When a person had to move abroad, always carry his own suitcase. More then one, often. Too heavy, always. But there is a bag, an invisible bag, which is the most important of all, and none of all air companies never will lose and whose content is inevitably going to change as soon as we land or walk on a country for the first time.
It is the suitcase load of our questions, doubts and, sometimes, prejudices of our new life.
Of course, I will never rember how I supposed the life in Netherland before coming here, and how has changed the imagine I had of this country. I think it doesn’t matter if I like or not this place but what I was not able to imagine of this place.
I am finding strange habits in this people, and something those are really surprising for me.
1. Dutch people are really really tall
I wrote somewhere that they are the taller population in the world. Well, that’s true! I come from Sardinia, an island of the Mediterranean Sea, and we are the shortest within the italian population, so for me it is even more impressive.
2. They eat a lot of sandwiches
I don’t know how they can survive, but they just eat sandwiches (filled with thier fine Gouda cheese) at lunch time. I understand that a meal in the office and would be fast and easy, but eat sandwiches five days per week at lunch I think it is not so good. What do they will have for dinner? Frikandellen?
3. They are natural born dealmakers
That is incredible: I understood it on the 27 of april, the King’s Day, (Konindag), the Official King’s Birthday. A lot of people set up stalls to sell second-hand goods and King’s Day themed products in many city and town centers. I was in Rotterdam and the streets were closed to the cars for let space to this huge open air free market. But what really surprised me has been the amount of childrens (probably between eight and twelve years olded) had thier own little stalls. A day of holiday can be, at the same time, a business day.
4. The amount of people from abroad living in Netherlands
Somone said that this is the country of the future and I share this with sentence. Even though it seems that the biggest, and probably older comunities come from Turkey and Morocco, in the streets, in the parties, in the shops, in my same office, you will see faces and you will hear languages from all the world. That is incredible and really fascinating.
5. The importance of the climatic conditions
I have been living in Italy, and then in Spain, and I need some sunny day per week, or at least, per month. When I came here it was in winter, and I didn’t see the sunshine for more then a week. At the beginning it was stressful, but I got used to it.
But when the good season begin, Netherland become a wonderful place. And you can feel this change in the same attitude of the people. They unfold like flowers in spring.
6. Everything you heard about the bicycles in Netherlans is true
The most impressive thing you can see is close to the Railaways or Metropolitan Station: thousands of bicycles stacked on two levels parkings.
I think my experince here is becoming really important, and I think this country can offer great opportunities for everyone.
