Asking Europeans What They Think of Americans and the USA

Sneak Peek:

Richard:    00:00:00    When you want to see how the world was, you have to be in Europe, and when you wanna see how the world will be, you have to go through Asia.  

Kristin:    00:00:06    What was your perception of the US like before you lived there? Is there anything that you would change or like want to improve about your country? 

Introduction: Welcome to Badass Digital Nomads, where we're pushing the boundaries of remote work and travel, all while staying grounded with a little bit of old school philosophy, self-development, and business advice from our guests.

Kristin Wilson, Host:    00:00:37    Hey there, Kristin Wilson from Traveling with Kristin here, and welcome to episode 238 of Badass Digital Nomads. I am back from the Nomad Cruise and preparing to head back home for the holidays. I'm currently in Brazil for the next few days, and I'll have another episode coming up talking about that as well as my experience on Nomad Cruise 12, and also lots of interviews with fellow attendees on the Nomad cruise about how they became digital nomads, how they make money online, why they left their countries to live abroad, and much more. If you know me and you've watched a lot of my videos on YouTube, you know that I like to interview people. After all, we're on episode 238 of this podcast, but also on my YouTube channel, Traveling with Kristin. I also have a lot of videos talking to strangers, and I think I'm gonna do a lot more of this in the future because you guys seem to like it.  

Kristin:    00:01:42    I have a lot of fun. I love meeting these amazing people and sometimes hilarious people out on the streets. You never know what's going to happen, and I'm always surprised at the answers and the things that I learn from these random people that I approach <laugh> on the streets around the world, whether it's in Dublin or Belfast or Amsterdam or Portugal. And so in today's podcast, I wanted to share with you some interviews that I did for a video on YouTube that really resonated with people, has tens of thousands of views in the first couple of weeks. And it was, the idea for this video came about because since I've been in Europe for the past year, a lot of people have been asking me questions about what it's like to live in the us, Why I left the US and why I prefer living in Europe to America.  

Kristin:    00:02:41    And they're usually pretty surprised because they think, you know, why would you leave a place like Miami to go to Manchester or Amsterdam where it's cold and rainy all the time, <laugh>. And so I've answered a lot of the questions like that throughout the year, but I also get a lot of questions back from people about what it's like to grow up in the US and if it's safe in the US People always ask me what I think of politics and guns and other controversial topics like that. So in this podcast, I wanted to go up to Europeans, walking through the streets of Amsterdam and just ask, what is their impression and perception of Americans and America? And by saying that I do mean US citizens and the United States of America, but I'm just gonna use America for short. And also how US citizens are perceived in Europe, especially American tourists.  

Kristin:    00:03:43    So I was really interested to hear what people had to say. And you know, the questions got a bit off topic, but in a really good way. Um, we learned more about, uh, a woman who solo traveled and lived abroad by herself, Retired Richard, who everyone seems to like in the YouTube comments who, uh, has been traveling around the world and really enjoys being in Southeast Asia and the lifestyle. There, there some really great conversations going on in the comments section as usual. So make sure to check that out and I'll read a couple of the top rated comments at the end of this episode. Before we get started, if you're in the market for some last minute Christmas presents, then I can definitely recommend Unbound Merino. I've just been wearing my Unbound Merino wool clothing on the Nomad Cruise, and it was great to have a few items that I didn't have to wash frequently.  

Kristin:    00:04:44    So if you're thinking of going on a cruise or if you travel carry on only and you like to pack light, then Merino wool is for you because it's very soft and silky, naturally antimicrobial and moisture wicking. So they stay fresh, they don't smell, and they have a lot of really neutral colors that combine really well together, match with everything so that you can look stylish in any situation. They have apparel for winter and summer, even though I was on my way to Brazil, I still brought my long sleeve Merino wool shirt because it's great for layering if it gets windy or cooler at night. Hoodies are also very popular and you can bundle different shirts, socks, boxers, or dresses and save money. There's also free returns within 90 days, so you can try it on and send it back if it doesn't fit. If you're shopping for a loved one or someone special in your life, but you're not sure what to buy them, you can also give them a digital gift card from $25 to $500 in different amounts with no processing fees. And they are sent to you by email. So it's super quick and easy. Check out Unbound Merino using our link in the show notes and also support the show as well. Without further ado, let's jump right into the interviews.  

