Yesterday I used the local equivalent of Craig's List (http://Marktplaats.nl) and my meager Dutch to purchase a used bike seat for Eileen to use on the front of the bike. Now, as soon as we have a helmet that doesn't fall from her head, she and I will look even more Dutch than we did before.
Today I have the bike seat. Sold by a woman less than 5 km from my house for less than half the price of a new seat. This is hardly used. I promise to add a picture to this post in the not too distant future.
She even was kind enough to speak English to me when I sent an e-mail explaining that I spoke virtually no Dutch. I am so proud of actually managing to function in society (sort of).
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
The Phone Company
We have voicemail that comes with our home phone. Not surprisingly, we haven't been able to access it due to the fact that we don't speak Dutch, and it doesn't speak anything else.
The phone company was only recently (in the last 5 years) made to cede its monopoly status. But, we use the national company anyway, much like we might have used AT&T in the States.
Like AT&T, KPN (as it is known) has a cell phone component, complete with cell phone stores. I spent Saturday night searching web sites trying to find out how to set up our voicemail and was surprised to discover a set of key strokes for setting up the cell phone mailbox that turned the instructions to English. Didn't work for the home phone.
Dutifully, Monday Eileen and I trekked over to the KPN mobile store to ask for help with our voicemail. A kind young employee told me that of course there was no English for the voicemail on our home phone - KPN is the national Netherlands phone company. When I pointed out that there as on the cell phone, he responded that home phone is a utility.
Funny distinction, since the instructions and everything else should be the same - isn't voicemail voicemail?
When I called Eric to report my findings, he said that it would be much the same in a Verizon store if we wanted the instructions in Hungarian. I pointed out that Spanish was the English equivalent in the States (second most prevalent language, necessary for at least some business, etc.) and that in fact, most phone companies published a handy guide in Spanish.
The phone company was only recently (in the last 5 years) made to cede its monopoly status. But, we use the national company anyway, much like we might have used AT&T in the States.
Like AT&T, KPN (as it is known) has a cell phone component, complete with cell phone stores. I spent Saturday night searching web sites trying to find out how to set up our voicemail and was surprised to discover a set of key strokes for setting up the cell phone mailbox that turned the instructions to English. Didn't work for the home phone.
Dutifully, Monday Eileen and I trekked over to the KPN mobile store to ask for help with our voicemail. A kind young employee told me that of course there was no English for the voicemail on our home phone - KPN is the national Netherlands phone company. When I pointed out that there as on the cell phone, he responded that home phone is a utility.
Funny distinction, since the instructions and everything else should be the same - isn't voicemail voicemail?
When I called Eric to report my findings, he said that it would be much the same in a Verizon store if we wanted the instructions in Hungarian. I pointed out that Spanish was the English equivalent in the States (second most prevalent language, necessary for at least some business, etc.) and that in fact, most phone companies published a handy guide in Spanish.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
The difference between be a European Tourist and Living Here
I think that Eric and I came to the Netherlands with some preconceived notions. It is time to admit them. I will admit Eric's first, because it is both funnier to me and of course not my own notion. Eric was surprised at the number of tall, old trees here. I know that part of this came from the idea that the Europeans deforested their continent to build and to keep warm in their past, part comes from how densely populated at least the Netherlands are, and part of it comes from how often wars have been fought in this area in the recent past. Anyway, we got here and he was surprised to be driving through old growth forest not far from our bed and breakfast.
My preconceived notions stem from having come to Europe as a tourist who was staying with family when married before. It felt like I wasn't a tourist, because I was in their homes. It turns out that Europeans, like people everywhere, spend their weekends catching up on laundry, mowing the yard, cleaning the gutters, working on the car. Most do not spend every free waking moment traveling to distant cities to see the sights. I know, you guys are all shocked that I am not jetting off to Barcelona this week, Paris next, and sticking closer to home in Luxembourg the week after. Instead, we might get as far as Amsterdam or Den Bosch...and we might have clean laundry.
Other preconceived notions that have bit the dust: Europeans are more concerned about energy efficiency than their American counterparts; that a VW Beetle or other small car cannot haul a huge camper or horse trailer with a horse; that riding a horse means that your feet cannot touch the ground (they have some tiny horses here).
When we have Halloween photos, I promise to post them.
My preconceived notions stem from having come to Europe as a tourist who was staying with family when married before. It felt like I wasn't a tourist, because I was in their homes. It turns out that Europeans, like people everywhere, spend their weekends catching up on laundry, mowing the yard, cleaning the gutters, working on the car. Most do not spend every free waking moment traveling to distant cities to see the sights. I know, you guys are all shocked that I am not jetting off to Barcelona this week, Paris next, and sticking closer to home in Luxembourg the week after. Instead, we might get as far as Amsterdam or Den Bosch...and we might have clean laundry.
Other preconceived notions that have bit the dust: Europeans are more concerned about energy efficiency than their American counterparts; that a VW Beetle or other small car cannot haul a huge camper or horse trailer with a horse; that riding a horse means that your feet cannot touch the ground (they have some tiny horses here).
When we have Halloween photos, I promise to post them.
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