10 American Habits I've Lost While Living in the Netherlands
As of last week, I've lived in the Netherlands for nine whole months. Nine months of crazy weather; nine months of biking everywhere (my thighs are HUGE); nine months of bread, bread, and more bread; chocolate sprinkles and cheese and Heinekens and coffees. It's been a good nine months. And on that note, only about three more left! It's crazy how time flies.
Today I looked in the mirror at myself and grinned. My god, I thought, I look so Dutch.
Maybe it was because of my leather jacket, or my sneakers, or my white shirt, or my hair pulled back in a simple pony tail, but my style has definitely changed. Which made me think- what else has change since my arrival nine months ago? Where did that all-american girl go, and who exactly has replaced her? To all you folks back home, no need to fear! The foundational "Jessi" will always be there. There's just some little, cultural things that may have shifted during my stay in the Netherlands.
1. Driving everywhere.
In America, it's so natural just to hop in the car for everything; including the grocery store less than a mile from your home. As many of you know, here in Holland driving is a last resort. As long as it's under about 15 kilometers (9 miles for you uncultured lot), a dutchie will automatically hop on the bike. Yes, even if you have three children- or more. Even if you're moving a thousand dollar TV and your pet dog and your best friend who may or may not be carrying hot coffee and it's snowing and there's 60mph wind. Bike. Everywhere.
2. Needing to own an expensive bike.
If an American is going to even consider using a bike rather than a car, it's gotta be a good one. Let's be honest, those bikes end up more like garage-wall artwork than a mode of transportation. Here in the Netherlands, the dutchies might spend a fare sum of money when they first purchase a bike (not always though), but they will ride those things into the ground. Until the metal frames have rusted underneath them and all that remains is a carcass-like skeleton of a bike. Indeed, all you need in Holland is a rusty bike with a 200-dollar lock and you'll be good for the rest of your life. Although you should also consider painting it the ugliest color you can think of and putting flowers on it-- that way you'll never loose it in the monster bike parking lots. And you thought car parks were bad.
3. Being politically correct.
I think I've mentioned this before, but the Dutch simply don't care. Ethnically, other than Amsterdam or Leiden or their other major cities, Holland is mostly white. In the Netherlands, they celebrate Sinterklaas instead of Christmas. According to the story, Sinterklass arrives from Spain on a steamboat and, with the help of his little Zwarte Piets, delivers all kinds of fun for children around Holland. Sounds fun right? I'm assured it is, but a lot of people are causing a rouse because of one particular aspect; the Zwarte Piets are portrayed as black people. Further, according to Dutch tradition, Zwarte Piets are white people who paint themselves black. See how things could get a little touchy? In America, we would definitely try to accommodate to people who felt offended. Here in Holland you'll just get funny looks and shrugging their shoulders and asking, "why?".
5. Being expressive.
As I've mentioned before-- doe normaal! Be normal. Stemming from their Calvinist roots, the Dutch are obsessed with "being normal." Even my host mother couldn't help but snicker at the couple arguing in the parking lot. When I asked her why, her response was, "well, we just don't usually show emotions like that in public." Don't worry though, the Dutch always have their moment of outstanding expressiveness on the day of their biggest national holiday, Koningsdag (King's Day).
6. Children being encouraged to be polite.
As an au pair, I think this is the most relevant cultural Dutch v.s. America aspect I come up against. My own host family is fantastic about making sure their children have at least some social etiquette. However, most Dutch children get to run free. Exhibit A: during a very nice dinner, the children were allowed to leave the table and run across the street to play on the playgrounds there- I was shocked, to say the least. Dutchies are big on letting their children be children, and the result is unusually rowdy, back-talking, and mean-speaking children. Part of me likes it (children quickly learn that adults don't know everything and develop a lot of ability to think independently). The other part of me will always hate it-- being rude is just never good.
7. Working extraordinarily hard.
This is part of Dutch culture that I really love. Out of all of Europe, the Dutch work the least, averaging about 30 hours a week (the European average is more around 37). As an au pair specifically, my work is very light, but that sense of light hours and work is a national thing. The Dutch work to live rather than live to work. There's more important things in life than work.
8. Dressing up every day.
I know the Northwestern part of America has never been big on dressing up each day, but the Dutch take "casual" to a whole new level. Most Dutch girls have long, natural hair, wear very little make up (if any) and will only be caught in heels if they're a uniform requirement. Granted, the Dutch are a generally naturally fabulous people, but I've only worn my heels twice since being here. They're big fans of jeans and sneakers and blanket-like scarves. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised to see a Dutchie with a pillow strapped to their head someday.
9. Being an excessive consumer.
I'm probably more acutely aware of this fact because of my being an au pair. Working with a few hundred euroes every month means not a lot of extra spending. To be honest, I've never shopped/spent less in my entire life-- and it feels weird. On a broader scope, however, buying things on credit is an absolutely foreign concept to the average Dutchman. Why on earth would you spend money you don't have? I honestly love how dutch people live conservatively, within their means, don't work too hard, and bike everywhere. The world would be a happier place if we all lived like that.