Podcast Interview:

Richard:    00:06:14    When you want to see how the world was, you have to be in Europe and when you wanna see how the world will be, you have to go through Asia.  

Kristin:    00:06:20    I've been in Europe for the past year, and whenever I tell people that I'm from the US I always get one of two reactions. First is why, as in, why would you leave the US to live here? People find it very strange that I would prefer to live in Europe compared to the US. But then the other reaction is, is it dangerous? And I have to say that that's a response that I didn't use to get 10 or 15 years ago. But in the past few years of living abroad, people have been asking me more and more about safety in the US. So here in Amsterdam, I'm gonna walk around a little bit and ask people their perception of the US and its citizens.

Couple from Amsterdam

Kristin:  What is your name?  

Ira:    00:07:08    Uh, Fonda Bohart. Ira. Ira.  

Kristin:    00:07:12    Ira. Ira. And you're from the Netherlands. Where are you from originally?  

Ira:   00:07:16    I was born in Amsterdam.  

Kristin:    00:07:18    Oh, born and raised?

Ira: Yes.

Kristin:  Wow.  

Ira:    00:07:20    I don't live here anymore. Where  

Kristin:    00:07:22    Do you live now?  

Ira:    00:07:23    In the east of the country.  

Kristin:    00:07:24    And have you ever been to the US before?  

Ira:   00:07:27    Uh, once I was in New York.  

Kristin:    00:07:30    Oh yeah? Yes. What did you think of it?  

Ira:    00:07:31    New York. Oh, wonderful. <laugh>.   

Kristin:    00:07:36    What would you say is the perception here in the Netherlands of the United States?  

Ira:    00:07:42    Oh, uh, different. Like before.

Kristin:  Different

Ira: Yes.

Ira's Husband:  00:07:48    Conservative  Country.  

Kristin:    00:07:48    Conservative country.

Ira and her Husband:  Yes, yes.

Kristin:  What would you say was the turning point when it changed? Uh, like your perception, did it change from positive to negative?  

Ira:    00:07:59    The, the circumstances with Trump? And that's, that's a kind of change. Yeah.  

Kristin:    00:08:05    Yeah. And by, by conservative, in which ways?  

Ira's Husband:     00:08:09    Point of view of abortion and, L-H--A-B-T-Q

Ira:    00:08:17    Zero tolerance.

Ira's Husband:  Yeah.  

Kristin:    00:08:19    Yeah. You think that that's too strict?  

Ira:    00:08:21    Yes. 

Kristin:    00:08:23    Yeah. and what, how would you describe the lifestyle here in the Netherlands?  

Ira:    00:08:27    Oh, it's changed also.

Kristin:  Oh yeah.

Ira:   Yeah. <laugh> <laugh>. But I'm 75 and I, I, in the years back after me, it was comfortable. And now it's, um, changed a lot. 

Kristin:    00:08:42    as more expensive or more crowded?  

Ira:    00:08:45    Everything, everything. The way of, uh, the--  

Ira's Husband:    00:08:48    The city, very expensive in the east part of the country, it's less expensive.  

Kristin:    00:08:53    Yes very expensive here, I've noticed. <laugh>. 

Ira:    00:08:57     Yes. Yes. But I was born here and I love always this town, this city.  

Kristin:    00:09:02    Well, since you're from here, um, do you have any recommendations for us as, as visitors? Is there something special that you think everyone should see here in Amsterdam?  

Ira:    00:09:13    Well, for me it's just being here because I know every place, every market, every kennel, every street. So when I'm here, just all of Amsterdam is good.  

Kristin:    00:09:24    Just the atmosphere, just--  

Ira:    00:09:26    Yes. It's just a feeling.  

Kristin:    00:09:28    Well, thank you so much. Have a safe trip.

