July / Augustus 2009 - Association of Dutch Businessmen

Special
before I could begin my ‘inburgeringscursus’ (a
mandatory integration course for all immigrants
to the Netherlands where we were supposed to
be taught how to integrate but it was just mostly
learning the language). In the meantime, I went
for private lessons once a week and whilst it did
give me an edge during my first level of Dutch
classes. The one teacher I had, my husband, was
a very bad (language) one and could never explain
to me the rules of grammar and vocabulary in
the Dutch language so I didn’t learn as fast as I
could have.
I never hesitated to learn the language as I
come from a multi-racial country so I understand
the importance of knowing another language to
be able to communicate with your friends and
neighbours. Unfortunately, my progress was
hindered by the locals I met who all spoke the
provincial dialect.
Do you miss home and family?
I think it is very natural to miss home the first few
years but I missed my independence most of all.
I was used to getting things done on my own and
here I had to wait for my husband for every little
thing until I learnt enough to do it on my own. As
a food lover, I miss our local cuisines the most as
we have almost everything from Italian pasta to
Chinese wok (the real deal and not the horrible
stuff they serve in Chinese eateries here). I miss
hanging out with my friends at the food centres
and stuffing our faces until our belts burst. You
can’t eat like that here. I used to love going to
the movies and dinner every Saturday night but
eating out is expensive here so if I go the movies,
I can only afford coffee afterwards.
Do you have other plans for the future?
The Netherlands has been good to me and I have
had a happy, good life since I moved here but I do
hope to move to another country in the future,
preferably one with a warm climate but still
within the confines of the continent. I don’t rule
out returning to my homeland but only if things
change for the better there.
What do you think about the Dutch?
Prior to coming here, I had met some of my
husband’s friends who were kind enough to travel
to Singapore for our wedding and they were all
warm, friendly and kind people. It gave me a false
illusion of the real Dutch person and thus, I am
still not used to the brash honesty and ‘in-yourface’
approach the Dutch have. It’s hard to not
take it personally when they are so blatant and
for someone who wasn’t raised in this culture, we
aren’t as quick to retaliate. I get the ‘honesty-isthe-best
policy’ bit but they should realise that
it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.
The Dutch are sticklers for their tradition and
culture and get very offended if you break them.
You have to make an appointment for everything,
even just a simple visit, which leaves no room for
flexibility and spontaneity, two fun virtues sorely
lacking here. If I need something, even help, I
have to ask for it and whilst it’s quite alright to
ask for some things, I get tired of having to ask for
everything all the time so I have stopped asking
altogether. They should also realise that it’s nice
to be asked, even if once in a while. Whilst they
like to think of themselves as friendly, they are, but
only to the people who are similar to them. Being
friendly and being left-wing is two different things
but the Dutch like to think of them as the same.
What are the positive and negative aspects
of living in the Netherlands?
It is a child-friendly country with generous
maternity packages and a comprehensive and
balanced education system (students get every
Wednesday afternoons off). There are also many
alternatives for education after the mandatory
secondary school so if one is not academically
inclined; it is not the end of the world for them,
unlike back in Singapore. They have tough
recycling laws here which sit well with ecologically
conscious people like me. I also prefer the absence
of the paper chase and/or appearances upkeep
and altogether rat face which haunted me back
in Singapore. The pace of life (at least here in
suburbia) is slow and unexciting which is perfect
if you want to raise a family but unfortunate if
you are a young adult with an active social life.
Customer service here is probably the worst
in the world (I have seen cashiers chatting with
each other whilst I’m waiting in line to make a
purchase) so shopping isn’t exactly a joy. Living
costs are high because of the taxes. For those
who love varied cuisines, there aren’t many here
and most ‘exotic’ restaurants amend their food to
adapt to the Dutch taste buds. The Dutch refuse
to eat anything the least bit spicy or the least bit
different and dining out is very expensive.
The Dutch have a long history of tolerance
towards immigrants but just because it is easy for
immigrants to enter and stay in the country (not
anymore), doesn’t mean it will be an easy period.
They have an uncomfortable relationship with
immigrants here and on the whole, they are just
basically tolerating them because they have to.
They have a high opinion of themselves because
they are admired internationally for their leftwing
politics but that has caused them a lot of
trouble in recent years and tides are turning.
The Dutch
are sticklers for
their tradition and
culture and get
very offended
if you break them.
You have to make
an appointment
for everything,
even just a simple
visit, which
leaves no room
for flexibility and
spontaneity, two
fun virtues sorely
lacking here.
19
Vol.19 • No. 6 • July/August 2009