent or both because I experienced it too frequently. One good experience I remember: A shop owner really impressed me when he went out of his way to go get an order book from the back room, after we learned they didn't carry the vacuum cleaner bags I needed. I didn't even have to ask! He placed my order and, within a week, I had enough vacuum cleaner bags to last a few years. On the other hand, I find that American customer service can sometimes be layered on far too thick. I would like, for once, to walk into a store and just see a smile and hear “hello” until I am ready for a salesperson, rather than being bombarded by several employees who are trained to chase me around with some plastic-like performance.

So, you see, there is not a lot that I can think of which is/was bad. Basically it's just cultural differences.

Woot.

Have you also left the Netherlands?
Whether or not you have, what are you certain you would miss?

Coming soon: When I get some decent time to write, I'll share what all I've been doing...

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Link Love and the View From Outside

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:09:23 PST

It has been far too long the last time I posted on here, and I will be posting again very soon. I've just been very busy and haven't had much time to get around to it lately — That's all. I sometimes keep myself up-to-date from abroad about the Netherlands, as I had lived there for so long and enjoyed it. Truthfully, it was one of the best experiences I've had in my life because I learned so much from it, and today there is not one single negative thing I can think of when I look back on it all. Of course I may have had my days while I was living there, but in hindsight I really am grateful I lived there and learned the language as much as I had. I was thinking about it all again today, so I decided to take some time to share with you all some great links I've stumbled upon:

· Stuff Dutch People Like — What a brilliant idea! This blog is something recently introduced to me by a Dutch friend, and I love it. It really nails those first impressions we all get when we begin to get settled in the Netherlands. One of my favorite posts is No.13 Going Camping because indeed the Dutch do this and with their own style.

· Dutch - English Study Group - This is an online forum on Yahoo where people can share about grammar and more. While learning Dutch, I found any learning resource to be very helpful. Of course, the best way to learn a language is to completely immerse yourself in it and try to not use any English whatsoever, so if someone Dutch insists you speak English with them instead, tell them you could really use their help. Also note that online translators often are not efficient enough for something important — Not even Google Translate is 100% effective. I remember receiving important mail in the Netherlands from the IND [immigration] and how those letters were only in Dutch. I felt so proud of myself the day when I could read one of those letters all by myself. Is my Dutch perfect? No. But can I understand and speak enough Dutch to get me by? Yes.

· Kleutergroep — This is one of many websites with free learning materials [lesmaterialen] and projects aimed at children, but it also could be seen as a helpful resource for even adults in the beginning stages of learning Dutch.

· Verbix — I still find this website to be an excellent help for conjugating Dutch verbs. And it's free! This was one of the areas I experienced some difficulty in while learning Dutch, so I felt it would be great to share here with you all again. Just enter the infinitive — See an example here of gaan [to go; going].

· A Touch of Dutch [webwinkel] — Do I miss Dutch foods? You betcha! Overall, I ate so healthy while living in the Netherlands. Dutch cheese abroad just ain't the same, herring from the fish monger [vishandel] also isn't the same abroad, and seriously Douwe Egberts is the best coffee I've ever had brewed at home. One thing in particular I miss? Calvé pindakaas. It's the best peanut butter I've ever had in my entire life. I used it as well to make pinda satésaus, that recipe here. Can I find Calvé pindakaas on the shelves where I live now? No. So my advice to you all who live outside of the Netherlands, if you can't get to a Dutch store near where you live, there are always the online shops [webwinkels]. A Touch of Dutch webwinkel is not related to me or my blog at all, but it is one of many good resources online where one can buy their favorite Dutch treats. I have featured on the sidebar of my blog here a list of places where you can buy these foods online.

I will update soon about what's new with me, as well as what to do if/when leaving the Netherlands for good. Until then, ik wens jullie allemaal nog een fijne week!

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New Beginnings

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 17:47:45 PST

First and foremost, hello! and best wishes for a happy 2011 to you all! I hope you all had a very happy holiday season. I was away for quite some time and quite busy, but I am pleased to finally begin sharing about what all has happened a little bit at a time.

