So I had a chat with my Dutch Neighbor tonight

keithclancy · 13-09-2014 09:47AM

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo wrote: »

I've been told by Dutch people that it is a very conservative and reserved place generally. Amsterdam is for tourists, foreigners and druggies, the rest of the Netherlands is very different in every way imaginable apparently.

I think his problem is mainly the taxes.

RDM_83 again · 13-09-2014 10:07AM

I don't know, there is tons of Dutch and Germans over here and its not just people moving over here for work in big companies (though I have met a fair few of those too), places like Clare and the rest of the West have loads of German and Dutch semi-hippy types since the 70's so Ireland is definitely appealing to part of there populations.

People talk a lot in these threads about healthcare being a major positive when they are living in other countries, I know its important but does it actually have much of an impact, I am well aware of the problems in the HSE but if your the average joe your not actually having to engage with it apart from once in the blue moon, I would get it if Ireland was like the USA where health care can bankrupt you but thats not the case here.

catallus · 13-09-2014 10:17AM

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo wrote: »

.... Amsterdam is for tourists, foreigners and druggies....

Isn't it very sad that their main city has been taken from the natives?

An apartheid imposed by liberal misthinking, one can only think of the fearful population being oppressed by the jack-boot of permissiveness.

DLMA23 · 13-09-2014 10:19AM

Utopia's meant to be awesome

Drakares · 13-09-2014 10:33AM

Pinch Flat wrote: »

I lived I Germany for a while and can vouch for the sitting down while pissing rule. I shared a house and student accommodation with Germans - a bit of a culture shock at 19.

This did take me a bit of getting used to. But I do now feel safe in the knowledge that I won't ever be sitting/standing on someones smelly piss any time I go to the toilet wherever I go.

Not a bad thing!

Pumpkinseeds · 13-09-2014 10:57AM

We had a Dutch neighbour once, what a crazy bitch. Lived in the flat above us with her Irish boyfriend and she'd scream at him every day when he came home from work that he was neglecting her because she'd been on her own

I always had the feeling that she was just using him until something better came along.

Paco Rodriguez · 13-09-2014 11:01AM

Mr. G wrote: »

awesome food

Yeah, we have some of the best Chinese, Indian, Italian and Spanish cuisine I'm the world.

DLMA23 · 13-09-2014 11:01AM

Grayson wrote: »

Off topic. I really want to know how long it take you to log in? How often do you mistype that?

LastPass

https://lastpass.com/

Grayson · 13-09-2014 11:10AM

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

We had a Dutch neighbour once, what a crazy bitch. Lived in the flat above us with her Irish boyfriend and she'd scream at him every day when he came home from work that he was neglecting her because she'd been on her own I always had the feeling that she was just using him until something better came along.

I think I work with her

PizzamanIRL · 13-09-2014 11:32AM

Kazakhstan is the greatest countryyyy in the world.

cloudatlas · 13-09-2014 11:42AM

That's odd. A lot of my European friends complain about Ireland. The high cost of living, the high cost of a night out, the weather is repressive and depressive, the water being turned off in winter for hours at a time confused them, the airport closing for a bit of snow, many say they have a high expectation of how Ireland should be a friendly nation and feel let down. The price of housing and the standard of the apartments is also an annoyance. One friend complained that some land lords didn't clean the apartments before viewings as the knew the demand would be high and presentation didn't matter. They also complain about heating. Public transport not being on time. Many have left for warmer climates in central Europe.

dd972 · 13-09-2014 11:48AM

Used to work with a Hungarian chap who'd been around a bit, on the Dart home he'd go ''look at that grey sky, it's f**king August,ffs !'' and passing Crosbies Yards apartments just beyond Connolly Station ''€300K,...for that s**t!??''

He didn't hang around long.

JustAddWater · 13-09-2014 11:48AM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

What did you buy in the shop?

Dutch gold?

keithclancy · 13-09-2014 01:25PM

cloudatlas wrote: »

That's odd. A lot of my European friends complain about Ireland. The high cost of living, the high cost of a night out, the weather is repressive and depressive, the water being turned off in winter for hours at a time confused them, the airport closing for a bit of snow, many say they have a high expectation of how Ireland should be a friendly nation and feel let down. The price of housing and the standard of the apartments is also an annoyance. One friend complained that some land lords didn't clean the apartments before viewings as the knew the demand would be high and presentation didn't matter. They also complain about heating. Public transport not being on time. Many have left for warmer climates in central Europe.

Or turning on the Hot tap and hot water doesn't come out. Then someone mentions something called an immersion and they think WTF.

Then when it is hot they have a hot and cold tap so you scald yourself trying to wash your hands.

Dutch friends when they visited Ireland thought the lack of mixer taps and waiting for water to get hot was crazy

bodice ripper · 13-09-2014 01:34PM

catallus wrote: »

Isn't it very sad that their main city has been taken from the natives?

An apartheid imposed by liberal misthinking, one can only think of the fearful population being oppressed by the jack-boot of permissiveness.

If that's your idea of oppression, you lead a comfortable life.

Beaner1 · 13-09-2014 01:35PM

Lots of good stuff in the Netherlands but two big downsides. The natural scenery is awful and the food is the worst in western europe.

con___manx1 · 13-09-2014 01:41PM

keithclancy wrote: »

So came back from the shopping tonight, ended up having a beer and a chat with the fella next door.

