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So I had a chat with my Dutch Neighbor tonight

13

Comments

  • #62
    rozeboosje
    Closed Accounts Posts: 857 ✭✭✭rozeboosje


    bodice ripper wrote: »
    My colleague says "BOEREEEEEEEEEEEN"

    Tell him: "Hae is eine Limburger. Ken hae auch niks aan doon."


  • #63
    rozeboosje
    Closed Accounts Posts: 857 ✭✭✭rozeboosje


    bodice ripper wrote: »
    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.

    Very true that, but to me the more relaxed attitude of the Irish came as a huge relief. You guys have your idiosyncrasies, don't get me wrong, and sometimes I find it a bit frustrating, but the lack of the typical Dutch "bekrompenheid" can be a breath of fresh air.


  • #64
    SpaceTime
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,085 ✭✭✭SpaceTime


    changepartners wrote: »
    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!

    In a lot of continental places I've lived it's the bureaucracy that gets to me after a while. The Belgians and Spanish seem to just like to put you through so many hoops to get anything done that you'd nearly go crazy.

    Then there's all the police state tendencies. In Belgium it's an offence not to have your name on your door bell or to be more than 200m from your registered address without ID.

    Ireland's a LOT more free feeling.


  • #65
    blaze1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,559 ✭✭✭blaze1


    The grass is always greener in Ireland.










    Rains a lot.


  • #66
    bodice ripper
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,681 ✭✭✭bodice ripper


    I don't want to come across as laying into the Dutch. I am happy for them. I just cannot imagine I will ever be able to blend in.

    One thing I have noticed though, is that the young people here somehow seem more conservative than the older people, which is weird. If I get a dirty look from someone for how heavily tattooed I am, that person will be 18-25. I do get older people (50+) poking me in the arm and going "mooi" before smiling and wandering off.


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  • #67
    losthorizon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,565 ✭✭✭losthorizon


    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 ?
    Drakares wrote: »
    I live in Germany at the moment and it is IMO, the best country in the world to live in.

    The heath service is unreal, I don't pay a cent for doctor/dentist visits. I don't pay for medicine either, covered by the health insurance, and none of this bollocks of collecting receipts and sending them in.

    I pay about 45% tax on my salary, but as a result the services here are second to none. Cost of living is around 1/3rd cheaper than living in Ireland. The economy is in great condition and there is no slave labour bs here.. Internships at my current firm pay around €1,500 a month to people who are currently studying, there is no such thing as "work experience" as a full time job that doesn't pay.

    A decent Weissbier is around €3 in the pub and the people are absolutely bang on, despite what anyone might say.

    This is of course just my opinion, having done a bit of travelling.

    Yes, been to both nations and Germany is a lovely place especially the smaller towns and the people are very friendly despite their reputation.

    Holland for me was too crowded. I didnt like the cities especially some parts which seemed downright dangerous. The Dutch seemed a very disinterested in everything lot. Having said that any Dutch Ive met who dont live in Holland are sound. They seem much more relaxed and friendly.

    I have to say though that my favourite european country by far is France - friendly, courteous and efficient.


  • #68
    pajor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,576 ✭✭✭pajor


    Probably should offer a better contribution too. My gf is Dutch (a LDR), I feel I say that a lot but you gotta have some things to boast about in life. :D

    The Dutch do complain about a lot of things in NL and they have reason to. They pay a lot of tax on everything. Running a car is astronomical, wayyy higher motor tax than here and petrol is about €1.70 a litre. Motor tax is more than twice the rate with a diesel car so that's not the solution either. One of the hangups of the Dutch is the train network. While extensive and comfortable it is very expensive and has a knack for being unreliable when you need it the most. In the big cities I think violent crime is a growing problem, where non-Dutch are largely to blame. Hence assholes like Wilders. He's a different story though.

    Dutch cuisine except for sweet treats (lekker, hé? :pac:) is not the finest, consisting mainly of bread and cheese of course (not just a stereotype). And like ourselves the Dutch looove to have a good moan about the weather. One thing that does leave me scratching my head is the Dutch sense of humour. It's a little different from our own, to put it mildly.

    Over the summer I was lucky to spend more than 8 weeks in NL, after finishing college back in May. My gf lives in a small town in the east (Gelderland), which is a world apart from the weed and hookers of Amsterdam. A place where shops don't open on a Sunday and Monday mornings. I've only ever seen one 'coffee shop' outside of Amsterdam too. She hates the reputation that that gives the whole country. Just like in Ireland, there is more to the country than just Dublin.

