I literally bawled my head off on the drive to and while on the plane when we had to leave the NL for a new assignment...in Hawaii. I would go back to the NL in a heartbeat...and permanently.
You are really sweet to ask the child who was standing outside the store alone if she's was ok. That's really thoughtful. 😊 But yes, us Dutchies grow up with a lot of freedom as kids so a scene like that is normal to us. Lovely video, I'm glad you're enjoying my country. 😊🌷
I’m an American living in Utrecht for 10+ years now and so many things continue to impress me: stress-free healthcare and respect for the environment are two big ones for me 💛🌎🇳🇱
@@ElizabethJaxon Want er zijn steeds meer mensen die hier wel willen wonen maar niet de moeite nemen om Nederlands te leren en om de Nederlanders en de cultuur echt te leren kennen.
@ Dat is ook helemaal waar, en dat zie ik ook. Voor mij is het juist heel belangrijk om goed te integreren in de cultuur waar ik woon. Kijk, mijn man is Nederlander, mijn twee kinderen ook, en zelf werk ik nu volledig in het Nederlands. Zo merk ik dat ik het beste hier kan functioneren en thuis voelen en ik wens dat ook voor iedereen die hier komt wonen 💛
Your video is refreshing. The Netherlands seem to have the happiest kids because they're less constrained. You said you relaxed coming here, please do enjoy our country!
I recognize the town of Amersfoort in your movie, so nice, i live just north of Amersfoort. You make me realize somuch the things we take for granted here in the Netherlands. Thanks for making the vid, i enjoy it somuch. I hope you enjoy your stay!
I stayed a month in Rotterdam and visited a number of towns/cities by train ie Dordrecht/Den Haag mainly around South Holland. I am in complete awe of The Netherlands and the dutch culture. Im from the UK and find it hard to live here anymore after discovering how the dutch society is respected way better.
The fact older people are still fit in the Netherlands is because they do a lot on bike or foot and don't always take the car to drive to the bakery, 500 meters away. They also eat quite healthy stuff and not overly processed 'food'. Health care is also cheap.
Agreed on the activity levels and quality of food! However I actually find healthcare to be more expensive here 🫠 I had really good health insurance in the US and my monthly premium was half of what it is here. I also didn’t really pay that much out of pocket for big things at the hospital. I know my situation is probably different from other americans though.
@@boomdoze i hear you! i think on average a Dutch citizen has better acces to healthcare than the average US citizen however what you point out is completely valid. Our mandatory premium has risen quite a bit over the years!
@@bjrnchrstn healthcare is very cheap. It’ll cost you about €2K per year through insurance and own risk. That’s it. For that amount you have access to one of the best (and expensive) healthcare in the world if you need it. That’s not everywhere, especially not in the US.
@@boomdoze I do not know much about the ACA, but it was actually modelled partly after our own healthinsurance system. Maybe you can do a separate video about 'single payer' or HMO"s, stuff I don't get. And I used to work for an HMO as a callcenteragent, 20 years ago.
Thank you! Thanks to videos like this, I have learned to appreciate my country and stop taking it for granted. And as for you, please stay-it would make this country even more beautiful ;-)
Thank you for sharing your experience, I feel like I can tell you're growing as a person by making this trip. You have a very calm demeanor about you that wasn't as present in the last video.. I might be reaching but that's what I felt
@@boomdoze I must admit that my dad secretly drove behind the bus the first time to make sure I got out of the bus at the right stop (he told me many years later), but everything went just fine.
One way to discover NL is castle tour, first kasteel de Haar, you'll see parts of the country nobody thinks about normally and they are important historical landmarks. Also get exercise when walking the grounds and interiors of the buildings. With bad weather it accentuates a sort of spooky atmosphere however on the whole with good weather it's advisable for most people.
I really enjoyed your video! Videos of people moving to another country is always fun. Yours gives me insight into some of the things in our lives we take for granted. It teaches me to appreciate my country more, even though I use your thought on how we are like the US were in the nineties as an argument for how we are in the same decline (values in democracy, human rights, and looking out for each other and ourselves) as the States, only 20-30 years behind. I call this the americanization of society (as you guys were the first of the western world to fall down in Roman empire style). The Internet and now AI, are speeding things up rapidly. People like you, who shine a light on the bright side of life, are the new revolutionists. You show how, in the globalisation of all things on our planet (from evolving into sharing cultural habits unto a joined -global- approach to tackle climate change), we can actually grow to learn to appreciate each other. Like how I love that most Americans, despite or perhaps due to their hard life, have such an uplifting spirit. Keep on doing the good work! Love it❤
oh wow! thank you so much for your kind words, it means a lot 💗💗💗 I really hope the dutch can learn from our mistakes and keep this kind, beautiful country in the same shape for many years to come. It really does feel like a hallmark movie at times although like you said, with declining human rights and democracy I can see that being threatened. But, I have hope that things will be different here ☺️
The Dutch also have a rich “ club culture”. There are local clubs for every sport you can imagine, chess clubs, dance studies where you can learn all Kind of dances etc etc. Besides that every neighbourhood has an active “ Buurthuis”. ( neighbourhood house) where all kind of activities and social gatherings are planned al year long
De bruggen die openen voor water verkeer aan de kanalen, de hele straat tilt omhoog! The bridges that open for shipping traffic on the canals, the whole street tilts up!
The hot air balloons are hobbyists, but also ones you can book flights on for fun. Apparently at the end of summer, beginning of autumn, the atmospheric circumstances for balloon flights tend to be at their best (air temperature of different air layers, wind speeds etc.) so you can spot quite a lot of them.
Hot air balloons are a thing in Belgium too, especially in Sint Niklaas. It has the biggest square in Belgium and every year there is this hot air balloon event.
