There will be posts about the essentials you will need to go unnoticed in the land where most people are probably much taller than you anyway.
There will be posts to show you that there is a lot more to the Netherlands than cheese, clogs, windmills and tulips - much much more.
There will be posts that showcase the best of the best of what other expat bloggers in the Netherlands have to say about going Dutch.
And some of the posts may even be serious. Perhaps.
What is definite is that we are going to have lots of fun this month! So now back to that T-shirt....
If you live in the Netherlands, or have any kind of tenuous link with the Netherlands but are not actually Dutch then your best starting point when it comes to integration is the Stuff Dutch People Like website. There you can learn what really turns the Dutch on.
And now you have the chance to get your hands on a Stuff Dutch People Like t-shirt - for free, which is the first lesson in Dutch integration. If it's free you need to have it, even if you don't actually need to have it. Remember this word: gratis. It's a good word. If you see gratis you grab whatever is being offered to you. Even if you don't need it. Follow this advice and you're making a huge step forward to living like a Dutchie.
The T-shirt is a woman's XXL shirt (which is not as big as it sounds), no previous owners, straight from Stuff Dutch People Like. And it's perfect for expats who are 'Dutchies in training':
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| T-Shirt design on offer |
To enter: tell me in the comments section of this blog what you love most about living in the Netherlands or living with the Dutch and confirm your comment using Rafflecopter below.
Leave a blog comment and then make sure you use Rafflecopter below to enter where you can also gain more entries by hopping over to various Expat Life with a Double Buggy social media pages. Feel free to spread the word if you are so inclined using #LiveLikeaDutchie across social media. At the end of March one lucky winner will be drawn out of a virtual orange hat! Good luck!!
So, tip number 1 for #LiveLikeaDutchie is gratis is good!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Hi Amanda! I'm living in NL nine years now (originally I'm from Hungary), and the best I find about Dutch people in general, that they treat you the way they want to be treated. Let that be in shops, restaurants or streets, the Dutch are really kind. If you have to return something they don't bother you if you have the receipt (they do remember you), if you are not okay with how medium your meat is they are genuinely happy to take it back, and if you're looking at maps out on a street, they are coming up to you asking if you're lost. I really wish everybody could get to the core of this attitude. It makes Life easier and a lot more relaxed.
ReplyDeleteThat's an extremely positive way to look at the straight to the point Dutch directness!! And great that you have met so many helpful and friendly people - it's certainly how I experience the Netherlands too!
DeleteI love the relaxed approach to life, the work/family life balance and all the effort put into creating child friendly facilities/activities.
ReplyDeleteYes! Right with you there. I love the focus on family and the attitude to work and the fact that society is so child friendly. It makes the tough job of parenting that little bit easier!
DeleteIt is so interesting that Dutch have unique perspective to everything.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that in order to integrate in ditch society you have to become real dutchie by learning Dutch language and culture and doing actual exams instead of you just getting assimilated with passage of time !
I have got assimilated with time and no formal language exams - it depends on where you originate from. However I completely agree that if you want to make a life in a new country you need to get stuck in and #LiveLikeaDutchie :-)
ReplyDeleteSadly I do not reside in NL, however I met my husband who is born/raised in NL and he's been adapting to life over here in America since Aug 2014. The thing I envy so much about the dutch from what I can tell, they are entirely relaxed with a "chill" attitude - I mean in America, specifically Southern California (where I live) its so RUSH RUSH. My husband, bless him lol he tries so hard to adapt me to his way of being calm, relaxed, patient. I envy that man and I envy most dutch who live life in a relaxed mood. Who knows, one day we may be relocating our family to NL..... :D
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely a more relaxed pace here - even compared to neighbouring Britain :-)
DeleteMy favourite part of living here is undoubtedly my bike. I've just been home to Australia for a month, and having to get in the car to go everywhere (small country town), did my head in. Rain, sleet or shine, I love my bike!
ReplyDeleteAren't the distances a little different? I'll never forget my friend visiting relatives in Australia and telling me about flying to their neighbours, and to the shops...... It's the same for my family in the US - cars all the way - a very different way of life!
DeleteThe Dutch always have an opinion on "everything" and they are very happy to share this opinion! While some may find this annoying, I like that you always know where you stand and never have to second guess anything!
ReplyDeletehow nice the food is although i dont live there
ReplyDeletehow nice the food is although i dont live there
ReplyDelete