Netherlands Culture Shock as a South African! #culture #netherlands #southafrica #youtube

Moving from South Africa to the Netherlands was a wild ride filled with unexpected surprises, awkward moments, and a whole lot of “wait, what?!” In this video, I share the biggest culture shocks I experienced as a South African adapting to Dutch life.

From biking everywhere to brutally honest conversations, quirky Dutch traditions, and their obsession with bread, I dive into the fun, funny, and sometimes frustrating differences between these two worlds.

Whether you’re a fellow expat, curious traveler, or just love learning about other cultures, this one’s for you!

Let me know in the comments:
Have you ever faced culture shock while traveling or moving abroad?

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You said me what? I go on my teams and it says um hi Natasha can you please pay me? I’m like how? That was a culture shock for me because what in South Africa you have to pay for your own fruit. People are going to start killing each other and I just got here. I just arrived guys. I was so shocked. [Music] [Music] Mini you guys. Welcome back to another video. If you are new here and are watching for the first time, welcome, welcome, welcome. My name is Natasha and this is my space on the YouTube world where we share experiences, we learn and we grow. If you have not joined the family as yet, please do so just by clicking that subscribe button. And for all the family members that are returning, thank you, thank you, thank you so much, fam, for coming back. You know, you know the house rules. Make sure you subscribe to the channel. You give the video a thumbs up. we make sure that we interact in the comment section below and we share the video so that we can reach more people. I almost forgot my intro because it’s just been a while. The last time I posted a video was like 3 weeks ago and I’m not even going to be dwelling on why I’ve been gone, blah blah blah blah blah. But the most important thing is that I’m here and today we are having a nice fun and interesting video. I’m going to be sharing with you guys all the culture shocks that I experienced as a South African living in the Netherlands for two years. So without wasting any time, I’m going to get straight into all the the culture shocks. I have everything written down um on this other phone and I’m going to be reading for from this phone um in no particular order. I used to just write down everything that I could think of that I found as a culture shock as I went through my journey of staying in the Netherlands. So I will be mentioning everything that was really a culture shock for me and I was just like what is this? Okay. So, in no particular order, the first thing that I am going to be sharing with you guys that was a culture shock for me was the fact that almost everyone in the Netherlands has a pet. Like I think, I could be wrong, but I think probably 90% of the people in the Netherlands have pets. Either a dog or a cat. Those are the most common ones that people usually have here that I usually see and hear about. But for me it was a culture shock because I’m not saying that we don’t have animals in South Africa like pets but I don’t think a lot of people have pets in South Africa but that was a really big culture shock and it’s so surprising because in the Netherlands you have to pay um I think it’s called pet tax or animal tax or something like that. So I was really shocked when I found that so many people have animals have pets rather but in actual fact they have to pay for these pets but apparently other people dodge it. They don’t really pay for it. Sorry guys, there’s something in my eye. The second thing that was a culture shock for me was Tiki. So, I once mentioned Tiki in the video um on my on my YouTube channel that I shared where I mentioned um apps that you need to have as an expert living in the Netherlands. And one of the video um one of the apps that I spoke about was UTiki. For me, this was a shock guys like so what happened this is how I discovered Tiki. So I went out with a group of colleagues at my previous company and um we went out for bowling. We had drinks. Um I wasn’t drinking at that time so I just had I think I had like cappuccinos and tea or something like that. So, um, Mandy, guys, like Mandy. The next thing, um, I get home and I’m telling my partner all about it and I was like, “Oh, such a nice gesture from the company, you know, cuz I obviously thought that the company is going to pay for it.” Jiggy jiggy. The next day, I just hear my colleague saying to me, um, no, I’m lying. It wasn’t the next day. I think it was 2 days later, right? I just hear my colleague telling me that, um, can you please check your teams? I sent you a tiki. And I’m like, you sent me what? I go on my teams and it says, um, hi Natasha, can you please pay me? I’m like, how? I was honestly genuinely shocked by the fact that because I thought the company was paying for our team building event or get together and now Jiggy, you have to pay for that. And then I was also shocked about what Tiki is. And that’s how I discovered what Tiki was. It’s basically like um trans transfer app, right? Where you guys go out as friends, maybe I pay the entire bill myself and then later on whatever the cost of your food was, I can just send you the bill for that for that cost and you can actually pay me via your bank. And it’s very it’s like a very convenient thing to have because you literally just send the person the ticket, do their own thing um through their own banks and voila, you’re done. Money has been sent. So that was a culture shock for me. But I think it’s actually one of the most convenient and nicest things to have because in South Africa we don’t have that. Usually if we have gone out as friends, we probably all use different bank accounts or maybe there’s a majority of people who use the same account. But then it will always be that thing you need to transfer money from one bank account to another bank account