Tag Archives: cultural differences
How holding hands can be a powerful symbol
How do you show that you care? In the Netherlands this week, men showed that they cared by holding hands, women showed it by sharing the pictures and encouraging this action. Children showed it by holding hands, all together. Why? Last week a gay couple on an evening stroll was brutally attacked by a bunch […]
Avoiding making rookie mistakes this winter storm
How the Dutch can be second when America comes first
How to avoid getting Yankee swamped this Holiday season
I love the Holidays! And everything that goes with it. From the lights, the Christmas tree, the festive store windows, the excitement in my kids, everything, but the stress. Stress that was completely unknown to me until I settled in Maine. The Christmas related stress I knew entailed making sure you have your Christmas dinner […]
Dare to be proud
Recently I read a blog from a friend in the Netherlands, in which he admitted to be proud of himself. It got me thinking. I think here in the US people easier admit to be proud than in the Netherlands. There is an expression in Dutch that literally translates as: “Act normal, that’s crazy enough.” […]
See the moon shines through the trees…
The Thanksgiving Orphans
It was November, we had been here for about 10 months now and I was still learning about the differences between my familiar culture and my new one. I couldn’t believe my eyes seeing the enormous turkeys filling the cooling places in the supermarket. I pointed it out to my husband: “How does that even […]