Ira:  Thank you. Bye 

Kristin:   Bye.

Retired Richard 

Kristin:  What's your name?

Richard:  Richard, Richard.

Kristin:  And were you born and raised here in the Netherlands?  

Richard:    00:09:37    In the Netherlands, yeah. Yeah.  

Kristin:    00:09:38    Have you been to the United States before?

Richard:  Yes.

Kristin:  Where?  

Richard:    00:09:42    I've been in, uh, New York for several times. I made a trip from Washington to Miami and I made a trip on the, on the West coast, uh, California, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego.  

Kristin:    00:09:56    That's where I'm from. Miami. And what did you think of the US. What were your impressions there?  

Richard:    00:10:01    Well, it's a, it's a very big country, so there are a lot of impressions. Uh, East Coast is different from, uh, from the West coast. My last trip was from, from Chicago to Miami through Louisville and the mid the Midwest. And, um, uh, that possibility sad, it wasn't the time that Trump was president, and I had a, I had a bad feeling about that, poor people pessimistic, uh, environment. So since then, I've been, I, I haven't been back

Kristin:  Really?

Richard:  That's, that's, yeah. But because of Corona, of course. So I'm, I'm, I'm thinking about going back again to, uh, to the states, but it, it didn't happen yet.  

Kristin:    00:10:43    Do you feel like there was a, a noticeable change in the attitude of Americans when you came back the last time?  

Richard:    00:10:54    No, not, not the attitude of Americans. When, when you are traveler, you, you have very, you feel welcome. That's no problem.

Kristin:  Yes.

Richard:  It's just your your your own observations, uh, how the country is. And this, this, this area was different from the East coast or the West coast. It's, it's the central of America is different from, uh, from the, from both coasts. Yeah. That's what I, that's what I discovered.  

Kristin:    00:11:19    Yeah. And, um, where else have you traveled to?  

Richard:    00:11:23    Oh, I traveled-- I'm retired now, so I travel a lot. I'm you, you, you are lucky that I'm in Amsterdam because I'm not, I'm not much your, uh, lost here. No.  

Kristin:    00:11:32    Uh, what is your favorite country? Can you, can you pick a favorite? 

Richard:    00:11:36    Country? My, my favorite, continent is Asian. I'm, I, I just, I'm just back from three months in, uh, Vietnam and Cambodia. And, uh, well, I like Asia very much because my experience is when, when you want to see how the world was, you have to be in Europe. And when you wanna see how the world will be, you have to go through Asia.  

Kristin:    00:11:59    I love that. Yeah. It's like the future of, of earth,  

Richard:    00:12:03    The energy and the dynamics and the, the, the, the most people are there in, in, in the, are going, going up. And here it's, it's, it stays the same or you go down.  

Kristin:    00:12:16    Interesting.  

Richard:    00:12:17    That's, that's, that's what I feel when I, when I am when I am in those countries.  

Kristin:    00:12:21    You feel like the west is on the downward trajectory?  

Richard:    00:12:25    Well, the, yeah, because because they are, they are, they are passed by, by especially the Asian, uh, Asian countries like China. But, but also the smaller countries like Vietnam or Thailand is very, very, uh, dynamic. Indonesia is very dynamic.  

Kristin:    00:12:41    As a traveler, how do you, uh, fit in when you go to countries that are so different from yours? Do you ever feel culture shock or how do you adapt to these other places?  

Richard:    00:12:53    I don't adapt. I, I just, I just go there and, and, and, uh, I, I don't feel, I, I've, of course you feel, you, you, you see that you, you experience you're in a different culture. But that's, that's, that's no shock. That's, that's, that's very pretty. It's very nice. And I'm traveling alone and, um, I'm not very, not very much in, in talking to people. I'm, I'm, I'm looking. So that's, that's what I do. And that's, that's very interesting. And, uh, to, to be, uh, to be, uh, to be a watcher, to be a spectate spectator. 

Kristin:    00:13:28    I agree. That's what I do. <laugh>. 

Richard:    00:13:30    Yeah.  Here in here in Holland.  