which can be really annoying and tedious. And in this digital world, you want something that’s fast-paced, easy, and quick. And that for me was 100%. Okay. Fruit at work. That’s what they call it, right? Flirt bag. Something like that. Guys, I was so shocked when I got to the Netherlands and I discovered that employees, most company, probably majority of the companies in the Netherlands actually have a policy where employees get free food at work. So literally the fruit gets delivered and distributed among everyone at work. That was a culture shock for me because what in South Africa you have to pay for your own fruit kukan. But I just love that culture that teaches health because I feel like they encourage a healthy lifestyle. Which brings me to the next point, which is the fact that the Netherlands really encourages a healthy lifestyle, guys. Like I was blown. I’m not saying that South Africa don’t eat healthy, but let’s be honest, guys. iny manga pa tea and like heavy foods are actually normal things to eat for lunch at work. Whereas in the Netherlands a lot of people bring like sandwiches. They call it bodam or um brocha mkas or whatever you know like bread with cheese or whatever. And that for me was a really really um it was a culture shock because when I got to the Netherlands and I started working part 17 like I would take whatever previous uh night’s dinner that we had and I’d take it for lunch to work and I remember how I used to get so annoyed because a lot of colleagues would constantly look at me constantly want to see my lunch and what I’m having for lunch. And that brings me to another point. people. I don’t know if it’s just ne Netherlands people or Dutch people, but generally a lot of people who adapt maybe the culture yalapa, they are very inquisitive cuz every time when I’d bring food, they’d want to know what I’m eating or what how did I make it, what is it about and all of that. So that was another culture shock for me because I’m not used to that. In South Africa, we don’t linger around a person’s lunch or ask questions when it’s lunchtime. We just eat, right? and you respect a person’s lunch, it’s none of your business. But then when I got here, it was a thing of people want to know what am I eating? How did I make it? What is it made of? So that was another culture shock. Bicycles. In the Netherlands, there are more bicycles than people. And it’s a fact. It’s a fact, guys. I was so shocked. I’ve always known um when I found out obviously that I was going to move to the Netherlands and I did my research about the country, I’ve always known that it’s called the bicycle country, right? But I never really thought that it was that like intense. And and when I got here, it was just like bicycles left, right, and center. Kids, young kids, toddlers to 60 years old cycle. And I was just so amazed. I was fascinated and I actually love it. Which brings me to that whole point. They encourage that entire healthy lifestyle holistically. So, it’s not just about healthy eating, but it’s also about living a healthy lifestyle. And which is why apparently people in the Netherlands live longer and they die longer. Is it that the way to put it? But they live longer and they die like, you know, when they’re already too old because of the healthy lifestyle that the country encourages. The driver’s seat being on the left side. What do you mean? Let me tell you guys a story, Gana. So, the first time I learned how to drive in the Netherlands, um, I had to take myself to and from work. So, the first week, my partner took me to work and he picked me up and sometimes he would take me and then I’d come back by myself. But the first day that I had to literally take myself to work and come back by myself, I got lost. I got lost. my trauma, guys. Y I’ll never forget that day. So, I took the wrong turn. I found myself traveling towards Rotterdam and it was just a mess. And remember, I’m still getting used to sitting on the left side of the driver’s seat and also keeping to the um in South Africa, it’s keep left, pass right, upper. It’s keep right. It’s keep right, pass left. I was actually looking at the cars. um driving on side, it’s keep right, pass left. So, not only am I confused by the fact that I need to be driving on the left side of the car, I’m also confused by the fact that I need to keep right and pass left. And then basically, you need to keep right, which means if you’re traveling this way, you need to keep right. If the other traffic that’s traveling in the opposite direction, they keep left. Signing I said Trump, I remember calling my boyfriend. I was crying. Baby, I’m stuck. My boyfriend was just like, “The same way that you traveled to get to work is the same way that you should travel to come and fetch me and my son.” And I was just like, “Got it, guys.” I cried so much. I remember we fought that day cuz I was just like, “Why are you so chilled about this?” And now when I look back, I’m like, “You had a point.” Because at the end of the day, I needed to move the car and get it to them so that I can fetch them or else they were going to be stranded. But it was so traumatizing, guys. So, it’s not easy. like it’s not not easy at all, especially when you come from a country where you drive in opposite directions and in different ways. But I learned and um I think I’m a good I’m a good driver now. Uh roads are busy, but I don’t like driving. Let’s just be honest, guys. I don’t want to lie, guys. I do not like driving. If I don’t have to drive, I don’t want to drive. I’ll only drive if it’s really really like necessary for me to drive. The roads in the Netherlands are busy, guys. Z tms, Z motorcycle. There’s just a lot happening on the roads. Sometimes I’m just like this is overwhelming. And another thing that really annoys me about that is the fact that the roads are also smaller for I don’t know if they do it because they want to keep a certain speed limit so that cars don’t rush or they just trying to accommodate each and every moving um vehicle or whatever that is