What do you think the dutch people are?

As a fellow Dutchman, I'd like to know how you'd go about factually proving that the Dutch are "not arrogant but tolerant". They haven't seemed so tolerant this past decade..

And yes, I've heard enough non-Dutch people complain that Dutch tend to be know-it-alls to believe there is something to it. We can be quite condescending, apparently.

Besides, aren't you a "budapestite?"

the nederlands stinks!!! If you have any chance to travel, forget about holland. People is cold and so stupid. Actually is because they are quite nazis, and they hate foreign people; even if you are taking somo hollidays.
If you expect to live in the nederlands for long time, don't get registered nowhere, cause if you do it, the belastingdienst is going to start stealing your money. they are like a mafia. They will invent an specific tax for yourself.

First post, eh? Good luck.

The first place "abroad" I ever went was Rotterdam, and the last place too, two weeks ago, was Brielle. Both great.

I love the country and the people.

can any one tell me what roeda means in dutch? email: [email protected] thank you

I will take a stab not knowing Dutch. It resembles "road" so it is closely road related.

road is weg

I've just stumbled upon this topic, and, being dutch myself, I was very surprised to read so many negative comments about us! I work in the hospitality business here and continuously get compliments from the tourists here that we are so very friendly and open, but then again maybe, the tourists who made these remarks were very friendly and open people too, so maybe your attitude towards us has a little something to do with that? If you approach us in a friendly way we'll respond equally, as do most people all over the world, I assume? If you have an attitude, and expect us to speak every language in the world, because someone said so, it would be nice if you were to ask us if we do, first! (just one example) I do admit that the women here are very rude: I have yet to walk towards one who'll let me pass by on a narrow path! It's like they're born with an attitude that every man will make way for them, a very nasty selvish attitude indeed! But overall we're not worse, or better than any other anywhere in the world, and I do apologise for not being so 'stepford'-overenthousiastic about everything as many Americans are, always giving eachother a high-five whenever someone farts, what's that all about? (you see: we can complain about other people too.. doesn't that make us equals?) We, as a country have changed dramatically over the last twenty years, I admit: there used to be the days when the milkman came around and placed your order on your doorstep, where it could stay out for a whole day without anyone even thinking about taking it ..times change I guess, as do the Netherlands! We are officially no longer 'the Netherlands', we are a multi-cultural community now, and it's getting more difficult for tourists to recognise a real dutch, especially in cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Den Haag, and almost everywhere else! Yes: the people working behind the counters at Albert Heijn can be very rude indeed, but 80% working there are not of dutch origine, so how can you judge the dutch on this? Hello: I can tell you stories about English shopkeepers and French waiters.. that doesn't mean I judge every inhabitant to be just as rude. Anyway: doesn't complaining about others give us all an insight into your own disposition?

as a foreign citizen living in amsterdam, I just can say, you're right about the ladies: they are so arrogant and stupid. but not just women. People with dutch origins, sometimes they also work in albert heijn and they are as stupid as the one's with foreign origins. That's what I complain about. The problem is not about you, is about your behaviour. and the service in horeca is WORSE THAN TERRIBLE. But I am sure you know about it.

Old Holland is The Netherlands and Belgium


The Netherlands held Suriname as a colony until 1973
The Netherlands still hold the Dutch Antilles as a colony
The Netherlands founded New York(nieuw Amsterdam)
The Netherlands held a small part of Brazil for a couple of years
The Netherlands also held colonies in Africa and Asia
The Netherlands first set food on Australian soil

Netherlands ruled the waves from the 16th untill the 19th century

// you miss something

The dutch are the first people who have exterminated a animal specie (Y)! BaM to the Dodo!

As far as I know roeda is no dutch word
and I should know cause I was born and raised here

Who says the Dutch are not great?

This proves it.

http://road.cc/content/news/40658-dutch-army-cycling-band-plays-edinburgh-military-tattoo-video

Sorry Roy, indigenous Australians were wiping out species before your ancestors wore shoes, and they were here 50000 years before a dutchman decided to set 'food' on us :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_megafauna

I am reading this forum and find it extremely entertaining; but truth of the matter is I didn't end up here for no reason...I've lived in the Netherlands all my life but just recently I'm becoming more conscious about how things work in this country. By no mean would I like to portray all Dutchmen a certain way, because as in every culture, there's good and less good. First of all, NL has enjoyed the title 'tolerant' and 'openinded' for the wrong reasons: sex and drugs, but if you look at it closely, Dutchmen are not at all tolerant,specially not towards whatever is foreign or different to them. I was born in South America, lived here almost all my life and speak Dutch better than the Dutch themselves but since recently I'm getting sick of this country. The Dutch are born with the 'complaing' mechanism built in and that is so draining sometimes, especially when you're an optimist and have to work and deal with complainers. Nothing is ever good enough here and even when it's perfect, it's not good enough. Not to mention the rudeness of people (some call it being direct). Since I speak Dutch fluently without an accent but obviously don't look Dutch I get asked all the time: 'Are you adopted or something?' and more of this kind of questions...please. And these are people I just meet at work; I work for Netherland's pride and joy: KLM where I meet pretty much all the nationalities in the world and Dutch passengers are by far the most difficult on board. They are cheap. If you accidentaly forget to offer them a drink or whatever it's a personal offense! And you will have to hear it forever! They buy a ticket and think they own the airline. The only social skill they have is when they want to 'appearently' talk to you and the conversation turns into an unnecessary complaint. This happens all the time...and they know everything, are always right and want to have the last say. This is most of the time 'I want a letter to the president'. Dutch passengers are very well aware of the rules on an airplane but think they have the right to break them: 'yes I know but...yes but..' Maybe after so many years I'm becoming more conscious about the Dutch mentality...everything has to make sense, everything needs its own box and needs to stay there. It's either black or white and nothing else. So maybe it's time for me to go live on a desert island or deal with it, because as we all know, we all have our 'things'.