Wow I had never heard of ACU… that’s awesome! I always take the hot air balloon to work, but it’s a huge pain in the butt. You never know where you will end up and then the landing site is never near a public transit hub. 😊
Yeah, I’m really excited about some of their upcoming events! And I’ll have to take the hot air balloon express one of these days - they might replace trains for me 😌
A surprise that you are so positive about my neighborhood in Amersfoort. Living here is safe and there are always people in the streets enjoying themselves. Many Dutch people work max 32 hrs a week, and here you can choose to be self-employed as a way to work less. We love our coffee at a terrace and join a yoga class here. See you at 't Hof or Corazon.
I recently saw a YT vid on Dutch traffic/infrastructure. Even as a Dutchie myself, I didn't know how deliberate the planning is around shared streets in the NL. Roads/streets/area's are literally planned for all means of transport. Sometimes that means all vehicles must adapt their speed to bikes, sometimes that means separate lanes for public transport. Almosy everywhere you can find separate bike and pedestrian lanes. I'm sure if you search for transport/traffic/infrastructure in the NL, you'll find more info on this! It's very interesting :)
Many hot air balloons come from my hometown of Soest from a company called Rob Wiegers Ballonvaarten, maybe you can try it yourself one day. Other places you should definitely visit are Bunschoten Spakenburg in the north and Soest in the west, we have a very nice windmill and beautiful forests and dunes...
I feel like that's pretty typical haha. No matter where you're from, people always complain about their circumstances. Like they say, "the grass is greener on the other side"
ACU has its roots in the still alive and kicking squat movement and it's remarkable how much of its counter culture has been left since legalization of this place about 18 years ago in contrast to other legalized squats. On youtube you'll find many recordings (bands, interviews, etc) and documentaries about the earlier times of this place.
One of the early ACU documentaries: th-cam.com/video/7gfpmssROaI/w-d-xo.html At some point this collective bought the place and put in a foundation. The place is mainly running on voluntary workers.
I live in Amersfoort. Welcome, nice to see you are enjoying my city. 😊 I love it, I think it's one of the best cities in the Netherlands. It has a beautiful medieval city center, but none of the crowds of Utrecht or Amsterdam.
The hot air balloons are not a transportation form per se, but a special recreational thing that you can do. You typically see them in spring and sometimes a bit more in autumn, though in summer it can happen as well, it really depends on the weather patterns. Spring and autumn produces predictable amounts of wind that aren't overly strong. We do not have mountains or hills for the most part, so landing one is also reasonably easy to do (though they can be rough). And another thing that makes them relatively simple to operate is not having a lot of overhead powerlines.
@@G0alkeeper ACU is not that, at least it was not in the 90's. Then it was specifically an ultra left initiative, so aimed at and run by communists / anarchists. You will have a good time if you're more than a little left leaning. If not, then not so much :)
I'm somewhat surprised if that's really still a common thing to be honest :) given how protective and "indoors" children seem to be raised these days, or at least in my perception (outside of scouting etc.)
Heh, easy to get around without a car. Something we take for granted. I never thought about it until I spent a little time in the US for work. There was no way to get anywhere without my rental car. I tried cycling , then I decided I rather liked not being dead so I gave that up. I hope you have a great time here!
Really nice video. Keep them coming. Did you see the Märklin shop that you passed almost at the end. Have a look in there and let us know what you think of it ;-)
Amersfoort os a beautiful city. Lived there for 13 years, now am living on de other side of province Utrecht, if I am on my balcony I'll see the city of Utrecht. Hope you have a great time here. You'll find more experiences in the Netherlands or culture shocks. Have fun!
I like to watch expats in the Netherlands or Dutch people who moved abroad on TH-cam. My parents now live in Spain after their retirement. Try to compare, despite the fact that we are the world champions in complaining here, and it is not the cheapest country to live in. Despite the weather, I think it is still one of the nicest countries to live in. It's nice that you made the move to the Netherlands and Amersfoort is also a beautiful city. Nice vlogs, keep it up
It’s not the cheapest country but it actually is cheaper than the US, which has been nice! Idk what’s wrong with me but I’m loving the gloomy cool weather 💀 I hope it snows a bit in the winter, that would be so pretty with the architecture here!
@@boomdoze I hope for you that we still get snow here in the winter snow is getting less and less here, there are more winters without snow than winters with snow these days... must be climate change I think
If you want to explore the surroundings a bit more and like to see a beautiful park, maybe try Kasteel Groeneveld (in Baarn, only 10 minutes by train) and maybe eat pancakes afterwards at De Wildenburg. It doesn't get any more Dutch than that. Also worth visiting is the Pyramid of Austerlitz with a nice forrest (very beautiful in the fall) to take a walk, very close to Amersfoort and they also have a nice little restaurant.
Interesting that you mention ACU. ACU is basically a legalized squat. It was transformed into an alternative cultural center in the 1990s. There were many more of these places, often called "vrijplaats" (free space...? ) in the past, often born out of the suatting movement, which was huge in the 1970s and 80s in the Netherlands. I really miss those places after having moved to Norway. They offer cheap but nutricious food, good music and just good vibes and don't cost a fortune. I used to volunteer at one in another town and we had many underground bands come and play at our stage. Good old times.
In the Netherlands we think a healthy balance between work en free time is very important. Working shorter but with the emphasis on effective working is found much more profitable. Mental balance is important. And that will make you much more effective while working. And results in happier people. Life is short so you'd better enjoy it!
'Bleak and cloudy' - well, not to disappoint you, but those months are still ahead of us. It's still only early autumn. Basically, late autumn- early spring (november-march, say) are mostly very 'grey' seasons. That's not to say that beauty can't be found even in those (for example in a great, crisp winter day), but mostly these months are fairly dreary as the landscape goes. Not that that's a _huge_ minus, the country is still pretty good even then.
I take it that you're from CHICAGO. Well, I've been there about 25 years ago. I stayed(for a while!) at the student dormitory at HIDE PARK. I know about MICHIGAN, INDIANA, ROOSEVELT AVE. and STONEY ISLAND and LAKE SHORE. I'v also paid a visit to a couple of universities: LAYOLA, NORTH WEST and of course, since that was just around the corner, the university of CHICAGO.
