Originally published on Brigitte.de — https://web.archive.org/web/20051122190634/http://blog.brigitte.de/holland/
I live in a country whose residents also refer to their homeland as “Little Frogland.” I haven’t yet figured out where the Dutch got this name, but when it comes to the characteristics “small, green, and loud-mouthed,” I do notice quite a few parallels.
Small: The Netherlands has 16 million inhabitants, making it about the same size as North Rhine-Westphalia.
People are crammed into this tiny patch of land; 25 years ago, part of the IJsselmeer had to be drained specifically to give everyone a little more space. And these days, everyone complains about the narrow highways and the constant traffic jams after the pleasant summer lull (when half the country heads to France, Italy, or Switzerland).
Green: it rains here often. Much more often than I’d like. As it happens, we’re currently experiencing a very warm week here, but normally it’s the norm to struggle through the lashing rain and headwind on a rickety bike (the expensive ones get stolen right away). On the other hand, it’s always beautifully green here, and the grass has an enchanting glow even in December.
Big mouths: The Dutch are pretty arrogant. They always think they know better. Small but mighty; they’re just desperate to be noticed on the big world atlas and rub shoulders with the big players. A sort of inferiority complex, though of course they’d never admit it. And actually, I often have to agree with them. Resistance is futile, you could say.
And yet, little green frogs are kind of cute, too. They don’t do anything to you; they can just sit there quite friendly and look at you. And then suddenly croak really loudly. Just for a second. And then they hop on.
That’s how it often goes for me here. I’m standing in a newsstand and bump into someone with my bag. Instead of getting annoyed or just ignoring me, he turns toward me, looks me in the face, and then says with a spontaneous smile: “Oh, it’s no big deal!” Even though I want to stammer out an apology for invading their personal space. You easily end up chatting, and as you walk on, you think, “How nice!”
Then I continue on to the train, absorbed in my book, look up because I’ve forgotten where I’m supposed to go, and suddenly hear a voice I don’t recognize call out as the person walks by: “Don’t look so grumpy!” There it is again, that loud croaking. Someone I don’t know just decides on the spot what kind of mood I’m in today. He reads it off my face, assumes I’m having a bad day, and then tells me so directly. As they walk by. Just like that. Even though I’m completely happy today. And I didn’t even ask for their opinion. And then I get annoyed at the frog, who was just a little while ago small and cute and suddenly ruined my mood. And I imagine myself saying to a complete stranger on the S-Bahn in Berlin, “You look pretty unfriendly today!”
So small, green, and a big mouth go very well together. And I’ll do my best to adapt. The stranger has long since walked on after his remark and disappeared from my field of vision. I sigh, get on the train, and starting tomorrow I’ll make an effort to be even friendlier to all the little frogs around me.
Ulrike Nagel: Friday, September 2, 2005, 4:28 p.m.
Comments
That was certainly a nice start about the little “Kickerland” where I’ve also been living for 6 years… Hopefully there’s more to come that makes me think,
“Finally, not just the dreamy German gushing about idyllic Holland!” The topic of tolerance would also be interesting—for example, how tolerant 16 million residents are toward people who try to speak their language but can only manage it with an accent… Or Dutch English like “seven üp”…
The current discussion about “allochtoon” and “autochtoon” would also be very fascinating…
For anyone interested, I also highly recommend the book “The Undutchables”!!!
Keep up the good work, Ulrike Nagel!Commented by: Sonja | Sunday, September 4, 2005, 11:56 a.m.
Funny, I also lived in the Netherlands for some time, but I never encountered any arrogant Dutch people—instead, I met nice, helpful, (often a bit loud—so what?), open-minded, and cheerful people with whom I’m still in touch today.
Could it be because I grew up in an international, multilingual community and therefore tend to have more trouble getting along with my fellow Germans than with foreigners?
Speaking of language: I’ve noticed that people in every country (including the Netherlands) are delighted when foreigners try to make themselves understood in the local language.
I certainly am, too, when I experience that here in Germany.
My foreign friends often complain that Germans are unfriendly and impatient when they try to practice their German in our country. So: more tolerance on all sides!
But I wouldn’t advise anyone to conform—instead,
stay true to who you are.In any case, I’m going to try to get my hands on the book
*The Undutchables*—the title sounds promising!Robin
Commented by: robin44 | Sunday, September 4, 2005, 1:53 p.m.
I’ve been living in the Netherlands for 30 years, and in the early years I thought there were a lot of differences between Germans and Dutch people. After 30 years, that’s not such a big deal anymore. However, the thing about having a “big mouth”—that definitely applies to Germans as well. Here in our region, many Germans come on vacation, and whenever an acquaintance has had yet another “big-mouthed” experience, he’ll say (or something to that effect): “Well, Renate, I’ve got nothing against Germans, but why are they so rude?” And I’d always thought that we, in fact, are a very polite people.
By the way, I’ve noticed that people often behave differently (worse) abroad than they do at home.
One last thing: I really like it here, and I’ve met some nice people as well as some real jerks—here, but also back home. Groetjes, RenateCommented by: Renate | Sunday, September 4, 2005, 2:51 p.m.
My experiences with the Dutch have been nothing but positive so far—whether on vacation or while shopping in the Netherlands. The people are friendly and helpful. We moved here a year ago (we live in a little village in the Münsterland region); our new neighbor is from the Netherlands, and he welcomed us with open arms. As a welcome gift, there was a bouquet of flowers on the table along with a nice letter in which he offered to help us with the move. We have a wonderful neighborhood and have already spent many lovely hours and evenings together. As my grandma always used to say so beautifully: “What goes around comes around”—somehow, there’s definitely some truth to that.
