Survival Tips
Here are some tips that will help making your stay in the Netherlands a little easier.
1) Get a bike and a good lock to go with it
2) When eating out, everybody pays for his own food. In a bar, the custom is when you are in a company to pay for 'a round' of drinks. This way, everybody gets a turn to pay for all the drinks.
3) Make appointments
Dutch people live by their calendar. If you want to meet with somebody, you make an appointment. Appointments are made for any kind of social get together, from getting a drink after college to eating at somebody's house. Even when you want to pay someone a surprise visit, they like to be notified first. The best way is to telephone them first, to ask if you are welcome.
If you do pay a surprise visit, and you do this around dinner time (18.00 - 19.00), don't be surprised if a Dutch person does not ask you to join for the meal.
Dutch people normally cook exactly enough food for their family, so they do not have enough dinner for an extra guest.
Of course they like to have somebody over for dinner, and if you make an appointment, you will be treated well and the cook will most of the time try to make a special meal for you.
4) Be always on time; people in Holland do not like to wait. Buses and trains normally leave at exactly the scheduled time.
5) Kissing rituals
Girls who are friends give eachother three kisses on the cheeks when they meet or say goodbye. This is quite common. Guys and girls give greeting kisses only when they are really good friends. So, if you are a guy, be careful and do not just kiss any girl you know on the cheeks.
Guys and guys usually do not give kisses. Some do, but it is not common.
6) Be sure to have a raincoat, especially if you are used to riding a bike.