First of all, I am no longer in the Netherlands. Back in 2009 I visited with friends and family and shared a little on this blog about what I felt 2010 would have in store for me [click here to see that entry]. I wasn't actually sure what that would be when I shared that then, but I knew for sure there would be at least some change around the corner. I will share more soon all about the latest happenings [possibly in a brand new blog linked to this one], while I continue to maintain and update this A Touch of Dutch blog — So I'm not going away! I feel sharing about a lot of this anyway will be helpful as well for anyone who goes from being an expat in one country to repatriation or moving on to another country as an expat, so do stay tuned.

Coming soon, whenever I do have enough time and internet access, I will share here not only about the changes I've been going through, but also I will keep this blog updated as best as I can about life in the Netherlands. In the meantime, I encourage you all to read some of the great expats in the Netherlands blogs which I have featured about here before, and those entries you can find by clicking here. I will be featuring a few more blogs written by expats in the Netherlands soon as well.

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The Scoop on Sinterklaas

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 03:26:06 PST

Sinterklaas has arrived. But where is he from? What is he all about? What does he do? Who are those helpers of his? And how long does he stick around?

The Sinterklaas celebration is intended for children. For young children. But I don't think it's a terrible idea to get into the spirit if you are an adult.

Sinterklaas is also known as Sint Nikolaas or Saint Nicholas. The Sinterklaas feast "celebrates the name day of Saint Nicholas [280-342], patron saint of children. Saint Nicholas was bishop of Myra in present-day Turkey and became the patron saint of children based on various legends that include resurrecting children from death and saving them from prostitution." [Source: Click here for the full story via Answers.com]. December 6th is traditionally Saint Nicholas's feast day, also called Saint Nicholas Day or even called St. Nick's Day. The Dutch children celebrate on Saint Nicholas' eve, December 5th. This is also called Pakjesavond ["presents' evening"]. On December 6th, the children in Flanders [Northern Belgium] celebrate. Some cities in the United States also celebrate St. Nick's Day, though it is rarely so.

We know him better in America as Santa Claus. According to... [Please click here to continue reading this blog entry.]

Insego - Smart Expat Network.

Will Be Back Soon!

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 17:10:27 PST

I've been extremely busy in America visiting friends and family for the last two weeks, also with very limited internet access for some of the time, but I'll be back in a few more weeks with an update & back to blogging. Overall, a lot of great things have been happening and a lot of traveling has been done so far and many changes too! I'm excited to share all about it! Until then, I wish you all a safe and happy holiday season!

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The Scoop on Sinterklaas

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 00:25:28 PST

Revisiting an entry which I originally posted in 2008, again Sinterklaas is arriving. This year, he arrives on Saturday 13 November [click here]. But where is he from? What is he all about? What does he do? Who are those helpers of his? And how long does he stick around?

The Sinterklaas celebration is intended for children. For young children. But I don't think it's a terrible idea to get into the spirit if you are an adult.

Sinterklaas is also known as Sint Nikolaas or Saint Nicholas. The Sinterklaas feast "celebrates the name day of Saint Nicholas [280-342], patron saint of children. Saint Nicholas was bishop of Myra in present-day Turkey and became the patron saint of children based on various legends that include resurrecting children from death and saving them from prostitution." [Source: Click here for the full story via Answers.com]. December 6th is traditionally Saint Nicholas's feast day, also called Saint Nicholas Day or even called St. Nick's Day. The Dutch children celebrate on Saint Nicholas' eve, December 5th. This is also called Pakjesavond ["presents' evening"]. On December 6th, the children in Flanders [Northern Belgium] celebrate. Some cities in the United States also celebrate St. Nick's Day, though it is rarely so.

We know him better in America as Santa Claus. According to... [Please click here to continue reading this blog entry.]

Insego - Smart Expat Network.

Favorite Expat Blogs: From Argentina to the Netherlands, For Love

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 13:34:03 PDT

Aledys Ver, author of From Argentina to the Netherlands, For Love.

“One day I found love, or love found me. Next thing you know, I was married and living on the other side of the world: the Netherlands.” This is the introduction of another blog I've enjoyed, the positive and fun From Argentina to the Netherlands, For Love, written by Aledys Ver. In her blog, Aledys not only shares about what she discovers in the Netherlands, but she also sheds a lot of light on Argentina, her home country, which I feel makes it even more interesting. I recently sent Aledys a list of questions to help introduce you all to her blog.

