Ten Things You Don't Know about The Netherlands and the Dutch Until You Move Here (Part 5)

(c) Amanda van Mulligen

The typical Dutch stereotype consists of cheese eating, clog wearing tall people talking a dialect of German with a backdrop of windmills sailing round on the flatlands. However, there is much more to this small country and the people who live in it than the rest of the world thinks. Here's the fifth and last part of a series on things you don't necessarily know about the Dutch and their country until you move here.

9. Politics is Fragmented, To Say the Least
Before I moved to the Netherlands, I had little experience or direct knowledge of how it is to live in a country under a coalition government. Since I moved to the Netherlands I have known little else. Until the last general election in 2010 in the UK, there has been no coalition in my lifetime, or my parents' life time come to that. Recent Dutch politics has been nothing but a series of coalitions, and unstable ones at that. To say recent Dutch governments have been fragile is an understatement - yet somehow that isn't reflected in daily life.

The newest Dutch government took a few months to form and was controversial to say the least. However, looking on the bright side - it could be worse... we could be living in Belgium where they have been living with no government for seven months.

The Dutch take to the Ice (c) A van Mulligen

10. The Dutch are Ice Crazy
Maybe I led a sheltered life in England but I had never stood on a frozen lake or seen people skating on natural ice until I came to the Netherlands. If we have a cold spell here, the shops are amok with Dutch folk trying to buy new skates. As soon as there is ice covering any waterway the Dutch make a mad dash for their skates and take to the ice like ducks to water. And they have a blast. I have never seen anything like it - the Elfstedentocht is a great example of the enthusiasm and excitement for skating in this little land.

Of course there is a dangerous side - lives are lost because of thin ice. At best, falling through the ice is certainly no fun and not something you forget in a hurry. My husband can attest to that!

Well, That Was 2010

Photo: Billy Alexander

It's end of the year and so time for a little reflection. I purposefully don't do too much reflection on the year that has just gone as there's not a lot I can do to change anything that hasn't gone quite as I had liked but a little look over the year does help to create a little focus for the next year.

Without a doubt the highlight of 2010 for me on a personal level was the birth of my second son, and the time since his birth has been busy manic chaos and I've not had the time to do as much writing as I would have liked - but I'm not going to beat myself up about it because I know what it more important right now!!

Away from me, this year has seen some big events in the Netherlands. Here's an overview of some of the things to have hit the Dutch headlines this year - in no particular order. There's lots more of course and NOS and RNW have good summaries.

Politics: Extreme right MP Geert Wilders somehow ended up with a major say in political matters in this country. It took almost all of this year to get a minority government formed after the last one collapsed due to disagreement about the future Dutch presence in Afghanistan. After talking to just about anyone who had ever uttered anything political, Mark Rutte managed to scrape a government together. He then went on to be named politician of the year - was this for his perseverance? Determination? Strength in the face of adversity?

Crime: The most notorious criminal of the year (and not for the first time I suspect) has to be Joran van der Sloot. Currently awaiting trial for the murder of a Peruvian woman, Stephany Flores Ramirez, van der Sloot was arrested in May this year. He hit the headlines with his suspected involvement in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway.


Sport: The sports highlight of 2010 can be no other than the Dutch team reaching the World Cup final in South Africa. An amazing achievement, despite the loss and the after party also hit headlines across the world.

Showbiz: Footballer Wesley Sneijder and Yolanthe Cabau van Kasbergen are a bit like David Beckham and Posh Spice but then a little less well-known and Yolanthe never belonged to a girl's band (she's an actress/presenter). They did, however, get hitched in Italy in the summer - barely giving Wesley time to recover from the world cup hangover. There was romance, glamour and a dispute over unpaid bills - showbiz in true style. It was all over the press  - whether you wanted to know about it or not.

Volcanoes: The best volcanic action this year was definitely the Icelandic one which no one can pronounce. It stopped air traffic everywhere. In fact, mother nature has done her best this year to ground planes across the world. She even tried to ruin my Sinterklaas celebrations.

What's the highlight of your year been? What has stuck most with you from events in the Netherlands or your home country in 2010?

Bonfire Night - Thwarting An Early Terrorist Threat

Wrapped up in woollen scarves, hats and gloves we would stand excitedly in the dark waiting for the lighting of the bonfire; for the moment when the flames would spring in to life and the wood would start to crackle, for the moment that we could feel the heat on our cold, red cheeks. The guy perched at the top of the fire would eventually fall and burn, the effort of making the figure disappearing literally in a puff of smoke.

Once the bonfire was in full flame, we would turn our excitement to the fireworks which would be next to start. In the meantime we warmed ourselves and filled our tummies with soup, a jacket potato or a hot dog or hamburger.

