Pathe Tuschinski.
The beautiful theater told the story of a Polish man, Tuschinski, who had a passion for theatre, business, and money, and how his theatres were built around the Netherlands, surviving Nazi occupation among other obstacles. Pretty interesting to say the least.
After the tour we had a brief lunch (Subway!!) and then headed back to the VU for some practical matters. From information about culture shock to appropriate e-mail organization to how to purchase a Museum Card, my favorite part of the lecture was at the very beginning as they discussed proper Dutch academic culture.
Our faculty advisors, Ilin and Sanne, explained that here in Amsterdam the Dutch have a very distinct point of view on how they live their lives. They told us that the quality of life is more important than competition, that boasting or bragging about grades/money/status is considered rude and inappropriate, and that there is far less focus on excellence and hierarchy. Suck on that Capitalism! HA!
Now if you know me at all, you can probably imagine that when I heard these words I nearly passed out. Are we sure I don't have any Dutch in my blood? Were they reading my mind as they put this powerpoint together? Isn't it funny how God's plan has a sneaky way of making an appearance.
In other news... I have been keeping track of some funny/interesting/shocking culture differences that might brighten up your day:
Alright so here in Amsterdam you don't pay taxes on food. However, if you want salt, butter, catsup, mayonnaise (fritessaus), mustard, or any other condiment (and we're talking like packets they give you at McDonald's) it's gonna set you back anywhere from 20-30 cents....a piece.
I've mentioned the transportation system briefly, but public transport is extremely prevalent all over Europe. Here in Amsterdam we have the metro, the tram, cars, mopeds/vespas, bikes, and pedestrians. They have bike lanes which are nearly the same width as the road itself, and can be used by both manual and motor bikes, but NOT pedestrians; and the tram/metro run in the same lanes as the cars, and downtown, the bikes as well. There is literally no distinction between road, sidewalk, bike lane, or tramline, and all modes of transport run incessantly over the terrain. Did I mention that the roads are also cobblestone?
Yeah that wasn't great when I dropped my camera on day 5. R.I.P. Purple Nikon Coolpix....
So, I've brought up paying for grocery sacks and condiments, but get this: at many establishments you actually have to pay to use the restroom (toilet as they say here). That's right folks, restaurants, bars, and clubs alike will charge you upwards of 50 cents just to pee in a porcelain bowl. Even if you only need to sneak in to snag some deodorant at a crowded pub, fifty cents per swipe y'all.
Finally, as I'm sure you can imagine it was quite an event to get to buy a bottle of wine at the grocery store. Aside from the fact that all labels at the grocery store are in Dutch (yeah try choosing cheese when there are about 50 different types that all look the same with Dutch titles) we weren't sure how much money to put down for our first legal alcohol run. Hastily, I chose a bottle of Spanish Moscatel and we rushed up to our rooms to use our tea cups for a little wine night. While Emily skyped her parents I tested the wine... not quite the same flavor as the Barefoot Moscato. Essentially once you got past the initial fire burning sensation on your lips, it tasted nothing more than sparkling grape juice. Success. I actually ended up diluting mine with water to prevent future chap stick overdose.
I really do hope as you read this you insert my witty tone of voice, because honest to goodness I am so incredibly happy to be here, and all these incidents are taken with a grain of salt and a hearty laugh as I learn how to live 6,000 miles away.
Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them - that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.
~Lao Tzu
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