How I experienced Dutchness or my enigma of arrival in the Netherlands
by Claudia Müller, Nov 20, 2019
What is the enigma of arrival? It’s the first time you see something that makes you freeze for a moment. It’s the freshest and sincere look you can have at things when you arrive in a new place or country. It’s the mystery, the rebirth and second childhood.
If you are aware of the enigma of arrival, it helps you to put things in perspective when times are rough in a new place. Because these precious moments once made you wonder and stumble like a child. These are a few of my enigmas when I arrived in the Netherlands. What were yours?
My first enigma of arrival – food
I remember when I first arrived in the Netherlands, I was totally shocked about the supermarket products. How was it possible that vegetables, fruits, and hundreds of different meals were pre-cut and pre-cooked? I had never seen such a wide variety of ready-to-eat or how Dutch people call it kant-en-klaar food. In Switzerland, I bought carrots and not pieces of it in plastic, nor had I ever seen pre-cut onions. How would they still be tasty if they were pre-cut and pre-packed? I wondered with big eyes like a newborn while cooking them.
My second enigma of arrival – flatness
How was it possible that I got lost so many times in the city of Amsterdam? Streets look alike, but still, I usually can orient myself somehow. But then I realized that in other places, there is always some kind of hill. That was the problem. Flatness comes with no mountains. For someone that grew up in Switzerland, that caused some orientation problems. I walked around like a small child that looks upon buildings just to search for a recognizable detail to not get lost.
My third enigma of arrival – the bike
Living in the Netherlands means that you spend quite some time on a bike. Typically it’s your own, and it brings you from A to B. As everything is flat, it’s quite enjoyable if you are not caught by a short shower or stuck on a bridge because of heavy winds. When I first started biking, I was shocked by all the bikers that were calling on the phone, listening to music, and that hands-free. I was super excited, somehow fascinated, like a child that observes adults while doing something superordinary as cooking or washing.
My fourth enigma of arrival – beer at work
Having a beer is nothing special. But having a beer while working is – well for me at least. I remember having beers after work on Fridays but not WHILE working. I was thinking: what the hell? How can I be productive? At the same time, I felt like back at school when you do something that is not allowed but gives you this self-esteem boost. I giggled and nipped on my Heineken beer.
My fifth enigma of arrival – flexibility
It was my first day at work and I arrived at 9 am at the office. I found myself alone. Where was the rest? I found out later. My Dutch colleagues liked to come when they were ready for it. They were taking their time also when arriving around 10 am. It seemed like nothing could ever bother them or make them stress. And if something didn’t have to be done immediately, there was the next day to finish it. Life after work is essential. Coming from a more conservatory working culture where flexibility is less common, it felt like back in the school days when life was good. Spare time was the major happening, work was just a side-occupation.
My sixth enigma of arrival – gezellig!
What if people gather together for a beer? They call it gezellig! What if you have a good company for cake and coffee? They call it gezellig! What if you have dinner with friends? They call it gezellig! As you see, gezellig is the word they use for every gathering – work, friends, family. And if it was gezellig, it means they had a good time and felt at ease. It felt like they had a vocabulary of a child as I heard this word repeatedly and in every conversation. But later I realized, they really mean it.
My seventh enigma of arrival – brutality
‘I would like to have the soup, please.’ ‘There is no soup today, I am sorry.’ ‘Ok, then I would like to have the bread with hummus, please.’ ‘Oh, sorry, there is no bread with hummus today.’ The waiter does not even show a sign of embarrassment. He does not give me other options. He does not run to the kitchen to ask for alternatives. He just stands there and waits until I embarrassedly say: ‘only coffee, please.’ It’s like having this cool kid in front of me that just doesn’t give a f*** . He is not fiction but a brutal reality. There is no soup and no bread with hummus today. And he stays to the fact without being humble but self-assured. I am fascinated and at the same time, in a freeze. Am I the kid or the guest?
Culture shock is gone, second-childhood has passed, and I have grown up. When I don’t have time, I buy one of these pre-cut vegetables, call with my friend while biking, and come in late at work. There I take my time to make the coffee I need so badly. When I meet colleagues for a beer, I call it gezellig! The enigma of arrival in the Netherlands is nearly gone. But I am so grateful that I have now one at home.
Claudia Müller
Claudia is the co-founder of Mango Kollektiv. If you want to know more about her, click here.
If you want to find out how Mango Kollektiv’s culture-specific approach to consulting businesses can help you, click here.