In Russia almost everybody works and goes shopping until nine or ten o’clock in the evening. Moreover, we have ‘24-hour shops’. It was a weird and unusual feeling to go to the city or a grocery store to buy some food for dinner around 8 pm and find everything was closed. How is that? I could not understand why shops would close THAT early, exactly at the time people return from work or school. When was I supposed to buy my food?
I have learnt to plan my shopping at weekends or in the early mornings if lectures only started in the afternoon. So that problem was solved and I adapted. But soon I encountered another issue with Dutch people ending their working day at 6 pm. They cannot be reached by phone after that! I am used to free communication by phone ANY time of the day: whether it is 9 am or 9 pm. I will always pick up and answer any questions and I know anyone I call will do the same. Dutch people are different. After 6 pm it is their ‘private time’. They cannot be reached for work-related matters anymore.
On the one hand that is weird for me as a foreigner, but on further consideration, the Dutch do not stress themselves when they come home and they can enjoy the rest of the day with their family and friends. What a happy nation!
Maria Starodubrovskaya from Russia
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NL:
WERKTIJDENWinkels die om zes uur dicht gaan was wel even wennen voor Maria. In Rusland kan ze om 10 uur ’s avonds nog overal eten kopen. Ze heeft geleerd haar boodschappen in te plannen voor het weekend. Maar er zijn meer dingen waaruit blijkt dat Nederlanders na zes uur niet werken. Ze beantwoorden na werktijd bijvoorbeeld hun telefoon niet meer. Vreemd, vindt Maria dat. Maar het geeft ook wel rust om je werk niet mee naar huis te nemen. Wat een gelukkige natie!