Over morning coffee on a sun-drenched terrace, prior to our field trip, Ella presents an issue to the group.
An observation the Ukrainian had shared earlier with her colleagues from an international financial firm.
‘Dutch people say “doe normaal” (act normal) to their children all the time. Why?’
Just as I’m wondering “do we really?”, I recall a Dutch expression, “Doe normaal, dan doe je al gek genoeg.” (Act normal, that’s weird enough)
Ella continues, ‘My Dutch colleague says there’s only one way for the Dutch. For everything. Because as children they always had to act normal.’
As I process this, I look at the others. ‘Wat denken jullie?’ (What do you think?)
At this hour, the Argentinian Máxima isn’t up to such an existential matter.
Rubem from Brazil, who officially became a Dutchman recently, thinks it's because the Netherlands is traditionally a Calvinist country with fixed norms and values of austerity and obedience.
Despite the warm sun, Ella shivers.
‘Verschrikkelijk.’ (horrible)
‘Calvinists, Nederlanders dus, are not supposed to enjoy themselves and certainly not to try to be better than others’, Rubem adds. ’Ze moeten normaal doen.’
This leads to more introspection on my part, interrupted by Ella: ‘Then how can children ever learn to think out of the box?’
Rubem doesn't think it’s all negative. It also makes the Dutch reliable and serious in their work: ‘I like that.’
‘Still’, Ella persists, ‘it makes it impossible to think or act creatively. I see this with my Dutch colleagues.’
During our walk, the lively discussion continues. The pros (being balanced, having certain principles) and cons (never to excel, never to come up with a surprising idea) go back and forth as the group wanders through the neighborhood whose master plan was created early last century by the Dutch visionary architect, urban planner, draughtsman, and furniture and glass designer Hendrik Berlage; past monumental sculptures by his compatriot Hildo Krop; through lanes named after composers like the Dutch Alphons Diepenbrock, and through the street that commemorates the sculptor and WWII resistance hero Gerrit van der Veen.
Ella, meanwhile, still can't fathom it: ‘Altijd normaal doen…’
She shivers once more despite the sun.
Sure, I am Always Talkin’ Food, but I teach NT2 (Dutch as a second language) on the side. Mainly to young internationals who came to Amsterdam for or with love and intend to stay. For privacy reasons the names in these columns are fictitious.
Food lingo
Salty/salted - zout/gezouten
Acidic - zuur
Pickled - ingelegd
Fish roe - de viseitjes
Niet normaal lekker
The cherry tree (“sakura” in Japanese) is in full bloom. Time for a sakura viewing get together called “hanami”. For me, there is no better Japanese lunch on the go than onigiri. Unlike sushi, which is to be eaten as fresh as possible, onigiri is a way to preserve rice. An amount of rice is formed with the hands into a triangle around a filling of salty or acidic ingredients that help keep the rice last a day in the backpack. From umeboshi (pickled Japanese apricot), to tarako (salted fish roe), and kombu (seaweed). Contrary to Japanese ramen spots, onigiri shops are scarce in Amsterdam. Fortunately, there's Onigiri Ya!, a Japanese supermarket with a display case full of daily fresh hand shaped onigiri that are “niet normaal lekker” (beyond delicious) and surprisingly affordable.
PS Now in season: sakura mochi, pink glutinous rice bonbons filled with red bean paste, wrapped in an edible pickled sakura leaf.
Onigiri Ya!, Ferdinand Bolstraat 132-134 Amsterdam. Open daily 11 AM – 8 PM.