Where are you from originally?
I come from Córdoba, the second largest city in Argentina.

What city do you live in currently?
I live in Zwolle, the capital of the province of Overijssel which is in the central eastern part of the country.

What inspired you to begin your blog?
I wanted to share with others my impressions of life here in the Netherlands and to create a place where I could show the thousands of photos that I have been taking since I came here seven years ago. The Netherlands is a beautiful place to visit and I want other people [readers] to travel around the country with me, especially to those places that are less known and just as pretty as those that are very popular with tourists. I am also trying to bring my home country, Argentina, a bit closer to those who read my blog, by talking about Argentinean culture and featuring different regions of the country as well.

What brought you to the Netherlands?
Love! My husband is Dutch and we decided to settle here in the Netherlands when we got married.

When you first arrived in the Netherlands, what were the biggest differences you noticed from your own culture?
Though Argentina is a western country with more of a European than native Latin American influence, I found many differences between both cultures, mainly having to do with food, dress, habits, personal interaction… much in the same way there are differences between northern and southern Europe, I think. People in these parts are less open, much more reserved not as warm as they are in Argentina.

If you'd like to share, name 1-3 pieces of advice to anyone who comes from the same country as you to the Netherlands [eg: what to bring, funny differences, cuisine adjustments, tips, etc...]
Go as native as you can, but never lose the sparkle and the intense joie de vivre that we share back home. You will certainly miss the food, but you will discover new good flavours and new kinds of good food. They do not necessarily have to be Dutch! Travel around whenever you can by getting to see the beautiful old historic cities and small quaint villages in the Netherlands. You will fall in love with the country and it will make it easier to feel at home. Finally, try to go back home as often as you can to be pampered and kissed and hugged, for there is not much of that around here outside your home.

Name at least one of your favorite things about the Dutch culture.
Their practical outlook on life. The Dutch – very much unlike us, Argentineans - don’t make a big fuss about their problems. They rather sit down and discuss them and all together try to find the best solution. Determination and hard work are two more things I admire in the Dutch as a nation. As an example, I will never forget while visiting Zeeland, how impressed I was to learn that the dams that protect their cities had been destroyed during the war, flooding and destroying entire towns; but they had them up again within a year! A few years later, they suffered a major natural disaster when the North Sea flooded into the country in 1953, known as the watersnoodramp [English: flood disaster], killing over a thousand people. The tragedy made them even stronger and they have today one of the best flood protection systems in the world.

Name at least one of your least favorite things about the Dutch culture.
I still find it sometimes annoying how they stubbornly stick to the rules, no matter what. In general this is a good thing, but many times it makes interacting with them difficult because they are not looking at a personal situation but at a protocol that has to be followed to the letter. This can sometimes lead to funny situations, but in many cases it also gives pain and misery.

Do family or friends come to visit you since you have been in the Netherlands?
Yes, my mother came for a visit a few years ago. She liked it very much and would like to come again for another visit next year.

What do you like best about the city where you currently live?
I always say that I would have loved to settle somewhere to the south of the rivers, since there, people and lifestyle are closer to what I know from back home. But I love my city, Zwolle. It has a lot of green spaces – In fact, it was chosen the greenest city of Europe in 2006. It has a very nice old historic centre, excellent bus/train services, varied and interesting events all the year round, and outstanding restaurants, like the first Dutch restaurant to ever get three Michelin stars. It also still has a bucolic atmosphere, since it is in the middle of some of the best landscapes in the country.

Where would you suggest to someone else [from your native country] to search/shop for the same [ingredients for making] traditional foods and/or to buy decoration for the special occasions/holidays?
Someone from Argentina will find it difficult to get the same quality of meat [either beef, pork or poultry] that is normal to have back home. One of the biggest supermarket chains [Albert Heijn], however, imports beef from Argentina and Uruguay, so if you miss having your usual steaks, you should look there. As to other foods, like dulce de leche or typical Argentinean biscuits, can be bought online. I normally buy my mate tea and other goods from Mate-Tee, a German company that imports many things from Argentina and Brazil.

When it comes to learning Dutch, what do you find to be the most difficult: Reading, writing, listening or speaking?
The most challenging part of the learning process for me has been to understand when spoken to. There are many varieties of Dutch and too many dialectal differences in the language, which makes it sometimes difficult to follow a conversation or understand simple remarks, even, when you are interacting with natives.

