It is hard to believe that it's already been six months - to the day - since the adventure began. It's true what they say: it takes six months to get settled somewhere new. It's been a long, cold winter (apparently the coldest in 25 years), but Spring has finally arrived, and it's a great feeling. Days are long, people are happy, good stuff.
That's not to say all is perfect. There's still a few Dutch cultural aspects that I'm not sure I'll ever get used to:
The Expensive Customer Service Line - A every customer service line here is a 900 number. That means if your cable goes out, you have to call a line that is €0.35 per minute. Somehow, there's always a long wait on hold too. Even Domino's pizza charges €0.10 per minute to call and order a pizza! However, the positive news is that my Dutch skills must be improving. When I called the €0.35/minute number to buy train tickets, I understood perfectly well that the maximum charge for the call would be €17,50!
Paying for Things - One would think that a country which has hosted merchants and traders for centuries would make it easy to buy things. Not so. Credit cards are only accepted at sit-down restaurants and nice shops. You cannot use a credit card at the supermarket, the post office, train station, and most take-out type places. These places often accept a debit card, but it must be a debit card from a Dutch bank. Debit cards also have a "chip" in them that is separate from the debit card. You have to load this chip with money from your bank account if you want to pay for things at certain places, for instance parking meters. This is also the only way to pay at my office cafeteria - cash is not accepted.
Store Hours - One of the biggest challenges has been adjusting to the opening hours of stores and other services. Most stores close at 5 everyday other than Sunday, when they are closed. Even the supermarket is closed on Sundays (although I today I saw a sign which I believe says the store will be open every Sunday going forward - huge news if true!). Obviously, shopping on a Saturday is not fun - imagine something resembling the day after Thanksgiving every Saturday.
A few other random observations:
- Being between perhaps the best two beer countries in the world (Belgium, followed by Germany), the beer here is surprisingly boring. On tap it's usually Heineken, Grolsch, or Heineken.
- Not every bank has a teller window. If you want to get cash from a teller, you have to go to a specific location. In other words, if you lose your ATM card you are SOL.
- It is impossible to get ice anywhere - you can't get it for your drink, you can't buy bags of it at the store. Not sure how I am going to make margaritas this summer!
- This must one of the best and safest countries to raise children in the world. Even the other night some friends and I were at a restaurant waiting to be seated. In came three girls that couldn't have been older than 10. They went to the bar, and sat there waiting for a to-go order. They then took a couple bags of food and left, presumably to deliver it to their parents. It would be unthinkable in the US for parents to let their little kids go out unattended in a big city, and walk several blocks away to pick up dinner! It was also an eye-opening moment for me - with kids, I'd no longer be paying delivery charges!
- Produce generally tastes better than in the US; it seems less mass-produced. Same with dairy products. Meat on the other hand is not as good. I am looking for ways to import Ruth's Chris-style steaks and bacon that is not paper-thin.
With the weather improving, I've been exploring the city more. I'm really looking forward to getting out on the canals for some relaxed boating, eating, drinking, and picture-taking. Also looking forward to biking to some nearby cities and visiting some of the surrounding areas. I also have a busy spring coming up with weekend trips to Denmark, Germany, and Belgrade planned, as well as visitors galore in May. I'm beginning to think 2 years may not be enough...
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