They say Dutch people speak English perfectly. Therefore living in the Netherlands does not particularly require one to be able to speak the local language. They say that if you try to mumble a couple of words you know in Dutch at the service desk in the station, the Dutchies right away get that you are foreigner and give you the answer in English. So now you don’t have to try so hard again. Just speak English.

They also say that we foreigners hang out a lot with each other. Because the Dutchies have strict lines between their work and private lives, we just don’t meet them after work or after studies. They say. They say a lot of things.

But in my opinion, that’s not true. I came here almost four years ago and as soon as I got free time next to my studies and work, I started to take the Dutch courses that the TU/e offers. It helped me a lot to reach the level where in the shop I was able to find my way in Dutch. In addition I could finally read and understand letters from my insurance company and even fill out my tax forms online.

And, trust me, although it is quite obvious that I am not a native Dutch speaker and that my Dutch is still somewhat far from perfect, I nearly never get a response in English when I start talking in Dutch. I get comments and supporting smiles that I try, while living here in the tall people’s country.
And yes, learning a foreign language is pretty hard work. To be able to really learn it, one must invest a lot of time and effort. But at the end it pays off greatly, because we can feel much stronger and more independent members of the society we live in. Finally we get closer to becoming a, maybe still exotic and foreign, part of this for some of us different culture.

Moreover, knowing the local language shows respect to the people and the country that is hosting us. And finally, there are plenty of Dutch people in the streets, cafes, bars, libraries, leisure and sport centers and everywhere else. Understanding their language will help you to get closer to them and maybe show how interesting you are for them. This way you have a bigger chance to make more Dutch acquaintances or even friends with whom you can later hang out after work or lectures (when your office hours are over and you don’t want to see your own colleagues).

At the end I think, depending on our stay in the Netherlands, we should try to learn at least basic Dutch.