Then the firework display would start and the crowd would "ooh" and "aahhhh" in unison as Catherine Wheels spun, spider fireworks trailed their orange legs across the dark, starry sky and Roman Candles sent shooting stars heaven bound. We would wave our sparklers around, writing our names in light. The bangs, whistles, screeches and crackles echoed across each other as the firework show came to its finale.

Bonfire night every 5th November sticks with me, the date holding a feast of childhood memories like a t box of treasures I can open every year on this day. Of course, since I moved to the Netherlands participating in Bonfire night has become harder and I have only been in the UK to celebrate 5th November twice since 2000. As my children grow up this is a track record I aim to change so that they can learn and take part in a little piece of British history and culture. For Bonfire night is a British thing - yes, I have had lots of people back home saying to me over the years "Don't they celebrate bonfire night in Holland then?" No they don't. Of course they don't - Guy Fawkes made no attempt to blow up the Dutch parliament did he?

But he did have a cunning plan to get rid of the protestant monarch of the time by blowing up Parliament and King James I with it in 1605. The aim was to replace the head of state with a catholic one. Luckily for King James I the gunpowder plot was discovered (the anti-terrorist unit being on full alert back then too by all accounts) and the plotters were arrested and swiftly executed. End of Guy Fawkes and his friends.

On 5th November, 1605 the first 'thanksgiving' was celebrated and marked with the ringing of church bells and the lighting of bonfires. Hence, why the British, over 400 years later, still light bonfires on 5th November and put an effigy (the guy, named after Guy Fawkes) on top of the fire. The fireworks represent the foiled gunpowder plot - that and it's pretty.......

If you live in the Netherlands and want to experience Bonfire Night get yourself over to Watersportcentrum, Sloterplas,Christoffel Plantijngracht 4, 1065 DA Amsterdam at 16.00 on Sunday 7th November, where the British Society is once more organising its Guy Fawkes Bonfire event.

Rutte, Verhagen and Wilders - New Dutch Politics

The Dutch governments of recent years remind me of a smashed vase that has been glued back together; it serves its purpose in the short term but you know eventually it will leak and you'll replace it.

Coming from what has been traditionally a two party political system, the norm of an unstable Dutch multi-party coalition during the last few years automatically feels alien to me. The current coalition in the UK is also alien to me, but does at least seem stable and took no time at all for it to be formed.

However, here we are four months after the general election and we have just got a new government. Furthermore, Mark Rutte's efforts at forming a government instil me (and much of the Dutch population) with little confidence about the government's longevity. There has been months of discussion, debate and disagreement. He has tried every coalition possibility available and the final result is disappointing to many. Oh, and the CDA is already split before the new government really gets going......

What do you think about the latest political landscape in the Netherlands? Should Geert Wilders have an important role in the decision making of the Dutch government? Was this the right way to go? What will it mean for the Netherlands?

Your Right to Vote: Local Elections in the Netherlands

On March 3 there will be local Municipal elections held across the Netherlands and there is a lot of emphasis on getting expats to the polling stations this year. If you are an EU citizen, you have the right to vote and have a say in local affairs. If you are a non-EU citizen, but have been resident in the Netherlands for five years then you too have a vote.

According to the Hague On Line, 10% of the electorate in The Hague is made up of internationals - around 35,000 people eligible to vote. The Hague On Line is taking a very pro-active approach to the upcoming elections: interviewing candidates, talking about election issues and posting English language version manifestos.

You can find more information about eligibility to vote and the issues effecting expats in The Hague in a specially prepared document.

If you want to vote, but want more information about the parties and what they are promising to do in the forthcoming elections then visit the StemWijzer (in Dutch).

DutchNews.nl has also published a good article about the elections and the emphasis on expats, as well as links to English language election events in Amsterdam. There is also useful information on IamExpat.

And don't forget, once the local elections are out of the way there is a general election looming on 9 June....

Photo: Kristen Price

Veterans Day 2009 in the Netherlands

Today was the fifth "Nederlandse Veteranendag" in The Hague, an event which has grown rapidly, become national, and been warmly embraced by Dutch society, according to Prince Willem-Alexander in his foreword of the programme handed out to visitors today.

This is the second year we have visited the displays and celebrations hosted on the Malieveld, and witnessed the spectacle of the thousands of military men and women who form a procession through the streets of The Hague. It is a remarkable sight and an interesting glance into life in and history of the Dutch military.

What is striking is the contrast in veterans that parade on such a day - many divisions, many different military groups, and many different age groups. When I think about veterans, I tend naively to think about older soldiers who served in the World Wars. But of course, veterans are also those who have served in the recent conflicts across the world, some of who are barely out of their twenties.