Kristin:    00:13:31    Yeah. Everywhere. Yeah. And, uh, for people who are coming here to Amsterdam specifically, it's a very international city. Do you feel like people from other countries can really integrate here? Or is there always a kind of a division between locals and, and immigrants?  

Richard:    00:13:50    Well, that's very dependent on, uh, where the, where the people come from. When you are, when you are an American or an, or an or a European from, from Western European or Australian, when you are, when you are then, then you are, there is a lot of, lot of common ground in the cultures from all these cultures in America and Australia. They come from Europe and that's what you did. Language is no, no problem because everybody speaks English. But when you come from, from Africa, from from or from Asia, maybe, then it's, the gap is bigger, I think. And then, then you, then you hear stories, uh, which are, that is more difficult to, to integrate.  

Kristin:    00:14:32    Thank you. Have a great travels <laugh>. Bye!

Lavinia

Kristin:  What's your name? 

Lavinia:    00:14:38    Uh, my name is Lavinia.  

Kristin:    00:14:39    Lavinia?  

Lavinia:    00:14:40    Lavinia. 

Kristin: Lavinia.  

Lavinia: Yes. Yes.

Kristin:    00:14:41    And where are you from? 

Lavinia:    00:14:43    I'm from Utrecht

Kristin:    00:14:44    Oh yeah 

Lavinia:    00:14:45    so not Amsterdam.  

Kristin:    00:14:46    Yeah, I was going to go there this week, but it's been raining so much. <laugh>. 

Lavinia:    00:14:51    Ah, yeah, The weather was not that nice. <laugh>.  

Kristin:    00:14:53    No, no, not at all. Um, have you ever been to the United States?  

Lavinia:    00:14:58    Yes, I've lived in New York for one year in 2005.  

Kristin:    00:15:02    Have you lived in any other countries as well? 

Lavinia:    00:15:05    In, uh, in Aruba and in Spain as well.  

Kristin:    00:15:09    Oh, I love that. Yeah. Uh, what inspired you to live in other countries. 

Lavinia:    00:15:14    Um, to experience, um, other, um, cultures or other societies for longer than a couple of weeks when you're on holiday?

Kristin:  Yeah.

Lavinia:  Um, to experience more about yourself as well, and to meet new people. Yeah, yeah.

Kristin:    00:15:27    And how were your experiences? Do you feel like you achieved your goals in that respect?  

Lavinia:    00:15:33    I think so. I mean, you, you never know what would've happened if you would've not gone to those countries, but I do think that it has opened up my mind, uh, my, um, view on, on things and fuel myself that I can, uh, survive wherever I live. And, um, yeah, that it's so, so nice to see people live and, and interact and work in, in different countries. 

Kristin:    00:15:54    And did you go by yourself? 

Lavinia:    00:15:56    I  did, yeah. I went by myself.  

Kristin:    00:15:58    Yeah. Me too. Female travelers. Solo female travelers. Yeah. 

Lavinia:    00:16:01   What are you doing in Amsterdam?  

Kristin:    00:16:02    Um, I just really like it here. So I usually come here a couple of months per year. But--  

Lavinia:    00:16:08    Where in other states are you from? 

Kristin:    00:16:09     I'm from Miami.

Lavinia:   Miami? Yeah.  

Kristin: Yeah.

Lavinia:    00:16:11    So you miss the weather, I think, or no?  

Kristin:    00:16:14    Yeah, I'm going back tomorrow. <laugh>. 

Lavinia:    00:16:16    Okay. For Thanksgiving. Yeah.  

Kristin:    00:16:17    Yeah, for Thanksgiving, <laugh>.

Lavinia:  Ah, that's nice.

Kristin:  What was your perception of the US like before you lived there, and then how did it change once you lived in New York?  

Lavinia:    00:16:26    Um, well, my perception was, uh, of holidays 'cause I went on holiday there and also of course of movies. Um, that, um, it's, well, it's a beautiful country that people are super nice and work hard. And what I realized when I was living there is that they definitely do work hard and sometimes, like, even harder than people work here in the Netherlands like three day, have three jobs sometimes to support themselves. So that was something that really surprised me, that like, maybe sometimes life can be really hard there. Harsh. Yeah. Yeah.  

