I think not many Dutch residents pay their monthly rent by phone. It usually is payed automatically (automatische incasso).

It is funny that you mentioned it. My sister lives in California. Her husband is 79 years old . Every time when he buys his liquor they ask him for his ID. When he points them to his face, the answer is : "sorry sir, it is the law".

".. I've been living too long in ..." No, Ava... you're finally beginning to see the light... You're becoming a real Dutchy... be proud of that accomplishment.

The US seems so unoptimised. I live in Scotland and couldn't imagine not having a washing machine in my flat. Banking and living cash-free is also super easy here. If only we had safe cycling infrastructure 😭I'd cycle everywhere if that were the case

“Cash only” has 2 reasons : the owners don’t want to pay the 3-5% commission and/or transaction costs OR they don’t want the IRS to see a taxable income on their bank account.

I'm Mexican living in NL. It's surprising how all these things you mentioned are a US thing only, being neighboring countries and Mexico is doing all this things already like here in NL. It's crazy. Love your videos!

I was 42 years of age when I ordered a beer in a bar in The United States, and was quite surprised when the bartender asked me to show some ID. I know I look young, but still. I told him "I'm allowed to drink twice." Of course he's just doing his job, but I was surprised, to say the least. Funny and interesting experience.

As a Dutch bartender. I would ask the guests to not drink their own alcohol or I would be sad to kick them out of the restaurant.

Bring your own wine to the restaurant? That seems like a good money saving thing! Almost sounds Dutch 🤣

chunky is so cute, i would 100% watch a 14 minute video of just chunky sitting in front of the camera silently. your videos are amazing of course, though i do love the chunky appearances!

I'm Finnish and I've got to say that I have personally seen a cheque book maybe at most five times in my life, all of which happened before end of the eighties. I've done online bank transactions from 1994 and before that used bank automats for the purpose of doing my transactions. The money did move instantly from account to account in the same bank even back then, and never took more than one extra bank day between different banks. I've not been to the US after 1981, but I did run into a lot of cash only places in Germany.

The banking situation in the US is the most baffling thing to me. You'd think these banking apps we have here would have been launched FIRST over in America. I mean... there are so many tech companies there, way more than here. And Americans are famous for their love of convenience. And surely money is a very important subject to them. So... 1+1+1 = banking app? Hell no! They use cheques still, wtf. Mind blowing really.

This was entertaining, because you used different topics ,then you would normally see! Great video eva! Nice cat!!!

Interesting as always Ava! Here in Australia I haven't seen cheques for years, to pay rent etc you can just set up periodic automatic transfer payments. Very easy, can be changed anytime at home.

Hi I' am a Dutch - Canadian, living in Canada about fifty three years. Here in Ottawa I can buy beer & wine in the grocery store, and there are grocery stores here that sells everything in the same location. I know the States is very narrow minded, than a lot of countries like the Netherlands ( i like the way you see things there, love your show ).

Hey Ava , good to have you back with another interesting one ! Astonishing story about those checks, you would think.. And you can automate all those transactions also. A long time ago I once received a check for a small amount and it was to expensive here to transfer into cash so I was left with a worthless piece of paper.

In Belgium you can bring your own wine to the restaurant, no problem. On your bill you will be charged 15-25 euro “stopgeld / stopselgeld / kurkengeld” to cover the lost profit and service. Often it is the price of the cheapest wine on the menu.

We love a good chuncky appearance on video! As a Dutch person I can't imagine having to bring your own alcohol to a restaurant, I think it might not even be allowed here actually. Also having American housemates has made me infinitely appreciative of IBAN bank transfer and Tikkie, every time we owe each other money it's a hassle.

I knew about the laundry thing from watching US television and movies and always found it weird. The BYOB thing here in the Netherlands is only for parties at someone's home or underground parties and such. The banking/ money thing is so ancient. I haven't seen a check since the 1980s. I hardly even use cash anymore, it's all debitcard for me.

