Cultural differences between Finland and the Netherlands

Hello and hope you're doing fine whoever is reading my post. I have been wanting to write this post for a long time but because days are full of stuff to do and see I've noticed that writing about my time here is getting harder. Mainly because there's always something to do with friends, school etc. But enough this chit-chat and let's get to the point. So, cultural differences between Finland and the Netherlands. Many things are similar but also many things that are done way better in Finland and another way around. I have listed below somewhat I have noticed, probably there's a lot more...

Infrastructure and bicycling roads
This was the first one that came to my mind when thinking the differences. There are not even two words which country has done this better; Dutch have created a bicycling culture here that Finns can only dream of. Of course, there are some geographical advantages. This country is sooo flat that bicycling here is super easy. You don't necessarily need gears here (even though I am missing them sometimes because I would love to get from place A to place B faster than I can now) and the winter is not the Finnish snow-slush combo with bad ploughing of the roads. But if I could bring something from here to Finland it would definitely be this.

Nature and geography 
As already mentioned, this country is flat. Like I mean it. Maastricht is the hilliest place in Holland and well, the "hills" they have here are quite easy - except the hill of Cauberg in Valkenburg that is worse than the Rapamäki in Hämeenlinna or the hospital hill in Jyväskylä. But anyway, Finns had fun on the first day in university when coordinator showed us the "mountain" of St. Pietersberg from the window. Oh well, I guess you could say that is a mountain here.

Nature here is more just fields and meadows with wetland and rivers. It is pretty on its own way. But it seems I am too Finnish and I started to miss the forest and untouched nature with ponds, swamps and trees. Might be that Finnish people are a bit hillbilly but the nature in Finland is something that most people in this globe won't experience in their lives. There's definitely a reason why Finland had its first flag day for out nature last year - and we should be proud of that.

The national view of the Netherlands.

The national view of Finland.

Living and housing
There's a lot of fuss in Finland about how the houses are built too quickly and they begin to grow mouldy (and for a reason usually that is correct). BUT mainly the housing is really nice because people require quality and nobody rents a room or apartment that is not looking ok. Well, here in Maastricht the problem is the supply and demand relationship. Too many people are looking for a room compared to how many there actually is. The housing market is pretty wild west - and the apartments are not that quality what Finnish people are used to. Here a good studio's asked rental price can be easily over 700 euros and more, even over 1000 euros.

Some things I have noticed from living here. The renovation is made roughly and probably only if e.g. the kitchen is that bad nobody wants to move in. There are also some really strange apartment solutions. For example, the bathroom entrance can be from the kitchen. The stairways can be so narrow that I have no idea how people can move their stuff. The isolation of the windows... well, maybe better just say nothing. Also heard that the heating system is sometimes turned off due savings (luckily not in my apartment). The taps are quite old-fashioned in some places and for example, you don't get warm water from university's lady's room. The kitchen stove is usually working with gas and oven is luxury in most places. 

Recycling and waste disposal
Just the thing I don't understand here. Maastricht advertises itself having "the unique system for sorting and disposal of household waste". Well yes, it is totally unique at least that you need to buy a certain type of waste bags that they are collected from the street(?!) on a certain day (and if you dump them on a wrong day the neighbours scorch you)...  And recycling is otherwise really good but can't the houses or even streets have their own recycling points? I prefer the Finnish system but I guess it also depends on the architecture.


Food
Food or groceries here are in Finnish prices. Some things are cheaper and some more expensive. Beer is a lot cheaper and e.g. meat is more expensive. Depends also what you buy of course. And I am definitely missing the Finnish luxury - cheap student meal. Students in Finland are so privileged having that healthy meal every day.

When talking about groceries one can also talk about the local salmiak - drop. After strict testing with Finnish friends, we still think that salmiak is better and they taste quite different. By the way, Holland chocolate is far from the masterpiece of Finland - Fazer's blue.

People and the own personal space
One thing that I am going to miss from Maastricht is the people's openness and small talk. Everybody is really friendly and eager to have small talk. Well, somebody also too much. Reminds me when I was one day strolling in the centrum and I had a waffle from Pinky in my hand and suddenly an old man walks towards me and acts like he's gonna grab my waffle. Quite bad joke honestly, nothing comes between me and my waffle.

On the other hand, I am too Finnish to enjoy going to the centrum on weekend. Especially when it is good weather - too crowded for me. Same is in Amsterdam. Having own personal space without too many people - that is the luxury of Finland.

Well, sometimes there is enough space ;)

Cafes and bars
I also wish that I could bring the cafe culture (nb. not coffee shop) from here to Finland. There's no way that I would have the time to visit all of the cosy and sympathetic cafes here in Maastricht but oh how I like them. Their personality and friendly staff make me feel like I am always welcome. 

However, the habit here is also turning the cafes to bars in the evening. The idea is actually very good - but because of the small size of cafes, the result is something else. Bars are crowded and you can't say they are nightclubs. There's a need for a proper nightclub in Maastricht. One thing I didn't expect when I came to the land of EDM.

Payment method
Don't know really what is this thing. It is always 50/50 chance does my Visa debit/credit card work or not in cafes, in grocery shops... There's just no logic in that. And wtf it is the visa that works everywhere! Fortunately, there's always an atm around the corner but I find it very weird that cards don't work everywhere here.

Dutch stingy
"Let's go Dutch" = let's split the bill. Well, that isn't really so weird, quite common in Finland. But I still must say very stereotypically that Dutch people are stingy (= wants to save money in everything they do). Or maybe it is nicer to say that they are precise how they use their money.

Anyways, the Netherlands is quite an easy country to adapt when coming from Finland. Have enjoyed my time here. A lot of travelling again done but think I leave it for another post.

When in Maastricht.