Click here to visit From Argentina to the Netherlands, For Love.

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Favorite Expat Blogs: Presepio com Vista para o Canal

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 01:19:30 PDT

Presepio com Vista para o Canal is a beautiful blog written by Sandra, who is from Portugal and is an expat in the Netherlands [click here to visit her blog]. She enjoys sharing through her blog about living in the Netherlands, as well as her travels throughout Europe, sharing of her journeys through her writings and photography. As with all of the expat blogs I enjoy reading, I am intrigued by not only her positive attitude in adjusting to her new surroundings, but I also enjoy learning about her native culture and feel her contribution to the expat community is very helpful guide to those who are embarking on the expat journey. Today I’d like to share with you all a little bit more about her.

1. Where are you from originally?
I'm from Portugal.

2. What city do you live in currently?
I live in Almere, in the province of Flevoland.

3. What inspired you to begin your blog?
The Netherlands and Portugal are two completely different countries. I felt overwelmed with all the learning process, so I began with the blog to organize all what I was learning, share experiences and useful information for others.

4. What brought you to the Netherlands?
Since 2003 there has been a great economical crisis in Portugal, and we wanted to leave Portugal before the crisis would affect us. We were also very disappointed with the whole corruption, the lack of public organization and waste of public money in our country. Portugal has now a big external public debt and a 10% unemployment rate.

5. When you first arrived in the Netherlands, what were the biggest differences you noticed from your own culture?
The houses. When I began to look for a house, I realised the houses had no plastered ceilings and walls. When I saw the armed concrete walls and ceilings, I was in shock. For us Portuguese, this means that the house is unfinished [if you are not talking about social rented houses, of course]. In my home, I was also surprised to to not see a bathtub and a bidet in the bathroom. I pondered, “Where are they?!“ And the washing machine in the bathroom too?!” [Generally you’ll find the washing machine in the kitchen in Portugal]. I was also in shock when I saw photos of homes with cement floors. I couldn't believe it. I thought, “I will not rent a home with cement floors...” Looking back, it certainly was hilarious! It was a great surprise for me too, when I found out I needed to pay the makelaar [English: real estate agent] if I wanted to rent a home! We only need to pay two rents in advance in Portugal, but here we had to pay three rents. Ouch! At least we didn't need someone to vouch for us like in Portugal.

The geldautomaat [English: The ATM or cash machine]. This was another huge surprise for me. When I saw I could only see the amount available and get money from it, I was astonished. In Portugal, we can do many ATM operations: paying bills, money transfers, charging cell phones, money deposits, get checks, etc... We use internet banking too, of course, but our ATM offers more possibilities than those found in the Netherlands.

The Dutch Health System. In Portugal we have the public health system and also the private one which we can pay by ourselves, through insurances, or agreements with the public system. There are many private practice offices and clinics. Here, I only see them for dentists and psychology doctors. I cannot go directily to the gynecologist or the eye doctor, and I have no private clinics where I can have blood tests or other exams. Now, I go to the International Health Center in Den Haag because they have an expat focus oriented service.You can read about it in my blog. In my opinion, the Netherlands doens't have a great health prevention culture. My huisarts [English: house doctor or primary care physician] was very surprised when I said I used to make a cytology test each year [I'm almost 40 years old]. Now, I understand why Portugal has the lowest cancer deaths number in the European Union and the Netherlands is in the middle of the table [Eurostat numbers]. It also seems that Paracetamol is the medicine God... that is very annoying.

The weather. The coldness and the wind. Well, I'm coming from the south of Europe...

The living costs. I used to pay 60 cents for an espresso, 1 euro for a homemade soup, 10 euros for a complete lunch, etc...

