Opening my eyes after a deep night’s slumber, it wasn’t the early morning tingling of bells coming from my mother’s prayer room that woke me up, nor the early birds’ chirping or the playful call of my lovely little niece.
I was jetlagged after a long and tiring 36-hour journey to Holland from Nepal.
Pulling back the curtains to let the morning light fill my room, I wasn’t greeted by a standing ovation of lofty high hills or the panorama of snowy mountains kissing the sky. Instead, far to the horizon, all I saw was a flat stretch of land, tall skyscrapers, and massive structures. Cars swept past on wide roads and people hurried on their way to the day’s duty, like a flood of humanity in restless motion.
I had a big transition in those 48 hours. From the land of Mt. Everest to the plains of Holland was a steep descent indeed. Katmandu is 1200m above sea level and I’ve therefore had little experience of the sea. I had heard that parts of the Netherlands were below sea level and that land had been reclaimed from the sea. I was curious to see what this country looked like. I’d heard about all those typically Dutch stereotypes and was filled with enthusiasm for exploring my new country. Despite the big geographic descent, I was greatly elevated within%although I wondered how I’d fit into this totally new environment.
Waiting for the train to Delft on the platform was enough to give me a glimpse of a well-organized western world. Although we don’t have rail networks in Nepal, I had traveled by train in India, but the stations (and run-down trains) there were much different from what I saw here. The exact time schedules, the orderly way of getting in and out, clean platforms, all this gave me a great impression of the Dutch. Through my train window I could see the immense richness of this country, the new cars and well-kept trucks passing every few seconds, the tall buildings and occasional lush green fields with cows grazing.
Culturally, Oriental and Occidental societies are very different. The values differ greatly and I feared the culture shock I’d experience here. But to my surprise, the differences haven’t made it difficult to deal with Dutch people, who are warm, hospitable, and understand foreigners. But my greatest problem from the start has been food. Dutch cuisine has always been something to experiment with. I’ve now tried most Dutch food and even gave eating raw herring a shot. Wow! I liked it so much that I always eat it when I go to the city center.
It’s been almost a year since I left my country. The turmoil in Nepal is unfortunate. I feel sorry for my country, but the personal changes I’ve undergone here have certainly improved my way of thinking and understanding. In Holland I’ve learnt the art of living in a mixed society, understanding differences and respecting the subtle human values.
Opening my eyes after a deep night’s slumber, it wasn’t the early morning tingling of bells coming from my mother’s prayer room that woke me up, nor the early birds’ chirping or the playful call of my lovely little niece. I was jetlagged after a long and tiring 36-hour journey to Holland from Nepal.
Pulling back the curtains to let the morning light fill my room, I wasn’t greeted by a standing ovation of lofty high hills or the panorama of snowy mountains kissing the sky. Instead, far to the horizon, all I saw was a flat stretch of land, tall skyscrapers, and massive structures. Cars swept past on wide roads and people hurried on their way to the day’s duty, like a flood of humanity in restless motion.
I had a big transition in those 48 hours. From the land of Mt. Everest to the plains of Holland was a steep descent indeed. Katmandu is 1200m above sea level and I’ve therefore had little experience of the sea. I had heard that parts of the Netherlands were below sea level and that land had been reclaimed from the sea. I was curious to see what this country looked like. I’d heard about all those typically Dutch stereotypes and was filled with enthusiasm for exploring my new country. Despite the big geographic descent, I was greatly elevated within%although I wondered how I’d fit into this totally new environment.
Waiting for the train to Delft on the platform was enough to give me a glimpse of a well-organized western world. Although we don’t have rail networks in Nepal, I had traveled by train in India, but the stations (and run-down trains) there were much different from what I saw here. The exact time schedules, the orderly way of getting in and out, clean platforms, all this gave me a great impression of the Dutch. Through my train window I could see the immense richness of this country, the new cars and well-kept trucks passing every few seconds, the tall buildings and occasional lush green fields with cows grazing.
Culturally, Oriental and Occidental societies are very different. The values differ greatly and I feared the culture shock I’d experience here. But to my surprise, the differences haven’t made it difficult to deal with Dutch people, who are warm, hospitable, and understand foreigners. But my greatest problem from the start has been food. Dutch cuisine has always been something to experiment with. I’ve now tried most Dutch food and even gave eating raw herring a shot. Wow! I liked it so much that I always eat it when I go to the city center.
It’s been almost a year since I left my country. The turmoil in Nepal is unfortunate. I feel sorry for my country, but the personal changes I’ve undergone here have certainly improved my way of thinking and understanding. In Holland I’ve learnt the art of living in a mixed society, understanding differences and respecting the subtle human values.
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