Kristin:    00:16:58    A lot different than it looks in the movies.

Lavinia: Exactly.

Kristin:  And TV shows.  

Lavinia:    00:17:02    Yes, definitely. Yes. Yeah.  

Kristin:    00:17:04    Does that, did that experience make you appreciate more the social services that are here in the Netherlands?  

Lavinia:    00:17:10    Definitely,  I mean, I, I just came from a documentary from the IDFA and it, it does say like, okay, every country has it, um, corruption or things that are not going well, but mainly you feel quite safe here when you, I mean, if you lose a job, you have a support system. Uh, if, if you are not able to work, you have a support system and it doesn't feel like you have that there. So, yeah.

Kristin:    00:17:34     Yeah. I con concur. We don't really have much of a support system there. <laugh>, <laugh>, that's why I spend most of my time in Europe. Even though I'm not part of the tax system and the healthcare system, I just feel safer here. Um, did you feel like the US has gotten less safe when you were there compared to Europe? Did you feel like it was dangerous at all?  

Lavinia:    00:17:54    No, not really. I mean, you, you have to be careful of everywhere you go. And, uh, a week before I, I think, or maybe a month before I went to the States, uh, uh, they, some, some person stole my bag from me, like ripped it off right in front of my house. So, I mean, and in states nothing happened, so it's just, oh yeah. Just a matter of being careful. So I don't feel, yeah, I didn't feel unsafe there. No, No.  

Kristin:    00:18:19     Do you plan on living in any other countries in the nearby future?  

Lavinia:    00:18:23    Um, not at the moment. I'm happy in Utrecht right now. Yeah. Yeah. <laugh>. How, how long you staying here?  

Kristin:    00:18:31    Um, I've been here for about a month. Okay. And then I go back for Thanksgiving and then we'll probably come back in the spring. <laugh>.

Lavinia:  Okay. Okay.

Kristin:  Freezing.

Lavinia: Good thinking. Yeah.  

Kristin:  What, what advice would you have for people that are thinking of living in another country but they're a little bit, uh, intimidated, let's say or uncertain about it?  

Lavinia:    00:18:50    Uh, take it one day at a time. Um, when, when you arrive you feel, uh, you might feel lonely and, uh, misunderstood, but it does take some time. And if you are open to experiencing new people and new culture, that it might even surprise you and, um, enrich your life. So, yeah. 

Kristin:    00:19:10    Thank you. Well,  thank you so much.  

Lavinia:    00:19:11    What are you using this for?  

Kristin:    00:19:13    Uh, my YouTube channel is called Traveling with Kristin.

Lavinia:  Ah Okay.

Kristin:  And it's a lot about culture and living abroad.

Lavinia: Okay.

Sasha

Kristin:  What's your name?  

Sasha:    00:19:19    I'm Sasha.  

Kristin:    00:19:20    And where are you from in Belgium.  

Sasha:    00:19:22    From Brussels.

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Kristin:  What's your name?  

Sasha:    00:20:23    I'm Sasha.  

Kristin:    00:20:24    And where are you from in Belgium.  

Sasha:    00:20:26    From Brussels.  

Kristin:    00:20:27    Oh, okay. And are you just visiting Amsterdam?  

Sasha:    00:20:30    Yeah, we are just here for a trip, uh, off a weekend. So it's a cool city.   

Kristin:    00:20:36    Yeah. Um, have you ever been to the US before?  

Sasha:    00:20:38    Uh, long time ago. So like when I was 10 years old.  

Kristin:    00:20:44    Oh, okay. What would you say that the perception is among Europeans about the US right now?  

Sasha:    00:20:52    I don't really know because, uh, when I was in the US I was so young that I don't really remember, uh, what is life and what is the difference between there and here.  

Kristin:    00:21:05    Right. Um, what would you say are like the biggest differences between the lifestyle of Europeans versus Americans?  