The food. The lack of variety and taste. The butter in the soup. The very spicy meat. Argh! I was surprised too, with the lack of certain kinds of fish... The lunch habits are very different... We have many restaurants with a great variety of hot homemade meals for 7 or 10 euros at lunch time in Portugal. My first weeks here were very difficult because we were living in a hotel in Amsterdam, not with family or friends. It was November, it was very cold and we were looking for a house. We had no connections here to give us some references about nice and affordable restaurants. Yes, we were surprised with the great price differences. I was really hungry by then. I wasn't only used to eat snacks like kroketten, patat or hamburgers, especially in the winter. On the third day, we found a Portuguese restaurant and we paid 5 euros, only for one soup...I thought, “Wow. This is what we pay for 5 soups in Portugal!” Another strange thing to me was the 6:30pm dinner. It's better for the health, I agree. However, we begin to dine at 8pm, sometimes 8:30 or 9:00pm. At about 5:30pm, it’s a normal time to have an espresso or a tea and eat something like a sandwich.

The landscape. For me, it is monotonous because I'm coming from a country with a great variety of landscapes: mountains, plains, volcanos, glaciar valleys [the biggest found in Europe is in Portugal], etc.

The architecture. All the towns are quite similar with their red bricks. In Portugal there are big differences between them. If you go there, you will understand what I mean... I miss seeing more Baroque-style buildings. It is normal in the Netherlands, as most of the country is Protestant. I come from a country where almost everyone is Catholic.

The contact between people. We kiss more, we touch more. In Portugal, if I introduce a girlfriend to another girlfriend in an informal situation like a dinner, they give two kisses [one on each cheek]. Here, we shake hands. Now I'm getting used to it, but in the beginning it was strange [two women of the same age in an informal situation shaking hands...well...].

The agenda. This is another great difference. I wish my country was much more organized, but I would also like to say that the Dutch are a bit more flexible.

The store schedules. Once I went out on a Monday morning to do some shopping. Everything was closed! I was not yet familiar with the time schedule. In Portugal all the stores open at 9am on week days. We have also a lot [too many, in my opinion] winkelcentra or winkelcentrums [English: shopping centers]. I agree with the Dutch on keeping the Sundays as days to rest and to spend time with the family. Here in the Netherlands, I see the families on Sundays in the gardens, in the lakes, in the terraces enjoying the sun and the nature. In my country, most of the times, we see the families in the malls on Sundays. In my opinion, it is depressive. Here we have more winkeltjes [English: small shops] and traditional shops. In my country they are closing one by one because of the existence of too many winkelcentra. In Portugal, there isn't the balance that we have here.

6. If you'd like to share, name 1-3 pieces of advice to anyone who comes from the same country as you to the Netherlands [eg: what to bring, cuisine and other funny differences, tips, etc...]

• Bring an umbrella, a raincoat and a Dutch woordenboek [English: dictionary].
• Be prepared with many 50 cents coins, so you can use the public WC [English: short for water closet, also means toilet or restroom].
• Bring some Portuguese sandwiches, rissois, pasteis de bacalhau [a kind of croquette with cod], and water bottles [in the first months, I always felt thirsty when drinking Dutch water].
• Look for a doctor at IHCH.
• Read a lot about the country before you come.
• I think it's advisable also to do a previous trip to the Netherlands to get an idea in loco how the things are.
• Adjust your expectations and learn their culture.
• Open a blog and share your experiences!
• Learn the language.

7. Name at least one of your favorite things about the Dutch culture.

• The possibility that the women have to work in part-time in the Netherlnds. In my country, it is very difficult. I think Netherlands is more family- oriented in this matter. I see the parents spending more time with their children than in my country. They arrive earlier at home, not at 8 or 9pm of the evening each day as in Portugal. Well done, Netherlands!
• I also like the way they publicly share some family events: having a child, getting a diploma, turning 50 years old, etc.
• The bike culture and Sinterklaas. I’m a big fan of Sinterklaas.
• The organization. Here I have no stress with public affairs, like I had in Portugal.
• We have more opportunities to be an entrepreneur in the Netherlands.
• Life is quieter than in Portugal.

8. Name at least one of your least favorite things about the Dutch culture.

• The Dutch Health System.
• The ATM.
• Some lack of manners. To be assertive isn't the same as being rude. However, I have very good and polite Dutch friends. I think is very important that we have contact with the natives, if you really want to live here.
• Where I can get a cleaning service for the inside of our car... Does anyone know?

9. Do family or friends come to visit you since you have been in the Netherlands?

Yes. We visited Amsterdam, Delft, Zaanse Schaans, Marken, Gouda, Brugges, Gand, Aachen, Koln, and more.

