Illustration Henk van Ruitenbeek
One of the funniest things happened to me when I told my Dutch supervisor: ‘Hey Mike, today is Mid-Autumn Festival’. For an Asian, especially a Chinese person, the first thing that springs to mind when people mention the Mid-Autumn Festival is moon cake, because it’s so typical and special, just like Dutch oliebollen at New Year. But Mike replied: ‘Oh, then you are going to drink beer tonight!’
Beer is very important to the Dutch and to them, any festivity is a good reason to drink it
Two months later, I still can’t help laughing out loud when I think of that answer: it is just hilarious. We would never combine beer and Mid-Autumn Festival because they just don’t go together. But I can really understand why Mike does make the connection. Beer is very important to the Dutch and to them, any festivity is a good reason to drink it.
Jiajia Ling, an MSc student of Environmental Sciences, from China
Do you have a nice anecdote about your experience going Dutch? Send it in! Describ an encounter with Dutch culture in detail and comment on it briefly. 300 words max. Send it to resource@wur.nl and earn twenty-five euros and Dutch candy.