You'll find out through research that the use of credit cards is not common in The Netherlands. We use our debit cards with 'pin' touch to pay. So ad an expat you should get a bank account and use the debit card that comes with it. Easy and widely use able.
Welcome! It's so nice to hear about your experience. Since covid there has been a lot of polarisation and complaints about the state of our country and while some of it is valid, it is important to be reminded that, yes, we in general actually have a pretty good life over here. Sure, our health care costs will rise next year and waiting times can be long but you don't run the risk of personal bankruptcy or the need to start a crowd funding just because you need a vital operation. Whenever I hear stories about Americans having to work 2 jobs just to be able to survive and live on crap food, it's just incomprehensible to me and makes me sad. Enjoy your stay here. As for tips, explore the eastern part as well. The more rural areas called the Veluwe, dwingelerveld and the achterhoek are all stunning. And cities like Deventer and Zwolle have wonderful old town centers. Also, go experience one of the Dutch islands like Ameland or Vlieland for some amazing zen-like peace and quiet.
2:01 I saw a story about a kid who’s mom had to go to the doctor with her other child. The kid was like 10 and walked in his own for less than a mile to a grocery store. The local sheriff saw him walking and later arrested the mom for reckless endangerment. They treated her like she committed some kind of heinous crime and it just felt insane to me. That sheriff could arrest at least half the parents in the Netherlands if he was here.
The usa IS that safe, to let kids by themselves, but since TV has told Americans that kids get abducted all the time - which they aren't - people have started policing one another. Calling the cops on one another for letting kids play in the front yard by themselves. It is really unfortunate.
Nice to here something good about our country🇳🇱💪🏻. Some tips though, go visit other villages and towns that are not so common. Go to the “achterhoek” visit the 8 castles town of Vorden. or Friesland Limburg etc etc. Do you have a Dutch boyfriend he will know. By the way i live 30 min from Amersfoort also pretty beautiful in the woods.
Just to be clear; NO ONE uses hot air balloons as a means of transport, it's just a hobby for people to fly around or a way to provide aerial views of the country for those who want to experience that. Videos like this always make me appreciate my country even more, when sometimes I've been taking it for granted. Thanks!
Air balloons are not meant for public transport. They can be hired so you have a nice view of the Netherlands from above. You should visit Efteling amusement park. Make sure you visit outside the school holidays or else you will be waiting in every cue.
I like your video. Im from the netherlands. Big difference I think is that people work max 40 hours a week, you cant even work more unless you have a own bussines. USA you have to work a lot more to make ends meet
Oi, but if you live in Amersfoort, that's just cheating ;-) Seriously though, the ACU is pretty good! Kind of niche too, it probably would not qualify as an "Everyday Dutch thing" (maybe not even as "typically Dutch", this really is on the progressive edge of the country), but the people there are awesome! Interesting to hear "third places" as a defined thing, by the way. Not sure if that is something that defines NL, there is no pub culture here like the ones in GB and Ireland, for example, but it might very well be something to be mindful of and even promote. As a side note: the street in front of the ACU is a bit of a triumph of the local take on traffic. I remember the Voorstraat to be notorious for the high number of traffic accidents, but over the years it has been completely restructured, it is now a bicycle priority street with red asphalt and all, and feels almost shockingly safe. NL is pretty good with light-weight traffic, but Utrecht is almost on a different level!
agreed about the amersfoort cheat code 💀 i’m just hitting motherlode everyday here…with scenery not money haha Oh! no pub culture is interesting!! I’m sure the longer I’m here the more things I’ll see that are different, interesting, and totally impressive 💗 ah, and thats for the fun fact about ACU! I’ll have to notice that when I go ☺️
I live in Belgium and I sometimes wonder too how young children (8 to 10 years old), go to school by bus or bike on their own. And they know the traffic rules and are very careful !
Fun fact, or well.. not really, but the US is ranked 132 on the Global Safety Index, you want to know which one comes in at 133? It's Iran! And near that spot also Lebanon.. The US is just, not good if you want to be safe. And yes, btw, 3rd spaces are the BEST. What no one ever talks about, I am a night person and even for me, this country is great. I can walk around all I want at night, and do so for hours, and never once felt unsafe, nothing ever happened (except for offc the lovely moments where I meet other night people, or people that are a bit high, and then have the most amazing conversation) all while, btw, not having a gun to ''have to protect myself'' while being in a population group that would DEFINITELY need that in the US. That's another thing, less racism/sexism/homophobia
Same here, also a night person. Friday night I was outside the whole night photographing the aurora until 5 am in pitch darkness and a few times another person passed by and that’s a bit scary in the middle of the night. The other person was also carefull, but once I saw her I called out saying “goed volk” (meaning ‘good people here’) and she did the same and we talked for half an hour while watching the aurora 😂
@@BommeltjeNL NO WAY I can't tell you how f-cking jealous I am that you captured that. I gave up and went inside the city to capture some crazy cute looking night autumn pictures, which is nice too.. but I would've loved to see the aurora. Damn.. again so jealous..
Second time this year. Also saw the 10/11 may Aurora show. Last friday it was cloudy all night and only around 4 am it cleared up in front of my eyes (while everybody else was fast asleep haha). I have a page about the northern lights on my website and I’ve been trying to photograph the aurora for 19 whole years and never got lucky. That all changed this year and I think we will see it again before the year is out. The solar cycle is on its peak so you’ll have another chance soon 👍
i love walking around at night, its soo peaceful 😌 I couldn’t have dreamed of doing that in Chicago! It feels like I have so much more freedom here and i absolutely love it 💗 crazy to hear that the US is ranked that low on the global safety index but I definitely believe it!!!
Hot air balloons: it is a business to operate those and take people on a ride. And then there are branded balloons that also act as sort of advertising although I see less of those these days. If you see several of them at once in the sky it usually means there is a ballooning festival or maybe even competition going on near you.