10. Eating a lot of meat.
Honestly, it's the South African au pairs who complain about this one the most. But it's true for me too. A typical dutchman only really has meat during the evening meal- if that. No bacon with your breakfast and no turkey on your sandwich. Okay, well, sometimes, but only on special occasions. Instead of eating excessive amounts of meat, I find myself eating excessive amounts of bread. Bread with cheese, bread with chocolate, bread with spread, bread, bread, bread. Not even toasted bread. Sometimes I get sick of it, but nowadays I usually find myself craving it.
If anything, I think I'm being changed for the better. I like to write blog posts like this because it makes me really think about the very real effects and changes that happen when you live abroad. It reminds me of one of my favorite author's quote:
I'm so excited that one of my best friends from highschool will be joining me in November! The Bend Invasion continues- just proving that the Netherlands is the place to be, my friends. Luckily enough, Kallee will be joining me in Greece for further European exploration/marathon running. Two more months and I'll be running my first marathon!!
In other news, I tried my hand at making homemade pasta for the first time with the children, and I'm proud to say it was a wild success. Or, in Otto's words, "we're going to do this again soon, right?":
Otto's new obsession is basket ball. Seriously, we play about an hour every day. even on my days off, Otto still asks if we can go to the school yard to "shoot some hoops":
And lastly, I've done two big things; I've made a new American friend and I've applied for art school here in the Netherlands. Further, I've been accepted into school here in the Netherlands! On September 19th I'll be starting my first classes at the Rietveld Academy. At the moment, I'm just taking some casual classes- during the spring of 2016, my hope is to be hanging around for the official entrance examinations in March. If I manage to get in, I'll be spending another 3 years here in Holland! Yeah, I guess you could say I like it here. I like it a lot. Keep your toes crossed on my behalf.
And that's it! As I'm sure you can see, this year is really changing me. Although I will always be the same long-distance-running, chocolate-loving, book-reading, art-making little girl from the exotic mountains of Central Oregon, I can feel my perspective on the world shifting. That shift is rather natural, I think. Healthy, in fact. However, in my mind's eye, Bend will always be the best place to me. I just like to think I'm making sure of that fact by traveling like I do. Either way, I dearly hope #thebendinvasion continues, because a taste of home is always welcome.
Cheers to our paths crossing soon!
Rock on,
Jessica J. Wolfe
Today I looked in the mirror at myself and grinned. My god, I thought, I look so Dutch.
Maybe it was because of my leather jacket, or my sneakers, or my white shirt, or my hair pulled back in a simple pony tail, but my style has definitely changed. Which made me think- what else has change since my arrival nine months ago? Where did that all-american girl go, and who exactly has replaced her? To all you folks back home, no need to fear! The foundational "Jessi" will always be there. There's just some little, cultural things that may have shifted during my stay in the Netherlands.
1. Driving everywhere.
In America, it's so natural just to hop in the car for everything; including the grocery store less than a mile from your home. As many of you know, here in Holland driving is a last resort. As long as it's under about 15 kilometers (9 miles for you uncultured lot), a dutchie will automatically hop on the bike. Yes, even if you have three children- or more. Even if you're moving a thousand dollar TV and your pet dog and your best friend who may or may not be carrying hot coffee and it's snowing and there's 60mph wind. Bike. Everywhere.
2. Needing to own an expensive bike.
If an American is going to even consider using a bike rather than a car, it's gotta be a good one. Let's be honest, those bikes end up more like garage-wall artwork than a mode of transportation. Here in the Netherlands, the dutchies might spend a fare sum of money when they first purchase a bike (not always though), but they will ride those things into the ground. Until the metal frames have rusted underneath them and all that remains is a carcass-like skeleton of a bike. Indeed, all you need in Holland is a rusty bike with a 200-dollar lock and you'll be good for the rest of your life. Although you should also consider painting it the ugliest color you can think of and putting flowers on it-- that way you'll never loose it in the monster bike parking lots. And you thought car parks were bad.
 |
| Warning: once parking your bike you may never find it again |
3. Being politically correct.
I think I've mentioned this before, but the Dutch simply don't care. Ethnically, other than Amsterdam or Leiden or their other major cities, Holland is mostly white. In the Netherlands, they celebrate Sinterklaas instead of Christmas. According to the story, Sinterklass arrives from Spain on a steamboat and, with the help of his little Zwarte Piets, delivers all kinds of fun for children around Holland. Sounds fun right? I'm assured it is, but a lot of people are causing a rouse because of one particular aspect; the Zwarte Piets are portrayed as black people. Further, according to Dutch tradition, Zwarte Piets are white people who paint themselves black. See how things could get a little touchy? In America, we would definitely try to accommodate to people who felt offended. Here in Holland you'll just get funny looks and shrugging their shoulders and asking, "why?".
 |
| Sinterklaas and his Zwarte Piets |
5. Being expressive.
As I've mentioned before-- doe normaal! Be normal. Stemming from their Calvinist roots, the Dutch are obsessed with "being normal." Even my host mother couldn't help but snicker at the couple arguing in the parking lot. When I asked her why, her response was, "well, we just don't usually show emotions like that in public." Don't worry though, the Dutch always have their moment of outstanding expressiveness on the day of their biggest national holiday, Koningsdag (King's Day).