10. What do you like best about the city where you currently live?

It is a quiet city. It seems that I’m living in the countryside. Almere has also many cultural activities, restaurants, woods, lakes and space...

11.Where would you suggest to someone else [from your native country] to search/shop for the same [ingredients for making] traditional foods and/or to buy decoration for the special occasions/holidays?

I think it's best to do a research on internet to look for the nearest Portuguese shop. I don't go to the Portuguese shops because my mother sends me some products by mail. She enjoys doing that for me.

12. With learning Dutch, what do you find to be the most difficult: Reading, writing, listening or speaking?

Listening and speaking.

· Click here to visit her blog.
· Sandra also has a blog about her native country Portugal here.

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Link Love: Other Favorites

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 01:49:34 PDT

I'm still on the topic of my favorite expat blogs, and today I want to share randomly today about a few, especially a couple from outside of the Netherlands. Because there are so many pros and cons which expats face while living abroad, it's great to find that there are others out there who are going through some of the very same phases and feelings we are, and that includes culture shock. These blogs are often an excellent source as well for those who either plan on living abroad or would like some insider tips on what to see while traveling abroad.

• Stu, English man and author of Invading Holland, is getting married! My congratulations go out to him and his lucky lady! His blog was the blog which originally convinced me to begin this blog, and I've covered about his blog before [here]. It's filled with humor, and I particularly enjoy the cartoons he creates and the Alex de Leeuw episodes.

• Jul at This non-American Life lives currently in Munich, Germany. She shares not only all about Oktoberfest and great tips like how to enjoy a day in Munich without spending too much money, but she's also got a great sense of humor and I really enjoy reading what she has to share! Especially her Dollywood blog entry [here]!

• Kristin is a military wife, and I think she's been all over the planet! Currently based in Ohio, she's traveling through Latin America where she's both learning and teaching Spanish, dealing with possibly the rainiest time ever in Panama [she shares some excellent tips for you]. She's also shared a lot of great tips for travel in Europe, and how not to always trust reviews/tips read online, but I also really love her story about wanting to be a contestant on The Price is Right. Check out her blog here!

• I've covered already about I'm Just Walkin', about an American man, Matt, who walked from Rockaway Beach, New York to Rockaway Beach, Oregon [approx. 3,100 miles or roughly 5,000 km], and he ended his walk successfully. It was great to follow him, and I was excited when he passed by the home of one of my relatives [who didn't happen to be in town]. In the end, I could strongly relate with what he shared in his final words, and I want to share that here today with you all.

“I’ll need months of contemplation and reflection before I can fully and coherently discuss everything I’ve learned on this walk, but I think the two most obvious lessons are these:

1) Have some faith in this world. Things aren’t as bad as they tell us. We may all have different political opinions and different religious beliefs and different cultural norms [I’m a liberal atheist Jew. Did you know that? Does it matter?], and many of us probably couldn’t stand to be around each other on a regular basis, but most of us would, as it turns out, extend a helping hand to a stranger in need. I walked 3100 miles across this country and didn’t encounter a single person who tried to hurt me, or steal from me, or damage my possessions. Maybe this isn’t a place that needs to be feared. Maybe it’s a place that needs to be explored, and appreciated, and celebrated.

2) There’s beauty everywhere. Keep your eyes open, and keep your mind open, and you’ll be amazed what’s out there, right under your nose, just waiting to be discovered. You don’t need to go to the Best This or the Most Spectacular That; just take a stroll around the neighborhood. I blindly followed directions from Google on my walk, making no effort to see anything special, and look at everything I found that I thought needed to be shared with the world!” [Source]

• In final, I do have a lot keeping me busy lately, and I am so grateful for that! I will try to stop by here at least once a week to keep things updated, but I wanted to review here a blog entry I wrote nearly a year ago, about one of my favorite expat blogs and the helpful expat book she wrote. Check it out here.

I hope you're all enjoying the beginning of autumn with the changes and the beautiful colors appearing on the trees!

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Favorite Expat Blogs: Greetings From Holland

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 23:09:51 PDT

The expat blog I'm featuring today in my Favorite Expat Blog series is Greetings From Holland. Anita is originally from Brazil, and not only has it been very interesting to learn about her native culture via her blog, and she shares good tips and photos of what she sees and experiences, but she also offers great advice to those who come to the Netherlands from Brazil. Today we'll get to know her more as she shares more advice through some questions and answers.