traveling on the roads but it’s like the roads are really are really tiny. I don’t know. It’s really hard to speed in Netherlands because you have this amount of road and it needs to be for two cars. The one going in the opposite direction and you going in that direction. And in the midst of all of this, there’s bicycles and there’s motorcycles. But um they do make like a bicycle lanes separately in certain parts of certain towns and villages and cities, but most of the time the main roads have also a bicycle lanes. Next up is uh trash. Recycling of trash. I was so shocked. I figure Netherlands I went from one dust bin or one trash can to five trash cans. I was just like what is this? So in the Netherlands you have to recycle. Not everyone does this apparently but Tina we are obedient people and we respect so we do as we are told. So we have five trash cans or trash plastics cuz we don’t have trash cans, we have trash plastics. We separate our trash into five um plastics. So one is general. So which is just literally that general. The other would usually be eco compost which is um vegetable peels um and fruit peels or whatever. And then A1 will be for your plastics and for your plastic bottles and your um cans which you recycle to get money back. The one will be for your glass which you have to put in the recycling bin. And the last one will be for ecardboard. Actually it’s six. Damn. Cardboard and plastic. So plastics have to go into one separate bag. E cardboard or paper has to go into one separate bag. Glosses one separate bag. Cardboard paper glosses one separate bag. General one separate bag. Fruits and vegetable one separate bag. And plastic bottles and cans in one separate bag. But then in our building or where we stay, you can mix the general with the vegetable peels and food peels. So we usually just put that in one um plastic and we throw that away. So in essence, it’s actually five. I think it’s a very very good initiative because it makes it I think easier also for them to finally recycle everything. Um but it was a culture shock for me because I’m just used to having one plastic that I have to throw away. Now when it’s trash day, y guys, you have to separate five bags. You have to take out five bags. It’s just a lot. But it is what it is. Supermarket self scan operation. So in the Netherlands they have self-scan um machines where you can actually scan your groceries yourself. They do have cashiers but they also have the option of you self-scanning. That was a culture shock for me because I’m not saying in South Africa. I know a friend of mine once told me that certain shops in South Africa I think in Johannesburg have that but it’s not like a common thing in every supermarket but here it’s common in almost every supermarket there’s self scan so you can just literally get your own groceries don’t have to talk to anyone go and selfcan and you’re out literally as simple as that so that was a culture shock for me and then uh we have the sun sets at 1000 p.m. in summer. Yes, you heard me right. The sun sets at sun the sun sets at 10:00 p.m. in summer in the Netherlands. It was a culture shock for me cuz I was just like, “What is this?” Cuz even in South Africa, no s I think probably by latest would be that the sun would still probably be a bit um in the sky around maybe half 7, you know, in the night. But apa it can legit be 10 p.m. and the sun would still be out. And it’s such a struggle trying to get a toddler to sleep or your child to sleep in general when the sun is still out because is just like you’re telling me to go and sleep but the sun is still out outside. So what is this you know? So that was a that was quite a culture shock for me. Dutch people love bread and pastries guys. I was so shocked as I mentioned in my other point that the Dutch love bread guys supermarket every day like bam which is basically a sandwich or a brocher like they love like a cheese sandwich or bread with cheese anything sandwich they love it. Um okay this one I have to disagree. People say that Dutch people are straightforward. I think yes, maybe there’s a certain element to Dutch people being straightforward and direct, but in my two years of living here, my partner and I actually discovered that the majority of people of Dutch people are not really straight or um straightforward are not really straightforward or direct, but they just don’t know how to speak English well. And if you are an English speaker and you trying to make them speak English to you, sometimes it may sound weird because also sometimes when you translate from Dutch to English, it translates directly. So sometimes that to a person might seem as if a person is speaking, you know, in a direct manner or they are being straightforward, but it’s not the case. So that’s something that we we discovered Kumi in the past two years that it’s not that Dutch people are straightforward or direct. I feel like every person not every person but every country has people who are just straight direct they blunt and that’s just who they are. But I feel like not everyone in the Netherlands is like that because they are like that. But I think it’s just a communication barrier and the fact that when you translate is to English at times it literally comes out the way it is. And sometimes it may sound like someone is just, you know, someone is just pouring whatever they’re saying to you. Coffee bars don’t always sell coffee, but they sell weed. I was shocked about this when someone said, “Don’t go to the Netherlands and think that every coffee bar that you see actually sells coffee because some of the coffee bars actually sell weed.” And it’s so true cuz I’ve passed a lot of coffee bars that smelt of weed. Um, open curtains and homes being um closer to the walkways. Guys, this one I was so shocked. The homes in the Netherlands are built in such a manner that they are so close to walkways and the majority of homes in the Netherlands don’t have um e fences. So you could literally be walking on the road and see what a person is doing