 Hello and welcome to another video, but this is the first one here in the Netherlands and Yeah, this is me plus you is us. My name is Kwame. Hi. I'm Elaine and Yeah, we are doing if you guys could see the setup you'd laugh because we have a very makeshift setup we didn't bring enough gear So for example, we don't have a tripod so we're recording with a table and a stack of books we don't have lights so we're recording right in front of a window and Yeah, the lights here is not the best because At the time we're recording is still very dark even though it's morning Yeah, the light is different and there's not a lot of sunshine. Yeah, and that's one of the things that shocks me about Netherlands at least this be my first time Staying here during the winter season. So, yeah It's shocking It's a long winter for you. Yeah, it's a long one But funny enough the days go by a bit fast, but yeah The reason why we're making this video is just to give you guys an update we've been here a month already and We Just wanted to share how it's felt so far being here, but me especially The fact that I'm still experiencing a new or new culture shock Even though I've been coming here a few times. So Yeah, that's what I've been your observations my observations the first one would be that you know when we usually come here in You know during the summer or Sometimes late summer like, you know, almost autumn. I feel like okay People say it's cold even during that time like 15 degrees or like 10 degrees or 12 degrees And I'm thinking oh, it's not that cold I actually preferred so much because I can wear my t-shirt or just a light sweater on top of it And the breeze is nice, you know the temperature is nice and everything But when we arrived this time Yeah, it was really cool. It was minus three And that thing hit me like it hit me really hard. I was like whoa and it was a Painful chill like it's it's not fun at all. It's pinchy. Yeah, it's not fun at all And whoa that really hit me. So I take it back You don't like the cold. No, I take it back because I already even have a cold at the moment as you can probably hear But that's meaning that you're doing the Netherlands right because everybody in January either as a cold or a flu So I'm doing it right. Yes. You're experiencing it the right way Good so I've arrived that's that's basically it Yeah, so in this video, I'm probably gonna yeah No, I'm mostly gonna share the things that still, you know For you. Yeah are standing out for me. Okay. We are ready. Yeah And and forgive me if they don't all sound positive. It's winter. It's not my fault Yeah, so it's blue One of them is I think pleasant no the first one is pleasant which is listening to radio and hearing curse words freely like where I come from so I did radio for a couple of years and In Ghana, I mean, no, I don't know which radio station freely plays every music Explicitly as is no no radio station does that But here you turn on the radio and They are playing There's no time of day like there's no whole smart like you can be listed to radio around 11 And if they are playing WAP, I don't know if you know WAP or wet-ass pussy. I've said it. Yes, because you do block this Oh, I don't know. Maybe they would Maybe they would maybe they wouldn't but it's just everything is there. Nothing is blocked out. I'm like, wow That's a if I was a radio presenter here. I would actually really enjoy it And I think when I brought it up you said something that I mean if you know the song, you know that because words are ready Yeah, it's already in there. So what's the point of taking it out? Yeah for kids, maybe but Kids don't recognize it as curse words, right? They don't I don't think so. Well, maybe it's Now I'm glad you brought it up. So if a kid you take to school and that song comes out often and they listen to it and And They are experiencing like they like a song so much they sing it out Do you feel about that you can talk to them? No say like this is Meaning this and this this body part is not necessarily something we should sing about in public, but we can sing it at home No, you can sing it at home. Oh if they want to sing about their wet-ass Okay, okay, okay, I don't know we're gonna come to this maybe another time but The next thing that still takes me by surprise, I mean I already knew this but I saw it on a different level this time That's people are generally very economical like frugal. They know how to handle or save up money or Get the best deal or every like the best out of everything, you know, that's the frugality anyway, like you know using the money in the right way enough, you know and The one that took me out was witnessing this woman and her sister Sharing a teabag You're making tea and you're using one teabag for two cups. Why not why? It's just what we do I Think it's a Dutch thing, but because that same teabag makes a fool can make a full Teapot so why not just for two cups instead of getting our own you use that same teabag for one teapot One big teapot. Yes. You can use it for one teapot so that you can also use it for two cups, you know Yeah, we like when you use or except when I make tea for myself. I just put the tea back on the side I can use it again. What is your problem? But you do that I mean if you're watching this video and you do that I want to know not as a Dutch person like wherever you are you Double use your teabag. I want to know maybe it's a normal thing, but I don't Say like what kind of TV won't you just say oh, I want the same as you and then you just share Look at that I Want to say with you and then it's not just getting two individual teabags and making you know stronger tea You share one teabag. Yeah. I know I bow. It's fine. Wow and and Experiencing Dutch parties or gatherings or birthday parties. I Don't think can I don't think I can ever get used to it Why is that? the fact that parties first of all they start on time or Very early in my opinion like 7 p.m. Or whatever like, you know and You go in there and it's a group of friends who literally look like they just walked out Of the house or they're in their living room like they don't really Dress up. Yeah Yeah, but I also noticed that because maybe because I'm getting to Ghanaian But we went to a party of a friend It was me Krami and my sister dressing up and going and we didn't really dress up I mean Krami changed his sweater and My sister and I were wearing a different top like a more like Party top nothing to like fancy. No Everybody's just his sweatpants looking