July / Augustus 2009 - Association of Dutch Businessmen

Special
wrong attire when I am out. When I first know my
boyfriend, I was very perplexed that he was always
talking about the weather in Holland when he was
on the phone with his family and was frequently
checking the weather forecast. During my last
few trips to Holland I found out myself that the
weather indeed was unpredictable and therefore
the locals will always check the forecast so that
they know what to expect for the day.
Lifestyle - Singapore having a tropical climate
and being a safe country, Singaporeans like to
stay outdoors and hang out at cafes, pubs and
restaurants till late hours. I have noticed this is
different in Holland and I will surely miss this.
My independence - I have been living on my
own and getting things done independently, I will
miss that very much as I may have to rely on my
boyfriend to guide me with most things.
My friends and family - Nevertheless I will
definitely miss my family and friends.
Do you have other plans for the future?
Our plan is not definite but tentatively it is to
move back to Asia after 3 years.
What do you think about the Dutch?
After knowing my boyfriend and meeting his
friends and family, I realized that Dutch have
quite strong family values like us. Being raised
and born in my Chinese cultured family, I
used to be very opinionated
with the Western culture and
perceived that they lack family
values, but my encounters so
far have definitely changed
my perception.
During my interactions
and socializing with the Dutch
the last few trips I think
they are not as friendly and
approachable compared to
Singaporeans but I guess that
was partly due to my deliberate
effort to scrutinize them to try
pick up differences. Dutch are
very vocal and direct with their
views and tend to be brash
too in the way they deliver
a message. I feel that this is
partly due to their language
tone and expressions. I was
not used to it in the beginning
but slowly I appreciate the
honesty and not having to
guess if they have any hidden agenda in their
minds.
What do you see as the positive and negative
aspects of living in the Netherlands?
I think it will be a great experience for me as I will
learn more about the country and gain more ability
to adapt to a new environment with different
people and culture. Being a Singaporean-born
and raised in this small country with an organized
government and protected family, I feel that many
Singaporeans are so conditioned in a fortunate
environment that we tend to be less versatile and
tolerant to other countries’ culture. I am uncertain
at this point if I will like or dislike the culture in
the Netherlands but I would like to keep a positive
attitude towards it at the moment.
I am excited to live in a four-seasons country
and look forward to experience the beauty
from season to season and nevertheless to dress
differently for the different seasons.
The high tax and high cost of living are a
concern to me as we both used to earn relatively
well and are used to having more disposable
income since we are taxed much lower in
Singapore.
I have learnt enough from my boyfriend that
Holland is a country with no customer service (at
least not compared to Asian standards) and not
to mention efficiency for services needed. This
will definitely be a “culture-shock” to me as I am
so used to get things done quickly at a relatively
low price in Singapore.
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Vol.19 • No. 6 • July/August 2009