I am a frequent visitor of Chicago and I love the city but I fully agree. The standard of living in The Netherlands is so much better, saver, relaxed, better health services. If Trump calls this socialistic I buy it however I have never voted socialistic.
Girl, this is a love-declaration. I never heard of ACU though. About these fit seniors: they used from their childhood years on to make their own food, not go to a fastfoodjoint frequently. That is why so many (senior) Americans are totally obese (and probably diabetic). Making your own food keeps you healthy. They ride bikes because they still ARE fit. Did you wonder if the little girl with the shop even understood English? Her mom certainly did.
In the Netherlands it has become quite normal to organize evenings for certain specific groups of people such as queer (which I saw in what you linked). In the more village-like environments, many of the cultural centers (ACU, it is just a name ;) ) are used to bring people with like thoughts together. Elderly people who are alone can then do something together, even if it is just having a chat. Very often there are nursing homes or many assisted living homes nearby. It was quite rude of the mother to address you like that when you asked if everything was okay with the child. I would have asked why you asked something, but that's just me. A short chat would have been enough to get a mutual understanding of why you asked that question and the reassurance for the parent that you simply do not know our Dutch culture. You can't learn to understand it if we don't explain it, right! - - - I have come to appreciate my country more and more since I have seen and learned more about how things can be done elsewhere. As a nation/Dutch people we are not perfect, absolutely not! But I do see that there are things that are much better organized than in the US, for example. Utrecht is a beautiful city, but I had the feeling that I saw more than just Utrecht, in the shopping streets the houses were too low ;) . I thought I recognized Deventer for a moment. I have lived near Utrecht for about 20 years. (it was Amersfoort) In the Netherlands we often do not stop to think about the fact that we are surrounded by cultural heritage. People often do not look up and see what buildings there are. We are so used to it that it has become normal, but it is not.
Huge parts of the usa are very beautiful. Update NY, i love it. The Smokey Mountains, the eastern states. There is a lot of poverty because of the power of the billionaires and the big companies, but als long as the americans think that it's communism to try to give the citizens more power nothing will change.
Somebody else said it also, if you want to explore more of the Netherlands. Pick a few places/provinces that look interesting , go there for a weekend (long weekend). Rent something, lots of options , also depends on the money and personal preference. Do you want to visit cities or everything else. (One advice don't visit Hengelo (O) as a tourist destination, nice city to life in and i life here). My advice in short don't go to the tourist traps, look if there are some things to do in smaller towns (close to a bigger town). And if there is decent public transport, or everything can be done with a bike (don't know if you both have a car).
Its videos like this that makes me appreciate my country (the Netherlands) even more, thank you!..
I literally bawled my head off on the drive to and while on the plane when we had to leave the NL for a new assignment...in Hawaii. I would go back to the NL in a heartbeat...and permanently.
You are really sweet to ask the child who was standing outside the store alone if she's was ok.
That's really thoughtful. 😊
But yes, us Dutchies grow up with a lot of freedom as kids so a scene like that is normal to us.
Lovely video, I'm glad you're enjoying my country. 😊🌷
you seem like such a friendly person. I hope you continue to have a good time here in the Netherlands. :)
I’m an American living in Utrecht for 10+ years now and so many things continue to impress me: stress-free healthcare and respect for the environment are two big ones for me 💛🌎🇳🇱
Spreek je de taal al?
Jazeker! 👍
@@ElizabethJaxon Want er zijn steeds meer mensen die hier wel willen wonen maar niet de moeite nemen om Nederlands te leren en om de Nederlanders en de cultuur echt te leren kennen.
@ Dat is ook helemaal waar, en dat zie ik ook. Voor mij is het juist heel belangrijk om goed te integreren in de cultuur waar ik woon. Kijk, mijn man is Nederlander, mijn twee kinderen ook, en zelf werk ik nu volledig in het Nederlands. Zo merk ik dat ik het beste hier kan functioneren en thuis voelen en ik wens dat ook voor iedereen die hier komt wonen 💛
Ja!@@j.weiss1357
Your video is refreshing. The Netherlands seem to have the happiest kids because they're less constrained. You said you relaxed coming here, please do enjoy our country!
I recognize the town of Amersfoort in your movie, so nice, i live just north of Amersfoort. You make me realize somuch the things we take for granted here in the Netherlands. Thanks for making the vid, i enjoy it somuch. I hope you enjoy your stay!
AHA, Amersfoort. Ik dacht al; dat is niet allemaal Utrecht!
I stayed a month in Rotterdam and visited a number of towns/cities by train ie Dordrecht/Den Haag mainly around South Holland. I am in complete awe of The Netherlands and the dutch culture. Im from the UK and find it hard to live here anymore after discovering how the dutch society is respected way better.
My hometown! Videos like these make me appreciate my hometown even more. Sometimes I forget how beautiful it is. Amersfoort ❤❤
Very refreshing to watch! Very positive outlook :)
Every time I encounter such a report about my country I realise how good we have it here. You are a civilized person, so welcome in my country 🇳🇱!
Leuk om mijn woonplaats Amersfoort te zien!
Thank you. I love my country 🫶🏻🇳🇱🫶🏻
My cousin Har ons the bar De Dikke Koning in your video! Amersfoort is such a great city, even for Dutch standards.
The fact older people are still fit in the Netherlands is because they do a lot on bike or foot and don't always take the car to drive to the bakery, 500 meters away. They also eat quite healthy stuff and not overly processed 'food'. Health care is also cheap.
Agreed on the activity levels and quality of food! However I actually find healthcare to be more expensive here 🫠 I had really good health insurance in the US and my monthly premium was half of what it is here. I also didn’t really pay that much out of pocket for big things at the hospital. I know my situation is probably different from other americans though.
@@boomdoze i hear you! i think on average a Dutch citizen has better acces to healthcare than the average US citizen however what you point out is completely valid. Our mandatory premium has risen quite a bit over the years!