 |
| Just the usual crowd on koningsdag |
6. Children being encouraged to be polite.
As an au pair, I think this is the most relevant cultural Dutch v.s. America aspect I come up against. My own host family is fantastic about making sure their children have at least some social etiquette. However, most Dutch children get to run free. Exhibit A: during a very nice dinner, the children were allowed to leave the table and run across the street to play on the playgrounds there- I was shocked, to say the least. Dutchies are big on letting their children be children, and the result is unusually rowdy, back-talking, and mean-speaking children. Part of me likes it (children quickly learn that adults don't know everything and develop a lot of ability to think independently). The other part of me will always hate it-- being rude is just never good.
7. Working extraordinarily hard.
This is part of Dutch culture that I really love. Out of all of Europe, the Dutch work the least, averaging about 30 hours a week (the European average is more around 37). As an au pair specifically, my work is very light, but that sense of light hours and work is a national thing. The Dutch work to live rather than live to work. There's more important things in life than work.
8. Dressing up every day.
I know the Northwestern part of America has never been big on dressing up each day, but the Dutch take "casual" to a whole new level. Most Dutch girls have long, natural hair, wear very little make up (if any) and will only be caught in heels if they're a uniform requirement. Granted, the Dutch are a generally naturally fabulous people, but I've only worn my heels twice since being here. They're big fans of jeans and sneakers and blanket-like scarves. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised to see a Dutchie with a pillow strapped to their head someday.
9. Being an excessive consumer.
I'm probably more acutely aware of this fact because of my being an au pair. Working with a few hundred euroes every month means not a lot of extra spending. To be honest, I've never shopped/spent less in my entire life-- and it feels weird. On a broader scope, however, buying things on credit is an absolutely foreign concept to the average Dutchman. Why on earth would you spend money you don't have? I honestly love how dutch people live conservatively, within their means, don't work too hard, and bike everywhere. The world would be a happier place if we all lived like that.
10. Eating a lot of meat.
Honestly, it's the South African au pairs who complain about this one the most. But it's true for me too. A typical dutchman only really has meat during the evening meal- if that. No bacon with your breakfast and no turkey on your sandwich. Okay, well, sometimes, but only on special occasions. Instead of eating excessive amounts of meat, I find myself eating excessive amounts of bread. Bread with cheese, bread with chocolate, bread with spread, bread, bread, bread. Not even toasted bread. Sometimes I get sick of it, but nowadays I usually find myself craving it.
 |
| A typical dutch breakfast |
If anything, I think I'm being changed for the better. I like to write blog posts like this because it makes me really think about the very real effects and changes that happen when you live abroad. It reminds me of one of my favorite author's quote:
"Travel enables us to enrich our lives with new experiences, to enjoy and to be educated, to learn respect for foreign cultures, to establish friendships, and above all to contribute to international cooperation and peace throughout the world."
Jules Verne
Besides becoming an international citizen, life has been going on these past few weeks. I think the highlight for me was "the Bend Invasion." As it goes, I got to see my music instructor, his wife and her brother-in law, alongside a highschool friend who was traveling through after studying in Spain. I had the privilege of showing them all some of my favorite haunts in Amsterdam.
 |
| #thebendinvasion |
I'm so excited that one of my best friends from highschool will be joining me in November! The Bend Invasion continues- just proving that the Netherlands is the place to be, my friends. Luckily enough, Kallee will be joining me in Greece for further European exploration/marathon running. Two more months and I'll be running my first marathon!!
In other news, I tried my hand at making homemade pasta for the first time with the children, and I'm proud to say it was a wild success. Or, in Otto's words, "we're going to do this again soon, right?":
 |
| The focus of a stalking tiger |
Otto's new obsession is basket ball. Seriously, we play about an hour every day. even on my days off, Otto still asks if we can go to the school yard to "shoot some hoops":
 |
| #americaninvasion |
And lastly, I've done two big things; I've made a new American friend and I've applied for art school here in the Netherlands. Further, I've been accepted into school here in the Netherlands! On September 19th I'll be starting my first classes at the Rietveld Academy. At the moment, I'm just taking some casual classes- during the spring of 2016, my hope is to be hanging around for the official entrance examinations in March. If I manage to get in, I'll be spending another 3 years here in Holland! Yeah, I guess you could say I like it here. I like it a lot. Keep your toes crossed on my behalf.
And that's it! As I'm sure you can see, this year is really changing me. Although I will always be the same long-distance-running, chocolate-loving, book-reading, art-making little girl from the exotic mountains of Central Oregon, I can feel my perspective on the world shifting. That shift is rather natural, I think. Healthy, in fact. However, in my mind's eye, Bend will always be the best place to me. I just like to think I'm making sure of that fact by traveling like I do. Either way, I dearly hope #thebendinvasion continues, because a taste of home is always welcome.
Cheers to our paths crossing soon!
Rock on,
Jessica J. Wolfe
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