After five months of living in this mysterious country where slender, blonde-headed figures ride bicycles, I can now manage to draw a portrait of the inhabitants of the Netherlands, the Dutch.
As an international Erasmus student, I don't get to meet many Dutch people of my age. Indeed, whether it's during my classes at the USVA cultural association, my sports lessons or during student events and parties, I observed that the Dutch didn't mix much with the internationals. Nevertheless, I met some Dutch people with whom I made friends and who helped me to confirm or refute the stereotypes I had about the Dutch. Moreover, working in a Dutch company took me to discover many things about national cultural habits.
Cycling a real love story
I have already written an entire article about the special relationship between the Dutch and the bicycle, that's to say! I've been lucky enough to visit several countries in my life and I've never seen as many bikes as I did in Groningen (and in the Netherlands in general). Everyone rides a bike and everything is designed for it, bike lanes and parking areas. Here, cycling is not a sport but a lifestyle!
Meals in the Netherlands
The French give a lot of importance to food with elaborate dishes and meals that last for hours. The Dutch do not have the same relationship with this culture of sharing through meals. At noon, the Dutch do not eat hot meals. They just eat a sandwich with bread and ham. I was very surprised at work to see that the employees were eating sandwiches in the canteen every day and that there were no hot meals offered, only small croquettes from time to time. Also, there is no dedicated meal time at the university. International students are forced to eat a sandwich between lectures in order to keep up with the Dutch pace. When the food is a little more elaborate, it is very often fried. The main dishes of Dutch cuisine include French fries, croquettes and beignets. The key words, fried food and fast food! Another Dutch specialty is stroopwafel, a pastry made of two very thin and crispy waffles stuck together with caramel.
In the evening, the Dutch eat very early, at around 6pm. I was surprised at first to see that the restaurants were already full very early in the evening. So, living here makes me realize the cultural differences in terms of meals that there can be between two countries that are geographically close.
Company birthday
In the Netherlands, employees remind their colleagues that it's going to be their birthday soon so that they do not forget to bring cakes in the office. I was confused at first that on every birthday, the person celebrating was the one in charge of the cake. At least it's convenient, no need to organize who is going to bring it!
A smiling and open-minded people
When I arrived in Groningen, I was surprised to see that people smiled at me in the street and greeted me even though I didn't know them. Being used to spending my time in Paris, I was not used to the warmth and cordiality that the Dutch have with each other. They are for the most part kind and open-minded. Here, mentalities are in my opinion much more progressive than in France. The restaurants all offer vegetarian or vegan alternatives. For example, I was never asked in France what type of milk I wanted in my hot chocolate. Here, all vegetable milks are available. In the supermarket, there are many choices for vegans and vegetarians. Also, the Dutch are open to societal issues including the fight for the LGBT community and environmental protection. Furthermore, they do not assert their convictions during demonstrations as we do in France. Here, I have seen almost no protests, except very small ones, and this despite the introduction of the vaccination pass. The Dutch are generally very respectful towards others and their city. Groningen is particularly clean with no deterioration and no waste on the ground even if there are surprisingly not many garbage cans in the streets. In Eindhoven, The Hague and Amsterdam, I also noticed this disconcerting cleanliness especially when you come from Paris. It is really pleasant to live in the Netherlands, cleanliness, cordiality and openness!
I really like this country and I am getting to know the Dutch culture more and more as time flies. The Netherlands and mainly Groningen is a great place to live with an easy integration because everyone speaks English and there is this huge respect for others which is very enjoyable!