Healthcare isn’t cheap… watch the news and you would know.
@@bjrnchrstn healthcare is very cheap. It’ll cost you about €2K per year through insurance and own risk. That’s it. For that amount you have access to one of the best (and expensive) healthcare in the world if you need it. That’s not everywhere, especially not in the US.
@@boomdoze I do not know much about the ACA, but it was actually modelled partly after our own healthinsurance system. Maybe you can do a separate video about 'single payer' or HMO"s, stuff I don't get. And I used to work for an HMO as a callcenteragent, 20 years ago.
Thank you! Thanks to videos like this, I have learned to appreciate my country and stop taking it for granted. And as for you, please stay-it would make this country even more beautiful ;-)
Really nice to see you enjoying life in the city where I live
Thanks for this 'outsider looking in' vlog.
Once you get used to things it gets harder to appreciate them
Great video, nice to see Amersfoort,
On the Balloon question, our little city Amerfoort, has multiple starting points for Balloon tours.
And that is because we have 360° landing places 😊
Ik zag de toren al in de thumbnail :P Meteen geklikt!
Thank you for sharing your experience, I feel like I can tell you're growing as a person by making this trip. You have a very calm demeanor about you that wasn't as present in the last video.. I might be reaching but that's what I felt
I already took public transport to school by myself when I was 6 years old. No big deal here in the Netherlands.
wildly impressive to this american!! ☺️
@@boomdoze I must admit that my dad secretly drove behind the bus the first time to make sure I got out of the bus at the right stop (he told me many years later), but everything went just fine.
One way to discover NL is castle tour, first kasteel de Haar, you'll see parts of the country nobody thinks about normally and they are important historical landmarks. Also get exercise when walking the grounds and interiors of the buildings. With bad weather it accentuates a sort of spooky atmosphere however on the whole with good weather it's advisable for most people.
I really enjoyed your video! Videos of people moving to another country is always fun. Yours gives me insight into some of the things in our lives we take for granted. It teaches me to appreciate my country more, even though I use your thought on how we are like the US were in the nineties as an argument for how we are in the same decline (values in democracy, human rights, and looking out for each other and ourselves) as the States, only 20-30 years behind. I call this the americanization of society (as you guys were the first of the western world to fall down in Roman empire style). The Internet and now AI, are speeding things up rapidly.
People like you, who shine a light on the bright side of life, are the new revolutionists. You show how, in the globalisation of all things on our planet (from evolving into sharing cultural habits unto a joined -global- approach to tackle climate change), we can actually grow to learn to appreciate each other. Like how I love that most Americans, despite or perhaps due to their hard life, have such an uplifting spirit.
Keep on doing the good work! Love it❤
oh wow! thank you so much for your kind words, it means a lot 💗💗💗 I really hope the dutch can learn from our mistakes and keep this kind, beautiful country in the same shape for many years to come. It really does feel like a hallmark movie at times although like you said, with declining human rights and democracy I can see that being threatened. But, I have hope that things will be different here ☺️
The Dutch also have a rich “ club culture”. There are local clubs for every sport you can imagine, chess clubs, dance studies where you can learn all
Kind of dances etc etc. Besides that every neighbourhood has an active “ Buurthuis”. ( neighbourhood house) where all kind of activities and social gatherings are planned al year long
De bruggen die openen voor water verkeer aan de kanalen, de hele straat tilt omhoog! The bridges that open for shipping traffic on the canals, the whole street tilts up!
You should come to Norwich in the UK, a lot of us are originally Dutch too, and the city’s culture and architecture reflects that. 🇬🇧😊🇳🇱
ACU is the place I met my partner, this month 19 years ago 😀
Very impressive in-depth analysis of this little country. Compliments!
thank you!! ☺️💗
The hot air balloons are hobbyists, but also ones you can book flights on for fun. Apparently at the end of summer, beginning of autumn, the atmospheric circumstances for balloon flights tend to be at their best (air temperature of different air layers, wind speeds etc.) so you can spot quite a lot of them.
Hot air balloons are a thing in Belgium too, especially in Sint Niklaas. It has the biggest square in Belgium and every year there is this hot air balloon event.
@@wanneske1969 Makes sence thats geographicly the same as the Netherlands so would also be prime Balloning country.
@@arturobianco848 th-cam.com/video/cRSbZGfe24o/w-d-xo.html
ah, I really want to try one! Maybe next summer/autumn ☺️
I just saw two of them yesterday around utrecht, you might still have a shot! @@boomdoze
You should go to Keukenhof , I think you will like it.
Wow I had never heard of ACU… that’s awesome!
I always take the hot air balloon to work, but it’s a huge pain in the butt. You never know where you will end up and then the landing site is never near a public transit hub. 😊
Yeah, I’m really excited about some of their upcoming events! And I’ll have to take the hot air balloon express one of these days - they might replace trains for me 😌
Why don't you make a video about the ACU? Never been. I'm curious now.
How great is it that you are filming in my town, Amersfoort! It is indeed beautiful, I fully agree.
10 out of 10 young lady! Goed gedaan! Ps. The hot air balloons are just for fun!
A surprise that you are so positive about my neighborhood in Amersfoort. Living here is safe and there are always people in the streets enjoying themselves. Many Dutch people work max 32 hrs a week, and here you can choose to be self-employed as a way to work less. We love our coffee at a terrace and join a yoga class here. See you at 't Hof or Corazon.
I recently saw a YT vid on Dutch traffic/infrastructure. Even as a Dutchie myself, I didn't know how deliberate the planning is around shared streets in the NL. Roads/streets/area's are literally planned for all means of transport. Sometimes that means all vehicles must adapt their speed to bikes, sometimes that means separate lanes for public transport. Almosy everywhere you can find separate bike and pedestrian lanes.
I'm sure if you search for transport/traffic/infrastructure in the NL, you'll find more info on this! It's very interesting :)
When I see a very young kid alone I always wait until a parent arrives, the Netherlands is safe, but children can still get lost. ❤
Hope to stumble upon you admiring Amersfoort. I have my office next to the old water gate. it is beautiful there!
