After living in both two countries, Germany and The Netherlands, which are literally neighbours to each other, I could not stop myself giggling from the irony of how the Dutches and Germans could be quite different from each other. You would supposedly think that these two are similar because they are basically next to each other geographically and have almost the same culture as other Western European countries. However, here are some points that you would see the difference between these two that you would not expect before you come to visit.
Punctuality
In fact, it is crucial criterion to both Germany and The Netherlands that you come ON TIME on a meeting. We have long-while known about how punctual the Germans are because of their inflexibility and seriousness on certain tasks. If you have met a German, you know he never keeps his date waiting. He would either come 2 minutes earlier or exactly on time (I really mean by time-ish). In contrast, the Dutches most of the time come 2 minutes later. For them, more or less 5 minutes are still considered on time.
How they spend money
This point discussed is based on what I have seen while living in both countries as well as interacting with these two people while travelling. They both certainly manage very well to save money. They would work the whole year or more and live in a small budget to take a small holiday or travel for a certain amount of time. It is quite different to see how they both spend money on holidays or many other things in general. As the Germans, after working hard for years, they save the money and spend good amount of money on their luxurious holidays in resorts or travelling for a long time (This does not refer to travellers). They would probably book a suite or a resort for a stay in Thailand or Indonesia to enjoy their hard working earnings. As the Dutches, they are really good at saving. They hardly go over their budget for a holiday and they even still save money while travelling. Their money strategy thinking is sharp and on point.
‘Showing-off’
I am not sure if ‘showing-off’ is the right word, but let’s just keep it that way for now. What I mean is how they show their personal livings to others. It is the interpretation for a good living. Of course, it is not applied to every single individual, only general speaking.
If you have visited The Netherlands, there is one thing you will never miss – apartments/houses with big windows. You would wonder why someone would like to have their houses seen in public. Apparently, for the Dutches, it’s a pride if you have a fine home, nicely decorated. It shows that you have a good quality shelter and how good your earnings are. In Germany, people seem to care more about their cars in this case. They would choose to have periodical payment to pay off their good brand car.
The language
Dutch and German languages are Germanic languages so certainly they have some similarities. However, these two countries have the love-hate thing with the language of each other. The Dutches would never be bored of making fun of the German language by speaking like Hitler, and the Germans would never stop complaining about how harsh the Dutch accent is that it sounds like you are having something in your throat.
As being able to understanding both languages, it is funny sometimes if I try to translate some certain words that they are written the same but having a totally different meaning. But somehow I find that the beauty of languages.
Relationship with football
Quite an intimating topic for both Germany and The Netherlands! Since they are so close to each other, they are pretty competitive when it comes to football. At this point, football is a pride for Germany and they take it seriously. They always try to be in the list of all championships and they always proudly mention that they are from Germany because of their football team. They could give aggressive opinions about it because of their pride. On the other hand, even though it is a pride of the country, the Dutches seem to be more friendly and open about it. The pain of losing Germany sometimes during the World cup has gained their competitive attitude but they take it as a friendly communication. Or at least, that’s how I have seen it.
NOTE: All the information above is not bias and not based on fact. It is just the irony of how I have seen after living in both countries. Please do not take it serious or find it offensive. Any comments is welcomed!
Angela Koblitz 