woont jaren in Nederland


ROOM FOR DOUBT
Life in Brasil has much more room for belief. Not necessarily formal religious belief (there's a lot of that too) but a more subtle and complex mix of belief-possibilities. There's a lot of room between believing and non-believing. And while you're in Brasil this does make a lot of sense.
I find that belief is rarely taken seriously in the Netherlands. Things are what they are. And while you're here, it also makes a lot of sense.

FRIENDLINESS
In The Netherlands friendliness is often seen with a touch of contempt (or downright irritation), especially in 'intelligent' circles. Cynicism scores much higher points. Smart people don't go around being friendly for nothing. Period. It is a pretty unquestionable issue. As a foreigner this is a tough thing to learn.

SHORT SLEEVES
In Brasil people get to wear short sleeves most of the year. Short sleeves, no sleeves, short dresses, shorts, cleavages. More of the body is constantly in touch with the rest of the world and there's a lot of physical contact between people. You are less likely to feel lonely. (On the other hand: in spite of our 8000+ km of beaches, nudism is an absolute no-no)