Recent conversation with Dutch friend at Chez Bay.
Me: "So how's the economic crisis hitting Holland, I hear people are more grateful for their jobs these days, working longer than the traditional 9-5 five day work week. Historically pretty wealthy, work available for all, now, perhaps, not so much?"
He: "Well, one example, it used to be, when we were sick we would just call in and not come to work, now we go into work, they see we are sick, then send us home."
It just made me laugh out loud. So delightfully straightforward are they both in business and life, if this doesn't demonstrate a clear illustration of their behavior, I give up.
Not necessarily the most creative, nor the most inspired of tribes, though they do inspire confidence in that they'll do as they say.
But very blunt and cool, and sometimes they're so impressively tall, and I mean really tall; a personal turn on. When changing direction or shopping I'll suddenly confront a person's chest and look up and instinctively smile.
And when I'm not 'accidentally' bumping into a 7 ft tall man, batting my eyelashes and fluttering away, every so often, I'll see a Dutch couple from across the canal, each well over 6'3" and muse, "aren't they just magnificent," two giants, quietly significant, gently leaning into one another or so they seem to me, another tribe altogether.
Shorter people can be, at times, exhausting, as if compelled to compensate for their lack of height. So yes, simply put, tall people make me happy, they cut such a lovely line, they appear less fussed.
Just perceptions, of course.
But the Dutch, rarely will they wear you out emotionally, willing to engage, almost always crystal clear in meaning and intent.
Compared to other cultures I've lived within, studied, enjoyed, they are perhaps the most one dimensional. A compliment. Hard not to luv the Dutch.