Where are you from originally?
I was born in Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil.

Where do you currently live?
A village nearby Amsterdam.

What brought you to the Netherlands?
I was on vacation here and met my actual husband.

What inspired you to begin your blog?
The many travels I had made around Holland. I wanted to make a photoblog with pretty pics, small texts and some interviews. I thought with small texts the Brazilian could find it easy to read. But after Holland, it is most read by North Americans and Europeans. My blog is also very accessed from Japan - althought I have 0 followers and/or comments from that country. It seems Japaneses love accessing my post about bitterballs and kroketten. Americans visit a lot my posts about Dutch apple pie and musterd soup, among many others. It grew into something very varied and is permanently changing. I avoid the bad side of Dutch affairs [barbarian crimes, dirty politics, discrimination, weird immigration issues] but sometimes I feel like blogging about it, cause otherwise the blog would be very frivolous.

When you first arrived in the Netherlands, what were the biggest differences you noticed from your own culture?
Coldness and distance in the contact with people. Even a total indifference, discomfort and suspicion. But I have to say my parents-in-law were relaxed about me.

Name 1-3 pieces of advice to anyone who comes from the same country as you to the Netherlands [eg: what to bring, funny differences, tips, etc...]
1) Ladies: bring lots of Brazilian underwear. They do not have "normal" panties here, rather strings or something like shorts. Dutch warehouse HEMA has a small amount of those "normal" panties for good prices - but not always.
2) Enjoy every opportunity of vacation to Brazil to go to dentists and check up control. Dutch women do not go once or twice a year to a dermatologist or gynecologist for a regular checkup [Pap's exam or breast cancer control]. Here it is complicated. Only if you are already suffering from pain and can convince your family doctor of it you will get a letter to visit a specialist in the hospital.
3) Beauty treatments that are very common, affordable and reasonable price in Brazil [such as manicure, pedicure, brushing, waxing] are very expensive here or inexistent. Learn to do it yourself. And do not get so obsessed about always eliminating body hair - it is cold in winter. Invest more in makeup instead - Mascara does not melt down here!

Name at least one of your favorite things about the Dutch culture.
Commitment.

Name at least one of your least favorite things about the Dutch culture.
They do not praise others, they are very inexpressive in that. They are not very enthusiastic about what they like or admire. They think it is not "chic" asking for a recipe or a shop address, for example.

Has family or friends come to visit you since you have been in the Netherlands?
Yes, sure. And they loved it.

As for your children, did they also come over to the Netherlands with you [or were they born here]? Would you like to share a little bit about what it was like for them in this transition?
My children were born here and are like regular Dutch kids. They make contact with other kids quite easily. I love having their friends around and offering specialties from the kitchen [homemade small American pancakes, Brazilian desserts of chocolate...] and taking them to the playground or watching films on the couch when it's raining.

What do you like best about the city where you currently live?
The silence, security, lots of green, space - and relatively near to Amsterdam.

Where would you suggest to someone else from Brazil to search/shop for the same [ingredients for making] traditional foods and/or to buy decoration for the special occasions/holidays ?
Brazil has many regional dishes but is also a western country. We eat lots of Italian dishes [polenta, Italian sausages, parmesan and mozzarella cheese], Arabic/Middle East [kibe, esfiha, tabouleh, hoummous], Mediterranean, North African [couscous], Japanese... My Dutch husband tasted Japanese food for the first time in his life when visiting Sao Paulo. Brazil is a gastronomical feast. There are some Brazilian shops in the big Dutch cities. For the holidays, they are practically the same [Easter, Christmas, sort of Valentine's, Mother's Day, etc.].

With learning Dutch, what do you find to be the most difficult: Reading, writing, listening or speaking?
Reading is a piece of cake for me in every language I master. I find trying to write in perfect Dutch grammar to be something very tricky.

Click here to visit Greetings From Holland.