Thank you for your videos Ava! I'm an American who may get the chance to move to the Netherlands this summer and your videos have been very inspirational! I've had both similar and different experiences with some of the topics you mentioned. - Laundromats are real and terrible😮‍💨 In-unit laundry is usually just reserved for new, high end buildings. Most older buildings don't have individual plumbing for each unit, so the only way for landlords to make money based on the amount of water a tenant uses is to have shared laundry that costs extra. I secretly purchased a machine several years ago and snuck it into my apartments to avoid them! - BYOB restaurants are definitely in the minority. If you brought outside food or drink to a typical restaurant it would be considered rude and not allowed. You would likely be kicked out or not served at all. - Paying by check really depends. I pay rent and bills through an app and I set up auto pay, so I never have to remember to pay it. An individual landlord with only a few tenants may prefer checks to save on processing fees, but company owned rentals rely on apps for convenience. Thank you again for making these videos!

Ah, you have not been introduced to the rich assortment of dutch folklore games yet. Someone else mentioned already schijt je rijk. There is paalzitten, prutracen, fierljeppen, zwijntje vangen etc. Most games considered cruel to animals are forbidden like palingtrekken. But there is plenty left to be astonished about.

You should know that it is mandatory to carry an ID when you are outside your home in the Netherlands. When you get asked for your ID and are not able to show it, by a police officer or other city security personnel, the fine is 50 euro. Officially they can only ask for your ID in cases where you are doing something wrong, but that only needs to be something wrong as they see it, and that they may want to investigate. So e.g. when you bike on the pavement or through a red light, that is sufficient reason to ask for an ID and get fined when you are unable to show it. In more severe cases, it will also result in you being taken to the police office to identify you and/or to make others bring your ID there.

Germany also has lots and lots of cash only businesses, and they don't even have a sigh. It's so annoying when you forget about that.

Hey Eva I've seen quite a lot of you stories and I'am wondering when do you make your first Dutch vlog with English subtitles. I just saw your vlog about the 'unwritten Dutch rules' where you kind of surprised about Dutch people prefer to talk Dutch in the Netherlands. So it looked cool to me to hear your speaking Dutch after being here for over two years. What do you think?

There are country fairs in Belgium too :-) And they have country games too! A fund raising activity in Belgian Limburg is the "Schijt-Je-Rijk" ... A meadow the size of a soccer field is divided into a grid. People buy one part of the grid. If all the parts are sold , they put a cow on the field and the part where the cow shits for the first time gets a money prize or sometimes a big ham.. How about that? :-)

very early, love your videos

The county fair comparison can find a slight equivalent in some regional celebrations such as "Leids Verzet" in the city of Leiden. It only lasts a day and there are no animals but there are rides, food and parades throughout downtown.

Hi Eva. I live in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia and I wanted to say that it is common here to have a washer and dryer in your apartment and also you can by wine and beer in grocery stores.

About the washing machines, the "share one for a building" makes a lot of sense. I used to own my own washing machine when I lived in an apartement, but now I moved to a co working site, everyone owns a house, but we share washing mashines for the whole neighborhood in the neigborhood pavilion. It is property of the neighbors. In stead of coins though, we just write on a paper how many washes we did and we share the costs based on that.

Wow. Two new videos so close together. Huzzah. Chicago we LOVE BYOB places. Also, I'm with you on the laundromat situation. Do they utilize both washer and dryer there? When I was in Scotland and Belgium I found it difficult to find homes with washer and dryer. Cash only is definitely making a comeback. I am happy there are not as many card online places. It was definitely hard for people who cant acquire a card to make purchases at these places. Not a very accessible practice. Great content! Cheers

Pig racing was brought to America by settlers, (New York was originally settled by the Dutch, called New Amsterdam at the time), as well as the idea of county fairs, so it would seem normal to have some similarities in-between. I'm not American, nor Dutch but I like learning about life in other countries so videos like these are a delight! Thanks very much!

Hi Eva, nice story, again😉 did a boyscamp in the Adarondacks, so I know how nice it is ovethere. Worked in the US, so I know how innificient your banking system is. Bounced cheques, multiple creditcards. Very surprising when your background is the dutch banking system. Even more surprises the haven’t solved all these old problems. Keep up your interresting observations

In Europe you can often bring your own wine, usually in the upscale restaurant. They will charge you a bottle fee for opening and serving it. It’s rare to do and usually for very special occasions with very special wines.

