Flower power

8:45u 16 May 2013 - I knew Dutch people liked flowers because the Netherlands is really famous for its tulip industry: the Keukenhof is an icon of Holland for good reason. But now I have learned the true reason.

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The art of science

13:42u 25 April 2013 - I am a science student, so making art is the last thing in my mind. However, now I live in the Netherlands, I see art everywhere. One surprising canvas is the laboratory coat. I have seen all kinds of drawings on them. Far too creative to stop short at writing their names on them, students go to great lengths to paint something on their lab coats. They are adorned with clouds, a pi symbol, flowers or dragons.

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Fake animals in front yards

8:32u 11 April 2013 - I remember when I was a newcomer in the Netherlands, I decided to cycle from Wageningen to Rhenen. There were several beautiful houses along the route but one of them particularly attracted my attention.

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Weatherproof runners

22:25u 27 March 2013 - Running is a good choice of exercise. The first time I arrived in the Netherlands was late summer, when the weather was perfect for running outside. I carried on until winter came and then I decided to go to the gym or stay warm under my blanket in my room.

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Polite handshake

12:14u 14 March 2013 - My first handshake in The Netherlands happened when my supervisor welcomed me as a new member of his lab. 'Wow, he is a gentleman', I thought, but it was a very hard handshake indeed. I felt a little bit strange but soon relieved, and I thought it was just his style. But shortly afterwards, I found it was a normal phenomenon here and it seems that Dutch people want to show their power through hard hand-shaking. One of my colleagues even told me that she found her ring not a circle any more just because too many people shook her hand powerfully at a scientific conference.

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No Country for Old Men

21:43u 27 February 2013 - I take the bus and train on a regular basis. Last week on my way to the town centre, the bus was nearly full and an old man, in his late seventies I guess, got on board.

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Self-service shopping

9:53u 14 February 2013 - My first Dutch shopping experience was at a big V&D store. There was little sign of any staff; I only saw a few people standing behind the counter.

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Don’t ask me, I’m a (Dutch) doctor

11:22u 6 February 2013 - Having lived in the Netherlands for six years I have gone through my fair share of visits to Dutch doctors.

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Dutch Honesty

13:07u 17 January 2013 - A couple of weeks ago my friends and I went out to party, as we usually do in our new Dutch life. Like every Friday, the pub was crowded. My friends and I left our coats all together to be sure not to lose them. That day when we were leaving the bar, one of my friends lost her coat. It was a new coat on which my friend had spent a lot of money. The whole group of friends assumed someone had stolen it. My friend was sad and angry and that was how the night ended for her.

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Christmas Spirit à la Dutch

9:57u 19 December 2012 - I spent last Christmas among Dutch family members. As is customary with them, everyone is responsible for making one dish and I was in charge of dessert. After much thinking and research, I set my heart on making a charlotte cake. A charlotte is a cousin of tiramisu; it is a creamy, moist, layered cake. Unlike tiramisu, it is most often made with fruit and must be presented in a bell shape, which calls for a bit of pastry acrobatics.