Dating a Dutch Guy; Common Things Dutch People Do

I've been visiting The Netherlands for some quite amount of times already and I am still amazed to see how Dutch people do things, in a fancy or very different way. Living in The Philippines, in the very own city that I grew up, and I was born in, I have not really experienced or seen a lot in my life. I am so grateful that my windows opened and I was able to have a glimpse of the other part aside from my hometown.

Now that I am married to the Dutch I dated for 3 years and celebrated our first anniversary this year, already, still, lots of things are yet to be discovered. I've decided not to change the title of this series so they will still be in place and in the same category.

Anyhow, let's not dilly dally and let's start, shall we?

Three kisses on the cheek

Greeting family and friends with kisses on the cheek are pretty normal, we also do that in the Philippines. But in The Netherlands, it is a custom to give others three kisses. I've heard that if someone did that to you, it means that they like you. There's no specific side which one to cling first, whether left or right. Some times, I just go on to a friend and let them do the thing. Hehe.

One hot meal a day

Yes, it is very common in a Dutch household. They only take bread or cereals in the morning, then a sandwich in their lunch, and in the evening, it is when they really have a feast meal. Unlike in The Philippines, we always have hot rice and ulam in all three meals to go on with the day. Dutch loves their potatoes, meat, and vegetables in their table for dinner. And that's perfectly paired with a cold glass of good beer or wine.

Learning English in the cinema

We've been to several cinemas here in The Netherlands because I and my husband are certified movie buffs. I am not afraid to go since all English movies stay English. How can those young ones understand the show? Easy, it is subtitled. It is somehow one of the ways on how Dutch people learn English. I am happy about it because everywhere I go, they can speak English. I am not afraid of getting lost. Even in TV shows, you will also see English series in their original language with Dutch subtitles. This is actually how my husband learned how to speak English.

Greeting everyone in the street

The first time I was here, I was surprised that others greet me, even though we just saw each other in the street. Then after a few months, everyone is just doing that. Then I thought, okay, this is typically Dutch. I love it actually, makes my day!

Stores close super early

Back home, people are still inside the malls even it is as late as 9 o'clock. Some stores even close at midnight, so you have ample time to buy what you need when you have too and after work, there is still something you can go to and buy pieces of stuff. Here in The Netherlands, stores close as early as 5 o'clock. I find it actually sad because people stop working at that time and the moment they leave their workplace, they just need to go directly home. And if you need something, let's say, important, you need to leave work and go to shops unless you'll not be able to get it. Other though, (depending on the city) in specific days closes late, like 8 o'clock.

And there you have it! There are still more actually, but that will be in another blog post. Thank you, everyone, for reading!

Do you find Dutch people do the same as how I view?
Are you thinking of something to add?
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