inside their home. I don’t know how many times I’ve passed people’s homes and seeing them having dinner, watching TV, playing and doing whatever they were doing because it’s just a thing. And I think also it comes to the whole thing of safety which get gets me to the next point which is another culture shock for me staying in the Netherlands was the fact that it’s such a safe country. I’m not saying that crime does not happen here. People don’t get murdered or whatever the case may be. But compared to where I come from, it’s quite a safe country. And that was a culture shock for me that I’m able to walk on the road regardless of the time pressing my phone, listening to my music, whether I’m on public transport, whether I’m on a public road, and I still feel safe. I don’t feel the need to hide my phone or I don’t feel the need to fear walking alone as a woman or walking alone at night or whatever the case may be. But it doesn’t mean that you should risk and you want to travel alone at night, whatever. But um it is quite safe based on where I come from. So yeah, their homes um are built in in that type of manner which was a culture shock for me because in South Africa because of a lot of reason I think just the structure of the entire country and the way that um things have been a lot of homes have fences all right but also mostly now because of the crime rate that has gone up. A lot of people protect their homes by having fences. Order, obedience, um, honesty and organization. Guys, the Netherlands actually has been voted, I think, one of the most organized countries in the world. And I think this goes the same for order, obedience, and um, the honesty of the country. There’s a lot of honesty which makes it a safe country. Um, and obviously doesn’t mean that you should do things that might put you in a position of getting robbed or whatever, but the country itself is actually safe. So, that for me was another culture shock that um everything is just so organized. There’s appointments for everything. You don’t just rock up at public um facilities without an appointment. Um, everything is just prepared to the tea for every like you just they prepare for it. So, I love that because I’m a person who loves order. That for me was like a cherry on top. And then um it’s clean and green. Guys, South Africa is beautiful. South Africa is clean and South Africa can be green. But the Netherlands has just this beauty in its nature and it comes with every season. And it’s not just about summer, but there’s just maybe it’s just the fact that also I’ve reached a certain um spiritual maturity level that I see seasons in a different light now. And I find that every season has just so much beauty attached to it. So with that being said, um I just find the Netherlands really beautiful and green. South Africa is beautiful, guys. Our country is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. But I also appreciate how green and how clean the Netherlands is. And then uh following right up is that um I’ve barely ever seen any malls in this country. So ever since I’ve been here for 2 years, I’ve never been to a mall. I know there is one walk-in center in Einhovven that I’ve been to. And I think there was also one in was it in Brada? I’m not sure. But the majority of like shopping centers here is literally like a street like that has a lot of corners with a lot of shops. So it’s like an open space. It’s it’s just like literally in the street and you’d have different shops that you can go to. So I know there are malls but I probably haven’t never been to them. But that was a culture shock for me because in South Africa every every town has to have its own mall which you go into, right? So that was another culture shock for me. Then next up we have apartments look historic and are all the same in every city. Guys when I tell you this one please believe me. Netherlands. Wherever you are, whatever city you are, whatever town you are, you’re going to feel like you are in your original city because everything looks the same. The only difference that I’ve noticed is that certain towns and cities are more modern and um yeah I think that would be the only thing that I find different and more bigger you know but then in terms of the structures and the way the places were built they all look the same so much that even if you are in another town you still feel like you are in the same town that same town that you are from because they look very similar. So, it’s another thing that doesn’t really make me too excited when I travel to another town in the Netherlands because I just feel like I’m still in my city, but just bigger and better type of like thing. But obviously, that does not take away from the fun of exploring and um being exposed and experiencing different towns in the Netherlands. And then the emergency siren, guys, not the Netherlands giving. What’s that movie conj What’s that movie conj The purge not the Netherlands giving the purge vibes the first time I got to the Netherlands guys my son was still I think 9 months at that time not me thinking I just got here and already people are going to start killing each other and I just got here I just arrived Guys, I was so shocked. So, basically um in the Netherlands there’s um like an emergency siren test that is done. I think I don’t know if they said it’s once a year or once every 6 months. I’m not sure. But it basically is an emergency siren that is located in every single town that rings. It’s like they do a test basically to see if it’s still working. Blah blah blah blah guys. and you literally get an SMS on your phone to notify you that um there will be a test done or don’t panic it’s nothing serious it’s just a test I didn’t know that my partner never told me I’m here sitting at home nage kala you guys I panicked because once you’ve watched the purged anarchy you know you know you know that it does not mean good news so I was so traumatized guys I remember calling my partner I’m like what is happening what is happening am I supposed to pack