Hey! Fun video. A few things. Alcohol is available in supermarkets in some states, so depends where you are in the US. Also, some states allow a drive through alcohol store ("beer barn" or "brew thru") though I myself don't really see them that often. I really do not see BYOB to a restaurant, maybe that's a Philly thing? (coming from midwest here) If you brought your own alcohol to a restaurant you likely would get some weird looks. I don't see many cash only places, though there are a few. And county fairs are a fun cultural experience of the rural US haha. Competitions for the largest vegetable, yummy food, little rides and games, a raffle of some sort...all in good humor! It is also an excuse for the community to get together and catch up with friends, etc. I believe it comes from the whole harvest festival idea, celebrating the end of growing season and seeing the fruits of your labor.

We have something like a county fair too in Holland. It's called Kermis. I found it very similar.

I don’t even now where to find a laundromat in my city. We don’t have these in our apartments. I’m old enough to remember using cheques for all my payments. I don’t even have money to pay for food or other things. Mostly the older people don’t like to pay with a card. I remember my mother was even afraid to pay with her bankcard. I had to go to the bank for her to get money. In a restaurant you are not allowed to bring your own alcohol. In the cinema i go to you are not allowed to bring your own snacks and drinks. Nice cat. Thank you for the video.

The Dutch county fair is called braderie I think.

Building-laundromats do happen, but it's rather rare. In my case it was an apartment building for students, where the apartments where too small for a washing machine.

I'm subscribing. With that out of the way, let me say I'm a Dane that has closely followed American politics for ~6 years (with horror) ... and I've found The Netherlands to be exotic (I've deliberately chosen that word). My 2cv brought me from Denmark to The Netherlands in a few hours. I'll advice everyone to visit TNs! And go enjoy the coasts too!

Nice, you have Lucebert’s collected poems in your bookshelf.

If we do have a shared washer, there usually is a schedule where you schedule in your washing time in advance.

Hey Ava what you report as American 'country fairs' we tend to call 'kermis' or often 'jaarmarkt' = the yearly fair that often is part 'kermis' nowadays, with rides and cholesterol-rich food. This kind of setup is more common in the countryside. It dates back to times when people would go to the year market fair to get stuff they needed and couldn't get year round, like fabrics for ex.

County Fairs are quite common in the netherlands in the more rural area's they are called "braderie" you often see small stalls with food and old arts like making reeds baskets and chairs. Just search for it. it's different and the same.

I think driving at 16 is way more dangerous than having a couple of biertjes

Nice cat ! actually share the washing machine with the whole flat "jugh "

I remember cheques. In the 90s you needed them when you went abroad.

I have lived in the USA for 5 years around 1990. I remember the Iowa Stats fair and yes it is very amerjcan but also a lot of fun. There was a milking contest for local celebrities like the weatherman of the local news station. There was a contest who has the largest cow or heaviest pig. There was poultry on display in all kinds of artificial colours. Contest about growing the biggest potato, pumpkin or something like that. All kinds of different races. An agility course for dogs. Show of different breeds of cats and dogs. Throwing horseshoes etc. Ofcourse lots of food, marching band, carnaval rides. I lived it that my appartment had washers and dryers.

In the UK you often do BYOB at restaraunts without an alcohol permit. They then charge you a small "uncorking fee" so they make a small profit off it.

Most towns and villages have a "kermis" once a year, which is a bit similar to your country fair, but the focus is mainly on the rides, not so much on the food.

In the Netherlands some restaurants do allow you to bring your own wine (if for example you have a celebration and want to bring a very fancy wine) however, you will have to pay Kurkgeld (Cork money) wich will be around 20€/30€ or sometimes more, to sort of compansate the lost profit.

In America, the restaurants also charge a fee for opening and pouring your wine.

Supermarkets can't sell hard liquor. For that you'll still have to go to the liquor store or the separate liquor department of the supermarket.

I live in an apartment flat, and it has a laundry space downstairs. I think this happens in the Netherlands especially in student housing and elderly homes, but most ppl have their own machines. It's really annoying to use the shared machines. You have to buy these laundry coins with cash, but you can only use it at certain times which are inconvenient for everyone that works during the day. And it's closed on the most random days in the week and it's super annoying and inconvenient. I cannot afford a laundry machine right now, but as soon as I can I'll get one.

