What is this peculiar place?

Kirjutasin AEGEE-Nijmegeni aastaraamatusse sellise jutukese. Mõtlesin, et jagan ka oma sõpradega! :)

Have you ever wondered what describes dutchies next to tulips and wooden shoes? Or how some things that are vey normal to you seem bizarre to others? I am a former president of AEGEE-Tartu and soon-to-become-a-member in AEGEE-Nijmegen who just moved to Nijmegen to start a life here. Hereby I would like to share with you some everyday things that you might not even notice anymore.

·         There are so many bikes! In the first 10 minutes people from some other countries see more bicycles than they have seen in their whole life. Plus it’s normal when your bike makes hell of a noise while biking and every bike must have a minimum of 2 locks.

·         What is more, if something breaks down then you would rather buy it new than get it fixed. This is very different for example in Estonia. There are so many places where you can fix things and repairing something broken is mainly first option to people.

·         You have only cold water in the toilet watertap. What’s with that? Why I can’t wash my hands or teeth with warm water?

·         When you go out, you most probably stand in a bar. I don’t mind standing close to 30 other people, but this is something that most probably would not happen in Estonia. When people go out and they don’t find a free table then that place is full for them.

·         But while sitting in a bar, you throw peanut shells on the ground. Probably there’s an explanation behind that, but it just seems a bit peculiar to sit among „garbage“.

·         Guys use sometimes so much hairgel that it looks like they haven’t washed their hair in a week. What makes it more funny, is that not only teenagers do that but also working middle-class men.

·         Agendas are holy. When I want to meet up with a friend I just call and meet up. Here you make appointments, even with parents. If you want to have half an hour coffee, you make an appointment. This is needed to use time wisely, but at the same time it’s a bit funny as well.

·         People say hello to people they don’t know. Apparently it’s not strange at all to say hello to people in your neighborhood who are behind windows or in front of the house.

There are so many orher things to wonder about. Peculiarities remain with brilliant additions. Some things here are just amazing. As for example infrastructure, Albert Heijn and all the smiling people you meet on the way. I love it here!