Some time ago, I was getting my haircut and having a casual chat with my hairdresser. We were talking about pets, but the topic veered off to travel and loss. Then she opened up about her recent miscarriage. I was stunned, lost for words. All I could manage was a heartfelt "I'm sorry." She simply shrugged and said, "It is what it is."
In a few months, it'll be five years since I moved to the Netherlands. Life has changed, and so have many of my beliefs. One of them is inspired by Dutch life: it is what it is. It simply means to accept reality and move on.
In the Netherlands, rain doesn't stop the show! Picture this: people casually pedaling through the downpour, sporting umbrellas like some kind of extreme sport against the winds, all while ferrying their kids around in mini-chariots. It's like they're saying, "Hey rain, nice try, but we've got places to be!"
Cycling is a way of life here. In this mostly atheist country, cycling is closest to religion. The infrastructure is built around bicycles as a mode of transport. There are more bicycles in the Netherlands than people. You see them everywhere—it's omnipresent.
I have seen people reading while cycling, carrying a mattress, and moving furniture using a bike. Nothing surprises me anymore. If you are in any major Dutch city center, you will soon find out that pedestrians are the enemies of these cyclists, not cars. Losing a bicycle to theft is also common—it's an authentic Dutch experience. I had that rude shock last year!
The most popular stereotypes of Dutchies are their straightforward talk and their height. But Dutch straightforwardness is just part of who they are—it's natural. When you interact or work with them, you know that's how they operate. They take 'cutting the BS' to the extreme.
And yes, they are all tall.
They use sarcasm and dry humor a lot. You either get it or go away confused. I'm divided on this; I think it's their coping mechanism or an offensive tool.
Dutch people are practical. Their practical mindset comes from living in a low-lying country where managing water and land is essential. Their dikes, polders, dams, and canals manage water and protect whatever land is left. It's the most important thing; without this, there is no Netherlands.
They have built dams like the Afsluitdijk1, which is an engineering marvel. The Maeslantkering2, a massive movable storm surge barrier, protects Rotterdam, one of the world's largest ports. Their fight is against the sea.
"Bland." That's the only valid response to Dutch cuisine. Dutch people are practical even in their food. A cheese slice between hard slices of bread is a perfect lunch for them. The weather, as well as their food, are allergic to heat. The only saving grace is some sweets like apple pie and poffertjes. And of course, the cheese.
This country loves sports. Cycling is a serious sport, but so are running, hockey, and football. From F1 drivers to football legends, for a small country, they are a mighty sporting nation. The Dutch fans went viral while supporting their team in the Euros recently.
You can't do away with their colonial past. They acknowledge it and have tried to make some efforts to amend it. Is it ever enough? They have made some changes, but the past still affects the present. True healing takes time.
They have been through French occupation, two world wars and a constant fear of flooding ruining it all. Being resilient is the only option.
'Going Dutch' or the ‘Tikkie’ culture is about fairness and responsibility. It's the practice where each person in a group pays for their own expenses rather than one person covering the entire bill. It's everywhere now and is a standard practice. It all started here in the 17th century due to the Anglo-Dutch wars3. Of course, the Dutch take this to the extreme. Here is a fun Reddit thread and the responses range from "lol" to "what!?"
The Dutch culture is fascinating and each of this aspects mentioned in this post deserve a separate post.
But for me duchies are like dikes. The most practical and resilient of people. They take problems head-on and find solutions.
If you ask a Dutch person about the weather, their food. The answer is - het is what het is.
It's a philosophy worth living by.
Giddy up!
Avinash.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afsluitdijk
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maeslantkering
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Dutch_Wars
Ha ha. Nice one.