I've recently discovered that Andrew Bolt, reviled right wing nazi bully boy of the Australian media was born to newly arrived dutch migrants to Australia.

Talk about confirming the stereotype.

the problem in what you're saying is that the dutch do not like for foreigners, especially english speakers, to speak their language unless you can do it perfectly and sound exactly like them.

i lived in suriname for two years, and learned quite a bit of dutch while i was there. when i have tried to speak dutch with people from the netherlands since i returned, they practically cover their ears and scold me. its like they feel insulted by the limitations i am trying to overcome.

also i have found them EXTREMELY biggoted towards americans. its like they can go ten minutes without a "fat and stupid" comment.

dutch women are hot as hell, but frigid and just as critical and biggoted as the men.

dont even get me started on belgians...

if you want a good experience with dutch speaking people, go to suriname.

When i found this discussion at first , i did not expect much of it.
But now i am overjoyed that i HAVE found it .
I have read all posts and have learned much about the people's point of view of the Dutch.
I have seen many things that i can familiarise with.
Now i just hope i can help by sharing ...knowledge?..wisdom?..no...by sharing what i know.
And this i what i can say about me.

I am three parts Dutch , one part Swedish.
I grew up in Hoorn/The Netherlands , when i was two we moved to Antwerp/Belgium.
I've lived 14 years in Belgium and 4 years in The Netherlands.

FRIENDS
------------
Making friends IS difficult for me , it takes long before someone earns my trust.
I can be very stubborn as my friends know. Once i've made a decesion i will stay with it.
But my friends also know i will never betray them , and that i'll always be there for them.
Truly , a Dutchman is a great friend once you know him.

KNOW-IT-ALL's
--------------------
As for the point that we are ''know-it-all's''.
I have had moments where i want to know beter then a person.
But what my theory is , is that we simply want to know all so we can teach all.
I for instance LOVE to share what i know.
Instead of calling people know-it-all's , try to see them as people who want to know .

FOREIGNERS
-----------------
If i would randomly encounter a foreigner on vacation and start a conversation with him/her.
I would be most intrigued by his/her purpose of coming here ,
and i would ask many questions about the country he/she comes from.
Ofcourse i would be willing to give all answers to all the questions he/she asks about the country he/she is in.
I have a friend who has recently come from France here , he is trying to settle here.
He's also learning Dutch , and to do so he asks everyone to keep talking Dutch to him insteed of English or French.
But everytime he talks to me , i automatically respond in English.
(Another thing i read in the posts ^^^ )
Sure there might be racists in The Netherlands but not more that any other country.
It would be illogical of someone to think an entire country is racist.

FOOD
-------
It is widely spread that the Dutch like cheese and mayonaise.
And its true , i can not deny that i like fries dripping with mayonaise.
Or a sandwich with a big chunk of real Dutch cheese and double layers of mayonaise.
Or to chuck a whole haring down with some freshly sliced unions.
Lekker maatje ! (maatje is a synonym of haring in Dutch)
http://gewebkijk.punt.nl/upload/haring_2.jpg

COMPLAINING
-------------------
I can certainly familiarise with this .
I've heard many times from my Belgian friends that i complain too much.
Even though i am not aware of doing it. I have many times caught myself from doing it.
It's like a reflex or an impulse. I think it's mostly boredom that makes us complain.
Atleast in my case .


So i think that's about it , i hope this will help people understand the Dutch beter.
If i forgot anything please say so. I've been awake for 19 hours , you start to forget things then .

Well goodnight , goeienacht

I knew i forgot something .
As for the point of being egocentric.
I admit i have a pretty big ego , but i don't think it's bigger than anyone else's.
And to make sure everyone understands.
I am not speaking for all the Dutch people in the world.
I am simply saying what i am like so you might understand the dutch beter.
But ofcourse you could doubt my theory's and facts of myself ,
because i am also quarter Swedish.
But i think the the most important thing is that i think i am Dutch.
Or that i know i am Dutch .

Greetings from Jonathan
Goodnight once again

I live in Holland, and there aren't many Dutch people I like. They don't like people who are different, and for some reason they have something against Jews. I'm from Romania, and when kids at school can't think of a good way to insult me, they just say something ugly about my country. They're also kinda selfish. And Holland is the most boring country I've ever been to, and I've been to a lot of countries. And btw, their history is extremely boring, every war is about difference of opinion. And like 70% of them are non- believers. But you must understand that I'm not saying this about every Dutch. There are a few Dutch people I like. Like that Jonathanhaver guy.

You can't be more right!