I recently studied abroad in the Netherlands. Below, I discuss five things that I appreciate more about living in the United States after my time out of the country.
1. Open discussion/Cultural awareness
From casual conversation to history classes to politics, American colonial history is discussed in a modern context much more often than Dutch colonial history is in the Netherlands. Especially growing up in Massachusetts and going to university in Connecticut, educational and political discussion at the minimum accepted that modern social issues trace back to the United States’ colonial past and roots of slavery. Due to this, overall discussion of progress beyond systematic issues seems richer in the U.S. than in the Netherlands, even if it hasn’t led to better policies. Though I do appreciate the progressive policies of the Netherlands, I’ve also grown to appreciate the progressive conversations in the U.S. more.
2. being Friendly to Strangers
Dutch people are generally nice, but it isn’t most Europeans’ first instinct to talk to strangers in public, which doesn’t make them any less friendly once actually meeting. However, there’s a clear difference in public interactions and the culture around strangers between the U.S. and the Netherlands. People in Nordic countries are especially known to keep to themselves, which put into perspective that I’ve seen (and experienced myself) Americans approaching one another to bond over the littlest things, from clothing to music artists. The Dutch students at my university said Americans are always friendly and easy to talk to, and I definitely see why now. Â
3. Driving
Though I love public transportation and wish the U.S. had a more convenient system, the freedom of driving and stopping wherever you want is something I missed. Public transportation discourages stops along the way, whereas you can stop for food, souvenirs, shopping, and activities when you’re driving. Moreover, you have somewhere to keep everything you buy along the way, unlike the basket of a bike.
4. The Sun
The Netherlands stays cloudy and rainy for a lot of the year, so when the sun comes out for even a few hours, people run outside and soak it up. Though the display of appreciation is adorable on those days, I missed having more of them every spring in the United States. Furthermore, I missed the colorful sunrises and sunsets I saw at the University of Connecticut nearly every day in the Fall 2022 semester; though I’m unsure why as it is not often discussed or maybe even noticed, I only saw a handful of hued sunsets during my Spring 2023 semester in the Netherlands.
5. Food & Drinks
I know I got lucky with my city or country because I had access to ice, free clean tap water, and good restaurants from a variety of cultures while studying abroad, so I can’t say I missed American food and drinks that much. However, the one exception is Mexican food, especially Chipotle, which I am counting down the days to eat again. The Netherlands does have countless Mexican restaurants, but there are certain flavors that distinguish Mexican food made in the Americas that I can’t wait to have access to again.