Many hot air balloons come from my hometown of Soest from a company called Rob Wiegers Ballonvaarten, maybe you can try it yourself one day. Other places you should definitely visit are Bunschoten Spakenburg in the north and Soest in the west, we have a very nice windmill and beautiful forests and dunes...
Always good to hear another perspective, we like to complain a lot. When we have it quite good. Thanks!
I feel like that's pretty typical haha. No matter where you're from, people always complain about their circumstances. Like they say, "the grass is greener on the other side"
@@ban8162 You're spot on!
Sometimes you need an outside perspective on all the good things that we have. Thank you!
Just found your channel and im impressed :) subscribed
thank you!! ☺️💗
0:37 In the Netherlands there are about 40 - 50 day without sun per year!! So that leaves over 300 sunny days per year!
ACU has its roots in the still alive and kicking squat movement and it's remarkable how much of its counter culture has been left since legalization of this place about 18 years ago in contrast to other legalized squats. On youtube you'll find many recordings (bands, interviews, etc) and documentaries about the earlier times of this place.
One of the early ACU documentaries:
th-cam.com/video/7gfpmssROaI/w-d-xo.html
At some point this collective bought the place and put in a foundation. The place is mainly running on voluntary workers.
I'm a 61 years old Dutchy. And I still don't like the weather. I like sunshine and warm weather.
I wouldn't mind 5 or 6 months of summer 😊
I lived in Chicago for so long that I actually can’t stand too much heat 🥲 colder is better for me
Above 20C my body says "nope". So, no summer is not for me. Winter is good, but dark. My thermostat is at 14C at home. Except when guests come.
Ik wil ook 6 maanden per jaar zomer. Herkenbaar
Of course, I do know Chicago! From Home Alone 1 and Ferris Bueller's Day Off!
ACU is such a great space. A place where you never feel judged, You can just be
Researching. Thanks for sharing!
Amersfoort is very pretty in the winter..
It gives the city a very ancient city vibe..
There are also alot of general lounges and even libraries that function as 3rd spaces you can just organize networking meeting events or just hang out
I live in Amersfoort. Welcome, nice to see you are enjoying my city. 😊 I love it, I think it's one of the best cities in the Netherlands. It has a beautiful medieval city center, but none of the crowds of Utrecht or Amsterdam.
I love your video's and I realize that living in the Netherlands is simply wonderful. The Dutch work to live and the Americans live to work.
The hot air balloons are not a transportation form per se, but a special recreational thing that you can do. You typically see them in spring and sometimes a bit more in autumn, though in summer it can happen as well, it really depends on the weather patterns. Spring and autumn produces predictable amounts of wind that aren't overly strong.
We do not have mountains or hills for the most part, so landing one is also reasonably easy to do (though they can be rough).
And another thing that makes them relatively simple to operate is not having a lot of overhead powerlines.
ACU seems great. Thanks for the tip
As a Dutch person I've never heard something like ACU, i think it's a unique thing. I think you're lucky to find a place like that that you like!
Ze bedoeld een buurthuis of dorpshuis waar mensen samen komen! She means a community center or village house where people come together!
@@G0alkeeper ACU is not that, at least it was not in the 90's. Then it was specifically an ultra left initiative, so aimed at and run by communists / anarchists. You will have a good time if you're more than a little left leaning. If not, then not so much :)
Lol, here in the Netherlands the do 'dropping' where you basically drop your kids of somewhere in the woods at night. It is super fun.
I'm somewhat surprised if that's really still a common thing to be honest :) given how protective and "indoors" children seem to be raised these days, or at least in my perception (outside of scouting etc.)
Yeah and it even gets more exiting for the kids now we have wolves in the woods 😂
Heh, easy to get around without a car. Something we take for granted. I never thought about it until I spent a little time in the US for work. There was no way to get anywhere without my rental car. I tried cycling , then I decided I rather liked not being dead so I gave that up.
I hope you have a great time here!
Really nice video. Keep them coming. Did you see the Märklin shop that you passed almost at the end. Have a look in there and let us know what you think of it ;-)
Amersfoort os a beautiful city. Lived there for 13 years, now am living on de other side of province Utrecht, if I am on my balcony I'll see the city of Utrecht. Hope you have a great time here. You'll find more experiences in the Netherlands or culture shocks. Have fun!
Cool video and I think it's great you like the country. I'm left wondering what the puppy looks like though...lol. Enjoy your stay in the Netherlands.
I like to watch expats in the Netherlands or Dutch people who moved abroad on TH-cam. My parents now live in Spain after their retirement. Try to compare, despite the fact that we are the world champions in complaining here, and it is not the cheapest country to live in. Despite the weather, I think it is still one of the nicest countries to live in. It's nice that you made the move to the Netherlands and Amersfoort is also a beautiful city. Nice vlogs, keep it up
It’s not the cheapest country but it actually is cheaper than the US, which has been nice! Idk what’s wrong with me but I’m loving the gloomy cool weather 💀 I hope it snows a bit in the winter, that would be so pretty with the architecture here!
@@boomdoze I hope for you that we still get snow here in the winter
snow is getting less and less here, there are more winters without snow than winters with snow these days... must be climate change I think
If you want to explore the surroundings a bit more and like to see a beautiful park, maybe try Kasteel Groeneveld (in Baarn, only 10 minutes by train) and maybe eat pancakes afterwards at De Wildenburg. It doesn't get any more Dutch than that. Also worth visiting is the Pyramid of Austerlitz with a nice forrest (very beautiful in the fall) to take a walk, very close to Amersfoort and they also have a nice little restaurant.
Interesting that you mention ACU. ACU is basically a legalized squat. It was transformed into an alternative cultural center in the 1990s. There were many more of these places, often called "vrijplaats" (free space...? ) in the past, often born out of the suatting movement, which was huge in the 1970s and 80s in the Netherlands. I really miss those places after having moved to Norway. They offer cheap but nutricious food, good music and just good vibes and don't cost a fortune. I used to volunteer at one in another town and we had many underground bands come and play at our stage. Good old times.
