Comments on: Standing Out From the Dutch Crowd, British Style

By: Amanda@Expat Life with a Double Buggy

Amanda@Expat Life with a Double Buggy — Mon, 12 May 2014 12:56:50 +0000

Oh, I love that idea – of coach and horses and long dresses. A little Downton Abbey like Yes, in the end the Netherlands and the UK are not worlds apart – the main difference being the language of course, and a few little quirks that can still lead to a huge culture shock!

By: Ersatz Expat

Ersatz Expat — Fri, 09 May 2014 03:17:43 +0000

This resonated with me. I am Dutch/Irish and although my mother naturalised Irish I spent most of my early years in the Netherlands or abroad but brought up by my culturally Dutch mother. When we moved to UK I had the exact situation your boys do in reverse. I also lived in Norway when I was very young, I thought the Netherlands was so advanced and Ireland so quaint (no Haagelslag(sprinkles). My only exposure to UK before moving there was Jane Austen type tv serials. I thought people would drive coach and horses and wear long dresses. I was amazed it was just like the Netherlands.

By: Meg

Meg — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 12:24:11 +0000

Yes Amanda please do!! Should be really interesting to see if there are any differences.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 09:38:02 +0000

Three different cultures makes for a very rich childhood! Love the image of her seeming more and more British – and school has a way of ‘localising’ a child like nothing else. I spoke English to my children at children when they were little, my husband Dutch to them. As I was home more with them they were quite the little English boys – until school. Now they are Dutch through and through – with a tinge of Britishness about them. Migh be quite nice to have a go at writing an updated version of this article as it’s been 18 months to see if things are different – and how…..

By: Meg

Meg — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 09:19:32 +0000

Thanks for your comment Jessica. I find it so interesting about your daughter thinking America is a third world country. My kids think the opposite! They think it’s way advanced than the UK or any European country and apart from thinking everyone is fat and has a gun, they really love it. But yes, of course, because we live here, Britain is our winner too (for now!).

By: Jessica

Jessica — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 09:12:21 +0000

Great post, as an American and Dutch couple living in England our lives look very similar, although perhaps with a little extra thrown in. Our daughter seems more and more British the longer she is in school, but neither of us have the words, the accent, the random nursery rhymes that she does.

Still, she does eat chocolate sprinkles on her bread for breakfast (and sometimes lunch) but at the weekend we may have British or American breakfast as well. Honestly, I think my daughter thinks that America is some third world country where they don’t speak English right and the Netherlands is a fantastic place because her Beppe & Pake live there.

England is her home though, so it always wins.

By: Visa to Resits of examinations

Visa to Resits of examinations — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 21:31:58 +0000

Hi to all, how is the whole thing, I think every one is getting more from this site, and your views are good in support of
new viewers.

By: meg

meg — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 04:25:58 +0000

Hi Virginia,
I read your blog post. Wow. What a story. I left a comment on your blog but then it wouldn’t allow me to log in. Basically I asked you to write a guest blog post for me if you’d like to? On how your children assimilated into British life and culture. And what about you? Must have been real culture shock. Would love to hear more about your experiences, especially from your children’s point of view as well. Look forward to hearing from you. Email me on meg@www.bringingupbrits.co.uk

By: Virginia A Smith

Virginia A Smith — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 22:19:46 +0000

Hi, Meg, I really enjoy reading your blog!
I am a British/American woman who moved back to England in Sept 2011 after most of a lifetime in America in order to give my girls, ages 8 and 16, a taste of England. My parents are from the same village in the Peak District of Derbyshire, and I have been trying to get back all my life.

I’d love it if you’d take a look at my blog, The Year of Living Englishly, especially the “About The Year of Living Englishly,” which explains everything. Here’s a link to the first post which is about when we arrived at Heathrow and almost got sent back on the next plane to Boston.

http://theyearoflivingenglishly.wordpress.com/2011/09/10/sept-10-2011-heathrow/

Best wishes, Virginia Smith

By: meg

meg — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 11:39:28 +0000

Thanks Amanada for your reply. And I also wanted to say that I have met some wonderful people here in Britain and made some very good friends over the years!