Sasha:    00:21:15    Uh, chill.  

Kristin:    00:21:17    It's more chill here. 

Sasha:    00:21:18    I  think European are more chill. Than Americans. That's my point of view.  

Kristin:    00:21:23    Yeah, I would agree. I think the lifestyle is more relaxed here than the US. Uh, what are some of the best benefits of being from a country like Belgium? What kind of like social services do you guys have?  

Sasha:    00:21:39    The social security is really cool. And the price of university also because, uh, it's uh, the same amount for everybody and, uh, it's like an acceptable amount, uh, regarding, uh, America or UK or other country. 

Kristin:    00:21:58    Yeah.  Why should people visit Belgium?  

Sasha:    00:22:01    Because Belgium is beautiful. There is, uh, good beers there. More than 1000 beers. There is, uh, a lot of beautiful city also older than Brussels, like Ghent, Liège, uh, Antwerp. And uh, Brussels is also the capital of Europe. So there is a lot of tourists and a lot of thing to do with friend. We go out, uh, all, uh, week, uh, to dance and do some things.  

Kristin:    00:22:31    Yeah. Uh, I've been to Ghent and Bruges, but not Brussels yet. Okay. Or Antwerp, so I'll have to go. Um, yeah. What do people like to do there on the weekends? What is like a typical of the culture there?  

Sasha:    00:22:46    Party <laugh> meet friend and just go drink and then, uh, yeah, dance.  

Kristin:    00:22:51    Awesome. So who has better French fries? Belgium or the Netherlands?  

Sasha:    00:22:57    Belgium, <laugh>, Bursa french fries are the best one.  

Kristin:    00:23:00    That was a trick question. <laugh>. All right, well thank you so much. Have a great day

Sasha:    00:23:05    You're welcome. Thank you also for the interview. Bye.  

Lois

Kristin:    00:23:09    What is your name? 

Lois:    00:23:10    My name's Lois.  

Kristin:    00:23:11    And where are you from originally?

Lois:    00:23:13     I am from Haarlem, a small town next to Amsterdam.  

Kristin:    00:23:16    Okay. I haven't been there yet, but it's on my list. <laugh>.  

Lois:    00:23:19    Oh, You should. Yeah, you should. It's really nice.  

Kristin:    00:23:22    And are you just hanging out here for the weekend?  

Lois:    00:23:24    Uh, no, I just came from work. I'm working at the theater Carré.

Kristin: Oh yeah, I've seen it.

Lois:  Uh, so, and it's fast there right now, so I've been working there.  

Kristin:    00:23:33    What would you say is the attitude towards like American tourists for example, who are coming to Amsterdam? Is it very welcoming or are there any stereotypes that people have here?  

Lois:    00:23:46    Ooh, I think that's a good question. Um, I think the stereotype of tourists in Amsterdam is that they go to a lot of coffee shops.

Kristin:  Yeah. <laugh>.

Lois:   Uh, I've been traveling a lot myself, uh, last year and everyone was saying to me, oh, you're from Amsterdam. Well, you must go to the coffee shop a lot. But that's not the case. <laugh>.

Kristin:  Yeah.

Lois:   Um, but I think, um, some people in Amsterdam are a little bit fed up with tourists, but other people, I'm, I think especially younger people, uh, yeah. Are finding it really cool and interesting and are really welcoming also the American tourists. Yeah. 

Kristin:    00:24:20    Have you been to the US before?  

Lois:    00:24:22    Uh, I have. Yeah. Yeah, I've been to New York twice.  

Kristin:    00:24:25    Oh, everyone's been to New York. That I've talked to <laugh>. I guess it's a popular place to go.  

Lois:    00:24:30    Yeah, it is. And yeah. Yeah, it is. And it's also for on the, on the, on the good side for us, because otherwise it's a lot more traveling.   

Kristin:    00:24:38    Yeah. Yeah. And how did you like New York? What was your perception of the vibe there and the energy?  