In the Netherlands we think a healthy balance between work en free time is very important. Working shorter but with the emphasis on effective working is found much more profitable. Mental balance is important. And that will make you much more effective while working. And results in happier people. Life is short so you'd better enjoy it!
'Bleak and cloudy' - well, not to disappoint you, but those months are still ahead of us. It's still only early autumn.
Basically, late autumn- early spring (november-march, say) are mostly very 'grey' seasons. That's not to say that beauty can't be found even in those (for example in a great, crisp winter day), but mostly these months are fairly dreary as the landscape goes.
Not that that's a _huge_ minus, the country is still pretty good even then.
The hot air balloon rides are just for fun it's just a cool view that's all.
I figured, I’ve just never seen so many! It’s super cool ☺️
Must stop filming? Nooo 😲😅 Would have loved seeing you petting that cute puppy 🤗
I've lived in Amersfoort for most of my life, it's amazing ❤
I take it that you're from CHICAGO. Well, I've been there about 25 years ago. I stayed(for a while!) at the student dormitory at HIDE PARK. I know about MICHIGAN, INDIANA, ROOSEVELT AVE. and STONEY ISLAND and LAKE SHORE. I'v also paid a visit to a couple of universities: LAYOLA, NORTH WEST and of course, since that was just around the corner, the university of CHICAGO.
You'll find out through research that the use of credit cards is not common in The Netherlands. We use our debit cards with 'pin' touch to pay. So ad an expat you should get a bank account and use the debit card that comes with it. Easy and widely use able.
Welcome! It's so nice to hear about your experience. Since covid there has been a lot of polarisation and complaints about the state of our country and while some of it is valid, it is important to be reminded that, yes, we in general actually have a pretty good life over here. Sure, our health care costs will rise next year and waiting times can be long but you don't run the risk of personal bankruptcy or the need to start a crowd funding just because you need a vital operation.
Whenever I hear stories about Americans having to work 2 jobs just to be able to survive and live on crap food, it's just incomprehensible to me and makes me sad.
Enjoy your stay here. As for tips, explore the eastern part as well. The more rural areas called the Veluwe, dwingelerveld and the achterhoek are all stunning. And cities like Deventer and Zwolle have wonderful old town centers.
Also, go experience one of the Dutch islands like Ameland or Vlieland for some amazing zen-like peace and quiet.
2:01 I saw a story about a kid who’s mom had to go to the doctor with her other child. The kid was like 10 and walked in his own for less than a mile to a grocery store. The local sheriff saw him walking and later arrested the mom for reckless endangerment. They treated her like she committed some kind of heinous crime and it just felt insane to me. That sheriff could arrest at least half the parents in the Netherlands if he was here.
Girl, welcome to the real world. 😉
(Old Dutch guy who lived in the US for 5 years. VA, FL and IL.)
Welcome to Utrecht! There are many more interesting places like ACU (we say ah-cu with a Dutch u sound).
The usa IS that safe, to let kids by themselves, but since TV has told Americans that kids get abducted all the time - which they aren't - people have started policing one another. Calling the cops on one another for letting kids play in the front yard by themselves. It is really unfortunate.
Heeswijk-Dinther is one off the small Towns and realy great. We invite you to make Your next video in Heeswijk-Dinther🇳🇱🇺🇸🤗
Nice to here something good about our country🇳🇱💪🏻. Some tips though, go visit other villages and towns that are not so common. Go to the “achterhoek” visit the 8 castles town of Vorden. or Friesland Limburg etc etc. Do you have a Dutch boyfriend he will know. By the way i live 30 min from Amersfoort also pretty beautiful in the woods.
Just to be clear; NO ONE uses hot air balloons as a means of transport, it's just a hobby for people to fly around or a way to provide aerial views of the country for those who want to experience that. Videos like this always make me appreciate my country even more, when sometimes I've been taking it for granted. Thanks!
Air balloons are not meant for public transport. They can be hired so you have a nice view of the Netherlands from above.
You should visit Efteling amusement park. Make sure you visit outside the school holidays or else you will be waiting in every cue.
I like your video. Im from the netherlands. Big difference I think is that people work max 40 hours a week, you cant even work more unless you have a own bussines. USA you have to work a lot more to make ends meet
Hot air balloons are a quite expensive ride in the Netherlands. Most people who do that are older and doing it as a birthday gift.
Love the hair 😘
Oi, but if you live in Amersfoort, that's just cheating ;-)
Seriously though, the ACU is pretty good! Kind of niche too, it probably would not qualify as an "Everyday Dutch thing" (maybe not even as "typically Dutch", this really is on the progressive edge of the country), but the people there are awesome! Interesting to hear "third places" as a defined thing, by the way. Not sure if that is something that defines NL, there is no pub culture here like the ones in GB and Ireland, for example, but it might very well be something to be mindful of and even promote.
As a side note: the street in front of the ACU is a bit of a triumph of the local take on traffic. I remember the Voorstraat to be notorious for the high number of traffic accidents, but over the years it has been completely restructured, it is now a bicycle priority street with red asphalt and all, and feels almost shockingly safe. NL is pretty good with light-weight traffic, but Utrecht is almost on a different level!
agreed about the amersfoort cheat code 💀 i’m just hitting motherlode everyday here…with scenery not money haha
Oh! no pub culture is interesting!! I’m sure the longer I’m here the more things I’ll see that are different, interesting, and totally impressive 💗 ah, and thats for the fun fact about ACU! I’ll have to notice that when I go ☺️
Very nice video.