I think the common/shared washing machine and dryer for an appartment building actually makes sense, and I think that's actually a thing in Germany, possibly even here and there in the Netherlands. They mostly sit around doing nothing, and they take a lot of energy and resources to build, so everyone owning one is actually pretty wasteful. Of course it does have to be set up in a useful manner. Enough of them for everyone, and some kind of modern way to share the costs.

I once saw on a tv program that plumbing in a city with many sky scrapers is a problem. It was difficult to get enough waterpressure to get the water up to the higher floors. I can imagine that would be even worse if every apartment has a washing machine.

Once upon a time the US was the most modern country in the world and proud of that. European countries started to copy the achievements and had to cooperate to get to the same level of modernity. And while the US thought they made it and didn't need more progress, the European countries surpassed them and are now more advanced than the US in many things. The idea 'We are the best' that was valid in the 1950's until 1975, got so imprinted, they cannot imagine they started to leap behind. Europe looking at the US as example for culture, music, freedom, technology and more, is rapidly getting less. The 'core countries' within the EU are getting more attention in the world as examples of what they want to become.

The checks for age I knew a former boss went with it’s family in a camper on a road trip through America and he was 58 and still was asked to prove his age. His son and daughter were drinking here at fifteen maybe earlier and now where over eighteen and couldn’t drink alcohol without criminalizing their parents (so they stayed sober a rule what is implemented now I believe). I was drunk for the first time at age fourteen, nowadays they would probably pump my stomach because I fell asleep above the toilet being sick and they pulled me upstairs to a bed. And I was amazed at age twenty when in the local bar dancing kids of twelve where buying crates of beer themselves at the bar.

A dryer for the laundry? Just hang it on a line to dry. Much cheaper and better for the environment. When I was young, many decades ago, we started with a beer once and awhile when we were twelve years old. Paying your rent manually in the Netherlands. Why don’t use Automatische Overschrijving.

Quick note on not carrying an ID in the Netherlands: This is technically illegal, and if you happen to get caught up in an accident for example they can and most likely will fine you for not having some form of Identification on you.

Also, some restaurants do allow you to bring your own wine, but they would charge you "flessengeld", so it's just not worth the hassle.

If you live in student housing in the Netherlands (or a small studio) there is a big chance you have to share the washing machine and drying machine

I am glad that the payment of all my fixed expenses is automated. Every month, my bank automatically transfers the right amount of money to the right accounts and I don't have to look back at it. Be it my mortgage (or rent if so desired), ammenities, insurances and all. And I would not want it any other way!

On most terraces in the Netherlands, you can just sit down. Watch out for the sign! "Consumption obligated ". And I can't imagine going to a restaurant here. And would bring my own crate of Hertog Jan.

Wow I heard about B.Y.O.B. but always thought it applied to house parties... Never thought restaurants required that 👎🏼 By the way Ava, please do another deep dive linguistic video, I loved that!

I think things like the "county fairs" in the US are also here in the Netherlands, just a little bit different. I don't know how often those events are held in the US, in cities/villages here in the Netherlands those are often a "once per year" thing. Some of those are mainly rides/attractions (kermis), some have more of a shopping theme (braderie) and others have a much more specific theme (food truck festival, medieval theme, horses or other animals). Not sure how it is in Utrecht or other of the larger cities as Amsterdam/Rotterdam, but all those "fairs" as mentioned are all over the country, throughout the year (most from spring, through summer and into early autumn).

I have two vendors in the US that don’t have ACH transfers. Usually businesses in the US make and receive electronic payments. But here we sit in NL writing a check to a business in the US with a 1Euro postzegel and have to drop it in the brievenbus.😂

In the Netherlands beer and wine are allowed to sell in supermarket. Other alcoholic drinks mus be sold in liquor store. A liquor store and supermarket must be two seperate stores. Sometimes they are in the same building but seperated by walls. In Germany it is very common to have a liquor department inside the supermarket without seperate walls.

Two years ago in MN, I wanted to buy some alcohol-free beer. I could not find it in the regular grocery store, but upon asking I was referred to the clearly demarcated wine department. It was sold there, but there was only one cashier, and there was indeed just as you described a very long line. On my Dutch automatic pilot, I wanted to comment on the illogic of it all, but after half a sentence I thought the better of it. The lady in the line behind me agree with me when we left the shop (my argument was that if you do not want people to drink alcoholic beverages, then make it easier for them to purchase alcohol-free stuff). I have seen several times that youngsters tried to buy booze but were refused because they were under the age and/or did not carry an ID. Here in Holland, the Coffee Company also does not sell alcohol-free beer BTW. You seem to need an alcohol license for selling that as well.

