‘The Dutch are so relaxed and easygoing!’ That is what many expatriates hear when they leave for the Netherlands, but this often turns out to be less than accurate. In fact, in many respects, the Dutch are surprisingly formal… And what is more, some of their ways and manners are quite different from anywhere else.

To achieve as broad and reliable an overview as possible, the author spoke to numerous expatriates in the Netherlands. She also visited so-called expat centres set up by companies and municipalities. The wealth of observation and experiences all these expats shared with her made it surprisingly clear just how ‘different’ the Dutch actually are – and especially different from how they see themselves. Thus this book serves yet another – unexpected – purpose: it also compels the Dutch to take a good look in the mirror!