Love your attitude. Welcome to our beautiful city of Amersfoort. I'll try to spot you and say hi.😃
I enjoyed your video 💜
I live in Belgium and I sometimes wonder too how young children (8 to 10 years old), go to school by bus or bike on their own. And they know the traffic rules and are very careful !
it’s wild but i think it’s good for them ☺️
Fun fact, or well.. not really, but the US is ranked 132 on the Global Safety Index, you want to know which one comes in at 133? It's Iran! And near that spot also Lebanon.. The US is just, not good if you want to be safe. And yes, btw, 3rd spaces are the BEST.
What no one ever talks about, I am a night person and even for me, this country is great. I can walk around all I want at night, and do so for hours, and never once felt unsafe, nothing ever happened (except for offc the lovely moments where I meet other night people, or people that are a bit high, and then have the most amazing conversation) all while, btw, not having a gun to ''have to protect myself'' while being in a population group that would DEFINITELY need that in the US. That's another thing, less racism/sexism/homophobia
Same here, also a night person. Friday night I was outside the whole night photographing the aurora until 5 am in pitch darkness and a few times another person passed by and that’s a bit scary in the middle of the night. The other person was also carefull, but once I saw her I called out saying “goed volk” (meaning ‘good people here’) and she did the same and we talked for half an hour while watching the aurora 😂
@@BommeltjeNL NO WAY I can't tell you how f-cking jealous I am that you captured that. I gave up and went inside the city to capture some crazy cute looking night autumn pictures, which is nice too.. but I would've loved to see the aurora. Damn.. again so jealous..
Second time this year. Also saw the 10/11 may Aurora show. Last friday it was cloudy all night and only around 4 am it cleared up in front of my eyes (while everybody else was fast asleep haha). I have a page about the northern lights on my website and I’ve been trying to photograph the aurora for 19 whole years and never got lucky. That all changed this year and I think we will see it again before the year is out. The solar cycle is on its peak so you’ll have another chance soon 👍
@@BommeltjeNL If you ever remember this chat, make a reply to it when there is aurora. I'm like the only night person that never seen it.. sad :(
i love walking around at night, its soo peaceful 😌 I couldn’t have dreamed of doing that in Chicago! It feels like I have so much more freedom here and i absolutely love it 💗 crazy to hear that the US is ranked that low on the global safety index but I definitely believe it!!!
Hot air balloons: it is a business to operate those and take people on a ride. And then there are branded balloons that also act as sort of advertising although I see less of those these days. If you see several of them at once in the sky it usually means there is a ballooning festival or maybe even competition going on near you.
that mom was like hey stop trying to kidnap my kid
You know you shouldn't stop filming just to pet a puppy, we want to see that puppy!😊 And you know: you work to live, you don't live to work!
I am a frequent visitor of Chicago and I love the city but I fully agree. The standard of living in The Netherlands is so much better, saver, relaxed, better health services. If Trump calls this socialistic I buy it however I have never voted socialistic.
Girl, this is a love-declaration. I never heard of ACU though.
About these fit seniors: they used from their childhood years on to make their own food, not go to a fastfoodjoint frequently. That is why so many (senior) Americans are totally obese (and probably diabetic). Making your own food keeps you healthy. They ride bikes because they still ARE fit.
Did you wonder if the little girl with the shop even understood English? Her mom certainly did.
In the Netherlands it has become quite normal to organize evenings for certain specific groups of people such as queer (which I saw in what you linked). In the more village-like environments, many of the cultural centers (ACU, it is just a name ;) ) are used to bring people with like thoughts together. Elderly people who are alone can then do something together, even if it is just having a chat. Very often there are nursing homes or many assisted living homes nearby.
It was quite rude of the mother to address you like that when you asked if everything was okay with the child. I would have asked why you asked something, but that's just me. A short chat would have been enough to get a mutual understanding of why you asked that question and the reassurance for the parent that you simply do not know our Dutch culture. You can't learn to understand it if we don't explain it, right!
- - -
I have come to appreciate my country more and more since I have seen and learned more about how things can be done elsewhere. As a nation/Dutch people we are not perfect, absolutely not! But I do see that there are things that are much better organized than in the US, for example.
Utrecht is a beautiful city, but I had the feeling that I saw more than just Utrecht, in the shopping streets the houses were too low ;) . I thought I recognized Deventer for a moment. I have lived near Utrecht for about 20 years. (it was Amersfoort)
In the Netherlands we often do not stop to think about the fact that we are surrounded by cultural heritage. People often do not look up and see what buildings there are. We are so used to it that it has become normal, but it is not.
Talked to an American from Rhode Island. He stayed in Belgium (army base) but he was over the moon with Amersfoort 😃
The ACU in Utrecht! i been there a lot.
My advice to you would be to travel to Friesland or Brabant as well. The Netherlands doesn't start and end with Amsterdam/Rotterdam alone.
Where in the video did she said anything about that?
@@JanuzTrance68 She was asking for tips?
"..the sidewalk ending on you."
That sounds scary!
Hey, that's my hometown! ❤
When I look at you I think America is Beautiful!!
thank you 🥹💗
then look philadelphia kensington zombies ore homeless people it's realy sad as you see that
@@edythoen I see this beautiful creature she shines she is beautiful that is what I see!
Huge parts of the usa are very beautiful. Update NY, i love it. The Smokey Mountains, the eastern states. There is a lot of poverty because of the power of the billionaires and the big companies, but als long as the americans think that it's communism to try to give the citizens more power nothing will change.
@@daluzsoares I'm not saying anything about her but look beyond your nose if you think the USA is paradise on earth
In the Netherlands ( and the rest of the world ) we use KM/metric and no miles 😀
Somebody else said it also, if you want to explore more of the Netherlands.
Pick a few places/provinces that look interesting , go there for a weekend (long weekend). Rent something, lots of options , also depends on the money and personal preference.
Do you want to visit cities or everything else. (One advice don't visit Hengelo (O) as a tourist destination, nice city to life in and i life here).
My advice in short don't go to the tourist traps, look if there are some things to do in smaller towns (close to a bigger town). And if there is decent public transport, or everything can be done with a bike (don't know if you both have a car).