I'm Dutch, and I still use cash - just a few coins to get a shopping cart lol. I can't even remember when I last paid in cash in a store, or anywhere, for that matter. (And I can't even remember when we last had a bank robbery here).

In the Netherlands I’ve seen people bring their own sandwiches to cafes. Maybe because the cafe culture is bigger here (just sitting and drinking and not eating). In the US you’d be thrown out of a cafe/restsurant if you brought your own food. Surprising the infrastructure in the US is pretty bad, including bank systems. But using debit cards and ACH transfers are more common now than 10-20 years ago. NL is surprisingly digital compared to other EU countries. Germany uses cash for everything. Paying by PIN there can be difficult.

The bottle in the paper bag, is that for real still - in some states or? And no opened bottles in a car (except the trunk)?

Havent seen you for months and now things have turned very Dutch indeed... recording the vid in front of a Ikea cupboard with books and a Lucebert book recognizable up front ... bit like you left the curtains open ... very Dutch ;) I've lived for ages without a washing machine, 22sq meter apartment centre Amsterdam , kinda like NY. Still have no dis washer and miss that dearly

I haven't seen people write cheques since the early nineties, and even then it was awkward.

The washer and dryer probably has to do with the fact that most home sockets in the us are 110-120 volt and not 220-240 like in Europe. You can't hear up the washer and dryer on that voltage. So suburban homes might have one or two 220 volt sockets, apartments don't.

My husband does the laundry, I fold. It works for us, because he feels that I don't optimise the laundry and I feel he folds towels "wrong" 😂 I learned my way of folding from HIS mom! I worked at a supermarket as a cashier before Euro's, and we LOATHED cheques. They were definitely on the way out, but some people would just use them. It took superlang, and was a load of hassle. My dad wrote checks right until they weren't accepted anymore, and believe me, we tried to get him to use his debit card and pin all the time. I have friends in the US, and exchanging money is just... insanely difficult if you don't want to use paypal 😂

If you haven't seen the TV series (or the movie) called "Fargo" (the Coen brothers), season 1, you've missed out VERY much. The series is the best! Snow, pregnant police woman, super-cool killer, warm family etc. I've seen the series 5 times and I'm going to see it again (my sister think I'm crazy, but I'm not 🙂). It makes me want to move to North Dakota/Minnesota.

For most bills, you don't even have to make the transfer yourself. Just authorize the creditor to deduct the amount from your bank account. Having lived in the States I am very aware of the antiquated, inefficient banking system.

As I was watching your video, I heard you talk about paying taxes for the US even if you're living in a different country?! I have to say I was super shocked about this and didn't know. Would you please make a video to elaborate on that or direct me to one of your videos that talks about this in more detail ? Because it was shocking and upsetting to be quite honest, knowing this.

Maybe you should go to the koeiemart in woerden at 26 oktober. Only 15 minutes by train for you and i think you would be amazed too.

Alcohol is a source of profit for the restaurant. In the US I was amazed by this brown-paper-bag thing, i.e. the wrapping for your bottle. Felt like doing something somewhat illegal.

In Brazil even street vendors accept cards and eletronic payments (PIX)

In South Africa bringing they charge something called "corkage" to dissuade you from bringing your own wine to a place that has a liquor license.

I think you should visit some Dutch fairs this summer! Be prepared for underwhelming food options, but you have to experience at least one kermis and one braderie. I'm sure they'll be back at this stage in the pandemic! Also, American banking is nuts! Shared laundry could be a good environmentally conscious option, but not with coins and not when there's that few machines. Wow.

Funny thing. A BYOB party is also called "Going Dutch".

Checks are not used much any more. I don’t even have a checking account, I do everything electronically in the US

A video once every two (three) weeks would be great! 🙂🤷🏻‍♂️

They still do that, the checks? I lived in Cali like 20 years ago for a year and then already i was like: "what still checks?" ... i figured by now they would have catched up... 😳 weird

Cheers from the Pacific West Coast of Canada.

