Culture Shock

Culture shock definitely showed itself at different stages throughout my past couple weeks in the Netherlands. Typically, it would arise from a small gesture that would make me question the way that we do things in the US rather than as a huge shock. Initially, the greatest difference I experienced was the difference in language. I was surrounded by people that spoke English, yet every sign was in a language that I didn’t understand, and every time I needed to use a sign in order to find directions I was reminded of this fact and usually resorted to asking somebody for help, as they could communicate better than any Dutch sign.

Next came the immersion into a culture that was much more relaxed about life, and being in a city that was not necessarily always on the run. I was usually a little surprised when I would see people gathering for a beer in the early afternoon with a group of colleagues, or grabbing a coffee with some friends on a weekday late in the morning. This new experience was a great one for me, as it taught me how to slow down a bit and take a moment every now and then to appreciate something small.

After I began to acknowledge the finer points of the Dutch culture, I realized a newfound appreciation for me and my fellow students’ profound Americaness. Everybody seemed to be able to tell we were Americans (aside from our traveling in large groups speaking English) by smaller tells. When we thank waiters and waitresses after every interaction, when we weren’t all able to ride a bike seamlessly in gusty conditions. At the same time, however, a sense prevailed that the Dutch and us were more similar than I would’ve imagined. We could laugh at the same jokes, discuss the same world issues, and learn a lot from each other human to human. The most profound thing I think that I have learned is this. It’s that we are all people who can live and learn together and who are more in common than we may sometimes think.