Do you like to eat fries and pancakes by the beach? If so, you might have Dutch ancestry.
Arguably best known for its capital city and much-loved tourist destination, Amsterdam, the Netherlands has always been famous for canals, clogs and a windmill dotted countryside.
By understanding more about our Dutch exchange students’ lives back home, it will help you gain insight into their culture and background and prepare you for a successful hosting experience. Let’s start by learning about what’s typical in Dutch communication, home life, education and food, as described by our program participants.
Educational system
By law, all schools in the Netherlands are required to start teaching English by the age of 10.
An increasing number of schools are deciding to start English earlier, sometimes even from kindergarten.
Early on in their education, students choose from three different tracks: prevocational school, pre-university school or a vocational school track that can also lead to university.
Dutch students’ grades are not primarily based on graded homework or class participation.
Rather, students get a set amount of work for the semester for which they will be tested at the end.
The result of that test will be their final grade.
Teacher-student relationships are very informal; some schools even allow students to call teachers by their first name.
Communication style
Dutch students are typically direct and are not used to sugarcoating their communication.
They often are not familiar with undertones. In general, the traits most admired by the Dutch are honesty, humor, modesty and intelligence.
A strong handshake is an appropriate greeting in the Netherlands.
It is also common for friends to kiss alternating cheeks three times when greeting.
Eye contact and facial expressions are key characteristics of Dutch communication.
Food habits
The Dutch generally eat three meals a day.
Dinner, served around 6 or 7 pm, is the main meal.
Arriving at the table in time for a meal and washing hands before eating are important qualities for the Dutch.
It is also impolite to begin eating before everyone is seated or to leave the table before everyone has finished.
A common Dutch breakfast is bread or toast with jelly, Dutch Cheese or cold cuts, boiled eggs and coffee or tea.
Lunch generally consists of open-faced sandwiches.
Seafood is very common in the Dutch diet, specifically herring and eel.
Dining out is not common for the Dutch as families tend to eat most meals at home.
Home life
The Dutch love to ride their bikes everywhere, and the youth enjoy the freedom to do so.
Asking parents’ permission to go somewhere is not common because sending updates via text is sufficient.
Dutch children are expected to help with chores around the house, such as dishes or taking out the trash.
Students often have part-time jobs or play sports after school.
Parents encourage their teens to be involved in extracurricular and support them in their academic studies.