Difference In Culture Adorable On Travels

Then there is the introduction to culture shock! Not so pleasant, but it makes me think! While traveling I have never suffered from culture shock. Then the differences in culture are “adorable” because it is equally fun to see and experience.

'De Kat Uit De Boom Kijken'

I moved to Eindhoven in the beginning of 2017. Although the people from Brabant are very hospitable, living here is different from living in Utrecht. I miss the directness and curiosity of my environment for everything new in the neighborhood. In Eindhoven they first look ‘de kat uit de boom kijken’ (see witch way the wind blows) before they ask what I am doing in Eindhoven?

Culture Shock Back To The Island Of My Birth

This is not my first culture shock, but my second noteworthy one. On my 10th I went back to live on Curaçao. Where I had lived until I was 7. The 3,5 years in The Netherlands had been in Dutch almost all the time. The culture shock back then was about:

• I spoke and speak Papiamento with an accent

• After attending a small school, where my class consisted of the groups 6, 7 and 8 together, which counted 18 children. I went to group 7 ( called 5e klas on the island) with 35 childeren!

• The sun was shining daily, and it was warm!

• The letters were written differently. I can still change my writing style when it is called ugly?

• They recited poems and there was a real competition that started in the class in which everyone was obliged to participate. The winners competed against other schools in the theaters of Curaçao

• The school started early at 7:15 already! In Almere-Haven it was 8:30 that I had to be at school.

Back In The Randstad

Now thinking carefully, I think that the cultural difference was greater back than, than now! But I still miss the Randstad! Maybe just move back? In the summer of 2019 I moved back to the Utrecht region.