some bags Am I supposed to rush out? Partner was like, “No, just relax. It’s nothing serious.” Blah, blah, blah. So, that was a culture shock for me. Electrical cars, guys. The Netherlands, electrical cars in the Netherlands are a thing. It was a culture shock for me. And in South Africa, we don’t have a lot of electrical cars and a probably zona, but we don’t have a lot of them. They’re not a thing. But in the Netherlands, they are a thing. And I don’t like how you don’t hear them when they come behind you. the next day you just see a car in front of you and you’re just like where do you come from? So that was another culture shock for me that electrical cars are a thing here. The Dutch people are stylish. Even the old guys, the Dutch people dress so nice. I love their aesthetic. Especially the old, I love, love how they dress. Um the younger generation, I think, are still stuck in that whole thing of trying to look the same. So, there’s this specific aesthetic that they all usually go for. Like, usually the kids in high school/vosity, and I find it so annoying because they all look the same. You can’t even tell them apart sometimes, but it is their own thing. So, it is what it is. Uh, another culture shock for me in the Netherlands was that the time changes. So, I’m not exactly sure which month which months it changes on, but I think in March and I’m not sure which other month, but basically um there’s a certain time during the year where we go an hour behind from South African time and then in the following year again we go and we we go on to the same time as South Africa. So, the time changes. So, literally I don’t know what the explanation is behind it. If someone does know and you’re watching this video, please let us know in the comment section below. From my viewing and from what my partner has told me is that also because in summer um the sun sets um very late and in winter the sun usually is not even existent or um it sets very late. So they change the times to accommodate Aband to be able to go out of work and to come into work or something like that. I don’t know. But apparently that is one of the reasons which takes me back to the next point which was a culture shock for me guys in the Netherlands winter basically lasts for about 5 months guys it’s gray like totally gray for 5 months you can literally go for 3 months or even 4 months without experiencing any sun and that was a culture shock for me I struggled in the beginning guys I struggled I suffered from seasonal depression something I never had before something I didn’t even know about. But when I got to the Netherlands, I struggled with it. And um I’m in a better place now. I think I’ve gotten used to the weather. I’m not saying that it’s okay and I’m happy jolly when it’s winter, but I think mentally I’ve just adjusted to situation that people are so conservative and they’re not all friendly guys in the Netherlands. So some I’m not saying everyone is like this, but the majority of the people are very conservative and they’re not really friendly. People always are pressing their phones, have their headphones on. People literally live in these cocoons and they live in their own bubbles, keep to themselves. You could literally be crying. I remember this other time there was a girl crying on the train. No one paid attention to her. I literally am one of the people who actually walked up to her to ask her, “Is she okay? Does she need help with anything? People just mind their own. And there’s a certain extent to um me liking that um because the Bible does also tell us that we should live lives where we mind our own business and not concern ourselves of other people’s lives. But then there’s a line that you draw there where there’s there’s minding your own business, but then there’s just a place where you reach where you don’t have ubundu, you know? And that’s how I feel like the majority of the people here don’t have ubundu. And for me it was a culture shock because in South Africa there’s a lot of Ubuntu. People literally care for each other. Whether you know the person or whether a person is a stranger, people love each other, they care for each other and they’re very supportive towards each other. Cabs and Ubers are luxury cars. Guys, Uber Mercedes. I was so shocked guys when I got to the Netherlands and I got into an Uber and I think the Uber was like a Mercedes V-class. It was Leana Babies at the Effing Car in South Africa. That was the one that I was on. Generally, majority of Uber cars and taxis are beautiful luxury cars and that was a culture shock for me. Another culture shock was the fact that um cars park outside there are really any garages. Um, so people do have garages in their homes, but the majority of people park their cars outside and it’s safe, but the only thing is that is not nice about that is when it snows cuz then your car has a lot of snow, then you have to clean that up. But yeah, that was a culture shock for me that cars are able to park outside and it is safe. Another culture shock was that the walkways have indications for the blind. This was really fascinating for me. So literally on the majority of walkways, especially at the train stations, I think there’s like literally uh an indication for the blind people. So it kind of like guides them to make sure they don’t fall over a cliff or whatever the case may be. So that was really really fascinating for me. Bicycle theft is actually a thing in the Netherlands. Yes, people steal bicycles and it’s a problem. Uh time is taken seriously in buses, trains, public transport, appointments. People take time seriously in the Netherlands. Like one thing about public transport in the Netherlands, it’s efficient. Which takes me to the next point. Public transport in the Netherlands is efficient. It’s effective. It is um reliable. I’m not saying all the time. It can be disappointing at times, but majority of the time it’s it’s set. Love the fact that wherever you want to go, you can literally just go onto the 9292 app or NS app, put the