Dutch customs and etiquette
The Kingdom of the Netherlands (Dutch: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden), known as "Netherlands" because its Dutch province is the most famous. It is a constitutional monarchy composed of four constituent states: Netherlands, Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten. It is a sovereign state with the Dutch mainland as its core. The powers of the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands are limited to defense, diplomacy, nationality and extradition. In addition to the above powers, each constituent state has full autonomy and self-government.
The Netherlands is also a highly developed capitalist country, known for its seawalls, windmills, tulips and a tolerant social atmosphere. It has the most liberal laws on drugs, sex trade and abortion in the world. The Netherlands is also one of the founding members of the European Union and NATO, and is also a member of international organizations such as the Schengen Convention, the United Nations, and the World Trade Organization. The Netherlands is also the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage and euthanasia.
The Netherlands is a world-famous low-lying country. With a total land area of 41864 square kilometers, it is located in the north by west of Europe. It is the European origin of the famous Eurasian Continental Bridge and borders Germany and Belgium. The name Netherlands means "low-lying land" in Dutch. More than half of the country's land is below sea level, and most of the country is plains. 60% of the people are concentrated in low-lying areas in the west. The lowest point is actually 6.7 meters lower than sea level. Therefore, when you land by plane, you will find that you are flying deep in the ocean. When taking a boat, you will feel that the car is lower than the boat on the street not far from the river.
The official language of the Netherlands is Dutch, which is very similar to English. English, German and Dutch belong to the western branch of the Germanic language family of the Indo-European family. South Africa has a Dutch sphere of influence, so many South Africans speak Afrikans, a local dialect variant of Dutch.
The Netherlands belongs to the East 1 time zone, and the local time is 7 hours later than Beijing time. From March to October every year, daylight saving time is implemented, the clocks are set forward 1 hour, and the local time is 6 hours later than Beijing time. Although the Netherlands is located between 50 and 53 degrees north latitude, it is not cold in winter and not hot in summer. However, the temperate marine climate makes it lack of sunshine and continuous rain, with only 65 days of light a year.
Netherlands has its own unique culture and customs, and the diversity is reflected in the cultural differences in different regions and the influence of foreign cultures. Most Dutch people dress in the same way as other countries in continental Europe. In formal social occasions, such as attending gatherings and banquets, men dress more solemnly. The lady's clothes are elegant and beautiful. The most distinctive thing is the costumes of the residents of Magen Island in the Netherlands. The shirts of girls on the island are all red and green strips.
When Dutch people introduce their own names, they usually introduce their surnames, especially in formal occasions such as doing business.
Dutch friends have a special way to greet each other when they meet, that is, regardless of gender, they kiss each other three times on the cheek. When talking to Dutch people, pay attention to keeping a distance, not being reliable too close, and avoid physical contact.
Dutch people are accustomed to writing all their activities and schedules in notebooks. Even if you date a close friend, try to advance your dates. Dutch people generally abide by the time and are very punctual. If you are late for an appointment, you will make them angry. If you have something to cancel, the sooner you tell them, the better. Generally, they need you to tell them a few days in advance, and if you tell them that day, it will be considered impolite.
Dutch people usually speak with the word "please" and often keep saying "thank you". They are also relatively straightforward. When they say "yes", they mean "yes", and when they say "no", they mean "no." There is no need to say "yes" when you disagree with the other party out of courtesy or to avoid a dispute of disagreement. The Netherlands is a country where you can say "no" when you disagree with the other person's needs or are not worth it and want to do something for others.
Be careful not to pry into other people's income, political opinions and private lives. Dutch people generally abide by what they say, which certainly does not mean that there are no scammers. But relatively speaking, they generally abide by their own words and believe what the other party says. Sometimes they don't consider that the other party is actually joking and cause misunderstandings.
