The good intercultural skills of the Dutch !

[Sixpack]

According to this person from Sri Lanka anyway :lol:

From Wiki on my current hometown (well near anyway) Haarlem.
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Talk:Haarlem
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I am a Tamil from Tamil-Eelam (presently Northern and Eastern parts of Sri Lanka). Wonder how I am connected to Haarlem? I am, in a sense. I come from a village that was once called "Haorlem" . My home town is 'Nainativu', a tiny island, in the Jaffna District of Northern Sri Lanka. The Dutch captured our Kingdom of Jaffna in 1658 A.D. from the Portuguese who had earlier defeated the Tamil King Sangili Raja in 1619 and taken our kingdom. It is recorded that the Dutch were more peaceful than the Portuguese in their dealings with the local people. They however re-named many towns and gave Dutch names for them. My home town of Nainativu was re-named Haorlem by the Dutch at that time. There were other towns which were given Dutch names such as Delft, Middleberg, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Hammenheil, Kayts, Point Pedro and so on. After the Dutch left in 1796 A.D., most towns went back to their previous Tamil names. Haorlem became Nainativu again. However, a few towns retain their Dutch names (such as Delft, Kayts, Point Pedro, Hammenheil, etc.) until now.

nagesu.singam@gmail.com

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Haarlem"

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Now, hit me !!!!!

I always read Dutchmen are considered to be so direct and rude by people of other nationalities. Well, I certainly never tried to convince the lot of you here otherwise :-j And yes 'read' because they'll never say it to your face. Talking behind one's back is considered more polite than frankness, I guess ;)

So, this is your opportunity to express your take on the Dutch without reservations; the people, the culture, the politics, the military, whatever etc. :hmm: :88) :stare: ;)


EDITED because the English in this post didnt make much sense, I guess.

[The Avon Lady]

Wooden shoes are stupid! :yep:

[Torplexed]

But quaint windmills are awesome. :yep:

[TLAM Strike]

You call your selves Dutch yet your are from "Holland". That is very confusing! :P

[August]

You call your selves Dutch yet your are from "Holland". That is very confusing! :P

Also called "The Netherlands"...

[Happy Times]

Positives. I have a positive image of Holland. I like how Dutch play soccer, Oranje, Ajax and Litmanen. :lol: The dutch that ive met have been nice people, little crazy like Finns. :yep: You have a lot of interesting culture and history. Your military seems professional and well equipped, but in a small declain. Negatives. I suppose your politics is little more facked up than up here. I suppose many Finns see Holland as an warning exsample how to NOT handle imigration. Also, based on reality or not, the pro drugs image is something that comes to peoples minds from modern Holland.

[Kapitan]

The UK can be called

UK
United Kingdom
United kingdom of great britian
Great britian
Britian
England
GB

[Oberon]

My North Sea neighbours?
I like Holland, the quaint windmills, the tulips, those strange yet wonderful bridges. You're very open minded, and yet not afraid to say what you feel...and you're not as mad on political correctness as your British neighbours...yet I can see the seeds creeping in from the EU :nope:
Oh....and you have Arrow classic rock :up: :rock: :rock: :rock: :up:

[Sixpack]

:o My my, what a nice group of people we got here. Certainly you can do better than that ?! :yep:

I don't need politically correct compliments. We're not the UN here. Happy Times did it best and at least hinted at some (obvious) touchy subjects. Avon Lady has a point ofcourse on the silly wooden shoes, but imo only from a sunny country's (as is Israel) perspective. Clogs are in fact great for the muddy Dutch agricultural environment. It would be a shame to waste Italian shoes on that, eh ?

But anyway, I am eager to find out if there is so much as a general international consensus on 'the Dutch and Holland'. We Dutch might be able to learn from that and improve our image (not just image, but by actual adjustments - right, tell that to a liberal devil may care Dutchman).

Furthermore, we could ofcourse later play this little game with the other countries represented here. Unless it's too direct considering one's culture, ofcourse ;)

[August]

I've been to Holland. Lotsa fun, nice people.

[Kapitan]

ive been to holland to cant remember much of it....i was high as akite for most of the trip thanks to you lot smoking whacky bakie.

[Oberon]

ive been to holland to cant remember much of it....i was high as akite for most of the trip...

And that's before you left Dover... ;) :lol:

[Kapitan]

LOL you know me so well, but i dont know whats worse, me being high or me in a lorry with an equally high driver.