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Insego: The Place for Expats

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 02:51:10 PDT

I've been sharing lately about my favorite blogs, and today I'd like to share about Insego [formerly Inside Twente]. Insego is a very helpful and free online social community where expats can connect, share and offer advice related to expat living with a global perspective. Created by Bea Stanford, Insego branches out from the Twente region of the Dutch province Overijssel to the rest of the Netherlands, throughout Europe and around the world. Each of the over 500 Insego members come from different continents and discuss topics which offer relevant and supportive information about expat living and other related topics including activities [local and global], business promotion for expat-entrepreneurs and the prospect of forming friendships with those who share something in common. Insego is a great resource for those who plan on moving abroad to the Netherlands as well. It's free and fun, so I urge all expats to join today!

What to check out:

· GoDutch: informative articles about expatriation, learning Dutch and other realities [here].
· Discussions and groups which offer support and to share information [here].
· Popular This Month, featuring the most current in blogs, photos, videos and events [here].
· Insego Listings is a free and unlimited feature where expats can offer their services and/or products to the expat community and the general public. If you wish to always have your services and/or products promoted, purchase featured posting [here].

Insego website [here].
Follow Insego on Twitter [here].

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Favorite Expat Blogs: Orangesplaash

noreply@blogger.com (Isabella J) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 02:51:30 PDT

Photo: Provided by Orangesplaash

I realized recently that I ought to share more in my Favorite Expat Blogs category because there are a lot of great new expat blogs popping up all over the internet, and especially those written by expats in the Netherlands. These blogs are an excellent resource for anyone who is either curious about living abroad, for those who plan on doing so or those who are already living abroad, so to kick off the return of this series, I would first like to feature Orangesplaash. She is an expat from India living in the Netherlands, and she shares on her blog expat tips, her travel adventures and cross-cultural dilemmas. I gave her a list of questions to answer which I felt might help shed some light on her experience, and from this you might just find you have something in common with her too!

What brought you to the Netherlands?
We moved [from India] to the Netherlands because of my husband's job. It was also the thrill of discovering something new and learning about a new way of life that pulled us in.

Where do you live in the Netherlands?
I live in Rotterdam.

What inspired you to begin your blog?
Relocating to a new country offers a unique opportunity to broaden one's horizons, at the same time it brings you face to face with many challenges. My life as an expat inspired me to share my experiences and dilemmas with like minded people - those who were experiencing these changes, those who had already been through it all and those who were going to experience this life soon.

Orangesplaash thus became a platform to share, learn, understand and appreciate the issues faced by expats and the cultural differences they encounter. The blog also aims at offering practical solutions to these problems and provides useful expat resources and travel tips. Orangesplaash now has a Facebook Fanpage too, to help achieve the same goals and connect with its readers.

When you first arrived in the Netherlands, what were the biggest differences you noticed from your own culture?
There is a lot of difference culturally and otherwise between India and the Netherlands. The most glaring difference [and the one that affected us immediately] was in the working timings with respect to the supermarkets. The fact that none of the superstores and other shops are open after 5 P.M. came as a bit of a shock to us. In India, you can buy supplies even at 10 P.M.

Name at least one of your favorite things about the Dutch culture:
I simply love the biking culture in the Netherlands. We got a bike as soon as we settled down and have put it to good use since.

Name at least one of your least favorite things about the Dutch culture:
I am not sure if 'everything-needs-an-appointment' part of the Dutch culture resonates well with me.

Since you've been living in the Netherlands, have you had visits from family or friends? If so, what did you do?
Yes, we had family coming over to visit us in June this year. It was a fantastic experience. We also covered around 7 countries in less than 2 weeks - they had come for only a month and we wanted to show them around as much as possible.

What do you like best about the city where you currently live?
Rotterdam is the city of architecture, museums, art and culture. I love the many sights and places of this multi-cultural city, but a walk along the river Maas tops it all.

Where would you suggest to someone else [from India] to search/shop for the same [ingredients for making] traditional foods and/or to buy decoration for the special occasions/holidays?
In Rotterdam, there are not many places where you can shop for Indian ingredients. The best place however is the Middelandstraat [both 1e and 2e] - the shops there offer a lot of variety.

With learning Dutch, what do you find to be the most difficult: Reading, writing, listening or speaking?
The process of learning Dutch has been enriching for me personally. Learning while always discovering something new about the Dutch culture has been the highlight of the endeavor so far. I am not fluent in the language yet, and for me the weakest link has always been writing. It needs a lot of practice and I am improving on this aspect slowly but steadily.

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