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I was in Amsterdam a couple years ago. Maybe every 20th person there was Dutch. The rest were from the Middle East or central Asia.
It's really too bad how the crazy multicultural ideology of the 90's era leftists there hobbled Europe.
Amsterdam is an international city, much like NYC. If you wanted to see more Dutch people you would have to travel to one of the other smaller cities in the Netherlands.
Amsterdam is an international city, much like NYC. If you wanted to see more Dutch people you would have to travel to one of the other smaller cities in the Netherlands.
Even out side of the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Utrecht area there seem to be lots of immigrants in he cites of Netherlands. of course nothing like in A-dam and of course not in rural towns.
The issue is not really language though it is about culture and fitting in.
It is as an English speaker hard to learn Dutch as they all switch to English and you hardly get a chance to practice. A close friend is from Moscow has been working for years as a financial controller in Amsterdam, and has a Dutch boyfriend. She has had a difficult time to learn Dutch (speaks like five languages though) but she is integrated into the culture and is welcomed there.
Is it wrong for the otherwise liberal Dutch to want newcomers to adapt to there lifestyle and not the other way around?
Even out side of the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Utrecht area there seem to be lots of immigrants in he cites of Netherlands. of course nothing like in A-dam and of course not in rural towns.
The issue is not really language though it is about culture and fitting in.
It is as an English speaker hard to learn Dutch as they all switch to English and you hardly get a chance to practice. A close friend is from Moscow has been working for years as a financial controller in Amsterdam, and has a Dutch boyfriend. She has had a difficult time to learn Dutch (speaks like five languages though) but she is integrated into the culture and is welcomed there.
Is it wrong for the otherwise liberal Dutch to want newcomers to adapt to there lifestyle and not the other way around?
There in lies the question, what is the American lifestyle? We have 310+ million people living here, so people wanting to be free to practice their own lifestyle and culture is something we as Americans should celebrate.
I am sure that your friend still practiced her own culture and spoke her own language even though she put effort in learning Dutch language and culture. I would bet that you still consider your friend to be Russian and not Dutch.
There in lies the question, what is the American lifestyle? We have 310+ million people living here, so people wanting to be free to practice their own lifestyle and culture is something we as Americans should celebrate.
I am sure that your friend still practiced her own culture and spoke her own language even though she put effort in learning Dutch language and culture. I would bet that you still consider your friend to be Russian and not Dutch.
Sure she will always be Russian as I even though I speak almost perfect German and have learned to fit in here and accept Germany as my home, I will always be an American. I have no expectation that my new land will change to suit me it is up to me to fit in to my new land.
Sure she will always be Russian as I even though I speak almost perfect German and have learned to fit in here and accept Germany as my home, I will always be an American. I have no expectation that my new land will change to suit me it is up to me to fit in to my new land.
So in Germany, do you continue to express your American culture? Do you still do things that you would consider "American?" Do you ever speak English in public or a place of business?
So in Germany, do you continue to express your American culture? Do you still do things that you would consider "American?" Do you ever speak English in public or a place of business?
Of course, and I work for a German company where English is the language of business and I don´t sweep the street in front of my house on saturday morning.
I understand an appreciate your point. It is not black and white though it is gray zone. It is not about speaking a language in public or what we do daily. It is about immigrant communitys who choose largely not to integrate and even shun there new home in a small and unique country.
Of course, and I work for a German company where English is the language of business and I don´t sweep the street in front of my house on saturday morning.
I understand an appreciate your point. It is not black and white though it is gray zone. It is not about speaking a language in public or what we do daily. It is about immigrant communitys who choose largely not to integrate and even shun there new home in a small and unique country.
This is something I disagree with, should the US begin making it illegal for people who are similar in cultural, religious, ethnic groups from living near each other in communities so that they "integrate" into the country? People are allowed to act however they want in the US provided it doesn't break any laws.
I do think you are getting the point I am trying to make, it is just something I question whenever anyone brings up wanting people from other nationalities to integrate into the US, as if there is a way to even describe what US culture is.
This is something I disagree with, should the US begin making it illegal for people who are similar in cultural, religious, ethnic groups from living near each other in communities so that they "integrate" into the country? People are allowed to act however they want in the US provided it doesn't break any laws.
I am not disagreeing really with you but the Netherlands is not the USA. The USA is a large and diverse land with a immigrant based culture and space for all. The Netherlands is different, not better, not worse but much smaller and with more of a homogeneous culture.
And that is also fine, but it doesn't mean we need to try and turn the US into an English speaking only country. I have no problem with people choosing to speak other languages and if enough of them speak one language to allow that area to cater to multiple languages.
Are you insinuating that red necks, pubs, rwnj's and baggers don't like to hear no foreign talkin'? That's what I'm getting from your assertions. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
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