like hobos Why? Overdressed, but I I was still like even though I we were the only ones Overdressed, I was like no you guys got it wrong. Yeah, it's a party. You underdressed. You really underdressed Everybody was looking like They just came out of their living room in their like house clothes Like sweatpants sweater No, yeah, I'm just like still picturing it and The fact that parties are I mean first of all The rule is when somebody invites you to a party, you know in Ghana what that's in the person's house or Outside the person's house at the restaurant or something and it's their birthday and you're like, oh I'm having 20 people come over to my birthday. I've invited you over to this particular location. It's a restaurant Unless you and the friends coming, you know, everybody does on the list and you have decided that okay You are taking care of from the beginning, you know, you're taking care of this bill for this person's party You organized it not the person but when the person organizes it and sends you an invite, you know that they'd foot everything You eat you drink and everything is on them Nobody invites you to their party whether at home or Okay, at home. It's not possible to pay for anything nobody invites you to their party at a location and I best your first Round of drinks is on them and maybe one snack or something and then everything else afterwards You pay your own thing Yeah, but I think there is a difference because it depends on whether it's on location or Whether it's At somebody's house because when we were at my cousin's birthday at his house Like if everything was taken care of there was food or drinks all these things, but when you do it outside It's very expensive. So you say like, okay, I'll pay the first round the first two rounds They let them know in advance if they don't want to Take anything else after that that's up to them Maybe it's also our age because Maybe in ten years you would not do that structure anymore But now everybody's like trying to make ends meet and you just you know Yeah, I I guess but maybe it relates to the frugality or maybe it's just my stingy people, I Don't know if it's a Dutch thing I don't know is it that's any kind of anybody relates to this if you're not Dutch watching this that somebody invites you to their birthday party and You end up, you know Paying for your own bill after maybe the first round being on them. I want to know but I find it's a bit Yeah, it's it's it's a shock or it's a culture shock for me and I think the next one would be the road rules So this is the first he's personally affected. That's why I Feel it spill the juice So this one This is my first time because every time we come over We're most likely just cycling walking using the train This is the first time that we're staying here longer than our usual visit So it's more like you're living here a little bit, you know, we're here for a few months to have the baby and be with family as well and So this is the first time I'm driving here The road rules are a lot and not just a lot They are strictly ahead to like people adhere to the road rules here and don't think that you're on the highway somewhere and You can just enjoy the road. First of all, why do you guys have like? a Five no, if it's five year five years a 10 lane huge like really big highways You know very free highways and you can't just like go just because it's There and don't think that you can just drive anyhow and And just go home The cameras are actually watching everything because I was surprised we were just home and a A letter came In the mail, yeah that on this set date On on this at this time on this road You went seven kilometers above the speed limits and for that we're finding you Eight hundred cities if you convert it it was eight hundred cities I'll say whoa And and Unfortunately when that one came the that same morning so that the message or the dear That came in the afternoon, but in the morning. I already used the road again To go to Amsterdam and back and I was thinking whoa, I should be expecting another one coming in because I did not see this coming. Yeah, because where I'm from Yeah It's not the same It's not the same like if you know the road well and Where you're driving often, you don't have like oh the camera has caught you up and we have your address And so we've sent it to you. Yeah, so You have to adhere a bit more It was painful Yeah, it was painful ever since then ever since then I've been driving Super super In the You know confines I can't know And I try to remind you as well because when we're driving. She's more like the Google map Google maps plus Because she's using it when we're going to places we I mean of course you have to use Google Maps because I don't know the Netherlands that well. Yeah, and even if you do sometimes you Just need to have that to show you you can't know everywhere. It's huge. Come on like that I one thing I I Realize is how like road infrastructure is very very intricate like Everywhere, there is some road leading somewhere. So you couldn't possibly know all these thousands of thousands of Especially with the highways because kilometers turns Yeah, that's who that's who the exits Yeah, you are often exiting you have to be in the outer lane to exit left Yeah, and and you have to go a certain speed because you know buses or trucks use those lanes and Bra But you're doing well. I mean Driving in another country is not easy Yeah, so cut yourself some slack as well trying not to lose money. Yes, right So, yeah, yeah, that's that one and I Think the last one would be something that I think I've mentioned before I may have mentioned in our previous video on culture shock You can check that one out here and Still in the trains How people just really keep to themselves I can't get used to it and That I've said before But the other one is the fact that sometimes even when the train has some space, okay No, it's a busy train like you know, not too empty empty and people sit and There's one other space by them And you feel like if you sit by them, you're invading their space Yeah What do you mean? Yeah, meanwhile, there's there's a free space. You're not entire trot or anywhere And somebody's sitting on one of the seats and you feel like oh if I sit by this person I'm invading their space. Who should pay for that seat? Yeah, or when they put their bags on it Yeah, and you ask like could I because of so there's a bit of a staffing problem with the Trains currently in the Netherlands. So they're