Not on the loose anymore...at least in Europe!

My European adventure has come to an end. Actually it came to an end in July but I am just getting around to finishing this entry. It truly was one of the best experiences and I would recommend it to anyone. If you ever get the opportunity to live abroad - jump at it. With this said, don’t underestimate the culture shock!

Living in Amsterdam was not a problem as 95% of the population spoke English. The Dutch language may seem easy to figure out but it is NOT. I am convinced that two guys got wasted one night and decided they would create a language. Sitting in a “coffee shop” with a German and American dictionary…a language was born. None of the same grammar rules apply, throw "I" before "E" out the window and if you expect it to be a long "A" or "E" it is not.

What did I learn about the Europeans in general?
· No business meeting will ever start before 9:00am and will consist of many coffee breaks.
· Email etiquette does not exist - expect many exclamation points and question marks after sentences even if they are not questions!!!!???? Expect CAPITOL LETTERS and BOLDED words that are not really meant to make statements.
· They believe they get more vacation days than Americans do. This is a myth, at least in most countries. We get almost the same amount of days however they have more holidays!
· They don’t consider you European unless you hold a passport from a European country.
· They think picking their nose is public is completely acceptable.

Here are some helpful hints about specific cultures.
1. The Dutch – They may be rude, but they know a thing or two about keeping people employed. Everyone litters - cans, cigarette butts, trash, etc., and they don’t clean up after their dogs who leave little presents on the ground for you to find. I was appalled by this at first, but then I started to realize it was ok. Twice a week not only do they come around to pick up the garbage, but they actually clean the streets and sidewalks. This has created many jobs for their natives!

2. The French – Just because they are nodding their heads in agreement, does not necessarily mean that they actually agree with you. Usually what it means is that they think that you don’t know what you are talking about and they are going to do it their way anyway, which of course is the right way!

3. The British – Dignified and reserved. When they are saying right and acting as if they agree with you, they are actually not. They are thinking that you have gone mad! And if their response is “interesting” to what it is you are presenting or serving, it means that it stinks, but they would never tell you that.

4. The Danes – Have to love the Danish. Friendly bunch, but everything they do, say, cook, own, ride, drive, etc. is better than anything (even the same thing) anywhere else.

5. The Greeks – My people! Full of passion and a love for life. A nation that created democracy, yet if a rule or law is inconvenient for them, well then they just decide they won’t abide by it. After all no one is going to tell them what to do. There is a rumor that they will ban smoking in public establishments in 2010, but they have already decided they will not comply.

6. The Germans – No speed limits for a nation of luxury cars. 250 kilometers per hours is absolutely an acceptable speed for a leisurely drive.

7. The Swedish – They love their fast food! There is a McDonald's or Burger King chain every ten feet! They are also energy efficient. They build “heating stations” underneath their homes. It is piping that is filled with water and uses energy from the ground to heat the water. The upfront cost is more expensive than putting in a traditional system, however the return on investment is seen with in a couple of years.

Hope you all enjoyed reading about my adventures. Thank you to all who followed along and for those who inspired me to write. Because of you a new blog will come to life - Tales of an Expired Greek Woman. One more thing before I go. If you ever find yourself on a train confused about where you are going and wishing you had someone to ask. Not to worry, no matter where you are there will always be a Jehovah’s Witness.