Lois:    00:24:45    Uh, very good actually. Yeah. Very, um, uh, alive and very big and busy. I really liked it. Yeah. It's beautiful. Yeah.  

Kristin:    00:24:55    Did your experience there match kind of your preconception of the US before you went there from TV and movies, or was it different?  

Lois:    00:25:06    Uh, no, it matched my perception. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And ev- yeah, kind of. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Everyone was, uh, very nice, um, and welcoming, I think. Uh, but maybe New York is not really a good representation of the whole US. I'm not sure if that's correct, but -- 

Kristin:    00:25:23    Yeah. Like it is and it isn't because, um, it has so many people there, but also it's very unique compared to the other cities, so it's like everyone's represented, but then it, because of that, it's very unique. As well. <laugh>.

Lois: All right.

Kristin:  Could you see yourself ever living in the US someday? Or do you prefer the lifestyle here?  

Lois:    00:25:43    I prefer the lifestyle here. Yeah. Yeah. I think for me it's a bit too far away from home. Um, and I actually prefer Latin America.  

Kristin:    00:25:53    Oh yeah. <laugh>. What about Latin America?  

Lois:    00:25:56    Uh, well last year I traveled through Central America, um, and I really like the vibe there and like, you know, the, the salsa dancing and the music and the nice weather and the people are very nice. So I think it's more like a summer vibe. Uh, so like Central America, Latin America has my preference.  

Kristin:    00:26:17    Yeah. I used to live in Costa Rica, so I can relate <laugh>.  

Lois:    00:26:20    Oh, nice. Yeah. Then, then, you know. Yeah. Then you know.

Kristin:    00:26:24    <laugh>, a lot of people ask me, 'cause I'm from Florida too, and I lived in Costa Rica, they're like, why would you come here? Because it's so cold and it's so rainy. But I really like the lifestyle here. I think it's very like laid back and very welcoming and very safe as well. What would you say are your favorite things about living in the Netherlands and being from here?  

Lois:    00:26:45    Uh, well what I really like is that it's, uh, diverse. So I really like the beach, but I also like nature. Um, like the forest is more, uh, in the east, um, part of the, of the country. Um, I like that there, it has many possibilities for a job. For example, my family is living here, so, Haarlem is really a nice place for me to have a bit of both worlds. It's, it's kind of small, but I'm in Amsterdam in like 20 minutes and I'm at the beach in like 20 minutes. So yeah. I like the diversity of the Netherlands.  

Kristin:    00:27:25    Yeah. Is there anything that you would change or like want to improve about your country?  

Lois:    00:27:31    Oh, that's a good question. Um, I think it can be more equal so that we are really, uh, welcoming everyone. Um, and that the, the amount of money that people are making is a little bit more equal because we are earning a lot of money in the Netherlands. I think it's a very wealthy country, but still there's a lot of people living on the streets, for example, or um, small families with kids that have a lot of issues. And I think it's good to spend a little bit more attention to those people as well. Yeah.  

Kristin:    00:28:09    And one last question. Do you think that it's possible for people from the US and other countries to fully integrate here into Dutch society? Or do you think there's always like a line between like locals and Dutch, um, speakers versus foreigners who speak English?  

Lois:    00:28:28    I think it really depends on where you go as a yeah. When you come to live here. But I think, uh, in the beginning it's kind of hard. Yeah. A lot of people in the Netherlands speak in the Netherlands speak English or American. But I think to really integrate it's, it's kind of hard. Yeah. Because I think like when I was traveling last year, I was in Central America and everyone was together, so it really didn't matter where you, where you came from, everyone was together. And I think when you come to the Netherlands, you are a bit more, um, apart from the Dutch people. The Dutch people are more together. They stick together. Yeah. It's easier, you know, to, to speak your own language. Um, so I can imagine it, it could be a little bit hard in the beginning. Yeah, yeah. But once you meet the right people and you come to the right places, I think especially in Amsterdam, then it'll be fine. Yeah.  

Kristin:    00:29:25    Yeah. I know. I always feel bad when I'm the only one who doesn't speak Dutch, but any Dutch words that we should know besides Lekker? <laugh>.  

