• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Login/ Register
  • Editorial Team
  • Get Involved

Exeposé Online

Making the headlines since 1987

Exeposé Online
  • Home
  • News
      • Local
      • COVID-19
      • University News
  • Comment
  • Features
      • National
      • Worldwide
      • Politics
      • Interviews
  • Science
      • News
      • Lite Science
      • Common Misconceptions
      • Environment
      • Health
      • Technology
  • Sport
  • Lifestyle
      • Fashion and Beauty
      • Features
      • Food
      • Wellbeing
      • Sustainability
  • Music
      • Interviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Single Reviews
  • Screen
      • Reviews
      • Features
      • Interviews
      • Festivals and Awards
  • Arts + Lit
      • Interviews
      • Features
      • Reviews
      • Creative Writing
  • Amplify
  • International
  • Multilingual
  • News
  • Comment
  • Features
  • Science
  • Sport
  • Lifestyle
  • Music
  • Screen
  • Arts + Lit
  • Amplify
  • International
  • Multilingual
Home / Multilingual

One Foot on Each Side

One Foot on Each Side

Pixabay: Image

Vincent Plant discusses his appreciation of the culture and language of a country he considers his ‘second home’.

Mijn ervaring van Nederland is, denk ik, vrij anders omdat ik eigenlijk alleen maar ging tijdens de vakantie. Een of twee keer per jaar zou het vliegtuig neerstrijken in een land dat altijd voelde als een ontspannende pauze. Omdat de Nederlandse vakantieperiode een beetje anders ligt dan die van ons in het Vereinidge Koninkrijk zouden de meeste Nederlanders nog steeds aan het werk zijn, terwijl wij vrij konden verkennen.

Naar mijn gevoel waren de Nederlanders altijd meer ontspannen dan de Engelsen- misschien door welke tijd van het jaar ik op bezoek kwam. Ze leken altijd bereid om te stoppen en een babbeltje te maken. Het woord dat dit het beste samenvat, is dan ook een Nederlandse- ‘gezellig’, dat heel moeilijk te vertalen is. Het is een woord dat knusheid beschrijft zonder een opgesloten gevoel- een open en sociale versie van het Deense word ‘hygge’, bijvoorbeeld.

Mijn grootouders woonden in een kleine stad in het noorden van het land in Friesland- een gebied dat het best beschreven kan worden as de Wales van Nederland, met zijn eigen taal op de koop toe. De stad heeft maar vijftig duizend mensen of zo, maar het voelde altijd immens- waarschijnlijk omdat wij alleen maar bepaalde eindpunten bezochten- het zwembad, de hoofdstraat, enz.- en de rest nooit echt zagen.

Mijn jongere zusje en ik spreken Nederlands, omdat onze ouders wilden dat wij echt een verbinding konden hebben met onze moeders familie en cultuur; dit zou onmogelijk zijn geweest als wij hun taal niet spraken. Het is iets waar ik werkelijk dankbaar voor ben- en niet alleen omdat het onze gesprekken in Engeland meer intiem en privé maakten.

Ik kan me in Nederland thuis voelen op een manier dat ik anders niet zou kunnen en heeft me een tweede thuis gegeven aan de andere kant van de zee. In mijn ervaring vinden de Nederlanders het prachtig wanneer je hun taal spreekt en als aan hun verteld word dat je in Engeland opgegroeid bent- het is bijna alsof je extra moeite hebt gedaan.

Heb ik een roze bril op als ik over Nederland denk? Dat absoluut. Maar dat is onvermijdelijk, aangezien dat ik het onbewust associeer met vrije tijd en minder bedrukkende regels. Mijn Nederlands geeft me de mogelijkheid om met familie te spreken en nieuwe vrienden te maken op een dieper niveau. Oh, en het geeft me een eeuwige frustratie tegenover mensen die de namen van de microbiologen ‘van Leeuwenhoek’ en ‘Martinus Beijerinck’ niet goed kunnen zeggen.

Dutch Version by Vincent Plant


My experience of the Netherlands, I think, is quite warped thanks to the fact that I only ever went there during the holidays. Once or twice a year, the plane would touch down into a nation that always felt like a refreshing break. Because the Dutch holiday season is slightly offset from our own, in the UK, most of the country would still be working, but we would be free to explore.

To me, the Dutch always felt more easy-going than the English, perhaps because of the timing of my visits. They always seemed to have a willingness to just stop and chat. The word that best describes it is a Dutch one- ‘gezellig’, which is very difficult to translate into English. It’s a word that describes cosiness without being shut away- the open and sociable version of the Danish ‘hygge’, in a sense.

…they (the Dutch) always seemed to have a willingness to just stop and chat.

My grandparents lived in a small town in the north of the country in Friesland- an area best described as the Wales of the Netherlands, with its own language to match. The town’s population is only about fifty thousand people, but it always felt massive- probably because we only ever went to certain destinations in town when I was a child- the swimming pool, the high street, etc.- and never really saw the rest of it.

My younger sister and I both speak Dutch because our parents wanted us to be able to truly connect with our mum’s family and culture; not being able to speak the language would close the door on this. It’s something that I am truly grateful for- and not just because it allowed an extra layer of privacy and intimacy when back in England.

…our parents wanted us to truly connect with our mum’s family and culture; not being able to speak the language would close the door on this.

It has allowed me to feel at home in the Netherlands in a way that I otherwise never would have been able to, giving me a second home country on the other side of the pond. Dutch people, in my experience, always find it a pleasant surprise to hear you speaking their language once they’ve been told you were raised in England. It almost feels as if you’ve made an effort.

