Forum menu
London.
Merely a different social construct
Dismiss things as social constructs if you want, but there are some social constructs that are more productive than others, for example, holding the door, letting people in a traffic queue, not sitting on someone's tail and hooting because they have the audacity to want to wait to turn left across traffic.
In the end everything we like about living in a different society is function of social constructs, so let me rephrase my posting - the social constructs in NL are such that I found living there profoundly unpleasant.
terrible food, lol @ brits commenting on foreign food. UK = Subway, MacShergars, stodgetastic eat all you like Pizza, Kentucky Fried Pigeon,... NL=huge selection of just about every nationality on the planet (except english ) - always took ages to decide where to go - could have chosen a different restaurant every day I was there (about 4 years).
You jolly well have not really thought this through, have you?
How long were you in the Netherlands and whereabouts?
Having spent two weeks touring the whole country I simply don't recognise the same place as you seem to have found. Never had poor service, everyone helpfull and kind.
I positivly enjoyed being left alone - touring by tandem in the UK people call out at you and interrupt you to talk at you all the time.
I really don't see it like DrJ - no worries there but most of the guys I've worked with in Holland have been OK with the Dutch
They do seem a bit off with Germans though, the last war is still in living memory so I guess that doesn't help
I like the Netherlands, but I really like Belgium. It's like a dirty Holland..
Apart from GeordieLand probably Icyland because nobody lives there apart from volcanoes so peace and quietness. 😆
I used to have a petrol station just outside Durham City & got loads of tourists in on the way to see our Awesome Cathedral. Some of the nicest people were the Dutch (including one guy who used to tell me jokes about the Belgians like we do/did about the Irish) The Frogs were crap cos they couldn't speak English.
& I work with a Dutch guy who's ace.
A sort of related article today
[url=
Germans or Brits the rudest?[/url]
Thailand or Ireland depending on the time of year.
Living in Yorkshire's pretty good mind
For me, it's got to be Germany. I love Berlin; I love Aachen; I love its countryside; I love its outlook on life. And I love the fact that Brits, for the most part, just don't 'get' it.
Having moved to the UK from Canada by choice, I have learnt to love where I live, but it took moving to Wales from Salford for me to start. I am feeling good about living here, and am glad of it, but I still think that there is a very bizarre tendency on many British people's part to think that they have nothing to learn from any other country. It [i]can[/i] be very insular.
And as for Canada, there is much to love, and I am always happy to see that people think so highly of it. I would argue that even the winters can be enlivening if you learn to use them to your advantage. Having said that, molgrips is right when he says that he has heard there are millions of miles of uncultured wasteland there. Ultimately, it was one of the factors that came down in favour of moving this side of the Atlantic.
And I love the fact that Brits, for the most part, just don't 'get' it
Interesting - what makes you say that?
. Having said that, molgrips is right when he says that he has heard there are millions of miles of uncultured wasteland there. Ultimately, it was one of the factors that came down in favour of moving this side of the Atlantic
Whenever I meet people from other countries I ask them why they move. It's usually not the weather, or the price of houses - it's similar to this .
Saxon are you in Wales now? Where abouts?
As for Britain being insular - in my somewhat limited experience I have found an enormous difference between big cities (especially London) and the rest of the UK. Cardiff, whilst a young happenin' city, is still very parochial when you talk to the locals rather than the student incomers.
Generally Spain, but it's doing it's best to be a complete **** at the moment.
Wales, Snowdonia to be precise.
Not really sure why, it just makes me happy.
Been all over the place, but nowhere else has quite the same effect.
Ireland's nice, Italy is lovely but I'd rather have Llanberis anyday. Wierd I know.
As for Brits not seeming to 'get' Germany, I am speaking tongue-in-cheek, except that I still often find many of the old stereotypes carted out. You know: the ones about the Germans having no sense of humour, etc. The fact that I try to spend some time every summer there, and hardly ever encounter other folk from the UK on my travels sort of confirms this. Having camped in Spain and across France, I have encountered all sorts of Brits at the various sites. Yet as soon as we cross the border into Germany, we hardly hear the language again until the return to Dunkerque. I suspect that few people think of German wines, sausages, and baked goods when they are thinking of European culture; nor do they seem to recognise that the Germans enjoy a fine quality of life in terms of work-life balance. It's not perfect, certainly; but I love it! (Having a German father helps, of course...)
As for where I am now, it is Cardiff I call home. Lived here for more than six years now, and love it. And however much I might covet a farmhouse in Mecklenberg, I am also quite happy being able to go to the Chapter whenever I want, ride through Pontcanna fields everyday, and get into the woods around the city whenever I have a free day.
Scotland. The Bullheart JOGLE last year showed me a country that I just can't get out of my head.
It's staggering in its beauty.
The Dingle Peninsula
I'm happy in France, it's home despite my British upbringing. A year working in Spain stressed me and I found it hard to integrate, family dominates so if you're not one of the family... . I worked a summer in Germany, do exchange visits and take holidays there. I could happily live there and may spend more time there one day.
Of the coutries I haven't visited but would like to Canada tops the list. Quebec appeals perhaps because we get quite a lot of Canadian stuff on French TV.
dd, Dingle is indeed amazing.
Dick Macks, The Rainbow Lodge, that little museum on the coast road - beautiful.