The procession broadcast live on Nederland 1

A personal thrill for me was being an arm's length from Jan-Peter Balkenende, who suddenly appeared besides us in the crowd. More than that, he was happy to shake hands with people around him, and nodded and said hello to me. After I picked my jaw up, I got a few snaps. And if that wasn't enough, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander was also mingling in the crowd watching the Gele Rijders horse show. It struck me that the terrible events on Queens Day has done nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the royal family and politicians to mix with the "people" and retain an aspect of Dutch tradition that is so special.

Here are some pictures from Veteran Day 2009 in The Hague that I hope captures the spirit a little:

Prince Willem-Alexander puts his hands over his ears... wait for it... wait for it...

Kerbang!

The Dutch Prime Minister walking through the crowds on the Malieveld

What I Say is Not What I Mean: Stop & Think!

Expat Women linked to an amusing but interesting article on the Kwintessential website about the importance of being aware of cultural differences.

Whether for business or pleasure, being abroad requires a little knowledge of local ways - ignorance could have costly consequences as many have found out (including George Bush).

Check out an article on the management culture in the Netherlands for some useful insight and pointers to doing business/working with the Dutch.

I would love to hear from anyone who has personal examples of cross cultural blunders!

Prinsjesdag - The Aftermath

Almost a week has passed since the Queen of the Netherlands rode through the streets of The Hague in her golden carriage, addressed the Houses of Parliament from her throne, and then made the return journey to Noordeinde Palace and waved at the waiting crown from the balcony.

For the first time since moving to the Netherlands I decided to join in the fun and accompanied by my oblivious toddler we hit The Hague. I am proud to say that I did catch a glimpse of the Gouden Koets and the Queen! I even managed to capture a photo of the carriage, and the very same photo, admittedly only when zoomed in, shows Prince Willem-Alexander sitting inside. A proud moment indeed - the future king captured on my camera for prosperity.

Hoicked up on a concrete pillar my son was more interested in the parade of horses than the monarchy rolling by. Understandable I guess at the tender age of 20 months but it was certainly a spectacle for all by the roadsides.

Once the ceremonious side of Prinsjesdag finished it was time for the political analysts to step in, the interviews of Wouter Bos (Finance Minister) to begin and the hounding of any political figure for their opinion on what the policy and budget announcements mean for the Netherlands in the coming year and beyond. The main message, for those that could be bothered to listen, is that the Netherlands is doing well, despite economic crisis the world over, but there are no guarantees for the future.

Then the fashion analysts got to work. The discussions about the hat parade began in earnest. However, I believe this year no one was left in any doubt about the most grotesque and unusual hat adorned by the politicians. That award went to Krista van Velzen with her rather bold political statement perched upon her head, that being a hat made from a mink, topped off with a dripping blood. According to her blog, Krista was protesting against the killing of animals for their fur, following her proposal to change the law in the Netherlands which was met with a request to provide clear information on why animals should not be killed for such purposes. Now, I believe she succinctly made her point with her attire.

Following this, I read Aaf Brandt Corstius's column in the NRC Next newspaper and her theory that Dutch women have little idea about what to wear when elegance is part of the equation, hence pulling on ugly hats on such occasions so they at least make a statement, if nothing else. It leads on very nicely to an article touching on the same theme in the autumn edition of the ACCESS magazine by Ela Barr.

Prinsjesdag or Princes Day - 16th September 2008

Every third Tuesday of September is Prinsjesdag in the Netherlands; the official opening of the new parliamentary year. It is a traditional, national and symbolic day.

The Queen addresses both Houses of Parliament in The Hague and sets out the principal government policies for the coming year. Thereafter the Finance Minister announces the annual national budget and a parliamentary discussion ensues. This usually entails the opposition declaring that the government is doing a poor job, and the government confirming what a grand job they are doing running the country.

Traditionally, the head of the monarchy sets off from Noordeinde Palace in The Hague at one o'clock in the Gouden Koets (Golden Carriage) to the Houses of Parliament (Binnenhof) to deliver her Speech from the Throne. After the speech is delivered she returns to Noordeinde, and the Queen usually salutes the crowd from the palace balcony.

It is pomp and ceremony at its best and a lot of fun, especially if you are a hat spotter. Think à la races at Ascot in England! It is about the only occasion in the political calendar when the Dutch female politicians wear hats, and it is a time to see who is wearing what. The results range from impressive to outright bizarre, and everything in between.

Of course the day brings with it confirmation of budgetary measures that will effect almost all in the country and debate is already rife. To date, information obtained by RTL news suggests that some pensioners will be no better off in 2009, despite reassurances from Minister Bos that no groups would be adversely effected by the coming budget. Leaked figures show that economic growth is slowing (no surprises there), inflation is rising (again, no shock to anyone with half an ear to the ground) and unemployment is expected to rise slightly.

The main news, however, is that most people living in the Netherlands will have their buying power improve, even if it is just a notional increase. The rest... well that is all a secret and we will have to wait until Tuesday for the details! Watch this space.