Hi, I was wondering if you know of and have been to Efteling in the south of the Netherlands ? Efteling started out as a fairytale forest surrounded by two big lakes showing all the fairytales in real life, plus a talking real size tree, a real size man puppet with the longest neck in the world, dancing shoes that magically dance on their own and a big toy donkey that lifts up it s tail and poops fake golden Efteling coins for people to catch as memory to Efteling. Later on they added all sort of things like one of the biggest fountain shows in a lake in the world, rollercoasters, dark rides, indoor rides with colorfoul moving puppets animotronics (even a real size whale), a madhouse, interactive indoor rides with moving puppets also animotronics, a 20 minute show with real horses and knights, little boats that are pulled forward in the lake automatically you can sit in for a boat ride across the lake, a big platform where a lot of people can stand on that goes slowly up in the air so people can overlook the entire forest, park, hotel and lakes. Efteling was built before Disneyland / world even existed. Mr Disney has been video recorded visiting the Netherlands so he could have taken ideas from Efteling, but nobody really knows if Mr Disney actually visited Efteling. Efteling It is one of the best themed themeparks in the world with emphasis on theming. Of course a lot of parents and grandparents with children go there, but one should been there at least once in their life visiting or living in the Netherlands 😀. It is basically a big forest with two big lakes and there happens to be a big themepark inside of it, so you can enjoy a day in nature as well. It is a two day park to see everything, they also have a themed hotel in which people can stay. They are now building a second 50 million euro hotel with no doubt excellent theming as well. The entrance of Efteling looks straight out of an adventure movie and is called House of The Five Senses. Thought maybe you would like knowing about it !

I’ve also NEVER seen a grocery store that does not sell alcohol. I’m an American in the south.

It can be night and day from state to state and coast to coast in the US. One state I lived in, you could buy all liquor at the store. Another, only wine and beer and then hard liquor at a liquor store. Bring your own booz is very rare. Cash only? I just went to a Dutch restaurant that was cash only. Yes, it's rare but it does happen.

Great video! But you know that we have rural parts in the Netherlands too don't you? 😜. And they also have a lot of crazy and stupid things. Or try find find videos of the Dutch band Normaal and their Høken concerts. They were a Dutch hardrock band singing in their own local dialect and adored by many fans from the rural and countryside areas, calling themselves by the Geuzennaam Boeren (farmers) even if those fans were only locals from areas that used that have farmers. That's a whole other side of the Netherlands, you might be shocked. Especially if you would had experienced in in real life, lol.

Off course they don’t allow you to bring your own wine to a restaurant over here. The margins on drinks are way better than on the food. “Ze eten je arm, maar drinken je rijk”

You don't even have to spend time to pay your rent / bills. You can automate the process in your app. And payments will be done monthly automatically. Or you give some (rental) companies permission to take certain amounts from your bank account every month. If they take it and it is not the right amount you can click refund and the money will be back into your bank account.

I’m from Pittsburgh. Keep in mind what you generalize as “this is what they do in the US” especially when it comes to liquor only applies to some of the original colonial states, like Pennsylvania. In California where I live now, alcohol can be purchased at grocery stores no problem.

In the east they have here something called zwientie tikken look it up on you tube

Take the train to Sittard to experience the Sint Joepmarkt zaterdag 19 maart 2022. This market is taking place since 1803!

When I was 14 years old (in 1988) I could just order whatever I wanted. It is stricter now.

Well, technically any place that sells alcohol in the Netherlands is required to check whether you're old enough. It's just that by and large they'll just see whether you _look_ old enough. Law enforcement is probably much more relaxed here. You'll get in trouble if you structurally sell alcohol to 14 year old's and they run around town drunkenly of course, but generally when you make a reasonable attempt to not sell to minors you'll be fine. And parents can give younger children a drink, but of course within reason. I guess in the US they insist on seeing because they're afraid of getting part of the national hobby: suing. I find it so weird that the US, a country that is obsessed with money and capitalism, makes it so hard to exchange money. Having to pay cash, having to go to a bank to get your wages, cheques, it's ridiculous. It's like they all want to keep living in the wild west times... I'm surprised they actually gave up the gold standard. My bank doesn't even _have_ bank buildings you can go to... ehm... farm animals aren't wild. That's kind of the definition. LOL.

In the netherlands when a store or diner only accepts cash there's usually something shady going on