It’s been around ten years since the first time I’ve been in the Netherlands. Back then, I was truly impressed with the country, but my experience was limited to touristic activities. Thus, to say that I’d truly got the touch of the Dutch culture would be an overstatement. However, this summer I had a chance to fully immerse into the culture when I was taking a course and an internship in Utrecht, the fourth largest city in the Netherlands.
The Dutch experience appeared to be so rich and diverse that I doubt I will be able to convey my impressions fully. Yet I’ll try to briefly summarize the most important ones.
Design and well-developed systems are in the Dutch blood!
I’ve traveled to many prominent countries in the continental Europe but I didn’t see systems as well-developed and well-designed as the ones in The Netherlands. Just as the relief of the country resembles a flat pancake, all the systems there are flat and simple, regardless of the level of sophistication.
Usually, as a foreigner, the first thing you expect to experience when getting out of the airport is the confusion of finding your way. Not in the Netherlands! The transportation infrastructure is so good and carefully designed that one does not experience the slightest discomfort. All the maps and signs are meticulously crafted to simplify things for you and to guide you.
The same simplicity you can see in the architectural design, interior design and organizational design. From bus drivers to university professors and CEOs of multicultural corporations-everyone are equal and the communication between these people occurs on a single level. This straight and simplified way of communication helps them eliminate numerous devastating levels of hierarchy that might appear unavoidable. Not only it simplifies the systems but it gives them a great deal of efficiency.
While egalitarianism might seem to have nothing to do with the superiority of system designs, it serves as the underlying philosophy. Every system there is designed keeping in mind that it is made for everyone and people work together to maximize the efficiency of the shared experience.
Multiculturalism is real!
Americans love to “sell” the U.S as a “salad bowl” in terms of cultural composition. However, while the U.S culture indeed is comprised of a mixture of various cultures-like a melting pot- the Netherlands is the real salad bowl out there. Not only one can see people from various nationalities there but one can see them living together among the Dutch perfectly integrated but with zero assimilation. No matter where people come from they can feel free to maintain their traditions, have their celebrations, prepare their food, wear whatever they feel like and remain unnoticed and well-respected. For the Dutch, English is the second language and one doesn’t feel the slightest pressure to learn Dutch.
That said, one would be utterly mistaken to think that the Dutch themselves do not have a strong culture. They do, and perhaps, they preserve and cherish it much better than many other cultures that continuously emphasis their distinctiveness. The Dutch culture is all about living against stereotypes - it’s all about mutual respect, accentuated individualism, straight-forwardness, flashy orange, minimalist design, colorful bicycles and croquettes for lunch.
Critical thinking is what matters
What fascinated me the most about the Dutch culture was their attitude towards thinking and education. In the Netherlands having an opinion about everything is a must. They expect everyone to be able to think for themselves, speak up and oppose, when necessary. The universities there are equal in quality and people mostly regard education with respect. Higher education is not an obligation there, it’s more of a deliberate choice. The classrooms have small sizes and students are expected to shape their own curriculum and learn through discussion and exchange of ideas. It’s not that the Dutch aren’t competitive but in classrooms they usually learn through collaboration rather than competition and grades are not as important as the ability to reason critically and form opinions. For those, like me, who are used to the American system where the syllabus is the Bible and grades play a rather central role, this system might seem a bit unusual at first sight. However, one immediately gets used to it and one can’t deny the efficiency of the system. This very attitude towards thinking and education in line with their superior systems and diversity create a stress-free environment, where one can feel present, think and form opinions.
Liberal and open but not as flexible
With all the eulogy about the prevalence of liberal values, I have to admit that the Dutch are not very flexible and adaptable. If something is planned in a certain way, you can’t expect them to change anything-no matter how useful minor alterations may seem. Plans are made to be followed and the Dutch make sure that they design systems that are sustainable, resilient and well-developed enough to go through any contingencies without a need to make adjustments. However, one can’t take anything for granted. The lack of flexibility and adaptability spiced with a sip of “opinionatedness” and “straight-forwardness” on a cultural level, makes the Dutch a bit difficult to work with from time to time.
No, not everyone is high there!
Going to the Netherlands, the first thing you hear is: “be aware the coffeeshops are not for coffee here…”
Knowing that weed is legal in the Netherlands, everyone goes there expecting to see many faces in the clouds-that is, a lot of high people. Surprisingly enough, soon you realize that foreigners are usually the only ones that can’t help taking advantage of the rare opportunity to indulge themselves as much as possible. The Dutch themselves seem rather disinterested. Well, I don’t mean that they never get high but the frequency and the enthusiasm is perhaps much less than in places where it’s illegal. It seems so normal and boring that even the tourists soon get tired and start looking for other ways of entertainment. One more proof that if you give people what they look for, they will become better (meaning, they will lose their interest lol).
If I tried to fully depict all the cultural revelations that I made during my trip, I would have to write an entire book since the Dutch experience is indeed rich and expansive. However, one experience is worth thousands of words. I recommend everyone to try to communicate with the locals and feel all the cultural nuances when visiting the country. It is truly worth it!