destination, it will give you an entire route of how you need to travel to your destination. Love, love, love, love that about the Netherlands. The fuel stations have no petrol attendance. This was a shock for me, guys, cuz in South Africa, we have petrol attendants who literally pull the fuel for you and whatever. In the Netherlands, the majority of fuel stations and car washes don’t have people. So you can literally go to the car wash and do your own thing. And also same for fuel stations. You can literally go to the fuel station, pour your own fuel, pay for your own um fuel and sometimes they do have kiosks where you would have to pay but majority of the fuel stations you just do your own thing. That was a culture shock for me. It also just shows the honesty and the safety of the country. Another one is that Christmas is dead in the Netherlands. Like everyone is just in their homes. It used to bother me at first, but now that I don’t celebrate Christmas anymore, I couldn’t care less. But um Christmas is just dead. Everyone is just in their homes cuz it’s cold. Sometimes it snows and people are just in their homes. Whereas in South Africa, it’s the opposite. Christmas is usually a busy time. People are on the streets. People are just busy. South Africa Christmas. In the Netherlands, it’s the opposite. Everyone just keeps to themselves and keeps to their homes. No windows in the bathrooms, guys. We’ve stayed in two places in the in the Netherlands. And I’m telling you, both of these apartments that we’ve stayed in don’t have windows in the bathrooms. And a lot of people always mention the same thing that the ne Netherlands don’t have windows in the bathrooms. And what is it with that? They usually have airons, which I find really weird cuz in South Africa, majority of our bathrooms have windows. So that was another culture shock for me. Fireworks, I was so shook. So in the Netherlands, fireworks are a thing. Like they are a thing. And I know apparently there was a law that um was implemented last year or this year or they’re trying to implement it to ban fireworks during the 31st of January or 31st of December rather going to the 1st of January because they overdo it in Netherlands guys like they overdo it. Like it’s just too much. It’s just too much. So apparently planning to to ban them and I fully fully support that decision. I I I agree. I fully fully agree. Another culture shock for me staying in the Netherlands was the fact that I noticed that a lot of um Dutch people or maybe just people in general in the Netherlands are not really saved or they’re not really like um spiritual people. Um I don’t like using the word spiritual because I learned that people can be spiritual but it doesn’t mean that they are saved. So I think the best way to put it would be just that a lot of people don’t believe in God. um they don’t believe in the Trinity, which is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They’re not saved. So, I found at first when I got here, I found it very iffy because it was hard to talk about God because the majority of people around you don’t really believe. They’re not believers. They’re not saved. But then as time went by, I started being comfortable in who I am and what I believe in. And at this point, I couldn’t care less. If someone does not believe and if they that they are not comfortable. Another thing I’ve learned is that if people are comfortable to be loud about what they don’t believe in and loud about whatever it is they believe in that is not God or the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I can also be loud about what I believe in, and that’s okay. Toilet shape are weird, guys. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I find that the toilet shape in the Netherlands are weird. Like, they just have this hump. And I think a lot of people can attest to this, but they just have this weird shape. Like in the in South Africa toilets, you can literally see the water, right? But in the Netherlands, they have this hump. So, it’s almost as though you can see the water and then there’s this hump and it’s not like a nice circular um representation of the water but it’s like the water’s here and there’s this hump and it it’s so like uncomfortable especially when you’re doing number two cuz it’s like now your number two has to slide GL cliff I’m sorry too much information but I found it so weird and annoying because when you’re doing your business now everyone must hear you when you’re doing your business which I just find so traumatizing but yeah that was another culture shock and then um another thing that used to be annoying for me or still is annoying is the fact that people get shocked by the many hairstyles that I do every time when I’d get to work wearing a different um wig or having a different hairstyle people would be fascinated they’d want to touch my hair and I don’t like people would touch my hair or even touch me in general. So that was really annoying for me. It was a culture shock cuz I was just like this is normal in South Africa. People can come as five different people in a week, one day un bo the next day afra the next day long hair. So this is this is normal for me. But then in the Netherlands it’s not really normal cuz obviously people have their natural hair. They don’t really do extensions and like braids and all of that. Another culture shock for me in the Netherlands was the coat hanger. So basically when you go to events, even at work, they have the coat hanger where you can literally hang your coat. I found it as a culture shop cuz in South Africa, you keep your stuff to yourself so that no one can steal it. But here, even when you go to like a public event, they always have these coat hangers where you can all hang your codes and when once you’re done with the event, you can collect it. Once again, proves the whole safety and honesty thing. Love, love, love, love it. Um, another culture shock was the fact that windows open in different ways in the Netherlands. Guys, windows open in three