Lois:    00:29:34    Yeah, Lekker is a very good one. Loek.  

Kristin:    00:29:38    What's that?

Lois:    00:29:38     Loek is nice.  

Kristin:    00:29:40    Oh, Okay.

Lois:  Yeah. Everyone says, oh, Loek.

Kristin:  Okay. I'm gonna start hearing it everywhere now, I'm sure.

Lois:  Yeah, I think so too. Yeah.

Kristin:  Alright, thank, thank you so much.

Lois:  You're welcome.

Kristin:  Have a good rest of your Sunday.

Lois:  Good luck. Bye.

Kristin:  Bye. <laugh>.

Kristin:  Well, everyone was really nice here. Thank you to all of the kind people who stopped to talk to me standing out here like a crazy person on the sidewalk. I thought it was nice that they all thought so positively and highly of Americans and of our country and even that they had a lot of empathy for really the reality of living in the US and how difficult that can be and how hard we work. If you like this video, then give it a thumbs up. Feel free to subscribe. And I have lots more videos over here talking to locals in Dublin, Ireland, and Belfast. Subscribe if you're new here and I'll see you in the next video.  

Kristin:    00:30:35    <laugh>, Just ask you a couple quick questions you asked. No. Oh, okay. No problem. Thank you. Do you guys live here? No. Okay. You're just visiting too, but that's okay. Oh, you can--

Kristin:  I hope you found these conversations with locals in Amsterdam to be very thought provoking and it seems that a lot of you did already in the comments. We have hundreds of comments over on YouTube. Northern Squirrel says, love the interview series, Kristin, keep them coming to me. The last one was the best. It's so nice that she was talking about parents with small kids and pay equity. Another top rated comment is from TLM who says, Richard said the hard fact about the West and Asia. Janice said, great interviews, love the insights and perspectives and as an American, I agree with them, can't wait to get back to Europe. Happy holidays. My Patreon patron Scott said, Great to watch.  

Kristin:    00:31:35    It's always interesting to see how perspectives can change after you visit a country for the first time, whether it's the us, the Netherlands, or anywhere else. I really enjoy hearing these views from different people like this. I agree with that, Scott. You know, it feels like the more countries that you travel to, the more your perspective changes and the more your worldview ideally widens. And I think that just happens naturally the more you travel. And I know that I'm always being surprised wherever I go and especially when I go back to places that I've been before. It's just another part of the circle of life. And talking to local people and hearing their perspectives on their own countries as well as your own country, is always a revelation. Windmill Chef says that they appreciate how in these types of videos, we dive just a little deeper into the attributes of a country and not just brushing on the sites of a country superficially.  

Kristin:    00:32:37    Thanks Windmill Chef. I really appreciate that because I'm very interested in humans culture, anthropology, and so I'm just trying to share with you guys what I find to be interesting about these places. And oftentimes it goes a lot deeper than just the top places to see and top things to do. One person said different people have different opinions and one opinion that comes up frequently is that we are a huge disappointment and I think he's referring to the US or people from the US but I didn't think that that was the opinion that came up in these interviews. Everyone had a much more positive outlook on the US than I expected, or that people have told me in private. So maybe a little bit of it was, you know, knowing that they were on camera, although they all seemed really candid. But from their answers it seems like they really admired the us, admired Americans, and also the hard work that people put in the long hours and they really enjoyed, you know, the entertainment and the culture of the US.  

Kristin:    00:33:48    But of course, being from Europe and going to the US to live there for a year or going there on vacation, you're gonna have a, a much different experience than if you grow up there. So I guess it is all about perspective at the end of the day. If you have some thoughts on these interviews, then head over to my channel using the link in the description and join the conversation over in the comments. Also, give it a like and share if you want more videos like this. Thanks for spending time with me today. Check out our sponsors, Nordace and Unbound Merino if you're looking for some last minute holiday gifts and I hope that you have a very merry Christmas. Happy Hanukkah and happy holidays this week. See you here again for a new interview coming your way, December 26th.