Illustration: Henk van Ruitenbeek Breaking the stereotype of Dutch guys not being very romantic*, this guy I have been dating puts so much effort into planning our dates – from the typical movie nights or bowling to preparing amazing dinners.
With a Dutch guy, romance can mean riding pillion on his bike or toast with hagelslag
What stood out was the time when he decided to take me to a science festival to watch a documentary – thanks to my thesis life, for I kept whining about my experiments. The point to be noted is his non-science background and his thoughtfulness in taking my interests into consideration. And now comes the cutest bit. The movie is over and we decide to go home, a 20-minute bike ride away. Here I am, five-foot-two tiny me, sitting behind this six-foot-four guy on his really big bike. You wouldn’t think there was anyone sitting behind him had you seen him from the front. And then, tada… the next morning I was greeted with the good old toast with butter and hagelslag.
The contributor of this issue’s Typical Dutch kindly requested Resource to keep her name anonymous, ‘for my own weird reasons’. For this one time we consent – after all, isn’t mystery love what Valentine’s Day is all about?
*Yes, they aren’t vocally expressive. And yes, say goodbye to spontaneous plans – planning a week ahead is a must.
Do you have a nice anecdote about your experience going Dutch? Send it in! Describ an encounter with Dutch culture in detail and comment on it briefly. 300 words max. Send it to resource@wur.nl and earn twenty-five euros and Dutch candy.
NL: Groot(s)
Nederlandse mannen niet romantisch? Deze studente vond het superschattig dat haar date haar ’s avonds achterop de fiets mee naar huis nam. Zij, een kleintje van rond de 1.55, op de bagagedrager bij een kerel van bijna 2 meter… ‘Van voren was amper zichtbaar dat er nog iemand achterop zat’. Ook de boterham met hagelslag die ze de volgende ochtend van ‘m kreeg, viel in de smaak. Of het echte liefde werd? Tja, de inzendster wil graag anoniem blijven en heeft daar zo haar redenen voor.