Commented by: Birgitt Kroh | Sunday, September 4, 2005, 7:07 p.m.
…great description—I had a very similar experience in the Netherlands! However, I’ve also found that people from other countries who’ve lived in the Netherlands for a long time turn into little green frogs, too. That’s how I left my best friend Sonja behind in the Netherlands as a frog! Ribbit! alexandra
Commented by: alexandra | Sunday, September 4, 2005, 7:49 p.m.
Hi,
My mom is Dutch, born in Indonesia. I always loved spending vacations in the Netherlands with Grandma and Grandpa and surrounded by my half-Indonesian family, and the family gatherings there are so much nicer and more CONVIVIAL than the ones here in Germany.
I love how sociable the Dutch are! I almost moved there once—I would have found a job through the temp agency “The Undutchables”—but love kept me here after all…
Groetjes,
SilkeCommented by: Silke | Monday, September 5, 2005, 8:19 a.m.
Goedemiddag
. I’m Dutch and have been living in
Bavaria for 32 years. So I actually prefer my “little frogs”—better a croak than grumbling.I still miss the openness here—and, in a way, that so-called “free spirit”—as well as the spontaneity; here, everything always has to be organized and planned. Let the frogs stay just the way they are—that’s good for Europe.BYE
Commented by: Marianne Schüttel-Oomes | Monday, September 5, 2005, 2:19 p.m.
Big mouths: The Dutch are pretty arrogant. They always think they know better. Small but feisty; they’re just desperate to be noticed on the big world map and rub shoulders with the big players. A sort of inferiority complex, though of course they’d never admit it. And actually, I often have to agree with them. Resistance is futile, you could say.
…………..And all Dutch people are named Jos…
Commented by: Henk (van Betsy) | Tuesday, September 6, 2005, 8:56 p.m.
Hi,
I’ve lived in Holland myself and felt very at home there.I always enjoy visiting my friends there—the Dutch are a fun bunch and not as uptight as the Germans. But just making plans is tricky; first you have to check your calendar to see when you’re free again….
and maybe I miss it—mmm, really lekkerCommented by: Rebekka | Wednesday, September 7, 2005, 12:54 p.m.
Hi,
great story… I’m not Dutch myself, but my daughter has been living and working in the Netherlands for several years now. So I’ve come to know both mentalities and can only confirm this: I always feel like a new person when I cross the border into the Netherlands! I hardly ever experience that kind of feeling of freedom and well-being anywhere else! The most fun is just watching the little frogs go about their funny antics… or jumping right in myself!
Now I’m just waiting for my daughter to finally wake one of these frogs (but he has to be LEKKER!) and kiss him into a prince!Oh, and by the way: Most Dutch guys are named Jos or Henk—at least, that’s what I think…
Bye! Lutz
Commented by: Lutz | Wednesday, September 7, 2005, 5:42 p.m.
Finally, a native Dutchwoman here! On the subject of frogs:
Please, we’re not frogs.
The Netherlands (please don’t say “Holland”!) has always had too much water—rain from above and the sea and lakes below. Frogs live in water, so it’s a country of and for frogs: ons koude kikkerlandje.Commented by: Leontine van Vliet | Friday, September 9, 2005, 8:35 p.m.
I’ve been living in the Netherlands for 13 years. For some time now, I’ve been working as a German teacher. I’m constantly faced with the question: “Why do we have to learn German, and why don’t you learn Dutch?” This is despite the fact that many people here along the border speak perfect Dutch.
It’s really friendly here, and we have the best neighbors and coworkers in the world. We’re always happy when we come home from Germany. It’s just embarrassing for us in the summer when those loudmouth vacationers show up at “their campground” in Holland again.Commented by: Christel | Thursday, September 15, 2005, 12:47 a.m.
Hi everyone,
Love brought me from Switzerland to the Netherlands via Madagascar. I’ve been living here for almost 5 years now. Compared to Switzerland, what strikes me most is that everything here is soooo much more laid-back and open. I’m always overcome by a feeling of freedom when I cross the border and my gaze gets lost in the vast horizon over the flat countryside. I find people to be spontaneous and uncomplicated—often friendly and sometimes grumpy—but in any case much freer and more uninhibited than in Switzerland. And yes, every now and then someone does indeed “blurt out” an unsolicited opinion at me, and that’s (for me) very unusual and sometimes annoying and a bit harsh, but not arrogant. As for the green countryside and the rain: I prefer short, heavy downpours—which usually blow over in an instant—to layers of clouds that pile up in a valley and block out the sun for days on end. On the other hand, I enjoy the beautiful nature and open spaces in Switzerland, because here it can sometimes get pretty crowded with all the people in such a small country. With an average population density of 480 people per km², the Netherlands is one of the most densely populated countries on Earth (Switzerland, as of 2001: 176 people per km²). And the traffic jams here never seem to end either. But still: I find it “gezellig” here, and I really like it. And no matter where in the world you choose to live, there are pros and cons everywhere!
Greetings, Karin
Commented by: Karin | Tuesday, November 1, 2005, 5:29 p.m.
Hello Dutch and non-Dutch folks,
I was totally charmed by this blog and will keep following it. I’m a huge HOLLAND FAN (sorry, Netherlands fan) myself… I go to Zeeland all the time and love it. I’ve also noticed that our “neighbors” are more open, friendlier, and just more laid-back. The country has a wonderful vibe, flat as it is. But I can’t think of anything negative… oh wait: the fries there were TERRIBLE the other day!!! I ate them anyway—didn’t want to be a “typical German” and complain. :-)Best regards, Heike