The people of Nijmegen according to other expats...
In 2007, about 70 expats took part in a survey about living and working in Nijmegen. The results were used as a basis for the municipal expat service and policy. We would like to share some interesting quotes with you, to show what your peers felt was most striking about Nijmegen’s' culture and society.
At work
- 'Open atmosphere, all problems can be discussed constructively.'
- 'Bosses can be addressed by their first name!'
- 'People do not tell you about their expectations in advance'
- 'There is a lot of openness and discussions about the process. This leads to more acceptance, but takes more time.'
- 'People take more time off, and quite a few people don’t work on Fridays'
- 'There are lots of meetings...'
- 'Good team spirit'
- 'People work efficiently and are devoted to what they do'
- 'Office hours are respected, people have to be on time and normally do not work at night or during weekends'
- 'People work on a strict day planning according to their diaries'
- 'The dress code is relatively casual'
- Lunch breaks are not 'sacred' here' (people skip lunch breaks and eat home made sandwiches at their desk)'
- 'Good balance between work and private life'
- 'The people are nice, but not always easy to approach on a more personal level'
- 'People are less expressive emotionally'
- 'Professional attitude and high individual responsibility'
- 'Sometimes a bit opinionated'
- 'People are friendly, interested and helpful'
- 'Bad eating habits and lots and lots of coffee...'
- 'They seem rather afraid of changes sometimes'
- 'Colleagues only shake your hand once. In my country, friends and colleagues shake hands every time they meet...'
- 'Most people speak English to you if they realise you're a foreigner, so it's not always easy to practise your Dutch'
- 'People you've just met can ask very personal questions'
- 'High tolerance, also towards homosexuality'
- 'An appointment has to be made for all social meetings, even to meet friends'
- 'Most Dutch do not invite their foreign colleagues to their home, except when they are invited first.'
- 'Exceptional quality of life here, people seem happy and relaxed'
- 'Don't expect to be asked to stay for dinner if you visit somebody around dinnertime. You have to be asked in advance!'
- 'You are supposed to buy your colleagues cake on your birthday'
- 'Most Dutch men do not kiss their male relatives as a greeting and they never kiss their male friends. They do kiss female relatives and friends, and so do women: three times on the cheeks. In my culture, the situation is reverse!'
- 'People are quiet, cautious and extremely modest'
If you would like to comment, or add something, please e-mail expat@nijmegen.nl.