the trains are shorter And they're less trains going which means that often the trains are now quite full So when the train like I mean when it's full and then people have their bags next to them on a like a seat And you ask like could I please sit here and then they do it like you're bothering them Yeah, and I like you're bothering me because this should be a free seat. No exactly It's interesting and it's it's it feels so tense when you sit by the bike like somebody in a train like it's almost like Why are you sitting next to me like? But I get it when the train when the train is empty and then let's say their train is empty And then you sit here and I go sit next to you that I would find a bit weird Yeah, I mean Just be anywhere else Understandably so but when the train is not empty. Yeah, I mean, I don't I don't think people would make be so Weird about it that had an empty train so many other seats and you could only come and sit next to me on the two seats Lane, no, that's that's a bit much. I'm just saying that when the train is almost full and you go There's a space and why why is your bag on the seat? Yeah, it's a bit rude But I do think it also got worse because of COVID Because at some point you had to wear like the face masks in public transport and that's kind of for him It's you also from talking like the engagement is just a lot less because you only see the eyes and So I think that's kind of worse and like the distance to talk to strangers or like just care in general Yeah, because you just like focused on have to get here. I want to keep my distance. Don't come into my zone because of COVID maybe Well, okay, and any positive takes Well, I started on the positive. I mean, I mean on the flip side if you ask me even the with the road rules for example, it's a really good thing because then it forces people to Keep other people safe It's it's on the flip side It's a really good thing just because it affected me that I went seven kilometers above Speed particular speed limits and I go find for it doesn't mean that it's a bad thing It's a shock that it was actually that effective. You were sitting in your house and then boom You have a letter in your house. That's what I mean by the shock, but If I look at it, it's it's rather positive Okay, but any other experiences that were highlighted for you this month I went to the Amsterdam light show. Oh, you on your own we went through Okay, it took me out on a day. Thank you Give credit when credit is due. This was a surprise Surprise me. Thank you. He laid surprised me with the Amsterdam light show Which I think happens every year has been happening. I don't know when it started. I think about 11 years ago Good so It's just a light sculptures Yeah, all right on the waterway or the canal Amsterdam and I really really enjoyed it because Most of them were very creative And I learned that you just Apply for it to want to do it. It's not like they give the Contract to Specific anything any individual who has an idea wants to execute can apply and do it. Yeah And yeah, I really loved it Yeah, so it's a norm There's like a route you can walk so you buy kind of the map then you can walk around but that was like 6.5 kilometers and that's quite a lot for me in this state So I was like, no I can't do that. No so we Got a ticket for a boat and it's really nice because then you can get quite close to the artwork itself And you're at a different angle than from if you're looking at it from a bridge It's further way you're more high up but with the boat you can come really close. Yeah But which ones were your favorite or did you have a favorite? I had a couple of favorites. I like the matrix The most why is that? I think it was the simplicity of it and the fact that it draws you in with the output it on the screen for you guys to check out It draws you in with just a simple round screen and it's like it's very immersive driving or like when you're sailing Past it. I think that was my favorite. I also like the firefronts of the old hotel the very expensive hotel Yeah, that one I had so I'm so tells one of the most prestigious hotels. We had a really good guide She was really badass like she was the captain and as well talking Uh, so they talked about the artworks and then where they were located But what I liked about that fire was that it's it's you know, when there's heat coming off of a fire It kind of gives you this mirage. Yeah, and it looked like you can it looked like you there was heat coming off And I was like, how? There was this light The illusion of the lights that was really really really good And I also like the lollipop forest. Yeah, and that's what the captain named it Yeah, when we pass by The art pieces you ask us what what what do you think it looks like? What do you how would you name it if you like you would? You know, and I think the last one as well in the science museum the reverse waterfall I I for me that one wasn't so impressive, but I understand why you liked it Why do you understand? It was I mean It wasn't the most intriguing for me It was me. I liked it because I guessed it right She asked what do you think it is and then he said reverse waterfall reverse waterfall But nobody heard him when he was disappointed and later she yes, you raise your hand in class and nobody hears anything Yeah Okay, that's nice. So it was a good date. Yeah, it was a good day And after we got some really nice food Oh, yeah to warm up because it was quite cold. It was quite cold I don't think it was cold. It was very windy on that day. It was 11 degrees. I remember but the winds were extreme So it hits harder Yeah, and he also sitting still on the boat. It was a small boat. It wasn't like you could walk around It was more like a 10 people boat or something. Yeah, 15 maybe. Yeah, and we had a really Nice warm you and yeah, it was pretty good but um In the other days or yeah other things we've done one of them has been having maternity shoot Yes, that was long overdue. Yeah I was even thinking it might come too late. But in the end it did happen with Elaine's best friend Sabine Who was an amazing photographer? Shout out The Sabine from Israel Yeah, so what we're gonna do is leave you with a short clip of behind the scenes of how the day was with Yeah for a shoot That was nice to do Then I was the work of art for change You are a work of art That's enough Small photo shoot to memorize how my body is now And how this period has been so Yeah Let's see how it goes And that used to being like a model