The only place I've ever been where you can buy a pair of wellies, a pint and a haircut in the same shop - that was quite a night 😀
If I came into money, I'd build myself a nice little spot there. The view as I come over the Conor Pass. Ahhh. I don't miss much about Ireland, but I do miss Co. Kerry.
Strangely enough i much prefer Germany to France for those reasons. I like the German sense of humour (Watching a German friend of mine play Richard III at Bosworth and deliberately giving 'the' speech in an exaggerated German accent was hilarious), i like German food, i love German architecture - especially in Bavaria.
Lovely place, never lived there but i'd like the opportunity to try it out.
Saxon, Cardiff for me too when I return from Germany 🙂
It's been hard for me to get involved in life in Germany so it's hard to say for sure what goes on. Things aren't so nice where we live, but it could just be a bit of a crappy estate. Work is indeed low stress but astonishingly dull, and really annoyingly stupid a lot of the time. And everyone who works there's been there for 20 years and doesn't care. Is that Germany or just that company? Can't really say.
Spending time away makes me appreciate the UK though. There's a motorbike advert on the way to work showing a guy doing a burnout on his bike; an advert for Marlboro showing someone enjoying his fag; loads of adverts for cars and other macho things with half naked bimbos draped over stuff; and family based products advertised with skinny models and fat kids... All seems very base and backwards to my foreign eye.
Mind you I think the same about aspects of US culture too. Makes me glad we've tried to move away from that at home.
Belgium - motocross, cycling, chips and mayo, chocolate, beer and they still wash the pavements outside of their shops each morning.
Uk first for me, I really quite like it here. France next, outside the cities people have the most wonderful approach to life.
Having spent two weeks touring the whole country I simply don't recognise the same place as you seem to have found.
I was there 4 years in The Hague. People say that outside the Randstad people are nicer, but I didn't investigate in detail.
For as long as I can remember I've always thought that Afghanistan and the Hindu Kush would be an amazing place to visit.. still a wilderness and ancient and stoically and stubbornly refusing to embrace rampant capitalism and westernisation..
I've got to admit to being put off the idea somewhat over the last decade or so.. 🙁
US.. San Francisco to be specific...
surprised SF or Vancouver hasn't been mentioned - not been to Vancouver myself though
in my short time i've lived in UK, France and Netherlands. Travelled through Belgium and Spain and i'm now moving to Finland. Hallelujah!
As seen as i speak french with a flemish accent, Belgium would be great place to live. If i could get a grip with Finnish and Finnair wouldn't be so damn pricey, then i'd choose Finland.
Belgium for the beer, cycling, friendly people, plurality of languages and proximity to fast transport.
Finland for the wild, beer fuelled traditions and jeckyll/hyde weather.
Nice photo of Koli 😀 loved my time in Finland.
Screw you Flash Wales is a counrty, it's my country, it's where my heart is even if I am miles away.
Actually one of the nicest places I've ever bin was Norway. Really peaceful, mainly friendly people, access laws the Scots can only dream of, and good quality food. Lots of very very pretty Blonde Nordic ladies about, which for a small, swarthy brown feller like me, is perfect. 😀
I'm an urban person though really. So it's big cities that excite me the most. Hence why I'm happy where I am.
If I found a job in Finland I'd go back straight away 🙂
I like china because it seems to upset Guardian readers.
Nobody is upset - they are just sorry for you.
you seem to be getting upset that fact you even bothered to reply means im winning ****ing moron!
you seem to be getting upset that fact you even bothered to reply means im winning **** moron!
You're right - I'm completely outwitted by the latter-day Oscar Wilde.
DrJ - Member
you seem to be getting upset that fact you even bothered to reply means im winning **** moron!
You're right - I'm completely outwitted by the latter-day Oscar Wilde.
yep i bet im fast than you on bike as well.
I think it's hilarious that you like China iloveyourears, and I bought a copy of the Guardian this morning ...........should I have been 'upset' ?
*confused* .........please help 😕
yep i bet im fast than you on bike as well.
I'm a better dancer than you, so shut up! 😀
I was there 4 years in The Hague. People say that outside the Randstad people are nicer, but I didn't investigate in detail.
Fair enough, that's one of the biggest shitholes in the country. Cannot blame you there. Shame you didn't go beyond the Randstad though.
I'm coming round to ilovemygears' way of thinking. I loved North Korea when I was there. Can't wait to go back sometime. Better dancers than even Effin.
Elfin
[img]
Better dancers than even Effin.
Don't talk daft. 🙄
Have you ever seen me dancin...?
I quite like NZ really. In terms of quality of life it is right up there. Not nirvana of course but for access to outdoors/income/decent place to live/lifestyle you can;t beat Wellington i reckon.
If you want good solid weather then it is of course not the place to be.
Your missus said you had two left feet (and a baby's arm). 🙂
Elfinsafety - MemberBetter dancers than even Effin.
Don't talk daft.
Have you ever seen me dancin...?
[img]
What would that cah know always out of her head on meths was a miracle she could even stand up straight most of the time...
Spain is nice. I like Spain. But I agree with PeterPoddy about England. It is a beautiful place, maybe we just get a bit complacent and take it for granted.
I'd live to visit Iceland.
Can't believe there are so many votes for France. OK its a nice country but its full of French who are the most arrogant and unfriendly people I've ever come across.
I'll add a vote for Germany- and Sweden if it wasn't for the long dark winters.