Food

IT: people with obsessive compulsive disorder don’t have anything on the obsession with food the Italians have. Believe me, this is hardly an exaggeration. They think and talk about it 24/7, something that is pretty annoying for someone who isn’t that preoccupied with how you should properly prep your chicken according to the aunt of a friend.  They talk about it 24/7 because apparantly: “no civil wars ever occured due to food”. A recommendation to food addicts, a no-go for people with an eating disorders or strict dieters.

NL: we eat anything, taste isn’t our best quality. Don’t expect anything fancy from Dutch cuisine, because it is pretty straightforward. However, I never heard anybody complain about our typical ‘broodje kroket’ or our ‘stroopwafels’.

Views and landscapes

NL: we don’t do views. The highest mountain you’ll come across is as big as a side curbe. Mind your step and you’ll do just fine. Maastricht makes up a lot, because of the medieval influences, but panoramic views are very hard to find. If you are the romantic type that loves narrow streets, cosy bars and pittoresk houses Maasticht will be a treat.

IT: the view in Sicily is just plain amazing. Messina watches over the narrow strate between Sicily and the mainland of Italy.  I didn’t come across a lot of views that can match Messina’s especially considering it was winter. The rocky, hilly terrain right next to the sea makes it an amazing spot to let your mind run free. You can judge by yourself whether or not I need to get my eyes checked by the below posted pictures.

Traffic

IT: they just don’t do taffic laws. Speed limits don’t count and taffic signs are funny symbols next to the roads. In Rome they apparantly call traffic lights ” Christmas decorations”. You can park everywhere, because parking spots are considered to be nice geometical shapes drawed on the road (yes we came across a triple parking). Driving while being tipsy or talking on the phone is as normal as the color blue.

NL: rules are rules and we can become anal about them. If you break a traffic rule there’s a proper chance that a gentile civil serant is there to write you a ticket. I’m now talking about driving with a car, because cycling (the most common method of transport) allows you to bend every traffic rule there is. So, even the rebels amongst us can do their thing.

Foreign languages

NL: even grannies can understand English (and German, the language of love, and French in some cases). If you ever get lost or need help in the grocery store, you won’t have any difficulty finding somebody that will assist you.

IT: you better prep up your imagination if you can’t speak Italian, because you will have to make up some great stories to make sure you at least think you are part of the conversation. The level of English is improving apparantly and the lack of English is less profound in student towns and touristic areas. However that won’t save you if you ever have to meet your parents in law from the Italian hottie you picked up.

Hospitality and openness

IT: if you know somebody of the family or friend circle you are as welcome as it will ever get. They will overfeed you with treats and go all out to make you feel at home. Going up to somebody in a bar or even looking at somebody in the streets is a different story. Not appreciated at all, by either the person self or the friends, cause they will think you are as creepy as Herbert the pervert.

NL: the Dutch won’t just let anybody in, but once you are invited there’s nothing to fear at all. Not a lot of topics are considered to be taboo and you can basically ask anything once you are familiar with previous history of that family. Going up to people for a chat is often appreciated. You can go to anybody in a bar to try your luck, nobody will be offended (most of us like the attention and the consequent boost it gives to your self-esteem.

Night-life

NL: Dutch people aren’t very hard to please. Most of them will have a preference for either clubbing or pubbing, but won’t mind if they have to go to toher spots once and a while.  Both  clubs and pubs can be found within a ratio of 20km no matter where you are in the Netherlands. Maastricht doesn’t offer any big clubs (a shame), but there are two big clubs in the near proximity; Starfish in Aachen (Germany) and Versuz in Hasselt (Belgium). Pubs and little bars where you can dance are in excess in Maastricht and basically any music type can be found throughout the city.

IT: in Sicily most of the educated people hang around in little bars or on the streets. They don’t have a drinking culture at all and spend most of their night talking to each other while sipping on their beer/wine. Although that was nice for about 3 nights, I really missed having a wild night filled with good house and retarded top 40 music.

About the author

Joep van Agteren studied Psychology at Maastricht University. He was a contributor to the Maastricht Students blog from October 2010 to August 2013.