Are Belgians friendlier than the Dutch? (train, people, work, friendliest)
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So after a year here in the Netherlands so far I can say local people suck. There are some kind people of course but they´re very few in between. Most of them either totally ignore anyone who looks like a foreigner or keep it impersonal and cold. And there are the outright rude ones, never smiling grumpy. Someone told me that Belgians are somewhat kinder, do you think it is true? Anyone having experiences with both nations? And what about the French? Which of the three would you classify as the rudest and the friendliest? I only know Belgians don´t have this ludicrous bike fetish.
So after a year here in the Netherlands so far I can say local people suck. There are some kind people of course but they´re very few in between. Most of them either totally ignore anyone who looks like a foreigner or keep it impersonal and cold. And there are the outright rude ones, never smiling grumpy. Someone told me that Belgians are somewhat kinder, do you think it is true? Anyone having experiences with both nations? And what about the French? Which of the three would you classify as the rudest and the friendliest? I only know Belgians don´t have this ludicrous bike fetish.
The French are friendliest. I've had nothing but strange experiences with the Dutch. I tell myself they can't all be like that, I've probably just had bad luck. But they tend to be arrogant. One tried to pick a fight with me over a political issue, even though we both had the same view, in the end. A couple of them I've known in a work-colleague capacity were incredibly corrupt. But I'm not going to write off a whole nation just because of some strange experiences. There must be normal people there, in Holland.
So after a year here in the Netherlands so far I can say local people suck. There are some kind people of course but they´re very few in between. Most of them either totally ignore anyone who looks like a foreigner or keep it impersonal and cold. And there are the outright rude ones, never smiling grumpy. Someone told me that Belgians are somewhat kinder, do you think it is true? Anyone having experiences with both nations? And what about the French? Which of the three would you classify as the rudest and the friendliest? I only know Belgians don´t have this ludicrous bike fetish.
Since you mentioned the bike fetish, i'm guessing you're in one of the big cities? Probably North- or South Holland?
If you could share that, it'd be a bit easier to advise you or explain some things.
If you tried to make friends at work, don't do that please. We have an unwritten rule of keeping buiseness and work separated. So we don't socialize at work much. Especially in the big cities and the Northern parts. Do you have hobby's? Sports? If you do, join a club. This is were most people here make new friends. This would be much easier cause you'd have allready one thing in common.
Since you ask about Belgians i'm quessing you're thinking about moving there? Cause if you have that opportunity to make a move, try and take a look in one of the cities in Brabant or Limburg. People there are much more open to strangers, and socialise a lot more at work. I've worked in Breda for three years (moved from South Holland to Brabant 8 years ago) and the people there were much different at work. They visit each other in weekends, went to football games together, go out together on a saturday night etc. etc.
It was not really my cup of tea but I'm into horses so joined a horse club. We'd take our horse to the club and take lessons and training. We went on trail rides in the weekends, go to competitions and in no time we made a lot of new friends here. BUT these "friends" are more like good aquaintenses. Making a real friend will take years. I only made two real friends during those years, but am perfectly happy with that.
Also, if you have a good time with someone, don't call him/her a friend immediately, they will be offended. We use this word in a much different way than Americans. (i'm guessing you're american?).
Belgians tend to be more polite and friendly, but are less open (in my experience that is, hope i don't offend any Belgians now) and can be pretty distant and closed to strangers too. They pretty much keep to themselves.
I have an American friend that went through the same problems (he lives in Zeeland, talk about distant and cold) and i allways think he'd be much better off in Brabant or Limburg.
Not incl. neighbor countries i'd say the Belgians are more like Canadians/New Zealanders/Austrians
and the Dutch are more like Americans/Australians/Danish.
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