Differences: Mammoth & Minute

The washcloths are little cloth bags with drawstrings you can put your hand inside. They don't have flat, one-sided wash clothes

Cereal is not popular for breakfast, except muesli, which is sort of like granola

Dutch folks eat yogurt with cereal more often than milk

Biking is the most common form of transportation, though most families do have at least one car. They only use them for long trips though (an hour or more.)

Most kids I have seen are blonde

Dutch families like to cook frequently. Most meals are homemade. Both husband and wife usually help each other prepare the meal, one cutting, the other stirring. The husbands or sons do the dishes. "It's a matter of educating them," one of my rotary hosts told me when I stayed with her family a few nights back.

Not as many wives work as in America. If they do, they usually work part time. They are more liberated than most American women because the society here is more egalitarian. However, the culture believes that someone should be home to watch the kids, and, the women here are usually happy to do this, and have time to garden and go to the myriad clubs and social groups they are apart of. It reminds me of America and the 50's (except the women have equal rights.) The social fabric is tightly knit. Mothers are very hands-on and support social programs for kids.

Community still exists. There are free community clubs, like singing groups and orchestra groups, sailing clubs and community soccer, football and basketball teams. Anyone in the community can join. Playgrounds are everywhere and little parks. Every evening dozens of kids come to these playgrounds and have fun. Within a mile you will probably see six to eight playgrounds. Instead of having an isolated playground in your own backyard, Dutch families usually have tiny backyards, this forces kids to meet other kids and create a sense of community. Parents come and push children on swings each night. They mingle with other parents.

During lunchtime, children bike or walk home to school (they are that close.) Mom's bicycle to school and then bike back with their children so they can eat lunch together.

In other ways, Holland reminds me of America in the 50's: no people are fat. And, as I mentioned, all the kids play outside all the time. Also, as I previously mentioned, families cook their own meals. There is very little packaged food here. Bread is bought fresh each day. (There is a bakery in every town, within five minutes walking.) Meat is slaughtered locally, cheese made nearby.

Another difference I like about Holland is the amount of color. Doors are painted red and blue. Even nursing homes have brightly colored doors and yellow wood window boxes. Green steps.