One of the first questions people in Netherlands used to ask me when we introduce ourselves to each other was why I chose the Netherlands for Erasmus, where drugs and prostitution are legal. I did not come here for those reasons in case you are wondering. In the beginning, it was all about Dutch friends in Finland I had, good reputation or simply nice words of mouth I heard about how open and high-quality-material Netherlands as a country is, that made me so eager to apply for this short and expensive exchange program for me compared to staying in Finland, which has already been a rewarding opportunity living abroad for me. It was also the travel-bug that had bitten me and pushed me on that plane.
Only until recently that I have quite the full answer for why I want to be here in Groningen, where you can find just enough things going on around for an ideal student life - great international education & English speaking level, lots of activities & awesome parties,nice people, etc.
Most importantly, this small city up north of the Netherlands has one of the richest Dutch cultures among all the areas. What is Dutch culture? Hard as it might seem to embrace Dutch culture, it is to me the way Dutch people talk and behave towards each other, the drink and food they typically eat, the celebrations they organize, the language, etc.
A short video about Experience Groningen - a 2-day event for new international students to explore and get to know the city
Here's how I see Dutch culture diverisity, of specifically Groningen's
Social culture
Among all beverages, Jenever is a very typical well-known alcoholic drink specially owned by a family business HoogHoudt of Groningen. The taste is amazing, fruity, high quality and prices are incredibly inexpensive compared to a very unique brand image HoogHoudt brought to the Dutch market.
I love the way Dutch people celebrate Saint Nicholas Day on 5th December night and 6th December morning with ginger biscuits (peppernotens) and the well-prepared journey of Sinterklass (Dutch Santa Claus) arriving from Spain to different cities in the Netherlands 2 weeks before his birthday, which is featured and broadcasted in every media.
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| Sinterklass in Fraeylemaborg |
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| Dutch Mustard soup |
Art culture
Another thing I especially love about citizens of Groningen and the city itself is diverse art culture, well drown with artists, dancers, and musicians every here and there. It is not difficult to find dance classes, theatrical performances such as Jonge Harten festival, music clubs, latin parties, etc.
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| Club Guy & Roni - where you find amazing performers, artists and dance teachers |
Working culture
I think Dutch people are typically confident, smart, initiative, straight-to-the-point and could be assertive when working together, especially with foreign people. I love being around them, enjoy their energy, the way they organize things and stick to the deadlines. Dutch people are mostly punctual, though concept of time is a bit more relaxed in the international environment. If you are looking for a high-quality educational environment where people a talented and efficient at performing & presenting themselves, Netherlands is an ideal country.
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| Presentation at IBM Groningen |
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