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Since this is a do it yourself blog (as opposed to Live Journal or Blogger), we'll be posting selected comments that you e-mail
us.
In the long run, I hope we can get a better system in place to let you comment directly in the blog, but this will have to
do for now.
Thanks for your patience.
On January 3, 2007, a friend of mine wrote:
[in regards to better food in Europe than the US]
>Weird - that is so not my experience in the UK and the
>Netherlands. (Though the food we had in Germany was pretty
>good, if very German and the food in the UK has gotten a
>LOT better over the last 20 years).
Interesting. What I mean is that the sandwich was better for a cafeteria style sandwich than I would have expected in a similar
food court type setting in the US.
We fed the four of us for under €15, so that's like $22, or less that $6 each. The boys are eating almost full portions
now, so that feels like a pretty good deal for lunch. Maybe I'm out of calibration.
-D
On December 1, 2007 a friend of mine wrote:
>Hey D,
> Noticed you comment - "The Dutch seem to have a much
>stronger sense of personal responsibility than we do, and
> this manifests itself in some odd ways." I'm wondering
> how this jibes with not wearing bicycle helmets. It's
> just weird to me, wearing a helmet is the one thing that
> is going to keep you from getting seriously damaged in an
> accident. Of course, they are much more used to bicycles
> in the road there so there are probably fewer accidents
> (but then, there are always accidents).
> The flip side question is how much people don't sue
> because it is difficult and expensive. I know in Japan
> it's very difficult to sue, so people tend to accept the
> offer given them instead of what is necessarily just (not
> that the US tort systems has much to do with justice).
> I'm sure you'll have some idea once you've been there a
> while.
The helmet thing is pretty weird, I must admit. I think it's partly due to the fact that biking is a mode of transport here,
not a sport. Everyone goes much slower, cars know to look, and I think the number of accidents is pretty low. If there is
an accident, the medical system will make sure they're taken care of, so maybe they don't need to worry about it as much.
I'll ask my Dutch colleagues and see if I can figure it out.
You bring up a good point about the legal system, but to be honest, I hope I never find out the reality of it. I do know
everyone carries liability insurance. to cover the bike accidents, etc. I'll keep my eyes open and see how it seems to play
out.
On October 8, 2007 a former co-worker and world traveler wrote:
> [...] You're [too] easily put off! Glad you're going for it though.
>
> [...]
>
> Seriously though, don't let the niggling things put you off. It'll be
> fun - and remember, you're in charge. When you've had enough you can go
> back.
You're absolutely right, in both cases.
One of the things that this process has pointed out to me is that while I look for new things in my work life, I tend to avoid
them in my personal life. In fact, that's an argument to do this - to push myself out of my familiar and comfortable rut
and grow beyond it.
I fully expect to be looking back on this in a few years and laughing about how I fretted about little details that really
didn't matter.
-D
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