[Abraham]

Positives. I have a positive image of Holland. I like how Dutch play soccer, Oranje, Ajax and Litmanen. :lol: The dutch that ive met have been nice people, little crazy like Finns. :yep: You have a lot of interesting culture and history. Your military seems professional and well equipped, but in a small declain. Negatives. I suppose your politics is little more facked up than up here. I suppose many Finns see Holland as an warning exsample how to NOT handle imigration. Also, based on reality or not, the pro drugs image is something that comes to peoples minds from modern Holland.
You could have added: "It's the country where the best Subsim moderators (like Drebbel) come from."
:rotfl:

[Abraham]

To all:
Don't confuse Holland and The Netherlands, you might offend some Dutchies.
Let us do it ourselves...

The Netherlands: Kingdom since 1814 including all 12 provinces (and 6 Caribian islands).
Holland: The mightiest, richest and most trade-minded of the seven provinces that formed the Republic of the United Netherlands before ca. 1800. (in order to break the might of Holland Napoleon split it up in two provinces: North Holland & South Holland, to the great joy of the other provinces).

Some people from other provinces, especially when they still have their own culture like Friesland, Limburg and Zeeland, dislike to be called "Hollanders" but prefer "Nederlanders" instead. Others don't care. With "Dutchmen" you're always playing safe!
:D

[Kapitan]

now whos making the spelling mistakes isnt it carrabean?

[Abraham]

now whos making the spelling mistakes isnt it carrabean?
Touché Kapitan, I was wrong but you didn't score either.
Let's compromise on: Caribbean.
:D .

[Kapitan]

Ok draw, but till next time

[Abraham]

Ok draw, but till next time
"Draw"! Are you crazy??? :damn:
I made 1 (one) mistake writing in a foreign language and you made aonother - let's see - now whos making the spelling mistakes isnt it carrabean? here we go Now who's making the spelling mistakes, isn't it Caribbean 7 (seven) mistakes pointing that out!
You dare to call that a draw?
OK, I made an off-side goal, but the score is stil 7-0! At least...
:D

[Sixpack]

Ok draw, but till next time
"Draw"! Are you crazy??? :damn:

Pssst, Abraham, I dont want to be rude and interfere but ....remember the subject line, okay ? ;) ;)

[August]

Some people from other provinces, especially when they still have their own culture like Friesland, Limburg and Zeeland, dislike to be called "Hollanders" but prefer "Nederlanders" instead. Others don't care. With "Dutchmen" you're always playing safe!
:D

How can your provinces have such different cultures when the whole country is so tiny?

[TteFAboB]

Some people from other provinces, especially when they still have their own culture like Friesland, Limburg and Zeeland, dislike to be called "Hollanders" but prefer "Nederlanders" instead. Others don't care. With "Dutchmen" you're always playing safe!
:D

How can your provinces have such different cultures when the whole country is so tiny?

Too much free-time.

[Torvald Von Mansee]

I'm an American, and the U.S. is becoming more and more a right-wing hellhole. The Netherlands were such a breath of fresh air by comparison when I was there, being quite the opposite in open-mindedness.

[Drebbel]

Wooden shoes are stupid! :yep:

That is correct, is mainly caused by the absense of a brain.

As a matter of fact most shoes are stupid.

:rotfl:

[Catfish]

Hello,

i would not like to drive without brake shoes though.
(runs for cover, bad pun i know :88) )

But i also like the Netherlands, and even Holland. Been there for a lot of times, but especially Amsterdam. There's also Scheveningen and other seaside resorts, and all the old classic sailing ships still being sailed :up:

Greetings,
Catfish

[Sixpack]

Some people from other provinces, especially when they still have their own culture like Friesland, Limburg and Zeeland, dislike to be called "Hollanders" but prefer "Nederlanders" instead. Others don't care. With "Dutchmen" you're always playing safe!
:D

How can your provinces have such different cultures when the whole country is so tiny?

August,

Abraham still owes you a good answer to your great question, but being the helpful and efficient Dutchman I am, I thought I'd give you this link which I accidently found when googling (which saves me typing).

Apparently from a Dutchman with a national cultural issue.
http://www.archimon.nl/general/holland.html

Best regards !

[Abraham]

Ok draw, but till next time
"Draw"! Are you crazy??? :damn:

@ Sixpack:
Pssst, Abraham, I dont want to be rude and interfere but ....remember the subject line, okay ? ;) ;)
Good one, Sixpack. :up:
Especially that part about not wanting to be rude after this: Now, hit me !!!!!
I always read Dutchmen are considered to be so direct and rude by people of other nationalities. Well, I certainly never tried to convince the lot of you here otherwise...
So, this is your opportunity to express your take on the Dutch without reservations; the people, the culture, the politics, the military, whatever etc.
Ain't you making a reservation here, sonny?
:D

@ Drebbel:
Ahoy Mate!
Still having fun in the States or back in the country of tulips and wooden shoes...
:D

@ The Avon Lady:
Wooden shoes are stupid in the Negev, not in an often wed and muddy country like ours, especially not in an agricultural environment, where they are still often used...