Is my view of the Netherlands rose-tinted? Absolutely. But that’s unavoidable, given that I subconsciously associate it with free time and fewer restrictions. What my Dutch leaves me with is an ability to connect with family and make new friends at a deeper level. Oh, and a permanent frustration with the inability of English people to say the name of the microbiologists ‘van Leeuwenhoek’ or ‘Martinus Beijerinck’ properly.

English translation by Vincent Plant

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Dec 4, 2020 By Vincent Plant Filed Under: Multilingual, Dutch, Editors' Picks Tagged With: Exeter, dutch, exchange

Reader Interactions

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

exepose

The official Instagram account for Exeposé, the University of Exeter's independent student newspaper.
Old issues here: issuu.com/exeposeexeter

As editors of student newspapers at all 24 Russell As editors of student newspapers at all 24 Russell Group universities, we stand united against the Russell Group statement which declared ‘no detriment’ or ‘safety net’ policies not to be ‘appropriate’ or ‘necessary’ for students at this time. 

Having listened to students at our universities, we are calling on the Russell Group to act compassionately and empathetically and to reconsider their stance on ‘no detriment’ politics for assessments this year. 

Students deserve to be listened to. 

#RussellGroupRethink

https://exepose.com/?p=95888
Do you want to get experience in journalism? Is th Do you want to get experience in journalism?
Is there an opinion you want to share with the wider University community?
Maybe you just want to work alongside a great group of students?

Then join Exeposé!

We are the University of Exeter's official student newspaper and we would love it if you joined our society and came to write for us! Whether you're interested in writing news articles, reviewing the latest film release or researching an ongoing issue for a feature, there are enough sections of Exeposé to cater to all of your writing interests.
Membership is £5 (cheaper than lunch at Pret) and covers both Term 2 and 3, so it's important that current members also renew their memberships!
There is no commitment to writing if you join, you can write as much or as little as you want. Just buy membership from the link below and join the Facebook groups of any section that interests you, where you'll be able to see what articles are being offered and suggest articles to the editors.
If you're still unsure, don't hesitate to reach out to any of our delightful editors. They'll be able to answer any questions you have and tell you why they've enjoyed being a part of Exeposé so much.
Again, we would love to welcome you to our paper. We're very proud of all the writers who currently contribute and whether you write two or twenty articles for us, Exeposé will be happy to have you on board.

https://www.exeterguild.org/societies/exepose/
We are running online elections for these editoria We are running online elections for these editorial positions! Make sure you have membership before applying (from the Guild website). We look forward to reading your manifestos :)
📣📣 NEW ISSUE ALERT 📣📣 Remember to pic 📣📣 NEW ISSUE ALERT 📣📣

Remember to pick up your copy of Exeposé today at all University and Guild stands! 

This issue we have an exclusive followup on the University's response to ExeHonestly. 

An interview the manager of Cavern about how the famous venue is coping during COVID. 

And we celebrate the Exeter Chiefs' success in the European Champions Cup.
📣📣NEW ISSUE ALERT📣📣 Our front page lo 📣📣NEW ISSUE ALERT📣📣

Our front page looks at the confusion behind reduced contact hours for some students.
This issue also includes an interview with the Exeter University’s new Vice Chancellor.

The second issue of Exeposé this term is on campus ready for you to collect now! 

Find this issue in the Exeposé bins in Forum, Queens and DH1+2.
A big welcome to everyone arriving and returning t A big welcome to everyone arriving and returning to Exeter this week!

We've got exclusive investigations into the University and larger community, as well as some top advice for your first few weeks here.

Available in the Forum, DH2, St Luke's, and with the welcome packs! 

Not on campus? Check out issuu.com/exeposeexeter to read it virtually!
This Fresher’s week, 14th-20th September, we hav This Fresher’s week, 14th-20th September, we have an event for everybody - from News writers to Sports fans 🎾! ⁣
⁣
Save the date for your favourite events and head to facebook.com/exepose to get zoom links and more 💻 📆. ⁣
⁣
Feel free to dm us with any questions in the meantime!⁣
⁣
#exepose #exeter #freshers #studentnewspaper
Finally the #alevelresults are in, uni offers have Finally the #alevelresults are in, uni offers have been made & we are looking forward to welcoming new students to #exeteruniversity 🎉 ⁣
⁣
If you want to get involved in Exeter’s #studentnewspaper Exeposé, we are happy to help 📰 . ⁣
⁣
We look forward to hearing from you anytime from now to #freshers week in September 💭
Online Editor @maddie.r.baker gives a snapshot of Online Editor @maddie.r.baker gives a snapshot of some of the articles available on Exeposé Online 📸 ⁣
⁣
Maddie’s Editor’s Pick is Stephen Ong’s review of the #taylorswift album folklore. A comprehensive look at the singer’s latest album 🎶 ⁣
⁣
Check out the article via the link in the bio or exepose.com/2020/08/06/album-review-taylor-swift-folklore/
Load More… Follow on Instagram
Tweets by Exeposé Lifestyle

Contact Us: editors@exepose.com

Since 1987, Exeposé has given a voice to Exeter students. Over the years, the determination and political fervour exhibited by students through Exeposé have helped shape the University we study at today. We have received national recognition for our award-winning campaigns, investigations and surveys, and always strive to provide students with high-quality news, comment and features.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in articles and comments do not reflect the views of Exeposé Online or the University of Exeter Student's Guild.

        


© 2021
Website design: Harry Caton and Ellie Cook
Webdesign & development: Harry Caton