ways, I think, in the Netherlands. Or two ways, right? Two ways, I think. Some three ways, some two ways. So, the windows open, this is the window. The windows can open like this and the windows can fully open like this, like you would open a normal window. That was a culture shock for me cuz I remember the first time I tried to open the window and then it opened like this but obviously it did the and I was just like oh I just arrived and I’m already breaking the windows so that was a culture shock for me cuz I was just like what is this? But yeah, that was really really interesting. And mobile egg purchaser. Did you know that there are mobile egg purchases in the Netherlands? I was also shocked guys. So there’s literally like a mobile egg purchaser. You can go there, I think, scan your bank card and literally voila, you can get some eggs. I think they have a few around certain towns, but this was a culture shock for me because selfservice that they have in supermarkets would Oh, guys, you know, sometimes when I think about the Netherlands, I’m like, there are certain things in the Netherlands that would never ever work in South Africa. like that would be an absolute disaster in South Africa. And I’m sorry, I’m not saying anything bad about my country, but yo, some South Africans are just unruly and they’re just certain things that they would never be able to be obedient and um respectful towards. Um having to translate everything. Yeah, this was a culture shock because obviously in South Africa the most common language is English, so it’s easy to communicate with people in English, but here it’s Dutch. Um, so you have to know the language in some way or the other and especially when you buy groceries cuz most of the stuff are written in Dutch. So you constantly have to translate to make sure you’re buying the right thing. So translating everything was a bit of a culture shock, but then I’ve gotten used to it and I’m learning a bit of Dutch. So, um, finding the perfect pillow to sleep on, guys. I don’t know if it’s just me, but when I got here, I struggled to find the perfect pillow cuz in South Africa, we have the standard pillow size, right? I don’t know what size it is. I think it’s is it 60 by 30 or something like that. ABA, they mostly have like it looks like a continental pillow, but a bit smaller and those are the normal pillows. But eventually after a while I finally got a proper pillow size at a chemist. I think I had to buy it at a chem is it a chemist or a a drugstore or I don’t know what it’s called. But if no gleaks that’s where I eventually found a proper size pillow for the first time. So that was a culture shock for me because what is this? Why am I going to be sleeping on a continental pillow now? How anyways um finding soap to bath guys. Apparently, the Dutch use a lot of shower gels and shower creams. And I didn’t know this. So, it was a culture shock for me cuz when I got here, um, every time we would go and do groceries, especially when you when we would do like e toiletries, we would struggle to find soap like a normal bar of soap. The only soap that we used to mostly get was But then Dove is a soap that you usually use to wash your face, right? So, and especially. So, it was really a struggle because we wanted like proper proper soap so that we can use to bath our bodies, but it was really hard to find it. But eventually, we found um that little does sell um isa and I think other places that do sell um a bar of soap. So, we always just look around to find it. Now, the next one is beds. The beds are split, guys. This was a culture shock. beds of South Africa, you have your standard size. It’s either a single or 3/4, a double bed, or a queen bed. In the Netherlands, you have probably like a queen bed size, but then they split. I’m going to try and put a picture up here so that you can you guys can see what I’m talking about. They split in half. So, even with the bedding, you find that you don’t usually put like a queen-siz fitted sheet. You’d have to have two single bed sheets for a queen-siz bed. make it make sense. That was a culture shock for me. So, I really really found that really um funny and um shocking, but I got to use to it now. And yeah, it is what it is. Finding fresh spinach. What is it with the Netherlands and not having fresh spinach? And I’m not talking about baby spinach. I’m talking about fresh fresh spinach. I’m going to try and put a p picture here of the spinach that I’m referring to. I posted a thread on my Tik Tok of the culture shocks that I’ve experienced and I put pictures. So, sometimes I won’t really put pictures when I do videos on YouTube, but then if you want to get um a visual representation of the videos that I do on on YouTube, you can also check out my Tik Tok. So, I put a picture on Tik Tok of the spinach I’m talking about. And a lot of people attested to this who are from South Africa that it’s so hard to just find a normal fresh bunch of spinach in the Netherlands. doctors recommending paracetamol for everything. I think this was the biggest annoying thing for me in the Netherlands that the doctors recommend paracetamol for everything. Guys, a lot of people have complained a lot of people apparently have sued certain hospitals because they believe in the entire thing of allowing your body to heal itself. They believe in a country that does not depend on medication and drugs to survive. They believe in your body um immune your body’s immune system being stronger and being able to fight whatever diseases and viruses or sicknesses that you might have. So this entire thing sometimes they take it too far because sometimes you might find that a person is in excruciating pain and the condition that they have is actually serious and the doctors will just tell you that you just need to take paracetamol and you rest that time you are in pain. So a lot of people have some have even lost their lives. A lot of people have sued certain hospitals because they sent them back home and told them to just have paracetamol and rest and