[Sixpack]

Abraham, only in this thread I make an exception, if that's what you meant :lol:

PS. Good fun to see an exemplary mod post like that ('crazy'), apparently unaware of the impact it had on the undoubtedly utterly shocked ueber-Brit Kapitain who never returned. A quite similar reaction of mine at simhq.com on the subject of nazis nearly got me banned there 5 years ago . I reckon the use of the word crazy in English conversation isn't as obviously 'gratuit' as you and I assume(d) after watching thousands of British and American TV-programs and movies :lol:

[August]

Thanks for the link Sixpack.

I think the main reason foreigners like myself tend to refer to the Netherlands as Holland is that "Holland" is easier for people to say and "Netherlands" sounds a lot like "nether regions" which is an old time term for hell.

Since i've been to The Netherlands (and enjoyed myself immensely) i know that it is anything but a hell.

[Sixpack]

Thanks for you kind reply, August.

I think many Dutch people also prefer Holland over the Netherlands, because it has a far better ring to it. And indeed, I never liked that 'nether' part, as if we live in some underworld or hell even.

Btw, I once had a great experience when driving back from central-western Germany (coming from Italy) to the Dutch border in perfectly clear summertime weather early in the evening. It is downhill high speed driving all the way from the Alps on the magnificent Autobahn and at one point actually looking down I could see the BIG red sun almost dip in the Northsea. I realized between myself there in W-Germany and the Sun/sea was small sealevel Holland. Hard to paint the picture, but I can still see it in my mind's eye; an unforgettable sight.

[The Avon Lady]

I'm an American, and the U.S. is becoming more and more a right-wing hellhole.
Allah-u-Ahkbar! (http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/010918.php)

[Torvald Von Mansee]

I'm an American, and the U.S. is becoming more and more a right-wing hellhole.
Allah-u-Ahkbar! (http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/010918.php)

Well, I was talking about how the Republicans have gained control of the Presidency and Congress by some less-than-ethical means, allowing them to install extreme right-wing Supreme Court Justices they never should have had the ability to do. We're already a corporate plutocracy, and they (Republican corporate toadies of extreme servility) are entrenching. Also, the erosion of civil liberties in the "war on terrorism" and "crime." The latter has been going on for a long time, too.

Note - There's nothing really wrong w/the Republicans/GOP, per se, it's just that some extreme right-wingers/conservatives/religious nutjobs have taken the over party leadership and direction. This IS the party of Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt, after all!!!

[Fish]

now whos making the spelling mistakes isnt it carrabean?

Actually, it's Caraiben. :know:

[Dan D]

The “Cruyff turn”, invented by Johann Cruyff, demonstrated by the master himself
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jouViKlxXMw

US Soccer training video: Dribbling moves, move 2: "the Cruyff turn"
http://youtube.com/watch?v=cn2uf0NkjyA&search=cruyff

The “Cruyff penalty”
http://youtube.com/watch?v=rdmI3xhj1BQ&search=cruyff

Robert Pires is no Cruyff, muahahaha
http://youtube.com/watch?v=t2ENAOeEfx8&search=cruyff

[Sixpack]

Oh, why not. I have given up on the original intent of this thread anyway ;)

Always nice to see our nr. 14 do his stuff. :up:

[Fish]

Oh, why not. I have given up on the original intent of this thread anyway ;)

Always nice to see our nr. 14 do his stuff. :up:

And what about Bergkamp........ still gives me shivers.

[Sixpack]

He left Holland too early but this one I thank him for:

Holland-Argentina 98
http://www.anr.uk.com/fb22/hollvarg.html

Must see goals, incl. Hol-Arg 98 (stunning goal after 61 yards cross pass)
http://propunter.blogspot.com/2006/02/football-video-dennis-bergkamp.html

movie clip: http://www.kenaston.org/World_Cup/Videos/98_bergkamp_holland_v_argentina.avi (didnt work in my MP..?)

[STEED]

Long live the Dutch :up:

[Fish]

Long live the Dutch :up:

Thanks but enough. Lets talk about English football, let me think. :roll:

Yeah, I know...Nobby Stiles!

[Sixpack]

Long live the Dutch :up:

:o I never thought I'd live to see the day an Englishman ... :lol:

[STEED]

Made your day Sixpack.

[Sharkstooth]

Wooden shoes are stupid! :yep:

That is correct, is mainly caused by the absense of a brain.

As a matter of fact most shoes are stupid.

:rotfl:

omg.......wheres my red pen????