    I think she has pretty mixed opinions about Ireland though. Not surprisingly she thinks its infinitely more scenic than NL. ("These things are called mountains" :pac:) She doesn't have a high opinion of Irish women though. Too much fake tan and make up. :D We were in Cork on Paddy's Day this year too and for a person who doesn't drink it was a bit of a culture shock I think; such as the lad who couldn't stand at 3:30 in the afternoon. And all the 12 year olds in green hotpants. It left her a little confused. :p

    I'd love to live in NL though in the future. I'm trying to grapple with the language but it's a really tough bastard to crack. I do have a cúpla focal though, usually to the amazement of OH's family. :D The job market for those who are qualified at something and bilingual is pretty big, so I just need to try my best with it. :)


  • #69
    SpaceTime
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,085 ✭✭✭SpaceTime


    That's the case in France too. A larger % middle aged and elderly people are much more interesting and liberal. They seem to spend their time disgracing their newly conservative off spring by doing things like getting drunk, top less sun bathing etc.

    There's been a generation that's been very much different to their predecessors although I think it's fading away again.

    I was fairly horrified at the amount of young conservatives that came out of the woodwork in France against gay marriage and actually protested aggressively.

    Stark contrast to their counterparts in Ireland, or the UK.

    I saw an old French woman telling her grandson to f*** of and join the Gestapo recently because of he told her she was "an old socialist disgrace" because she thought that soft drugs should be legalised.

    I'm not sure if that's what's going on in NL too?

    Sort of a generation of Thatcherites emerging?


  • #70
    Calibos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 7,935 ✭✭✭Calibos


    DLMA23 wrote: »
    LastPass ;)

    https://lastpass.com/

    Gets incredibly frustrated last night that can't remember password to commonly used account. Total brainfart.

    Visits his regular computer hardware forum this morning. Sees thread about 5 million address gmail hack on said forum. Several users recommend lastpass in thread.

    Downloads and sets up lastpass.

    Straight afterwards visits boards and first thread he clicks into is Dutch neighbour thread in AH.

    One of the first posts he reads in aforementioned thread is about lastpass.

    If thats not a sign I don't know what is.


  • #71
    DLMA23
    Closed Accounts Posts: 291 ✭✭DLMA23


    Calibos wrote: »
    One of the first posts he reads in aforementioned thread is about lastpass.

    If thats not a sign I don't know what is.
    LastPass Premiuim free subscription for 1 year can be got here...

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=91894880


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  • #72
    RDM_83 again
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,116 ✭✭✭RDM_83 again


    SpaceTime wrote: »
    That's the case in France too. A larger % middle aged and elderly people are much more interesting and liberal. They seem to spend their time disgracing their newly conservative off spring by doing things like getting drunk, top less sun bathing etc.

    There's been a generation that's been very much different to their predecessors although I think it's fading away again.

    I was fairly horrified at the amount of young conservatives that came out of the woodwork in France against gay marriage and actually protested aggressively.

    Stark contrast to their counterparts in Ireland, or the UK.

    I saw an old French woman telling her grandson to f*** of and join the Gestapo recently because of he told her she was "an old socialist disgrace" because she thought that soft drugs should be legalised.

    I'm not sure if that's what's going on in NL too?

    Sort of a generation of Thatcherites emerging?

    Perhaps its because if your young(ish) in europe your so much less likely to be secure. Its easy for the generation of 1969 and later to be tolerant when they have a secure place in society.

    Realistically who is going to have a more accurate view of how society is going?the 50 year old in their job for life living in the nice house in the suburbs or the 20 something year old struggling to find work and living in the city center (or forced to live at home).
    I would have expected opinion (and hoped) in europe to have swung to the harder left rather than the harder right but perhaps its a logical response when you see people like Hollande being the lefts leaders.

    In relation to the judgement about tats is, my semi trollish thought is maybe they just think they look ****e and unlike older people dont see getting inked up as some sort of statement of being a rebel/right on ;)


  • #73
    bodice ripper
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,681 ✭✭✭bodice ripper


    RDM_83 again wrote: »
    In relation to the judgement about tats is, my semi trollish thought is maybe they just think they look ****e and unlike older people dont see getting inked up as some sort of statement of being a rebel/right on ;)


    I have exquisite tattoos. Its just kind of sad and weird to see such young people be such squares.


  • #74
    Nodin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 46,938 ✭✭✭✭Nodin


    bodice ripper wrote: »
    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.

    "sense of....." and then theres two words I can't make out, as if they don't exist in the national mindset. Unlike the rest, which are just mad notions.


  • #75
    Nodin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 46,938 ✭✭✭✭Nodin


    bodice ripper wrote: »
    I have exquisite tattoos. Its just kind of sad and weird to see such young people be such squares.


    It's like people under 60 watching the x factor. You wonder where the world went wrong.


  • #76
    Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo


    Grayson wrote: »
    I had a friend who lived in various parts of the Netherlands (his job involved travelling around the country). He said the Dutch were German from Mon-Fri. Incredibly hard working, very diligent and followed the rules. They turned into the English on Sat-Sun. Got drunk and went crazy.

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

    :D

    I've google chrome so it logs on for me automatically whether it's through my pc or my phone. Failing that I can sometimes remember it. Failing that I use the search function and copy and paste.

    If you have any other questions just ask. :)


  • #77
    Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo


    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.

    While I disagree with how you have worded that.

    I do think it's one of the main reasons Geert Wilders and his PVV have become a real political force in the Dutch parliament after only being founded less than a decade ago.


  • #78
    catallus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭catallus


    What's wrong with the wording?! :confused:


  • #79
    bodice ripper
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,681 ✭✭✭bodice ripper


    catallus wrote: »
    What's wrong with the wording?! :confused:


    Its needlessly flowery and hysterical?


  • #80
    catallus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭catallus


    Flowery?! That hurts!


  • #81
    DLMA23
    Closed Accounts Posts: 291 ✭✭DLMA23


    A grandiose use of vernacular any less hurtful :D;)


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  • #82
    catallus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭catallus


    DLMA23 wrote: »
    A grandiose use of vernacular any less hurtful :D;)

    It's all Dutch to me.

    Geddit?

    Sorry :o


  • #83
    Grayson
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,442 ✭✭✭✭Grayson


    pajor wrote: »
    I think she has pretty mixed opinions about Ireland though. Not surprisingly she thinks its infinitely more scenic than NL. ("These things are called mountains" :pac:) She doesn't have a high opinion of Irish women though. Too much fake tan and make up. :D We were in Cork on Paddy's Day this year too and for a person who doesn't drink it was a bit of a culture shock I think; such as the lad who couldn't stand at 3:30 in the afternoon. And all the 12 year olds in green hotpants. It left her a little confused. :p

    I'd love to live in NL though in the future. I'm trying to grapple with the language but it's a really tough bastard to crack. I do have a cúpla focal though, usually to the amazement of OH's family. :D The job market for those who are qualified at something and bilingual is pretty big, so I just need to try my best with it. :)

    Dutch women are very attractive and I've never seen one dolled up with fake tan. the only time I saw anyone over there with a tracksuit they were jogging past me.


  • #84
    fiddle_player
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 6 ✭fiddle_player


    my girlfriends brother lives in the netherlands , claims the country is very conservative once you step outside amsterdam and rotterdam

    shouldnt be a huge surprise , its a calvinist country , like south africa and there white population are very conservative


  • #85
    fiddle_player
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 6 ✭fiddle_player


    SpaceTime wrote: »
    That's the case in France too. A larger % middle aged and elderly people are much more interesting and liberal. They seem to spend their time disgracing their newly conservative off spring by doing things like getting drunk, top less sun bathing etc.

    There's been a generation that's been very much different to their predecessors although I think it's fading away again.

    I was fairly horrified at the amount of young conservatives that came out of the woodwork in France against gay marriage and actually protested aggressively.

    Stark contrast to their counterparts in Ireland, or the UK.

    I saw an old French woman telling her grandson to f*** of and join the Gestapo recently because of he told her she was "an old socialist disgrace" because she thought that soft drugs should be legalised.

    I'm not sure if that's what's going on in NL too?

    Sort of a generation of Thatcherites emerging?



    sounds like the younger generations of french folk have had enough of the fact that there country is economically going down the toilet

    if any country needs a thatcher , its france


  • #86
    RDM_83 again
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,116 ✭✭✭RDM_83 again


    bodice ripper wrote: »
    I have exquisite tattoos. Its just kind of sad and weird to see such young people be such squares.

    I am sure they are (too you ;-) I have seen some truly awful examples and still have never met anybody apart from people who did it while drunk that think they got a sh-t tattoo.

    Thanks for basically proving my point though by thinking that those that don't like your ink are conservative squares. You imbide your tattoos as a political statement of being counter culture where as a more realistic view in a modern context is that they are a fairly main stream fashion, if somebody doesn't like an itemof clothing does that allow you to make a social judgement of them.

    Nodin there has been loads of tattooed people on X-factor, it makes no sense to consider those that don't like tattoos as conservative and at the same time consider a tv squares show thats had lots of people with tattoos on it as something conservative/mainstream :-\


  • #87
    Nodin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 46,938 ✭✭✭✭Nodin


    RDM_83 again wrote: »
    I am sure they are (too you ;-) I have seen some truly awful examples and still have never met anybody apart from people who did it while drunk that think they got a sh-t tattoo.

    Thanks for basically proving my point though by thinking that those that don't like your ink are conservative squares. You imbide your tattoos as a political statement of being counter culture where as a more realistic view in a modern context is that they are a fairly main stream fashion, if somebody doesn't like an itemof clothing does that allow you to make a social judgement of them.

    Nodin there has been loads of tattooed people on X-factor, it makes no sense to consider those that don't like tattoos as conservative and at the same time consider a tv squares show thats had lots of people with tattoos on it as something conservative/mainstream :-\


    Haven't we had enough tattoo bashing threads here?


  • #88
    bodice ripper
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,681 ✭✭✭bodice ripper


    If there's anything worse than a dirty look from a 22 year old in three quarter length wool coat and wingtips as he sails by on his bike, it's yet another dude informing you that tattoos aren't rebellious anymore, and thinking he is being insightful and the first to air this opinion.

    Also, young Dutch people are squares. I have met bidy piercers in their early twenties with mortgages. ..


  • #89
    catallus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭catallus


    bodice ripper wrote: »

    Also, young Dutch people are squares. I have met bidy piercers in their early twenties with mortgages. ..

    LIES! :mad:

    Everyone knows that nobody owns houses on the continent, they're all enlightened renters!


  • #90
    bodice ripper
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,681 ✭✭✭bodice ripper


    RDM_83 again wrote: »
    I am sure they are (too you ;-) I have seen some truly awful examples and still have never met anybody apart from people who did it while drunk that think they got a sh-t tattoo.

    I am a tattoo artist with a fine art degree. I know I have exquisite tattoos.

     Thanks for basically proving my point though by thinking that those that don't like your ink are conservative squares. You imbide your tattoos as a political statement of being counter culture where as a more realistic view in a modern context is that they are a fairly main stream fashion, if somebody doesn't like an itemof clothing does that allow you to make a social judgement of them.

    There is a huge difference between "not liking" and "cannot control myself and must screw my face into a rictus of disgust". I don't think they are square for not being tattooed, I think they are squares for being so easily appalled at a young age.

    Nodin there has been loads of tattooed people on X-factor, it makes no sense to consider those that don't like tattoos as conservative and at the same time consider a tv squares show thats had lots of people with tattoos on it as something conservative/mainstream :-\
    .


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  • #91
    SpaceTime
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,085 ✭✭✭SpaceTime


    fiddle_player wrote: »
    sounds like the younger generations of french folk have had enough of the fact that there country is economically going down the toilet

    if any country needs a thatcher , its france

    I wouldn't be so concerned if it were on the economic side of things. That's not where they're swinging right. It's on social issues that most definitely won't save the economy.
    Things like topless bathing for example was a major difference. Many 20 somethings think it's vulgar. Where as the older ones would think having a tan line (Farmer's tan) is vulgar.

    The same sex marriage debate was incredibly aggressive from the anti-side and there was a very big rise in homophobic assaults on random people.

    Then you've also got a dramatic increase support for Le Pen who make UKIP look like the a polite garden party.

    On the other side of it you've insane protests against really boring things. Like Nantes is getting a new airport about the size of Cork Airport and it's really badly needed and has been in planning for nearly 30 years.

    There were protests against it and they turned so nasty that trams were set a light and people were throwing petrol bombs at police. The centre of Nantes looked like Belfast during a riot in the 1980s.

    I think France is going to completely melt down before it improves. They won't reform anything and they're blaming absolutely everyone else for economic problems.

    I'd say France's "Thatcher" (and I don't think she's remotely as bad.. More like a Merkel) will be Christine Lagarde as president. Candidacy is already rumoured and the knives and mud slinging too.


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