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A couple we know, who speak no Dutch, went to visit a friend in Holland. In a way, they were right. Many expats are taken by surprise, when they first witness the Dutch ritual of greeting guests. The custom goes as follows:.
As a foreigner you can get by with shaking hands, instead of kissing, if you are more comfortable with this! Interestingly, this lack of physical space in the Netherlands has an effect on how the Dutch interact with one another: There are inhabitants per km2 in NL This means that everything, and everyone, is very close together!
There is a theory that the Dutch compensate for this lack of physical space, by keeping their interactions quite formal. They create space between one another socially, if you will The idea is that they can better deal with the problems of living in such a crowded society, because they are never emotionally too close to their neighbors Queueing in NL Observe, for instance, the Dutch standing in line if you can find one in the Netherlands!
They will normally stand very close together Americans, in comparison, tend to feel uncomfortable if someone stands so near to them in a queue Yet, socially, Americans are far more intimate with one another than the Dutch Americans appear to interact with people informally, and typically everyone by their first name Dutch interaction, on the other hand, is generally stylized and formal Calling a Dutch person by their first name when you are not supposed to is like talking to an American with your nose three inches from his!
For expats, this can take some getting used to: When out with a Dutch man on a first date, you could be having a lovely evening. He may even have made an attempt at flirting, romance is in the air, everything is looking promising until……….. The previously charming Dutchmen then breaks out into a cold sweat and looks at the bill, at you, at the bill, then at you again, and there is a silence so deep that you can hear the female mice in the cafe coughing.
Due to smoking, they are Dutch after all. Do not under any circumstances expect him to pay your part of the bill.
Your date will immediately assess you as being high maintenance, while he drinks his glass of tap water. If you, as an expat woman, turn up for your date, as is normal in most countries, in a nice outfit, stylishly cut shoes, makeup and styled hair, your Dutch date will have a minor heart attack.
He is likely to ask you what that stuff is on your face, and if you are planning to attend a wedding after the date. The shallow man advises that on the day of the date, that you put your TV on Nederland een, between 7 and 9 and watch Vandaag de Dag.
Look at how poorly dressed the presenters of this show are and simply copy them. That is what passes for high fashion here. Dutch men in general are not renowned for opening doors for Dutch women or taking their heavy bags. While Dutch women might like it when men do this, they do not expect it. Part of this has to do with the prevalent bike culture — have you tried biking in high heels and a mini skirt, through the rain?
Are Dutch women the most beautiful in the world? Dutch model and actress Doutzen Kroes. Do you know the meaning of gezellig? Would you be offended by personal questions? Learning the basics of Dutch culture can do wonders for your love life — and your Dutch life in general.
We look behind the Dutch dating rumours on Dutch women and Dutch men. While many What is the Dutch men dating culture or how should you approach Dutch women? Here are 10 things you . Dating in Europe: First date etiquette. International student, mid 20s, female mostly dating men but also women. but I am confused as to what is proper dating etiquette here.
Misunderstandings can easily arise when dating someone new, especially if your different upbringing means that you often take very different things for granted. While expat forums can provide some helpful advice, their dating threads are often the setting for uninhibited and often unrepresentative venting: The same applies to Dutch women and Dutch men.
The bottom line is that you are dating a person you like, not the country they are from. So keep an open mind and enjoy yourself.
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