then later to find out a person had a brain tumor, a person had a rupture and don’t y guys it’s it’s one of the most annoying thing. It’s got a good side to it and a bad side to it. But I think to a certain extent they need to lower that um what do they call it that um law or whatever it is that they have regarding that because at this point it’s not normal that a person would be in excruciating pain and you would be sent away that time you’re paying health insurance every month that that is so expensive. So I just don’t understand that part but yeah that was another culture shock for me. um different cultures and their personalities. Guys, excuse me. So, in the Netherlands, um there’s a lot of different people. Um it’s quite a diverse country. People from a lot of countries like Turkish um people, a lot of people from Poland, a lot of people from Germany. Like there’s people from different countries, right? But what they don’t tell you is that those people come with their own cultural backgrounds, their own own cultural personalities and their personalities differ as people. And sometimes they clash because in our country or rather in South Africa, most of our cultures teach the whole thing of respecting your elders. You don’t talk back to people. You respect through the way that you speak, the way you carry yourself. Um you know we encourage to be kind, to be patient, we encourage to um have respect and modesty and even through your speech but certain um people from from certain countries they are blunt they are straightforward and sometimes it comes as harsh when you’re a person who is not used to that especially if like from a country that has so for me that was a culture shock guys I y it was a culture shock cuz I was just like what is this? Why are people rude? And also I think reading really helps guys. I would really really recommend you read books such as what happened to you, books such as the culture map, books such as um surrounded by idiots because those books help you to understand different people, different cultures so that you don’t always think what’s wrong with this person or why is this person like this or why is this person being an idiot? because majority of the time people there’s nothing wrong with people but it’s just who they are and how they’ve been brought up and because it’s different from you or your upbringing you automatically think that there’s something wrong with them. So that’s just something that I learned through reading and I really really love the fact that reading has opened up my mind mind and has also helped me to understand people a bit better. Then last but not least, duchies are money saving. They live minimalistic lives and they keep to themselves. Love, love, love this about the Duchess Gan. It was a culture shock for me because people here can have money but they don’t really flaunt it in your face. And I’m not saying everyone is the same. Maybe there are those people who like to flaunt it and want to show everyone their money. But and one thing that I have seen and that is consistent about the people here is that they keep to themselves. And even if or rich. They don’t really um feel the need to show off. They live simple lives, money saving lives. And I think I love the fact that another thing that I’ve noticed is that they focus more on saving money for their retirement so that they can live comfortably. Um and they don’t focus a lot doing their working or the younger age that um they don’t focus a lot on trying to impress people. Um India in general is not like much of a thing compared to South Africa. South Africa status is a thing. Once starts working, they want to show everyone that they’re working. They’re making money. They’ve made it through iPhones, through buying LV Gucci bags and branded bags and trips and vacations to Bali and this place and that place. And people always feel the need to prove, yeah, I’ve made it. Whereas here, people just live simple and minimalistic lives. They just work hard. They enjoy when they do enjoy. go back to their families. They literally really um support and encourage the whole thing of family that family is important. Work hard, yes, but also put your family first and just use your money wisely, eat healthy, live a healthier lifestyle, save as much as you can so that you can live comfortably during your retirement, which is why a lot of people who are old here don’t really die because they live comfortably and they are healthy. So that for me was just like a also I was shocked the other day when I realized and learned that even CEOs for example they drive bicycles to work and I was just like what and that for me was like so impressive because I was like in South Africa first of all if I would just tell my family that I cycle so that’s just the mentality difference um South Africans have and people from Europe have or from the Netherlands have and I love that people are just humble and it’s not a thing of yes people buy nice cars, nice house or whatever but the majority of the people are just living simple minimalistic lives and I love that because I’m a minimalist guys. I just love a simple and meaningful life. So yeah guys those were the culture shocks that I experienced. If there’s anything that you want to share that you might have experienced, please let me know know in the comments section below guys. I would really really love to hear in case there’s anything that I’ve missed. But those were the culture shocks that I experienced as a South African living in the Netherlands. And yeah, I will catch you guys in the next video. I don’t know what the next video is going to be about, but it’s going to be another one about the Netherlands cuz I’m trying to get all this Netherlands content out cuz I’ve been saying I’m going to get it out. But yeah, I will catch you guys in the next video. Please subscribe if you haven’t. Don’t forget to give the video a thumbs up. Let’s interact in the comment section. And don’t forget to share the video. I’ll catch you guys in the next video.