She gave me the inside scoop on education in the Netherlands. She shared what she enjoyed and what she thought could be improved. She also recommended that I read a book called The Undutchables, a humorous book about the culture and the Dutch people. I enjoyed the book but knew that I wanted to form my own opinions and interact with the culture on my own terms.
Once I arrived in the Netherlands, my perspective shifted greatly! As I connected with my co-workers and Dutch friends, I began to see the Netherlands through their eyes. While some of my initial ideas were true in some respects, most of my assumptions were altered. For example, not all Dutch people worship tulips. Instead, I learned that many Dutch people appreciate and respect nature. There are also many flower shops that sell numerous varieties of plants, above and beyond tulips. Also, the Dutch love to bike, but they have a fantastic and efficient public transportation system as well. They are blunt and straightforward but also very friendly and accomodating of foreigners. Additionally, windmills are not everywhere! Some still exist and are preserved for museums, however, they are outdated and are no longer used for their original purposes.
I also learned many new things about the Dutch culture and its people that I never knew. For example, the Dutch value the equality of opinions and sharing. In a business, everyone has a say. I also learned that the Netherlands and America have a very positive relationship. Dutch people appreciate America because of their role in liberating the Netherlands during the second world war.