[Kapitan]

The dutch origional build the sea walls on canvey island, however in 1953 all of them failed misribly when the entire island was submerged.

Since then new walls that are 15 feet high are now standing on the origional sea wall so the defence is now some 25 maybe even 30 feet hig, and is still prone to flooding in some places if we ever get this increase in water from global warming.

[Abraham]

now whos making the spelling mistakes isnt it carrabean?

Actually, it's Caraiben. :know:
Perhaps the islands, but the sea is called Carribean Sea.
:know: :know:

@ Sharkstooth:
Hoi Sharky! :up:

[Abraham]

Some people from other provinces, especially when they still have their own culture like Friesland, Limburg and Zeeland, dislike to be called "Hollanders" but prefer "Nederlanders" instead. Others don't care. With "Dutchmen" you're always playing safe!
:D

How can your provinces have such different cultures when the whole country is so tiny?
@ August:
Sixpack reminded me that I still have to answer your question.
O.K.
The - short - answer is that we Dutch are very individualistic.

The - long - answer is that until the end of the 19th century The Netherlands was a terrible country to travel through. Water and mud, swamps, rivers and islands everywhere in the lower half. Only a few military roads made by Napeloen. Travelling from one part to another toke several days and was often the most efficiently done over water. Since there was relatively little interregional traffic (the Hollanders and Zeelanders sailed the world but not their own provinces) the different character of the provinces didn't change over the ages.
After the Second World war there - due to the destruction the war caused - was for several years again a situation that travelling from the centre of the country to the outskirts took more than a day and - given the daily traffic jams in our country - such a situation may rise again in the near future.
:D

[August]

Some people from other provinces, especially when they still have their own culture like Friesland, Limburg and Zeeland, dislike to be called "Hollanders" but prefer "Nederlanders" instead. Others don't care. With "Dutchmen" you're always playing safe!
:D

How can your provinces have such different cultures when the whole country is so tiny?
@ August:
Sixpack reminded me that I still have to answer your question.
O.K.
The - short - answer is that we Dutch are very individualistic.

The - long - answer is that until the end of the 19th century The Netherlands was a terrible country to travel through. Water and mud, swamps, rivers and islands everywhere in the lower half. Only a few military roads made by Napeloen. Travelling from one part to another toke several days and was often the most efficiently done over water. Since there was relatively little interregional traffic (the Hollanders and Zeelanders sailed the world but not their own provinces) the different character of the provinces didn't change over the ages.
After the Second World war there - due to the destruction the war caused - was for several years again a situation that travelling from the centre of the country to the outskirts took more than a day and - given the daily traffic jams in our country - such a situation may rise again in the near future.
:D

But can't you all just get along? :D

[Abraham]

Some people from other provinces, especially when they still have their own culture like Friesland, Limburg and Zeeland, dislike to be called "Hollanders" but prefer "Nederlanders" instead. Others don't care. With "Dutchmen" you're always playing safe!
:D

How can your provinces have such different cultures when the whole country is so tiny?
@ August:
Sixpack reminded me that I still have to answer your question.
O.K.
The - short - answer is that we Dutch are very individualistic.

The - long - answer is that until the end of the 19th century The Netherlands was a terrible country to travel through. Water and mud, swamps, rivers and islands everywhere in the lower half. Only a few military roads made by Napeloen. Travelling from one part to another toke several days and was often the most efficiently done over water. Since there was relatively little interregional traffic (the Hollanders and Zeelanders sailed the world but not their own provinces) the different character of the provinces didn't change over the ages.
After the Second World war there - due to the destruction the war caused - was for several years again a situation that travelling from the centre of the country to the outskirts took more than a day and - given the daily traffic jams in our country - such a situation may rise again in the near future.
:D

But can't you all just get along? :D
We can, I guess. There's no civil war going on.
I can savely drive to Friesland or Zeeland, get out of my car, mingle between the locals and say that I am from Amsterdam.
:D
I'm just saying there are noticable social and cultural differences within The Netherlands. One is the Western part, Holland and Zeeland, being very open-minded towards foreigners, having always depended on international trade for their economy. The other provinces were far more 'introspective', being basically agricultural. Another cuyltural divide is the line of the main rivers, the part South of it is considered Roman Catholic with a more "Burgundy" lifestyle, the North is considered Protestant, Calvinistic, hard working, serious and blunt.
By the way, there were always more Catholics in the North than Protestants...
By the other way: these contrasts are receiding through enhanced mobility and a changing demography.
Sixpack can brief you about that last aspect.
:D

[Sixpack]

By the other way: these contrasts are receiding through enhanced mobility and a changing demography.
Sixpack can brief you about that last aspect.
:D

:lol: But I have informed this board plenty already. Enough for now. :doh: