I am very interested in the European Culture; especially the Dutch. Can you help me learn more?
I am from North America, but I am very intrigued by the Dutch culture and traditions. Can anybody please explain to me how the Dutch differ from the Americans in any aspect that comes to mind? Eating, cooking, fashion, driving, living, family, holidays, religion, daily routine, responsiblities, etc. Please nothing rude like Americans are just plain old fat and sloopy, I’ve seen plenty that say that. I am trying an experiment for a month and would like as much information as possible.
Also I am learning the Dutch language so that if I do ever get to the Netherlands I won’t be entirely dependent on the english language.
If you have any information please let me know. Thank you so much.
Morris: I know about Holland, MI tulip festival I live less than 30minutes away from there.
bedank u aschwin. Yes the area I am most interested in learning more about is Limburg. To be more specific Sittard and/or Maastricht.
If you see really good answers already please dont be afraid to post an answer to the question. I would love to hear from all.
In reaction to an earlier poster, I *don’t* recommend the book "The Undutchables". I found it incredibly insulting to the Dutch, and not at all a reflection of any Dutch people I know (I’m Australian and live in the Netherlands). A much better book IMO is "The Dutch, I presume?" by Martijn de Rooi with photographs by Jurjen Drenth. It’s a lighthearted introduction to Dutch culture, covering all the wellknown things (windmills, cheese, tulips, etc) and some lesser-known aspects too. It’s not terribly deep or anything, but it’s a nice read.
Good luck with learning Dutch! It’s a wonderful language.