All Things Amsterdam

My Dutch friends told me that it's been fun to see their world through my eyes over the past few days since it's easy to not notice certain things about your own culture if they've always been there.  Here are some of the fun facts I've noticed about Amsterdam/Holland since I've been here.  I've been here almost 10 days already so I'm completely an expert in Dutch culture now. Feel free to reference me in any scholarly articles:

1. It is not impolite to ask for the "toilet" as the toilet and bath/shower are actually in separate rooms.  If you ask where the bathroom is to relieve yourself, people will wonder what kind of uncivilized person you are to pee in the shower (or at least to admit to it)

the toilet room

2. There is quite a bit of diversity here for such a small place.  The main immigrant groups are Turkish, and Moroccan.  There are some similarities with marginalization of the groups to immigrants in the US, but in my limited opinion, not as extreme. *As a side bar, being the cultural studies nerd that I am, I've had several interesting conversations with my Dutch friends about discrimination, integration, etc. and trying to compare and contrast immigrant status in the USA to Holland.  Especially in lieu of the recent US school shooting and why the US seems to be so much more violent and dangerous.  I've heard theories over the years that much of the violence in the US has to do with our vast diversity (which I don't necessarily agree with), and while I know our numbers are way higher than here, I still see a much more peaceful existence here.  I never once felt threatened here, and honestly would feel safe walking alone at 3 in the morning (which I saw several girls doing)---this is something I have NEVER felt, anywhere I've been.

3. People are quite helpful and friendly.  I know some of my friends will disagree with me here, but at least in my experience, everyone has been quite pleasant.  Even the man we flagged down on his bike at 3:30 am to help us find the apartment.  First of all, he actually stopped, which was shocking enough to me.  Then, he pulled out his smartphone to help, and then rode off on the bike and came back to confirm it's location.  I mean, who doest that, really?!

4.  The roads are tiny and shared by EVERYTHING--bikes, cars, trams, pedestrians.  There's an intricate system here that everyone adheres to and the tourists mess it up as I've been so lovingly reminded every time my friends saved my life from walking into a head-on collision with a bike. "Don't be a tourist!"

5. Most dogs walk along without a leash and do so quite well, even on trams and restaurants--inside!

6. You must have a "Pin" to be able to use a credit/debit card in a store and some restaurants.  This means, it must be in the Dutch banking system.  Otherwise, you must go to an ATM and get cash.

7. Eating a chocolate-sprinkle sandwich is normal.

8. Holland also has an area known as the "Bible Belt"-- more conservative parts.  I was warned about this when heading north to Zwolle and such.

9. English is spoken everywhere, written material is bilingual, and tv/movies as well. Speaking of tv, they have all our shows: family guy, modern family, scrubs is REALLY popular here for some reason, plain jane, etc.

10. STAIRS--there are lots of them, and steep ones!

11. If using crutches, people use the kind that go around your wrist, not under your arm like we typically use. 

12. And it goes without saying that bikes are EVERYWHERE! Still can't figure out why they still use them, in winter, rain, and all and haven't graduated to motorbikes like the rest of the world.  I'm not complaining, I love it! Just a curiosity.  And of course, with bikes come unique dutch gadgets--kid seats, kid carts, fun back-tire locks, lights, baskets, etc. (see my facebook album)