The Netherlands is a country lacking mountains and Shaolin. They usually have a unique feeling about mountains and forests. The Dutch have been in the habit of growing flowers, planting trees and grass for centuries. In the Netherlands, almost every household has to plant flowers and plants in front and back of their houses to decorate the environment. China pay attention to bonsai, while the Dutch all love "window views." They are often used to placing various exotic flowers and grasses on the window sill or hanging on the window, which match the hanging curtains on both sides and create a unique scene. In addition, Dutch people generally pay more attention to cleanliness and tidiness, and are accustomed to cleaning their houses every morning. Even an old woman who wipes the floor in a village brings with her cleaning tools such as brushes, hard brooms, garbage hooks, and steel powder, steel sandpaper, etc. The Dutch are world-famous for their furniture and interior decoration, so the Dutch like to be complimented by others on their furniture, art, carpets and home furnishings.
3-5 September and September 11 are the best places to visit. In June, July and August, Dutch people go on vacation more often. The Netherlands has a very high latitude and is still bright at 9 p.m. in summer. Drinking water is safe everywhere and tastes pure. Bottled mineral water is also good. V Dutch taxi drivers do not accept tips.
When visiting a Dutch home, you should prepare some small gifts. A beautiful bouquet of flowers, a box of delicious chocolates, or a bottle of wine will be popular gifts. Don't give expensive gifts. When giving gifts, all gifts must be wrapped in brightly colored wrapping paper. No matter how small or light the gift is, the outer shell is either simple and elegant or elegant. People who receive gifts should open the gift in front of each other and praise it to show their gratitude and respect.
When visiting a Dutch person's home or talking to a Dutch person in daily life, you should pay attention to interrupting the other person's words. It will not be regarded as an act of paying attention to the other person. Avoid talking about American politics, money and prices during conversations. Popular conversations include politics, travel and sports. Dutch people have a strong sense of time and pay attention to punctuality.
When visiting the Netherlands for business activities, you should wear conservative suits, and public and private organizations must sign contracts before visiting. Because Dutch businessmen like to travel, they must make an appointment before going to the Netherlands. Although they do not like to shake hands like French and German businessmen, the Dutch are more formal and conservative. The interview involved each other's private life. Large industries often have "backup order" objects. So remember to come up with your best negotiation terms directly to avoid business flying.
Dutch businessmen like to entertain each other and often have a rich breakfast. They rest for tea at 10 a.m., have a big meal at noon, rest for tea at 4 p.m., have formal dinner at 7 p.m., and have a late night snack before going to bed. So, remember to bring your gastrointestinal medicine. If a Dutch person invites you to his house, most of them will only invite you to a few glasses of wine and then go out to a restaurant for dinner. Remember to bring flowers to his wife-make sure they are odd, 5 or 7 flowers are best, and don't go too far with other people's wives. Dutch intellectuals have a deep understanding of China's traditional culture (Sinology). Let's talk about China's Yemeng philosophy-he also understands it.
Dutch people are accustomed to eating Western food, but they are also interested in Chinese food. In the Netherlands, it is said that China has the largest number of dishes in Europe. On holidays, Dutch people often love the whole family to eat Chinese food in China and taste China dishes. Milk is an indispensable ingredient in his daily life, and drinking milk is like drinking tea in my country. The Dutch have a special emphasis on pouring coffee, and they can only pour it into two-thirds of the cup. It was full of impolite interjection and was regarded as lacking education. Eat cheese, ham, sausage, and jam for breakfast. The way to get along is not to mention the Nazis and their forced wealth by the Japanese in Asia. When going up the stairs, the man was in front. Generally speaking, when men and women climb stairs, women are in front and men are behind. This is a courtesy. The Netherlands, on the other hand, is the opposite.
The Dutch call a dish made by mixing carrots, potatoes and onions "national dish". Every year on October 3, every household eats this "national dish". They eat citrus fruits very much, but not much other fruits. Most Dutch breakfast is cold, usually bread and butter or milk. Dutch people don't like tea very much. The spoonbill, protected by Dutch law, is the national bird, and the "tulip, the flower with the most abundant in the country of flowers, has become a symbol of the Netherlands, so it is known as the" national flower." The Dutch are famous for their love of flowers and their ability to grow flowers, so the Netherlands is known as the "Garden of Europe".