He thinks anywhere else is better than the Netherlands.

It got me thinking ... Did you ever think ANYWHERE else was better than Ireland or there was a specific place that was better than Ireland.

Or do you think Ireland is the best place in the world ?

I used to think everywhere was better than Ireland until I travelled and lived away for nearly 4 years. Ireland is the best country . It's the Irish people and the craic . Foreign people just don't get it and Yanks are dumb as **** it's true.

bodice ripper · 13-09-2014 01:45PM

The Netherlands is quite a culture shock. I cannot imagine a Dutch person being able to cope with Ireland.

DLMA23 · 13-09-2014 01:45PM

PizzamanIRL wrote: »

Kazakhstan is the greatest countryyyy in the world.

Actually Kazakhstan is pretty cool, travelled around it with 3 friends a few years ago on Ural motorcycles.

Unfortunately this was in July & temps rose over 35C

The capital of Astana is an incredibly beautiful, modern city if a little windy, they even have a Radisson hotel & a glass pyramid that lights up with different colours at night :eek:

anncoates · 13-09-2014 02:07PM

Spent time in Norway and Germany and they're two places I'd live if not here. I liked their society and the countries themselves. Holland is also somewhere I'd like the idea of . Only visited there once or twice but worked for a Dutch company and liked the people and the trips there

In general countries that seem to achieve a balance between prosperity and relative civic cohesion/equality appeal to me.

pajor · 13-09-2014 02:08PM

wazky wrote: »

I've heard the Dutch are filthy in bed, can you confirm?

Yes!

SpaceTime · 13-09-2014 02:10PM

bodice ripper wrote: »

The Netherlands is quite a culture shock. I cannot imagine a Dutch person being able to cope with Ireland.

I know quite a few Dutch people in Cork. They cope very, very well and seem to really like the place.

changepartners · 13-09-2014 02:18PM

Having lived in a couple of European countries and dreamed about settling abroad... I have come to the conclusion that Ireland is really great and I couldn't live anywhere else. A lot of things p*ss me off about the place, particularly the attitude to drink but I still just love it here. And I was born and raised here, so I know exactly how to act here, I know how everything works, I'm a square peg in a square hole!

bodice ripper · 13-09-2014 02:19PM

SpaceTime wrote: »

I know quite a few Dutch people in Cork. They cope very, very well and seem to really like the place.

Must be mellow Dutch refugees.

These people don't just follow the rules, they actually *believe* in them. Madness. More power to them, obviously, the country runs like a dream.

rozeboosje · 13-09-2014 02:20PM

Whoa, wait, he left the Netherlands only to come to Ireland!?!?!! ROTFLMAO WHAT A MORO..... wait... I'm Dutch.... and I came to Ireland.... er..... yeah. As you were.

rozeboosje · 13-09-2014 02:22PM

bodice ripper wrote: »

The Netherlands is quite a culture shock. I cannot imagine a Dutch person being able to cope with Ireland.

Ok, joking aside.... what makes you think that? I'm Dutch and I moved to Ireland in 1995, and never regretted it. Nor did I think it was that much of a "culture shock". Perhaps being from the nominally "Catholic" Southern part of the Netherlands ("below the rivers", as we would say in Holland) helped?

bodice ripper · 13-09-2014 02:25PM

rozeboosje wrote: »

Ok, joking aside.... what makes you think that? I'm Dutch and I moved to Ireland in 1995, and never regretted it. Nor did I think it was that much of a "culture shock". Perhaps being from the nominally "Catholic" Southern part of the Netherlands ("below the rivers", as we would say in Holland) helped?

Could be, I don't claim that my perception is reality in this. But to me, it was some culture shock. In terms of timekeeping, sense of civic responsibility, ability to remain emotionally distant, and adherence to rules.

bodice ripper · 13-09-2014 02:26PM

rozeboosje wrote: »

Ok, joking aside.... what makes you think that? I'm Dutch and I moved to Ireland in 1995, and never regretted it. Nor did I think it was that much of a "culture shock". Perhaps being from the nominally "Catholic" Southern part of the Netherlands ("below the rivers", as we would say in Holland) helped?

My colleague says "BOEREEEEEEEEEEEN"

SpaceTime · 13-09-2014 02:27PM

bodice ripper wrote: »

Must be mellow Dutch refugees.

These people don't just follow the rules, they actually *believe* in them. Madness. More power to them, obviously, the country runs like a dream.

Well, the Netherlands is very small and relies on complex infrastructure to keep the sea out! You're either highly organised or underwater.

Ireland, Britain and most of France, Belgium etc live in a climate where being disorganised means being a bit chilly or damp.

In Scandinavia or Germany you'd freeze to death in winter if you're not very organised. Holland (as above).

Most of Spain and Italy you hardly even need a roof the climate is so mild. The cold bits of Spain and Italy are super efficient!

I'm pretty convinced that hardy conditions and risk of impending doom tends to make people be much more organised.

AlanS181824 · 13-09-2014 02:28PM

Tell your neighbour the following OP:

"Kwak, ik ben een pinda

"

He'll really think you're a nut job then :pac:

So I had a chat with my Dutch Neighbor tonight

Comments