It is generally accepted that travel is a brilliant way to expand your horizons and meet many interesting people and traditions from other countries. But what if these very traditions throw you into a stupor at almost every step? And no, we are not talking about some exotic country, but about the very heart of the European Union – the Netherlands.
Jonny Arnott is a Canadian backpacker who has lived extensively in the Netherlands and the UK and admits that cultural differences between these countries can sometimes come as a real shock. Both in one direction and in the other. On his TikTok account, Jonny posts short humorous scenes depicting some such situations. It turns out damn good – a series of videos about the culture shocks of a Canadian in the Netherlands can boast over 18M views in total.
Image credits: jonny.arnott
#1 Black Licorice, Do You Like It?
– Excuse me, what is this?
– That is black licorice.
– What is this?
– That is black licorice.
– What is this?
– That is black licorice.
– I thought this was a candy store.
– Black licorice.
Image credits: jonnyarnott
#2 Bicycles, Bicycles Everywhere
– Hi.
– Hi.
– You’re a new parent here?
– Yeah.
– We have a ride share and we take turns bringing the kids to school, you want in?
– Oh, I’d love to. But we don’t have a car yet.
– Oh, honey, you don’t need a car.
Image credits: jonnyarnott
#3 Dogs In All Establishments
Image credits: jonnyarnott
In fact, the Netherlands is a country of bicycles, and good cycling infrastructure and small (by Canadian standards, even tiny) distances contribute to the development of two-wheeled transport. According to Statista estimates, in 2021 there were 23.4M bicycles per 17.8M population in the country. It turns out that there are 1.3 bicycles for one Dutch resident.
What’s more, the Dutch traditionally cycle without helmets, and even look at tourists wearing helmets as weirdos. In the end, if you consider that approximately 27% of all trips are made by local people on a bicycle, then they know how to cycle well. As for the other cases… “if you are hit by a car on your bike, there is no helmet that will protect you,” DutchReview quotes Theo Zeegers, a traffic consultant for Fietsersbond.
#4 The Customer Isn’t Always Right
– Hi, what can I get started for you?
– Please, can I get the steak with no black pepper?
– We don’t make any modifications.
– Oh, okay. Okay, I’ll get that well done and….
– Our chef cooks all meat to medium. No exceptions.
– Okay, I’ll take that with a tap water.
– We don’t have tap water. So is a bottle okay?
Image credits: jonnyarnott
#5 Finding An Apartment Is A Challenge
– This place seems perfect. Where can I look at the lease agreement?
– Yes, it’s a wonderful place. The only thing is there is only two spots to register, which are already taken up by the two tenants currently. So, do you have somewhere else you can stay registered? Perhaps at home with your parents?
– There is an empty room, right? What do you mean register?
Image credits: jonnyarnott
What the Dutch are absolutely crazy about is black licorice, which they call ‘drop’, and according to statistics provided by The SpruceEats, they eat up to 4 pounds a year. Remember the multi-flavored dragees in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter? Approximately the same variety of ‘drop’ flavors can be found in the Netherlands. Sweet, salty, honey, mint, coconut… and exactly the same variety of forms.
Moreover, black licorice is believed to have some medicinal properties, so if you have a sore throat, for example, just be prepared for the doctor to advise you to first drink some mint tea and eat a couple of traditional treats. Admittedly, unlike the Dutch, most foreigners are far from delighted with the taste of ‘drop’, Which gives the locals an extra reason to laugh at strangers.
#6 Docs Seeing Pills As The Last Option
– Hello, how are you feeling?
– I’m not feeling good. I have strep throat. I’ve had it before. This is exactly what it feels like.
– Oooh, well before we prescribe anything, I’m gonna suggest ginger and mint tea. Come back and see me in a few days if it gets any worse. Feel better!
– N-n-no.
Image credits: jonnyarnott
#7 Counting Literally Every Cent
– Do you want anything to drink?
– Yes, I would love a diet coke please.
– You got it.
– There you go.
– Thank you.
– That will just be 1 euro and 25 cents.
– Oh, I just have a euro.
– That’s okay. You can give me the 25 cents tomorrow.
Image credits: jonnyarnott
#8 Club Culture
– Oh my god! It’s 11:30! We have to go now.
– No one gets to the club till like 2…
Image credits: jonnyarnott
#9 Not Always Appropriate Advice
– Just so you know, your hair looks a little strange from the back. Maybe you should go back and ask them to fix it up a bit?
– Thanks?
Image credits: jonnyarnott
And many Dutch toilets also have the so-called ‘inspection shelf’, a famous (or notorious) feature of local toilet design, thanks to which you can examine in detail what has just come out of your body before sending it to the city sewer. Expats are often shocked by such a thing, while the Dutch only chuckle. And, of course, they study their poos with a great interest…
However, let’s be honest, there are many things in the life of North Americans that perplex any respectable Dutch person in the same way, and Jonny Arnott’s “reverse” series of videos is dedicated to this. Someday we will make a selection dedicated to them, but for now, please feel free to scroll this list to the very end, and if you have ever been to the Netherlands, please tell us if you have experienced any other culture shocks.
#10 Inspection Shelf
– Why is there a shelf in the toilet?
– It’s so you can inspect your poo.
Image credits: jonnyarnott
#11 Cycling Without Helmets
– Are you ready to grab a bicycle?
– Um, what about helmets?
Image credits: jonnyarnott
#12 Did We Mention Bicycles?
– Where’s the Uber? Who called it?
– Good one. There’s no Uber coming.. Race home! If you can find your bicycle.
– Bike home? Like this?
Image credits: jonnyarnott
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